Columbia College Affinity Magazine Winter 16-17

Winter 2016-17

THE COLUMBIA COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINE

a f f i n i t y

Quad:

the

A new heart of campus

THE COLUMBIA COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINE

a f f i n i t y

Taking It In It’s hard to decide what to write about this time. This fall brought some major changes to Columbia College, including the founding of three new academic schools, the addition of a sixth session each year for students in 8-week courses, a full-time bachelor’s program in nursing, new sports — including track & field, baseball and eSports — and a 13 percent increase in day program enrollment.

I think, though, that I’ll tell you a story.

One day in the spring of 2015, I was in front of Miller Hall, playing volleyball with students and staff on a sand court we had recently constructed.

I noticed how the court completely changed the way people thought about that space. The area became much more popular and vibrant, even for those not playing. It was a fun place to be. When the game was over I walked east, past the back of St. Clair and Dorsey Hall toward Rangeline Street. The vibe there was much

different. It felt okay, but it lacked a sense of cohesion, of place. I didn’t see many people gathering. It just wasn’t very inviting.

What if we started from scratch, I wondered, and completely reimagined that space? I began with a vision of a fountain and an amphitheater. Others soon added their own wonderful ideas. What about a garden honoring our Christian College heritage? What about restoring the historic character of our oldest building, Williams Hall? What about an attractive outdoor dining area? What if we moved Campus Safety to the heart of campus? I began calling this new space the Quad, and the name stuck.

If you’re reading this in Orlando or Salt Lake City, you might wonder what all of this has to do with you.

That’s a fair question, and I have two answers.

First, the most prominent feature of the Quad is Alumni Fountain,

featured on the cover of this issue of Affinity. We designed it to honor all graduates of Columbia College, no matter where they are. It’s designed in the shape of a compass, with special bricks honoring each of our nationwide locations, placed according to that location’s proximity to our Columbia, Missouri, campus, which is symbolized by the water.

Second, I personally invite you to visit us in Columbia! Let the Alumni Office staff know you’re coming and I promise you’ll be treated extremely well. This is your campus too, and we want you to feel pride in it. There’s plenty to do in mid-Missouri, and I’m certain you’ll enjoy yourself. Come see what all the fuss is about.

You just might find me sitting on one of the Quad’s many benches, taking it all in.

Dr. Scott Dalrymple Columbia College President

Columbia College Board of Trustees 2016-2017 Chair Walter E. Bixby III ’82

Trustees Lynne Stuver Baker ’64

Mitchell R. Humphreys, MD

Vice Chair Helen Dale Coe Simons ’65

Lex R. Cavanah

June Viner Hurdle ’83

Treasurer George W. Hulett Jr.

Judith A. Cunningham ’64

Reverend Brad Stagg

Jerry D. Daugherty

Gary A. Tatlow

Daisy Willis Grossnickle ’66

Carol J. Winkler ’93

Lt. Gen. Richard C. Harding

Janet Carter Wright ’58

Secretary Jolene Marra Schulz ’61

CCAA Alumni Representative William J. Johnston ’82 Faculty Representatives Kenneth R. Felts, Ph.D. Christina Ingoglia

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20 4 International Students

30 40 18 Family Day & Homecoming

53 Cougars Baseball Preview

46 54 56

Inside the Gate The Fishman Center for Entrepreneurship expands its pitch competitions, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee begins its work and donors make a difference in the lives of students.

My CCAA Find tips on conveying your strengths in the job market, how to form an Affinity Council in your area and get to know the Alumni Relations team.

The Heart of Campus Now that the Quad has officially opened, take a look at the many features it has for students, faculty, staff, alumni and visitors!

Life Changers Read six stories of students changing the course of their lives through a Columbia College education.

Cougar Sports Zone The Athletic Hall of Fame inducts a new class, Connor Doyle sets the tone for Cougar eSports and the inaugural “Week of Giving” is a success.

On the Web Check out Scooter’s latest travels.

CC Notes Keep up with fellow alumni as they share personal and professional updates.

a f f i n i t y Winter 2016-17

On the Cover:

Alumni Fountain serves as the centerpiece for the Quad, the new heart of the Columbia College campus. President Dr. Scott Dalrymple presided over a ceremony to turn on the fountain for the first time August 29, 2016, the first day of fall classes. Photo by Kaci Smart ’09

Managing Editor, Production & Design Carolyn Preul

Lead Writer David Morrison

Photo Editor Kaci Smart ’09

Editorial Review Board Dr. Scott Dalrymple Sam Fleury Ann Merrifield Dr. Jeff Musgrove Misty Phillips Suzanne Rothwell Dr. David Starrett

Contributing Writers Donnie Andrick ’16 Sallie Coley ’75 Drew Grzella ’01 Beth McWilliams Barry Moffat Ann Muder

Contributing Photographers Kandace Anthony Holly Greenup ’13 Holly Kite ’15 Cindy Fotti Potter ’05 Ernest Reese

Affinity magazine is published biannually by the Columbia College Advancement Division (1001 Rogers St., Columbia MO 65216). For assistance, please contact Alumni Relations at (573) 875-ALUM (2586) or ccalum@ccis.edu. © 2016 All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

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Inside the Gate

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THE COLUMBIA COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINE

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Going Nationwide Fishman Center expands student pitch competition to Orlando and St. Louis BY DAVID MORRISON PHOTO BY KANDACE ANTHONY 

Columbia College’s Fishman Center for Entrepreneurship is taking its pitch competitions on the road.

Each spring, enterprising students gather on the main campus for a chance at winning $5,000 in the Student Business Pitch Competition.

Now, the Nationwide locations in Orlando and St. Louis are getting in on the act.

Both hosted “Five Across” pitch competitions during the Fall Semester, miniature versions of the main campus event in which five students presented five-minute pitches for entrepreneurial ventures with a chance to win $500 and automatic entry into the Columbia campus’ spring competition.

Raja Bhattacharya, director of Entrepreneurship at the Fishman Center, says St. Louis and Orlando were natural selections for the expansion of the program because of their proximity to major cities and the past interest in entrepreneurship students from those locations have

Columbia College-St. Louis students (from left) Whitney Jones, Joshua Winkler, Devlin Hutchins and Tony Moore participated in the “Five Across” pitch competition Oct. 7, 2016. Jones’ pitch for “Liv & Kiss Clothing” won the competition.

shown. He hopes to keep adding locations in the coming years.

“We really want our entrepreneur ecosystem in Columbia College to expand beyond our Day Campus here in Columbia,” Bhattacharya says.

“And what better way to do that than getting the faculty and students involved at those locations?”

Students at both locations worked with mentors from Columbia College and the community to refine their pitches before the competition — Oct. 7 for St. Louis, Nov. 15 for Orlando — and Jamie Currier, adjunct professor at Columbia College-St. Louis and a Fishman Faculty Fellow,

says her location’s plan is to keep working with any student who wishes to compete in the main campus competition in the spring.

“So often, new business owners or people that have ideas feel like they’re on their own,” Currier says.

“This is a great way to show them the support the college has for them.”

St. Louis has had students chosen for the pitch competition each of the past two years, and Orlando sent two to Columbia to compete this past April.

Linda Celestin, assistant director at Columbia College-Orlando, says her students had glowing reviews

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after experiencing the main campus competition. She hopes to capture some of that magic in their backyard.

“I think what we can try to do is just try to re-create that same feeling for our students,” Celestin says. “We can show students how interested we are in them trying to build their entrepreneurship.”

Columbia College-St. Louis assistant director Kandace Anthony sees growth potential in the idea, especially with the recent inception of the location’s entrepreneurship program, in which students can major or minor. Anthony, Currier, Alan Lester and Jim Rowlett made up the location’s Entrepreneur Planning Committee, and Tom Huckfeldt, Tom Wright and Erica Conway Harriss judged the competition.

“St. Louis is a city known for creativity, innovation and for entrepreneurship,” Anthony says.

“There are so many small businesses throughout the greater St. Louis metropolitan area. In addition, St. Louis has become nationally recognized as a catalyst city for tech startups and has become a mecca for startup companies. Our students and anyone aspiring to start their own business can take advantage of the many resources that are offered throughout the city of St. Louis. There are classes, workshops, seminars and business leaders that will serve as mentors that can help. I am hoping our students that are participating in the pitch competition will take full advantage of those opportunities while still pursuing their dreams.”

Cougar alumni impress at ‘Bringing up Business’ pitch competition

BY DAVID MORRISON  PHOTO BY KACI SMART ’09

Trent Finley, a 2016 Columbia College graduate, won the top prize at the Bringing Up Business: Mid-Missouri Innovation Week pitch competition Oct. 10 at the Brouder Science Center’s Bixby Lecture Hall.

“It kind of validated the value of the business, which was really nice,” says Finley, whose “What R My Chances?” website will help dental students figure out their odds of getting into certain schools. “If I was able to win and beat some pretty good start-ups already, I think I’ve got a lot of potential to keep going and keep placing in these pitch competitions.”

Finley, who is in his first year of dental school at Missouri-Kansas City, is targeting an early spring launch for WhatRMyChances.com, which will allow aspiring dental school students to input their academic and work experience data into the site and see their chances at being accepted into different programs.

Fellow 2016 graduate Brandyn Chambers won the “Audience Choice” vote for “Flydra Creative,” the digital animation studio he helped found.

Chambers’ venture has also been in the process of astronomical growth.

Flydra is creating an animated series called “The Weeklings” that features each day of the week as a character, along with characters representing holidays from a number of different cultures.

Finley and Chambers, whose Kickstarter page to help fund the series met its $20,000 goal in only six days, have both found consistent support through the Steven and Barbara Fishman Center for Entrepreneurship at Columbia College.

“We have mentors at the Fishman Center who are always 100-percent behind you and always want to see you succeed,” Chambers says. “It motivates you to do better.”

Inside the Gate

Brandyn Chambers ’16 (left) and Trent Finley ’16

Inside the Gate

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Breaking Down Barriers International students find ways to thrive in a new country

BY DAVID MORRISON

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PHOTOS BY KACI SMART ’09

Rotshak Dakup’s trip from Nigeria lasted two days. It was the first time Dakup had ever left his home country and, by the time his plane landed in St. Louis on that August day in 2013, he was tired, overwhelmed and overdue for a bit of stress relief.

That’s when he saw the group of friendly faces — including his older brother, Panshak — that made up the welcome party from Columbia College, which made the drive to greet Dakup and some of the college’s other international students as they started their journeys in a new country.

“I travel with many friends who went to other schools and they never got that,” says Dakup, now a senior

Computer Science major with a minor in Mathematics. “You’ve just basically got to figure out your way from your country to campus.”

The staff at Columbia College’s International Center knows how difficult the transition can be for students coming to study in America.

They have to learn how to live in a new country, adjust to a new academic structure and, for most, learn how to communicate in a new language and with a new set of cultural norms. It can be a frustrating, anxiety-laden and ultimately isolating experience.

The International Center is dedicated to making sure its students have all the

support they need to be successful, whether it’s through helping with visa paperwork or coordinating activities to ease their assimilation into the Columbia College community. It starts the moment they land.

“It’s just having a way of them knowing we’re here to welcome you, we care about you,” says Britta Wright, director of the International Center. “And hopefully you’ll have a great experience here.”

The Language Even international students who know English well can have a hard time grasping the intricacies of conversation when interacting with teachers and fellow students.

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“I struggled with classes and to express myself, communicate with people,” Le says.

Leah Buretta Glenn, assistant director of the International Center, says there are around 125 international students registered for the Fall Semester at the Day Campus, the majority from China, Korea and Vietnam.

Some students are only here for a year to learn English, then return to their home countries to continue their schooling. For the rest, learning to express themselves in a new language sets an important foundation for their time at Columbia College.

The college pairs up students in its English for Academic Purposes program with American students for a semester-long “Cross-Cultural Mentors” program that includes weekly meetings and discussions in which both sides can learn from each other and the international students can refine their conversational English.

Gabrielle Mistretta, a senior Communications Studies major, paired up with partners from China, Brazil and Japan in her two years in the program.

“I didn’t try to dumb down my language or anything like that, because that’s not how the normal flow of

conversation works,” she says. “I tried to keep it pretty even, asking questions and then talking about my experiences so they’d have a chance to hear how things are described, then give back the same.”

The Culture Dakup was extremely outgoing in Nigeria but says he felt more reserved during his early days in America. He worried about his ability to fit in with his new classmates. He even had his brother order food for him during his first week of school.

Panshak pushed Rotshak to throw himself into campus activities. The Resident Advisors and Community Consultants he met during orientation events inspired him.

Wright encouraged him to join the Emerging Leaders Institute.

Now, Dakup is one of the most visible students on campus.

“It was just a lot of different people challenging me to not just sit down in my room and play video games all day but to kind of go out and do things,” Dakup says. “I wouldn’t have applied because, the first few days, I didn’t think I was maybe smart enough or good enough to compete with the American kids in class.”

For international students who don’t have a support structure in place, the first months in America can be lonely.

International Center assistant director Leah Buretta Glenn (right) and exchange student Momoko Ogita from the University of Shiga Prefecture in Japan

“We’ve had some students just completely shut down, where they can’t function because it’s so overwhelming,” Wright says. “They start making friends, become more confident in their communication skills, and that usually leads to good things.”

The International Center has a number of programs that help facilitate cultural conversations. The International Extravaganza and International Dinner give students chances to show off customs and cuisine from their countries. Lunch Beyond Borders and International Coffee Hour events are opportunities for faculty, staff and students to have discussions in relaxed settings. The Global Village, a floor on Banks Hall, is an immersive experience for 30 international and American students living together.

The International Club maintains the CouGarden and donates its yield to area refugees, along with going on nursing home visits in the community and working with students at Jefferson Middle School.

“We try to foster cultural competence and a global mindset through the programs that we do,” Buretta Glenn says. “Our students are looking for more than just their degree. They’re looking to get involved and make a difference.”

Inside the Gate

Both Dakup and Anh Le, a graduate student from Vietnam who is in the Master of Arts in Teaching program, experienced that upon their arrival.

Le spent her senior year of high school with a host family in Forsyth, Missouri, to brush up on her English before completing undergraduate work in central Missouri.

Inside the Gate

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Understanding the Universe Schiffman Lecture reconciles religious and scientific worldviews

BY DAVID MORRISON

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PHOTO BY HOLLY GREENUP ’13

that don’t have to go off and reject what is one of the cornerstones of the biological sciences.”

During his lecture, Brown urged a view of the universe that takes into account both science and religion.

He cautioned against people taking the scripture too factually and argued that its greater value comes from the ways in which it helps humans understand existence.

He also advocated for scrutinizing overly scientific views of the world as one would philosophical, ethical or religious ones.

The opening slide of Dr. Larry G. Brown’s Althea W. and John A. Schiffman Lecture in Religious Studies was a pretty clear giveaway that Brown is not afraid of thinking outside the box. It depicted Jesus riding a dinosaur.

“Science, you’re a gift to religion,” Brown says. “And religion, you are a gift to science.”

Brown, an ordained minister, professional storyteller and retired professor of Human Geography who still teaches at the University of Missouri Extension’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, spoke on the intersection between faith and science in a talk titled “Religion and Evolution” in front of a packed house at the Brouder Science Center’s Bixby Lecture Hall on Oct. 13, 2016. The

in-person attendance for the 16th edition of the Schiffman Lecture in Religious Studies numbered almost 170 people between Bixby and an overflow crowd in Brown Hall.

Dr. Anthony Alioto, Columbia College professor of History and the endowed Schiffman Chair in Ethics, Religious Studies and Philosophy, brought Brown to campus as a counterbalance to last year’s presenter, University of Missouri professor of Health Psychology Dr. Brick Johnstone, who approached religion through its neurological underpinnings.

“What if we had a minister to talk about how religion, especially Christianity, can deal with evolution?” Alioto says. “There are people I know, and he’s one of them,

“There is a place for progressive Christian values,” Brown says.

“One can be a Christian and have intellectual curiosity.”

That line of thinking, Brown says, is a direct descendent of the founders of Columbia (then called Christian) College, who were followers of Alexander Campbell and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Campbell preached critical thinking and the empirical method, and that science and religion are complementary disciplines.

“We all need to know the big picture, and maybe we can call that knowing God,” Brown says. “We need to be people of integrity, and maybe we could call that spirituality. And we all need to do whatever we do honoring diversity, and maybe we could call that the practice of faith.”

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Inside the Gate

We Are CC The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee strives to keep Columbia College a welcoming place for all. Pictured from left are Brice James-Battelle, Molly Borgmeyer, Josephine Bullock, Dr. Teresa VanDover, Keith McIver, Alisa Buck and Miyaka Walker.

BY DAVID MORRISON

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PHOTO BY KACI SMART ’09

Columbia College is committed to providing an environment that encourages inclusion and equity for every student and employee. That goes for all races, ages, religions, gender identities and sexual orientations, in all of our venues.

To that end, and to ensure that the college is doing everything it can to maintain a welcoming community for all, President Scott Dalrymple created the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in the spring of 2016.

This group of 12 representatives from three different locations was chosen by a panel of the president’s Administrative Council to enact and oversee diversity initiatives for the college.

Keith McIver, director of Development and chair of the committee, says that the group has already identified and assigned four sub-committees to tackle different parts of the diversity, equity and inclusion picture.

There’s the assessment sub-committee, chaired by James Smith, director of Adult Higher Education Campus Admissions; training, chaired by Dr. Teresa VanDover, associate professor of Education; programs, chaired by

Kandace Anthony, assistant director at Columbia CollegeSt. Louis; and policy, chaired by Alisa Buck, director of project management for Technology Services.

“We want to ensure that throughout the institution, we are committed to these values and principles,” McIver says. “I’m happy that this committee was formed not as a reaction. I think it’s good we are proactively engaging our community and volunteers.”

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee works to maintain a place for open discourse at Columbia College, support activities that promote diversity and inclusion, coordinate efforts with campus departments and conceive of ways the school can fulfill its vision as an accommodating learning, teaching and working environment.

“I’d like to see, and we’ll work with other stakeholders for, diversity in our faculty representation,” McIver says.

“It’s my hope that we are able to increase diversity as it is recognized throughout the college, in all areas.

“It is a hot topic across the nation, but it’s good work.

We’re all committed. Let’s go. It will take more learning, talking and engaging across the spectrum.”

Inside the Gate

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Paying it Forward

Endowed scholarship recipients Ben Burgett and Michaela Horstman were honored at the President’s Society induction ceremony Sept. 22.

Philanthropic support helps students with the financials of college so they can focus on academics

BY DAVID MORRISON

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PHOTO BY KACI SMART ’09

It won’t be long until Michaela Horstman graduates from Columbia College with her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. When she walks across the stage this spring, the Fulton, Missouri, native will be doing so after only three years in college, expediting her route through higher education by taking summer courses between the spring and fall terms.

said Horstman, who holds a cumulative grade-point average of 3.78. “I really never thought that going to a private school would be something that I could afford.”

She’ll also be doing so without any debt from student loans. The scholarships she has received from Columbia College helped see to that.

That was exactly what Shelley E. Dale ’69 envisioned when she started the Lois J. Erdman Award for female business majors at Columbia College in honor of her mother. The same goes for Connie Nichols ’05, who started the Alla Mae Baker Memorial Scholarship in honor of her mother to reward exceptional business administration students at Columbia College.

“The money that I have gotten has really allowed me to focus on my academics and has actually allowed me to get three 4.0s since I’ve been here at Columbia College,”

Horstman has received funding from both awards. They give so that students such as Horstman can take full advantage of the opportunities at their disposal.

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Endowed aid helps students from all walks of life at Columbia College. Last year, the school rewarded a total of $661,039 in endowed aid to 480 students.

Ben Burgett, a senior from Rocheport, Missouri, is in his second year after transferring credits and is on track to get his Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science this spring.

He values the close relationships with professors — assistant professor of Sociology Dr. Aurelien Mauxion and professor of Biology Dr. Nathan Means, especially — that the college provides, as well as the financial help he has received through scholarships provided by Helen B. Maupin ’45 and Central Bank of Boone County.

“Their philanthropy is greatly appreciated. It really allows us, as students, to focus on the academic side of college instead of having to worry about the debt when we get out,” Burgett says. “You’re going to graduate college and then be out in the job market looking for a career, and the last thing you want is a looming debt over your head.”

Horstman plans on pursuing a master’s degree after graduation, with an eye toward becoming a certified public accountant. She interned as an auditor at MFA Oil in Columbia over the summer, and she is currently working as an intern with the college’s Student Success Services. As part of her duties, she plans to go to high schools and communities around Columbia to talk about financial awareness.

Lois Spencer, Horstman’s grandmother, says Michaela has always held full- and part-time jobs in addition to her education and has been very good about saving and budgeting her money, lessons Spencer helped teach Horstman from an early age. She has seen Horstman blossom during her time at Columbia College.

“They’ve helped her and recognized that she’s a smart young lady,” Spencer said. “They have recognized her skills

and aptitude and have looked to find extra scholarships to help her to be able to make the school more affordable for her to go there.

“I’m very proud of her and what she’s been able to accomplish, and how focused she is. She set a goal and she’s working toward it.”

Dale said her mother was incredibly gifted financially. But as with most women of her generation, Erdman went to college with the sole purpose of getting a “Mrs.” degree, in Dale’s words.

“I wanted to try and help someone to really go forth in life and make a difference.” ­—Connie Nichols ’05, who started the Alla Mae Baker Memorial Scholarship “I think, deep down, she was probably smarter than my dad, and that’s not taking away from my dad. But, once he passed away, she just blossomed,” Dale said. “I certainly had this whole new look at my mother. I knew she was smart, but I didn’t realize how business smart she was, and how her portfolio just zoomed. That’s what I wanted to do for these young women, give them an opportunity to be able to do the same thing and not have to worry about this tremendous college debt that everybody seems to get out of school with.

“If (Horstman) can get her master’s with that and she’s interested in that, go girl!”

Nichols found it difficult to get through college her first time around because she only received one student loan in the way of institutional support. She returned to school later in life and got her degree one year after her daughter, 2004 Columbia College graduate Brooke Baker.

Getting a college education has been a source of pride for her family. She wants to help others achieve that feeling.

“I was the first one of my generation in my family to get a college degree. In fact, I was the only one,” Nichols says. “I just puff all up with pride (for the scholarship recipients). I really do.”

If you are interested in information on how to start a scholarship, please contact the Office of Development at (573) 875-7563.

Inside the Gate

“I wanted to try and help someone to really go forth in life and make a difference,” said Nichols, vice president of real estate lending at Central Bank of Audrain County. “To me, it’s like ‘pay it forward.’ If I’m helping you to do this, I want my recipient to go ahead and, if they have the opportunity later in life, help someone else at whatever it is.”

Inside the Gate

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The Department of Student Success staff includes (from left) Emily SevereidGeiss, Stephanie Whitener, Dr. Nathan Miller and Rachel Smith.

Student Success at your service

BY DONNIE ANDRICK ’16

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PHOTO BY KACI SMART ’09

Columbia College prides itself in helping students set and achieve their educational goals. One way the college ensures that its students achieve their full potential inside and outside the classroom is with Student Success advising.

The Department of Student Success has a top-notch team that works together to help students graduate on time, set academic goals, establish a balance between school and extracurricular activities, and take ownership of success and setbacks. Dr. Nathan Miller, senior director of Student Success and Financial Aid, guides the team of advisors, Rachel Smith, Stephanie Whitener and Emily Severeid-Geiss.

“Columbia College was founded on the idea of access to education,” Miller says.

“The Department of Student Success is committed to this ideal, which we express by supporting students throughout their college experience.”

The team is also here to support students with their adjustment to college life. The college strives to keep all students, traditional or nontraditional, from getting lost in

the shuffle. It’s no secret that college obligations can be overwhelming, but Student Success is dedicated to making the process more manageable.

Student Success does more than student planning, though. It’s possible that financial situations will change throughout a student’s academic career, and the department offers support and guidance.

Through its Money Stacks program, Student Success promotes financial awareness by assisting students in maintaining financial aid, finding and renewing scholarships, planning for a decrease in financial aid, and budgeting for school and personal experiences.

For many, including 2016 graduate Ashley Brouder, the solutions Student Success has for financial and academic situations were a much-needed reason to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Contacting Student Success, particularly after a rough semester, helped tremendously,” Brouder says.

“They helped create the best schedule for me to recover and graduate with all of my scholarships intact.”

Online Bachelor’s in Nursing program receives accreditation Dr. Sarah Vordtriede-Patton, Columbia College’s dean for the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, recently announced that the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) has granted accreditation to the college’s online baccalaureate nursing degree program.

“This is a tremendous milestone and stamp of excellence for our nursing program as we continue to diversify our offerings in this crucial career field for our students,” Vordtriede-Patton said. “Nursing Department Chair Dr. Linda Claycomb, Nursing and Health Sciences Program Coordinator Dr. Tina Dalrymple and the entire nursing faculty and staff did a great job spearheading the accreditation process and their hard work and focus has paid off for our program.”

Accreditation through the CCNE for the online Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree opens the door for graduates of the program to obtain additional higher education including master’s or doctorate degrees. The program will also now be able to expand accreditation to all baccalaureate nursing degrees.

Learn more at http://web.ccis. edu/departments/nursing. aspx.

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Inside the Gate

Because Of You 

PHOTOS BY KACI SMART ‘09 AND SAM FLEURY

PHOTO BY CASEY BUCKMA N

BY BETH MCWILLIAMS

Columbia College students across the nation are fortunate to have access to numerous scholarships that ease the financial burden of higher education. Made possible through the generosity of our alumni and friends, this financial support plays a pivotal role in the lives many Columbia College students.

Visit www.choosecc.org to browse scholarship opportunities or to make a gift online. Or you can use the envelope provided with your magazine to send a check payable to Columbia College. Every gift counts.

At the 2016 Honors and Awards Convocation on Columbia College’s main campus, more than $190,000 in privately endowed aid was awarded to 133 students.

In December 2015, Columbia College-Jefferson City awarded 10 scholarships to students (from left) Joanne Lewis, Robert Johnson, Tamah Harrison, Clarice Stuckey, Kymberly Guerrero, Teresa Brown, Tatyana Salaz, Aimee-Elyse Packard, Saber Ellebracht and Shyra Schulte.

Inside the Gate

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Giving Back

Board of trustees chair Web Bixby ’82 (right) and his wife, Tracy.

On Sept. 22, 2016, more than 130 friends of Columbia College gathered on campus for the annual President’s Society dinner.

Dr. Nathan Miller, senior director of Student Success and Financial Aid, was the night’s guest speaker and spoke to those in attendance of the enormous impact their philanthropy makes on the lives of Columbia College students. Because of that support, the college was able to match 480 students with $661,039 in endowed aid over the past school year. The night saw 12 new inductees to the President’s Society and nine others upgrade their membership.

Trustee Gary Tatlow receives recognition as a new member of the President’s Society.

From left, Robin Musgrove ’12, Hancock Field location director Renee Grosso, Denver location director Dr. Nefeli Schneider, Region 1 and Evening Campus director Jeannie Simmons ’02, Salt Lake location director Kai Campbell and St. Louis location director Erika Thomas.

New and upgraded President’s Society inductees who attended the ceremony were (from left) trustee Gary Tatlow, associate professor of Criminal Justice Administration Barry Langford, Lincoln Financial advisor Neil Carr, First Lady Tina Dalrymple and President Scott Dalrymple, trustee Judy Cunningham ’64 and Connie and Bob Pugh.

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My CCAA

United Together More than 1,600 grants have been awarded to military spouses

BY BARRY MOFFAT

As an institution that has worked with the military since 1974, Columbia College sees first-hand the sacrifices made by the spouses and families of service members on active duty. Ten years ago, it launched a grant program to make sure that a college degree wasn’t one of them.

“It is exciting to see how many military spouses have taken advantage of this grant on their educational journey,” says Keith Glindemann ’15, Director of Veteran Services. “I am proud of how Columbia College continually shows its support of not only military members but their families as well.”

The Military Spouse Opportunity Grant pays for military spouses to take their first class at Columbia College free of charge, saving hundreds of dollars in tuition costs and offering the opportunity to try college without any financial commitment.

Qualifying spouses can receive an additional 20 percent tuition discount for subsequent in-class undergraduate courses, saving thousands of dollars more over the course of an associate or bachelor’s degree program.

Since its inception, more than 1,600 military spouses have used the grant to get started at Columbia College, with more than 88 percent continuing after completing their first free class. Many students keep going until they reach their goal of earning a degree. To date, 259 associate, 321 bachelor’s and seven master’s degrees have been awarded to students who started with the Military Spouse Grant.

The program has since been extended to offer a free first class to the children and dependents of qualifying military personnel, further underlining the college’s commitment to creating accessibility for all.

Do you know someone who could benefit from the military grant programs? Send his or her name, email address and phone number to admissions@ccis.edu for more information.

Columbia College works to serve student veterans The transition to college life can be an intimidating process. For student veterans there are the added challenges associated from serving in the military. The Ousley Family Veterans Service Center strives to provide a support network to facilitate the transition of veterans, military service members and dependents to Columbia College.

Student veterans are not easily identified by one certain demographic.

They are comprised from a range of age, race and ethnicities. They are more likely to have families/dependents and often have different educational goals.

The Ousley Center is open Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For assistance, call (573) 875-7504.

Compared to women making up 16.5% of the military

27% are women

46% 80% have children Less than 1/3 are single or never married

are over age 25

The most common age is 25-30

Inside the Gate

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Driven To Succeed Competitiveness has led Redstone Arsenal adjunct faculty member Shawn Lueders ’93 in academic and military endeavors

BY DAVID MORRISON



PHOTOS BY ERNEST REESE

When Shawn Lueders ’93 feels like he’s struggling, he draws inspiration from the people around him.

That has helped motivate him through a higher education path that started with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Columbia College-Fort Leonard Wood in 1993 and has continued on through four master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in Project Management the 52-year-old Lueders is only a dissertation away from achieving.

It certainly helped push him throughout a 26-year career in the U.S. Army that included four years’ worth of deployments to Iraq and culminated in the rank of Chief Warrant Officer Four in the maintenance and logistics field.

“I always look around at people sitting next to me or behind me and I’ll think, ‘Heck, if they’re doing it, I know darn well I can do it,’” Lueders says. “It’s just like doing physical training in the Army. We’re out running and I’m just not feeling good and I just want to fall out of this run and start walking, but then I’ll look next to me and there’d be a 50-year-old sergeant major running next to me and I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m dropping out.’”

Lueders channels that passion into his role as an adjunct professor at Columbia College-Redstone Arsenal,

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Inside the Gate

where he has taught courses on information technology and business information systems for the past four years.

He moves seamlessly between the roles of student and teacher, beginning his time as an educator with a stint as an adjunct professor at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, from 2000-08, that started shortly after he received his Master of Science in Computer Information Systems from the school.

Lueders has also served as an adjunct faculty member, from 2009-11, at the University of Maryland-College Park — where he received a Master of Arts in Business Administration — and EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he earned master’s degrees in Systems Engineering and Project Management.

Even though he’s the educator, he never stops looking for ways to be educated.

“I honestly learn more as a teacher than I did as a student,” Lueders said.

Columbia College helped put him on track to becoming both.

Lueders says he was not a great student in high school but, once he started taking classes at Fort Leonard Wood, he didn’t give himself any other choice but to buckle down.

“The importance of maintaining a good GPA and also being in the

“Heck, if they’re doing it, I know darn well I can do it.”

— Shawn Lueders ’93 military and using tuition assistance, if I failed, I had to pay (the military) back for the class and definitely didn’t want to do that,” Lueders says.

“The main thing is that it helped me realize the amount of effort was not that much different to change a ‘C’ to a ‘B’ and a ‘B’ to an ‘A.’”

He doesn’t exactly conform to the profile of a prototypical academic.

He’s a classic rock fan who saw Rush live in concert in Germany in 1989. He restores vintage cars as a hobby and has been driving a 1970 Camaro since he salvaged it 24 years ago.

Lueders used that competitive drive to maintain high grades in school while he earned consistent promotions in the Army.

“I do all my own work on my cars, changing oil, alternators, batteries, brakes, whatever it takes,” Lueders says. “A lot of people are surprised. I don’t know why, because that’s what I did in the military.”

His time in the armed forces also allowed him to see the world, traveling to locales such as Germany, Korea and Thailand — home to his favorite type of cuisine — as well as living in Afghanistan and Kuwait as a civilian.

He uses himself as an example to help push his students to greater heights.

So if you’re a Redstone Arsenal student who happens to spy an oil-covered man tinkering with a classic car on the base, make sure and be civil to him. He may very well be your Management 393 professor next session.

“The most inspiring thing for me as a teacher is to see how some of these students evolve and develop,” Lueders says.

“They see someone who is finishing a doctorate crawling underneath a car changing out CV joints,” Lueders says. “It’s just something I enjoy.”

Inside the Gate

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Preaching What She’s Practiced

Columbia College assistant professor of Forensic Science Dr. Melinda McPherson (left) prizes hands-on experience for her students.

Passion for chemistry led McPherson to career in teaching forensic science

BY SAM FLEURY AND DAVID MORRISON



The life of a forensic scientist extends well beyond the laboratory.

Dr. Melinda McPherson is well aware of this fact.

a major focus in the legal arena. The discipline bridges a gap between science and the law,” McPherson says. “Forensic scientists may encounter issues, circumstances or influences that pure biologists or chemists would not typically face.”

In a career that has spanned nearly two decades, the Columbia College assistant professor of Forensic Science has spent plenty of time in both the classroom and the field.

“Forensic science is very much an applied science. There is significant focus in areas such as chemistry and biology, but forensic science also has

PHOTOS BY KACI SMART ’09

That’s why McPherson prizes handson experience for her students at Columbia College, where she has been teaching for the past six years — two as an adjunct faculty member, four as an assistant professor.

It was a love of chemistry that first got her interested in forensic science. It was marveling at all the real-world applications science has to offer that kept her coming back.

“When I was growing up, there was a big push — and there still is now — for women to explore science and math, and I was drawn to that,” McPherson says. “I had a couple of influential teachers that encouraged my appreciation of science but I knew that I didn’t want to be a pure chemist or biologist. I was drawn to very practical applications of science, and forensic science really fit that calling.

“I was drawn toward chemistry, to instrumental analysis and using sophisticated tools and techniques to analyze evidence.”

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McPherson, a Coldwater, Michigan, native, earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State in Chemistry, Forensic Science and Criminal Justice before receiving her doctorate in Analytical Chemistry from Virginia Tech.

Following summers of interning at the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) during the last two years of her undergraduate degree, McPherson knew she was hooked and had found the career she was looking for.

And while starting her teaching and research career at that point was appealing, she decided she wanted to practice her craft in the forensic laboratory.

“That’s how my specialty in the area of explosives developed,” McPherson says. “I wanted to get in the laboratory and work cases. I’d completed a significant amount of academic training and I wanted to get further hands-on training and experience in a working laboratory.”

After completing her doctorate, McPherson took on a full-time job with the ATF from 2006-08 as a forensic chemist with top-secret security clearance, analyzing evidence from

criminal investigations of bombings, including identifying trace evidence and explosive residue. She also worked as a forensic chemist with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., and as an explosives chemist with the Naval Explosives Ordnance Disposal Technology Division before coming to Columbia.

She works to pass experiences from her professional pursuits on to her students.

“I want to give my students handson opportunities that are very similar to what they will be doing one day in the field or forensic laboratory,” McPherson says. “I give students mock cases with evidentiary samples and allow them to apply what they’ve learned. It’s great working with our students.

They are eager and inquisitive. It’s exciting for me to be a part of this learning process.”

She’s able to do that, in part, because of the facilities the Brouder Science Center has to offer, including the crime scene simulation laboratory, as well as chemistry and biology instrumentation. She also works closely with other faculty members from the scientific disciplines.

“Since the program began, it has gone through an evolution. We’re at a point now where we’ve worked very hard to align the curriculum and learning outcomes with the expectations and desires of the agencies that are hiring forensic scientists,” McPherson says. “We make sure our students are graduating with all of the science, math, forensic science and criminal justice classes that they need to get a job. That’s the end goal, to prepare our students for future employment in a forensic laboratory. The learning does not end when they leave us, but our goal is to provide a firm foundation for their continued growth and development as professionals in the field.”

It’s an evolution. Kind of like how McPherson’s interest in chemistry evolved into her life’s work.

“It’s exciting to watch the students build on an idea or concept,” she says. “I might see them as freshmen in a general chemistry class and then again in Introduction to Forensic Science. When I have upper level students in my Forensic Chemistry class, it’s really fun to see how they’ve progressed through their coursework. They’ve come full circle and are connecting ideas and solving problems. As a culmination, they are able to apply what they’ve learned over the years to mock cases and the analysis of evidence.”

Inside the Gate

McPherson reminds her students that she and the other forensic science faculty members are valuable resources, because they all have extensive field experience. And it never hurts to pick the brain of alumni who happen to come walking back through the doors for a visit.

Inside the Gate

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Family Day On Oct. 8, 2016, the campus buzzed with activities for the entire family during Family Day & Homecoming festivities.

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1. Bounce houses, face painting and fun for all ages were hosted on the Quad.

2. Former Cougar softball player Cindy Fotti Potter ’05 & ’06 assists daughter, C.J., at bat.

3. Chloe West (left) and Leslie West take a break in a bench near Alumni Fountain.

4. Magdalena Myles (left) and Robyn Myles decorate pumpkins in front of Whitcraft-Schiffman Memorial Amphitheater.

5. Breanna Belville (left) and Emily Bouldin enjoying the Quad.

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5

&

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PHOTOS BY KACI SMART ’09

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6. Scooter the Cougar and fans cheered the men’s and women’s soccer teams to victory.

7. Rotshak Dakup and Mercedes Nute were crowned 2016 Homecoming King and Queen.

8. New members show off their certificates after the Alpha Chi Honor Society Induction Ceremony.

9. The work of alumnus Matt Rahner ’10 was on display in the Greg Hardwick Gallery of Brown Hall.

Inside the Gate

Homecoming

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THE COLUMBIA COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINE

My CCAA

a f f i n i t y Letter from the Alumni Board President

Greetings Fellow Alumni, As we are immersed in the holiday season, this is the time of year when we give pause, look back and take stock of what we have accomplished. It can also set the framework for looking forward, setting goals and planning for the future.

From regional events to expanding volunteer opportunities, it has been a year of growth for the Alumni Relations department. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Alumni Relations team: Suzanne Rothwell, Ann Merrifield, Carolyn Preul, Stasia Sherman and Heather Williams. This team is the vital link between your alma mater and all 83,000+ alumni worldwide. Without them, there would be no CCAA. Take a minute to get to know them on page 24.

There are many exciting things to talk about and never enough room to cover them all. I encourage you to visit www.ccis.edu and connected.ccis.edu to keep up-to-date with the latest information and stories about the happenings at the college. A highlight of the year is the beautiful, newly completed the Quad, featuring Alumni Fountain that serves as a visible

Columbia College Alumni Association Board of Directors (July 1, 2016 –June 30, 2017) President Bill Wright ’09 Online

Treasurer Jonathan Dudley ’10 Day campus

President-Elect Joshua Muder ’99 Day campus

Immediate Past-President Bill Leeper ’04 NAS Jacksonville

Secretary Sonya Garrett ’96 St. Louis

Board of Trustees Alumni Representative Bill Johnston ’82 Day campus

tribute to alumni everywhere. Thank you to Dr. Scott Dalrymple for his vision of the centerpiece of our campus. Our goal is that you will stay engaged with your alma mater throughout the year and consider becoming more actively involved by using your time, talent or treasure. I encourage you to take a look at the many programs available. You may also consider making a financial gift, which will benefit college priorities and our students. It may also provide you with an end-of-the-year tax deduction.

As the calendar year comes to an end, on behalf of the entire Columbia College Alumni Association Board of Directors, we wish you and yours a safe and wonderful holiday season and all the best in 2017. As always, we are here to serve all of our alumni. We look forward to hearing from you.

We are CC!!

Bill Wright ’09, CCAA President ccaaprez@ccis.edu

Directors

Ex-Officio Members

Lynne Stuver Baker ’64 Christian College

James Pasley ’87 Jefferson City

Ann Merrifield Director of Alumni Relations

Mitch Gosney ’13 Day campus

Lollie Zander Reed ’68 Christian College

Suzanne Rothwell Executive Director of Advancement

Marjorie Thomas Gutelius ’69 Christian College

Ed Sasan ’11 Redstone Arsenal

Jeannie Simmons ’02 AHE Representative Director of Region 1 and Evening Program

Courtney Lauer-Myers ’11 Day campus

Lisa Kowalewski Sweeney ’05 Day campus

Tonia M. Compton, Ph.D. ’99 Faculty Representative Associate Professor of History

Lana M. Le Mons ’09 Lake County

Norris Tanner ’10 Kansas City

Chris Lievsay ’09 & ’11 Kansas City

Carol Winkler ’93 Evening

Drew Grzella ’01 Athletics Representative Associate Director of Athletics Nollie Moore Music and Fine Arts Representative Director of Jane Froman Singers Leah Hoveln ’18 Student Representative Student Government Association

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My CCAA

Conveying Your Strengths Be prepared to explain the value you bring to the table

BY DAN GOMEZ-PALACIO

I recently had a conversation with a non-traditional student who had worked primarily hourly jobs for the last 10 years. She was just beginning her college career and needed employment to support her education, so we talked about how to start a job search.

As part of the process, I asked her what positive qualities she would bring to her next employer. Usually when I ask this question, I get a general answer about being a good team player or communicator, so I wasn’t expecting much.

However, to my pleasant surprise, the student gave me a full three minutes of clear messaging on the strengths she brings to the workplace, including examples and manager recommendations. Her wonderful response reminded me of a very important part of growing your career – knowing how to clearly convey the value you bring to your work.

Whether it’s during an interview, detailed on a resumé or written in a cover letter, effectively conveying your strengths is a key to your job search.

Here are three questions we ask at the Career Center to get you thinking.

What do others recognize as your strengths?

How others positively perceive your work can be an excellent clue into what you are known for in the organization. Look at performance reviews or evaluation tools that can provide insight. Talk to trusted coworkers about what they would say in a reference call. Think also about what compliments you have gotten from your clients. What key words keep coming up?

What is the hardest part of your job where you have seen success?

Every job has its challenges. Think about your work and the bigger obstacles you have faced. Getting through those difficult parts of your

job can say a lot about you. Examine those challenges and you’ll see how you used your strengths to get a positive outcome.

What impact have you made on your workplace?

Think through the successes you have had at jobs. Did you improve processes? Increase revenue?

Advance customer retention? Guide transition to different software?

Develop new training? These are a few examples, but think about what impact you made on the workplace and what skills you used to build that success. This can lead in to insight of what you do well for a potential employer.

Dan Gomez-Palacio is the director of the Grossnickle Career Services Center.

Career counseling, networking and resumé assistance are available free of charge to all students and alumni. To get started, contact Career Services at (800) 2312391 ext. 7425 or visit www.ccis.edu/ careercenter.

Even with a college degree, the professional landscape can be tricky to navigate. Luckily, we have you covered with Ready. Aim. Hire., Columbia College’s blog dedicated to career and workplace resources. Start reading at www.aimhirecc.com.

Alumni Profile

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Building Schools with Yoga Mats Ashley Celey-Butlin ’13 started FlowMats to raise money for school construction in India

BY ANN MUDER



PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ASHLEY CELEY-BUTLIN ’13

Last year, as Ashley Celey-Butlin ’13 prepared for a backpacking trip through Asia with her fiancé, she knew she’d experience a different culture and way of life.

She didn’t expect she’d use the trip to start up a yoga mat company to help build schools in India.

Celey-Butlin had just quit her job in the real estate business and was contemplating her career goals. She thought the six-month backpacking trip would help her regroup. “I thought ‘getting away from it all’ might be rejuvenating,” she says. “It was an opportunity to unplug and figure out my next step.”

A couple of months before her trip, Celey-Butlin met with the founder of Change Heroes, an online fundraising platform. He inspired her to use her business knowledge for social entrepreneurship.

“I had been spending a lot of time at my yoga studio, nurturing my passion for yoga,” she says. “It was about two weeks before my backpacking trip when the idea for

FlowMats hit me full force. Then everything just fell into place.”

As she and her fiancé embarked on their trip, Celey-Butlin began researching how to create the company. She decided to team up with the nonprofit organization Free the Children (now WE Charity) after researching different nonprofits.

The group helps improve access to education by building schools in poverty-stricken areas of India.

“I think one of the most difficult things to determine is how to effectively solve global poverty,” she says. “I don’t have all the answers, but I believe education is one of the most important areas where we can invest.”

After an extensive online search, she found a manufacturer that could work with a small business and allow her to offer a reasonably priced product. After emailing back and forth with several manufacturers, she chose one based on their values and commitment to the environment and ethical labor practices.

Then she worked with the manufacturer on the mat’s design. In particular, she wanted it to include diagrams of yoga poses called sun salutations.

“I was working on establishing a home yoga practice for myself and thought it would be helpful to have the poses on my mat so that I wouldn’t need to look at a video or other diagram,” she says. “Having the poses embossed on the mats helps keep you focused on your practice, not distracted.”

The diagrams also show when to breathe in and out with each pose.

The “empty” figures indicate exhales, and the filled-in poses are inhales.

“Learning when to inhale and when to exhale is the difference between a mindful practice and an unsafe or scattered practice,” she says. “Yoga is more about breath than movement.”

As she made her way through Southeast Asia and India,

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Alumni Profile

Celey-Butlin finalized her business plans. According to her company website, she received the first prototype while in Laos; the first payment was sent to the manufacturer from a “spotty Internet connection from a hostel rooftop in Cambodia.” She launched the website as she was completing yoga teacher training in India.

Today, the yoga mats have sold in more than 20 countries and are now sold on Amazon. Nearly 100 percent of the profits go directly to the nonprofit mission, she says, so to help recoup costs, the company also sells yoga bags.

By the fall of 2016, nearly 500 mats and more than 300 bags have sold.

When 1,000 mats are sold, the money will be donated to Free the Children to build a school for more than 1,000 children in India.

FlowMats were specially designed with pose diagrams to keep users focused on their practice.

“Once all the mats and bags are sold, we will have raised the necessary funds to start construction,” she says.

“My goal is to gain momentum with the brand on Amazon and hopefully expand my mat offerings.”

Celey-Butlin says Columbia College played an integral role in giving her the self-confidence and skills needed to be an entrepreneur.

“Completing my degree online in eight-week sessions with Columbia College showed me that given enough self-motivation and time management, I can really do anything,” she says.

If you would like to purchase a yoga mat or bag from FlowMats, visit Amazon.com. Use the code COLUMBIA, and you’ll get 10 percent off your entire order from FlowMats. The code is one per person and never expires.

My CCAA

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The Office of Alumni Relations includes (from left) Stasia Sherman, Ann Merrifield, Heather Williams and Carolyn Preul.

Fostering Relationships

BY ANN MERRIFIELD



PHOTO BY KACI SMART ’09

The Alumni Relations team brings a broad set of knowledge, skills and expertise to the office dedicated to fostering relationships and instilling pride in all Christian College and Columbia College alumni.

Ann Merrifield, new to her role as director in June 2016, culls aspects from her previous career stops — recruitment, customer relations, promotion and education — into heading the team and serving the college’s more than 83,000 alumni worldwide. Ann’s favorite part of her job is when alumni come by for a visit or a tour, so stop on by!

Carolyn Preul maintains alumni communications, including our alumni social media sites, website and Affinity magazine. She enjoys collaborating with various college departments to provide the most comprehensive services to our alumni and oversaw production of the 2016 alumni directory, which generated more than $7,000 for the CCAA Scholars Program.

Stasia Sherman coordinates events and volunteer opportunities. Her energetic personality makes her the perfect individual to coordinate the many ways that alumni can

volunteer, such as mentoring, speed networking, student recruitment, event hospitality, committee involvement or even starting your own local affinity council.

Heather Williams, whose smile and pleasant voice greet you when you contact the office, can answer any question you may have about the day-to-day operations of the offices of Alumni and Public Relations.

The entire Alumni Relations team is proud to serve Columbia College and looks forward to continued successes in the year to come!

For more information on how you can get involved, visit www.columbiacollegealumni.org.

Travel the world with fellow alumni!

Columbia College alumni and guests are invited to explore the world with like-minded companions. The CCAA has partnered with AHI Travel to offer two great travel packages in 2017.

Visit www.columbiacollegealumni.org/travel for details.

Dutch Waterways April 17-25, 2017 Price starts at $2,395 per person, plus taxes and airfare

Tuscany September 12-20, 2017 Price starts at $2,595 per person, plus taxes and airfare

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My CCAA

Surf the ’Net Social media makes it easier than ever to keep in touch The CCAA manages social media accounts on all of your favorite apps and websites. We have you covered on everything, including college news and sports updates, throwback photos, event invitations and weekly prize drawings. Join the conversation with more than 4,800 alumni who follow us online. Use hashtags for easy searchability or tag the CCAA in your post. Check out #WeAreCC, #CougarPride and #Scootergraphs to find related comments.

Columbia College Alumni

@cc_alumni

Columbia College Alumni

www.flickr.com/photos/columbiacollegealumni

www.columbiacollegealumni.org/linkedin

Columbia College Alumni Association/Columbia College

My CCAA

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Building Affinity Do you wish you had more opportunities to network with fellow Columbia College alumni? Consider forming an Affinity Council in your area.

BY ANN MERRIFIELD



PHOTOS PROVIDED BY TAMMY SURPRISE ’11

Similar to a local alumni chapter, an Affinity Council allows alumni to stay connected to Columbia College through shared interests or experiences. Councils increase opportunities to get involved and meet alumni where you live, promote leadership, provide volunteer and mentoring opportunities, foster a sense of community among alumni nationwide and support a culture of philanthropy for the college.

Alumni who share a common interest, goal or affinity that furthers the mission of the college may organize groups with guidance and procedures provided by the CCAA Board of Directors.

The first Affinity Councils were formed in 2012 by alumni in Chicagoland and Lake Ozarks, Missouri. Last summer, a third Affinity Council was formed by alumni in Northern Illinois, many who attended Columbia College-Lake County. Calling themselves the Great Lakes Affinity Council, the group submitted a proposal including its purpose, mission statement, description of membership and list of founding council members.

The council’s mission statement is “to encourage alumni membership, coordinate networking events, offer enrichment opportunities and serve as representatives of Columbia College.”

The Great Lakes Affinity Council holds monthly meetings and plans to help with student recruitment, become mentors and assist at Columbia College-Lake County commencements. The group created a LinkedIn page where members hope to generate career-focused discussions and keep in touch with fellow alumni.

The Great Lakes Affinity Council hosted a Bears vs. Packers Watch Party on Oct. 20 in North Chicago, Illinois. Among the guests were Sonja Crutcher ’13 (top), Jeff Surprise and Tammy Surprise ’11, council chair.

In October 2016, they hosted a networking event for all area alumni. As part of this event they held a 50/50 raffle, donating half of the proceeds to a local charity.

And all of this has been done within the first month as an official council. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? If you’d like to start an Affinity Council in your area, please contact us at ccalum@ccis.edu for more information.

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Help us celebrate our amazing alumni and students. All CCAA members are eligible to be nominated for the 2017 Alumni Awards using the nomination form at www.columbiacollegealumni.org/ nomination. All submissions will be considered by the CCAA nominating committee. But act fast — entries must be submitted by Dec. 31, 2016. Recipients will be notified in the spring and given their awards at the Alumni Awards Banquet on Friday, April 21, 2017, at the Columbia College main campus.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is awarded to someone who has achieved regional or national recognition in his/ her field, rendered service to Columbia College or service to his/her local community.

The Columbia College Service Award is awarded to someone who has promoted and served Columbia College through significant contributions and maintaining a relationship with the college.

The Community Service Award is awarded to someone who has

demonstrated outstanding contribution in serving his/her local community.

The Professional Achievement Award is awarded to someone who has attained outstanding success in his/ her chosen career field within the last 10 years.

The Jane Froman Courage Award is awarded to someone who has demonstrated perseverance to overcome personal obstacles while continuing to better himself/herself personally or professionally. This person displays a spirit of courage in daily life.

The CCAA Scholars Program benefits students who exhibit notable affinity for Columbia College. Students of Day, Evening, Nationwide and/or Online education are eligible to apply. The scholarship can go toward tuition, books or room fees. This program is made possible through the generous support of our alumni. To submit an application or find out how you can contribute, visit www. columbiacollegealumni.org/ ccaascholars.

All summer camps are held at main campus in Columbia, Missouri.

My CCAA

Scholarships & Awards

My CCAA

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Alumni Events

You don’t want to miss out on the action! Meet up with fellow alumni at a gathering in your area. Go online to www.columbiacollegealumni.org/alumnievents to register for an upcoming event and view our photo galleries.

Columbia College Night at the Ballpark Nothing says summertime better than baseball and barbecue!

The CCAA hosted 115 alumni, family and friends at Hammons Field in Springfield, Missouri, on July 28, 2016. It was a fun time for all who cheered on the Springfield Cardinals for our 4th Annual Columbia College Night at the Ballpark.

Clockwise from top left: Abby Price Taylor 13 & ’16 with family and friends; Sammi Macht ’16 and Jordan Nigus; Kayla Cowen ’14 (far left) with family

rolla’s 20th anniversary celebration Alumni and friends of the college enjoyed an evening of networking and reconnecting on Sept. 30, 2016.

This year, the CCAA was pleased to recognize Columbia College-Rolla on 20 years of educational service to the community.

Above: Gary and Roberta Robinson ’10

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kansas city alumni social More than 50 alumni and guests attend a “Taste of K.C.” alumni social at Boulevard Brewing Co. on Oct. 19, 2016. The evening included an open beer tasting and dinner by local favorite Jack Stack Barbecue.

Lake of the Ozarks Holiday Party December 9, 2016 Lake Ozark, Missouri Alumni Holiday Cocktail Reception December 15, 2016 Columbia, Missouri

President & First Lady Scott and Tina Dalrymple (center) with alumni and friends

From left: Candace Johnson ’10, Alicia Grote ’12, Andrew Grote ’10, Rachel Wester ’10, Cory Gassner and Dayla Gerstner Gassner ’09

christian college alumnae luncheon Kansas City area alumnae of Christian College attended the 16th annual alumnae luncheon at Webster House on Oct. 20, 2016. Guests enjoyed an update on the college from President Scott Dalrymple and a special Halloween-themed presentation by Bradley Meinke ‘14, the college’s archives collection manager.

Student and Alumni Appreciation Day Hosted in conjunction with senior day for men’s and women’s basketball February 25, 2017 Columbia, Missouri CCAA Board of Directors Spring Meeting April 21, 2017 Columbia, Missouri CCAA Alumni Awards Banquet & Presentation April 21, 2017 Columbia, Missouri Christian College Reunion Weekend May 5-6, 2017 Columbia, Missouri Alumni Night at the Ballpark June 1, 2017 Springfield, Missouri Family Day & Homecoming October 7, 2017 Columbia, Missouri

From left: Dorothy Wood Potter ’45, Bradley Meinke ’14 and Elizabeth Potter Carlson

Marjorie Thomas Gutelius ’69 (left) and Anna Wilkerson ’49

2017 Alumni Networking Socials Feb. 27: Orlando, Florida Feb. 28: Melbourne, Florida March 1: Jacksonville, Florida March 2: Savannah, Georgia March: Scottsdale, Arizona May 18: Jefferson City, Missouri June: St. Louis, Missouri

My CCAA

Mark your calendar for upcoming events!

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Quad

the

After months of hard work, planning and support from a wide-ranging cast of characters, Columbia College has a new heart of campus in the Quad. See the many elements that make up the new space, and how the college community is enjoying them.

PHOTO ESSAY COMPILED BY SALLIE COLEY ’75, DAVID MORRISON AND KACI SMART ’09

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President Scott Dalrymple addresses the crowd shortly after Alumni Fountain was first turned on Aug. 29, 2016, the first day of Fall classes.

the

Quad

Above: It took less than a minute for Anja Ashton, a junior history major, to become the first to take a run through Alumni Fountain after it turned on.

Right: Students and staff take selfies near the fountain.

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“THE QUAD HAS TRANSFORMED OUR OUTDOOR SPACES IN EXCITING WAYS THAT BENEFIT EVERYONE. IT HAS CREATED A POSITIVE ENERGY ON OUR CAMPUS AND IS A PLACE TO STUDY, TO PLAY, TO EAT AND TO MAKE LIFELONG MEMORIES.”

— Dr. Scott Dalrymple, Columbia College President

Left: President Scott Dalrymple and First Lady Tina Dalrymple enjoy the realization of their vision for the new heart of campus.

Alumni and friends of the college funded more than 50 percent of the project costs through generous contributions.

Below: Students try out Alumni Fountain after dark.

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Below: Williams Hall was built as the Bennett mansion in 1849 and was once known as “Old Main” before being rededicated Williams Hall in 1969 in honor of the college’s first president, John A. Williams. Today the building houses classrooms and faculty offices and has the distinction of being one of the oldest buildings in continuous use at an institution of higher learning. It was officially dedicated as a historic Boone County site on Sept. 30, 2000. Right: Students enjoy a new venue for night life at the dining pavilion.

Above: Benches by Christian College Garden honor alumnae and families that have been touched by Columbia (Christian) College. One remembers Marilyn Rose Silvey Tatlow ’60, wife of trustee Gary Tatlow, while another honors Board of Trustees Treasurer George Hulett’s wife, Jeanne, and remembers his grandmother, Georgia Drake Hulett, who attended Christian College from 1893-95. Right: The Hulett Family Campus Safety Office gives students a centralized location to interact with campus security near where they eat, sleep and play. George and Jeanne Hulett (pictured) have been generous supporters o the college, especially its Criminal Justice program.

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Quad

Above: A plaque in the dining pavilion honors the top donors to the Quad Initiative – George and Jeanne Hulett; Tom (Hon. 1999) and Linda Holman Atkins ’54; Bob and Connie Pugh; Mark Foreman; Neil Carr, CFP; Mike Wheeler, CFP; Lincoln Financial Advisors; Simon Oswald Architecture; Gary Tatlow; Doug Baker and Lynne Stuver Baker ’64; Drs. Scott and Tina Dalrymple; Dr. Jeff and Robin Musgrove ’12; Kevin and Linda Palmer; Carpet One Floor & Home; and Bruce Hentges, Spellman Brady & Company.

the

Quad

Below: Whitcraft-Schiffman Memorial Amphitheater was named in honor of longtime supporters of the college John A. Schiffman (Hon. 2004) and Althea Whitcraft Schiffman ’41. Five of their six children were on hand for the Quad dedication in October. Pictured from left are Nancy Schiffman Longo, Bonnie Schiffman Pearson, Joy Schiffman Masterson ’65, Marilee Schiffman Gaar and Don Schiffman.

Above: Mike Sleadd, professor of Art and chair of the Visual Arts and Music Department, was the first Columbia College faculty member to utilize the amphitheater as an outdoor teaching space.

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Above: An oak tree serves as the centerpiece of Christian College Garden, donated by Dale Coe Simons ’65 to honor her mother Helen “Miss Boo” Cates Neary ’38. Left: The wooden Christian College sign, a class gift from the ladies of 1943, commemorates the school’s heritage. It was moved from its previous location near Williams Hall during the Quad construction to be in the thick of Christian College Garden.

“I WILL ALWAYS BE INDEBTED TO COLUMBIA COLLEGE, NO MATTER HOW LONG I VOLUNTEER OR HOW MUCH I GIVE. THAT DEBT WILL NEVER BE REPAID.”

— Lynne Stuver Baker ’64

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“I HAVE OBSERVED THE EVOLUTION OF THE COLLEGE SINCE STEPPING ONTO CAMPUS AS A FRESHMAN IN 1978, AND I CAN TRULY SAY THESE ARE SOME OF THE MORE EXCITING TIMES THAT I HAVE WITNESSED. WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE WITH OPTIMISM, AND WE CONTINUE TO CARRY OUT THE COLLEGE’S MISSION.”

— Web Bixby ’82, Board of Trustees Chair

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Quad

Above: Picturesque at dusk, Alumni Fountain recognizes more than 83,000 alumni worldwide from all Columbia College venues. There is still an opportunity to show your support of the Quad with an engraved brick, however placement in Christian College Garden or in the paved walk near Alumni Fountain is subject to availability. For more information, visit www.ChooseCC.org/brick.

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LIFE Changers ALUMNI SHARE HOW THEY ACHIEVED

THEIR DREAM OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION

Earning a college degree is an accomplishment that changes lives.

It takes courage, dedication and encouragement. If we’re fortunate, we have people, places and moments in time that have helped us to achieve heights we never thought possible. The following six alumni come from different backgrounds, but they all had the dream to finish their college degree. These are their stories of how they were inspired to reach their goals.

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PLOTTING THE PERFECT PATH

BY DAVID MORRISON

Columbia CollegeOrlando alumnus Sid Crudup II ’13 & ’16 earns bachelor’s and master’s degrees with 4.0 gradepoint averages

Sid Crudup II liked it so much the first time, he decided to do it again.

Crudup earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Columbia College-Orlando in December 2013, graduating summa cum laude with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.

He went right back and earned his Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the Orlando location in July.

Again, with a 4.0 GPA. “That was a tremendous feat for me,” Crudup says. “It was kind of like the proudest moment I had in my life.”

Initially, Crudup said he wanted to get his degree and get out.

The interactions he had with his instructors changed all that. He singled out two in particular — John Parker Phillips and Sherell Perkins — that helped keep him on track.

Crudup plans on pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership, which will help him expand on some of the concepts that interested him the most during his studies at Columbia College. He’s especially drawn to restorative justice, a discipline based on reintroducing inmates to society by getting them to confront their crimes and interact with their victims.

When he gets his doctorate, Crudup thinks he might get into academic writing. He may look into becoming a professor. He’s already seen the sort of impact one can have on a student’s life.

“Once I got in and started learning from my professors and finding out how supportive they were, I decided to continue,” Crudup says.

“Columbia’s been a great experience for me.”

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CHARTING A NEW COURSE

BY ANN MUDER

Veteran Jennifer Shala ’14 reaches new heights as a college graduate

Jennifer Shala joined the Army when she was 25 – several years older than the 18-yearolds around her. During her seven years of service, she was stationed in Kansas, Korea and Georgia. She then went to Iraq, where she dealt with the horrors of the war around her.

After Iraq, she came back to the U.S. and was medically discharged from the Army as she suffered from PTSD along with bad knee problems and asthma. It was then that she knew it was time to figure out another career path. “I couldn’t keep doing physical work forever,” Shala says. “I had to have a job where I can use my brain.”

Shala began taking classes through Columbia College-Online Education in 2005. She took a few classes here and there, but it wasn’t until 2008 when she was working as a civilian in Iraq that she began taking classes non-stop.

After moving back to the states, she was determined to finish.

“When I was younger, I didn’t feel college was that important,” Shala says. “Now, it’s absolutely necessary to get a decent job.”

That determination kept her on track with her coursework, even when she was dealing with life changes. When she was pregnant with her daughter, Shala took a midterm exam right before driving herself to the hospital for a C-section. One of her Columbia College instructors gave her an extension on a second exam and, two days later, she drove home and completed the test.

“I am so thankful for Columbia College and my instructors,” Shala says. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise.”

Shala finished her associate degree in 2012, her bachelor’s degree in General Studies in 2014, and then this past July, finished her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration.

Her degrees hang on the wall at her office where she works as an administrative programs officer for the Grand River Dam Authority in Chouteau, Oklahoma. “I walk by them several times a day, and I can’t believe I did it,” Shala says. “I stand a little taller and a little prouder.”

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MAKING TODAY COUNT

BY ANN MUDER After a cancer diagnosis, Aileen Zei ’14 pursues her dream career

Aileen Zei had intended to go to college but had put it on the back burner for years as she raised her family. When she had to recover from a cancer diagnosis, she decided it was time to fulfill her dream. Luckily, the cancer was at Stage 0 and treatable with surgery and radiation. But the experience changed her way of thinking.

“You realize that life is really short,” Zei says.

“If there are things you want to do, you should do them.”

She also wanted to show her sons the importance of getting a college degree. At the time, her older son was in high school and her younger son in middle school.

“How can I tell them that college is important if I don’t finish it? I knew it would be hard, but if there was ever a time to do it, I knew I needed to do it now,” she says.

Zei decided to pursue a degree in human services at Columbia College–Crystal Lake.

She says that two of her instructors, Jean Beard and Kathleen McNamara, inspired her in her area of interest, gerontology.

Dr. Nathan Miller, senior director of Student Success of Financial Aid, and Aileen Zei ’14

“Because they worked in the field, they could give students a real-world account for what things are like when you’re working with senior populations,” says Zei. Zei graduated in 2014. She now works as assistant director of senior and disability services in Wheeling Township, Illinois, helping elderly patients to find services in the community.

“My degree allowed me to get the job that I have now,” she says. “It’s rewarding to know that we’re able to help the elderly and adults with disabilities find services in the community.”

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FINDING INSPIRATION TO FINISH

BY ANN MUDER College faculty inspires Irma Ortiz ’14 to earn her degree

Irma Ortiz had always dreamed of going to college. However, with a husband in the military, she and her family were often on the move.

After years of raising her family and moving from place to place, she still kept her dream alive to get

her degree. In 2009, her husband retired from the military, and the family moved to Fort Worth, Texas.

There, Ortiz visited a recruiter who happened to be a student at Columbia College.

“He said, ‘you’ll love the school,’” she says. And he was right. “I felt like I belonged there.”

Ortiz started in the General Studies and Business Administration program in 2012. She was scheduled to start in January, but that month, her mother-in-law passed away in Puerto Rico.

“I called the school and told them to drop me,” Ortiz says. “They said not to worry, and that I could start the next semester. No matter what, they are always supportive and understanding.”

GETTING A DEGREE AT SEA Nolan Nichols served in the Navy on four different ships and was deployed six times. Even with all of these transfers, he knew he wanted to pursue an education.

“My goal was to get a degree to open up opportunities in my career in the Navy,” Nichols says.

BY ANN MUDER Columbia College-Lake County alumnus Nolan Nichols ’16 graduates while serving his country

He had his associate degree in Marine Engineering, but his goal was to get his bachelor’s degree as well. After a few years of taking classes, Nichols enrolled at Columbia College in 2005 because of its strong presence on Navy bases.

“I chose Columbia because of the reputation that they had as a solid

school when I was growing up in Northeast Missouri,” Nichols says.

He started in the history program, but when those degree requirements changed, Nichols began to question whether he should continue to take classes.

That’s when he got an email from Rachel Smith, a Student Success advisor at the main campus in Columbia, Missouri.

She recommended that he switch to General Studies, which would automatically qualify him for a bachelor’s degree.

“I had been taking college classes off and on for over 10 years,” Nichols says. “I was ready to stop all together

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Ortiz feels grateful to her teachers for their inspiration and their flexibility when dealing with family issues. In particular, she credits Walter Belcher, Kenneth Newell and John Hardy.

“They’re not going to cut you slack, but they ask how you’re doing and how they can help,” she says. “They really take the time to get to know you.”

In 2014, Ortiz received her associate degree in General Studies and Business Administration, and this year, she is on track to complete a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

“I believe I’ve been successful because of the understanding teachers at Columbia College,” Ortiz says. “And I’ve proved to myself that I can succeed and attain the goals I set for myself in life.”

YOU’RE NEVER “TOO OLD”

BY ANN MUDER Kansas City alumna Dori Cantrell ’06 comes full circle to advise students

Dori Cantrell was working as an administrative assistant for Columbia College–Kansas City when she overheard the academic advisor tell a student, “You are never too old to learn.”

The phrase stuck with Cantrell. She had been the first in her family to go to college, and years ago, she had graduated with an associate degree in her home state of California. After hearing the advisor’s encouragement, she decided to further her education. She discussed it with her family and signed up for her first class in 30 years at Columbia College-Kansas City in 2004.

“At first I thought that I would feel out of place being an older student,” says Cantrell. “What is so wonderful about Columbia College is that everyone, no matter your age, is equal.”

when the program changed. She was the one that had the positive attitude and took her time to help me get what I needed.”

Nichols officially graduated from Columbia College-Lake County this past May. A lieutenant junior grade in the Navy, he is currently deployed conducting operations in the oceans off the coast of Asia. He says that working on his degrees has helped him to advance in his military career.

“It means a lot,” Nichols says. “I just want to thank Columbia and Rachel once again for the help they gave me and the flexibility they provide for military members getting their degrees.”

Cantrell enjoyed her classes so much that when she received her bachelor’s degree in 2006, she continued with classes until she earned her MBA at Columbia College-Kansas City.

“All of the instructors were so inspiring,” she says. “Some of them went back to school later to get their master’s degrees. I thought if they can do it, then I can do it.”

Today, Cantrell works at the Kansas City location as an academic advisor. She says she’s happy to be able to give students the same advice she got from an advisor years ago.

“I feel I was placed here for a reason,” Cantrell says. “I wanted to help other students in the same way by advising them and letting them know they’re never too old to learn.”

Cougar Sports Zone

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Cougar to Coach Brian Meny ’90 uses lessons from his Columbia College playing career in head coaching role

BY DAVID MORRISON

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PHOTOS BY KACI SMART ’09

Brian Meny ’90 turned down Bob Burchard.

Burchard, the Hall of Fame Columbia College men’s basketball coach, wanted Meny to come play for him at Missouri Western in St. Joseph, Missouri, where Burchard was an assistant coach in the mid-1980s. The freshman opted instead for Benedictine College in nearby Atchison, Kansas.

Before the 1988-89 season, Meny transferred to Columbia College to be closer to his hometown of Paris, so his parents could watch him play. The Cougars were going

through a coaching change at that time, and Meny didn’t know who his new coach would be. Who do you think showed up on the first day of practice?

“In comes Coach Burchard through the door and says, ‘Hey, I’m the new coach,’ ” Meny said. “I was like, ‘Oh, no.

I’m going to have to really work hard.’ ” Meny did. The forward set a program record of 314 rebounds in the 1989-90 season that still stands, and he ranks ninth on the Cougars’ career rebounding list with 561. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in

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two a year to take in a game, hang out with former teammates and give Burchard a hard time.

Education, Meny embarked on a coaching career that led him to Van-Far High School in Vandalia, Missouri — where he won a state title in 2004 — and Palmyra (Missouri) High School.

Now he’s back in Columbia, taking the reins of the Battle High School boys basketball program for the 2016-17 season. He plans on seeing his old coach quite often. “(Burchard) has taught me a lot,” Meny says. “You can look at the x’s and o’s, but knowing how to treat kids off the court and those kinds of things is valuable in today’s times.

Who better than a Hall of Fame coach to learn from?”

Meny says his interest in coaching grew organically after his playing career ended. He started as an assistant coach at Madison High School, about 40 miles north of Columbia, before getting his master’s degree and taking over the programs at Van-Far and Palmyra.

He helped build all three programs into district champions and compiled a 431-280 record as a head coach over 22 seasons.

“You get around the kids, I’ve gotten a lot better over time,” Meny says. “I’d like to take some of those teams I had early, knowing what I know now. Things change a lot.”

The move back to Columbia was a long time coming. In the past, Meny would come back to campus a time or

Now, he’s looking forward to his family — his wife, Sheila, his sons, Trey (a junior at Battle), Tristan (an eighth-grader) and Trevor (a redshirt freshman on the Quincy University basketball team) — getting a chance to thrive in the community.

“I told my wife we probably should’ve tried to get to Columbia a long time ago,” Meny says. “We felt like Columbia was a good spot for us.”

Meny has his work cut out for him in turning around the Battle program.

The Spartans have won only 16 games in its three seasons of existence, but Meny is enthusiastic about the commitment he’s seen from his players in the offseason.

He says 58 students showed up for an informational meeting, not counting those who may join after fall sports.

“The number one thing we talked about was changing the culture,” Meny says. “It’s tough. Everybody wants to play at Kentucky and Duke. But do you really want to go somewhere and help build a program and say, ‘I was part of that at the beginning?’ ” If he ever needs any pointers, Burchard’s right across town.

“It’s easier to give him trouble about his coaching when you’re done playing for him. You don’t want to do it when you’re playing for him,” Meny said. “It’s neat listening to him. He always makes a winner out of no matter what he has.”

Cougar Sports Zone

Brian Meny, a 1990 alumnus, has compiled a 431-280 record over 22 years as a high school boys basketball head coach.

Cougar Sports Zone

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Athletic Hall of Fame

BY DREW GRZELLA ’01

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PHOTOS BY HOLLY KITE ’13

Athletic Director Bob Burchard and President Dr. Scott Dalrymple inducted the 14th class of the Columbia College Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony in the Dulany Banquet Hall on Oct. 7, 2016. The four inductees are the newest of 55 individuals and teams who have been honored with Hall of Fame status since its foundation in 2003.

Khamari Ballard ’05 Men’s Basketball Khamari Ballard ’05 (pictured with Coach Bob Burchard) transferred to Columbia College in 2002 and made an immediate impact. He played in all 34 games as a junior, starting 13, and led the team in scoring with 17.2 points per game. For his efforts, Ballard was named American Midwest Conference Newcomer of the Year and a first-team all-conference recipient, as well as a second-team NAIA All-American.

Ballard made the 2003-04 season one to remember, leading the Cougars with 22.6 points per game as they won the AMC regular season and conference tournament titles, advanced to the NAIA Tournament and finished with a 32-4 record. He was named firstteam all-conference, AMC Player of the Year, became the first player in program history to garner first-team All-America honors and set the program’s single-game scoring record with 52 points against Harris-Stowe State.

Ballard also holds the program records for most points in a season (791), most made field goals in a season (280) and highest scoring average (22.6) and sits seventh on the Cougars’ career scoring list with 1,377 points.

Walter E. “Web” Bixby III ’82 Contributor Web Bixby ’82 has been a member of the Columbia College Board of Trustees since 1991 and was appointed Chair in July 2016. He served as national steering committee chair for the Columbia College Tradition Meets Tomorrow campaign, which raised more than $11 million, and is a member of the Ivy Chain Circle of the President’s Society. Bixby further supports his alma mater as a trustee and director of the J.B. Reynolds Foundation, established in honor of his great-grandfather, and was the recipient of the 2015 Columbia College Service Award by the Columbia College Alumni Association.

A dedicated fan of Columbia College sports, Bixby has been the team’s honorary coach at the NAIA basketball tournament for many years. He is the executive vice president and vice chairman of the board for Kansas City Life Insurance Company and president of Old American Insurance Company, a subsidiary. He is the son of the late Walter E. Bixby Jr., trustee emeritus, and the late Mary Martha Musser Bixby ’51. Web and his wife, Tracy, have two sons, James, a 2005 graduate of Columbia College, and Blake.

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Cougar Sports Zone

1989 & 1990 softball teams The 1989 Columbia College softball team set a standard for excellence that has rarely been duplicated.

The Cougars posted an amazing 58-5 record, putting the Columbia College softball program in the national spotlight as it rose to the top of the NAIA, earning a No. 1 national ranking. The pitching staff, anchored by Wendy Mertz and Julie Siebert, allowed only 48 earned runs on the year.

The offense was just as impressive. The Cougars averaged seven runs per game and batted .335. They finished with a No. 8 ranking in the NAIA national poll to cap off their stellar season and garnered several individual awards, including seven Show-Me Collegiate All-Conference selections, five Academic All-Conference members, the Show-Me Collegiate Conference Player of the Year, four first-team AllDistrict 16 members, three NAIA Scholar-Athletes and three NAIA All-Americans. Hall of Fame inductee Chuck Bobbitt, who helped orchestrate the team’s 20-win improvement from the previous year, was named conference Coach of the Year.

After an incredible 1989 season that finished just shy of a national tournament berth, the 1990 Columbia College softball team began the year with a sense of

Front row: Julie Siebert Smith ’89, Laura ThompsonSmall ’89, Marlesa Perry Maynard ’93, Wendy Spratt ’90 and Melissa Kelpe ’92; Second row, on steps: Dr. Audrey Montooth ’91 and Angela Schroer Sturm ’92; Third Row, on stage: Lisa Morgan Huff ’92, Wendy Mertz Slifka ’90 and Kristy Jacoby ’92

unfinished business. With a number of key players returning and an infusion of young talent, the Cougars posted a 46-9 record. The team won the Show-Me Collegiate Conference Championship as well as the District 16 title to become the college’s first softball team to earn a spot in the Hall of Fame NAIA National Tournament.

inductee Chuck Bobbitt, who helped orchestrate a 20win improvement from the previous year, was named conference Coach of the Year in 1989.

The Cougars finished the year with a No. 5 ranking in the final NAIA national poll in Bobbitt’s 7th season at the helm. The team garnered five Show-Me Collegiate All-Conference selections, five Academic All-Conference members, Show-Me Collegiate Conference Player and Coach of the Year awards, four NAIA Scholar-Athletes and three NAIA All-Americans.

Wendy Spratt became the program’s first NAIA firstteam All-American after batting .480 on the year, a single-season record that stood for 21 seasons.

Outfielder Laura Williams (second team) and Mertz (honorable mention) earned NAIA All-America honors as well.

Cougar Sports Zone

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In Search of Legendary Success Q&A with eSports player Connor Doyle

BY SAM FLEURY

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PHOTO BY KACI SMART ’09

Skill, hard work and sacrifice. Those are the three themes Columbia College junior eSports player Connor Doyle uses to describe what it takes to be successful in the innovative new eSports program that was added on campus this fall. The team of 12 competes against other collegiate squads from around the country from October to March in the video game League of Legends.

“It’s really competitive because, for traditional sports, only a certain percentage of the population is born with the bodies to play professional basketball,” Doyle says. “There is a much greater percentage born with the reaction time able to be good at League of Legends.”

Learn more about the Accounting major from Winthrop, Maine, who was the first recruit to sign with the program.

What got you interested in eSports? “I think it was watching the Season One World Championships and watching North America play Korea. I remember getting chills when I watched the players’ reaction when they won the finals and I saw how much it meant to them.”

How old were you at that time?

“Six years ago, that would mean I was 15.”

Was that your first introduction into the sport? “Yeah, as far as a spectator, yes. I had played competitive Halo (also a video game) back in the day but I didn’t realize there was a following of that scene even though there was a small one at that time. But this was the first time I saw players play in front of a stadium with thousands and thousands of people in it all screaming and celebrating and the

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atmosphere made me think ‘Wow, I want that.’”

What do you like to do when you are not gaming? “I like to be outside. I was always active when I was a kid. I played sports, I went hiking and fishing. I’ve also been going to a local park with one of my teammates and playing chess. That’s a good time.”

What position are you and how would you describe it?” I play marksman, and I would describe it as a sort of Calvin Johnson (former allpro football receiver for the Detroit Lions) position where you are sort of the deep ball threat. You don’t always ‘get the ball’ a lot, but when you do, you have the opportunity to make an explosive play and change the game. It’s definitely a difficult position because of the responsibility on your shoulders because like I said, one play can change the game for the marksman.”

What level do you play at? “I play at Master Tier, which is the top 800 players out of the 67 million active accounts in North America.”

What are your impressions of Columbia College/Columbia, Missouri, so far? “I like Columbia College a lot. It’s different than what I was expecting. The faculty and the administration here are really, really good, and that was a pleasant surprise for me. I was really excited to see the quality of the administration and the professors and also the campus. The Student Commons is great, and I love the Quad they put in.

The fountain is cool, the weight room is good and the people are nice. They are pretty laid back.”

What are your thoughts on the new “Game Hut”? “It’s awesome. I was really, really happy with the quality of the equipment. I was happy that they got professional equipment across the board and didn’t skimp on anything. Everything from the playing surface where we’re resting our mouse and keyboard, to the chair we are sitting on, to the monitor, to the keyboard itself, to the nuts and bolts itself of the computer, everything is top of the line, which is awesome because you don’t want to be gated by your hardware. You want to be able to play to your full potential. I also like the atmosphere a lot because when I walk through those doors, it’s like ‘OK, it’s time to go.’ It definitely has a vibe to it that it is an area of competition, which is really sweet.”

Favorite food? “Steak. I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy,” Favorite music? “There is so much good music. It’s really hard for me to nail down a song or a genre, but I love hip hop. I got into hip hop when I was in high school. I also enjoy electronic music. Sometimes I even listen to classical music, so it depends on my mood. Everything other than country.”

Favorite movie? “Have you seen The Sting? It’s a good movie. It’s one of those movies you don’t understand until the reveal at the end.”

Favorite Book? “I would say the Harry Potter series as a whole. I grew up reading a lot. My sister had the whole series, and she was reading it to me before I could read. I’ve probably read the books more than 50 times each, no exaggeration. “

Cougar Sports Zone

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Week of Giving Event raises more than $12,000 for Cougar Athletics

BY DREW GRZELLA ’01

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PHOTO BY KACI SMART ’09

The Cougar athletic department hosted its first “Week of Giving” in October 2016. The event was a success with 150 total gifts to the Cougars, including 122 gifts from first-time donors. The total for the 150 gifts that week was $12,432.

“What an incredible week of philanthropy,” says Drew Grzella ’01, associate director of athletics.

“Parents, family, friends and alumni came together in an amazing way to support our

student athletes. I believe we have laid the groundwork for a new Cougar Athletics fundraising tradition.”

Cougar student athletes spent the week saying “thank you” to all their supporters as they reached out to new family, friends and fans for gifts to help support them doing what they do best.

Four Cougar teams — volleyball, baseball and men’s and women’s basketball — had 100 percent

participation from their members who chose to donate to the cause.

In an effort to drive Cougar athletic alumni to give back, sport-specific giving is now available. This allows everyone the opportunity to directly support their sports of choice.

If you would like to contribute, secure gifts can be made online at www.choosecc.org/athletics.

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Cougar Sports Zone

On Deck Cougars’ new baseball program uses fall to prep for inaugural season

BY DAVID MORRISON

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Columbia College’s baseball program, which has been dormant since 1982, starts play again in February 2017.

PHOTO BY CINDY FOT TI POT TER ’05

Coach Darren Munns never had to deal with a recruiting class quite this big in his 10 years leading the baseball team at William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri. Sure, there were years in which they graduated a bunch of players and Munns and his staff had to rebuild, but he’s never had to start a program from scratch like he’s currently doing at Columbia College.

The fall months have been crucial for practicing and gelling as a team, the only one in the American Midwest Conference with no returning players from last season.

The Cougars, who are restarting their baseball program after a 34-year hiatus, have 40 newcomers to welcome.

At William Woods, Munns built his teams around pitching, defense and speed on the basepaths. He hopes to bring the same blueprint to Columbia College, but he says he’ll build to his new players’ strengths — once he figures out what they are.

“A normal recruiting class in college baseball is usually eight to 10,” Munns says. “So this is about four times that.”

Munns doesn’t have any established veterans to lean on as the Cougars prep for the start of their season. He has three sophomores, 11 juniors and one senior on his roster, but all of them are transfers from other programs. Then there are those 25 freshmen.

“It’s going to be vital that we get them on board immediately. You want to build team chemistry right away,” Munns said. “We’ve got a really good group assembled.”

“We jump right in,” Munns says. “I think it’s an exciting challenge. It has tremendous potential.”

The team will travel to Tennessee for its first game of the season on Feb. 2, 2017.

CC Notes

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Scootergraphs This cat loves to travel!

Check out where CC alumni have taken Scooter.

During a recent visit back to main campus, Sonia Fernandez Forthuber ’73 stopped by the Alumni Relations office for a Scootergraph.

David Humphrey, director of campus support for Columbia College Adult Higher Education, visited Nata, Botswana, during the summer of 2016.

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CC Notes

Jeannie Lahman ’00 attended the Missouri Democrats State Convention in June 2016 at the state fairgrounds in Sedalia.

Naomi Lear, assistant professor of Art, snapped a Scootergraph of her son at a summer festival at the Sojiji Buddhist temple in Japan.

Deanne Emde ’19 visited Hogwarts Castle in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, Florida.

Logboat Brewing Company co-owner and “navigator” Judson Ball ’07 took a Scootergraph behind the scenes of the Columbia, Missouri, company’s operations. Logboat was named the 2016 Small Business of the Year by the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

To submit a Scootergraph, email ccalum@ccis.edu or mail Alumni Relations, 1001 Rogers St., Columbia, MO 65216. Post, tweet and email your #selfieswithscooter! View the digital photo gallery at www.columbiacollegealumni.org/selfieswithscooter.

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THE COLUMBIA COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINE

CC Notes

a f f i n i t y

Class Notes COMPILED BY LEAH HOVELN ’18 AND CAROLYN PREUL

Use the online form at www.columbiacollegealumni.org/classnotes to share your news.

’60s

’70s

Roger Ramsel ’75 celebrated his 60th wedding anniversary with his wife, Loretta, on Aug. 4, 2016. Their family currently includes daughter, Julie, and three grandchildren, David, Carlene and Jonathan.

Dr. Lynn McClary Hawkins ’61 has a new book, Always the First, a biography of a woman who started Head Start and changed the world for much of black America.

It is published by Taylor & Seale and is available on Amazon or at bookstores. Lynn is an associate professor in the School of Humanities and Communication at Daytona State College in Daytona Beach, Florida. She has three published books and more than 2,500 feature stories. Her next book, Supercharge your Student Success, was scheduled to release in November 2016.

’80s Bryan Dier ’86, a Fashion and Merchandising alumnus, attended the Fifth Avenue Cartier Mansion reopening. Dier is a client experience manager at Cartier’s flagship store in New York City. (Photo courtesy of Columbia College Archives)

Nancy Turner Blitz ’68 and her husband, Howard, enjoyed a summertime visit to main campus. Nancy, who was voted Senior of the Year in 1968 at Christian College, teaches ESL and Master’s of Education students at Western Community College and Western Arizona State. The couple resides in Yuma, Arizona.

Tim Rich ’89 was named executive director for Welcome Home, Inc., an emergency shelter serving midMissouri veterans since 1992.

’90s

Lamar Childs ’90 renewed his Master Certified Flight Instructor certificate for the fifth consecutive time, making him one of only 34 people worldwide to earn the credential five times. He was also selected as a Designated Pilot Examiner under the Birmingham, Alabama, Flight Standards District Office.

Matthew Pritchett ’90 accepted a teaching job at Pembroke Hill School in Kansas City, Missouri, where he is also the boys and girls varsity soccer coach.

Anna Gotango Osborn ’91, a Jefferson Middle School teacher in Columbia, Missouri, was selected as one of 11 Heinemann Fellows nationwide. Educators will use these fellowships to engage in individual research projects that address challenges faced by schools across the country.

Devin Dahl ’94 co-owns Boneshaker Cycles in Buena Vista, Colorado, helping others spark their own interests in cycling in

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CC Notes

Weddings the mountains. Dahl married Chris Yinger on Sept. 25, 2016.

Amanda Medlin ’13 married Patrick Clutter on Aug. 8, 2016.

PH OT O BY CATH ERI NE RH OD ES PH OT OG RA PH Y

Lisa G. Moore ’94, president of Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal, has been recognized by The Best Lawyers In America as 2017 “Lawyer of Year” for St. Louis in the area of Family Law. In October 2016, Columbia College volleyball coach Melinda WyreWashington ’95 was added to the the Cougar Athletics Wall of Honor for her efforts as a player and coach.

Joy Jackson Bess ’97 & ’01, a social studies teacher at Gentry Middle School, was one of 30 teachers nationwide selected to participate in the 2016 C-SPAN Summer Educators’ Conference in Washington, D.C. She lives in Columbia, Missouri.

Alicia Troesser ’13 married Daniel Burke Agüero on Oct. 14, 2016.

’00s

Emily White Kebert ’00 recently accepted a strategic communications position with the University of Missouri-Columbia in the College of Education.

Joseph Hallman ’01 was named Chief of Police for UW–Platteville.

He lives in Marengo, Illinois.

Drew Grzella ’01 was named Associate Director of Athletics for Advancement and Marketing at Columbia College. No stranger to the program, Grzella played basketball at CC from 1998 to 2000, earning NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors in his senior season.

Lauren Berkbuegler ’13 and Mitch Gosney ’13 will wed July 7, 2017.

“Lauren and I met our junior year at Columbia College at an AllAmerican Rejects concert,” Mitch says. She was a softball player; he was a student assistant with the men’s basketball team. After college they both continued their educations in Kansas City. Mitch received a master’s degree while Lauren completed her degree in nursing. This past summer, the couple visited main campus where Mitch proposed on Bass Commons. Her ring has a CC in it as well as a blue sapphire, “because it all started at Columbia College.”

CC Notes

58

Mara Roberts ’02, special assistant to the provost of Columbia College, has been elected to a three-year term on the Alternative Community Training (ACT) Board of Directors.

Based in Columbia, Missouri, ACT is a not-for-profit, nationally accredited, private agency which provides services to individuals with disabilities.

Michele Vaughn ’03 led the second annual Fitness Fundraiser in Beach Park, Illinois, to raise money for single mothers to go to college.

The 5K was co-sponsored by the Waukegan-based Teen & Single Mother Resource Center, a nonprofit program Vaughn created in 2014 that provides one-on-one coaching to help single mothers go to college.

Cathy Richards ’04, Boone County public administrator in Columbia, Missouri, received the 2016 achievement award by the National Association of Counties for creating a program to pay for uncovered health care for her clients.

Columbia College-Orlando alumnus Dennis Lemma ’07 was named Seminole County sheriff. A 24-year agency veteran, Dennis worked up the ranks from patrol deputy to sergeant, lieutenant, captain and major. He resides in Oviedo, Florida.

’10s

Photographer Matt Rahner ’10 displayed his work at the Greg Hardwick Gallery on the Columbia College main campus in the fall of 2016. “The work I make establishes, exposes and traverses boundaries,

which are often overlooked. I am constantly seeking out found situations that possess an inherent psychological complexity. By working in this way I am able to release total control and navigate the world in an intuitive manner,” Rahner says on his website, www. mattrahner.com.

The Smith Studio and Gallery in Geneseo, Iowa, featured the prints of artist Alexis Dwyer ’11 in August 2016. Dwyer, who received a Master of Fine Arts from Iowa State University in May 2016, is a printmaker, integrated visual artist and art educator. Her prints have been shown in national juried exhibitions, as well as exhibitions in Hong Kong and Egypt. She resides in Columbia, Missouri.

In 2014, John Hogan ’11 retired after 33 years of working and was accepted as part of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society the following year. John is now continuing his college studies in the field of child development at Long Beach City College in California. He anticipates graduating in 2017.

Rhianna Edwards ’11, is working as a payroll analyst at Benefitfocus in Charleston, South Carolina.

She completed CEBS designation through the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans in March 2016.

Kyle Reynolds ’12 is now assistant vice president and portfolio manager of the Commerce Trust Company. In his new role, Reynolds will be responsible for building custom, well-diversified portfolios and reviewing their progress for personal trust and investment management clients. He lives in Columbia, Missouri.

Meghan Gill ’13 was named women’s soccer coach at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia.

Gill played collegiately at Penn State before coming to Columbia College, where she served as the assistant soccer coach and earned a Master of Business Administration.

Tanner Sutton ’14 & ’16 joined the firm of Williams-Keepers LLC as a staff auditor. Sutton earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Columbia College.

Chris Atkins ’15 works for JS Computek, an IT services provider, as a professional services technician. Chris received an associate degree from the Columbia College Evening program.

He resides in Boonville, Missouri.

Zach Rockers ’15 & ’16, a standout basketball player and golfer during his athletic career with the Cougars, was one of two American representatives to attend the 13th international FISU Forum on university sports in July 2016. He joined college-aged athletes from 59 other nations to discuss the current state of the sporting world, as well as what lies on the horizon. Rockers is now a religion teacher at Father Tolton Catholic High School in Columbia, Missouri.

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Dayla Gerstner Gassner ’09 and Cory Gassner welcomed daughter Mya Marie on Aug. 19, 2016.

Jason and Rhianna Edwards ’11 welcomed daughter Lorelei Dawn.

Trent Finley ’16 and Ashley Hutchinson Finley welcomed son Tanner Everett on May 5, 2016.

Sarah Goeke, director of Columbia College-Freeport, and her husband, Drew, welcomed son Wyatt Orin on July 9, 2016.

Stephen and Ashley Parshall ’10 & ’11 and big brother Will welcomed Henry Jackson on June 21, 2016.

Shop The Cub Club gear on page 63, and submit photos of your future Cougars to www.columbiacollegealumni.org/thecubclub.

CC Notes

Births

Craig and Laura Elliott Fallin ’06 welcomed daughter Lois Louise on June 20, 2016.

CC Notes

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Reunions

Through the years and across the world, college friendships last a lifetime.

Seven Columbia College alumni reunited in Winnipeg, Canada, for a classmate’s wedding. Pictured from left are the bride, Kerri Gapka Bush ’05 (softball), Ryan Steinhoff ’06 (men’s basketball), Laura Elliot Fallin ’06 (women’s basketball), Cindy Fotti Potter ’05 & ’06 (softball), Anna Seipp Donnelly ’04 (softball), Amy Seipp West ’04 (softball) and Stephanie Kababie-Steinhoff ’06 (softball).

Longtime friends and graduates from the Class of 1965, Susan Phillips Moskowitz, Kitty Jo Wiss Gates and Talley Lee Shaon Saucier enjoyed a mini-reunion in mid-Missouri over the summer to catch up and reminisce about their time at Christian College.

Four Christian College alumnae who attend First Presbyterian Church in Georgetown, Texas, met for lunch with yearbooks inhand to reminisce. Standing: Alice Chandler Graham ’49 and Linette Smith Harwell ’54; Seated: Carolyn Willows Gregory ’56 and Cathy Hamel Shirley ’63.

Six alumni from the Class of 1983 enjoyed a visit back to the main campus over the 2016 Labor Day weekend. Pictured in front of Miller Hall, top row (l-r): Rusty Ryan, Randy Sanchez and Philip Castrovinci (aka Phil Castro); Bottom row (l-r): Ken Glass, Rick Feder and Craig Frank. Thanks for visiting, guys!

Email ccalum@ccis.edu to share photos of you and your classmates hanging out together!

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CC Notes

In

Memoriam

Margaret Helen Yundt Bosworth ’40 March 27, 2016

Michele A. Delany ’59 June 23, 2014

Betty “Abbe” Abbott Mahone ’42 June 11, 2016

Carol “Carrie” Williams ’63 April 16, 2011

Gladys “Glady” (Blue) Bayles ’44 September 10, 2016

Judith A. Clay ’66 October 4, 2016

Sallyann Ridenour Dixon ’46 August 6, 2016

Betty Lou (Reppert) Anderson ’72 July 29, 2016

Virginia “Ginny” Mason Haux ’48 July 24, 2016

Ross J. Urquhart ’74 December 17, 2010

Barbara A. Miller Sikes ’49 July 4, 2016

Donnie R. Burch ’75 December 20, 2013

Joan Hutchens Wanamaker ’50 August 19, 2016

James L. “Jim” Williams ’75 August 21, 2016

Cynthia (Hood) Archibald ’52 August 31, 2016

Nancy Berniece Nutt ’83 October 23, 2015

Dana Turner Bickel ’53 July 5, 2016

Mary Jane Damiano ’92 August 31, 2016

Martha Brinegar Buell ’54 August 4, 2016

Steven Mullens ’06 June 20, 2016

Judith Ann “Judy” Lawrence ’54 February 28, 2014

Tucker R. Ramsay ’06 August 6, 2016

Mary M. (Davis) Boedeker ’55 October 26, 1999

*As of October 31, 2016

The CC Alumni Collection

62

Cougar Gear The CC Alumni Merchandise Store features a variety of apparel and accessories.

White Alumni Wrap Mug 12 oz. white ceramic; $12 Colored sports bottle Printed white CCAA logo.

Purple, blue, red or green; $8 Double Wall Insulated Tumblers 15 oz. plastic cup with lid and straw.

Alumni text wrap or blue plaid; $10

Baseball hat “ALUMNI” embroidered on back.

Navy, khaki or pink; $14

Featured Item!

CCAA Woven Polo Brand: Zorrel; Navy Men: Medium-XL: $15 Women: XS-4X: $15

Columbia College Alumni license plate covers White plastic with navy imprint; $5 Metallic with navy and white imprint; $10

CCAA Satin Polo Brand: Port Authority; Gray or navy Men: Small-4X: $20 Women: XS-4X: $20

Nationwide T-shirt Brand: Gildan Softstyle; Heather gray or black Small-2X: $12 3X: $14

Visit www.columbiacollegealumni.org/alumnistore to view the entire catalog of Christian College and Columbia College merchandise. Proceeds benefit the CCAA.

BE SELLST ER!

Block CC Alumni T-shirt Brand: Gildan Softstyle; Charcoal gray or navy Small-2X: $12 3X: $14

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The CC Alumni Collection

Playing Cards Honoring the past, present and future of the college; $5 CCAA iWallet Silicone stick-on wallet with printed logo; $1

#5

4GB flash drive Swivel style, printed logo; $5

#1 / #2

CCAA keychain Silver metal with blue band and printed logo; $5 Lamis tote bag Stylish faux leather with CCAA logo embossing. Gray or navy; $15

#3

#4

1. Future Cougar onesies Navy/Gray/Pink, 6 mo-24 mo; $12 2. Future Cougar infant lap shoulder T-shirt Navy/Gray, 6 mo-18 mo; $12 Christian College picture frame 6” x 4” glass frame with silver base featuring blue engraved logo; $15

CCAA silver picture frame 4” x 6” brushed metal finish with etched logo; $8

Make check payable to Columbia College Alumni Association or charge to:  MasterCard

 VISA

 Discover

Account number _________________________ Expiration date: _____/________ CVC ______ Order Total _____________________________ FREE shipping is provided on all orders. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. U.S. postage paid only. You will be contacted if an item is out of stock and no longer available for purchase.

3. Future Cougar infant basic T-shirt Navy/Gray, 6 mo-24 mo; $12

4. Future Cougar navy toddler T-shirt 2T-4T; $12 5. Columbia Cougars navy T-shirt Juvi 5/6 & 7; $12 Youth XS-XL; $12

Name____________________________________________________________________ Class Year __________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________________________________ City________________________________________________ State _________________ Zip ______________________ Phone number____________________________ Email address _______________________________________________

Item description___________________________________ Color _____________ Size _________ Cost ______________ Item description___________________________________ Color _____________ Size _________ Cost ______________ Item description___________________________________ Color _____________ Size _________ Cost ______________ Item description___________________________________ Color _____________ Size _________ Cost ______________

Alumni Information Update

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what’s new with you?

Keep us posted! We’ll update your alumni records and share your good news in Affinity magazine’s Class Notes.

Name:

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 Check if new

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)

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)

Email:

Date of birth:

Location attended:

Class year:

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CC graduation year (if applicable): _______

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Birth (Adoption) announcement (within the last 12 months) Birth of a: Name:

 Daughter

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Date of birth: Spouse’s name:  Check if CC Grad year

Career Notes/Retirement Update/Community Service/Military (within the last 12 months) Please attach additional information if necessary. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Mail this form: Columbia College Alumni Relations, 1001 Rogers St., Columbia, MO 65216 Fax this form: (573) 875-7733 Email photos: ccalum@ccis.edu

Fill out the online form with photo upload: www.columbiacollegealumni.org/alumniupdate

CO LU M B I A CO L L EG E A LU M N I A S S O C I AT I O N

83,989 TOTAL LIVING ALUMNI

CHOSEN FROM NEARLY

300 APPLICANTS, THE CCAA AWARDED 4 STUDENTS EACH A

$1,000 SCHOLARSHIP

1,204

ALUMNI & FRIENDS ATTENDED 23 ALUMNI EVENTS HOSTED IN 15 CITIES

300

MERCHANDISE ORDERS FULFILLED THROUGH CC ALUMNI STORE

ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS

1.13 million emails delivered 1.36 million mailings sent 545,458 social media engagement CCAA SCHOLARS PROGRAM

$6,782.50 $7,010 REVENUE GENERATED THROUGH 69 GIFTS FROM 16 DONORS

REVENUE GENERATED THROUGH SALES OF 2016 ALUMNI DIRECTORY

A LU M N I BY S TAT E

year in review

July 1, 2015 — June 30, 2016

Alabama. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,148 Alaska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Arizona. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 885 Arkansas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443 California. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,803 Colorado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,759 Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Delaware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 District of Columbia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Florida. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,428 Georgia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,535 Hawaii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 Idaho. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Illinois. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,195 Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562 Iowa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370 Kansas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,006 Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588 Louisiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358 Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Maryland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692 Massachusetts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Michigan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521 Minnesota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 Mississippi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 Missouri. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23,124 Montana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Nebraska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Nevada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340 New Hampshire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 New Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,562 North Carolina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,249 North Dakota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Ohio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 689 Oklahoma. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 703 Oregon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306 Pennsylvania. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .446 Rhode Island. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 South Carolina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695 South Dakota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Tennessee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 868 Texas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,046 Utah. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,137 Vermont. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,892 Washington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,014 West Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Wisconsin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .819 Wyoming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

1001 Rogers Street Columbia, MO 65216

Christian College REUNION WEEKEND MAY 5-6, 2017 The CCAA is pleased to host a weekend of activities and traditions in celebration of the college’s rich heritage.

Special recognition will be given to the 1937, 1947, 1957 and 1967 honor class years. For event details and travel information or to register online, visit www.columbiacollegealumni.org/reunionweekend.