Centralight CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY | ALUMNI MAGAZINE FALL 2022 A legacy of TRAILBLAZING CMU celebrates the 50th anniversary of Title IX
BY ADAM SPARKES
In 1972, Title IX was passed, banning discrimination based on sex in higher education. It increased access to women’s sports at the college level, but it’s done much more than that in 50 years.
CMU named six giants in athletics to share grand marshal honors for 2022’s homecoming festivities. Marcy Weston (from left), Sue Guevara, Margo Jonker and Cristy Freese and the late Mary Bottaro and Fran Koenig will serve as this year’s grand marshals in honor of the 50th annviersary of Title IX.
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Features Centralight
Celebrating its 100th season as the “Spirit of the Stadium,” the Chippewa Marching Band has been a fixture at home football games in Mount Pleasant for a century. 20 Big picture
50 years of Title IX on campusOn the cover
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Centralight is published three times each year by the Central Michigan University Office of Alumni Relations. It is printed by Printing Services, Mount Pleasant, and entered at the Mount Pleasant Post Office under nonprofit mailing. CMU, an AA/EO institution, provides equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich.edu/ocrie). Copies of Centralight are distributed to alumni and friends of the university who are paid Gold Members or donors to CMU. A virtual edition of the magazine is available free online at alumni.cmich.edu/centralight UComm 10973–24,000+ (8/22)
Departments 5 CMU Today CMU awarded $1M+ for community service initiatives. 15 Homecoming Schedule 29 Alumni AlumnusNewswins a National Audubon Photography Award for second consecutive year. 32 Honors for Chippewas 34 In Memory 40 Do You Remember
Centralight Fall ‘22
This fall, Central Michigan celebrates its 130th anniversary. In honor of this extraordinary milestone, take a look back through the decades at some of CMU’s iconic moments — including the debut of the first marching band, celebrating its own 100th anniversary. 22 CMU’s 130th anniversary
Photographer Adam Sparkes Writers Terri Finch Hamilton, ’83 Ari AaronHarrisMills, ’02 Logan Pellegrom, ’16 Robert Wang Kate Worster Research Associate Bryan Whitledge Editorial Assistant Bonnie Recker Executive Director of Development for Advancement Jennifer Cotter Vice President for University Communications and Chief Marketing Officer John Veilleux For advertising information Call Cindy Jacobs, ’93 (800) 358-6903 Stay connected Send change of address information to: Alumni Relations Carlin Alumni House Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 Phone: (800) 358-6903 Fax: (989) 774-7159 Email: alumni@cmich.edu Web: cmich.edu/alumni/Centralight
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Executive Editor and Executive Director of Alumni Relations Marcie Otteman, ’87 Editor Betsy Miner-Swartz, ’86 Managing Editor Robin Miner-Swartz Visual Media Director Amy White Graphic Designer Erin Rivard, ’07, MBA ’16
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CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity for all individuals, irrespective of gender identity or sexual orientation and including but not limited to minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities. 10129 (5/21) Become a Gold Member, and receive over 60,000 benefits YOUR GOLDEN www.cmich.edu/alumni OPPORTUNITY
Centralight Fall ‘22 Stay Fired Up Connect with CMU alumni at upcoming Alumni Association events across the country! Find the complete schedule of in-person and virtual, online opportunities here:
• We will also commemorate 25 years of Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates and the important, nationally recognized work of that program. Read about its impact on Page 11.
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Get social Follow our activities and updates on your favorite social channels: FACEBOOK facebook.com/cmualum TWITTER @cmualumni INSTAGRAM @cmichalumni YOUTUBE youtube.com/user/cmichalumni LINKEDIN Central Michigan University – Alumni
Even though much has changed over the past 130 years, our values today do not stray from those inscribed on our seal in 1892: Sapientia, Virtus, Amicitia — wisdom, virtue and friendship. I hope you will make time for a trip to Mount Pleasant this fall, when Mother Nature herself gets fired up and turn the campus our favorite colors of maroon and gold.
• The greatest band in the land, the CMU Marching Chips, is celebrating 100 years of being the Spirit of the Stadium. Read about their beginnings on Page 40.
Fire Up Forever, filled with milestones
• Sept. 13 starts the 130th year of what started as the Central Michigan Normal School and Business Institute. From 31 students in that inaugural class to the nearly 19,000 who fill our physical and virtual campuses today, CMU continues to do what we’ve always done best — educate and prepare our students for success. Reminisce with our 13-decade timeline starting on Page 22.
• We’re recognizing the 50th anniversary of the country’s landmark Title IX civil rights law with celebrations, speaker series and more throughout the academic year. Our homecoming grand marshals are a group of women who have played significant roles in the advancement of women’s sports at CMU and are CMU legends themselves. Read more about them on Page 13.
CMU has many reasons to be Fired Up and proud this year
This year marks a number of milestone anniversaries at CMU:
Marcie Otteman, ’87, Executive Director of Alumni Relations https://cmich.ly/3aVgowW
Supporting student success is key to remaining accessible and affordable Ways to connect with
President Bob Davies
On Sept. 13, 1892, Central Normal School and Business Institute opened its doors in downtown Mount Pleasant, Michigan. At a time when the state desperately needed qualified, educated teachers and business leaders, Central rose to meet that need. Today, 130 years later, we are proud to continue that legacy of service to the state, dedication to student success, and our vital mission to educate and empower leaders in hundreds of academic disciplines. At CMU, we focus on hands-on learning experiences that prepare students for a lifetime of personal and professional leadership. We foster meaningful relationships among students, faculty and staff, creating an environment that supports and encourages everyone’s success. We leverage our knowledge and skills to benefit the communities we serve; we get Fired Up to make a difference. That is who we are, and that is what we do.
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@cmichprez blogs.cmich.edu/cmichprez
Your role in CMU’s next chapter
While we embrace the values and traditions that have shaped CMU’s culture for more than a century, we also boldly pursue innovation and change. The needs of our students and community partners are changing and, as we have done since 1892, we are adapting to meet those needs.
This fall, we will begin work to develop CMU’s next strategic plan, which will focus on providing the highest quality educational experiences in a supportive learning environment while remaining accessible and affordable for students and families. It is an exciting undertaking, and one that will require the input and involvement of our entire CMU community. You can play an important role in our future. During our anniversary week, I hope you will join me in making a gift in support of CMU and our students. You might choose the Ignite Scholarship, which supports first-generation students forging a new path for their families, or the Finish Up Chips Scholarship, which helps students experiencing financial hardship stay on the path to graduation.
No matter where you choose to give, your contribution will have a powerful positive impact on CMU. Thank you for your continued engagement and support. Be well and Fire Up Chips!
BLOG
PRESIDENT DAVIES:
Bob Davies, Ph.D. President, Central Michigan University
CMU President Bob Davies said U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, and U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar were instrumental in securing funding and support for CMU and its efforts in the community. “We are grateful for the continued leadership and engagement of our federal elected officials,” Davies said.
5Centralight Fall ‘22 CMU TODAY
“This program will build upon existing rural provider practices, equipping them with essential telehealth resources to support Michigan families. The behavioral health capacity increase provided by this program through CMU’s medical school will greatly expand vital patient access for residents throughout our region,” Moolenaar said.
Dr. George E. Kikano, CMU’s vice president for health affairs and dean of the College of Medicine, said there is a hidden mental health crisis in the country, and patients in rural Michigan desperately need care and services. Support for this program will help to address the crisis, he said.
Clarke Historical Library will receive $135,000 to further its efforts to digitize historic Michigan newspapers for research and educational use. The project will digitize — and make freely available online — approximately 250,000 pages of historic Michigan newspapers. In the past five years, Clarke Historical Library has digitized nearly a million Michigan newspaper pages, some available at CMU and others online by partner institutions, including the Library of Congress.
“I’m pleased to have supported efforts to digitize Michigan newspapers that will allow Michiganders to easily access our state’s rich history,” Peters said.
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CMU awarded $1M+ for community service initiatives
The CMU College of Medicine will receive $960,000 to fund telepsychiatry outreach for mental health services and suicide prevention in rural, medically underserved communities.
CMU’s College of Medicine will work with local health care providers in mid-Michigan, including primary care practices, federally qualified health centers and mental health agencies. The project will expedite and improve access to care while also providing education and training for health care providers in the region.
“We are grateful to our government representatives who are meeting the needs of their constituents and supporting high-quality services,” Kikano said.
Mental health and state history get a boost from federal funding BY AARON MILLS
“Too many people living in small towns and rural communities in Michigan can’t access the behavioral health services they need close to home,” Stabenow said. “I’m glad to partner with Central Michigan University in their effort to make these critical services more accessible.”
Central Michigan University will receive nearly $1.1 million in federal funding to support two initiatives that will empower the university to serve residents and communities in the state of Michigan.
BY LOGAN PELLEGROM
• Nine dedicated desks.
Image © Rhea Ewing, 2022 Sara Hansen Rhea Ewing
The Central Michigan University Research Corporation has been awarded a $1.4 million grant by the Economic Development Administration for renovations to its incubator and accelerator located in the SmartZone District in Mount Pleasant. The investment will support entrepreneurial growth through renovations to CMURC’s professional coworking space. This includes adding 8,111 square feet to the existing 13,000 square feet of space and will feature:
Hansen, who uses they/them pronouns, will be working with graphic novelist Rhea Ewing, and their work will showcase their data science dissertation work in Michigan prairie fens.
• 14 large offices.
• CMU Ph.D. student wins advocacy leadership grant Work will support gender-diverse scientists
• Meeting rooms equipped with enhanced video and audio technology for virtual conferencing.
“We are focused on making a positive impact and welcome everyone in the community to engage,” Strang said. “The project will provide coworking office space to better serve small businesses and create new membership Strangopportunities.”saidthe need for coworking space has grown, especially since the start of the pandemic.
The grant was announced in the spring, and the project kicked off in June. CMURC is also marking its 20th anniversary this year and will host special events to celebrate, including a fundraiser on Sept. 20. Visit www.cmurc.com for more details.
• 34 private offices.
Take a virtual tour of the expansion here: https://bit.ly/3PrmzLy
BY ROBERT WANG Earth and Ecosystem Science Ph.D. student Sara Hansen, together with biology faculty member Anna Monfils and graphic artist Rhea Ewing were awarded a Botanical Society of America Botany and American Society of Plant Taxonomy Advocacy Leadership Grant. They will be creating and disseminating open-access modules that support emerging gender-diverse scientists. Specifically, they will be creating educational materials that embrace individual identities and engage students in the process of botanical science and discovery.
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CMURC awarded $1.4M grant to coworkingenhancespace
Pandemic grew and changed the need for types of workspace for entrepreneurs
• Modern kitchen and bar area for gatherings.
“While the project encourages entrepreneurship through a well-supported, inclusive and affordable environment, it also positions CMURC for the quiet revolution whereby businesses are rethinking their long-term office space leases,” she said. Since the opening of the Mount Pleasant location in 2002, CMURC has expanded its impact in midMichigan and the Great Lakes Bay region by opening locations in Bay City in 2017, Saginaw in 2018, and Midland in 2020. CMURC leases coworking spaces at each location at a fixed monthly price with no additional overhead. These spaces are available to remote/flex workers, corporations needing offsite meeting space, professionals seeking engagement in the community, and entrepreneurs looking to connect.
Central Michigan has once again been named among the top institutions for student veterans. The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency has certified CMU as one of the first Michigan Veteran Connectors for its role in supporting military veterans.
The CMU College of Medicine was well known to Dils because his brother, Anthony Dils, ’20 — now an internal medicine resident — graduated from the College of Medicine two years ago. The college’s mission aligned with Dils’ personal and professional goals.
BY AARON MILLS
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Medical student receives two prestigious fellowships for T cell research
BY KATE WORSTER
A combination of intense grief and a driving desire to understand how and why diseases occur led a first-year CMU College of Medicine student down a path of research now supported by two distinguished fellowship awards.
“CMU is honored and privileged to serve the individuals who have served and who continue to serve our nation,” CMU President Bob Davies said. “Through their military service, they have demonstrated courage, pride, grit, integrity and excellence. They exemplify CMU’s commitment to leadership and service, and they set a powerful example for others.” •
The purpose of the initiative is to improve referral capabilities within communities to provide Michigan veterans with the best possible resources.
Dils attended U-M where he could receive medical treatment and attend classes. When a fellow student who was a cancer patient and close friend passed away without a bone marrow transplant match, Dils says the grief galvanized him. “Passively waiting for others to make discoveries while patients died from resistant hematologic neoplasms was not an option,” Dils wrote in his ASH HONORS fellowship application.
The initiative is part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Governor’s Challenge, which looks at ways to reduce suicide in service members, veterans and their families. During the admissions process, Connector-certified institutions identify student veterans and ask, “Is there anything you would like us to know about your service?” From there, staff can refer veterans to resources ranging from employment and training services to education benefits for children and spouses to VA health care.
In 2021, CMU was recognized as the top university in Michigan for serving U.S. armed forces veterans by the independent magazine Military Times. CMU’s ranking was not only the best in Michigan but also No. 2 in the Midwest and No. 8 in the country.
The Alpha Omega Alpha national medical honor society and the American Society of Hematology have each recognized Alexander Dils, ’25, and his research investigating how T cells partake in inflammatory and pathophysiological processes. A 2022 AΩA Carolyn L. Kuckein Student Research Fellowship and an ASH HONORS Award designed to create hematology opportunities for the next generation of research scientists provided financial assistance for Dils’ summer research at the University of Michigan with Shannon Carty, M.D., University of Michigan assistant professor of internal medicine. The Carty Lab’s research focuses on the role of protein regulators in normal and malignant T cells.
As a teenager, Dils planned to attend a college in his hometown of Saginaw, study chemistry and work as a researcher in the business sector. However, at the end of his senior year of high school, a diagnosis of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/ lymphoma changed the course of his education and his life.
After graduation from medical school and residency, Dils hopes to work at an academic medical center. “I’m accustomed to being in the bed. That experience combined with knowing the direct impact of research on care motivates me to become a compassionate physician-scientist.” •
“We are so proud to be a part of this initiative,” said Duane Kleinhardt, director of CMU’s Veterans’ Resource Center. “CMU has long been committed to helping our military-affiliated students. This certification shows that we’re doing all the right things to serve these students and their families.”
CMU is already certified through the MVAA’s Veteran-Friendly Schools initiative, which recognizes academic institutions committed to meeting the needs of veterans through supports such as a veteran-specific website, student veteran clubs and an on-campus veterans’ coordinator.
Personal connection drives his passion for discovery
CMU ‘honored and privileged’ to be named Michigan Veteran Connector school University continues its commitment to serving veterans
‘We want to be the benchmark for other universities’ BY TERRI FINCH HAMILTON, ’83
As CMU and the nation celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX this year, Murry and Martinez are two of the many Title IX champions on campus, working to ensure not only that Title IX is enforced, but that we all talk about it, learn about it, and hold each other accountable.
“I was the only girl there,” recalled Martinez, executive director of CMU’s Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity. “When there was some pushback from the organizers, my dad said, ‘She’s here. She’s playing.’
“ WhenMartinezMary was 8, she wanted to go to her city’s pass, punt and kick anything,herHercompetition.footballdad,whotoldgirlscandobroughther.
“A university appoints a Title IX coordinator, and I’m on that podium,” Martinez said. “But I can bring others up on that platform with me. And we can make the ceiling as high as we want to. The base is there, federally required, but the expectation at CMU is that we don’t just meet the minimum requirements of the law. We want to be the benchmark for other Murryuniversities.”isonthatpodium, too, providing educational opportunities and events on campus about equity and fairness and mediating when a Title IX issue arises.
One day, she said she came home “boiling over,” and her mom gave her the green light to handle it. “The next day, I responded with words that individual probably wasn’t expecting,” she said. “I knew it was OK to stand up for myself.” In the 1970s, sexual harassment was not uncommon, Murry said. “You didn’t say anything because you didn’t want to rock the boat. Now you say something, and you expect the boat to be rocked.”
The former counselor loves a good “Groupdiscussion.discussions help us better listen to each other and understand each other’s perspective,” Murry said. “It could be about violence against women, reproductive health and rights, voting rights, critical race theory, women in senior leadership, understanding pronouns.
“I’m proud of the safe spaces we have at CMU to talk about things we don’t understand or the ways we feel silenced,” Murry said. “If we can’t help people feel safe in their personal life, how can they be successful in their academic life?”
It’s helpful for everyone to know there’s a process for civil rights and equity, Murry said. “You can make a complaint and expect assistance, because it’s based on Meanwhile,law.”there’s plenty of room on that “Therepodium.were Title IX champions on campus way before me and there will be after me,” Martinez said. “Decades of work, blood, sweat and tears have gone into this. So many people at CMU have worked for this and will continue to work for it. We’ve come a long way in 50 years, but we’re nowhere near the finish line.” >
Martinez calls Title IX enforcement a group effort.
Here’s what it says: ”No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
One big thing to know: This landmark law covers much more than fairness in women’s sports.
And as society evolves, she said, Title IX covers an increasing scope of protection. “We as a society are in a different space than we were in 1972, with social media, recognition of nonbinary identity, the LGBTQ+ population,” Martinez said. “These areas were not openly talked about in the 1970s. But it’s a law that protects all of those things, too.” Preferred name policy is one example, she said.
“I won a trophy,” Martinez said with a laugh. “My parents still have it in their basement. They advocated for me at a young age. Now I speak out for people who need that voice.”
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NikitafirstMurry’sjobout of high school in the 1970s was at an fromcommentsenduredwhereofficewomensexualmen.
“I didn’t have the language back then for sexual harassment,” recalled Murry, director of diversity education in CMU’s Office for Institutional Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. “I knew it didn’t feel good to hear the comments made toward me, but I thought that’s just how adults talked when they were together, and I just had to go with it.”
“When people hear Title IX they think of sports, but it’s really a civil rights law,” Martinez said. “The law itself is pretty short,” she said, but it packs a wallop.
“Gender can’t dictate where you live on campus or where you’re employed. It covers housing, education, employment.”
“A student might not identify with their sex at birth and want to have their chosen or preferred name on their ID card or diploma rather than their birth name,” she said. “We’re refining that policy now.”
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
“It really covers everything that falls under the scope of the university,” Martinez said.
Title IX makes rocking the boat legal.
Gender Equity Committee ensures fairness from facilities to scholarships to recruiting in CMU Athletics
How’s it going? “Do males and females have equal facilities? They don’t,” Chandler said. But the university is getting there. “We knew we had to add sports,” she continued. “We knew we had to update facilities. We knew what women got wasn’t the same as men, and we started whittling down.”
CMU added several women’s sports after the greatmalethat“Nowseen“I’veThere’s“Buttheof“It’scommitteeOtteman,upgradingchange,“Itareashockeylacrosse,recommendations,committee’sincludinggolfandsoccer.Fieldgotanewfield.Softballwereupdated.feelsgoodtobeguidingpositivelaunchingnewsports,facilities,”saidTimamemberofthesince2015.importanttocelebrate50yearsTitleIXandhowfarwe’vecomeinlastfivedecades,”Ottemansaid.thebucketisneverempty.alwayssomethingtodo.”enjoyedtheworkbecauseI’vechange,”Brockmansaid.we’vegottokeepitgoing,soeveryCMUstudentathlete--orfemale—hasthesameexperience.”
The committee, appointed by the university president, is ongoing, looking at a different section of the legislation each year, from facilities to scholarships to recruiting. This fall marks its 20th year.
Committee members representing faculty and staff from across the university conduct ongoing assessments of the 13 program components of Title IX to identify where there’s disparity and make recommendations for change.
>
they couldn’t afford the buses,” said Chandler, a longtime physical education professor at CMU.
“Women are athletes at the highest level,” said Chandler, a past chair and longtime member of the Gender Equity Committee. “What we spend on them should be the same as men.”
“At the time, most universities left it up to the athletics departments,” Brockman said. “By opening it up to a committee like this, it shows that the university community shoulders the responsibility. It was a paradigm shift.”
To be compliant with Title IX, the university has to be seen trying to do something and then do it, Chandler said. “We’re always looking at what’s next.”
CMU was a pioneer in starting a separate committee to examine Title IX compliance, said Elizabeth Brockman, founding chair of the committee and recently retired professor of English at CMU.
BY TERRI FINCH HAMILTON, ’83
When Judy Chandler started high school in the becausemy“Butbasketball.there1960s,wasonesportforgirls—thatendedsophomoreyeartheydecided
Navigating COMPLIANCE
So, it makes sense that Chandler wanted to be part of CMU’s Gender Equity Committee, charged with reviewing all the components of Title IX to determine where CMU Athletics is in compliance and where it still has work to do.
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FOR EQUITY
While Title IX covers triumph in striving for equity, it also covers trauma.
The paraprofessional student organization serves those affected by sexual aggression through 24/7 services during fall and spring semesters, including by phone, text or in person. The free, confidential services are available to CMU students, faculty, staff and the community.
When Megan Varner was a CMU student 15 years ago, she volunteered to be an advocate for anyone on campus who orsexualexperiencedaggressionviolence. She listened, shared resources, offered options. It was a powerful mission. She never left.
Under Title IX, discrimination on the basis of sex includes sexual harassment or sexual violence, such as rape, sexual assault or sexual coercion.
“We can offer so many more options to CMU students, faculty and staff, because of Title IX.”
Varner stayed on as a graduate assistant, became assistant director, then director of Sexual Aggression Services at CMU, which oversees SAPA — Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates.
> A powerful PARTNER SAPA offers a safe space for people experiencing sexual trauma
“Without Title IX, they might never have thought they could have careers in this field.” >
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“I love that so much,” she said. “She decided, ‘Here’s what I want to do, and I’m going to CMU to do it.’ She sees us as a place to help her do that.”
“It’s a powerful experience, knowing you can make a difference for someone,” Varner said.
As Title IX celebrates its 50th anniversary, SAPA marks its 25th anniversary this fall.
“We have quite a ways to go,” she said. “We not only need to continue to make sure opportunities are there for girls and women, but for everyone who doesn’t have power, privilege or advantage.”
“Title IX provides a basis and federal standard for CMU to prioritize support for individuals dealing with sexual harassment and sexual violence,” Varner said. “This way, CMU can continue to offer a safe place for people experiencing this type of trauma.
BY TERRI FINCH HAMILTON,
CollegeassociateWhenschool.Galarowicz,deanofCMU’sofScienceand Engineering, learned the woman’s daughter would attend CMU to study mechanical engineering, she happily told the mom, “Here’s my card.”
Examining STEM fields
Meanwhile, when you look at STEM at CMU, you see progress, she said. “We have female chairs of our physics department and our computer science department,” she said. “These are women who were in school post-Title IX and had opportunities available to them.”
“All of them were out there doing amazing things, changing the world,” she said. “Half of them were women.
Faculty team works to eliminate gender bias in science, technology, engineering and math
CMU students are trained as SAPA volunteers, spending 60 hours learning how to offer empathetic support, information, choices and resources to an average of 150 people each year.
When Galarowicz taught her fisheries class virtually during the pandemic, she asked her former students, alumni in the field, to be guest speakers.
’83
BY TERRI FINCH HAMILTON, ’83 Tracy Galarowicz had a fireworks moment in an unlikely place — in line chatting with another mom at her son’s high
Fifty years after Title IX was passed to ensure equity in education, Galarowicz is helping ensure CMU gives everyone a fair shot in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. She leads a team of faculty looking at potential gender bias against CMU female faculty in STEM fields. The grant program, called ADVANCE, is funded by the National Science Foundation. The group looks at everything from the potential for bias when CMU faculty apply for tenure to training faculty in how, as bystanders, to step in and change discriminating conversation.
“I benefited from Title IX,” she said. “Growing up, I never questioned that I could go into biology. It wasn’t until I got to college that I realized, ‘Wow, this isn’t the expectation.’ ” Opportunities in fisheries research — her field — typically went to male students.
Six giants in athletics share duties in honor of Title IX’s 50th anniversary
Six giants in Central Michigan athletics share grand marshal honors for CMU’s 2022 homecoming festivities this fall.
Koenig, who died in 2000, was instrumental in the development of women’s athletics at CMU before retiring in 1989, most notably serving as national chair of the ethics and eligibility committee of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, the women’s counterpart of the NCAA.
“It’s important that CMU is recognizing the 50th anniversary of Title IX to continue to shine a light on the development of women’s athletics and the great female leaders who fought for the opportunity for girls and women to participate in sports,” said Freese, a four-time MAC Coach of the Year in field hockey. “I am honored to be named grand marshal with these women.”
“CMU has always been at the forefront of women’s athletics — pre-Title IX and most certainly since its passage,” said Weston, who retired from CMU after more than four decades of coaching and leadership in athletics. “I’m proud to have been a part of our history.”
The law, passed in 1972, banned discrimination based on sex in higher education and increased access to women’s sports at the college level.
Guevara, who led the winningest CMU women’s basketball program in the university’s history, said she’s honored and humbled to be on this team of grand marshals. “CMU has a strong history of women leading in athletics for decades, and it all started with Fran Koenig.”
Cristy Freese, Sue Guevara, Margo Jonker, Marcy Weston and the late Mary Bottaro and Fran Koenig have been named grand marshals in honor of the 50th anniversary of Title IX.
“Mary was a strong coach, official and teacher,” Jonker said. “She fought for her student-athletes and cared deeply about their success on and off the field.”
Bottaro, who died in 2020, led CMU’s field hockey team to three state championships, three regional titles and three national tournament appearances in the 1970s and ’80s — the first women’s sports team at CMU to achieve such honors.
“These visionary leaders have had an impact on thousands of student-athletes during their time at CMU and their legacy continues to lead this department into the future,” said Amy Folan, Zyzelewski Family Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics at CMU. “Their impact was not only felt here at CMU but nationwide, leading athletics to transform the lives of young women and men. I am excited to recognize this group this fall and continue to tell their story to current and future generations of CMU CMU’sChippewas.”homecoming events take place Oct. 7-8 on the Mount Pleasant campus. CMU football will take on Ball State Oct. 8. > all-starnamesteam of HOMECOMINGFORMARSHALSGRAND2022
Jonker, 10-time MAC softball coach of the year in 40 years with the program, said Title IX has been an important part of her life.
CMU
Jonker said being named grand marshal with her cohort was a real honor, especially as it posthumously includes Bottaro and Koenig.
The university’s athletics hall of fame is named in Weston’s honor.
“I feel very strongly about the opportunities Title IX created for me and for other women,” she said.
Freese spent more than three decades fighting for equity, fueled by Title IX legislation that made it the law, and her own fierce belief that female athletes deserve the same treatment as males.
“Now, I’d like to see Title IX do what the law says — make things equal.” >
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Freese became a fixture not only in CMU athletics but on the national field hockey coaching front, serving on the sport’s AllAmerica Committee, the NCAA Field Hockey Committee, and as the first vice president of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.
“My job was to go to the athletic director and say, ‘If you’re putting new turf on the baseball field, what are you doing for softball?’ ”
“I felt it was important that our athletes leave our program being strong women, that they knew it was important to stand up for what’s right,” she said. “To not just accept things, but to be an advocate.”
“What did I gain? I gained everything. I made a career out of this. I learned so much from my student athletes,” she said. “I learned about life from them and the things they went through. I was very intense, and they helped me laugh and lightened things up.” What’s next?
“Donate to women’s sports,” Jonker said. “Attend women’s games. Somebody decided way back when that football is the sport. If you go to a softball game, you’ll see it’s an exciting sport to watch. You’ll be amazed at the skill level.
‘You just keep trying’ Margo Jonker advocated for players to feel valued
The 50th anniversary of Title IX is reason to celebrate, Freese said, “but the work certainly isn’t done.” >
‘The work certainly isn’t done’ Cristy Freese spent decades fighting for equity
“As an administrator, my job was to understand Title IX totally so I could give good advice,” Freese said. She really studied it.
“I would go to the administration to fight for my team, to try to get what was right, so that each athlete felt valued,” said Jonker, Central Michigan’s winning softball coach from 1980 until her retirement after the 2019 season.
“It’s increased the number of girls who participate in youth sports programs. There’s a lot more acceptance to be a female athlete now than before Title IX. That’s really exciting. It does so much for you to play on a team, to be part of something bigger than yourself.”
When Cristy Freese was 12, she and two other girls at school wanted to play ice hockey.
“The reason you saw progress was because there were strong advocates for women’s athletics,” Freese said. She’s kept at it even after she retired in 2019. Freese came back to campus to tour the new Champions Center, the $30 million facility that includes a state-of-the-art 4,200-square-foot football locker room.
BY TERRI FINCH HAMILTON, ’83
“There’s still a big difference between men’s baseball and women’s softball, and between men’s and women’s sports overall,” she said. “You just keep trying.”
After 29 years coaching, Freese stepped away from that role in 2015, becoming the university’s executive associate athletic director for the final four years of her career.
Title IX is the federal legislation that backed her up. Jonker brought her own fierce determination to the cause. The softball field at CMU was named for her before she even retired. She’s been inducted into nine sports halls of fame. She was also an assistant coach for the USA Olympic softball team that won a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
“They were showing me around the new football locker room, saying, ‘Look at this, look at this.’ I said, ‘This is great.
Jonker said the increase in sports for women has benefitted her tremendously personally.
It was about showing her young female athletes they deserved it.
Jonker hired women for her staff, so her young athletes would have female role models. She fought for quality practice times, budget and improved facilities as she and her teams racked up an astounding 1,268-808-7 record over 40 seasons.
“So, we went to a boys’ ice hockey day camp,” recalled Freese, retired CMU field hockey coach. “That kind of thing just didn’t happen back then.”
BY TERRI FINCH HAMILTON, ’83
“As a coach, I didn’t look at other sports programs and say, ‘I want what they have because they have it,’ ” she said. “It was about what my kids needed — about taking care of my student athletes.”
Ahead of her time at age 12, Freese went on to a stellar 33-year career in CMU Athletics, 29 years spent as the head coach of the field hockey team.
When Margo Jonker kept asking the university administration for better conditions for her softball team, it wasn’t just about getting more money, better practice times and improved locker rooms.
“Title IX has done quite a lot for women’s sports,” Jonker said.
Her work, and the work of a host of other tireless advocates for equity, paid off.
Now let’s go look at the field hockey locker room and the women’s track locker room.’ ”
She’d love to see more people join the cause.
14 Centralight Fall ‘22
“Networking is crucial,” she said. “You think you’re the Lone Ranger out there, but you’re not. Others are fighting the fight, sometimes with more success than you have. You just have to find a way.”
Everybody calls Marcy Weston a visionary pioneer in equity for women’s sports, so you might imagine a bunch of doors bursting open, walls crashing down and fists slamming on desks. It wasn’t that noisy. Weston, a force in CMU athletics for more than 40 years, made change happen by forging relationships and following her grandmother’s advice: “Treat people with respect and it will come back to you.” She attended musicals on campus and sat down for coffee with people she didn’t know. She went to the athletic director’s sons’ games. She stopped by the campus police department to chat.
“The return on that investment really made a difference over the years,” Weston said. “If you just zoom in with a mission and nobody knows who you are, you won’t get very far.”
“The guys had the prime times in the gym, and we could use it when they weren’t in it, at 6 a.m. or 8 o’clock at night,” she said. “We just accepted the bad practice times, but then we said we’re not gonna take these crummy early morning times and night times.
Weston said her work at the national level gave her a different view of things. On the road as an NCAA women’s basketball official for 20 years, she met women from other universities with bigger budgets who shared their tips and strategies.
“You can’t just go in and break down doors and make everybody ignore you,” Weston said. “It’s about steady pressure. You always have your hand on the door, and you keep pushing it.
“You won’t have to knock the wall down when you’re 60 if you’ve been chiseling away at it since you were 27.” >
Her way was subtle, but effective.
BY TERRI FINCH HAMILTON, ’83
During her prolific 40-year career, CMU women’s athletics got pretty far.
Weston went on to be a trailblazer for NCAA women’s sports, too, and was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000. The CMU Athletics Hall of Fame is named for her. But she had a pretty bare-bones beginning. There were no athletic scholarships for women at CMU when Weston started. She signed the first full scholarship for a woman –a volleyball player – in 1979. “It was a big deal,” she said. But there was a long way to go.
‘Women today aren’t settling for those inequities’ Marcy Weston’s prolific career advanced parity for athletes
“When I started, women’s sports were something schools were forced to do,” said Weston, who coached CMU volleyball and basketball teams before becoming a respected administrator. “Now they’re a prize to be adored and respected and taken seriously.”
“When Title IX first passed, nobody saw the impact,” Weston said. “Schools didn’t suddenly just roll out more money and give it to you.
“Women today aren’t settling for those inequities.”
“Fran was very, very strong willed, and she wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Weston said. “She told me I couldn’t either.”
Weston started at CMU in 1972, the year Title IX was passed. Her mentor was the legendary Fran Koenig, a veteran coach and administrator who was key in building women’s athletics at CMU.
My players made me a good coach. But it would be a nice Guevararecognition.”tookthe CMU Chippewas to unprecedented heights as the winningest head coach in program history, transforming the program into a Mid-American Conference power. She appreciated the hard work of equity pioneers who fought for her program. Next up: making sure her young athletes did, too.
“I hope the tables get turned and more women start coaching women,” she said. “I recruited kids who had never been coached by a woman. Well, it’s time. Young women should go out into this world mentored and taught by women. Not that guys can’t do it, but it’s Anotherdifferent.”lessonshe taught her young athletes: don’t accept the ways things are. “There were strong, strong women who fought for female athletes at Central Michigan, and male athletic directors who listened to what they had to say,” Guevara said. “Keep pushing the envelope.” >
Back in 1985, as a graduate student, Guevara wrote a paper about how men benefitted from Title IX, earning the increased salaries that now come with coaching women’s college sports. Those high salaries have nudged out female coaches.
SATURDAY, OCT. 8
6 P.M. ROCK RALLY: Go to Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium for the pep rally, mock rock contest for the Maroon Cup, introduction of the CMU Football team, and the announcement of the 2022 Homecoming Gold Ambassadors.
6 P.M. BLACK ALUMNI CHAPTER WELCOME RECEPTION: Join the Black Alumni Chapter on the third floor of the UC to mix and mingle with old and new friends! Light hors d’oeuvres will be provided.
1 P.M. CARDBOARD BOAT RACES: Held in the afternoon of homecoming, this event draws quite a crowd to Rose Ponds (near the CMU Events Center).
“I wanted our players to understand how far our program had come, in scholarships, in priority scheduling, in travel,” she said. “The people who came before us didn’t have all that. I wanted them to appreciate all they experienced, to understand the history, and to know that hopefully their daughters would have even more opportunities.”
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One notable disparity: salary.
BY TERRI FINCH HAMILTON, ’83 When Sue Guevara started as CMU’s women’s basketball coach in 2007, she knew how far her program had come.
9 A.M. ALUMNI COFFEE AND DOUGHNUTS: Start your day off right with complimentary coffee and doughnuts inside Powers Hall. Stay right here to watch the parade.
“They were pioneers, making sure women had opportunities at Central Michigan,” Guevara said. “I was a beneficiary of all the things they fought for.
‘I came at the right time’ Sue Guevara taught her athletes not to accept the way things are
For two weeks, School of Engineering and Technology students build cardboard boats, and on Saturday they sail them across the ponds. The fastest team to the other side wins.
“I came in at the right time,” she said. The way had been paved, she said, by Fran Koenig and Marcy Weston, veteran coaches and administrators instrumental in the development of women’s athletics at CMU.
FRIDAY, OCT. 7 2 P.M. LATINO/A CAREER SESSION: Join the Latino/a Alumni Chapter on the third floor of the UC to learn about the professional and personal experiences of Latino/a alumni panelists. Light refreshments will be provided prior to the program’s start.
9 A.M. 50TH REUNION BRUNCH CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 1972: Begin your homecoming celebrations with brunch in Powers Hall. You also can watch the parade right from this location. Registration is required online at com/1972reunionhttps://go.cmualum. .
“My salary was never close to what my male counterpart’s was,” she said, “even though we do exactly as much as the men do. I wasn’t motivated by money. Money didn’t make me a good coach.
11 A.M. HOMECOMING PARADE: The annual parade begins in Parking Lot 22 and travels through campus before heading north on Main Street to downtown Mount Pleasant. 11:30 A.M. TAILGATE LOTS OPEN
3:30 P.M. FOOTBALL GAME: Cheer on the CMU Chippewas as they face off against the Ball State Cardinals at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. Order tickets at 1-888-FIREUP-2 or online at www.cmuchippewas.com
“Everything was the same for women’s basketball as it was for men,” she said. “We got a new locker room, we got to travel, we stayed in nice hotel rooms. We were given access to the same kind of training, equipment and scheduling that the men’s team got.”
We know you. You know us. And when it comes to career advancement, it’s all about who you know. Central Michigan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity for all individuals, irrespective of gender identity or sexual orientation and including but not limited to minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see http://www.cmich.edu/ ocrie). 10999 8/22 If the status quo isn’t as fulfilling as it was, come back to CMU. We can help you Fire Up your career with online graduate programs that make change happen. » Move up and have a greater impact in your current career. » Change course and try something new. » Add some skills to rekindle your passion. » Or achieve a personal goal. Take one class per eight-week term and complete many of our online master’s degrees in just two years. » 877-268-4636 » onlineprograms@cmich.edu Learn more today at cmich.edu/cmuonline
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Since opening its doors in fall 2018, the CMU Student Food Pantry has distributed thousands of pounds of food to hundreds of students in need.
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We need your support.
To donate online, visit go.cmualum.com/foodpantry
Every day, some students at CMU struggle to meet their most basic needs. As many as 3,000 CMU students struggle with food insecurity. Students experiencing food insecurity drop or fail a class more frequently than their peers and are more likely to experience symptoms of depression. Without support, fewer than 20% of these students will complete their degree in five years or less.
CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity within its community. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight. mgx.cmich.edu
CMU is an AA/EO institution, providing equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich.edu/OCRIE). UComm 10073
Graphic design services available. 17Centralight Fall ‘22
Your gift to the Student Food Pantry will help hundreds of CMU Chippewas overcome unexpected obstacles and stay on the path to graduation. Donations in any amount will help us stock the shelves and keep students in school and successful.
Food to fuel student success Help CMU stamp out student hunger
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SOURCEYOUR for CMU gear! Central Michigan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity for all individuals, irrespective of gender identity or sexual orientation and including but not limited to minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see http://www.cmich.edu/ocrie). Ucomm 10972 6/22 BrownsonJerrodbyPhotos Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest GOLD CENTRALCMUBOOKSTORE.COM 800-283-0234989-774-7493CMUBookstoreFallHours Monday-Thursday, 8a.m.-6p.m. Friday, Sunday,Saturday,8a.m.-5p.m.10a.m.-3p.m.Closed
Celebrating its 100th season as the “Spirit of the Stadium,” the Chippewa Marching Band has been a fixture at home football games for a century. The band’s popular pre-game show has followed the same basic format for more than 60 years, and die-hard fans know firsthand that they’re seeing “the most exciting band in the land” when they take the field at Kelly/ Shorts Stadium, just as they did in this photo from a 2019 game against Akron.
of
STADIUM
CREDIT: CODY
PHOTO SCANLAN the
We have always been a community of doers. At the time we opened our doors in 1892 as the Central Michigan Normal School and Business Institute, few of the state’s teachers received any formal training in the “norms” of teaching. There was a need, and we filled it. School founders made teacher training their mission in Michigan’s second normal school. This fall, CMU celebrates its 130th anniversary — 13 decades of educating students, serving the community and filling needs. In honor of this extraordinary milestone, here’s a look back at our history — the important moments, the quirks and the points of pride. Up Chips! back at key points of pride throughout our long history
Look
Fire
22 Centralight Fall ‘22
On May 24, 1892, the Mt. Pleasant Improvement Company was formed to boost the economy by linking progress to education. They created a “Normal College” and purchased a large parcel of land. Ten acres were set aside for the school, and the remainder was divided into 224 lots sold for $110 each. The revenue was used to build the first academic building and pay initial operating costs. Central played its first inter-collegiate baseball game in the spring of 1896, and its first intercollegiate football game was played on Oct. 31, 1896. Reputedly, the football team had only two plays. In 1905, the Lady Normalites played Midland High School and won 24-13 in the first known women’s basketball game played by Central.
Eugene Warriner became president of the school in 1918, serving until 1939. In 1902, the first library was opened on campus, directly under the gymnasium, which did not prove conducive to studying. Athletes and librarians joined hands to relocate the gym to its own building.
23Centralight Fall ‘22
In October 1930, Central won its inaugural game on the new Alumni Field, defeating MichiganUniversitytheof13-7.
In 1946, Vetville opened on campus to house WWIIreturningveteransfromandenrollingasstudents.Thetrailershousedmarriedstudentswithchildren.
24 Centralight Fall ‘22
On Dec. 7, 1925, a fire destroyedcompletelyOldMain,thefirstbuildingoncampus.
The siteJuneHallknownBuildingAdministration—nowasWarriner—openedon17,1928,ontheofOldMain.
(See Page 40)
Central’s first marching band took the field and entertained at a football game in 1923, complete with major.anduniformsadrumTheband is celebrating 100 years this fall.
25Centralight Fall ‘22
Central offered its first classes on Beaver Island in the 1940s. Here, a professor and students catch fish in the summer of 1960.
SummerInternationalit1973.firstStateOlympicsMichiganCMULegislature.MichiganhostedtheSpecialSummerGamesforthetimeJune1-3,InAugust1975,hostedtheGames.
On June 1, 1959, Central became a university by an act of the
On Dec. 14, 1974, CMU won the NCAA Division II national rankstheThetheDelawareUniversitydefeatingchampionship,footballtheof51-14atCamelliaBowl.followingyear,teamenteredtheofDivisionI.
The first powwow was held on campus April 1-2, 1989, with representatives from 20-30 tribal communities.
26 Centralight Fall ‘22
The first Alternative Breaks trip was in 1994, with students traveling to work on the Red Bird Community Program in Beverly, Kentucky.
March NationalFourhosted1980,21-23,CMUtheFinaloftheAIAWDivisionIbasketballchampionshipinRoseArena.Inthemid-1980s,thetoiletpapertossbecameatraditiontocelebrateCMU’sfirstbasketofeachgame.By1987,ithadbecomeanepicevent.
In 1997, CMU’s existing five colleges expanded to eight to allow for better visibility for departments and programs. In 2000, CMU earns the classificationFoundation’sCarnegie as IntensiveDoctoral/ResearchaUniversity. The Institute for Great togetherdepartmentsacrossfoundedResearchLakesisin2011.Studentsandmorethan20facultyfromacademiccometoaddressthecomplexissuesfacingGreatLakesecosystems. The members of the first class of CMU College of Medicine atheirceremoniallystudentsdonwhitecoatsat2008ceremony.
Spencer Haworth, ’12, Kalamazoo, Michigan Sean Hickey, ’88, M.A. ’90, Traverse City, Michigan
Wardrop
28 Centralight Fall ‘22 ALUMNI NEWS
Darryl Shelton, ’85, Fennville, Michigan
Lisa (Laitinen) Bottomley, ’97, Kentwood, Michigan Catherine (Bomber) Claes, ’90, Gladstone, Michigan
Studley, ’93
Central Michigan University Alumni Association Board of Directors
Bret Hyble, ’82, M.A. ’86, Mount Pleasant, Michigan
For a full listing including emeritus board members please see Pages/default.aspxAboutUs/AlumniBoard/cmich.edu/alumni/https://www.
Erica Lagos, ’13, Carmel, AnthonyIndianaLazzaro, ’15, Newport Beach, California Linda (Scharich) Leahy, ’82, Midland, Michigan J.J. Lewis, ’06, Simi Valley, California John Reineke, ’09, Oxford, Ohio
Christine Simon, ’13, Lansing, Michigan
ofUniversityMichiganBoardTrustees
Central
Norma Eppinger, ’91, Lansing, MatthewMichiganFranklin, ’04, Grand Blanc, Michigan Chris Gautz, ’04, Adrian, JacalynMichigan(Beckers) Goforth, ’82, Beverly Hills, Michigan
Caroline (Powers) Rizzo, ’15, Traverse City, Michigan
J. Anson, ’77 Regine EdwardIsaiahSharonBeauboeufHeath,’96M.Oliver,’07J.Plawecki Jr., ’75 Michael A. Sandler
Trustees meeting schedules
Todd Richard K. Robert F. II, ’72, ’76 For a full listing of Board of please see edu/bot/Pages/default.aspxhttps://www.cmich.
Megan Doyle, ’03, Chicago, JonathanIllinoisEadie, ’93, Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan
President Kandra (Kerridge) Robbins, ’90, Jena, Louisiana Vice president Scott Nadeau, ’89, Dexter, Michigan Past president Nathan Tallman, ’07, M.A. ’09, Macomb, Michigan Directors Brooke Adams, ’11, Detroit, Michigan Carrie Baumgardner, ’99, M.A. ’02, Davison, Michigan Lester Booker Jr., ’08, MSA ’10, Canton, Michigan
Almost 2,500 photographers and videographers submitted nearly 10,000 entries to the 2022 National Audubon Photography Awards, and for the second consecutive year, Steve Jessmore, ’81, has won a top award. His photo, “Feeding Frenzy,” features a flock of Northern Shoveler ducks with their heads plunged into the Muskegon County Wastewater Management System’s pond.
‘Feeding Frenzy’ earns top honor for photographycreative
He returned to Clare in 2011 as a coach and began as a teacher in 2015. He spent the past three seasons as head coach of the junior varsity football team. Spranger and wife, Kelsey, have two young children — 5-year-old daughter Kayden and 2-year-old son Landon. Reprinted with permission from MLive. A longer version of this story appeared on MLive.com. Read the full version here, written by Lee Thompson, ’90: https://bit.ly/3IUlVDPl
Now Spranger steps in for his mentor, taking his community’s precious cargo under his care as director of the proud football Sprangerprogram.wasahard-hitting middle linebacker during his playing days with the Pioneers. He was an MLive/Bay City Times Dream Teamer as a senior and earned first-team all-Jack Pine Conference honors in both football and baseball.
“With his green head, shovel-shaped bill, yellow eyes and striking sky-blue panels, he looked statuesque for a second or two before dropping back to feed.”
You can follow Jessmore’s photography on Instagram @sjessmo. •
• 29Centralight Fall ‘22
The photo was awarded the Fisher Prize, garnering the most creative points of all the entries. It also graced the cover of the summer issue of Audubon Magazine.
One-time water boy now calling the shots as head coach Clare High School’s football team is again led by CMU alumnus The dynamics of the Clare football staff are about to change. The water boy was hired as head coach. After spending most of his life at the heels of legendary coach Kelly Luplow, ’82, and longtime assistant Doug Haggart — growing from water boy to equipment manager to middle linebacker to assistant coach — Steven Spranger, ’15, makes the move to the top as head coach of the Clare “EverywherePioneers.wego,Haggs is the driver, Lups is in the front seat and I’m the annoying one in the back seat,” Spranger said. “Something tells me I still don’t get shotgun just yet.” The 32-year-old Spranger gets a chance to earn his stripes in the ultimate seat, serving as head coach of one of the area’s premier high school football programs. The 2008 Clare graduate has been an assistant in the program since 2011, but his roots with the team go back much further. He started attending games at Brookwood Park at age 2 when his brother played for Clare, and by second grade he was standing on the sidelines. “I was water boy, ball boy, equipment guy … I was everybody’s grunt,” he said. “I latched on to the program when I was a little boy and never left.”
Steve Jessmore wins a National Audubon Photography Award for second consecutive year
“Almost two hours into shooting, a drake rose from the center and spread his wings,” Jessmore wrote in his “Story Behind the Shot.”
Spranger played one year of football at Alma College before completing his schooling at Central Michigan University.
The birds swim in tightly packed groups with their bills submerged, relying on the fine, comb-like structures inside their oversized bills to strain crustaceans, insects and seeds from the water.
After using the prescription drug for a week, Gore said she quickly discovered it was overstimulating and made her feel awful. “I wanted a supplement that would help support me in creating a healthier lifestyle not just make me starve myself,” she wrote. She started researching plants that aid in weight loss, and she connected with a doctor, nutritionist and manufacturer. Her TRIM products are now sold at more than 740 Vitamin Shoppe stores nationwide.
Alumna makes her mark in a male-dominated industry
Samia Gore, M.S.A. ’13, is the first Black female founder to break significant ground in the highly competitive, male-dominated nutritional supplement industry.
30 Centralight Fall ‘22 ALUMNI NEWS
Samia Gore’s focus on her own health grew into national sales opportunity
Gore was named to the Vitamin Shoppe Wellness Council as a supplement industry pioneer and she is a recipient of INC’s 2021 Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs to watch. •
The author and healthy lifestyle advocate founded Body Complete Rx (BCRX) in 2017, a wellness brand of plantbased supplements formulated by a Black woman nutritionist with a complete wellness journey in mind. Created as a result of her own wellness journey, in August 2021 Gore launched TRIM, her plant-based, vegan supplements at The Vitamin Shoppe, making BCRX the first Black female-owned brand to launch in the retailer’s weight management category. Gore and Body Complete Rx have been featured in Elle, Essence, Bustle, Us Weekly and more with Gore being a featured speaker as seen in ESSENCE + New Voices Entrepreneur Summit and more. “In 2015 I was prescribed a weight loss drug by my doctor,” Gore writes on her website. “I had picked up nearly 100 pounds in my fourth pregnancy and was desperately wanting to get back to my best self.”
Throughout the first half of the book are the compiled letters from Daisy to Bazzett’s father. She tells him about her classes and her life on campus.
After spending eight years in the U.S. Army, five years teaching English at Monroe County Community College and 30 years serving the Department of Defense, Bazzett found himself retired and back in his hometown. He said he was just looking for something to do and became a surprise bestselling author with his first book, “Reed City Boy.”
CMU newpreservedSchoolLabhistoryinabookbyalum
Robert C. Knapp documents university’s early education roots “I wrote about the Lab School because I went there,” Robert C. Knapp, ’68, said Thematter-of-factly.authorandhistorian published “Community of Learning: History and Memories — The Laboratory School, Central Michigan University 1895-1970.” The book explores the school’s 75-year existence, always guided by the philosophy, “We learn by doing.” Lab schools historically are affiliated with a college or university with a teacher
“You just get a real sense about how exciting it was for her,” Bazzett said.
Daisy Bazzett died at 96 in 2013.
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31Centralight Fall ‘22
Read the full version here, written by Riley Connell, ’21: https://bit.ly/3aTw7zX
All of Bazzett’s books, including “Daisy,” are available on Amazon and through Bazzett’s website and publisher Rathole Books.
Following were four more books titled “Soldier Boy,” “Pinhead,” “Booklover” and “Love, War and Polio.”
Reed City author uses his mother’s letters to tell her story ‘Daisy: Pieces of a Life’ reflects on 1930s CMU college life In his previous writings, author Timothy James Bazzett has captured the experiences of growing up in Reed City, joining the Army and falling in love. Now, returning with his sixth book, Bazzett, ’69, is telling the story of his mother’s life through her own letters, diary entries and unfinished memoir.
“Myenvironment.classroomtrainteachersallownewmodels,educationalanddesignedprogram.educationThey’retotestdevelopnewincubateideas,andyoungtoinaliveexperiencein the Lab School, and the subsequent experience in other school environments, really convinced me that this was something special, and we didn’t realize it at the time,” Knapp said. In 1999, Knapp built a website to solicit photos and memories from people connected to CMU’s Lab School and had a good response. But he thought it wouldn’t endure in that form.
The focus of “Daisy,” he said, is to try and express what life was like for women in the ‘30s and what kinds of expectations followed. For Bazzett’s mother, a college education was unexpected, and without a scholarship, he said she likely would not have attended.
The idea for his newest book came about when he discovered a series of letters that his mother, Daisy, ’36, addressed to his father during her time as a student at Central Michigan University. Bazzett said his mother was a prolific writer and that if he were to count every letter she sent over her lifetime, the number would be in the Initially,thousands.hepassed the letters along to the Clarke Historical Library on CMU’s campus, because they were a reflection of college life in the ‘30s. But, when Bazzett realized how fascinating of an experience that really was for his mother, he decided to compile the letters into a narrative format.
“After I retired, I thought a website is ephemeral — anything on it will disappear,” he said. “I wanted to have something more solid.” He began writing the book in 2019 and tapped into CMU’s alumni network in search of stories and memories. And while the writer in him is fascinated by the details, his main purpose was to preserve the school’s history. “I think the vast majority of copies sold will be to those who have some relationship with the school — themselves, their parents,” Knapp said. “Beyond that, there’s a good deal of useful information for the history of educational facilities.” Knapp is the author of five books and numerous articles on topics in Roman and Greek history. “Community of Learning” is available on Amazon.com and other online booksellers.
Thus was the creation of “Daisy: Pieces of a Daisy,Life.”whose maiden name was Whalen, graduated from high school at 15 and began attending CMU at 16, studying there from 1932-36.
A longer version of this story appeared in the Cadillac News.
•
Raj V. Rajaram, M.S. ’92, was appointed the chief marketing officer of Meta Materials Inc. this spring. Rajaram brings more than 25 years of experience and numerous highly profitable successes as a senior global marketing and commercial operations executive within public and private companies across multiple industries, along with experience spearheading due diligence and integration of acquisitions in North America and across Europe.
’16, was inducted into the Michigan Insurance Hall of Fame. she is the vice president and COO of the General Agency Company in Mount Pleasant and an adjunct instructor for Northwood University’s risk management program.
Joe Kielpinski, ’90, was one of 11 people to receive the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year award during the association’s annual all-star games at Comerica Park in Detroit in June. Kielpinski coaches baseball at Meridian High School in Sanford, Michigan. Heather Miller, ’03, joined the Midwest Treasury Sales team at JPMorgan Chase & Co. as executive director, treasury management sales officer covering the Wisconsin market. Miller has 19 years of banking experience with roles in credit and banking before moving into treasury for the past 14 years.
Bonnie Hayward,Johnson-’15,M.S.A.
Paige Wirth, ’11, has been named senior director at Lambert, a public relations, investor relations and integrated communications agency. In this newly created company position, Wirth is responsible for expanding Lambert’s client service capabilities in marketing and content strategy.
ALUMNI NEWS 32 Centralight Fall ‘22
Andrea Frederick, D.H.A. ’14, earned a spot in the highly competitive Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program for the 2022-23 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Frederick, a professor of nursing at Saginaw Valley State University, plans to spend three months at Ediburgh Napier University in Scotland. She will develop, pilot, implement and evaluate an interprofessional educational simulation for students and faculty of the School of Health & Social Care.
Tony Michaels, ’81, has been named one of the Michiganians of the Year for 2022 by the Detroit News. Michaels is the CEO and president of the Parade Company. He was honored for reviving and improving Detroit’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade and the July 4 fireworks show for the city.
Eric Reed, ’10, M.S.A. ’12, dean of access, equity and inclusion for Washtenaw Community College, was named one of the Michigan Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 for 2022. He is an educator and entrepreneur dedicated to building greater economic mobility and wealth in African American communities, and he led the development of Michigan’s first comprehensive community college transfer pathway to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Kimberly Olson, ’04, was appointed the new principal of the high school and middle school campuses for Clawson Public Schools. She most recently was an assistant principal and principal at Oakland FlexTech High School, a public charter school, in Farmington Hills, and she taught English, reading intervention and STEM classes at Clawson Middle School.
Alison Wright, ’11, is the director of experienceguestforthe Golden State Warriors. With the team’s 2022 NBA championship win, Wright received a championship ring. David R. McGhee, ’07, has joined the Schultz Family Foundation in Seattle as chief strategy and program officer, a newly created role, serving as a thought partner to the executive team and collaborating internally and externally to drive pioneering strategies and programs. He previously was the vice president of organizational excellence and impact for the Skillman Foundation in Detroit.
Honors for CMU Chippewas
Abigail Burlingame, ’21, is the new parks and recreation and economic director for Cass City. She works with anything that incorporates the community, including development projects and economic development. Evan Petzold, ’20, was named Young Journalist of the Year by the Society of JournalistsProfessionalDetroit Chapter. Petzold, the Detroit Tigers beat writer for the Detroit Free Press, joined the newspaper as a reporting intern in 2020 after interning with The Gazette in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
33Centralight Summer ‘22 connect.cmich.edu 989-774-3087 connect@cmich.edu andConnectivityAffordability. Competitive rates available to CMU Alumni for AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless products and services.
Doris (Dillon) Weible, ’58 BS, ’78 MA, Traverse City, Mich., died Jan. 24, 2021, age 91
Victor Cronkite, ’58 BS, Breckenridge, Mich., died May 23, 2022, age 86
Glenn Knudstrup, ’61 BS, Bellaire, Mich., died March 13, 2022, age 84 Sharon (May) MaySkowronek, ’61 BA, Prescott Valley, Ariz., died May 8, 2022, age 83 Ingrid (Lutton) VanAuken, ’61 BS, Saginaw, Mich., died April 21, 2022, age 82 Lois (Bernthal) Cinco, ’62 BS, Cadillac, Mich., died May 2, 2022, age 89 Sharon (Lakies) Erickson, ’62 BA, Escanaba, Mich., died May 26, 2022, age 81 Mary (Dunn) Martin, ’62 BS, Fort Myers, Fla., died May 11, 2022, age 82 Curtis Miel, ’62 BSBA, Gloucester, Va., died April 7, 2021, age 80 Carl Morgan, ’62 BS, ’66 MA, Pigeon, Mich., died April 13, 2022, age 84 Philip Paye, ’62 BS, Cadillac, Mich., died June 8, 2022, age 81 Donald Haase, ’63 BSBA, Estero, Fla., died May 8, 2022, age 81 Lucius Munger, ’63 MA, Cheboygan, Mich., died May 15, 2022, age 83 D. Jean (Drake) Murphy, ’63 BSEd, ’85 MA, Midland, Mich., died May 2, 2022, age 87 Ronald Bird, ’64 BSEd, Canton, Mich., died May 21, 2022, age 80 Donald Miller, ’64 BSEd, ’68 MA, Tallahassee, Fla., died April 22, 2022, age 84 Nancy (Noble) Murry, ’64 BA, Hutchinson, Kans., died March 25, 2022, age 80 Donna (Ramsey) Nicholson, ’64 BSEd, Naples, Fla., died July 27, 2022, age 80 John Stock, ’64 BS, ’66 MA, Northville, Mich., died April 14, 2022, age 81 David Weissenborn, ’64 BSEd, ’72 MA, Grayling, Mich., died July 11, 2022, age 84 Shirley (Benson) Anderson, ’65 BSEd, Frankfort, Mich., died April 15, 2022, age 93 Linda (Newcomb) Deretich, ’65 BSEd, Linden, Mich., died June 28, 2022, age 79
John Maletic, ’59 BSEd, Fenton, Mich., died March 26, 2022, age 85
Ralph Ellison, ’58 BS, East Jordan, Mich., died April 26, 2022, age 87 Dorothy (Bender) Krieg, ’58 BS, Otsego, Mich., died June 30, 2022, age 98
Richard Gwinn, ’56 BS, Rochester, Mich., died June 3, 2022, age 87 Frank Jank, ’56 BS, Costa Mesa, Calif., died June 4, 2022, age 88 Gloria (Grosz) Miller, ’56 BS, Grand Ledge, Mich., died April 4, 2022, age 87 Lucille (Konyha) Hrivnak, ’57 BS, Trenton, Mich., died Nov. 29, 2021, age 90
Jerry Keeney, ’60 BSEd, Harbor Springs, Mich., died May 6, 2022, age 90 Keith Reed, ’60 BS, Holualoa, Hawaii, died Nov. 30, 2007, age 71 William Snider, ’60 BS, Cadillac, Mich., died April 17, 2022, age 89
Gordon Taylor, ’60 BS, ’65 MA, Bay City, Mich., died March 20, 2022, age 86
34 Centralight Fall ‘22 In Memory Evelyn (Pankow) Battige, Fremont, Mich., died March 18, 2022, age 97 Agnes (Koller) Hiller, ’47 BS, White Pigeon, Mich., died Feb. 27, 2022, age 96 Julie (Chestnut) Holbrook, ’48 BS, Seal Beach, Calif., died Dec. 23, 2021, age 96 Jane (Foust) Legate, ’48 BS, Mission Viejo, Calif., died May 16, 2021, age 95 Donald Arsen, ’49 BS, Ann Arbor, Mich., died May 26, 2022, age 97 Donna (Zemke) Morrow, ’49 BS, Rockford, Mich., died June 2, 2022, age 94 Florence (Rice) Belt, ’50 BS, New Braunfels, Texas, died Feb. 23, 2022, age 93 Dimitro Bourandas, ’50 BA, Roswell, N.M., died Feb. 18, 2021, age 94 Wayne Lawless, ’50 BS, Phoenix, Ariz., died April 5, 2022, age 97 Barbara (Subia) Burgoyne, ’51 BA, Katy, Texas, died Oct. 7, 2020, age 91 Neil Curtis, ’51 BA, Cadillac, Mich., died April 6, 2022, age 93 Margaret (Orris) Galbraith, ’51 BS, Boerne, Texas, died Feb. 2, 2018, age 89 Alice (Derycke) Johnson, ’51 BS, Tempe, Ariz., died April 17, 2022, age 92 Calvin Miller, ’51 BS, Midland, Mich., died June 16, 2020, age 90 Alice (Hillman) Throop, ’51 BA, Caledonia, Mich., died March 20, 2022, age 93 Helen (Serr) Mowl, ’66 BSEd, Farwell, Mich., died Nov. 26, 2021, age 89 John Partenio, ’52 BS, Spring Lake, Mich., died April 19, 2022, age 93 Erma (Kilgus) Rummel, ’52 BS, Sebewaing, Mich., died May 15, 2022, age 95 Erwin Sengelaub, ’52 BSBA, Reed City, Mich., died June 26, 2022, age 94 Loren Dietrich, ’53 BS, ’65 MA, Saginaw, Mich., died May 5, 2022, age 90 Kenneth Harkness, ’53 BSBA, Edmore, Mich., died March 8, 2022, age 93 Phyllis (Beckett) McKillop, ’53 BS, Euless, Texas, died June 14, 2022, age 92 Robert Brandt, ’54 BS, Saginaw, Mich., died July 1, 2022, age 89 Dorothy (Taberski) Creger, ’54 BS, Midland, Mich., died May 7, 2022, age 91 Audrey Fischer,(Fahrenbruch) ’63 Frankenmuth,BS,Mich., died May 11, 2022, age 88 Elizabeth Hoffmann,(Brooks)
Kathleen Schindler,(McPherson)
’59 BS, Punta Gorda, Fla., died Feb. 1, 2022, age 84 James Valley, ’59 BS, Pinconning, Mich., died Aug. 31, 2001, age 89
Fred Zollner, ’60 BS, East Tawas, Mich., died July 5, 2022, age 87 Bernard Armstrong, ’61 BS, Rockford, Mich., died May 31, 2022, age 85
Earl Burley, ’59 BS, Lutz, Fla., died June 17, 2022, age 85
’54 BS, ’62 MA, Charlevoix, Mich., died Jan. 23, 2022, age 90 Edward Meeks, ’54 BS, Paris, France, died July 2, 2022, age 90 Ann Bayes, ’56 BS, Tucson, Ariz., died Feb. 18, 2022, age 88
Richard Wenzel, ’58 BMusEd, Indianapolis, Ind., died April 28, 2022, age 85
Donald Glowicki, ’59 BS, Elk Rapids, Mich., died May 11, 2022, age 92 Merry (Geis) Harrold, ’59 BS, ’63 MA, Preston, Idaho, died July 10, 2022, age 84 Ellen (Helmker) Larner, ’59 BS, Perry, Mich., died May 15, 2022, age 84 B. Maxine MacInnis, ’59 BS, Traverse City, Mich., died April 21, 2022, age 84
Patricia (Hayford) Coen, ’74 BA, ’78 MA, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died June 11, 2022, age 93
James MacKay, ’72 MA, Kalamazoo, Mich., died May 7, 2022, age 96 Patricia (Goehle) Wilson, ’72 BSEd, Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., died May 22, 2022, age 71 Ruth Boggs, ’73 BS, ’74 MA, Honolulu, Hawaii, died May 25, 2009, age 85
Walter Bryden, ’70 BS, ’74 MA, Sterling, Va., died April 3, 2022, age 78 Michael Coffey, ’70 BSEd, ’78 MA, Saginaw, Mich., died April 9, 2022, age 83 Linda (Karbowski) Foco, ’70 BS, Pinconning, Mich., died May 26, 2022, age 74 Terry Kooiker, ’70 MA, Reed City, Mich., died June 8, 2022, age 81 Linda (Refice) Peters, ’70 BA, ’77 MA, Spring, Texas, died Jan. 17, 2021, age 72 Laura Powers, ’70 BSEd, ’86 MA, Alden, Mich., died March 27, 2022, age 73 Dan Rose, ’70 BSEd, ’74 MA, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died May 17, 2022, age 75 Timothy Sullivan, ’70 BS, Saginaw, Mich., died June 12, 2022, age 79 Nancy Denny, ’71 BS, Lansing, Mich., died April 30, 2022, age 73 Daniel Kempf, ’71 MA, Frankenmuth, Mich., died April 4, 2022, age 83 Janice (Kempker) KempkerGood, ’71 BA, ’74 MA, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died April 22, 2022, age 73 Edwin Krol, ’71 MS, Plymouth, Mich., died June 6, 2022, age 80 Kim Lathwell, ’71 BSEd, Frankfort, Mich., died May 3, 2022, age 73 John Sturm, IV, ’71 BSBA, Hersey, Mich., died April 3, 2022, age 74 Scott Usadel, ’71 BSEd, Byron Center, Mich., died Feb. 4, 2022, age 72 Norman Wright, ’71 BS, Traverse City, Mich., died May 11, 2022, age 74 Jeffrey Archer, ’72 BSEd, Ann Arbor, Mich., died April 6, 2022, age 72 Gordon Bigalke, ’72 MA, Essexville, Mich., died May 5, 2022, age 89 James Dayley, ’72 MA, Spanish Fork, Utah, died July 14, age2022,88 Susan (Wilkinson) Douglas, ’72 BSEd, Webberville, Mich., died May 19, 2022, age 72 Susan (Brookey) Dowdall, ’72 BA, Davison, Mich., died March 4, 2022, age 72 Robert Downs, ’72 BS, Green Valley, Ariz., died April 12, 2022, age 71 Patricia (Friend) Gerber, ’72 MA, Evart, Mich., died June 1, 2022, age 87 Dorthy (Garbrecht) Higgins, ’72 MA, Blanchard, Mich., died May 25, 2022, age 89 Florence (Kimball) Hughes, ’72 BS, Millersburg, Mich., died June 14, 2022, age 92
35Centralight Fall ‘22 Eugene Jorissen, ’65 BSEd, Ludington, Mich., died May 16, 2022, age 79 Dale Coffman, ’66 BSEd, ’74 MA, St. Johns, Mich., died April 16, 2022, age 78 Jerry Israels, ’66 BS, Grand Haven, Mich., died Nov. 23, 2016, age 74 Thomas Mehl, ’66 BS, ’68 MBA, Big Rapids, Mich., died May 1, 2022, age 80 Charles Armitage, Normal, Ill., died June 12, 2022, age 84 Sheila (Coomer) ArmitageThomas, ’67 MA, Normal, Ill., died Sep. 25, 2021, age 81 Wayne Branch, ’67 BS, Clinton Township, Mich., died Feb. 19, 2022, age 76 John Brooks, ’67 BS, Belgium, Wis., died March 4, 2022, age 81 Elizabeth (Finkbeiner) Cave, ’67 BSEd, Grant, Mich., died May 12, 2022, age 78 Janet (Dorcey) Kohn, ’67 BSEd, Brooksville, Fla., died July 28, 2022, age 91 Margaret (Muilenburg) Lixey, ’67 AA, East Tawas, Mich., died April 25, 2022, age 100 James Nurss, ’67 MBA, Jacksonville, Ill., died April 30, 2022, age 80 James Postma, ’67 BSBA, ’68 MBA, Ada, Mich., died June 13, 2022, age 79 William Braim, ’68 BSEd, Traverse City, Mich., died June 11, 2022, age 79 Joseph Griggs, ’68 MS, Traverse City, Mich., died March 20, 2022, age 79 Patricia (Hunt) Lawless, ’68 BA, Eaton Rapids, Mich., died March 19, 2022, age 93 Mike (Murphy) Murphy, ’68 BSBA, Hot Springs Village, Ariz., died May 19, 2019, age 74 James Segar, ’68 MA, Lancaster, Mass., died April 13, 2022, age 84 Dean Speidel, ’68 MM, Sandusky, Mich., died Dec. 24, 2016, age 75 James Sweeney, ’68 BSEd, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died June 16, 2022, age 76 Maurine Trombley, ’68 BS, Bay City, Mich., died Oct. 18, 2017, age 79 Robert Dustman, ’69 BA, Auburn Hills, Mich., died July 7, 2022, age 76 Thomas Grant, ’69 BSEd, ’74 MA, Oscoda, Mich., died April 21, 2022, age 84 Dawn (Smith) Howe, ’69 BSEd, Lapeer, Mich., died June 30, 2022, age 74 Charles King, ’69 BSEd, Traverse City, Mich., died March 18, 2022, age 80 Beverly (Johnson) Leighton, ’69 BA, Flint, Mich., died March 30, 2022, age 74 Carolyn (Davies) Mitchell, ’69 BSEd, ’74 MA, Sanford, Mich., died April 20, 2022, age 78 Betty (Hoople) Olson, ’69 BSEd, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died May 29, 2022, age 84 Carole (Berlin) Speidel, ’69 MA, Sandusky, Mich., died April 26, 2022, age 80 Wendy (White) Stebbins, ’69 BSEd, Comstock Park, Mich., died Jan. 25, 2022, age 75 Lyman Walker, ’69 MBA, Canadian Lakes, Mich., died March 10, 2022, age 87 Michael Brandow, ’70 BA, Marquette, Mich., died June 20, 2022, age 75
Judith (Reichle) Kusey, ’73 BSEd, ’81 MA, Bay City, Mich., died July 1, 2022, age 71
Patricia O’Donnell, ’73 BS, ’92 MSA, Lansing, Mich., died March 7, 2022, age 70 Gerard Slovinski Sr., ’73 BS, Muskegon, Mich., died May 5, 2022, age 73 Gayle (St Amour) St. Amour, ’73 BS, Caledonia, Mich., died June 26, 2022, age 70 Gloria (Paul) Warner, ’73 MA, Gladwin, Mich., died July 5, 2022, age 80 Coreen Blades, ’74 BSEd, Fort Wayne, Ind., died Feb. 23, 2022, age 71 Zandra (Buben) Cardenas, ’74 BA, San Antonio, Texas, died March 26, 2022, age 75 Ward Cobb, ’74 BSEd, Owosso, Mich., died May 22, 2022, age 70
Marvin Aranowski, ’79 BS, ’89 MSA, Oxford, Mich., died Dec. 25, 2021, age 74 Helen (Baird) Branyan, ’79 MSA, Silver Spring, Md., died Jan. 15, 2020, age 92
Billy Kiser, ’76 MA, Pierpont, Ohio, died April 20, 2022, age 84 Katharine (Molyneaux) McHugh, ’76 BS, Traverse City, Mich., died Nov. 3, 2009, age 54 Cathleen (Miller) Traviss, ’76 BS, Mesick, Mich., died July 11, 2022, age 75 Peggy Asher, ’77 BSW, Traverse City, Mich., died May 7, 2022, age 67 James (Baldwin) Baldwin, ’77 BFA, Taneytown, Md., died March 1, 2022, age 67 Scott (Simpson) Blackmon, ’77 MA, Litchfield, Conn., died July 8, 2022, age 75 Richard Bristol, ’77 BSEd, Flushing, Mich., died June 12, 2022, age 74 John Brougher, ’77 MA, Severna Park, Md., died March 16, 2022, age 90 Dorothanne (Bartling) Caszatt, ’77 BSEd, ’84 MA, Riverdale, Mich., died July 11, 2022, age 89 Marguerite Fuentes, ’77 BA, ’83 MA, Pentwater, Mich., died May 30, 2022, age 80 Glenn Harwood, ’77 BS, Homosassa, Fla., died April 25, 2022, age 91 James Marsh, ’77 MA, Bryan, Texas, died Aug. 30, 2017, age 73 Corydon (Somes) Somes, ’77 MSA, Cross Plains, Wis., died March 21, 2022, age 76 Harold (Tydings) Tydings, ’77 MA, Broken Arrow, Okla., died June 24, 2022, age 89 Kathleen Anderson, ’78 BS, Clare, Mich., died June 5, 2022, age 65 Robin (Rausch) Butler, ’78 BSEd, Birmingham, Mich., died April 8, 2022, age 65 Gail (Monroe) Byam, ’78 BSEd, Boyne City, Mich., died March 12, 2022, age 76 Harlon George, ’78 MA, Howell, Mich., died Feb. 26, 2022, age 80 Aleta (Axtmann) Hursh, ’78 MA, Big Rapids, Mich., died April 10, 2022, age 89 Mary (Howell) Lazarus, ’78 BSBA, Crystal, Mich., died May 15, 2021, age 76 Randy Loga, ’78 BS, Portage, Mich., died Feb. 25, 2022, age 69
Memory
36 Centralight Fall ‘22 Sarah (Murphy) Hume, ’74 BSEd, Howe, Ind., died June 16, 2022, age 72 Patrick Kowalski, ’74 BS, Hawks, Mich., died June 23, 2022, age 72 Floydene (Lauffer) Mitchell, ’74 MA, Alma, Mich., died Aug. 1, 2022, age 85 Thelma (Smith) Nichols, ’74 BSEd, Saginaw, Mich., died March 7, 2022, age 94 Richard Nixon, ’74 BSEd, Gladwin, Mich., died April 10, 2014, age 74 John Pfister, ’74 MA, Odessa, Fla., died April 4, 2021, age 76 James Rock, ’74 BS, Bay City, Mich., died April 10, 2022, age 75 John Wencley, ’74 BS, Metamora, Mich., died March 23, 2022, age 69 Joseph Wilhelm, III, ’74 MA, Northampton, Mass., died June 1, 2022, age 75 Charles Bateman, ’75 MA, Newburyport, Mass., died May 16, 2022, age 75 Guy Boltz, ’75 BS, Muskegon, Mich., died Aug. 14, 2020, age 68 James Breault, ’75 BA, ’76 MA, Stanwood, Mich., died Feb. 2, 2021, age 86 Clarence Ennis, ’75 BS, ’78 MA, Trenton, Mich., died Dec. 31, 2021, age 95 Kerry Graves, ’75 BS, Galveston, Texas, died March 25, 2022, age 68 Sandra (Bintz) Greenwald, ’75 BS, ’85 MA, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died April 29, 2022, age 68 Kim Hughes, ’75 BS, Rapid City, Mich., died Feb. 28, 2022, age 68
Carolyn Jankowski,(Reinink)
Joseph Farkas, ’76 MA, Presque Isle, Mich., died May 16, 2022, age 82 Gary Ferguson, ’76 MA, Marlton, N. J., died Sep. 27, 2021, age 83 Gabriel Freshour, ’76 MA, Manvel, Texas, died April 6, 2022, age 78
In
’75 BSBA, Petoskey, Mich., died Feb. 24, 2022, age 68
Michael Keevan, ’75 BSEd, Grand Haven, Mich., died June 13, 2022, age 69 Michael Lytle, ’75 BSBA, Sturgis, Mich., died April 28, 2022, age 69 Gordon MacKenzie, ’75 BS, Fenton, Mich., died May 21, 2022, age 71 Gregory Martin, ’75 BS, Traverse City, Mich., died April 19, 2022, age 74 Andrew Moutoux, ’75 MA, Seymour, Ind., died April 4, 2022, age 86 Carolyn (Rumph) Pummill, ’75 BA, Ukiah, Calif., died June 24, 2015, age 63 Michael Simkins, ’75 BS, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died March 15, 2022, age 80 Robert Zehner, ’75 MA, Chesterfield, Va., died May 6, 2022, age 81 Lyle Baltrusch, ’76 MA, Camden Wyoming, Del., died March 24, 2022, age 87 Sandra (Ross) Drummond, ’76 MA, Hastings, Mich., died May 9, 2022, age 76 Janet (Anderson) Eymer, ’76 MA, Alger, Mich., died June 5, 2022, age 83
Connie Davidson,(Heikkinen) ’79 BSEd, Escanaba, Mich., died March 12, 2022, age 73 Dallas (Fairey) Jones, ’79 MA, Anderson, S.C., died April 11, 2022, age 77 Susan (Ferrera) Kenney, ’79 MA, Birmingham, Mich., died May 9, 2022, age 78 Claudia Marchildon, ’79 MA, Rochester, Mich., died Feb. 17, 2020, age 70 Audie Mays, ’79 MA, Florence, Ala., died March 27, 2022, age 78 Bruce Postma, ’79 BS, Midland, Mich., died April 19, 2022, age 73 Harold Scott, ’79 MA, Grand Blanc, Mich., died March 8, 2022, age 85 Rhonda Crofoot, ’80 BS, Saginaw, Mich., died Feb. 27, 2022, age 63 Stanley Evans Sr., ’80 MA, Cleveland, Tenn., died July 2, 2018, age 79 Barbara Gourlay, ’80 BS, Leesburg, Va., died March 21, 2022, age 65 William Jones, ’80 MA, Bowie, Md., died June 22, 2022, age 89 Dale LaBrie, ’80 MA, ’86 MA, Petoskey, Mich., died May 26, 2021, age 83 Eunice (Moore) Levert, ’80 MA, Atlanta, Ga., died Feb. 26, 2022, age 80 D. Aaron McDonald, ’80 MA, Howell, Mich., died May 14, 2022, age 80 Wilma (Richter) Morrissey, ’80 MA, Allenwood, N.J., died May 10, 2022, age 83
Joseph Cowell, ’79 BS, Woodland Park, Colo., died March 1, 2022, age 68
Thomas Cummings, ’88 MSA, Fairport, N.Y., died Feb. 22, 2022, age 74 Elizabeth Meadows,(Burleson)
Michael Phelps, ’84 BSBA, Ypsilanti, Mich., died March 14, 2022, age 59 Michael Stawiarski, ’84 BAA, Jackson, Mich., died April 17, 2022, age 59 Joyce (Albert) Bulgrin, ’85 MSA, Stevens Point, Wis., died May 20, 2022, age 80 Charles Lucia, ’85 MA, Stafford, Va., died March 13, 2022, age 73 David Moore, ’86 BSBA, Santa Clara, Calif., died June 18, 2022, age 62 James Nooks, ’86 MA, Columbus, Ohio, died March 26, 2022, age 70
Thomas Pacynski, ’86 MAVE, Bay City, Mich., died June 3, 2022, age 75 John Podolan, ’86 BS, Flint, Mich., died June 19, 2022, age 83 Sandra Studzinski, ’86 MA, Detroit, Mich., died May 29, 2022, age 74 Therese (Alm) Allore, ’87 BSEd, Traverse City, Mich., died June 26, 2022, age 84 John Bielat, ’87 MSA, Sykesville, Md., died March 18, 2022, age 79 Harry Capps, ’87 MA, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., died May 13, 2022, age 80 Marilyn (Martin) Greaves, ’87 MA, Toronto, ON, Canada, died March 30, 2022, age 81 Julie (Sappington) Kearney, ’87 MSA, Grand Rapids, Mich., died April 8, 2022, age 61 Sandra Shanahan,(McHugh)
Jeannie (Lobell) LobellWogaman, ’94 MSA, Hilliard, Ohio, died April 30, 2022, age 71 Terrance O’Hanisain, ’94 MA, Flint, Mich., died May 16, 2022, age 75 Jeffrey Palumbo, ’94 MSA, Rocklin, Calif., died Feb. 28, 2022, age 60
Nancy Stevens,(Schuerman) ’93 MBA, Richmond, Texas, died Oct. 14, 2021, age 68
Cynthia Durrenberger,(Mislik)’92 MSA, Meridian, Idaho, died June 27, 2020, age 65 Brian FitzGerald, ’92 MSA, Greensboro, N.C., died May 30, 2022, age 65 Carol (Walsh) Humbracht, ’92 MAT, Brownsburg, Ind., died Feb. 28, 2022, age 77 Susan (Klemm) Miller, ’92 MS, Hart, Mich., died April 23, 2021, age 63 Renee (Scramlin) Perry, ’92 MA, Haslett, Mich., died April 23, 2022, age 58 Michele Pietrobono, ’92 BSBA, Yucaipa, Calif., died April 1, 2014, age 44 Paul Pisoni, ’92 BSBA, Lansing, Mich., died May 25, 2022, age 53 Goldie Wood, ’92 BS, ’98 MSA, Rhodes, Mich., died March 27, 2022, age 73 Marian Duncan, ’93 MSA, Lake Waccamaw, N.C., died May 28, 2022, age 86
Patricia McAllister,(Thomas) ’81 MA, Effingham, S.C., died March 2, 2022, age 79 Gerald Moore, ’81 MA, Bay City, Mich., died April 10, 2022, age 75 David Nygren, ’81 BS, Stanton, Mich., died Feb. 19, 2022, age 72 Thomas Acree, ’82 MA, Destin, Fla., died May 13, 2022, age 79 Bruce Drennan, ’82 MA, Cordele, Ga., died June 23, 2022, age 74 Rosemary Hungerman, ’82 MA, Dexter, Mich., died July 8, 2022, age 90 Lawrence Kelly, ’82 MA, Gold Canyon, Ariz., died May 9, 2022, age 83 Robin Rhodes, ’82 MA, Little Mountain, S.C., died April 16, 2022, age 75 Mieczyslaw Swidwinski, ’82 MA, Casnovia, Mich., died March 10, 2022, age 72 Thaddeus Grekowicz, ’83 MA, Ypsilanti, Mich., died Feb. 6, 2022, age 73 Martin Trombley, ’83 MPA, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died June 2, 2022, age 82 Timothy Burnash, ’84 BSBA, Louisville, Ky., died March 21, 2022, age 64 Robert Hirsch, ’84 MA, Rochester, Mich., died March 3, 2022, age 70 Michael Lynch, ’84 BSBA, Grand Prairie, Texas, died April 7, 2022, age 60
’87 BAA, Morrisville, N.C., died Feb. 19, 2022, age 60 Patrick Boyle, ’88 BS, Alpena, Mich., died April 18, 2022, age 70 Cynthia (Hassig) Burt, ’88 MS, Free Soil, Mich., died June 29, 2022, age 71
’88 MSA, Fort Mill, S.C., died May 12, 2022, age 61 Roberta (Hinton) Bouleau, ’89 BS, Saginaw, Mich., died March 4, 2022, age 78 Bula (Wilson) Dexter, ’89 MSA, Jackson, Mich., died May 11, 2019, age 83 Pamela Dickerson,(LaValley)
Robert Stewart, ’93 BS, Union, Mich., died June 25, 2022, age 53 Ronald Bellows, ’94 MSA, Dayton, Ohio, died Sep. 15, 2021, age 74 Jennifer LaMonte, ’94 BSEd, High Point, N.C., died March 22, 2022, age 52
Brad Keilitz, ’93 BS, Fairfield, Conn., died May 20, 2022, age 52 Farrell McCain, ’93 MSA, Fenton, Mich., died March 2, 2022, age 64 Crescent (Haas) Norman, ’93 BS, Owosso, Mich., died May 17, 2022, age 58
’89 BS, ’97 MA, Surprise, Ariz., died Feb. 27, 2022, age 67 Kathleen (Hammond) Fields, ’89 BS, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died May 8, 2022, age 68 Karmen Kerr, ’90 BSBA, Alma, Mich., died June 4, 2022, age 56
Joseph Kusibab, ’90 BAA, Romeo, Mich., died Oct. 8, 2016, age 49 Francis Pellens, ’90 BS, Hale, Mich., died June 12, 2022, age 83 Kenneth Stack, ’90 MSA, Stanwood, Mich., died Dec. 26, 2018, age 76 Jacob Treib, ’90 BSBA, Saginaw, Mich., died June 26, 2022, age 54 Jerome Barton, ’91 MSA, Eau Claire, Wis., died April 22, 2022, age 72 Jill (Grigaliunas) Carle, ’91 BAA, Hudsonville, Mich., died July 18, 2022, age 53
Van Peace, ’94 MSA, Richmond, Va., died May 31, 2021, age 74 Alan Pentz, ’94 MSA, Havre De Grace, Md., died June 1, 2022, age 69
37Centralight Fall ‘22
Philip Turner, ’80 MA, Augusta, Ga., died July 13, 2015, age 75 Christopher Zimmerman, ’80 MA, Magnolia, Del., died March 30, 2022, age 69 G.M. Bressie, ’81 MA, Rocklin, Calif., died April 12, 2022, age 75
In Memory 38 Centralight Fall ‘22
Beatrice (Kaiser) KraussNumerick, ’10 MSA, Owosso, Mich., died May 18, 2022, age 77 Jay Brandow, ’11 BAA, Bay City, Mich., died April 12, 2022, age 67 Nicole Gillett, ’11 BS, Marlette, Mich., died March 27, 2022, age 32 Nicole Dumanois, ’13 BS, Gladwin, Mich., died June 22, 2022, age 32 Brittany Krieger, ’13 BS, Macomb, Mich., died April 4, 2022, age 34 Nichole Shuff, ’13 BS, Farwell, Mich., died July 29, 2022, age 33 Jamie Smith, ’13 BSEd, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died May 7, 2022, age 51 Thomas Peggie, ’14 BS, Sterling Heights, Mich., died May 7, 2022, age 60 Anne Poston, ’21 MA, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died June 9, 2022, age 51
Jerry Gilliland, ’99 MSA, Bonita Springs, Fla., died June 4, 2022, age 66 Jeremy Maurer, ’99 BSBA, West Bloomfield, Mich., died May 14, 2022, age 44 Debra (Bickford) Wehner, ’99 BSEd, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died June 9, 2022, age 63 Kevin Sheridan, ’00 BAA, Delray Beach, Fla., died Feb. 27, 2022, age 45 Nicholas Wilinski, ’00 BS, ’03 MPA, Milwaukee, Wis., died April 29, 2022, age 43
Shelley (Karolak) Moore, ’01 BSEd, Ortonville, Mich., died April 16, 2022, age 46 John Klun, ’02 BSBA, ’11 MBA, Harper Woods, Mich., died June 11, 2022, age 42 Marvin Gonser, ’04 MSA, Grandville, Mich., died Aug. 9, 2021, age 70 Janet (Plecha) Stevens, ’04 MSA, Wyandotte, Mich., died April 22, 2022, age 64 Karen Rowan, ’05 AuD, Danvers, Mass., died May 22, 2022, age 68 Ashley Burghardt, ’07 BS, Grand Ledge, Mich., died June 2, 2022, age 37 Donald Hornberger, ’09 BS, Macomb, Mich., died July 21, 2020, age 55 Joel Svejcara, ’09 BSBA, Rochester, Mich., died June 19, 2022, age 36
’95 BS, Cumming, Ga., died March 6, 2022, age 69 Robert Gendron, ’95 MA, Lafayette, Ind., died Feb. 25, 2022, age 54
CarltonFACULTYFancher, Shepherd, Mich., died June 15, 2022, age 89 Saadia Saif, Clearwater Beach, Fla., died May 7, 2022, age 90 Larry Smiley, Banning, Calif., died May 6, 2022, age 85 Olaf Steg, Gainesville, Fla., died Dec. 5, 2002, age 88 J. Holton Wilson, Midland, Mich., died May 17, 2022, age 80 Jose-Luis Maurtua, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died May 7, 2022, age 57
Thomas Swanson, ’94 MSA, Telford, Pa., died June 27, 2022, age 69 George Clark, ’95 MSA, Deland, Fla., died June 17, 2022, age 86 Penny Forstner-Dove,(DePelsmaeker)
ThomasSTAFF
Elaine Jordan, ’16 MSA, Drexel Hill, Pa., died Aug. 3, 2021, age 66 Nathaniel Root, ’16 MSA, San Diego, Calif., died April 11, 2022, age 33
Julie (Bishop) Rees, ’95 BAA, Napoleon, Ohio, died May 21, 2022, age 48 Jerry Spence, ’95 MSA, Monroe, Mich., died April 6, 2022, age 75 Terry Bunch, ’96 BS, Leonard, Mich., died Dec. 6, 2014, age 72 Elizabeth Blatch, ’97 BS, ’99 MA, Whittemore, Mich., died Feb. 11, 2021, age 75 Jeffrey Trapp, ’97 MSA, Rock Hill, S.C., died March 13, 2022, age 69 Cherrye (Ervin) Watts, ’97 MA, Hazel Crest, Ill., died June 10, 2022, age 77 Jacob Fox, ’98 BS, Scotts, Mich., died May 14, 2022, age 47 Aaron Hewitt, ’98 BS, ’02 MS, Naples, Fla., died June 11, 2022, age 46
Shoup, Avondale Estates, Ga., died April 20, 2021, age 80 Joanne Lovejoy, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died June 14, 2022, age 91 Leila Weldon, Clare, Mich., died May 22, 2022, age 88 William Valle, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died June 24, 2022, age 84
The Central Normal Band was formed in the spring of 1918, a year after the United States entered World War I, when the U.S. War Department established the Students’ Army Training Corps. By the fall of 1923, music department head J. Harold Powers enlisted 16 men and boys, funded the purchase of uniforms, and took on the duties of director. The band was immediately embraced by the campus community in response to its enthusiastic support of the football team.
100 years of MARCHING
To mark the centennial, CMU will welcome home the finest band alumni in the country this fall’s homecoming weekend with a celebration concert and banquet.
This fall marks the 100th season of the CMU Marching Chips. The band represents students from all majors across campus.
40 Centralight Fall ‘22
YOU CAN TOO We drive with pride www.cmich.edu/alumni Order your CMU license plate today! CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity for all individuals, irrespective of gender identity or sexual orientation and including but not limited to minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities. 10130 (5/21)
Centralight Carlin Alumni House Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 U.S.ORGANIZATIONNONPROFITPOSTAGE PAID MOUNT PLEASANT, MI PERMIT NO. 93
UComm 10902 (8/2022) Life is full of twists and turns — events that can threaten a student’s college education. At CMU, our Student Emergency Fund is there when our CMU Chippewas need a boost, often allowing them to stay in school through difficult circumstances. CENTRAL MICHIGANdonate.cmich.eduUNIVERSITY$1,225,865 dollars have been awarded 997 Students awarded dollars $217,966 Dollars raised in 2021-22 2,306 Donors in 2021-22 Jennifer Peacock, ’18 Your dollars CHANGEMAKE STUDENT EMERGENCY FUND
Cultural and Global Studies
CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity within its community. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight. (see cmich.edu/ocrie).
In her final year at CMU, Jennifer Peacock was thrilled to have been accepted into graduate school and receive a fellowship. When her financial situation changed and she was unable to afford her last semester of tuition, the promising future felt unattainable. Without the Student Emergency Fund, she would have lost her post-grad plans. With support from donors, she was able to graduate from CMU and start her career.
