WINTER 2021
WILDCAT STRONG
IN A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER, WILDCATS
PROVE THEY ARE RESILIENT AND CAN
ADAPT TO CHALLENGING SITUATIONS
IN THIS ISSUE DEPARTMENTS 3 4 14 19 26 32
Letter From the President Happenings on the Hill Victory Bell Passing the Test: Short Answer Class Notes In Memoriam
FEATURES 10 Adapting to COVID
C-SC graduates have shown for decades that the liberal arts education they received helps them become acclimated to a world that is changing daily.
16 Open Door: From “the Hill,” Opportunities are Unlimited
Clarke Stacker thought his future might be in music or sports when he arrived at CulverStockton in the fall of 2014. Now he just shakes his head and grins when he thinks about how he became a financial services tax associate at Pricewaterhouse Coopers in downtown Los Angeles.
20 Imagine That
C-SC helps Pam Hunsaker ’83 grow from small town girl to assisting Dolly Parton’s book-gifting program.
24 Paying It Forward
After creating a device to help people walk, Mary Harroun ’66 now wants to help students solve problems.
ON THE COVER Dr. Matthew Osborn, Assistant Professor of Business, teaches his 3-week business class via Zoom
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CHRONICLE Culver-Stockton College Alumni Magazine
WINTER 2021
President Dr. Douglas B. Palmer Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Dr. Lauren Schellenberger Vice President for Advancement and Marketing Leslie Payne Director of Alumni Programs Missy DuBuque ’88
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LETTER FROM
the PRESIDENT Resilience. Grit. Perseverance. Mettle. Gumption. These are all words that have fallen in and out of usage to describe attributes we all need when things get tough. We have certainly learned this year how tough things can be. Even without the immediate challenge we face dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all tested and challenged. We do not pretend that Culver-Stockton College is a place to be protected from the trials and tribulations of the world. Actually, the 12+3 curriculum devoted to experiential learning is very much intended to place students right into the heart of the world – whether here in the tri-state area or across the globe. It is our goal to equip students with the confidence that whatever comes their way, they are prepared intellectually, personally and spiritually to handle these challenges. In fact, we hope students are not only prepared but also ready to lead others in handling these challenges. The stories featured in this issue of the Chronicle are all about ways in which Culver-Stockton students and alumni have responded with grit, perseverance, and yes, gumption, to survive and even thrive in a difficult world. As an institution, we are doing the same. We have not ceased teaching; we are teaching by delivering content in high impact, creative ways. We have not cut back programs, but instead, are expanding to provide students with the skills they need to compete for high quality jobs. And we are not backing away from investing in our future, but, rather, accelerating the promise of being the Midwest’s premier experiential learning college. Culver-Stockton College has been challenged throughout history. But our ability to weather these storms, to thrive in spite of the challenges, comes from the strong sense of community and willingness to help one another. And so, we take the challenges our students and alumni face personally. Our commitment to student success, financial support and excellence are meant to give students a helping hand. We know that our students graduate ready to take on the challenges of our age. It does not matter how daunting these challenges appear; the spirit of the Wildcat is to take it on. So, here’s to that Wildcat spirit and here’s to Culver-Stockton! Go Wildcats!
Dr. Douglas B. Palmer President
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| HAPPENINGS ON THE HILL |
STUDENT ABIGAIL WARD RECEIVES AWARD FROM HANNIBAL ARTS COUNCIL ORIGINALE Freshman Abigail Ward from Hannibal, Mo., won an award in the Hannibal Arts Council Originale for her piece simply titled “Portrait.” Ward shared, “My experience at Culver-Stockton College has helped me grow as an artist immensely. Within the first two weeks of school, I had already learned how to use new forms of mediums and improve my skills with mediums that I already had experience with. I have learned new techniques and new ways to approach certain types of drawings and projects and my drawing has improved greatly! Attending C-SC has honestly been one of the best decisions of my life and becoming an art student here is absolutely worth it.”
STUDENT ABIGAIL HUBER AND C-SC RECEIVE AWARDS FROM INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS The Institute of Management Accountants recently selected the student chapter at Culver-Stockton College as one of the 2020 Award of Excellence Outstanding Student Chapters. Culver-Stockton was one of only five schools selected nationwide. C-SC has received the outstanding student chapter award 13 times in the past 17 years. Additionally, student Abigail Huber was selected to receive an IMA Memorial Education Fund Scholarship. Huber, a senior accountancy and finance major from Quincy, Ill., was one of 10 students recognized from across the nation and will receive a $1,000 scholarship. 4 | Chronicle
GERDES EHRHART, DRISCOLL ADDED TO C-SC BOARD OF TRUSTEES Laura Gerdes Ehrhart and Gina Driscoll ’83 recently were elected to three-year terms on the Board of Trustees at Culver-Stockton College. Ehrhart has been the president and CEO of Michelmann Steel Inc., in Quincy, Ill., since 2006. Driscoll has been an agency field specialist for State Farm in East Peoria, Ill., since June 2001.
| HAPPENINGS ON THE HILL |
Photo is from 2019-20 season before spectators were limited due to the pandemic.
CURLEY NAMED HEART NOMINEE FOR NAIA’S LISTON AWARD Payton Curley of Salem, Mo., has been named the female recipient of the NAIA’s prestigious Emil S. Liston Award. The Liston award recognizes academic athletic excellence by junior student-athletes in men’s and women’s basketball. Payton has been an integral part of the women’s basketball program in her first three seasons on “the Hill” appearing in 94 games with 41 career starts during her tenure. Off the court, Payton has excelled in the classroom, where she is majoring in health science and minoring in business administration and rehabilitation science. In addition to receiving the high honor of the Liston Award, Payton was named Heart of America Athletic Conference ScholarAthlete in 2020.
NEW STUDENT ENROLLMENT TOPS 300 FOR NINTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR Culver-Stockton College welcomed 311 new students to campus for the fall 2020 semester, a number which includes freshmen (251) and transfer students. The 2020 recruiting year marked the ninth consecutive year that the number of new students at C-SC has topped 300. Total enrollment at Culver-Stockton is 1,003 students and 2020 marked the sixth year in a row where the total enrollment has topped more than 1,000 students. The total enrollment number consists of full-time students (857) and part-time students, comprised of high school students taking dual credit courses, online students and graduate students. Three people were appointed to serve roles on the board. Steve Viorel ’02, president of the Alumni Board, will represent alumni for a two-year term. Melody Schroer, an associate professor of legal studies at C-SC, was selected to serve a two-year term as the faculty representative. Cheyenne Grissom, president of the Student Government Association will serve a one-year term. Winter 2021 | 5
| HAPPENINGS ON THE HILL |
HISTORY PROFESSOR PART OF TRIVIA TEAM THAT WON NATIONAL EVENT Dr. Scott Giltner, a professor of history at C-SC, was part of a team that won a national virtual trivia tournament in August. He and his teammates were competing against more than 800 educators and school employees on more than 300 teams from 39 states. Each team member received a $500 Amazon gift card and $500 to donate to the educational project or school of their choice. Professor Giltner generously chose to help students here on “the Hill” and donated his prize money to the Student Scholarship Fund at C-SC.
IPPIA AGAIN RANKS CULVER-STOCKTON AS Z TOP COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY IN MISSOURI FOR JOB PLACEMENT Culver-Stockton College is ranked as the top college or university in Missouri for employment in 2020 for the second consecutive year, according to Zippia, Inc. Robin Jarvis ’09, director of career and internship services, says the recognition is a testament to the value of C-SC’s experiential curriculum. “Our students graduate with real-world experience, whether it be through internships, clinicals, student teaching, practicums, intensive research or other preprofessional experiences,” Jarvis said. “Our graduates are prepared to provide value to their employers the day they begin their careers.”
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TWO NEW TRACKS OFFERED IN MASTER OF EDUCATION PROGRAM Culver-Stockton College is now offering two new tracks in its online master of education program. An alternative certification track provides potential teachers who do not have an education background the opportunity to earn certification in a variety of areas. The other track is for practicing elementary or early childhood teachers who seek certification as Title I reading teachers, reading interventionists or reading
WE KNOW THAT HANDSON EXPERIENCES AND THE AVAILABILITY OF HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER MAJORS ARE IMPORTANT TO STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING BOTH.
instructional coaches. School districts have a growing need for more highly-trained teachers in the area of reading specialization and a new Missouri law requires teachers to receive a Special Reading certificate to be eligible for reading positions at their school.
Workforce ready graduates are in high demand and we are leading the charge. Committed to preparing students for career success is what we do – and we do it better than anyone else. Ranked #1 for job placement among colleges and universities in Missouri two years in a row, our ability to respond effectively to job market needs is what sets us apart. A recent partnership formed with the Lower Cost Models for Independent Colleges Consortium, a coalition of almost 70 private colleges and universities committed to making higher education more accessible for all students, will allow C-SC to expand its majors. These exciting new programs will give students an opportunity to develop skills that are in high demand within the regional labor market, strengthening our reputation of preparing students to have success in their careers after earning a Culver-Stockton degree. The new majors include digital marketing, esports and gaming administration, human resources management, professional sales and supply chain management. “These new programs will allow us to offer highly specialized majors that are typically found only at large universities, but now we can offer them with all of the advantages of a small college, such as a highly-personalized student experience,” said Dr. Lauren Schellenberger, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college. In addition to the new major being offered in Agribusiness Management, the addition of these five specialized majors will assist students in securing a competitive advantage in the job market. “These majors are part of our ongoing commitment to serve the needs of our students and the business community here in the Tri-States and wider Midwest by preparing our graduates for the jobs of the 21st century,” said Dr. Douglas B. Palmer, president of Culver-Stockton College. Courses for these majors are available starting Fall 2021 and are enrolling students now.
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| D O N AT I O N S AT W O R K |
FIRST BANKERS TRUST COMPANY, N.A., GIVES $5,000 FOR MINORITY STUDENTS FROM ILLINOIS First Bankers Trust Company, N.A. presented a check for $5,000 to Dr. Douglas B. Palmer on Oct. 1. The generous donation will provide scholarships for minority students from Illinois who attend Culver-Stockton. Chief Executive Officer Allen W. Shafer noted that First Bankers Trust has had a long history with CulverStockton and that this contribution will help to foster a sense of community. “We know that minority communities have been especially hard hit by the coronavirus,” Shafer said. “Education is important to all people, but we wanted to direct this gift to help those students.”
NICHOLS FOUNDATION GIVES $10,000 TOWARD BAND UNIFORMS The George R. and Mary Frances Nichols Foundation made a $10,000 gift to CulverStockton College to be used toward the purchase of uniforms for the marching band. The foundation also has pledged to give an additional $5,000 next year for the purchase of additional uniforms. Beverly Dunn ’65 of Canton, a niece of the Nichols’, is one of three directors for the foundation along with her daughter, Kelly Patrick ’91 of Carthage, Ill., and her son, Patrick Dunn of St. Louis. Mrs. Dunn said she was familiar with the success that Ryan Christian ’03 enjoyed during his 15 years conducting the bands for the Lewis County C-1 School District before becoming the marching band director at C-SC. “I’ve always loved music, and I’m thrilled to help get the band started again,” Mrs. Dunn said.
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ANDERSEN FOUNDATION AWARDS $175,000 GRANT The Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation of Bayport, Minn., recently awarded the college with a generous grant in the amount of $175,000. This grant is an investment in the college’s ongoing mission to provide students of promise with a superb education and marks 25 years of consecutive giving from the foundation, bringing their total giving to over five million dollars.
| D O N AT I O N S AT W O R K |
FUNDRAISING COMPLETE FOR FIRST PHASE OF WEIGHT TRAINING FACILITY RENOVATION In Charles Field House, the generosity of two families has helped to turn the weight-training facility into a state-of-the-art space for student athletes and coaching staff. A $25,000 donation from Blair ’62 and Arlene Stanicek and a gift of $15,000 from the John and Helen Cornell Family Foundation have allowed for renovations, which included new flooring and the addition of four new weight racks along with custom plates, benches and bars. “Students like to see upgrades, and to have someone invest in the weight room, that makes it become more valuable and more important,” said Pat Atwell, director of athletics at C-SC. “The demand for our weight room is always going up.” With an increased demand and the promise of an impressive recruiting class, the completion of this renovation helps ensure athlete development and safety.
C-SC RECEIVES $15,000 COMMITMENT FROM HOMEBANK FOR STUDENT EXPERIENCE CENTER HOMEBANK has made a $15,000 commitment to Culver-Stockton College to be used toward the construction of the Student Experience Center, now being referred to as The IDEA Center (Innovation, Design and Experiential Activities). The gift was presented Sept. 16 by Josh Wilson, community bank president for HOMEBANK’s Northeast Missouri market, to Dr. Douglas B. Palmer. This contribution will help complete the $1.25 million construction project, which was announced as part of the Culver-Stockton: Changing Lives! comprehensive campaign that ended in 2020. “Culver-Stockton plays a vital role in the economic success of Canton and the quality of life here. They recruit students who are intelligent, energetic and idealistic, and we need those types of people in our community for it to thrive,” Wilson said. “Culver-Stockton then returns the favor and prepares the students for great careers.” Winter 2021 | 9
| W O R K R E A D Y W I L D C AT S |
ADAPTING TO
COVID
C-SC graduates use education to acclimate to changing world. The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States shocked the world and fundamentally changed everyday life. People faced a new reality as they were forced to adopt social distancing, mandated face masks and recommendations of home quarantines that closed businesses and shuttered schools. As is the case with any crisis, many people were quick to adapt and relied on creativity and ingenuity to persevere. Though job duties may have been altered because of the virus, people who had the ability to adjust and move forward allowed them to thrive during a historic time. Culver-Stockton graduates have shown for decades that the liberal arts education they received helps them become acclimated to a world that is changing daily.
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| W O R K R E A D Y W I L D C AT S |
T
he U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the Treasury Department, created the Paycheck Protection Program to offer loans designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. The PPP eventually provided 5.2 million loans worth $525 billion to American small businesses, providing critical economic relief and supporting more than 51 million jobs. HOMEBANK, which has nine banking resource centers in Missouri and Illinois, was one of the banks that helped facilitate those loans. “It was a very stressful, fast-paced, exciting and rewarding time,” said Caly Cramsey ’08 MBA ’14, chief financial officer at HOMEBANK. “We had never worked with a spur-of-the-moment government program before. There was some uncertainty.” Cramsey said most of the people assigned to help with the PPP loans were redeployed from the bank’s business banking team. Culver-Stockton College alumni played an integral role in the process, as two members of the eight-person crew – Hays Klocke ’20 and Annie Hoffman ’20 – were completing coursework at C-SC in preparation for their graduation in May. Other members of the team included Hunter Baggett ’18 and Katie Smith, who also had taken classes at C-SC. “It was kind of a baptism by fire,” said Klocke, who worked as an intern for the bank and was hired full-time in August 2019. “At first, we were kind of leery, but we wanted to jump on it. It is all about our customers. We wanted to see our customers be in the best position possible. Nobody could predict what was going to happen, and nobody was really prepared for it, so it was kind of our job to figure out what was going on and give our customers hope. “And I think we did pretty well with it.” Klocke estimates he helped about 60 local businesses, with the overall efforts of the bank helping nearly 300. Loans ranged from a few thousand dollars to a million dollars and the process was difficult with long hours and extreme attention to detail. Lucky for Klocke, the technical and leadership skills he gained as a student at Culver-Stockton College helped him to approach this difficult task with confidence. “Our customers needed that money quickly,” Klocke said. “The day after I first found out about the (PPP) program, I got to the bank at 6 in the morning and left at 11:30 at night. And we did that for about a week straight. The hours, for a while there, were pretty long. “What I had learned on the tax and accounting side from Culver-Stockton really helped. There was a lot of crunching numbers. But also, I used the professional skills I was taught. There were a lot of customers I had never talked with before,
Katie Smith, Hunter Baggett ’18, Caly Cramsey ’08 MBA ’14, Annie Hoffman ’20 and Hays Klocke ’20
and we developed relationships.” Putting a young team in charge of the PPP loans was not a concern for Cramsey. “I had worked with several of them before,” she said. “Seeing them on the job, knowing that they had completed courses under the Culver-Stockton professors, knowing the academic programs are there to give them help, it all made me confident. It’s a huge testament to Culver-Stockton.” The PPP program concluded August 8, and now businesses which were given the loans are going through the loan forgiveness process. Members of the PPP team at HOMEBANK are returning to their normal jobs, but they must also keep up with their PPP loan forgiveness paperwork – knowing that a second round of PPP loans could be started at any time. “When you hear their stories and know the people from the community who were impacted, and to put that money in the hands of our customers and help them keep their businesses alive and keep their employees employed, it made all the long hours and the long nights and the early mornings worth it,” Cramsey said. Winter 2021 | 11
| W O R K R E A D Y W I L D C AT S |
W
hen the pandemic hit and donning facemasks became a necessity, one alum’s thoughtful and talented approach transformed a required face covering into a fashionable accessory. Angela (Vinson) BuCare ’15 offers high-end designer bags, accessories and clothing, but specializes in hats for men and women, which are all offered through her Flaneuse Couture & Millinery website. When the pandemic hit earlier this year, BuCare wanted to help in some way, and her liberal arts education inspired her efforts. “One of the things that Culver-Stockton really taught me is when you work in business, or you work with a client, you kind of put a little bit of your energy and yourself into it,” she said. “It makes your relationship personable and authentic. My professors were always there for me. I was part of a sorority that did a ‘Clean Up Canton” activity. Everybody was helping others. Culver-Stockton showed me that it’s about helping
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other people, and by doing that, you’re helping yourself.” BuCare read about people online saying they did not have face masks. “I’m like, I can do this. I have sewing machines, I have elastics, I have material, I can make my own pattern. I can do this,” she said. “I started sewing and sewing and sewing and sewing. I just wanted to help. It was just the little drop in the pond that I could do as a human in this world.” She used leftover material from previous projects to create the masks and customers only had to pay shipping costs. BuCare estimates she made more than 500 free masks in her initial efforts before deciding to make more stylish masks for herself. Her efforts to up the ante started with a lilac face mask that could be worn for more formal occasions. “Immediately when I put that online, people were wanting to buy it,” she said. “I just wanted to wear something different than a regular face mask. That spurred the whole line of masks. People were saying the masks were so much fun. They said, ‘I can wear this to work. I can wear this with my outfit. This goes with a lot of my clothing.’” Her most recent project is a new line of festive masks designed for the holidays. “Women don’t want to wear the same face mask all the time or wear the ones that are disposable and get thrown away, ending up in a landfill,” she said. “They would rather have something that they can hand wash. They know it was hand sewn, and they know it was made in America by a woman.” BuCare eventually wants her own brick and mortar stores, with one in New Orleans and others on both coasts. BuCare has come a long way from making her own clothes at 8 years old out of a necessity because she was too tall to find clothes that fit properly. Her efforts in design and marketing have earned her much acclaim in her local community and beyond. She was nominated in 2020 as the “best fashionista” in a reader’s choice poll by the Baltimore Sun and national budget fashion blog The Budget Fashionista named Flaunese Couture & Millinery one of “Seven Small Fashion Brands to Support Right Now.” “I’m really happy to say I’m now where I want to be career wise,” BuCare said.
| W O R K R E A D Y W I L D C AT S |
Steve Felde
M
edical professionals across the country stepped up in a big way to serve on the front lines of the pandemic, including alumnus Jordan Hahn ’19. Over the course of his 18 months as a trauma nurse at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Ill., Hahn typically would be passing medications and doing assessments on patients staying in the progressive care unit. “We’re figuring out what the plan is for them to go home or figuring out what we need to accomplish before they can go on to their next level of care,” he said. Hahn was transferred from his usual position to the fifth floor for nearly a month as Blessing readied itself for the influx of COVID-19 patients in the spring of 2020. Once the initial surge of patients waned, Hahn returned to his normal duties with the occasional “float” up to the fifth floor as circumstances warranted. In late fall, as another surge of COVID-19 cases appeared in the Midwest, the fifth floor was filled with patients who had the virus, and Hahn had four COVID-19 patients of his own on the second floor. Though no one can anticipate the details of a pandemic, Hahn said his classwork at Culver-Stockton and BlessingRieman College of Nursing & Health Sciences prepared him for his nursing position. He added, “They didn’t teach us what happens in a global pandemic. I can’t say that I’m necessarily scared of it, but it’s definitely concerning. Things change from day to day. We don’t know enough, but there’s research coming out all the time. A lot of diseases and stuff that we have, we know about it because we have years and years of research. We don’t have that for COVID-19.” The surge in COVID-19 cases has strained the staff at Blessing Hospital, with offers of additional shifts and incentives for working longer hours. Hahn typically works three 12-hour days each week, but employees recently were offered the chance to work four 12-hour shifts. Hospital-wide, employees must wear masks and goggles into every patient room, regardless of whether a patient has tested positive for COVID-19. When Hahn is working with COVID-19 patients, he wears a PAPR (powered air-purifying respirator) device over his head as additional protection. Hahn said his work with COVID-19 patients has affected him outside the hospital as well, but his education helped him to cope with the added stress and to maintain his mental health. “It is more important than I ever expected it to be,” he said. “(The first wave of COVID-19) changed everything. The college my fiancée was going to was telling her to go
home, and when she learned that I would be working on a COVID floor, that put her parents at risk. I was living on my own at the time, and my parents were worried who would come take care of me if I would get sick. “I was very, very isolated. I’ve always known that nursing was going to be stressful, but I literally went to work and came home, and I didn’t see anybody, didn’t really talk to anybody, for about a month.” Hahn’s advice during these times: Wear your mask and do not believe everything you read. “Some places say that masks will prevent the spread, and then you can find articles and stuff online that say masks don’t do anything and that the particles are so small that masks don’t work effectively,” he said. “Sometimes it’s hard to know what to believe. Be cautious of what you are reading. Try to fact check as much as you can. Don’t just read something online, take it and run with it. I think that’s part of what’s caused all the scares around the country.” Winter 2021 | 13
| VICTORY BELL |
A GOOD COACH CAN CHANGE A GAME. A GREAT COACH CAN CHANGE A LIFE. – John Wooden, long-time UCLA basketball coach
CAMARADERIE, SPIRIT AND DETERMINATION ARE THE NORM ON AND OFF THE FIELD AT CULVER-STOCKTON. RECENTLY, WOMEN’S SOCCER COACH TYLER TOMLINSON ’03 AND HEAD BASEBALL COACH BRAD GYORKOS ’15 HAVE IMPLEMENTED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLAYERS TO SHOW GRATITUDE IN WAYS THAT GRABBED PUBLIC ATTENTION.
Athletic teams across America faced new challenges during 2020 as the pandemic altered practice schedules, eligibility, and meant that many teams did not play at all. At CulverStockton College, the women’s soccer team knew from the very first practice that this season would require focus, drive and sacrifice unlike anything they had experienced before. In true Culver-Stockton spirit, they rose to the occasion and inspired each other, the coaching staff and the community along the way. During the pre-season, the team wrote notes on scraps of paper expressing their appreciation for the chance to play and for each other. Senior Kendyl Pritchett collected the notes and stuffed them in a bag, unbeknownst to Coach Tomlinson. “We told the team our job as a coaching staff is to get (them) through the season, and some days, it’ll seem like we’re being harder on (them) than other days,” he said. “Their response was, ‘Well, we want to do that too.’” Mirroring the leadership of the coaching staff, the team reads one note from the ‘gratitude bag’ at each practice.
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| VICTORY BELL |
“The point of it is to keep our focus on why we get to play,” Pritchett told Matt Schuckman of The Quincy Herald-Whig in August. “Everyone wrote their own note to the team. It’s all anonymous. Everyone wrote why they want to have a season. After every practice, we let whoever breaks (the equipment) down draw from the bag. The purpose of it is to keep us focused on why we’re here. It makes us cautious about what we do and who we hang out with outside of soccer. It keeps the positive energy going into soccer.” Tomlinson saw how the culture of the team was affected. “We have an A-plus culture, but people need to realize it’s player-driven,” Tomlinson said. “The group we have now just gets it. They have rules where the whole team stays until all the gear is put away. Instead of just dumping the gear on the freshmen and going home, everybody is talking after practice, talking about practice, talking about…how life’s going.” In his second year as C-SC’s head baseball coach, Brad Gyrkos believes that, while winning matters, relationships matter more. “Do I want to put up banners on the outfield wall? Yeah, because I hate losing,” Gyrkos laughed, “But coaching is about a lot more than that.” Gyrkos knew the 2020 season would present unique challenges for himself and his players both on and off the field and he was determined that the team would connect with each other, their families and the local community. He had no way of knowing his leadership would impact countless sports teams across the nation.
During fall practice, Gyorkos set aside time for players to make phone calls home to loved ones. Players walked around Nichols Field toting cell phones, anxious to tell their parents how things were going, play games with a younger niece or nephew, or visit with an aunt about home-cooked food they missed. The idea came from Gyorkos’ own self-reflection. “I was going to make the guys hold me accountable, and then it just turned into we’re going to hold each other accountable,” he said. After tweeting about the initiative, Gyrkos was shocked by the community response, “I bet on Twitter alone, I saw ten other programs do it within the next two weeks… It’s the power of social media. I didn’t do it for recognition. It was done for my guys and their families. If it benefits somebody else, that’s great.” Here at home, social media coverage of the initiative has led to signing more recruits and has greatly improved the camaraderie of the team. “Our guys are closer to each other. It’s been beneficial. We’re trying to change lives,” said Gyrkos. “Wins and losses come and go, but relationships are forever.”
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OPEN DOOR : I’M VERY THANKFUL FOR CULVERSTOCKTON AND WHAT THEY GAVE ME, WHAT THEY DID FOR ME AND HOW THEY HELPED ME.” 16 | Chronicle
Navigating the competitive job market in a city like Los Angeles is not easy at any age, but young alumnus Clarke Stacker counts his time at CulverStockton College as the best preparation he could have hoped for. As a teenager, Stacker could never have imagined where his life would take him – from his upbringing in inner-city St. Louis to the incredible and even surprising connections he formed at C-SC, Clarke often contemplates the journey that led him to his current destination. Nearing the end of his second year as a financial services real estate tax associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers, a large accounting and management consulting firm in Los Angeles’ downtown business district, Stacker shakes his head and grins when he thinks about that journey and the role C-SC played. “If somebody had ever said to me, ‘You’re going to be doing taxes for a living,’ I would have said, ‘Hey man, you’re funny,’” Stacker said. “I never pictured this. I guess this is where the journey has taken me, and it’s been a great journey so far.” After a brief detour to a junior college in his hometown, Clarke landed a scholarship to play soccer for CulverStockton in the fall of 2014, which he now recognizes as the first step towards a future he could never have imagined. Clarke’s connections on the soccer team would eventually lead him to an interest in accounting, as he watched his teammates successfully snag jobs in business before graduation.
“That’s where I think Dr. (Dell Ann) Janney helped,” he said. “Dr. J was my advisor, and she definitely persuaded me into going into accounting.” At Culver-Stockton, Stacker said he confirmed his priorities, learned valuable skills for the classroom and the boardroom, and learned how to communicate, “That first year in college sparked this young professional to get things done and get it straight. On a small campus, you are being held accountable, knowing that everybody knows who you are, and you have a reputation.” “It wasn’t what I expected, but (Culver-Stockton) definitely grew on me,” he said. “Being around there was good for me. It was a lot of fun. It was a lot of growing and learning. I’m very thankful for Culver-Stockton and what they gave me, what they did for me and how they helped me.” His hard work at Culver-Stockton paid off and Clarke spent the summer of 2015 in a general internship doing tax audits with PricewaterhouseCoopers in downtown St. Louis. He returned the next summer for another internship, this time in private financial services, but even after two successful internships, he never envisioned receiving a full-time offer to work for the company. “As soon as (the internship) ended, I was looking at what’s next?” Stacker said. “For them to call me back, it was like, ‘Oh wow. This is amazing.’ I felt like I did well and did what was asked as far as an intern. I just didn’t think that’s where I would be, given all the other applicants
FROM “THE HILL,” OPPORTUNITIES ARE UNLIMITED coming from much bigger schools.” After graduating from C-SC, Stacker chose to complete his master’s in business administration before beginning his full-time position. He spent the fall semester in 2017 assisting with the C-SC men’s soccer team, then completed his coursework from his St. Louis home during the spring 2018 semester while preparing for the big move to Los Angeles. “At first, I was very nervous and felt unprepared,” Stacker said. “I thought some of the other people had so much more than I did at the time, but my professors and mentors told me to remember what they taught me at school and the only thing I could take with me is what I knew. I stopped trying to compare myself. Once I got in there and did it, I saw I was more prepared than I thought I was. I was still nervous, but I definitely was prepared.” Now fully settled into his position, Stacker prepares corporate and partnership tax returns, calculates quarterly earnings and profits, files federal and state extensions, prepares memos and issues opinions for consulting clients. “It makes me realize that anything really is possible. I would tell students to move towards what you want and really pursue it. There are so many doors out there. You may think one door is for you, or you may think one path is for you, but sometimes the door you never thought about opening can be the best opportunity for you.” Winter 2021 | 17
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Ferry adapted to his impairment and has not allowed it to prevent him from excelling in his education or career as an award-winning music educator, a 20-year career that began at Bloomington (Ill.) Central Catholic High School, then continued at Avon (Ill.) High School for nine years before he took the job at Monmouth-Roseville High School, where he has been since 2009.
Mitch Prentice Photo
Alumnus Kevin Ferry ’98 is not one to shy away from a challenge, no matter how difficult the task at hand may seem. In fact, when discussing his life with a macular degeneration diagnosis, which results in blurred or no vision in the center of the vision field, it is clear that Kevin puts no limits on his life or career success. In discussing his challenges and triumphs, he is quick to identify the short list of things he cannot do. “Drive,” he said. “Well, I’m sure there are other things. I’m not very good at ping pong or pickleball, but 95 percent of the things you do in a normal life, I can do.” Growing up in Maquon, Ill., a tiny town of 300 people about 20 miles southeast of Galesburg, Ferry knew from an early age his life would look a little different from his peers. “I can’t see the big E on the eye chart,” he said. “Everything I see, I see out of the side of my eye. I have no tunnel vision. To see what is in front of me, I have to look to the side.” His early interest in music eventually led him to CulverStockton, where he became involved with the Delta Upsilon fraternity, worked part time in the admission office, and was a member of the 1995 cheer squad who went to the National Cheerleading Association national championship convention in Dallas. Ferry said the faculty and staff at Culver-Stockton took an active role in helping him overcome his visual impairment, going above and beyond to make him feel included. “I don’t remember anybody at Culver-Stockton not doing what they could. It was four fantastic years of wonderful people. I loved being there.”
As for his teaching philosophy, Ferry carries the lessons he learned from C-SC faculty into his own classroom. “When you show a passion and a knowledge, it becomes infectious,” Ferry said. “I tell younger teachers that if you invest in students, they will invest in you. I go to their volleyball games or their basketball games or their speech contests or academic challenges, and they feel like I care about them as a student, not just as a choir member. If you show you care, they will want to see what you’re about.”
| PA S S I N G T H E T E S T: S H O R T A N S W E R |
Short Answer with Dr. Mohamed El-Bermawy Hailing from a small town in Egypt, Dr. Mohamed El-Bermawy joined the Culver-Stockton faculty in August 1999, where he teaches courses primarily in chemistry, biochemistry and organic chemistry. Dr. El-Bermawy is the department chair of chemistry and mathematics, coordinator of physics and physical science and serves as the pre-health advisor. He previously taught in Egypt and Saudi Arabia and now lives in Canton with his wife, Omaima Ebeid, with whom he shares three children – Noha, 29, Ayah, 27, and Ahmed, 25. Why did you decide to come to the United States to teach? I came to the U.S. in 1983 to the University of Connecticut to get my master’s and Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry. I started teaching pharmacy labs at the School of Pharmacy there while working on my Ph.D. and realized that teaching is my passion, so I decided to pursue it. If you were not teaching at CulverStockton, what would you be doing? Teaching is my passion and top priority, but if I absolutely have to choose another profession, I would work as a pharmacist. If you could tell all of the students at C-SC one thing, what would it be? Manage your time, work hard, and work closely with your professors, and you will achieve your goals. Who is the most famous person you have ever met? Dr. Ahmed Zewail, who is the father of
femtochemistry and a Nobel Prize winner. I had a fruitful and great conversation with him at a conference. What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were in college? Try hard but seek help when needed. Being independent doesn’t mean to suffer and struggle alone. Colleges have good resources. Do not hesitate to use them. The word in the dictionary that best describes me is … Kind. My father used to tell us to treat people as you want them to treat you. He taught us that you cannot buy people’s hearts with money or power, but you can buy their hearts with kindness and respect. My favorite spot on campus is … Science Center, Room 321. It’s like my home. I teach most of my courses, conduct research with students, and hold help sessions in that room.
Tell us one thing about being a chemistry professor at a college that the public ought to know but probably does not. Chemistry is involved in every aspect of our life. Chemistry is in everything we touch, taste, smell, and see. Professors have the unique opportunity to guide students at such a crucial point in their lives. The older I get, the more I realize … That we know very little. We should never stop learning. The more I learn, the more I have questions that need answers. The most useful piece of advice I ever received was … From my father, who taught me that sometimes we will face challenges and difficulties in life. Don’t hold on to them. Let go, learn from your mistakes, and move forward. I also learned from Mr. Raeyah, my high school principal, that people will like you if you are humble and respectable. They will not like you if you think you are better than them. Winter 2021 | 19
IMAGINE THAT C-SC HELPS HUNSAKER GROW FROM SMALL TOWN GIRL TO ASSISTING DOLLY PARTON’S BOOK-GIFTING PROGRAM
Doing important and world-changing work for nonprofit organizations is not always glamorous, but as alumna Pam Hunsaker ’83 shares, it certainly can be if your boss is country music superstar Dolly Parton. Pam Hunsaker calls the interview for her job as a regional director with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library “one of the highlights of my life.” “They flew me to Tennessee to have a conversation with Dolly,” Hunsaker said. “I boarded her tour bus and had a lovely, short five-minute conversation. It was just Dolly and I. She’s truly beautiful.” Hunsaker now is in her 20th year with the Imagination Library, a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth until they
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begin school. Her enthusiasm for her job has yet to wane and working for one of the most successful stars in the history of country music still gives her chills. “Dolly is amazing,” Hunsaker said. “She is beautiful inside and out. She’s smart. She’s funny. She’s kind. She’s generous. She’s one of the smartest businesswomen out there. I’ve worked for her for 20 years, and I don’t have one bad thing to say. Nothing. She’s truly genuine.” Looking back, Hunsaker recognizes that she never would have worked for Parton had it not been for the personal growth she experienced while she was a student at Culver-Stockton. She grew up in the tiny town of Auxvasse, Mo. (pop. 980), where she says she didn’t own a pair of blue jeans, didn’t have her ears pierced and didn’t have any confidence. Nearby University of Missouri only 20 miles away was too big and intimidating. A cousin convinced her to visit Canton, Mo., in the spring of 1979, and the rest was history. “I wanted a place that was more personal. I wanted to be more than just a number,” she said. “That’s exactly what happened at Culver-Stockton.” Hunsaker immersed herself in college life on “the Hill.” She joined the Chi
Omega sorority, served as a member of the yearbook staff, worked in the library and the public relations office and completed a double major in journalism and business administration in 1983. “I blossomed. I became who I was meant to be,” Hunsaker said. “CulverStockton just gave me that confidence. I’d had none of these experiences before. Everything I did at Culver-Stockton was brand new, but I felt like I belonged.” She met her husband, Mark, at C-SC, and accepted her first job in the admission office shortly after graduation. The Hunsakers eventually moved to Hannibal, Mo., where she worked for the American Cancer Society and spent 10 years with the United Way. The Hunsakers moved to Columbia, Mo., in 1992 and Pam worked a variety of different jobs in Jefferson City, Mo., before beginning to work in development for Stephens College and then for a small not-for-profit. Pam’s job with the Imagination Library came when officials began a search for an individual to lead their efforts in expanding their book gifting outside the borders of Sevier County, where Parton had grown up in Tennessee. Serving as one of two regional directors, Hunsaker now covers 26
I BLOSSOMED. I BECAME WHO I WAS MEANT TO BE. CULVERSTOCKTON JUST GAVE ME THAT CONFIDENCE.
Winter 2021 | 21
states for The Dollywood Foundation, which counts the Imagination Library as one of its many ways to help educate children. In her role, Pam works with tax exempt not-for-profit organizations to identify family-sponsors, also called affiliates, who want books delivered to children in their area. The affiliate pays $25 per child enrolled per year, and one book is delivered each month to each child’s home. Hunsaker, who helps the affiliate organizations with fundraising and marketing, says about 1.6 million books are mailed monthly to children in 2,000 affiliates across the United States, England, Canada, Australia and Ireland. Parton’s business holdings pay the lion’s share of the cost of the program, demonstrating the philanthropic nature of their founder, Dolly. “Dolly Parton wanted books in the homes of children,” Hunsaker said. “She did this program to honor her father, who did not know how to read or write. She knew that books in children’s homes would make a difference. (When the library was started) she didn’t care about the research, because she knew it would make a difference. That was good enough for her.” Her business and journalism classes at C-SC prepared Hunsaker for a career she relishes. “Everything I’ve done has just kind of built upon on each other, and if I hadn’t gone to Culver-Stockton College, I would not be where I’m at,” she said. “I wouldn’t have met my husband. I wouldn’t have met my lifelong friends. “I truly was a little nobody from nowhere, and it’s not that I’m anybody from anywhere now, but I know I can do anything that I need to do because of Culver-Stockton.”
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Though Mark Hunsaker did not earn his bachelor’s degree from CulverStockton College, he considers himself part of the Wildcat family and celebrates all of the lessons he learned during his time on “the Hill.” Mark went to school for three years at C-SC and was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, where he made several lifelong friends. More importantly, he also met the woman who became his wife, Pam, in a speech class. When questioned about that fateful meeting on campus, Pam admits she liked his car more than she liked Mark at first. “He had a ’79 Redbird (a special edition of a Pontiac Firebird). I loved that car,” Pam said with a laugh. “I decided to go out with him once and then I was just going to end it because we wouldn’t like each other. And guess what? I liked him a whole lot.” Mark and Pam got married in 1985. Mark hoped he would use the criminal justice degree he earned and parlay it into a career as a policeman, but instead he took a job as an insurance adjuster in Hannibal, Mo. In 1992, the family moved to Columbia, Mo., so Mark could take a similar job, and he now works for Grinnell Mutual based out of Iowa. “I have never had one boring day in 37 years of handling insurance claims,” he said. Mark also has developed his own business, Hunsaker Smokers, where he creates competition-grade drum smokers, which have become popular in barbecue circles across the United States and abroad. His son, Ryan, runs the business’s day-to-day operations, while Mark spends nights and weekends designing and building the smokers, which are shipped all over the country and Canada and the Netherlands. “I love the efficiency and speed that the drum smokers cook. We can get brisket done in four hours versus 14 hours,” he said. “It’s keeping us pretty busy. We’re normally running at least 20 to 30 behind all the time on our smoker orders.” In his spare time, Mark enjoys keeping in touch with friends he made at Culver-Stockton and takes frequent trips to fish for trout at Bennett Spring State Park in Lebanon, Mo. with fellow Wildcats he counts among his lifelong friends. “The experience at Culver-Stockton is seriously dear to my heart,” he said. “At a smaller college, you can develop more personal relationships. I consider Culver-Stockton my school because of the friends I developed.”
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HARROUN WANTS TO USE HER EXPERIENCES TO HELP STUDENTS SOLVE PROBLEMS
They say that “necessity is the mother of invention.” Mary Harroun ’66 spent much of her life dedicated to the pursuit of providing a solution to an urgent need. Now, she is as dedicated to the commitment of helping CulverStockton College students pursue innovative solutions that make an impact. “I really want to pass my knowledge on,” she said. “I can help other people.” Harroun, who lives in Mundelein, Ill., invented the Merry Walker, a walker/chair combination made of tubular steel for people who need help to walk. She started her own corporation and sold Merry Walkers to individual customers and suppliers for nearly 30 years before closing her business. Mary and her husband, Warren Young, recently made a gift to Culver-Stockton College to set up an endowment fund for entrepreneurship with the intent of inspiring students to develop creative ideas to solve unique and ever-changing problems. In addition to providing the funding for this endowment, Mary is offering guidance, legal assistance and her enthusiasm to help young inventors follow their dreams. The original idea for the Merry Walker came to Mary when she was working as an activity director at a retirement community in Chicago in the late 1980s. She recalls walking through the hallways one day where she observed a resident with dementia who was struggling with mobility. It was then that Mary had the “aha moment” that sparks so many useful inventions- identifying an urgent need with no obvious solution. “June 6 is a very important date for me,” 24 | Chronicle
Harroun said. “I graduated from Culver-Stockton on June 6, 1966, and on June 6, 1991, the U.S. Patent Office called me and said, ‘Your patent has been approved.’” She received another patent for an updated version of the Merry Walker two years later. The Merry Walker differs from a standard walker in a few important ways, beginning with the fundamental design - the seat of the Merry Walker rests behind the person. “An elderly person has lost their spatial perception,” Harroun said. “When small children want to sit in a new rocking chair, they will reach for the armrests, pull themselves up, then turn around and sit down. When they get to be 3 or 4 years old, they just jump in the rocking chair without looking. The elderly lose that sense of spatial perception and can’t judge where they are in space.” Another unique feature of the Merry Walker is its 13 different heights, making it highly customizable for each person’s height, and it has a bar in the front which is easily removed to allow a person to position their body inside of the walker. Harroun said her purpose in designing the Merry Walker was not to get wealthy, but to provide a way for people to be out of their wheelchairs and walking. “I only wanted to improve the quality of life for people.” She credits Culver-Stockton with improving her own quality of life. Harroun graduated with majors in speech pathology, psychology and elementary education, but she says the liberal arts education she received continues to benefit her today. “I really believe in smaller, liberal arts schools. CulverStockton gave me the total learning I needed for life, and I will be forever beholden to that. Ever, forever and ever and ever. And that’s remarkable.”
HEY, WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? Soon, things are going to look a little different on “the Hill.” After the successful completion of the CulverStockton: Changing Lives! Campaign, we plan to break ground in 2021 on the Student Experience Center, which is now being referred to as the IDEA Center. The IDEA Center, which stands for the Innovation, Design and Experiential Activities Center, will be a place on campus for collaborative problem-solving that encourages students to apply knowledge in bold, creative ways. Modeled after the most successful academic innovation centers, the IDEA Center will provide an environment that allows students to identify the real problems around them, in our local community and around the globe, and creatively and thoughtfully design and apply solutions. The IDEA Center will encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, along with a mindset to identify and assess the impact that decisions and solutions make on local economies, supply chains, economic markets, production and individuals. As students progress through their time at Culver-Stockton College, they will learn how to approach decision-making in a deliberate and innovative way; a way that creates successful outcomes, provides value to their own work and employers, and promotes growth and deep understanding. As the Midwest’s premier experiential learning college, we are committed to helping students develop in ways that provide them with a skillset for future success as they transition from college to career. To learn more about the IDEA Center and how you can get involved, please contact Leslie Payne, VP for Advancement and Marketing, at lpayne@culver.edu. Winter 2021 | 25
| CLASS NOTES |
1950s MARIAN LEWIS ’50 moved to the Dallas, Texas area Nov. 30 to live with her son and daughter-in-law. BARBARA (NELSON) HAUPT ’56 has moved to Lee’s Summit, Mo. to be closer to her granddaughters, Stephanie and Edina, daughters of the late Susan (Walz) Hardee ’83. MARGARET (LANG) LANGMUIR ’56 lives in Concord, Mass. with her husband, Bruce, where they are enjoying life on the scenic Sudbury River in historic Concord.
1960s WILLIAM AUSTIN ’63 published a book about his experience with the San Blas Indians of Panama. It is titled “Coconuts for Hammocks.” The book was based on a wonderful experience he had 50 years ago as an intern. The internship was set up by the Union Churches of the Canal Zone while Rev. Austin was in seminary. KEN VENTRELLA ’63 is retired from the City of Chicago and lives with his wife, Irene in Springfield, Ill. JIM ’64 AND JUDY (CRIGLER) ’65 HAWKINS have officially retired and moved to Lake St. Louis, Mo.
JIM WORRELL ’76 retired after 53 years in radio and TV. He spent 30 years at KOKX FM in Keokuk as a news, sports and weatherman. He then worked for stations in Carthage, Havana, Macomb in Illinois and Carroll, Ames and Des Moines, Iowa. His wife passed away in 2017. They have two daughters, Nicole and Renee. Jim sings at weddings, funerals and karaoke and is a registered Illinois high school official in baseball, basketball, softball and football. He is currently president of the Quincy Golden K Kiwanis Club in Quincy, Ill. REV. JOHN G. WILLIAMS ’77 retired from Federated Church in West Lafayette, Ind. after more than 40 years of service as a minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He started his service to the church at the age of 19 and held positions from camp counselor to senior minister in greater Kansas City, Mo., Oklahoma, Illinois, Indiana and Washington. His wife of 42 years, Cherilyn (Worm) Williams ’80, remains in her communications position in the Office of General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indianapolis. They have one son who resides in Washington. KENT ‘78 AND PEGGY CLOW have retired and moved to Prescott, Ariz. where they are looking forward to enjoying the hiking trails in the Prescott National Forest near their home and connecting with C-SC alumni in the area.
THOMAS MOTT ’65 is retired and lives in Grayslake, Ill. His wife of 52 years, Jackie, passed away from cancer in May, 2020.
1980s
1970s
RANDY ’84 AND KATE GRAY celebrated their 20th anniversary in October. In recent years they have visited Glacier, Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. They continue to reside in Columbia, Mo., where they enjoy the arts, red wine and Mizzou sports.
NANCY (STOUT) TERRELL ’70 is retired and has moved with her husband, William, to Ft. Myers, Fla. JOHN BUSH ’71 has retired as a newspaper editor and lives with his wife, Laurel, in St. Louis, Mo. CHRISTY (THOMPSEN) KING ’75 is self-employed as a graphic designer for SmARTdesign Graphics. Christy lives in Roosevelt, Utah. 26 | Chronicle
ROBERT CULBERT ’85 is the Treasury Management Division Sales Manager for U.S. Bank in Des Moines, Iowa. He and his wife, Lynne Paulsen ’86 live in Johnston, Iowa.
DR. RICHARD KNITTIG ’87 and his wife, Dr. Sommer Knittig, have moved to Norfolk, Va., where he is Surgeon, U.S. Second Fleet for the United States Navy. RICKY AND JEANN (MENKE) ’87 MORRISON and family recently moved to Hannibal, Mo. Their youngest, Jacob, is a student at Culver-Stockton majoring in art education. DARLA (RALEIGH) GAUS ’88 retired in June 2020 after teaching special education for 32 years. She continues part-time as a special education director at Canton R-V School District in Canton, Mo. where she resides with her husband, Wade. They have two children, Levi ’17 and Katelyn. TRENT BALL ’89 has been promoted to associate vice president for equity and access at Southeast Missouri State University. He was the assistant vice president for academic diversity and outreach. Ball joined the staff at the university in 2008.
1990s JEANNE KERR ’99 and her husband, Nicholas Ulmer and their family live in Pacific Grove, Calif. where Nicholas is stationed in the military. Jeanne is a stay-athome parent.
2000s AARON EISFELDER ’01 lives in Jacksonville, Ill. with his wife, Misty, and their children, Jonest, Jadon, Joer, Evan, and William. PATRICK KEYSER ’01 has been named Director of Marketing at Crossroads Community Hospital in Mount Vernon, Ill. Patrick and Karessa (Cooper) ’02 and their children Pierce and Grace have moved to Mount Vernon. JENNIFER (ARNOLD) SOUSA ’04 and her husband, Brock, and children Mackenzie and Connor have moved to her childhood home in Quincy, Ill. Jenny works in EB Employee Benefits for TI Trust in Quincy, Ill.
| CLASS NOTES |
TIM FRETWELL ’05 received his doctorate of education in organizational change and leadership from the University of California. Tim and Patricia and their children Ashton and Maddison reside in Pebble Beach, Calif. Tim is the Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff (Logistics) for the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Okinawa, Japan. ADAM GIST ’06 is a truck driver for Williams Nationalease in Normal, Ill. Adam lives in Springfield, Ill. KELLY RATLIFF ’06 is assistant director of Strategic Recruitment and Outreach at the University of Arizona. Kelly resides in Oro Valley, Ariz.
BARBARA DODD PERKINS ’85 moved to Springfield, Mo. last year to be closer to her son and his family. She is a member service representative for TTEC in Springfield.
DR. REGINALD SMITH ’84 is the Director of Diversity for the Christian Reformed Church in North America in Grand Rapids, Mich., where he lives with his wife, Sharon.
CHRISTOPHER WOLCOTT ’07 is the lead estimator/live event specialist for Electrical Wholesale Supply Co., Inc. Chris lives in Rigby, Idaho. REBECCA WOOD ’07 is the Director of Child Care Services for Memorial Health System-Memorial Child Care in Springfield, Ill. She resides in Riverton, Ill.
2010s
JOSHUA ’10 AND ASHLEY (TROUT) ’11 SEIFERT and their son, Remington, have moved to Galesburg, Ill. Josh is a professor of business and economics at Carl Sandburg College. Ashley is a project manager for FollowMyHealth Development for Allscripts. BRIAN RICHARDSON, JR. ’11, was named as the Indianapolis Colts’ new Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. ETHAN BRAGG ’13 is a Financial Aid Coordinator for William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. Ethan lives in Blue Springs, Mo. AIDEN EILTS ’13 is a registered client service representative for UMB Insurance. He lives in Prairie Village, Kans. CODY JANKOWSKI ’16 is the Assistant Women’s Volleyball Coach at Fairmont State University in Fairmont, WV. Cody lives in nearby Morgantown, WV.
REV. BILL SPANGLERDUNNING ’90 published his second book entitled “Why I’m not from Mars and a few other stories of why I turned out OK.” One of the 13 chapters focuses on his four years as a student at Culver-Stockton College and how that experience was critical to the person he was able to become. Rev. Spangler-Dunning is the Regional Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Virginia. Bill and his wife, Amy, reside in Big Island, Va.
ALEC BOREN ’18 was promoted to Assistant Director of Admissions at Avila University in May of 2020. He oversees first year and transfer recruitment, does planning for the recruitment cycle, and on campus events and also is responsible for managing international recruitment. Alec resides in Blue Springs, Mo.
JOHN M. HOEMEYER ’17 graduated from Southern Illinois University - Carbondale School of Law and recently took and passed the Missouri Bar Exam. He was sworn into the Missouri Bar at a ceremony conducted on the grounds of the Missouri State Capitol. John is the son Eric and Cathy Hoemeyer and grandson to the late John G. ’47 and Carol L. (Jackson) ’47 Hoemeyer.
KARA (MANDRELL) AVIS ’00 was promoted to Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Services at Iowa Wesleyan University in Sept. 2020. Kara and Brad live in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
BEN MARTIN ’75 has been selected for the 2021 Missouri Arts Awards, the state’s highest honor in the arts. Honorees are recognized for their profound and lasting contributions to Missouri’s artistic and cultural legacy. Ben received the award for his work as a teacher, leader, and arts education advocate, from 34 years of teaching, to 10 years with the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education including seven as executive director, to his current work with Missouri Citizens for the Arts and as Missouri’s state captain for Americans for the Arts. Ben and Roxanne live in Lee’s Summit, Mo. Winter 2021 | 27
| CLASS NOTES |
KATELYN CLICKNER ’17 graduated with a master’s of education in athletic and activities administration from William Woods University in Fulton, Mo. LANCE SMITH ’17 has joined the team at Goodell, Stratton, Edmonds & Palmer in Topeka, Kans. Smith received his Juris Doctor from Washburn University School of Law. He was admitted to the Kansas Bar in 2020. He was inducted into the National Order of the Barristers and is a member of the Topeka Bar Association and Sam A. Crow Inns of Court.
LAUREN JANNEY ’17
CHELSEA HOFFMAN ’14
ABIGAIL GAUS ’11
JOSE SOTO ’17 has been named head coach of the Adrian College women’s volleyball team in Adrian, Mich. LOGAN STEINER ’19 is an officer with the Canton Police Department. After graduation from Culver-Stockton, Logan graduated from the Law Enforcement Training Institute.
NATALIE DODD ’20 & TAYLOR LEFTWICH ’18
WEDDINGS
COLTIN SEYFARTH ’15
WILL AND HANNAH (KAUFFMANN) ’14 MACARTHY were married Dec.
ABIGAIL GAUS ’11 AND HENRY GUNSAULS, JR. were married July 3,
2020. Jackie (Gunsauls) Jett ’12 was in the wedding party. The Gunsauls reside in LaGrange, Mo.
SERGIO HERNANDEZ ’12 AND HANNAH DICKINSON celebrated their
marriage in the presence of family and friends on July 10, 2020 in Springdale, Ark. Jeff and Cherie (Schaefer) Seyfarth ’91 were honorary parents on behalf of his parents, Dr. Sergio Hernandez and Dr. Xiomara Gomez. Coltin Seyfarth ’15 served as best man and Devin Seyfarth served as groomsman.
LINDSEY LILLARD ’13 AND TAYLOR PERRIGO ’12 were married Sept.
26, 2020. Allie (Bjork) Kiburz ’13, Samantha (Bringer) Glover ’14, Dakotah Jorgensen ’13 and Maria Clark
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TAYLOR PERRIGO ’12 & LINDSEY LILLARD ’13
’13 were in the wedding party. Lindsey is the daughter of Nancy (Glasgow) Lillard ’79. Lindsey and Taylor live in Castle Rock, Colo. CHELSEA HOFFMAN ’14 AND JOSHUA FELLINGER were married Sept. 19,
2020. Her sisters, Annie Hoffman ’20 and Bethany Hoffman ’19 were in the wedding with other Culver-Stockton alumni, Alexis Janney ’20, Paisley Goembel ’15, Jordan Ayers ’10, Andrew Redmon ’12, Lance Uhlmeyer ’10 and Drew Ayers ’12. The Fellingers reside in Canton, Mo.
27, 2019. Kelsey Brown ’14 was maid of honor. Mother of the bride is Lisa Rush ’90. Will and Hannah live in Sanford, NC.
COLTIN SEYFARTH ’15 AND DANIELLE CAMPBELL celebrated their marriage
in the presence of family and friends on Oct. 17, 2020 in Goshen, Ark. Coltin is the son of Jeff ’91 and Cherie (Schaefer) Seyfarth ’91. Sergio Hernandez ’12 served as best man and Devin Seyfarth, brother of the groom, served as groomsman. Joining their celebration were Drew Shuman ’15, Cameron Morford ’15, Gage Mossman ’18 and Chris Mcjunkins ’15. Coltin and Danielle live in Centerton, Ark.
LAUREN (JANNEY) ’17 AND BRANDON BERHORST were married June 20,
GRANT TH
| CLASS NOTES | Brown and Carolyn Brown. Taylor and Natalie reside in Richmond where he is a patrolman for the Missouri State Highway Patrol. JOSHUA WREN ‘20 AND PAULA CHAPMAN ‘19 were married June 6,
2020. The Chapmans live in Pleasant Hill, Ill.
SERGIO HERNANDEZ ’12
ASHLYN MAY ’17
KADEE KARKKAINEN ’18 & DANIEL SMITH ’18
LEGACIES A daughter, Madison Pat, was born Aug. 14, 2020 to PETER ’11 AND SYDNEY (HASE) ’12 ALEXANDER of Brisbane, Australia. A daughter, Jaidyn Rose, was born to JEFF AND JAIME (SYMMONDS) ’07 BAIR on Oct. 27, 2020. She joins siblings, Ryan (age 13), Jackson (age 10), and Julianna (age 5). The Bair family lives in Keokuk, Ia.
HOMPSON ’17
HANNAH KAUFFMANN ’14
2020. Abri Perchetti ’17, Alexis Janney ’20, Annie Hoffman ’20 and Matthew Scoggin ’21 were in the wedding party. Parents of the bride are Jeff ’86 and Dell Ann ’87 Janney. They reside in Canton, Mo. ASHLYN MAY ’17 AND DAKOTA NEISEN were married Nov. 14, 2020.
Morgan (Wilson) DeMott ’16 was bridesmaid. Others participating as honorary members of the bridal party (could not make it due to the pandemic) were Stacy Davenport ’16, Jeremy Marshall ’17 and Rachel Sommers ’18. The Neisens live in Bloomington, Ill
GRANT ’17 AND TIFFANY (NESTERENKO) THOMPSON were
married Aug. 29, 2020. Culver-Stockton alumni in the wedding party were Dakota Derr ’17, Jason Ebbing ’17, John
JOSHUA WREN ’20 & PAULA CHAPMAN ’19
Echel ’17, Reed Reynolds ’16, Zach Wilson ’17 and Jose Soto ’17. Grant and Tiffany reside in Rossmoor, Calif. KADEE KARKKAINEN ’18 AND DANIEL SMITH ’18 were married June 13,
2020. Culver-Stockton alumni in the wedding party included alumni Hannah (Maledy) Howard ’18, Leah Miller ’18, Makkel Parrott ’19, Tyler Smith ’18, and Jimmy Cooper ’18. The Smiths live in Ballwin, Mo.
TAYLOR ’18 AND NATALIE (DODD) ’20 LEFTWICH were married Oct. 10,
2020. Culver-Stockton alumni in the wedding were Mariah Ramsey ’20, Kindi Conry ’20, Sydney Williams ’20, Hunter Baggett ’18, Rob Estes ’18 and Antonio Davis ’18. Taylor is the son of Greg ’91 and Jennifer (Brown) ’90 Leftwich and grandson of the late President Emeritus Robert W.
A daughter, Mia Rose Balek, was born Sept. 15, 2020 to RICHARD ’15 AND
BRITTANY (MCMAHON) ’16 BALEK of
St. Louis, Mo.
A son, Lincoln Anthony, was born to SHAWNA (KRIEGSHAUSER) ’12 AND ANDY BLISS of Wright City, Mo. on May 27, 2020. A son, Reid William, was born to
BRIAN AND CHELSEA (TAYLOR) ’07 CARLETON on Aug. 17, 2020. The
Carleton family resides in Columbia, Mo. He joins a big sister Adler. A son, Edison Noble, was born to
RANDI LEE (PLUNKETT) ’16 AND JOE CLAYTON on Sept.12, 2020. He joins
big brother, Elam. The family resides in Palmyra, Mo.
A daughter, Sidney Margaret, was born to STACY ’16 AND SKYLER (BARGER) ’17 DAVENPORT on Sept. 22, 2020. The Davenport family resides in Buhl, Id. culver.edu
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| CLASS NOTES |
A son, Eames Douglas, was born to
BETSY (BOULDIN) ’12 AND ANDREW EISENBEISS ’09 on Sept. 24, 2020. He
joins brothers, McCoy, age 6, and Jackson, age 3. The Eisenbeiss family resides in Canton, Mo. A daughter, Charlotte Julia, was born on May 24, 2020 to LESLIE (DOBYNS) ’07 AND PHIL ’07 FORRESTER of Springfield, Mo. She has a sister, Evelyn, age 4. Grandfather is Bruce Dobyns ’75. A son, Kamden James, was born to CINDY (VAN ZANTE) ’11 AND JOSH GAIN of St. Peters, Mo. on Oct. 4, 2020. He joins brother, Kolton. A son, Thomas Alexander, was born Sept. 24, 2020 to ALEX AND JESSICA (DETERS) ’12 GAUDIAN. The Gaudian family resides in West Des Moines, Iowa. A son, Leif Erik Harrison was born on June 8, 2020. He joins brother, Finley Harrison, and parents SUZAN (STOTT) ’09 AND BRANDON HARRISON. The Harrison family resides in New London, Iowa. A son, Hayden Dean, was born to
A daughter, Milana Lynn Marshall, was born Oct. 23, 2020 to JEREMY ’17
live in Quincy, Ill.
in The Colony, Texas.
on June 8, 2020. They live near LaBelle, Mo.
A son, James Jean Mart, was born to JORDYN MART ’15 on Oct. 21, 2020. They live in Kansas City, Mo.
A son, Remington Levi, was born to
AND SABRINA (THOMPSON) ’18 MARSHALL. The Marshall family resides
Twin sons, Briar Monroe and Brycen Karl, were born on July 22, 2020 to BARRY ’11 AND DAITRE MATTHES of Canton, Mo. They join older brother, Cayden. A son, Gannon James Davis Miller, was born to NATHAN ’18 AND BROOKE MILLER on May 17, 2020. The Miller family resides in Knox City, Mo. A son, Logan Russell, was born on July 31, 2020. His parents are BRIAN ’08 AND JARED MINKS. The family resides in Kansas City, Mo. A daughter, Maddyn, was born Mar.13, 2020 to KELSEY MOON ’14 AND LUCAS NEWELL and joined big brother Hayden. They reside in Canton, Mo.
LAUREN (DIELEMAN) ’15 AND MATT ’14 HAVERMALE on Oct. 16, 2020 of St.
A son, Mayes Anthony, was born Sept. 27, 2020 to DAVID AND BRIANNE (GUYMON) ’12 MUSSO of St. Peter’s, Mo.
A daughter, Lucy Louise, was born June 26, 2020 to MAT ’08 AND JEN HOLT of Palmyra, Mo.
A daughter, Rory Haven, was born Jan. 21, 2020 to JASON ’10 AND NEILEIGH (BROWN) ’10 PAYNE of Wentzville, Mo. She joins big brother, Axton.
Peters, Mo. He joins big brother, Hudson.
A son, Benson Russell, was born to
CHEVIE (WISEMAN) ’15 AND ERIC LAY
of Kahoka, Mo. on Sept. 5. 2020. He joins siblings, Cohen and Maisyn. A son, Callum Francis, was born on Oct. 13, 2020 to ADAM ’11 AND NARELLE LEE. The family resides in Quincy, Ill. A son, Lucas David, was born to CODY
AND CHELSEA (EDMONDSON) ’15 MAPLES of Kahoka, Mo. on May 16, 2020.
30 | Chronicle
Genevieve was born March 11 (on her big sister Jacqueline’s 3rd birthday!) to
A daughter, Leah, was born to MICHAEL
AND AMANDA (SMITH) ’15 SCOGGIN
ASHLEY (TROUT) ’11 AND JOSHUA ’10 SEIFERT Dec. 19, 2019. The Seifert family
resides in Galesburg, Ill.
CARA ’19 (JOB) AND DAKOTA SHERWOOD welcomed Coldyn Michael
Sherwood on Aug. 17, 2020. The Sherwoods live in Canton, Mo.
A daughter, Molly, was born to DANIELLE (HARPER) ’12 AND KIRK STAFFORD on Aug. 25, 2020. The Staffords live in Holts Summit, Mo. She joins big brother, Kasen, age two. A son, Zaylin Lloyd Silvestre, was born to EMILY (LAY) ’12 AND OSWALD SILVESTRE on May 13, 2020. They reside in St. Louis, Mo. A daughter, Raquel Ray, was born Jan 14, 2020 to JACKIE (LEGRAND) ’12 AND MIKHAIL STITH from Poplar Bluff, Mo. A son, Jordan James (JJ), was born on July 15, 2020 to HANNAH (LEBLANC) ’16 AND ADAM STURM of Jackson, Mo. A daughter Sophia Lynn, joined big sister, Elaine, and big brother, Case, on Aug. 17, 2020. Parents are KATELIN (GODDARD) ’10 AND DEREK UFFELMAN and they reside in Red Bud, Ill.
JESSICA (HUSTON) ’03 AND JEREMY PELSKI. They reside in Olathe, Kans.
A son, Bradey, was born to MICHAEL ’20 AND CAITLYN (HAYNES) ’21 PINNE on May 13, 2020. They reside in Palmyra, Mo. A daughter, Amira Royalyn, was born to DEANDRA (BOCKHOLD)’12 AND DREW RANGEL on Nov. 26, 2020. They
Photos at right: 1. Alexander 2. Balek 3. Bliss 4. Miller 5. Gaudian 6. Mart 7. Matthes 8. Carleton 9. Musso 10. Maples 11. Silvestre 12. Holt 13. Lay 14. Scoggin 15. Gain 16. Harrison 17. Pelski 18. Rangel 19. Minks 20. Marshall 21. Seifert 22. Uffelman 23. Bair 24. Moon 25. Havermale 26. Payne 27. Sturm 28. Stafford 29. Davenport 30. Sherwood 31. Stith 32. Clayton 33. Eisenbeiss 34. Forrester 35. Pinne 36. Lee
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Winter 2021 | 31
| CLASS NOTES |
IN MEMORIAM
VALERIE (PIEPHO) YOUNT ’56 Pullman, Wash. • Aug. 18, 2020
JOSEPH E. HOGAN ’73 Bend, Ore. • Sept. 19, 2020
MARGUERITE (GOETZ) METCALF ’43 Portland, Ore. • May 17, 2020
M. LYNN DANIEL ’57 Indianapolis, Ind. • May 10, 2020
JERRY J. MORRILL ’74 Wichita Falls, Texas • May 19, 2020
GWENDOLYN (GRAHAM) WHITE ’44 Lewistown, Ill. • June 9, 2020
RONALD R. HOERCHER ’58 Belleville, Ill. • April 22, 2020
BOBBIE L. WRIGHT ’74 Iowa Park, Texas • Nov. 13, 2020
MILDRED (SMITH) CREWS ’44 Fulton, Mo. • May 9, 2020
CAROLINE (BROWN) BESCO ’59 Canton, Mo. • Nov. 17, 2020
ROBERT S. SAVILLE ’75 Avon Park, Fla. • May 21, 2020
EVELYN (STURDY) SCHLAGER ’46 Sacramento, Calif. • June 21, 2020
RICHARD F. NORMAN ’59 Laguna Woods, Calif. • July 16, 2020
DENNIS A. ROACH ’75 Slidell, La. • June 26, 2020
LEORA (BARKLEY) GLIESSMAN ’47 Encinitas, Calif. • Oct. 19, 2020
JOEL W. CAMPE ’60 Spooner, Wis. • Oct. 14, 2020
FREDERICK L. LAUDER ’77 Quincy, Ill. • May 6, 2020
MARJORIE (KNAPHEIDE) RICE ’47 Houston, Texas • Sept. 16, 2020
BARBARA (MATUNAS) KEYES ’60 Ogallala, Neb. • Aug. 20, 2020
THOMAS C. RYAN ’77 Houston, Texas • Sept. 15, 2020
JOANNE (HALL) CURRAN ’50 Valley Park, Mo. • July 17, 2020
CHARLES G. ROGERS ’60 Eldon, Mo. • Aug. 26, 2020
THOMAS E. ERNST ’78 Quincy, Ill. • July 10, 2020
KENNETH S. FLINT ’50 Hemet, Calif. • June 19, 2020
PAUL J. SCHAAF ’60 Camanche, Iowa • Aug. 20, 2020
PHILLIP L. GLASGOW ’82 Raytown, Mo. • Mar. 23, 2020
PAUL L. MOREY ’50
Quincy, Ill. • Oct. 18, 2020
CHARLES E. HEIDEN ’61 Lakeland, Fla. • Aug. 18, 2020
ELIZABETH (TOMKO) MAKUTA ’82 Virginia Beach, Va. • Apr. 28, 2020
BETTY (HEUER) FORBES ’51 Chesterfield, Mo. • June 20, 2020
THOMAS W. CORNELIUS ’62 Janesville, Wis. • June 9, 2020
WILLIAM M. PALMER ’82 Haughton, La. • May 10, 2020
JEAN (PONTONE) FORSON ’51 Saint Louis, Mo. • Oct. 31, 2020
BRENDA (JOHNSTON) AZINGER ’64 Bloomington, Ill. • March 9, 2020
MARILYN (WRIGHT) LAND ’84 Alexandria, Mo. • Nov. 1, 2020
HAROLD M. JAYNE ’51 Memphis, Mo. • Oct. 27, 2020
WILLIAM R. FRIDLEY ’65 Lake St. Louis, Mo. • July 29, 2020
SHARON S. GIROUX ’00 Quincy, Ill. • Oct. 1, 2020
ELEANOR SIMMONS ’52 McArthur, Calif. • May 10, 2020
WAYNE E. PRIEBE ’66 Canton, Mo. • Sept. 28, 2020
SPENCER R. HARDEE ’05 Amarillo, Texas • May 15, 2020
RUTH (SMITH) AYERS ’54 Bath, N.Y. • June 10, 2020
JOHN R. FOSTER ’69 Quincy, Ill. • July 9, 2020
Former Faculty/Staff
KENNETH D. JONES ’54 Columbia, Mo. • May 27, 2020
MAUREEN (CLYONS) KECMER ’70 Bluffton, S.C. • Mar. 8, 2020
BARBARA (ALLEN) SCHAFER ’54 Whitehouse, Texas • June 16, 2020
ROBERT C. LINNEMANN ’70 Mesa, Ariz. • Nov. 5, 2020
DIXIE (CLEMMONS) JUTTE ’55 Keokuk, Iowa • Aug. 15, 2020
ROBERT M. DEMICHELE ’72 Brewster, N.Y. • Feb. 26, 2020
ROBERT W. ROOT ’56 Quincy, Ill. • May 4, 2020
DARRELL A. BODIE ’73 Gary, Ind. • Sept. 10, 2020
32 | Chronicle
WILLIAM W. BROWETT Marshall, Mo. • May 10, 2020 KATHRYN HOUSER Centerville, Iowa • Nov. 17, 2020
EXTRAORDINARY LIVES, EXTRAORDINARY LEGACIES
Extraordinary lives lead to extraordinary legacies – legacies that are rooted in family tradition, providing for loved ones and celebrating philanthropic priorities. The uncertainty of 2020 has created an opportunity for savvy planners to evaluate their future legacies and ensure their estate plans reflect their priorities to protect investments in family, loved ones and philanthropy. That very same uncertainty has left a generation of students wondering how they will fund their education and earn a degree before setting out to accomplish their goals. In the best of times and the worst of times, Culver-Stockton College’s mission remains the same – to educate the next generation of leaders, thinkers and creators. Above all, we seek to prepare our students to lead extraordinary lives and contribute to society in a meaningful way, no matter how uncertain the future may be. From Robert Stockton’s 1923 estate gift to the many alumni and friends who have included Culver-Stockton in their future plans, generations of deserving students have benefited from the legacies of those who have come before them. An estate gift to Culver-Stockton College is the perfect way to establish your personal legacy while creating a pathway for future Wildcats to reach their goals and change the world. If you have already included Culver-Stockton College in your future plans or wish to explore the multitude of ways in which you can establish your legacy at Culver-Stockton College, please contact Courtney Pourciaux, Director of Major Gifts and Estate Giving, by calling 573-288-6390 or emailing cpourciaux@culver.edu.
KNOW A STUDENT WHO WOULD BE PERFECT FOR CULVER-STOCKTON? SEND US A REFERRAL! Did you know that you have the ability to influence the culture and community of Culver-Stockton College? It happens every time you refer a potential student to our college. If you know a high school student that you think would be a great fit at C-SC, let us know. We value your opinion and take every referral seriously. Fill out the referral form on our website at culver.edu/alumni/resources/refer-a-student
Culver-Stockton College One College Hill Canton, MO 63435 800-755-CATS advancement@culver.edu
E V A S THE E T DA HOMECOMING 2021 SEPTEMBER 24-26