Eastern Kentucky University Magazine, Summer 2013

P R E S I D E N T M I C H A E L T. B E N S O N

A NEW EASTERN ERA BEGINS SUMMER ISSUE 2013

Huck Turner, ’49

For the

O

LHoarCrviosoeunnty of

n a recent summer day, Hershel “Huck” Turner, ’49, ’50, settled in a favorite chair looking out over the gently rolling hills of his Cynthiana, Ky., farm and shared stories of a life journey which began December 12, 1919, and owes much to Eastern Kentucky University.

For many years a mentor and coach to Harrison County (Ky.) High School students, he wanted to help those with “a drive to succeed” attend his alma mater. After discussions with the Eastern development staff, he established the $1 million Harrison County Endowed Scholarship in 2008. Part of the funds provide scholarships to Harrison County students during his lifetime; the remainder will be a bequest of his estate.

Turner came to Cynthiana in 1936 when his parents bought the 267 acre farm and 1847 home where he would spend most of his life. Early classroom years were problematic. “My grammar school principal called me the worst boy he ever had,” Turner recalls. High school changed everything. Huck fell in love with math, history—and football. In 1939, “the Cynthiana Flash” entered Eastern on a football scholarship. Anxious about competing with “kids from Lexington high schools,” Turner found willing mentors, Dr. Smith Park in math and Dr. Anna Schnieb, a noted education professor. A remarkable memory of Coach Rome Rankin has the players sleeping in a cemetery near Morehead State University to “spy on the team.”

Then came Pearl Harbor. Like many Eastern students, Turner enlisted. Of 119 testing for an elite pilot training program, he was one of ten selected. The former “worst boy” proved an ace pilot and was sent to Germany at the height of World War II. There his luck ran out. Turner was shot down and spent two years in the infamous prisoner of war camp near Moosburg, where unheated barracks built for 10,000 housed nearly 100,000 Allied soldiers. Despite desperate conditions, Turner helped keep up morale, organizing work crews and bargaining for essential supplies.

Liberated in 1945, he taught school and coached the “Red Hot” Oddville Bobcats basketball team, then returned to Eastern on the GI Bill. He studied hard (“no wasting time in the Ravine”), encouraged

by Dr. Charles Keith, social science professor, dean of men and “my friend.” Still devoted to the gridiron, he organized a formidable intramural football team, “the Turner Gang.”

Following a bachelor’s with a master’s in secondary education, Turner taught, coached and worked with the Department of Agriculture, but never stopped farming, doing well with cattle, tobacco, corn and hay. “I love the earth,” he says simply.

For his generous gift to EKU, Hershel “Huck” Turner has a simple explanation: “Eastern was always nice to me. I try to be nice to them.” After a long life deeply tied to the land, his generous legacy will enrich the lives of its deserving young people.

If you would like to discuss a legacy gift to Eastern Kentucky University, please call (859) 622-1583 or visit www.development.eku.edu.

Contents Eastern F E AT U R E S

4 Cover Story Eastern’s New

Presidency Begins Introducing Dr. Michael T. Benson

10 The First Lady

Chooses Eastern

Behind the scenes of a VIP visit

14 The Art of Advocacy:

Bob Babbage, ’73, leads the field

17 Hall of Distinguished

Alumni Inducts 2013 Class Get inspired at EasternExtra.com

18 Coach Erdmann’s 33-year Run

Creating generations of champions

Eastern Magazine Staff Editorial Board: Jackie Collier, ’12, Dr. Michael Eastman, Simon Gray, Mark Sandy, Marcus Whitt, ’82, ’85 Contributing Writers: Eddie Bryant, Pamela Schoenewaldt, Odette Shults Photographer: Chris Radcliffe, ’03 Design & Production: FMB Advertising Printing: Publisher’s Press Eastern Kentucky University Magazine is published by the Office of Alumni Relations for alumni and friends of the University. Comments or questions should be directed to Alumni Relations, Richards Alumni House, Eastern Kentucky University, 521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, KY 40475-3102. For more information, call 859-622-1260 or e-mail jackie.collier@eku.edu.

Eastern Kentucky University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice. Any complaint arising by reason of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Equal Opportunity Office, Eastern Kentucky University, Jones Building, Room 106, Coates CPO 37A, Richmond, Kentucky 40475-3102, (859) 622-8020 (V/TDD), or the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC. 20202 1-800-421-3481(V), 1-800-877-8339(TDD).

D E PA R T M E N T S

20 Campus News

24 Class Acts 33 In the End

Kristie Blevins

Eastern

A l u m n i M at t e r s

The Magazine of Eastern Kentucky University Dr. Michael T. Benson, President

AlumniMatters Dear Alumni and Friends, As the academic year begins we welcome President Michael Benson, wife Debi, and their children, Truman, Tatum and Talmage, to the Eastern family. You can read about them beginning on p. 4.

Better yet, come meet them in person and help us introduce them to Homecoming “Eastern style” on October 18-20. Appropriately, this year’s theme is “Building Tomorrow’s Traditions.” One of those traditions will be a 10 A.M. (not 11:00) parade.

Spread the word and don’t miss it!

A longstanding tradition at EKU is volunteerism.

From helping distribute scholarship awards to high school students in your area to serving in one of our alumni organizations, your International Alumni Association, led by Glenn Raglin, ’80, welcomes your active support. Contact me to learn more.

Do you wear your Colonel Pride on your sleeve? Or your hat? Or your bag? Do you take Maroon with you when you go on vacation or travel for business? We want to know where in the world you’re wearing your Eastern gear. See p. 26 for details.

No matter where they are in the world, it’s always a treat hearing from Eastern alumni and friends. Email me at jackie.collier@eku.edu or call (859) 622-1260.

This brings my best to you,

Jackie Collier, ’12 Director of Alumni Relations

2 Eastern

michael.benson@eku.edu

Dr. E. Michael Eastman, Vice President

for Development and Alumni Relations, michael.eastman@eku.edu

Alumni Relations Staff Jackie Collier, ’12, Director of Alumni Relations

859/622-1260, jackie.collier@eku.edu Donna Lazzara, Administrative Assistant II donna.lazzara@eku.edu Barbara Howard, Senior Office Associate barbara.howard@eku.edu

Alumni Association Board 2013-14 Glenn Raglin, ’80, President

Birmingham, Ala., glennraglin@yahoo.com Thomas M. Martin, ’93, ’01, Vice President/

President-Elect, MBA Chapter

Danville, Ky., tmm144@gmail.com Dana Daughetee Fohl, ’07, Secretary

Lexington, Ky., dana.daughetee@gmail.com Tonya Tarvin Crum, ’95, Past-President

Nicholasville, Ky., tonyacrum@yahoo.com Stefanie Drury Ashley, ’96

Richmond, Ky., Stefanie@ArtfullyYoursStudio.com Ken Armstrong, ’91, College of Justice and Safety

Alumni, Lexington, Ky., karmstro@lexingtonky.gov Felecia J. Ballard, ’95

Berea, Ky., felecia.ballard@eku.edu Joshua J. Bleidt, ’00

Nashville, Tenn., joshbleidt@aol.com Anthony Cole, ’93

Nicholasville, Ky., fyrguru@me.com Marc Collins, ’97, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky

Chapter, Walton, Ky., mrc115@aol.com David “Doc” Fifer, ’07

Richmond, Ky., david@fifer.net Amy Jo Smith Gabel, ’06, ’09

Nolensville, Tenn., amyjogabel@gmail.com Michael Earl Hay, ’94, ’97

Richmond, Ky., michael.hay@eku.edu Ryan Kennedy, Student Alumni Ambassador President Donna Black Kenny, ’72, ’82

Berea, Ky., Donna.Kenny@eku.edu Andre Kinney, ’74

Lexington, Ky., andre.kinney@eku.edu Jeff Klein, ’07, ’11

Lexington, Ky., Jeffrey_Klein@yahoo.com Judy M. Layne-Wood, ’82, ’83

Yorkstown, Va., hey_jude_layne_@yahoo.com Mary Lou Wilson McCarthy, ’86

Harlan, Ky., mlwm1977@yahoo.com Paul Motley, ’64, ’69

Richmond, Ky., paulmotley41@yahoo.com Charles Neal, ’98, Louisville (Ky.) Chapter,

Jeffersonville, Ind., cf.neal@live.com Donald Pace, ’62, ’64

Winchester, Ky., donaldwpace@yahoo.com Kara Vass, ’09

Richmond, Ky., Kara.Vass@eku.edu Robert Vickers, ’65

Richmond, Ky., vickers.rc@gmail.com Alicia Berginnis Webb, ’04

Scottsdale, Ariz., aliciawebb55@hotmail.com

President’s Perspective

President’sPerspective After an extraordinarily busy summer, it’s good to take a minute to introduce myself and my family to the far-flung Eastern family. My wife Debi and I have found a lovely home in Richmond. We’ll be at Blanton House often for official and informal entertaining, but we thought it prudent to keep a degree of separation between its treasures and our three very lively young children:Truman (6),Tatum (5) and Talmage (2). My older children, Emma and Samuel, will be visiting often.

After a few short weeks, already we feel so at home, warmed by Kentucky’s famous hospitality and kindness.

We’re captivated by the summer green and gorgeous landscape of this region and have fallen in love with Campus Beautiful. Who wouldn’t?

I come to you prepared for this presidency by my years at Southern Utah University. Beneath obvious differences in geography, I see fundamental similarities: two institutions with origins in the late 19th Century as teacher-training colleges, reinventing themselves as comprehensive public universities. Both honor small classes, supportive, accomplished faculty, a balance of regional stewardship with global perspective.

Each encounter with Eastern faculty, staff and students deepens my respect for the heritage lived here.

Everywhere I look, I see promise, a seemingly bottomless wealth of talent, commitment, and achievement in areas as diverse as biofuels development, justice & safety, public health, deaf studies and aviation drawing students from across the nation and around the world. I’ve been amazed by the academic rigor and the personal support designed into Eastern’s acclaimed digital curricula. I’ve seen the wonderful work of volunteer Colonel Commanders, an alumni outreach to prospective students, and hope that you’ll consider joining that program.

Yet we’ll be challenged. To play Pollyanna serves nobody. Economic realities will demand careful allocation of resources as we attract and support students who’ll stay, thrive, graduate and begin their careers. We must ensure that we adequately demonstrate our appreciation of outstanding faculty and staff. While responding to (and anticipating) the needs of our service region, we must advance our reputation as Kentucky’s creative university in ways that draw talent and partnerships from far outside this region. We must reach out to our nation’s veterans; they need us and we need their experience, dedication and wisdom. While no university can be all things to all people, what we choose to do, we must provide the resources to do well.

In recent years, you’ve shown how forcefully donors respond to Eastern’s vision by helping bring to fruition three magnificent new facilities: the Center for the Arts, the New Sciences Building and the Noel Studio for Academic Creativity. Soon Eastern will initiate a comprehensive capital campaign. I’m excited about this because, frankly, I’m passionate about the way fundraising links donors’ passions to worthy causes. Personally, I can think of no more worthy cause than the education of deserving young people.

In conclusion, I’m excited and honored to represent Eastern Kentucky University. I look forward to meeting you and demonstrating to the entire Eastern family how committed I am to an open, transparent, and accessible presidency.

Yes, I’m the newcomer here. I’m watching, listening, learning, getting to know people and exploring this bountiful region with my family. I am constantly inspired by your traditions and achievements. Perhaps precisely because I’m a newcomer, I’m particularly and keenly aware of the treasures and the amazing, creative uniqueness of this University. Thank you for bringing us to Eastern. I promise to work hard for all of you and to do you proud.

Go Colonels!

Michael T. Benson President

Eastern 3

Eastern’s 12th President

EASTERN’S

NEW PRESIDENCY

BEGINS Introducing D R . M I C H A E L T. B E N S O N

4 Eastern

Eastern 5

E R ae s t eo rr ni n’ sg 1E2l tmhw Po ro eds’i sd eGnlto r y

On August 1, Dr. Michael T. Benson took the helm as Eastern’s 12th president, following unanimous selection by the board of regents.

Dr. Benson, 48, comes with a stunning résumé (see The Path to Eastern) of academic and professional achievement, internationalism, and impressive cultural, communication, athletic and musical skills, an ensemble of assets that had one longtime friend joke, “It isn’t fair. And he speaks Italian. And he’s so nice! Just so well-rounded.”

Eastern’s new “first family” includes Benson’s wife, Debi, and three young children, Truman (6), Tatum (5), and Talmage (2). Dr. Benson is also the father of Emma (16) and Samuel (14). Having visited Blanton House, the traditional, on-campus home of Eastern presidents, the Bensons quickly determined that active youngsters are not best

6 Eastern

suited to the stately, historic residence and its select furnishings. The family has settled in a more child-focused home in Richmond, reserving Blanton House for entertaining and official functions.

A quick study, Benson plunged into the presidential agenda, meeting and listening, setting priorities and familiarizing himself with all things Eastern. To each task, concur new and long-term colleagues, he brings a positivity built on confidence, an appetite for hard work and ingrained refusal to succumb to circumstance.

For example, returning to the United States with a doctorate from Oxford University and a soon-to-be published dissertation greeted as a landmark study on U.S. foreign policy during the Truman presidency, Benson’s expectations of a faculty position were dashed

DR. WHITLOCK ON THE BENSON PRESIDENCY “For the first time, Eastern has attracted a sitting president to assume leadership here. This is a positive reflection on where the institution stands today. This is Mike’s third presidency, and he was successful at both Snow and Southern Utah. He already has a great track record in those areas important to a contemporary president: fundraising, community building, academic leadership and creative solutions to problems.

My personal contact with him has been exceedingly positive.

If he gets the same support from Eastern friends and alumni as I enjoyed, his will be a great tenure.”

President Emeritus Doug Whitlock

by an extraordinarily tight college teaching market. Shaking off discouragement, he found work roofing houses and selling men’s suits.

When a university fundraising position opened up, Benson took it, happy to be “home.” He admits, “I love campus life. I love being around bright people and ideas and young people who are in the formative period of their lives.”

Deep commitment to higher education, “the great equalizer of society,” and outstanding communication skills rocketed the young administrator to the presidency of Snow College from 2001 to 2005.

The two-year state college in rural Utah soon racked up stunning achievements. “Every week,” said a colleague, “he had yet another big idea for Snow.” A gifted classical pianist, Benson secured 32 fine Steinway pianos for the college. Snow now hosts the famed Juilliard School of Music’s summer camp. Taking fundraising personally, he ran a marathon to help raise $50,000 for the athletic department, began work on a new library and brought Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel to speak at the school.

Soon tapped for the presidency of Southern Utah University, Benson raised $28 million for an arts center, directed the university’s most ambitious comprehensive capital campaign, for which $91 million has already been raised, and announced a major gift for a new Shakespeare Theater as well as a scholarship and research endowment for the college of science and engineering. Additionally, he procured state support for a new science center. As a colleague noted, “We would talk about a problem at 8 a.m.; by 9 we were working on it; by 2 we were done with it and moving on to something else.” It’s not surprising that by 2011 Benson was named one of the “100 Most Influential People in Utah.”

Informed by telephone of the Eastern search committee’s unanimous selection, Benson said he was “honored and humbled” by the opportunity.

With the opportunity, of course, comes significant challenges. He’ll be called on to oversee delicate budget reallocations, cost savings and efficiencies, crafting solutions congruent with Eastern’s mission and core values. In navigating these challenges, Benson looks to shared priorities: “We cannot afford to be average, nor can we be all things to all people.

Eastern 7

Eastern’s 12th President

THE PATH TO EASTERN • B.A. (cum laude), Brigham Young University, major in political science, minor in English and history • M.A. (cum laude), University of Notre Dame in nonprofit administration • D. Phil., modern Middle Eastern history, University of Oxford (St. Antony’s College) • Dissertation: Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel (Praeger, 1997) • International experience: England, Israel, Italy • Interests: Running (marathons), basketball (lettered for Oxford), classical piano, golf (7-handicap), skiing

8 Eastern

Q&A WITH PRESIDENT BENSON Q. What message would you like to give to Eastern alumni?

A. First, thank you for your many and diverse accomplishments which bring renown to Eastern. I would encourage you to stay connected with Eastern, or to reconnect. There is so much we have to offer each other.

Q. What do you see as Eastern’s great strengths?

A. A hallmark of Eastern is the attention our students get from full-time faculty and dedicated staff helping each individual student be successful. The ultimate measure of our success is not the kind of student we take in but what kind of graduate we produce.

But those things that are asked of us and that we choose to do, we will do exceptionally well.”

He is buoyed by the rewards of joining the Eastern family, “surrounded by faculty who are experts in their fields; working alongside committed and caring staff in a place called ‘Campus Beautiful’ with its rich and storied history. To be sure, we have our challenges–but think how lucky we are to work at Eastern Kentucky University.”

While new to Eastern and to Kentucky culture, Benson’s friendliness, energy and curiosity, communication skills and range of interests will soon weave him into the community. At Snow College, for instance, he stunned colleagues by how quickly he learned the names of every student, faculty and staff member, from vice presidents to custodians—and their families.

After all, his formidable administrative skills have a solid base: he’s a people person.

President and Mrs. Benson have already demonstrated generous support of the university with a $50,000 pledge for need-based financial aid for students in EKU’s Model Laboratory School. “We want this to be a lead gift in Eastern’s soon-to-be-announced comprehensive campaign as a way to indicate that the Bensons are ‘all in’ and ready to garner additional support from friends and donors. We are committed to both Eastern and Model’s success and will do all in our power to help them grow and thrive.” In fact, Benson has already quadrupled his gift with an additional $150,000 in scholarship funds from friends and supporters.

“This is just the beginning,” he promises. The Eastern family can look with pride and optimism to another great era on Campus Beautiful.

Q. What are your goals for Eastern?

A. I am excited about carving out a unique niche and mission for Eastern, a distinctive “look and feel” which we can articulate broadly. When a student with other great options chooses Eastern, that’s the ultimate compliment.

As far as capital projects, my major goal is to get phase two of the science complex funded so we can break ground next year to complete that facility.

I would also like to see a new facility for our college of education, which was just recently named one of Kentucky’s top teacher education programs, and for Model Laboratory School.

Q. What message do you have for Eastern students?

A. Everything good that has happened to me professionally and personally is inextricably tied to education. We are the stewards of this incredible opportunity which changes lives and generations, and I want to expand access to the Eastern opportunity.

Dr. Benson’s blog on higher education appears regularly in The Huffington Post. To read his blog, see huffingtonpost.com/michael-benson.

From “What Good is College?” (2013, February 13) There is nothing in the world like the American system of postsecondary education. These remarkable institutions need to be celebrated, supported, and nurtured if our country and our economy have hope of viability in the future.

From “A New Year and a New Attitude” (2013, January 2) To adopt a positive attitude in the face of all the negativity that surrounds us is not to play Pollyanna or to ignore reality. . . . . While difficult times will invariably persist, the one thing I can control on a daily basis is my attitude.

I will refuse to be dour and long-faced. Rather, I will be relentlessly optimistic and positive and will encourage my colleagues to be the same.

Eastern 9

F i r s t L a dy S p e a k s

10 Eastern

at

Commencement

EASTERN

Behind the scenes of a VIP visit As many readers know, Eastern was one of first lady Michelle Obama’s three commencement speech visits this year. She addressed graduates of the colleges of education and of business & technology and received an honorary doctor of letters.

Repeatedly interrupted with thunderous applause, her speech reflected a detailed knowledge of Eastern. As a first-generation college student, she thanked her parents’ working class values that gave her the perseverance to graduate. “This day is huge to kids like us,” she said. She praised Eastern’s “extraordinary culture of service,” particularly the university’s service to veterans as reflected in repeated recognition by The Military Times as the nation’s “Best for Vets” four-year educational institution.

To hear Michelle Obama’s Eastern commencement address, check out

First Lady chooses The

Eastern 11

F i r s t L a dy S p e a k s

at

Commencement

To be thus honored by the first lady will be a cherished memory for hundreds of Eastern graduates. With intense competition for high-profile commencement speakers, her presence speaks highly of the university.What is yet more notable is that Mrs. Obama sought out the opportunity to visit Eastern and recognize its service to veterans, which she has closely followed through her Joining Forces initiative in support of military families (see WhiteHouse.gov/joiningforces).

A key component of this initiative is helping veterans transition to civilian life through the kinds of career-focused education programs at which Eastern excels.

Thus, while colleges and universities engage in a protracted “courting” of potential VIP speakers, in this case, a member of the first lady’s staff called then-President Doug Whitlock three weeks before commencement to ask whether Eastern would be willing to have Mrs. Obama simply attend the ceremony. Thinking quickly, Dr. Whitlock invited her to give the commencement address. When the answer came back that the first lady would be honored to speak at Eastern, Dr. Whitlock immediately called his executive assistant, Dr. Skip Daugherty, a veteran of scores of flawlessly executed commencement ceremonies and VIP visits.

Daugherty began event preparation with the Secret Service,White House staff and Mrs. Obama’s personal staff by phone and email.

A week before commencement, a team flew in from Washington.

Daily on-site planning meetings began as the Secret Service oversaw installation of airport-style “Magnatron” metal detectors and other security measures. Eastern and the team minutely planned commencement logistics. While ensuring the first lady’s safety and security is necessarily elaborate, James Street, Eastern’s vice president for administration until his retirement June 30, was consistently impressed by the courtesy and professionalism of the Secret Service, the White House and first lady’s staff, all of whom conscientiously

12 Eastern

National Focus on Eastern

Marc Whitt, associate vice president for public relations, records the tremendous public relations value of Mrs. Obama’s visit: • More than 100 stories from 85 news organizations in the U.S., Canada and India appeared in print, online or broadcast.

• 2.5 million Twitter accounts received messages about commencement; hundreds of Twitter users commented on the speech.

• 100 TV stations and newspapers, including USA Today, received coverage from their parent company, Gannett.

• CBS News, CNN and Fox News used feeds from Eastern’s live stream.

• 21 news organizations covered commencement live, including nine TV stations and NBC News, three dailies and the national wire service, Associated Press.

• NBC Nightly News featured Eastern in its annual national commencement story broadcast.

(Catch the story at www.easternshortlink.com.)

• The publicity value of Mrs. Obama’s appearance exceeded $200,000, as estimated by Cision, a global provider of media monitoring.

sought to minimize disruptions and keep focus on the true stars of commencement day: Eastern graduates.

The Eastern event team included Mark Welker, executive director of public safety, Brian Mullins, chief of police for the university, Bryan Makinen, director of environmental health & safety, and local fire and emergency response agencies. To create what Daugherty called a secure “bubble” around the first lady from her arrival at Blue Grass Airport to her departure that evening, this team was supported by local and regional safety professionals, including: • Kentucky State Police • Lexington Metro Police • Blue Grass Airport Police

• Madison County Sheriff’s Office • Richmond Police Department • Berea Police Department

Four entities supplied canine units: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Kentucky State Police; Lexington Metro Police; and the University of Kentucky Police Department. Meshing so many organizations and jurisdictions demanded a high level of good will and professionalism. That happened. “We’re very proud of the entire emergency response community,” says Makinen. “Thanks to excellent relations built over time, everyone stepped up with skills, resources, personnel and solutions to ensure the safety of the first lady and our community.”

Anticipating unprecedented ticket demands, Daugherty’s team set up a randomized lottery system for the 5,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members seeking one of the 2,600 remaining seats at Alumni Coliseum after graduates and their guests were accommodated. Those without tickets could take advantage of a live video feed in the EKU Center for the Arts, with abundant parking.

Expanded band width helped a large national media presence (see National Focus on Eastern) cover the event.

If the White House comes to your house.

While clearly the full range of precautions to ensure the security of the President and First Lady cannot be detailed, typical components include: • Advance planning & site visits • Planned & alternative routes secured • Liaison with fire and emergency response agencies • Identifying “persons of interest” • All venues checked and cleared • Explosive ordnance disposal technicians • Metal detectors & video monitors • Canine units & handlers • Rehearsals & emergency planning • Enhanced communication capacity Don’t worry, though, when the White House visits, security costs are paid by the guests, not the hosts.

The division of public safety doubled its typical commencement day staff to 50, facilitating parking, easy communication between teams, logistics and security sweeps. Naturally, airport-style security checks at each entrance took time, but students and guests understood the motive, says Welker, and good attitudes prevailed. When doors closed, on time at 7:30 p.m., the capacity crowd of 7,000 attendees was in place.

With “everything planned down to a ‘T’,” Skip Daugherty notes, Murphy’s Law simply didn’t apply. Last minute meetings had revealed no surprises, nothing undone or not working. The whole event, says James Street, “could not have gone better,” with Mrs. Obama, the Secret Service and the White House staff all praising Eastern’s hospitality and professionalism. As Eastern programs continue to attract national attention, the team approach to VIP visitors can expect yet more opportunities to demonstrate its expertise.

Eastern 13

The Art

of

A dvo c ac y

eryone v e s a n io t c e same dir there, but possible.” e h t in g in k o “Vision is lo ing something not quite else and see ge

—Bob Babba

14 Eastern

The

art

of

ADVOCACY: BOB BABBAGE, ’73, LEADS THE FIELD Every year, among Kentucky’s top lobbyists as ranked by Kentucky Roll Call’s “Second Circle” publication, are Eastern alumni: John Cooper, ’77, Gene McLean, ’77, Hunter Bates, ’89, and, topping the list for every legislative session since 2006, Bob Babbage, ’73.

Kentucky’s former secretary of state and auditor of public accounts, Babbage is now managing partner of Babbage Cofounder, working with CEOs, executive teams and associations for public decision management on issues ranging from diabetes education and health care to energy efficiency and chemical production. On a recent morning, he met with the Kentucky Aluminum Association, advocates for gay and lesbian rights, and school librarians, gratefully recalling “an Eastern librarian who saved my life”–well, actually it was his research project, but at the time he didn’t see the difference.

Often called to mentor would-be lobbyists, Babbage’s recent publication, “Meet You in the Lobby,” advises, “The easiest start is local....push an issue you love, a passion, or an issue that bugs you to no end...be an expert...Read, study, ponder.” Bob Babbage certainly took his own education seriously. As the grandson of Kentucky governor Keen Johnson, public service runs in the family; Eastern was his chosen college from the start. He plunged into campus life, where professors like Dr. Paul Blanchard “gave you wisdom no matter how hard you fought.” A deft and forceful communicator, Babbage grasped early that “the one who writes controls the conversation.”

Soon editing the Eastern Progress, he became student representative to the board of regents, where he grappled with larger issues and worked closely with decision makers.

Eastern 15

The Art

of

A dvo c ac y

Making Change 101

Who lobbies for whom?

Do you want to change your world?

Bob Babbage poses three basic questions to his clients: What should be eliminated?

What should be started?

What should be continued?

The facts are easy to find. The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission site (klec.ky.gov) lists lobbyists and their employers, lobbying expenditures and the Kentucky lobbyists’ rigorous Code of Ethics. Most other state legislatures maintain similar sites.

He credits his alma mater’s reputation in health sciences for a life-changing early “lobbying success”: persuading Laura Schulte, a bright, ambitious high school student seeking a great nursing program, to choose Eastern. Now married more than 33 years, Bob and Laura Schulte Babbage, ’81, are proud parents of “three of the smartest and coolest kids you will ever find.”

Meeting Bob Babbage tends to blow away stereotypes of his profession. First, there’s his distinguished academic pedigree: an Eastern bachelor’s in political science and journalism, followed by a master’s in social ethics from Lexington Theological Seminary, where he was profoundly influenced by the great theologian and political commentator Reinhold Niebuhr, and a second master’s from the University of Kentucky’s Patterson School of Diplomacy.

Babbage sees his work as fundamental to the democratic process, honed by long tradition. Almost eight hundred years ago, English citizens “lobbied” the crown, demanding acceptance of the Magna Carta. American history, he points out, was shaped by the struggles and compromises of advocates working to create a government responsive to its people.

Dr. Joe Gershtenson, Eastern professor of government, agrees, pointing to the myriad complex issues facing state legislators in sessions which last at most sixty days a year. Lobbyists provide a critical service in presenting the context and consequences of proposed legislation.

Pluralism, the multiplicity of voices and interests involved in each issue, works toward a balanced view. The very nature of the political process pushes lobbyists toward objectivity. Gershtenson notes, “The game lasts more than one round, so you can give bad information only once. The next time, nobody trusts you.” Kentucky, he adds, has made significant strides in transparency, creating and enforcing one of the nation’s more rigorous codes of ethics (see “Who lobbies for whom”).

16 Eastern

Don McNay, ’81, author, columnist and financial consultant, says Babbage “convinced me that lobbying can be a noble profession.” A long-time friend and sometime political sparring partner, McNay enumerates the formidable list of job requirements which Babbage so abundantly possesses: incredible energy and enthusiasm, stamina, charisma and positive outlook, intelligence and superb communication skills. In an arena defined by dense webs of relationships, “he remembers your first cousin’s birthday.”

Fearless, professional and highly selective in his clients, Babbage is above all a coalition-builder, says McNay, energized by his work and the process of creating positive change.

Making change, crafting compromise, “drilling through to the essentials,” as Babbage charges his staff, is hard work. With clients in Kentucky and surrounding states, there are always hot issues. Anyone shadowing him on a typical 14-hour day discovers the physical costs of advocacy. Your feet hurt, you’re hungry and tired. Sessions stretch past midnight. The phone calls, emails and tweets never, never stop. There’s always more to read and more one-pagers to distill from stacks of data.

Yet despite work weeks stretching to 80 hours, Bob Babbage brings a buoyant, youthful passion to each project, with a deep respect for the art of compromise at the heart of the democratic process. After long nights, he still looks forward to the next morning when he mounts the marble staircase of Kentucky’s State Capitol. “I feel very privileged to be here. I get a thrill every time I come to this building,” he says. When Eastern students seek his advice, as they often do, he encourages their input and enthusiasm, challenging them to apply critical thinking and communication skills to wider and wider spheres, to make a difference in the halls of power. “There’s always the need for one more.”

A l u m n i A wa r d s

I n s p i r at io n .

They used their Eastern education in inspired ways. They became inspirations to others.

By their example, we witness the profound depth and breadth of Eastern’s service to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the region, the nation, and our increasingly interconnected world.

The 2013 Hall of

Distinguished Alumni inductees

Read about them at EasternExtra.com and Get Inspired Eastern 17

Colonel Athletics

coach erdmann’s

33-year run Creating generations of champions Rick Erdmann, Eastern’s storied head coach for men’s and women’s track and field and cross country, considers his 33 years with the Colonels and concedes, “I’ve had some positive results.” Indeed he has: 58 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year awards and 61 conference championships. His women’s teams have won 26 cross country titles, including 18 consecutive wins from 1982-1999; and 13 track and field championships. Men’s teams count 18 cross country and four track and field championships, rising to 13th in the nation, with both men’s and women’s teams sweeping the OVC championships for the sixth time in seven years.

18 Eastern

Only the nation’s top 30 teams are invited to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. This is Eastern’s second consecutive year. On June 7, 2013, Coach Erdmann took four runners to the event in Eugene, Ore., and brought back All-American results:

Ann Eason of Lexington, Ky., placed ninth in the women’s 5,000 meters, one of only two sophomores in the top nine, earning second team All-American honors with a personal best time of 16:06.11 and the second best event time in Eastern history.

Ole Hesselbjerg of Charlottenlund, Denmark, finished seventh in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and was named first team All-American, having set personal records throughout 2012-2013 after winning the 2011 OVC steeplechase championship.

Wade Meddles of Gardnerville, Nev., earned second team All-American honors, placing 11th in the 5,000 meters. He is a two-time NAIA All-American in cross country.

Thijs Nijhuis of Sparkær, Denmark, earned honorable mention All-American honors, finishing 21st in the men’s 10,000 meters after helping the Colonels stay nationallyranked in 2012-2013 by repeatedly finishing in the team’s top five.

Coach Erdmann’s tenure as head track and field coach is one of the coach, they genuinely like him. Asked what draws him most strongly longest in the nation. Like Roy Kidd’s 38 seasons of Colonel football to coaching, Erdmann answers simply, “being around young people.” or Paul McBrayer’s 16 in basketball, he has dedicated his career to Tough, disciplined and fiercely competitive, he doesn’t hide a softer Eastern and built a tradition of training champions that side, caring for generations of stray cats in and attracts student-athletes from across the country and around the field house. Erdmann “walks the walk,” around the world. or rather, runs it. In his forties, he ran the JFK 50 Cross Country’s Erdmann’s coaching style is finely tuned to the Mile ultramarathon, had marathon times under Rough Start nature of the sport. Unlike team sports in which three hours, and in his mid-sixties won the 60-69 1867 marks the first athletes are continuously advised, encouraged and age group in a Pittsburgh 5K. recorded national critiqued from the sidelines, cross country runners Illustrious as the Colonel men’s and women’s competition. Held on run alone, meeting their coach at the finish line. There track and field traditions have been under Coach Wimbledon Common are no half-times, time outs or substitutions. Running Rick Erdmann, there are no OVC crowns for his in England, the poorly in heat or cold, rain, sleet and snow, navigating muddy true long distance success: training young people for marked trail wound through trails on constantly varied courses, these athletes must satisfying futures. Disciplined, balanced, confident boggy, hilly terrain, with be trained to think, pace, and strategize for and independent, Erdmann’s student-athletes are many runners lost since the race was held, for themselves, competing honorably out of public view. competitive in medicine, public and environmental some reason, after dark.

He doesn’t micromanage, says Steve Fohl, health in the U.S. and Africa, in government, bank assistant director of public relations for the athletic management, the CIA and FBI, forensic science, department, who has seen too many coaches “work athletes so hard mathematics and NASA. Recently a runner called from Germany to they lose the joy of it.” Wit, modesty and an easy, approachable nature remind Erdmann of the joy they shared in an OVC win 25 years ago. create an atmosphere in which student-athletes don’t just respect their “That’s kind of neat,” said Coach Erdmann. Indeed it is.

FYI:

Eastern 19

Campus News

Campus Beautiful From the

EKU among top schools for return on investment

Alumni often enthuse that their investment in an Eastern education was money well spent, but now there’s statistical proof. The College Database ranks Eastern among the top four schools in Kentucky for financial return on investment. To make the list, schools must have annual tuition rates below $20,000 and new graduates who earn more than $30,000, on average. EKU graduates enter the workforce earning an average of $36,200.

Fundraising veteran joins EKU cabinet

With a comprehensive capital campaign on the horizon, President Mike Benson has named Dr. Michael Eastman vice president for development and alumni relations. Eastman is responsible for campaign planning and execution as well as ongoing development and alumni initiatives.

A fundraising veteran of nearly 30 years, Eastman comes to EKU from Indiana’s Manchester University.

20 Eastern

“Throughout Michael’s career, he has achieved impressive successes in higher education fundraising, particularly at Manchester University where he helped raise $70 million, $20 million above the capital campaign’s goal,” says Benson. Eastman joined EKU August 1.

Estate gift enhances student scholarship fund

The EKU Foundation has received an $843,430 gift from the estate of Louise Rutledge Dowerman, ’33, who died on October 10, 2012, at age 100. The bequest will add to the Rutledge-Dowerman Endowed Scholarship Fund she established in 1996 to benefit deserving Eastern students whose financial need might otherwise prevent them from attending college. Combined with past contributions, the estate gift makes Dowerman one of the University’s most generous benefactors.

Children of a Richmond physician, Dowerman and her brothers, Drs. Harold and Charles Rutledge, all graduated from Eastern.

Campus News

Dowerman went on to earn a degree from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College and attended graduate school at the University of Wisconsin. She lived most of her life in Florida, where she helped husband Jake run the family farm, was librarian at Broward Community College and an active patron of the arts. Following her husband’s death in 1996, Dowerman retired to Danville, Ky. In 1997 Dowerman was inducted into the EKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni and received an honorary Doctor of Letters.

She was awarded Eastern’s Presidential Award of Merit in 2005.

Getting out a great story

Accrediting excellence in business and OT

Two stellar Eastern programs, business and occupational therapy, have passed rigorous re-accreditation review. All baccalaureate business majors as well as MBA options in accounting, general business and integrative communications join a mere 5 percent of the world’s business schools in accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

The occupational therapy program, ranked 31 out of 354 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, was reaccredited by the Council for Occupational Therapy Education. Eastern’s was one of few programs to earn the coveted 10-year, rather than three-, five- or seven-year accreditation.

It’s not enough to be a great school; the news has to reach prospective students, partners, legislators and donors. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Kentucky, gave top awards to EKU in multiple categories.

The University’s “You Can Get There From Here” brand development campaign won the award of excellence among all institutional relations programs.

The grand award in feature writing went to a print and digital story in the last issue of this magazine, “Restoring Elmwood’s Glory: A new season for Richmond’s legendary Victorian.” A unique online supplement weaving together historical material and lush photography is available at EasternExtra.com.

A photo essay series looking through the camera lens at the New Sciences Building opening and a student planner cover image also garnered awards of excellence.

Eastern 21

Campus News Eastern’s new online doctoral program in occupational therapy is one of just 20 nationwide. Completed in as little as two years, the degree may be tailored to individual interests. Learn more at go.eku.edu/EKUOTD. Nurturing young scientists in Appalachia

Eastern honor students, Madison County’s seventh graders and faculty members in physical and biological science will be exploring water quality, watershed management, bee and pollinator health, and sustainable practices. A $200,000 grant from the National Science Foundation gives exciting STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) field experiences to undergraduates from many disciplines. Madison Middle School Principal Steve Evans says this “awesome opportunity” gives seventh-grade students “hands-on, real-world, authentic research practices they’ll remember for a lifetime.” The program aims to nurture new STEM enthusiasts through projects supporting regional environmental health and sustainable economic growth.

A second grant, from the National Institutes of Health, invests $1.8 million over five years to nurture a dramatic increase in students from underserved areas attaining biomedical graduate degrees and fueling regional growth in biotechnology.

Online program in nation’s Top 10

Hard work in instructional design, new technologies to promote critical thinking, and dedication to student success propelled Eastern’s online bachelor’s programs in corrections and juvenile justice studies to the nation’s top 10, according to TheBestSchools.org.

Program coordinator Betsy Matthews praised the collaborative work which conclusively demonstrates that “You can deliver a quality program online and still give students the individualized attention for which Eastern is known.” The department recently celebrated its 100th online graduate. www.ekuonline.eku.edu New Sciences Building goes solar

With the recent installation of a seven-panel solar array atop the New Sciences Building, the most energy-efficient facility on campus just got even “greener.”

The environmentally-minded design of the New Sciences Building already harnesses sunlight, channeling it to the building’s core, reducing electrical costs and heat by-product. Now, solar panels wired directly into the facility’s power grid will use sunlight to generate 1,460 kWh of energy annually. Given the notoriously high energy costs of scientific facilities, whose instruments and computers gobble electricity and require strict temperature control, this small but expandable renewable energy source is a welcome addition to the University’s energy mix. Eastern students will monitor the system’s performance data to assess the practical viability of solar power as a campus energy source.

22 Eastern

Funded through a mini-grant from Bluegrass Greensource, a donation from the Student Government Association, and the office of sustainability, the system will reduce the University’s carbon footprint by 1.57 tons annually and is expected to pay for itself in 10 years.

Campus News

Teacher education program on national honor roll

EKU’s undergraduate program to prepare middle and high school teachers ranks among the top 9 percent nationally, according to The National Council on Teacher Quality and U.S. News & World Report. Of the 1,200 schools that were assigned a ranking, Eastern is one of only 105 to make the honor roll. More than 100 years after its founding as a teacher training college, EKU continues to be recognized for its preparation of impeccably trained educators who are ready for workplace success.

Learning to save big cats

For Jennifer Shields, ’12, being one of the first graduates from Eastern’s undergraduate degree program in animal studies– perhaps the world’s first such program–is about saving big cats.

Survival of the Panthera genus (lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards) depends on “inventive individuals who can utilize their knowledge in the preservation of endangered animals,” says Shields. This vision drew her to the program launched in 2010 to study human-animal interactions through applied fields, science, arts and humanities.

Ninety students now major in animal studies. Interest in the field is growing; a minor was just created at New York University, but only at Eastern can students receive a broad-based liberal arts background with concentration in the myriad specialized fields of animal-human interactions, including art, journalism, ethics, law, wildlife management or, for Jennifer Shields, helping big cats survive.

Old Milestones, Progress online Have you ever wished to go bac k in time, see your friends and reminisce abo ut your college years? Memory lane is now just a mouse click away!

Old issues of the Milestone yearbook and The Easter n Progress student newspaper are now available online. They’re eas ily viewable, fully searchable, and free!

Visit the growing repository of Milestones at encompass.eku.edu/yearbooks .

Per use back issues of The Eas ter n Progress at encompass.eku.edu/upubs_pro gress.

Eastern 23

Class Acts

CLASS ACTS Summer 2013 1940s

Juanita Clinkinbeard Teipel, ’45, of Ft. Wright, Ky., was 90 in March 2013. She reports that there were only 46 students in her graduation class.

Earl “Smoky” Gibson, ’48, now lives in Columbus, Ohio.

One of Rome Rankin’s boys, he served in World War II and went on to become a high school teacher, principal and assistant superintendent in Kentucky and Ohio. Retired since l988, he would love to hear from Eastern friends.

1950s

Robert N. Grise, ’52, Eastern education professor from 1963 to 1995, published Madison’s Heritage Rediscovered, a collection of essays drawn from “Madison’s Heritage” columns written by Grise and the late Fred A. Engle, Jr., ’51, since 1969 for The Richmond Register. Compiled and edited by Engle’s granddaughter, Kathryn Engle, ’11, the collection includes

more than 60 stories ranging from pioneer history to local legends and stories about Eastern. The book is available online at historypress.net or directly through Kathryn Engle at engleks@appstate.edu. The entire collection of “Madison’s Heritage” articles are available in a searchable website, madisonsheritage.omeka.net, hosted by EKU libraries.

Earl Shaw, ’52, ’57, is a retired colonel. For 44 years he worked in the Garrard County (Ky.) schools as teacher, coach, principal and superintendent of the school board. He lives in Lancaster with his wife, Hazel Shaw, ’58.

Dotty Berry Davidson, ’53, lives in Somerset, Ky. Her husband, Oscar, passed away on September 13, 2012. Children Lavaun Davidson Zimmerman, ’82, and Bart Davidson, ’86, and granddaughter Mary Beth Davidson, ’09, carry on the Eastern tradition.

Kenneth Davis, ’56, is “finally” retiring from the University of Louisville, where he was

director of the Vogt Engineering Center after “retiring” from General Electric. He and his wife, Joan Hines Davis, ’52, live in Prospect, Ky. Robert W. Jones, ’57, is a professor of emergency engineering technology at Murray State University and chair of engineering technology at Austin Peay State University. He lives in Hendersonville, Tenn., and has four children, ten grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren.

Robert E. Kash, ’59, is retired.

An avid team bicyclist, he holds several records for the annual “Race Across America” and will compete in 2014 in the 80-year age group. He is a participant in a Ball State University research project on the affect of exercise on aging.

1960s

Betty Parrott Copas, ’60, and husband Harold live in Wheelersburg, Ohio. Betty retired in 1995 after 31 years as a home economics teacher.

Betty Jo Hancock Davis, ’63, and Robert David Davis, ’64, celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2012 and have four children, 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

They live in Georgetown, Ky. Elana Miller Gay, ’63, retired from teaching in the Hamilton, Ohio, school system in 1994 and her husband, Lowell Gay, ’61, ’68, retired from the same system in 1990.

They have enjoyed living in Greenville, S.C., since 2004 and spending more time with their grandchildren.

Michael Gilbert, ’64, has retired from Kroger after 12 years. He and his wife, Mary, live in New Albany, Ind. Deborah Murrell, ’64, of Louisville, Ky., serves as the state membership co-chair and the fifth district president for the Kentucky Retired Teachers Association as well as the Fern Creek High School alumni association board.

Jimmy Rogers, ’64, and his wife, Betsy, of Waco, Ky., report that three of their children are Eastern alumni:

For the Record Don’t forget to keep us up-to-date with your latest news items—family additions, job changes, relocations, promotions—anything you’d like us to know! Include your photographs†, too.

Full Name_______________________________________________________________________________ EKU Class________________ Spouse’s Full Name______________________________________________________________________ EKU Class________________ Children__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Current Address___________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City_____________________________________________________________________ State_____ Zip____________________________ E-mail*________________________________________________ Tel* ( ______ ) ________________ Cell* ( ______ ) _______________ News Item________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Send to:

Eastern Kentucky University Magazine Telephone: 859/622-1260 Richards Alumni House, EKU E-mail: alumni.relations@eku.edu 521 Lancaster Avenue Richmond, KY 40475-3102 All submissions to Class Acts are edited for style and brevity. † Computer printouts cannot be accepted; please include a SASE for photo return. *Please include; this information will not be published.

24 Eastern

Daniel Rogers, ’05, ’12; Ruth Rogers, ’05; and Rebekah Rogers Shoopman, ’05, ’07.

Paul Steely, ’64, is retired.

After a career in teaching, he worked for the Ford Motor Company. He lives with his wife, Stella, in Williamsburg, Ky. Patsy Rice Bates, ’65, retired from her job at a horse farm in Woodland County, Ky., but became restless. Her part-time position with the Tourism Commission for Frankfort and Franklin counties is now her favorite job, as she “welcomes visitors from all over the world wanting to know our capitol city.”

Tom Hedges, ’65, writes from Bloomington, Ind., that Eastern “was very good to me and the education I received offered many varied opportunities during my working career.” In 2012, he retired from the Crane Army Ammunition Activity in Crane, Ind. He served in the U.S. Army as an officer and civilian for 45 years, in audit, finance, accounting, budget and administrative positions in Thailand, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Virginia. With his wife, Carla, he has vacationed widely in Europe, Asia and the U.S. Ralph Richardson, ’65, of La Grange, Ky., received the Ralph Beard Life Time Achievement Award given by the Mr. Basketball Fraternity to recognize an individual touched by the All-Star experience. Richardson played on Eastern’s varsity basketball team from 1959-1961.

Barbara Ann Parsons Walters, ’65, lives in Ashland, Ky., where she directed the first annual ACTC/FIVCO Science and Engineering Fair for the five counties of Boyd, Carter, Elliot, Greenup and Lawrence.

Gypsy Marie Roberts, ’66, of The Villages, Fla., has published two books, “A Travel Memoir” (2006) and “Winona’s Righteous Warriors” (2011). She won second prize in the American Association of University Women’s Florida-wide

poetry contest for her poem, “Breedchild.”

Cheryl Godsey Love, ’67, of Marietta, Ga., retired in June 2010 after 43 years of teaching at Marietta High School, where she established the Cheryl Godsey Love Scholarship for a student entering the teaching profession.

In April 2012, Libby Stultz Burr, ’68, was inducted into the Dawahares/KHSAA (Kentucky High School Athletic Association) Hall of Fame.

Burr was a cheer coach for 28 years, leading her squads to 12 district championships, two regional championships and five K-Pep Awards. She was the National Cheer Coach of the Year in 1992 and the NFHS Spirit Award winner in 2007.

A track coach for 15 years, her teams won three regional awards and one sectional state meet. She lives in Bardstown with her husband, Ben. Phyllis Engleman Price, ’68, and her husband, Gene, have moved to a mobile home community in Fort Wayne, Ind. They have 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and would love to hear from former classmates.

1970s

Deborah Digby Ives, ’70, of Marlton, N.J., teaches at Whitehall Elementary School, a three-time National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence between 2005 and 2010.

Ives was “Teacher of the Year” in 1999. She has three grandchildren, Jason, Grady and Hadley.

John E. Babb III, ’71, retired on January 1, 2013 after 30 years of service as quality assurance administrator for TECO Coal Corporation. He and his wife, Lillian Steele Babb, ’71, live in Corbin, Ky. Sheila McReynolds McQuigg, ’71, is happily retired and lives in Kuttawa, Ky., with her husband, Glen.

Ronald Holihan, ’72, ’73, and Nancy McConnell Holihan, ’72, ’76, live in Graford, Texas.

Ronald recently retired after 37 years as an educator,

assistant athletic director and administrator. The Texas Interscholatic Swimming Coaches Association awarded him the Theron L. Pickle Lifetime Achievement Award for high school coaches who have given back greatly to the sport of swimming and diving and influenced the lives of many athletes. Nancy has also retired after 34 years in education and is traveling with Ron in their motorhome.

Ted Wendt, ’72, recently announced his retirement as associate vice president for faculty affairs at Fresno State University after a 36-year career in higher education.

He held a tenured position as professor at California State University, Chico, and was academic dean at Cameron University, Murray State University, and the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. He and his wife, Mary Sue, live in Modesto, Calif.

Dan Mason, ’73, president and CEO of CBS Radio, received the National Radio Award in September 2012. “Dan Mason’s extensive career in radio, his commitment to innovation and growth, coupled with his programming expertise, have shaped radio,” said John David, National Association of Broadcasters, executive vice president of radio. Mason oversees all operations for CBS Radio’s 130 stations. His growth strategy includes diversifying the division’s portfolio with station formats catering to different age groups and demographics.

Under Mason’s leadership, Top 40 station launches in major cities outperformed previous lineups. CBS Radio’s debut of sports programming on FM stations in Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cleveland proved a successful business model. Mason also increased CBS Radio’s digital presence with an extensive online streaming platform and mobile applications. Dan Mason received an honorary doctorate in humanities from Eastern in 2006. He lives in New York City.

Jennifer Piatt Mockbee, ’74, ’75, recently retired from teaching in Kentucky and North Carolina and is spending balmy winters in Palm Bay, Fla., with husband Stephen.

James “Jim” Ross, ’74, owns CCC Trail Vineyard near Morehead, Ky., with his wife, Darlene Young Ross, ’74.

They bought the vineyard in 2008, which now offers seven wines in addition to “Golden Harvest” developed by previous owners and winner of the 2008 Silver Medal from the American Wine Society. Current wine labels depict Eastern Kentucky cities through the talents of a local artist. The winery features facilities for private events, a tasting room, and fine dining at its Celebrations Cafe.

Janey Feher, ’75, completed her 21st year as a primary teacher at Cumberland Elementary School in Harlan County, Ky. She led the state delegation of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars at the 99th National Convention in Reno, Nev. She is a member of Mountain Trail #5171.

Dennis Alan Gentry, ’75, ’77, recently retired from Fairfield City Schools in Ohio and is now assistant professor of psychology at the University of Cincinnati. He and his wife, Kim, live in Loveland, Ohio.

They have three children.

Daniel Stratton, ’75, of Stratton, Hogg & Maddox, PSC, in Pikeville, Ky., was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters at the University of Pikeville, honoring his years of service to the university and community, including work on the board of Citizens Bank of Pikeville, Kentucky Bar Association, Kentucky Bar Foundation, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Kentucky Bankers Association, American Bankers Association and Community Bankers Council.

He lives with his wife, Marianne, in Pikeville.

Ronald Keith East, ’76, ’78, professor of educational supervision and administration, was granted

Eastern 25

Class Acts

WHERE

D L R O W IN THE

G N I R A E W ARE YOU

?

N O O MAR

8, ith, ‘06, ‘0 Starr Sm ern gear says East everygoes with .even thing..

Mickey sequined ars u o M se e .

World at Disney

During a missio n trip to Guatem ala, Elizabeth Whitt, ’16, shared he r Colonel Prideand one of her many Eastern t-shirts--with a new friend.

Afsi Siahkoohi, ’10, showed the Power of Maroon when she returned to her father’s native land, Iran, to vote in the 2009 presidential election.

h your e been wit ’v u o y s e c pcoming the pla on in an u graphs of si to is o h m p b s su u r ou Send any we print y to accomp ear, and if lonel doll o C a u o Eastern w y ation. e’ll send ing destin astern,” w n interest a issue of “E to re tu ven ur next ad you on yo

26 Eastern

Submit your high resolution (at least 5 megapixel) image or print along with your name and a description of the location where the photograph was taken to Alumni Director Jackie Collier, jackie.collier @eku.edu or Richards Alumni House, Eastern Kentucky Univ ersity, 521 Lancaster Ave., Richmond, KY 40475.

tenure at Southern Wesleyan University in Central, S.C. He and his wife, Bonnie Cleasby East, ’78, live in Easley, S.C. Irving Schoenacker, ’76, ’82, was the chess coach of Keshequa Central School, stepping down after nine seasons in which his team achieved 113 wins, three league championships, two Fab Fives, four middle school and three elementary school championships. He lives in Nunda, N.Y. Tina Barber Bowman, ’77, retired after 30 years as a special education teacher.

David Bowman, ’78, retired after 30 years with Columbia Gas. They are the proud grandparents of Wyatt and Hudson Bowman and live in Midlothian, Va. Patricia McGrath De Freeuw, ’77, celebrated 25 years with Merck and is an executive hospital representative in Fort Wayne, Ind. She and her husband, Michael, have three children, Meghan, Eric and Alex.

Jane Murray, ’77, is in her 38th year with Appalachian Regional Healthcare. She lost her home to a tornado that destroyed much of West Liberty, Ky., in 2012 but has since purchased and settled in to a new abode there.

Dan Haughey, ’78, of Moline, Ill., uses his Eastern theater background in his new oneperson show, “E.A. POE: The Imagination of Edgar Allen Poe,” which has been selected by the Illinois Humanities Council for the 2013 “Road Scholars” speakers bureau.

The show features some of Poe’s most noted works, such as “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Raven.” Haughey’s goal is “to take audience awareness beyond the foreboding nature of Poe’s words. I will explore the musicality and sensations of his words.”

When not channeling Poe, Haughey is professor emeritus in speech & theater arts at Black Hawk College in Moline.

Dale Hashagen Kearney, ’79, was in Uganda with her husband, Randy, and two

other couples for a mission trip. She is retired after two years with a VA hospital and 30 years with a rural school system as a pediatric occupational therapist. She lives in Henderson, N.C. Alan Long, ’79, of Richmond, Ky., a managing partner of Baldwin CPAs, was named one of ten managing partner elites by “Accounting Today.” The inaugural list recognizes ten professionals tackling big issues and making a difference in the accounting industry. Long has led his firm in adapting new technologies, supporting strong revenue growth and improved retention. A leading industry analyst noted that “Alan is quickly emerging as one of the top managing partners in the entire profession. He has incredible visionary and leadership skills and [is helping to build] what will soon be one of the largest and most prestigious CPA firms in the state of Kentucky.”

John Meisenheimer, ’79, has a private practice of dermatology and Mohs surgery in South Orlando, Fla., and is chief of dermatology for the Orlando Regional Hospital system— and a novelist. His recent work of science fiction, “The Immune,” won the 2012 International Book Award for Science Fiction, the Reader’s Favorite Award for Science Fiction and the National Indie Excellence Award for Science Fiction. He previously wrote “Lucky’s Collectors Guide to 20th Century Yo-Yos,” and “The Zombie Cause Dictionary.” He writes that he is now “considered one the world’s authorities on zombies” and is a frequent invited guest at “ZombiCons” [conventions of zombie enthusiasts], including the world’s largest ZombiCon in Ft. Meyers, Fla. Meisenheimer lives in Orlando with his wife, Jacquie, and three sons.

Jennifer Henderson Whitis, ’79, was appointed vice president of human resources for Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance in June. She

Help Us Celebrate Your Little Colonel Let your Alumni Association know about your Little Colonel’s arrival, and we’ll send you an EKU baby bib—free! It’s our way of saying congratulations.

We will also run your announcement in an issue of Eastern magazine. Information, including parent’s name and baby’s name and date of birth, can be submitted using the form on p. 24. If sending a photo, please note that computer-generated photos cannot be published.

has worked with the company since 1996 and has more than 25 years of human resource management experience. She and husband Calvin Whitis, ’79, make their home in Lexington, Ky.

1980s

Durward Hale, ’80, of Prestonsburg, Ky., was well known in his Eastern years as Speck’s doorman. He later spent 40 years with Mountain Comprehensive Care Center, retiring in December 2012 as CFO. He had a great time at the 2012 reunion of “the Speck’s gang” and hopes to stay in touch with other Speck’s fans. He and wife Bonnie live in Prestonsburg, Ky. Sally Combs Hope, ’80, is coauthor of “Living, Loving, & Lasting as a Coach’s Wife,” which gathers wisdom from more than 300 football coaches’ wives. She is married to Danny Hope, ’81.

Seford R. Olsen, ’80, is happily retired, having finished his 15th marathon, the Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., and then a series of sprint triathlons. He and his wife, Catherine, live in Leesburg, Fla. Steven Pollock, ’80, ’81, of Louisville, Ky., completed requirements for his doctorate in business administration at Columbia Southern University and is director of quality engineering for Humana Inc., and an adjunct faculty member in the business

school for Indiana Wesleyan University.

Rick Roberts, ’81, of Paintsville, Ky., played a coal official in the film “Moving Mountains,” to be released in November.

His wife, Lisa, and stepson, Aleister, also had supporting roles. Starring Theresa Russell, the film depicts a community’s response when their water wells are drained by mining activities.

Janet Johnson Wells, ’81, ’85, is in her 28th year at Rockcastle County High School and 18th as school librarian. She is presidentelect of the Association of School Librarians. She and her husband, John Wells, ’83, live in Crab Orchard, Ky. Paul Dillon, ’82, ’88, was promoted to director of special investigations for Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance, where he has been employed since 2001. He and his wife, Debra Wartinger Dillon, ’82, live in Lexington, Ky. Robert G. Wood, ’82, has been appointed to a position on the joint staff at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., where his studies will aid in concept development and experimentation of ways that future commanders will employ military capabilities to satisfy national security and defense strategy objectives within and across the range of military options. Wood is married to Judy Layne-Wood, ’82.

Eastern 27

Class Acts

Refer a Prospective Student We invite you to submit the names of relatives and friends who you think would be great Eastern students. Each referred student will receive useful information about Eastern programs and admissions procedures. Tell us about future Colonels by completing the online form at http://admissions.eku.edu/referral.

William Davis, ’83, has published a novel, a time travel and crime mystery set in Kentucky.

“When the Shade Comes Over Us” is available through Amazon. Davis lives in Mesa, Ariz.

Robin Brewer DeHate, ’83, is the senior risk manager and corporate health and safety officer for GEI, a leading international geotechnical, environmental, water resources and ecological science and engineering firm. DeHate is responsible for managing and coordinating human health and ecological risk assessment practices. With her diverse background in the environmental and occupational fields, she helps identify exposure pathways, evaluates potential risks, and develops control methodologies. She also helps private industry clients plan and prepare for chemical and biological emergencies, including bioterrorism. DeHate served as Florida’s EPA on-scene coordinator for emergency responses to mitigate the effects of released materials.

She holds a Ph.D. and Master of Public Health degree in toxicology from the University of South Florida and a B.S. in environmental health science from Eastern.

James Hamm, ’84, ’89, of Richmond, Ky., a 29-year veteran educator, will serve as state manager of Monticello independent school district.

28 Eastern

Holding bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as a superintendent certificate from Eastern, he will help manage district-wide improvements in administration, operations, finance, personnel and instruction. Kentucky education commissioner Terry Holliday cited Hamm’s “extensive experience in many areas of education, from the classroom to central office.”

Susan Whittaker Hopkins, ’85, directs outreach services for the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority. She is also the proud mother of Ian, an Eastern student. She and her husband, Russ, live in Frankfort.

Pete David, ’85, of Albuquerque, N.M., has published his first novel, “Mother Nature’s Son,” an environmental thriller which follows the adventures of a federal wildlife officer working with an ecoterrorist group.

David received his master’s in biology from Eastern and has had a 25-year career in natural resources program management with various state and federal agencies.

Margaret Metzger Zoeckler, ’85, of Bethlehem, W.Va., recently brought her fouryear-old twins to rub Daniel Boone’s boot and see other campus landmarks. “It was so much fun going down memory lane again,” she writes.

Larry Lee, ’86, has published “Living in a Test Tube,” a spiritual study of intellectual choice between good and evil.

He lives in Louisville, Ky.

Charles “Chuck” Preston, ’86, is a technical support analyst at Dollar General, Inc., in Goodlettsville, Tenn., and lives in Franklin, Ky. He was appointed an elder of Centerpointe Church in Bowling Green, Ky. Cloyd J. Baumgardner, ’87, ’90, ’92, oversees the Somerset (Ky.) Independent Schools’ extended school services program, which assists students with academic difficulties. He manages the 21st Century Learning Center and migrant education program and coordinates textbooks, school safety and energy management planning. Baumgardner lives in Somerset.

Barry Cornell Cox, ’87, reports that his daughter Autumn is in her first year with the Air Force, while her sister Deirdra is in the first grade. Cox is retired from the civil service and is a part-time mental health worker.

Paul A. Dean, ’87, was named finance officer of Garrard County School District in Lancaster, Ky. He and wife Karen Sue live in Perryville with their two children.

John Kevin Willis, ’87, has been named senior vice president and CFO of Ashland, Inc., a Fortune 500 company which provides specialty chemicals and technologies in more than 100 countries. Willis joined the company in 1987 as an associate auditor and served in various management positions, including a threeyear assignment in the Netherlands. He lives in Fort Mitchell, Ky. James E. Rainey, ’87, was one of 1.67 percent of colonels promoted to brigadier general by the U.S. Army. He received his promotion in March.

Lt. Gen. David Perkins said that Rainey had the heart of a soldier and warrior, but also is a scholar warrior: “It is no accident that we put him out to lead our Army of the future.” Rainey will now direct the Mission Command Center of Excellence at Fort Leavenworth. He is a member of Eastern’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni and began his career in ROTC. He

lives in Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., with his wife, Terry Shrout Rainey, ’98.

Michael Graese, ’88, is the new garrison commander at Fort Jackson, S.C. Graese has been posted to Fort Hood, Texas, as III Corps, deputy chief of staff. He and his wife, Susan Simpson Graese, ’88, have three sons.

Alan Ewing, ’89, is now the executive director of Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), a global innovator to develop smartphone-based connected car solutions such as MirrorLink, a technology standard for controlling a nearby smartphone from the steering wheel or via dashboard buttons and screens. In his previous 14 years with Nokia, Ewing became a prominent figure in the global mobile industry. He lives in Irving, Texas, with his wife, Mylinda (Mindy) Quinn Ewing.

Amy Caudill Hogg, ’89, ’93, has published a children’s book, “Callie Rose.” She lives with her husband, Mike Hogg, ’90, ’95, in Berea, Ky., with their daughters Ellie and Claire.

1990s

Christy Hendricks, ’90, is vice president and assistant general counsel of Ohio Health in Columbus, Ohio.

Joanna Green, ’91, of Richmond, Texas, has worked with the Houston police department since 1991 and was promoted to sergeant in 2008. Since September 2010 she has been on solo motorcycle detail.

Michael Hail, ’92, a professor of government in the Institute for Regional Analysis and Public Policy at Morehead State University, was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve on the board of trustees of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, a federal program for U.S. college juniors interested in public service.

Hail’s nomination must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

He lives in Somerset, Ky.

Gayle Purple Hutcherson, ’92, of Lexington, Ky., retired in 2010 after 20 years of teaching in Kenton, Madison, Jefferson and Fayette counties. She was nominated seven times to Who’s Who Among High School Teachers and received Fayette County Public School’s FAME award four times in six years. The award is based on essays written by high school seniors describing a teacher, coach or mentor who made a difference in their lives. In retirement she enjoys reading, golfing, singing and her grandchildren.

Clinton Riley, ’92, of Hamilton, N.J., former editor of the Eastern Progress, became a senior partner of Lumentus, a New York City-based communications firm which specializes in technology-driven strategic communications and messaging.

Chad Bratzke, ’93, was inducted into the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame in June, becoming the fifth Colonel so honored. A walk-on defensive end for EKU head coach Roy Kidd, Bratzke evolved into a two-time All-American and Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

In the 1994 NFL draft, he was selected by the New York Giants. Five years later he moved to the Indianapolis Colts, where he led in sacks for three consecutive years.

He played 129 NFL games, recording 413 tackles and 56.5 sacks in 10 seasons. He was inducted into the EKU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006 and named to the all-century football team in 2009.

Carrie Fuqua Wilkerson, ’93, of Owensboro, Ky., has received the Outstanding School Library Web Site award from the Kentucky Association of School Librarians. She is a library media specialist at North Hancock Elementary School.

Denna Harrison Brockman, ’94, graduated in 2011 from NKU-Salmon P. Chase College of Law and now works for the state of Kentucky in the department of criminal justice

training. She lives in Berea with her husband, Darren, and has two children.

Edward Bromley, ’95, has published a devotional book, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” which offers creative suggestions for enjoying the season. Bromley lives with his wife, Stacy, in Calvert City, Ky. Randy Garland, ’95, of Lexington, Ky., was named vice president for information technology and chief information officer for Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance, where he has a 17year tenure. He brings more than 23 years of experience in information technology and insurance to the post.

Sherry Markins Cahill, ’96, of Lexington, Ky., has written two books under the pen name C.C. Marks about a community trapped in a post-apocalyptic world, “Mercy” and “Edge of Mercy.” A graduate student in Eastern’s counseling program, Cahill has an English degree and teaching certification from Eastern.

John Kaiser, ’97, was promoted in 2010 to the rank of lieutenant with the Middletown, N.J., police department. Having completed his master’s in administrative science, he is now an adjunct professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, teaching ethics, leadership and management to undergraduate and graduate students.

Scott Ecker, ’98, who graduated from the sports administration program, is happy to announce his appointment as associate vice president and controller at Carthage College in Kenosa, Wis. He has long wanted to work at the college level and is looking forward to helping to replicate for others the quality of student experience he enjoyed at Eastern. He and his wife, Ann, live in Greendale, Wis.

2000s

Chastity Bowlin, ’00, of Richmond, Ky., now in Eastern’s graduate counseling program, has published her first book, “The Haunting of a Duke,” a paranormal romance.

Lewis Diaz, ’00, ’02, an attorney with Peck, Shaffer & Williams LLP, serves as secretary/treasurer on the board of the Northern Kentucky Area Development District and has recently been appointed to the board of directors for the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission, which operates early childhood programs such as Head Start, provides housing and energy assistance, training and education and other community services intended to reduce poverty.

Diaz concentrates his practice on affordable housing and traditional governmental finance projects, working with municipalities, state and local housing agencies, for-profit developers, nonprofit housing organizations and investment banking firms. He lives in Burlington, Ky., with his wife, Rebecca.

Frank Wilson, ’00, who received his master’s in criminal justice and safety at Eastern, is researching the Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery in Huntsville, Texas, where more than 3,000 inmates from the Texas prison system have been buried since 1850. “As a social scientist, it makes me wonder what events in their lives led them to be here,” he says. An assistant professor with the department of African American studies at Indiana State University, he is the founding chair of the International Crime, Media, and Popular Cultural Studies Conference and edits the Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture.

English department from 2003-2012 while teaching high school English in Lincoln and Madison counties.

Walter Lee Smith, ’03, is the criminal justice program coordinator for Hazard Community and Technical College. He lives in Bulan, Ky. Lillie Mae Benge-Sungy, ’04, of London, Ky., area specialist in rural development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, received the EEO Achievement and Employee of the Year Award for 2012.

Christa Borders, ’05, of Peewee Valley, Ky., is working with the YMCA as a special education teacher.

André Ralston, ’06, Naval Petty Officer 3rd Class, formed a Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD) committee. CSADD is a peer-to-peer mentoring program originally created for the ROTC to address issues ranging from sexual assault to safe driving and alcohol use.

Andrea Cleveland, ’07, is now with Richard Childress Racing, where she is communications manager for NASCAR driver Paul Menard. Previously, she enjoyed working at Richard Petty Motorsports. She lives in Mooresville, N.C. Kris Michael Hanson, ’07, of Elizabethtown, Ky., works at Best Buy. Jessica Sabath, ’07, is an assistant registrar at Notre Dame College and lives in nearby Willoughby, Ohio.

She enjoyed playing on the Eastern volleyball team in 2003-08 and writes that the Eastern campus “looks great with all the changes!”

Abby Day Fowler, ’09, has been named Elementary Teacher of the Year by the Kentucky Music Educators Association. She works for Madison County Schools and lives in Richmond.

Linda Gabaldon Maxwell, ’02, was voted employee of the month at Scott’s Branch High School in Summerton, S.C. Linda taught in Eastern’s

Eastern 29

Class Acts

2010s

Felicia Buttery, ’10, is a mental health specialist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, working toward her doctorate in clinical psychology at University of the Cumberlands. She lives in Covington, Ky. Seth Wright, ’10, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Zachary Schlott, ’11, Palantine, Ill., recently completed U.S. Navy basic training in Great Lakes, Ill. Joshua Taylor Hawkins, ’11, of Radcliff, Ky., works at Kroger.

Non-degreed Alumni or Alumni of Unknown Class Year Paulita Kincer of Columbus, Ohio, has written for the Tampa Tribune, Columbus Dispatch, Middletown Journal, Baltimore Sun, and St.Petersburg Times (now the Tampa Times). Her novel, “The Summer of France,” follows an American family through their adventures running a B&B in Provence.

The book has risen to the top 30 Kindle ebooks under France Travel.

Newlyweds Laura Edwards, ’92, to Maury Young on April 20, 2013. They now live in Louisville, Ky. Theodore “T.J.” Phillips Jr., ’04, to Michelle Davidson on June 23, 2012. He is a CFO analyst and manager of financial services at The Kroger Co. corporate headquarters and lives in Lakeside Park, Ky. Amanda Rohrkasse, ’07, to Craig Flick, ’08, on June 8, 2012. Both are from Cincinnati, Ohio, and make their home there now.

Morgan Benter, ’09, to Joshua Schweinfurth, ’09, on July 27, 2012. Morgan is a nurse in the newborn intensive care unit at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Joshua teaches math-

30 Eastern

ematics in the Oak Hills school district of Cincinnati, where they live with their “fur-baby” dachshund, Olliver.

Shalyn Marie Braden, ’09, to Brennan Thomas Jones.

Angie Zoller, ’09, to Drew Brubaker, ’08. They were both Student Alumni Ambassadors at Eastern and wonder if they’re the first married SAA couple.

They live in Hilliard, Ohio.

Junior Alumni Kathryn “Kat” Ligon to Grant Petty, ’92, and Elizabeth Petty on July 18, 2012.

Meredith Quinn to Jolie D. Ockerman Moore, ’98, and Les Moore, ’96, on January 4, 2013, welcomed by big sister Olivia. The family lives in Burlington, Ky. Palmer Ann to Charles Neal, ’98, and Season Welsh Neal of Jeffersonville, Ind., on June 29, 2012.

Rachel Joy to David Sadler, ’99, and Cheryl Sadler on July 13, 2011, joining big sister Hannah. The family lives in Nicholasville, Ky. Alvin Cheng, ’02, ’05, and Carrie Marie Cheng of Mount Vernon, Ohio, have a new baby.

Joan Wegner, ’02, of Melbourne, Ky., has a new baby.

Mayla Christine to Amy Petrey Back, ’03, and Robert G. Back on January 29, 2013.

Caroline Joy to Candace Proffitt Kuhl, ’04, and Phil Kuhl, ’04, on July 18, 2011. Phil was Eastern’s punter and kicker from 2000-2004 and is finishing his pediatric dental residency at Temple University. Candace received her bachelor’s in communication disorders. The family lives in Philadelphia, Pa.

Colton David to Miranda Summer Moore, ’04, and Harold David Moore III, ’06, on February 1, 2013.

They live in Richmond, Ky. Eve Katherine Charlotte on July 5, 2012, to Kaila Baldwin Horn, ’05, ’06, and Matt Horn, ’02, ’06, joining siblings Josiah, Judah, and Jedidiah at their home in Lexington, Ky. Allie Harper to Derek McIntyre, ’05, and Rita McIntyre on April 17, 2011. Proud first-time grandfather is Kevin Wayne Whitman, ’70, ’80.

Nathan James to Brooke Leigh Scott, ’05, and Matthew Alan Scott, ’05, on February 14, 2013, joining Blake, age 3, in Louisville, Ky. Trey Browning to Ashley Runyon Aitkin, ’06, and Richard Browning Aitkin II, ’05, on October 24, 2012. Trey is baby brother to Hunter. The family is at home in Alpharetta, Ga. Jacob Tyler to Rita Denise Manning Morgan, ’06, and Tyler Wade Morgan, ’06, on January 12, 2013. The family lives in Waco, Ky. Auldin Fisher to Nicholas Auldin Hamby, ’07, and Whitney Irene Hamby on January 8, 2013. The family lives in Jameston, Tenn.

Brody Patrick to Kathryn “Katie” Massey Fromholt, ’09, and Jordan Nicholas Fromholt, ’09, on June 20, 2012.

Camden Christopher Lee to Brandi Caudill Fitzgerald, ’09, and Chris Fitzgerald, ’99, on October 29, 2010. Brandi is a special education teacher and Chris teaches physical education, both in Pulaski County, Ky. They live in Burnside.

Gabriel Michael to Marcie Michelle Rogers, ’10, and Paul Brandon Paris, ’10, on August 29, 2012. The family lives in Louisville, Ky.

McKinley Harper to Anna Elizabeth Lynne Cappel, ’12, and Daniel Cappel on February 14, 2013.

Connor Nathaniel to Lindsey Wilson Sherman, ’10, and Trevor Sherman, ’09, on November 9, 2012. The family lives in Corbin, Ky. Aiden to Juliana (Jules) Williams Metcalfe, ’12, and Westley Metcalfe, an Eastern student, of Richmond, Ky., on December 9, 2012.

Losses in the Eastern Family Louise Rutledge Dowerman, ’33, on October 10, 2012, at age 100.

After graduating from Eastern, the Richmond, Ky., native earned a degree from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College and attended graduate school at the University of Wisconsin. She lived most of her life in Florida, where she helped husband Jake run the family farm and was librarian at Broward Community College. Upon her husband’s death in 1996, she retired to Danville, Ky., and established the Rutledge-Dowerman Endowed Scholarship Fund to benefit deserving Eastern students. That fund, combined with an $843,430 estate gift that fortifies the scholarship endowment, makes Dowerman one of the University’s most generous benefactors. In 1997 Dowerman was inducted into the EKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni and received an honorary Doctor of Letters.

She was awarded Eastern’s Presidential Award of Merit in 2005.

Mary Billingsley Garth, ’42, on February 23, 2013. She taught math and chemistry in high schools in Middlesboro, Ky., Clarksdale, Miss., and St. Louis, Mo. She was an active volunteer and regular first place winner at the St. Louis Senior Olympics in free throw shooting. She lived in Paoli, Ind.

James Harold Bunton, ’49, ’50, on March 26, 2013. A “lover of all things Kentucky,” he served in the U.S. Army as a medic, earned his master’s from Eastern and worked as an education specialist for FEMA. He is survived by his wife, Helen.

Charles Roland Perry, ’49, on February 28, 2013. He lived in Jupiter, Fla., and was a proud member of the Eastern family.

Roman D. Todoran, ’51, of Canton, Ohio, on March 19, 2012. A sports enthusiast, he played football at Eastern and coached in a Kentucky state championship baseball game.

In 1989 he retired from Canton city schools, where he was a proud member of the teachers union. He would ask that, in his memory, friends take a loved one to a ball game. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Billie.

Joseph F. Mattingly, ’57, on January 5, 2013. He was an Air Force veteran of the Korean War and retired manager for Kroger who lived in Lexington, Ky. He was predeceased by his wife, Dr. Joan Kitson Mattingly.

Nancy Norfleet Barker, ’58, of Pulaski County, Ky., on May 29, 2012. Survivors include her son, Merial L. Barker, and grandaughter, Julia Wise, both of whom attended Eastern.

Born in 1915, Nancy Barker began her teaching career in a one-room school and retired 41 years later from Nancy Elementary School.

Ernest Holmes, ’58, on July 25, 2012, at his family farm in Bracken County, Ky. He served in the U.S. Army for 21 years, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel and earning the Master Aviator Wings, Imperial Iranian Army Aviator Wings, the Bronze Star and other honors for valor and service. He later flew for Continental Express. He is survived by his wife, Clara, three children and a large extended family.

Virginia Patrick Yeager, ’58, on August 8, 2012, at the age of 98. She was born in Estill County, Ky., and lived there all her life, retiring as a teacher.

Her grandson, Lance Yeager, ’97, and his wife, Kathleen, live in Louisville, Ky. Dr. Fred Allen Engle Jr., ’51, on March 8, 2012.

An iconic figure in what is now Eastern’s college of business & technology and among local historians, Engle graduated from Model Laboratory School and taught commerce and economics at Eastern from 1959 until his retirement in 1998, when he was named faculty emeritus.

He was active on campus, chairing the faculty senate and advising student groups.

Devoted to his community, Engle served on the board of Central Baptist Hospital, was a member of the Richmond Historical Society and the Madison County Library Board. In 1969, he and Dr. Robert Grise began writing “Madison’s Heritage,” a weekly local history column for The Richmond Register.

Engle’s father, Dr. Fred A. Engle Sr., also taught at Eastern, and his son, Dr. Allen D. Engle, ’78, ’80, has taught in the college of business & technology since 1989.

George E. Proctor, ’64, ’67, on April 20, 2010. He was a co-founder of Sigma Chi Delta fraternity in 1963 (which later became the Theta Theta chapter of Sigma Nu). He was president of the EKU Alumni Association from 1985-86 and served as executive director of the Indiana Masonic Home Foundation. After teaching English and speech in Kentucky and at Bloomington (Ind.) South High School, he directed human resources at Farm Fans, Inc. At the time of his death, Proctor was vice chairman emeritus of the Lexington Shriners Hospital for Children, where he had served 11 years on the board of directors. He was named a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason in Boston in 1993 and was active in other masonic organizations. Survivors include his wife, Debra, and two sons.

Dr. Hugh N. Burkett, ’66, on January 11, 2013 at his home in Lexington, Ky. He was a former associate professor in the restorative dentistry department at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

Known as an outstanding clinician, he authored many manuals and mentored generations of young dentists.

At Eastern, he was student council president in 1966 and a loyal member of Sigma Chi Delta. He is survived by his wife, Alice.

Thomas Shea, ’66, on July 10, 2012. He lived in Dayton, Ohio, but loved boating and owned a home on Lake Cumberland. He passed often through Richmond and enjoyed touring the campus with his grandsons, both of whom proudly wear Eastern t-shirts.

Maggie Kash Porter, ’67, on January 29, 2013. She taught in Trenton City (Ohio) schools for 30 years, retiring in 1987, and was active in her church and in tutoring after retirement. She lived in Middletown, Ohio.

Larry Denney, ’69, on May 3, 2012, after a long illness. He was a proud member of McCreary County (Ky.) High School’s 1964 basketball team that went to the state championships. After studying English and philosophy at Eastern, he had a fulfilling career in the insurance business, working for St. Paul, AIG, Crabtree-Wilson, SmithSternau, Home Builders of America, and Kentucky Association of Counties. In 2006, Denney opened his own business, Kentucky County Insurance Services, Inc. An avid golfer, he was briefly pro manager of McCreary County Golf Club. He was a Kentucky Colonel, a member of the BMW Club of America and enjoyed car racing at Putnam Park. With a habit of generosity, he gave yearly to Eastern and loved to surprise people at restaurants–couples on their anniversaries, military personnel or senior citizens

might discover that Denney had paid for their meals. He lived in Louisville and is survived by his wife of 12 years, Cynthia Freeman Denney, ’69, and a large extended family.

Daniel Watt, ’69, on February 27, 2005. After teaching 10 years in Wilmington, Del., he became a travel agent, which enabled him to fulfill his dream of seeing all 50 states.

He lived in Drexel Hill, Pa. Richard Burns, ’72, on October 10, 2012, following a long illness. While at Eastern, he was active in Sigma Chi Delta and met his future wife, Connie Shotwell Burns, ’72. He taught industrial arts at Campbell County High School (Alexandria, Ky.) and Lloyd High School (Erlanger, Ky.), and then worked as a designer and draftsman at Interlake Steel and Litton Unit Handling. After earning an associate degree at Cincinnati Technical College, he worked as a design engineer for Newport Steel.

He leaves his wife, Connie, and three children, Brandy, Casey, and Corey.

Craig Bryan Schleigh, ’73, on October 12, 2012. He lived in Fredericksburg, Va., with his wife, Kathleen, and was in his 40th and final year of teaching for King George County Schools, planning to retire in June 2013.

Jerry Kirk, ’76, on June 1, 2012, after a brief illness. He had owned and operated The Kirk Co., a newspaper circulation business, for more than 30 years. He was a proud member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. Kirk lived in Andersonville, Tenn., and is survived by his wife, son and two daughters.

Jerry W. Lovitt, ’76, ’84, ’92, on May 29, 2012, of cancer. He served 35 years in the military, including U.S. Army, National Guard and Coast Guard, retiring as commander of the

Eastern 31

Class Acts

615th MP Det., receiving the Soldier’s Medal and the Legion of Merit Award. He was a career Kentucky state policeman, holding every permanent and appointed rank in the organization and retiring as commissioner after 27 years. He was a former commander of Richmond (Ky.) Post 7 and received the Valor Award for Bravery. At Eastern he taught in the college of justice & safety and was selected as an outstanding alumnus in 1991, with induction into the Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 1995.

After retirement he worked for the city of Nicholasville for more than 10 years. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Debbie, his son, and extended family.

Becky Giltner Melching, ’76, ’77, of Edgewood, Ky., on February 15, 2011. She served on the Kenton County school board, was Eastern’s national alumni president and an admissions counselor.

Inducted into the Scott High School Athletic Hall of Fame, she taught at Bellevue, Turkeyfoot, Dixie and Summitview schools. She is survived by her husband, Jeff, two sons, and mother Mary Jean Giltner.

James Cole, ’78, on January 25, 2013. He lived in Buford, Ga., and was retired from AT&T and a former coach with North Gwinnett Basketball Association. He was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity and is survived by his wife, Pamela Lehman Cole, ’80.

Clay Paul Richter, ’79, on March 2, 2013. After graduating in fire science from Eastern, he created early links between Eastern and the Louisville, Ky., fire department. A principal member of the National Fire Protection Association, he was a High Protected Risk (HPR) consulting engineer, working in 49 states and 72 countries.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy.

32 Eastern

Dudley “Corey” Sisk, ’90, on September 27, 2012, at his home in Cornelia, Ga. At Eastern, he was a member of the cheerleading squad, then served in the U.S. Army in the 82nd Airborne and in the Honor Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. He was an artist and caricaturist, an avid outdoorsman, beekeeper, gardener, cook and “checkerupper-on-the-old-folks.”

Nicholas A. Cain, ’97, on January 30, 2013. He lived in Owensboro, Ky. Whitney Gail Praska, ’08, on November 11, 2012. She worked for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. She was actively involved in raising cancer awareness, including founding Boobalooza, an annual fundraising event to benefit cancer research. She served as 2012 honorary chair of Rally for the Cure in Frankfort and was a participant in the National Cancer Institute’s Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Study.

Non-degreed Alumni or Alumni of Unknown Class Year Thomas Clay Sams on June 9, 2011. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War and worked for Arrow Electric. He was buried with military honors. Sams lived in Carlisle, Ky., and is survived by his wife, Rebecca, daughters Amie and Amanda, a brother and three beloved pets.

Former Faculty & Staff Rosie Cain on August 17, 2012. She was a faithful member of Eastern’s facilities department and leaves four children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Mary Turpin Coyle on March 4, 2013. A retired dining service employee, she was a warm and caring person, whom many students regarded as their

grandmother away from home. She leaves her husband of 44 years, Ralph.

Dwight “Dean” Gatwood on March 26, 2013. He taught lettering, color theory, ceramics, painting and art education at Eastern from 1947 to his retirement in 1980. He also taught at Model Laboratory School, with a particular interest in early childhood art development.

He received his B.A. in music and art and an M.A. in art from George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tenn. Gatwood was a gifted musician, performing on jazz cornet with the EKU Swing Band, the Roy Sharp Orchestra of Lexington and the Bourbonaires. He also sang for many years with the Richmond Choral Society. Gatwood generously shared his talents in art and music with the Richmond community, composing songs and anthems and designing the ceremonial mace still used today at EKU commencement ceremonies.

He was an avid and skilled winemaker, a passion he shared with his beloved late wife, Grace, creating a hit at the 2001 American Wine Society Convention with his persimmon wine.

Dr. Hugh R. Gilliland on December 23, 2011. He taught industrial education and technology and was a veteran of the U.S. Army. His wife, Patricia Gollahon Gilliland, ’71, was a nursing student at Eastern and passed away on July 14, 2012. They lived in Oak Island, N.C. Dr. Timothy G. Kiogora on December 31, 2012, after a brief illness. An associate professor in the department of foreign languages and humanities, he also taught in the African/African-American Studies Program, passionate about educating students and colleagues about the African diaspora. He was an ordained Methodist minister and previously taught at Nairobi University and Asbury Theological Seminary. Colleagues remember his gentle soul and calming presence. Kiogora’s chapter, Toward An African Renaissance: Pan-Africanism and Africans in the Diaspora,

from “Retracing Africa: A Multidisciplinary Study of African Histories, Societies and Culture,” was edited by EKU colleagues Dr. Ogechi Anyanwu and Dr. Salome Nnoromele. He leaves his wife, Joyce, and four children.

Kiogora will be buried in Kenya.

Dr. Nancy Dale Peel on February 17, 2013. She earned her doctor of divinity at Harvard and was a distinguished professor of elementary education at Eastern, a sponsor of Kappa Delta Tau, a member of the Hart Chapter of the D.A.R., and served as president of the Clark County Teachers Association.

Edwin D. Smathers Jr. on December 10, 2012. Retired from the Air Force, he taught industrial technology at Eastern from 1979 to 1987, developing courses for master’s degree candidates.

He is survived by his widow, Mary Ellen Lawson Klatte, ’65.

Dr. David Wehr, director of choral activities at Eastern from 1971 to 1979, on May 9, 2013, at his home in Catonsville, Md. The author of more than 50 published works for choir, organ, handbells and carillon, Wehr received numerous awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Nancy, sons David and Paul Wehr, and daughter Jennifer Wehr Brosky.

Clifford Wilson on March 6, 2013. A former associate professor of accounting, he taught at Eastern from 1970 to 1990. He was a World War II veteran, serving 44 missions in the Pacific as a B24 tail gunner. He was a CPA and an advisor to Beta Alpha Psi fraternity.

In the End

Data-driven

lightbulb minutes

Dr. Kristie Blevins readily admits that most students in the School of Justice Studies don’t come willingly to her courses in data analysis and research methodology. New forensic technologies seem more exciting than data curves.Yet by mid-semester students enthusiastically describe “lightbulb moments,” astounded when empirical evidence deflates blithe media pronouncements and political grandstanding. Critical thinking matters! Consider the stakes, Blevins demands: a costly penal system which employs and incarcerates millions of citizens. What works? What doesn’t? How do we know?

Blevins came to criminology through her own “lightbulb moment.” A firstgeneration student at East Tennessee State University, she took an elective in criminology, changed her major and never looked back. While earning a master’s at ETSU and doctorate in criminal justice at the University of Cincinnati, she discovered Eastern’s sterling reputation in the field. Joining the Eastern faculty in 2011 was the “best professional move I ever made.” Not only does eastern Kentucky remind her of home, but “these students are me.They’re driven to make a difference.”

Blevins is energized by her many nontraditional students in online and campus classes and the deep gratification when coursework directly impacts lives, careers and communities. Recently she helped a student working in a sheriff’s office strategize an electronic monitoring system that could reduce jail overcrowding, ensure public safety, and support the offenders’ rehabilitation. Her undergraduates quantify characteristics of successful police officers. “Criminal justice is stressful,” Blevins warns. Reliable data, well interpreted, can help select good candidates for law enforcement, improve work conditions and optimize performance.

For Dr. Allen Ault, dean of Eastern’s College of Justice & Safety, Blevins exemplifies his demanding criteria for college faculty: respected professionals, dedicated teachers and superb leaders with exemplary interpersonal and communication skills. Her colleague, Dr. Preston Elrod, speaks to her incredible energy, saying, “Where there’s a need, she steps up, always cheerful, positive and supportive.” Blevins coordinates the co-op program, advises Lambda Alpha Epsilon, the criminal justice fraternity, always makes time for students and is a “very productive” professional.

“Very productive” means a résumé listing pages and pages of journal articles, book chapters, encyclopedia entries, edited works, service projects and program analyses. Her research models substantive, real-world focus. Current projects include evaluating a coordinated community response to domestic violence; a three-state analysis of burglary methods and deterrent factors; a study of how parental aggression impacts public school teachers and coaches; and an evaluation of police department policies on social media. Graduate students assist in most projects. In one grant-funded project, she mentors master’s candidate Conrad Lanham, who grew up hunting, fishing and tracking and now quantifies the impacts of expanded jurisdictions of Kentucky conservation officers, melding his passions with real career preparation.

Dedicated to research-driven choices, Kristie Blevins and her husband are careful to schedule “off ” time, enjoying SCUBA excursions, geocaching and field adventures with her dog—a bloodhound, of course.

Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Permit #574 Lebanon Junction, KY

Office of Alumni Relations Richards Alumni House Eastern Kentucky University 521 Lancaster Avenue Richmond, Kentucky 40475-3102 www.eku.edu

SATURDAY:

. parade parties, the 10 a.m IER TIME), (Note the NEW, EARL ilgate, Colonel Country Ta take on and the Colonels Tennessee Tech

Ny atDthAe RaYce: s U S Da EKU (Keeneland, that is)

THE TIME: ALL You, favorite faculty, good friends and Campus Beautiful

Join Us and help build tomorrow’s traditions!

For more details, visit www.alumni.eku.edu or contact Jackie Collier, director of alumni relations, at jackie.collier@eku.edu or (859) 622-1260.