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in this issue
Features
Vol. 98, No. 1, Fall 2011
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25 Years of Environmental Programs at UF
Trained Response The All Hazards Training Center
Findlay magazine is published by The University of Findlay. It is mailed free of charge to alumni and friends of the University twice a year.
President:
Katherine Fell, Ph.D.
Vice President for Development: David P. Ferguson
Director of Public Information: Suzanne Wilcox English M ‘09
Managing Editor and Photographer: Anne Risser Lee
Contributing Writers:
Charlene J. Hankinson M ‘09 Brianna (Martin) Patterson ’03, M ’07 Hannah Wurm, communication major
Director of Alumni and Parent Relations:
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13 Hands On
ESOH students research equine bedding products
Ernst Takes the Helm in Men’s Hoops
Departments
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Tom Brungard M ‘96, ‘98
Alumni Board of Governors Officers:
President: Julie (Dean) McIntosh, Ed.D. ’90 Vice President: Susan Hite ’87 Secretary: Robin (Shanaberger) Hopkins ’01 Past President: Cam Lea (Roberts) Taylor ’67 Elected Representatives (3-year terms): Jennnifer Beall-Harp ’98 Barbara (Balcik) Buford ’90 Ronald Cable ’64 Debra (Prichard) Ebert ’89 Robin (Shanaberger) Hopkins ’01 Keith Mohr ’67 Michael Murphy ’72 Phillip Riegle ’00 Kayla Shannon ’10 James Taylor ’72 Scott Zahler ’99
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on campus advancements alum events alum notes
Learning to Lead ... and Leading Others
Dee Dee Spraw ’00, M ’07
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Appointed Representatives (2-year terms): Marcy Banner ’93 Peter Dalpiaz ’08 Matthew Maglicic ’92 Richard Malcolm ’55 Ryan Smith ’00, M ’07 Alumni Trustees: Robert Fry Susan Hite ’87 Representatives to Trustee Committees: Business Affairs: Ron Cable ’64 Development: Jennifer Beall-Harp ’98 Student Services: Keith Mohr ’67 Instruction: Susan Hite ’87
Evolving to Meet the Needs of Students and Society
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his issue of Findlay magazine celebrates the 25th anniversary of the University’s environmental, safety and occupational health management program. Over the years, the program has graduated more than 1,400 students, with many Findlay grads holding respected positions in city, county, state and federal agencies; major corporations; and numerous smaller environmental firms. The job opportunities for our graduates exceed the supply of graduates — an enviable position for our graduates. A review of the program’s history shows that it has experienced several name changes and has refocused its direction at times, both in the academic and training areas. The program was established in response to the need for trained laboratory workers and supervisors in the growing field of hazardous waste cleanup, then moved toward environmental compliance and industrial health and safety. A master’s program that allows graduates to advance in their fields was added, and training was expanded to include emergency and disaster preparation and management. Today, we are adding a new focus on green energy and environmental sustainability. The program and the many directors, faculty and staff who have helped to make it a success deserve our congratulations. We hope that our alumni will return to campus to celebrate its 25th anniversary with us during our (first-ever!) combined Homecoming and Family Weekend, Oct. 14-16. It is just this anticipation of the challenges of society, this constant seeking to meet the needs of a changing workplace, that is a hallmark of The University of Findlay. The University began as Findlay College, a liberal arts school, but soon added a business college, a conservatory of music and a “normal school” to educate teachers, all in response to the needs of the community. In the 1970s, Findlay was early to add “weekend college” classes to accommodate working adults, and began to develop a number of specialty programs. The environmental program was among these early successes. Others include UF’s Intensive English Language Program for international students, equestrian riding and training and pre-veterinary medicine. Those programs that have remained strongest are those that have continued to grow, to anticipate changes and take action to remain current and relevant. In the words of management guru Tom Peters, “Excellent firms don’t believe in excellence — only in constant improvement and constant change.” The University of Findlay is committed to constant improvement and to the hard work of ongoing assessment, revision and change to meet the needs of students, the workplace and society.
Dr. Katherine Fell, President
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25 Years of Environmental Programs at UF By Charlene Hankinson M ‘09
The University of Findlay is celebrating the silver anniversary of its environmental program, which has more than 1,400 alumni who have earned undergraduate and graduate degrees over the past 25 years.
Like a chameleon, The University of Findlay’s environmental program has continuously adapted to changing circumstances over the past quarter century. Initially established in 1986, the program was designed to educate people to manage the complex issues connected with the nation’s drive to clean up toxic waste sites. Reaching its 25th anniversary is a testament to the responsiveness of the environmental program in adjusting the curriculum. Over the years, courses were added with a focus on environmental policy and compliance, health and safety in the workplace and emergency management and, recently, the program has embraced environmental sustainability and renewable energy studies. The success of the program in meeting the rapidly evolving needs of industry and government is seen in the high demand for graduates. Internship and job offers far outpace the number of students to fill them. Findlay’s graduates have found jobs in city, county or state health departments; state and federal agencies, such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Fortune 100 and 500 companies. Findlay’s alumni have a continuing impact in making the nation’s businesses and communities safer and more sustainable.
Beginning with a good idea Luke Bartolomeo, Ph.D., was chair of the Division of Natural Science in 1984 when he began investigating a new major at the suggestion of the late William Jack McBride, Ph.D., who was the academic dean at the time. Bartolomeo approached OH Materials Corp., a national emergency response and remediation contractor
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headquartered in Findlay, about the feasibility of a degree program to prepare people to work in laboratories and as field supervisors in the growing field of hazardous waste disposal and toxic spill cleanup. Bartolomeo recalled that he met with OH Materials executives, who formed an advisory board. J. Randal Van Dyne, who was then director of marketing at OH Materials, remembered that it was soon recognized that graduates could find employment in many other companies, as well as at consulting groups and government agencies. Van Dyne recalled, “We said, ‘Let’s create a program that has national significance.’” Bartolomeo wrote the first curriculum, which was heavy in chemistry
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and included courses in the sciences and business. His proposal encompassed an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree, a minor and a certificate in hazardous waste studies. After approval by the North Central Association accrediting organization, the new hazardous waste studies program began in 1986 and was billed as the first bachelor’s program of its kind in the nation. The alliance with OH Materials was critical to the initial success of the program. It offered students access to laboratories, equipment, personnel for teaching courses and on-site internships. At the time, OH Materials was one of the six largest firms in the United States dealing with toxic-substance decontamination.
Daniel Hehr was the first full-time faculty member, recruited to join Findlay’s program as an associate professor of hazardous materials management in 1988. He previously had developed a two-year hazardous materials management program at Muskingum Area Technical College in Zanesville, Ohio. At Findlay, he taught in the academic program, as well as conducted training courses, before becoming manager of the training center.
Creating the Training Center In January 1988, Capt. John Hosty was appointed the first director of the hazardous waste studies program. He previously was coordinator of the safety
and environmental department at Lambton College, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. He developed the concept of adding a training center as a business unit that provided workshops and seminars for working adults. It would offer courses on state and federal environmental regulations as well as hands-on training with nontoxic substances. Students were to have access to these training courses as well. In January 1989, Van Dyne became the program director after Hosty took a position in Toronto, Ontario. It fell to Van Dyne to see the training center come to fruition. Renninger Gymnasium was adapted with equipment for training scenarios, opening in March 1989. The five-acre training site, located on Fostoria Road (State Route 12) on the east side of Findlay, opened in October 1989. Together, the two sites constituted the Emergency Response Training Center (ERTC).
An evolving academic program The new hazardous waste studies program successfully attracted students. Soon the curriculum broadened to include the proper handling and transportation of hazardous materials, with the name changing to hazardous materials management in 1989. The name of the academic program was changed in 1991 to environmental and hazardous materials management and then in 1997 to environmental, safety and occupational health management (ESOH) as the focus of the program shifted to include environmental policy and compliance and then industrial health and safety. The changes were strategic. According to E. Gordon Gillespie, who served as undergraduate academic program director during the 1990s, the move anticipated the decline of jobs related to Superfund cleanup projects that occurred in the mid-1990s.
Adding a graduate program Based on the strength of the undergraduate program, the University decided to add a master’s degree, which was approved to begin in 1994. The master’s degree was designed to prepare students for the challenges of environmental management positions in business and government. The unique model blended a background in environmental science with business administration, including risk management, auditing and communications. Courses were conveniently scheduled during evenings and weekends on campus. Classes also were offered on alternating weekends in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Department of Energy sites in Ohio such as Fernald and Piketon. The graduate degree was renamed the master of science in environmental, safety and health management at about the
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same time the undergraduate program was renamed in 1997.
Developing a bachelor’s degree completion program
courses. The master’s degree program added three certificates, including emergency and disaster management, environmental management and occupational health and safety management.
In 1995, a bachelor’s degree completion program was added to meet a need, growing from a relationship developed with the Department of Energy. According to Daniel May, Ph.D., who administered the program, the U.S. government was shutting down its nuclear weapons facilities in Ohio after the Cold War. It wanted to offer its employees the opportunity to complete bachelor’s degrees in the environmental field, which coupled with their work experience, would help them find new jobs in business or other government agencies. May estimated that at one point, The University of Findlay was offering courses on-site in 12 Ohio cities.
One of Carter’s primary objectives as director was to obtain accreditations for the undergraduate and graduate programs. In 2005, the master’s degree was accredited by the Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council. Findlay’s was one of only six programs in the country to be accredited. In June 2011, the master’s degree had its accreditation renewed for six years. In 2008, the bachelor’s degree program was the first of its type to be accredited by the American Board of Engineering Technology (ABET).
Adopting Technology
Continuing quality education
While the master’s degree and bachelor’s degree completion program were expanding geographically, The University of Findlay began offering Internet-based courses. By 2000, both degrees were available entirely online, thereby phasing out the need to offer classes in locations around Ohio. The University of Findlay was one of the first universities in Ohio to adopt online instruction.
Getting accreditation
The environmental program continues to provide students with a quality education. Faculty members emphasize that the bachelor’s degree is an appliedscience major. Carter commented, “Our program is 21st-century science integrated with management application. It is not theoretical. It is how you can use it.” To aid students in making application of their studies, Gillespie Michael Mallett ’88 and Jacob Rowland ’10 developed and oversees a comprehensive Planning for disasters Environmental Resource Center. Ini The 9/11 disaster dramatically tially established through grants from shifted national priorities. Under the the Gerstacker Foundation, the center leadership of William Carter, Ph.D., houses books, training videos, referwho served as director of the underences, federal codes and regulations – graduate, graduate and degree complematerials used by practicing professiontion programs from 2003-2009, the als. It also contains a computer lab and bachelor’s program widened its scope space for students to meet in groups to to include emergency management work on projects.
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The center is in heavy demand by students and may be unique among educational institutions. “I don’t know anyone else who has this,” Gillespie said proudly. Students are mandated to take at least one internship for credit toward their degree. They also have access to workshop courses offered by the training center, with most students taking as many courses as they are able, which helps them build résumés. Strong relationships between faculty, the training center staff and contacts in companies and agencies facilitate internship and job placements. Also, many alumni are now in leadership positions and return to their alma mater when seeking candidates to hire. The online degree completion program is still serving people who are looking to enhance their career opportunities or to retrain after a job loss, according to William Doyle, the current director of the environmental academic programs. The master’s degree also appeals to many international students on campus who prepare for jobs in government and business in their home countries, Doyle added.
Adapting again The chameleon is changing its color again – this time to green. Environmental sustainability now is being incorporated into the program, Doyle pointed out. Faculty and students are doing research projects on carbon footprint issues on campus and monitoring energy usage. “We truly do have a really strong program here,” Doyle said.
Trained Response
In the years since its opening in 1989, The All Hazards Training Center has responded to industry and societal needs.
By Charlene Hankinson M ‘09
The All Hazards Training Center (AHTC) at The University of Findlay is unique in North America. It offers environmental, safety and security workshops, with 90 percent of its programs custom-designed and conducted at the client’s location. “That’s our real niche, a client that wants a consistently developed and delivered program, generally over a large geographic territory – like a state, a region or even coast-tocoast,” said J. Randall Van Dyne, director of the training center since 1989. A sophisticated catalog of 60 adult education training and certificate programs contains courses that address technical analysis, procedures and equipment for responding to incidents
that are man-made and/or natural disasters. Increasingly, the AHTC has focused on comprehensive emergency management and disaster preparedness – threat assessment, response management and multi-agency coordination – for both public and private entities. While most of its courses are delivered at the client’s site or at the two All Hazards training facilities in Findlay, the AHTC also provides training in various formats, including live webcasts of crisis response drills, online courses conducted in real time and interactive videos where trainees respond to onscreen scenarios. “We’re doing more online training than we’ve ever done,” Van Dyne said.
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The All Hazards Training Center has built a national reputation for its services. Van Dyne recalled receiving a phone call from a man who identified himself as representing ABC News, but he wasn’t after a story. As one of ABC’s leading safety engineers, he was looking for a training program for reporters, camera operators and sound people who respond to news assignments that can put them in dangerous situations.
Ford Motor Co. relies on the training center to deliver customized training programs that specifically incorporate the company’s standard operating procedures in courses. The training programs help Ford employees to reduce accidents and improve regulatory compliance. All Hazards has trained about 3,500 Ford personnel at more than 30 facilities. A Fortune 500 pharmaceuticals company, with facilities worldwide, par-
More than 155,000 individuals have taken courses through the training center since its inception.
The training center’s team of experts custom designed an electronic news gathering safety training program that can be delivered uniformly across many geographic locations. Hurricanes, floods, terrorist attacks, pandemic disease outbreaks and riots are a few of the dangers faced by news-gathering personnel. Trainees learn about the risks associated with these events and how to stay safe while getting their stories. Since 2006, more than 4,000 ABC News personnel have been trained nationwide.
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ticipates in workplace violence prevention training through the AHTC that has been delivered to more than 8,000 employees through a blended training approach that includes face-to-face training at client locations and a series of scenario-based videos presented through the company’s intranet. A self-supporting unit within The University of Findlay, the AHTC is run like a business. In turn, it contributes a goal of 10 percent of its net annual reserves to the University’s general fund,
helping to finance the annual operations of the University. The AHTC also is funded by industry and foundation grants and governmental appropriations. Foremost, the training center is a charter member of the Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium (RDPC) of six universities nationwide. The consortium was established by Congress and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2006 to fill the training needs of first responders in rural communities. Courses offered by the training center for the consortium include crisis management for school-based incidents that bring together school officials and law enforcement; maritime security for law enforcement in the waters of the Great Lakes; and rail car incident response for firefighters, since rural areas generally have more train traffic than cities. The AHTC has trained more than 10,000 people for the RDPC in 350 instructor-led courses in 43 states over the past three years. The training center also has received a number of grants. For example, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has repeatedly funded training for volunteer firefighters across the state in hazardous materials emergency
response. To date, the AHTC has been awarded more than $15 million in grant funding and governmental appropriations, allowing the training center to take its programs to firefighters, law enforcement officers, school personnel and others free of charge. In total, the AHTC trained 11,384 people in 528 classes held in 45 states and two foreign countries during 2010. Overall, more than 155,000 individuals have taken courses through the training center since its inception. The training center began modestly with the first non-degree workshop offered April 21, 1988, in a classroom in Renninger Gym with 37 participants. The concept of a training program garnered wide industry and governmental support. As a result of successful fund raising, grant funding and donations of equipment, the training center was launched in 1989. By March of 1989, Renninger was outfitted with equipment for courses in confined space entry and rescue, asbestos removal, drum handling and laboratory chemical removal and disposal. A five-acre training site on Fostoria Road (State Route 12), just east of Findlay, 1937-46 opened Oct. 23, 1989. It contained a roadway, small drainage pond, a 25-foot
by 50-foot classroom building and a 200-foot-long section of railroad track, which are still used for training exercises that simulate tank truck, rail car and ditch/stream spills, as well as drum and pipeline leak scenarios. All training simulations use water and other nontoxic substances. Among the training center’s early clients were emergency responders from industry; federal, state and local government employees; firefighters and law enforcement officers; oil and chemical company personnel; cleanup contractors; and transportation workers. Within the program’s first year, 800 individuals from 21 states and Canada attended workshops at the training center. In the years since its opening, the training center has responded to industry and societal needs. Emphasis was first placed on training for hazardous waste cleanup and then hazardous materials management, and soon encompassed compliance courses as a result of directives mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). The mid-1990s saw funding dry up for cleanup jobs and training through
the Superfund (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980). Meanwhile, new threats emerged with the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993, the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995 and the Columbine High School massacre in 1999. Shifting focus, new training programs offered in emergency preparedness and response provided a foundation for the formation of the Center for Terrorism Preparedness, which opened under the auspices of the training center in June of 2000, just ahead of the 9/11 attacks. In addition, awareness of the need for emergency response training for wide-scale disease outbreaks, along with potential bioterrorism threats involving nuclear, chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction, led to the center being named in 2001 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Ga., as one of the first 14 nationwide Centers for Public Health Preparedness. As the center’s training concept broadened to preemptive planning and emergency prevention, along with being prepared to respond in a coordi-
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nated, community-wide approach to incidents resulting from man-made or natural disasters, the training center adopted the name of The All Hazards Training Center in 2009. “Our bread and butter has always been OSHA safety training and emergency response training, and I don’t see that changing,” Van Dyne said. “The other thing I see is much more work with respect to disaster preparedness/crisis response. Those are real issues that face industries and schools and organizations from an all hazards perspective.”
The All Hazards Training Center has had several name changes, reflecting the program’s nimbleness in responding to evolving market and societal needs. 1989 - Emergency Response Training Center (ERTC) Described its mission to train industrial hazardous materials response teams, firefighters, law enforcement officials and other first responders to hazardous materials emergencies.
1994 - Environmental Resource Training Center (ERTC) Retained the acronym while acknowledging increased focus on training to meet state and federal regulations regarding environmental, safety and occupational health issues.
1997 - National Center of Excellence for Environmental Management (NCEEM) Aligned the academic programs and the ERTC under one umbrella organization. With many national clients, the training center positioned itself for continued geographic expansion and greater recognition.
2003 - School of Environmental and Emergency Management (SEEM) Denoted a new direction in education and training that incorporated disaster management.
2009 – The All Hazards Training Center (AHTC) Reflected an emphasis on emergency preparedness, in addition to OSHA, emergency and disaster response, and safety and security training.
University faculty lead by example, treating me as a peer and acknowledging my unique contributions to education. This carries over into my classroom, where I have made mutual respect the foundation of how I approach teaching.” Cassie Holman ’11 Middle Childhood Education Major, Sixth-Grade Teacher at Van Buren Middle School Fostoria, Ohio
Our values guide daily life and shape our vision for the future at The University of Findlay, where our enduring mission is to prepare our students for meaningful lives and productive careers. If such a mission speaks to the values you hold dear, please join us in the Give Voice to Your Values campaign, and secure a values-based education for generations of students yet to come. To support the Give Voice to Your Values campaign, contact Charlie Shepard, campaign director, 419-4344628 or shepard@findlay.edu, or visit www.findlay. edu, Keyword: Voice –
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Hands On
By Brianna (Martin) Patterson ’03, M ’07
ESOH students dusted off their research skills at the UF equestrian facilities to conduct a feasibility study which examined the attributes of bedding products.
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W
e want our students to have as much hands-on experience as possible, so that when they get out of college and go to work, they have some learning experiences to fall back on,” said William Doyle, Ph.D., director of the environmental, safety and occupational health management (ESOH) program. In a program that boasts a 100-percent job placement rate, the approach is working.
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During the 2010-2011 academic year, one group of students received that hands-on experience through a feasibility study to analyze and compare the use of traditional sawdust to an alternative option — shredded cardboard — for use as bedding in horse stalls at the University’s equestrian farms. The purpose of the project was to determine whether the shredded cardboard would be more cost effective to both purchase and dispose of, compared to the sawdust, but be just as functional. Through this type of hands-on learning, students not only have the opportunity to collect useful information but they also witness the many ways in which they can use their knowledge and skills in a variety of industries. The goal of any project of this type is to save an organization money, determine ways in which an organization can reuse or recycle materials and improve the health and safety of people working in an environment. The University purchases approximately 80 semi loads of bedding material each year, at roughly 24 tons per load. Nearly 300 horses are housed at the western farm during the fall semester, more than 300 in the spring and almost 100 during summer. With a suggestion from H&O Services, a Findlay-based company that donated all of the shredded cardboard (which was collected and shredded in Hancock County), Timothy Murphy, Ph.D., associate professor of environmental, safety and health management, coordinated the project with help from graduate student Lukas Kromer and undergraduate students Cody Monarch, Hailee Raker, Stephanie Sedlak and William Leach. Both qualitative and quantitative studies were completed.
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Monarch and Raker, both of whom are double majors in ESOH and equestrian studies, developed an observational checklist to compare the two bedding types and then filled one stall at the western equestrian farm with each material. Monarch and Raker took turns
cleaning the stalls daily while recording the ease of absorbency, ease of clumping, ease of cleaning and the change of color. Sedlak and Leach studied respirable dust, dust of less than five microns, which is capable of penetrating into the airways of the lung. It is important
Cody Monarch places shredded cardboard bedding material into a horse stall at the Animal Sciences Center.
Stephanie Sedlak and Bill Leach perform particulate mass analysis using information from the Dust Trax analyzer.
Bill Leach mounts Dust Trax, a portable particulate analyzer, to a stall to monitor the amount of respirable dust breathed by horses and people.
to limit the amount of respirable dust breathed by both people and horses. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to meet a standard on the volume of breathable dust per cubic meter of air to which an employee can be exposed to, on average, over an eight-hour period of time. In addition, some literature suggests that too much respirable dust can cause heaves in horses. Using a Dust Trax device to measure dust particles smaller than five microns, Sedlak and Leach could determine if the shredded cardboard was dustier than the sawdust. The device was affixed inside each stall and measurements were recorded. Kromer assisted with a particle size distribution analysis, compressibility
testing and measuring field capacity. The smaller the dust particles are, the more moisture they hold, and through the particle size distribution analysis, Kromer could determine if the percent of known volume is less than one inch, down to a 32nd of an inch. Dust particles need to be small enough to hold in moisture but large enough to meet the respirability requirements. The compressibility testing was completed at the western farm with help from staff members at the farm, Murphy, student researchers and others. A 1,000-pound water tank took the place of a live horse and was placed on top of six inches of each bedding type for 10 minutes each. Subsequent tests were made using eight inches of shredded cardboard. The tests were performed to
“This project has provided me the opportunity to learn new techniques and to explore ideas through laboratory and in-the-field experiments.” - Lukas Kromer
Hailee Raker calibrates a personal air sampling pump that will be used to take samples of particulate at the barn.
determine if it took more or less shredded cardboard than sawdust to get the same compacted bedding depth. To measure field capacity, which is the amount of moisture a matrix can hold against gravity, Kromer tested both bedding materials in a laboratory. He first weighed an equal amount of dry sawdust and dry shredded cardboard, then added six liters of water to each, let it drain for 24 hours and weighed it again to determine the mass of liquid per volume of each material. “This project has provided me the opportunity to learn new techniques and to explore ideas through laboratory and in-the-field experiments,” said Kromer. “The hands-on experience of research at any level is important in developing abstract thinking and systematic analysis of the data that is generated. Communication of the results is also important and helps to share the knowledge learned as well as to give credit to those involved in gathering the information.” According to Murphy, preliminary results of the various tests indicate that the cardboard may prove to be a suitable alternative to the sawdust for bedding of the horses. Preliminary air emissions indicate that a peak concentration of dust particles occurs at the OSHA limit for approximately 30 minutes a day while bedding is taking place, which is well below the eight-hour time weighted average. Additional work will be conducted to verify this limit over a larger test area. This project is one of many interdisciplinary projects that environmental students have completed and will complete as faculty members within the program continue to use this type of hands-on learning to prepare professionals for successful careers.
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Tom Brungard M ’96, ’98
Learning to
Lead
...and Teaching Others By Suzanne Wilcox English M ’09
After refining his skills though UF’s ESOH and MBA master’s degree programs, this Oiler alum put his degree to work as as health, safety, security and environmental manager and compliance and ethics leader for BP-Husky Refining in Oregon, Ohio.
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Tom Brungard worked on completing a master’s degree in the environmental field at three institutions in Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Georgia as he was transferred to different positions and locations with Owens-Corning, where he last served as global leader of environment, health and safety for its Composite Solutions Business Segment. When he transferred to Toledo, he zeroed in on The University of Findlay’s master of science program in environmental and hazardous materials management, which at that time offered a weekend program that best fit his schedule. “I learned very quickly that Findlay, by far, is a very well-recognized, highly thought of program,” Brungard said, and he began working toward completing his degree. Compared to some of the younger and less-experienced students, “I had a little different perspective, a deeper discussion with my professors,” he said, adding that in addition to peer-topeer discussions with professors, he also had great opportunities for networking with other nontraditionals who were also working in the field.
And despite his own experience, it was a UF professor’s worked at the refinery, their second stint there as interns. guidance that led to a decision that shaped his future. While What makes Findlay alumni so valuable, Brungard he was taking Accounting and Financial Analysis for Managers said, is that the program is not based on a single area of experfrom Dr. Peter Maldonado, the professor told Brungard that tise, unlike other schools that focus just on water quality or in the future, progressive companies wouldn’t be looking for industrial hygiene, for instance. “Findlay is a broader program, subject-matter expertise, but managers with big-picture perspeca diverse education around environmental health and safety, not tive. Maldonado encouraged him to structure his classes toward keyholed to one specialty.” also earning an MBA. He continues to recommend the program, especially Brungard was able to do so, and after finishing his the master of science degree to young professionals he works master’s in 1996, he completed a master of business administrawith in the field. But subordinates are not the only ones to tion degree with an emphasis in organizational leadership in receive his endorsement of UF’s program. “Two of my three 1998 — even taking his final MBA class online. Along the way, children went there; I think that’s the highest recommendation,” he especially enjoyed classes with Dr. Shiv Gupta — “I got a ton he said with a smile. from him” and with Dr. Ahmed El-Zayaty, who “bent my brain A UF education is definitely a Brungard tradition. He all kinds of ways around the accounting thing.” and his wife, Debra, have three children, and of them, their The perspective proved invaluable when he made the eldest son, Anderson Brungard, received a bachelor’s degree in move to BP, one of the world’s largest energy companies with education from UF in 2005, and was a four-year member of more than 80,000 employees on six continents. He now serves the football team; Anderson’s wife, Tracey (Lowell) Brungard, as health, safety, security and environmental manager as well as received a bachelor’s in education in 2004, playing all four years compliance and ethics leader for BP Toledo. on the women’s hockey team, as well as a master’s in education Unlike at Owens-Corning, where he worked with a from UF. And his daughter, Emily Brungard Curtus, graduated budget analyst, Brungard is expected to perform his own finanin May with a degree in education and was a four-year memcial analysis. As a member of the senior leadership team, “I get ber of the Marching Oiler Brass, playing tuba, and the Wind thrust into the financial side all the time.” Ensemble, playing cello. Emily began her master’s this fall. His course work has helped him to understand During spring 2011, Findlay sent a busload of students activity-driven budgeting, he to tour the BP refinery, which is said. “The whole financial part capable of processing 160,000 has been invaluable to me. At barrels of crude per day. BrunBP, as a manager, the expectagard has also consulted with tion is that I have the ability to Dr. Timothy Murphy, professor do that.” of environmental, safety and He’s remained tightly occupational health, on “greenconnected to his alma mater, ing” two houses at the Uniregularly hiring Findlay grads. versity. The project involves Of his team of 48 employees, undergraduate ESOH students eight are Findlay grads of either living in two houses on West the bachelor’s or master’s enviFoulke Ave., who will compete ronmental program, or both. during spring semester 2012 Two other Findlay graduates to see which house can reduce recently left for promotions. energy use the most. Tom Brungard with some of his UF team at the BP-Husky Refinery: (from Brungard also mines And if Findlay established a left) Bob Myak M ’01, contractor management program and health team the current student body for Ph.D. program, Brungard said, leader; Alyse Johnson, ESOH major, safety adviser; Todd Flippin ’01, interns; last summer, UF en“I would probably be the first senior safety adviser; Stephanie Sedlak, ESOH major co-op; Levi Edwards, vironmental students Stephaone to register.” ESOH major co-op; Mike Stack ’01, lead safety adviser; Kirk Fortier ’01, nie Sidlack and Levi Edwards operations supervisor.
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on Campus UF ‘green’ houses offer residents lessons in sustainability The houses at 138 and 146 W. Foulke Ave. may look like “normal” student residences, but the students living in those houses chose to live there with common goals to reduce energy consumption and to lower their carbon footprints. With four students in one house and five in the other – all male – they are developing and implementing ways to save energy and create less waste. Monitoring instruments were installed during the summer to measure water, electrical and natural gas use. According to Timothy Murphy, Ph.D., associate professor of environmental, safety, and occupational health management, the students are living “normally” during the fall semester in order to get a baseline measurement for their normal energy usage, which can be compared to historical energy usage at the house. During the spring semester, the students will compete to see which house can reduce its energy consumption the most. Murphy, with help from graduate student Lukas Kromer, will compute the data from each property.
ESOH students Derek Hill, Jordan Wanner, John Hromulak and Tim Finlayson are residents of 138 W. Foulke Ave., one of two campus houses engaged in an energy consumption reduction competition during this academic year.
Students will come up with ideas to make both behavioral changes and environmental changes. Behavioral changes could include taking shorter showers, lowering the temperature on the thermostat during cold months, walking instead of driving and hanging clothes to dry instead of using a clothes dryer. Environmental changes may include adding insulation, lining windows in the winter months, or using solar or wind power. The students hope to encourage others to make changes to their own lifestyles and will give presentations on the sustainable living project next fall.
College of Pharmacy awarded full accreditation The College of Pharmacy has been awarded full accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) board of directors during its June 22-26, 2011, meeting. Dr. Katherine Fell, University president, said, “We are delighted to have completed the process of accreditation. The first two classes of UF pharmacy graduates have performed exceptionally well in their professions, and we look forward to graduating classes of excellent pharmacists for many years to come.” The ACPE is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the national agency for the accreditation of professional degree programs in pharmacy and providers of continuing pharmacy education. The University’s Pharm.D. program received pre-candidate status in 2006, was granted candidate status in 2007 and awarded its first doctor of pharmacy degrees in 2010. A program must graduate its first students before it can be awarded full accreditation. 18
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Graduates of a program designated as having candidate status hold the same rights and privileges as those of a fully accredited program.
Amanda McMullen, Pharm. D ’11, is employed as a pharmacist for Walgreen Co. in Dayton, Ohio.
in Class
A look into what’s being taught at UF today
Kershaw receives ACBSP International Teaching Excellence Award The University of Findlay’s Josephine Kershaw, Ph.D., associate professor of health care management, recently was named the ACBSP International Teaching Excellence Award recipient for 2011. The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs recognizes individuals each year who exemplify teaching excellence in the classroom. The University of Indianapolis-Athens Campus, in Athens, Greece, is the financial sponsor of the 2011 award. The announcement was made at a Salute to Regions luncheon held during the ACBSP Annual Conference in June in Indianapolis. As the 2011 Teaching Excellence Award recipient for the Great Lakes Council — ACBSP Region 4, Kershaw was honored with other regional recipients, each of whom received a medallion and a $100 check. From that group, two International Teaching Excellence Award recipients were announced, one from a baccalaureate/ graduate degree-granting institution and one from an associate degree-granting institution. Kershaw received the International Award, representing baccalaureate/graduate degree granting institutions, and was presented with an engraved plaque and a $500 check. “Dr. Kershaw is always looking for ways to enhance her students’ abilities and to keep competitive the information and students’ abilities to key into what the industry is doing,” said John Wolper, Ed.D., chair of the business administration program. “She has led initiatives, particularly at the graduate level, in finding ways to challenge health care graduate students with additional simulations and activities relative to the field. These are the kind of initiatives that set the tone for the future and will provide our students with the information and tools they need to be successful players in the health care field.” ACBSP currently has more than 932 member campuses in 48 countries and 10 regions.
Walt Disney and the World of Art Class
Art 395 – Topics in the History of Art (Walt Disney Seminar)
Instructor
Diane E. Kontar, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Art History
Textbook
Steven Watts. The Magic Kingdom: Walt Disney and the American Way of Life. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2002.
Synopsis
This course focuses on the historical figure of Walt Disney (1901-66) and his company in relation to art, society and politics during the 20th century. Disney’s contributions in animation, film, architecture and theme parks are analyzed using the methods of art history and “media archaeology.” Disney’s art influenced American culture and continues to have a global impact.
On Your Own Experience:
Today’s students grew up watching Disney classic animation on home video and DVDs. Disney theme parks have become family “pilgrimage” sites. What are your Disney memories?
Read:
The Disney literature is huge. Inspiration for this course came from a graduate seminar at Florida State University in the 1990s, but the scholarship in Disney studies continues to grow in the 21st century. Neal Gabler. Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2007 J.P. Tolette. The Mouse Machine: Disney and Technology. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2008. www.findlay.edu www.findlay.edu
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on Campus WLFC exclusive source for Oilers’ athletics broadcasts The University of Findlay’s on-campus radio station is now the voice of the Oilers – the exclusive broadcast source for UF athletics. Though University media have covered UF sports in full since 2006, 88.3 WLFC is now solely responsible for the task. Since its expansion in fall of 2010, the station has the capacity to broadcast to 14 counties, touching areas of an additional four counties. “We’re moving our coverage to WLFC with professional announcers and students working with them,” said Chris Underation, WLFC faculty adviser. “Our broadcasts since our expansion for the last two seasons have been more complicated and more complete than commercial stations.” While broadcasts include basic live coverage, the station also provides other ways for listeners and Oiler supporters to connect. “We have the whole multi-media deal, with professional coverage, our general manager on the sidelines at home games … online updates via Facebook and Twitter, highlight clips during the games and coach interviews at the half and after the game, as well,” he added. For now, broadcasts are limited to Oiler football and men’s and women’s basketball. Underation says the coverage may include other athletics in the future, though. The impact of the endeavor is significant for the University and for Oilers fans throughout the region. “For students, they’re now working in a professional environment that’s regional,” said Underation. “People who listen to UF sports can only come now to WLFC, which will draw people in to hear the work students do … it increases the pressure a little, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s another step the University is taking to converge its media so that we tie our sports to campus and open up opportunities for students and staff who want to be a part of this.” WLFC 88.3 is northwest Ohio’s only radio station specializing in independent label rock. Music and broadcasts can be streamed online at www.WLFC883.com. 20
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FGCI partners with community to create rain gardens The Findlay Green Campus Initiative(FGCI), in partnership with community members, recently spearheaded the effort to create two rain gardens in Findlay - one on campus behind the Gardner Fine Arts Pavilion and another at the Family Center on Blanchard Avenue. In an effort to help reduce flooding, the rain gardens are slight depressions in the earth that drain storm water from parking lots and rooftops towards the plants so that the water and its contaminants are less likely to end up in the Blanchard River. Above, Ashley Ham, Mike Reed, Ph.D., and Ave Orlando work in the rain garden on campus.
Findlay Ranks in Top Tier of “America’s Best Colleges” The University of Findlay has been ranked by U.S.News and World Report as a top-tier Midwest university for the sixth consecutive year. UF also, for the second consecutive year, was named to the “A+ Schools for B Students.” The complete list of rankings, which include more than 1,600 schools nationwide, appeared in the September issue of the U.S.News and World Report magazine, and is currently available online at www.usnews.com/colleges. The annual rankings, in which U.S.News groups schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, provide a resource for parents and students researching colleges and universities. Schools are ranked based on key measures of quality including peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.
advancements
[Be]
Generous
Endowed funds drive continues
A Gift for Every Student To demonstrate how important your gift is to each student and his/her experience at The University of Findlay, we have launched an exciting new initiative: “3010: A Gift for Every Student”
David P. Ferguson
Vice President for Development
The goal of this initiative is to inspire 3,010 alumni, parents and friends of the University to make a gift to the annual fund during this fiscal year (which ends July 30, 2012). That is one gift for each of Findlay’s 3,010 current undergraduate students. Why one gift for every student? Because the important relationship each student enjoys with their faculty members as mentors and teachers depends on you. Because you help each student with an opportunity to discover more about their passions through undergraduate research, intercultural experiences and travel abroad. Because you help provide the scholarship dollars necessary for today’s student. “3010: A Gift for Every Student” is an ambitious effort, but we are confident that you will respond. And as an added incentive, a group of our current trustees and trustees emeriti have established a Trustee Challenge Fund, promising to match, dollar-for-dollar, each new gift or increased gift to the annual fund received as part of the 3010 initiative. This means that your gift this year may have double the impact! So please respond positively and generously. You can give online today at www.findlay.edu (Keyword: 3010) or by sending your check to us at 1000 North Main St., Findlay, Ohio 45840. Or, respond to a student during our phonathon, or reply to one of our letters or postcards inviting you to be one of 3,010.
The 125th Endowed Funds Drive is continuing toward the goal of 125 new endowed funds established in honor of the institution’s 125th anniversary, which was celebrated in 2007. Since the fund drive was launched in February 2008, 117 new funds totaling more than $8.9 million have been created. New funds that became fully endowed (accumulating a minimum of $10,000) from March 1, 2011, to Sept. 9, 2011: Lorene King Ashby Scholarship Endowment Fund College of Business Advisory Board Leadership Endowment College of Education Clubhouse Endowment Fund Dwight ’73 and Alice Miller Scholarship Endowment Fund Jessica and James Moses Business Scholarship Endowment Fund
Thank you – 3,010 times!
Pemberton Basketball Endowment
—DPF
Jeremy L. Pemberton ’96 Scholarship Endowment Fund
David P. Ferguson Vice President for Development The “3010: A Gift for Every Student” is an initiative of the Give Voice to Your Values Campaign, an ambitious effort to raise an unprecedented $40 million in private support.
Jeffrey R. Seever ’76 Scholarship Endowment Fund Kenneth Williams ’29 Scholarship Endowment Fund Zahler Family Scholarship Endowment Fund
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Findlay Spring 2010
www.findlay.edu
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Give Voice to Your Values Campaign Momentum Building The $40 million Give Voice To Your Values campaign has thus far raised nearly $26,400,000 – 66 percent of its goal, according to Dr. Katherine Fell, president. Fifty-seven percent of the campaign timeline has elapsed, she pointed out. The public phase of the campaign was launched on Sept. 30, 2010, and will conclude in June 2015. It is aligned with the University’s strategic plan. The campaign is seeking to raise funds that strengthen the student experience, including endowment support for scholarships, undergraduate research, study abroad opportunities and intercultural experiences. Capital projects include improvements to the College of Business space located within Old Main and a new 42,000 square-foot science building, designed to vastly improve the educational environment available to the 2,200 students enrolled in a major with a strong core in the sciences. Gifts to help build a robust operating environment are also being sought through the University’s annual giving office as a part of the campaign. These gifts are used to provide students with the most current technology, comfortable learning environments and, of course, student scholarships. During the
most recently completed fiscal year, the University awarded approximately $30 million in financial aid to current students. You, too, can be a part of this ambitious effort and Give Voice to Your Values by visiting www.findlay.edu, Keyword: Voice to learn more. Or, if you wish to speak to someone about the campaign, please call 1-800-4729502, extension 5334.
Mazza Museum acquires 2,700 pieces from artist Steven Kellogg Conference, for a special event to celebrate Kellogg’s work. A During its Summer Conference July 11-15, the Mazza presentation will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, in Museum announced the acquisition of 2,700 pieces of original Winebrenner Theological Seminary. Anyone is welcome to artwork by famed children’s book artist and author Steven Kellogg. attend. Tickets are $5 and are The announcement was met available by calling the museum with appreciative applause at 419-434-5521. Many of the from conference participants. pieces from the new collection The acquisition represents a will be on display. 50-percent expansion of the The Mazza Museum is Mazza’s collection of more than part of the Dr. Jerry J. Mallett 5,000 pieces of original artwork. Institute at the University. “The The acquisition was made new artwork is from 80 books possible, in part, by a $350,000 created by Mr. Kellogg during gift from actor Anthony his lifetime, and we are deeply Edwards. Both Edwards and honored to be the repository for Kellogg will be guests of the this wonderful body of work,” museum Nov. 12, during All of the 2,700 pieces of art acquired by the museum were delivered to Sapp said. the museum’s Fall Weekend the University in large plastic tubs. All of the illustrations from several of Kellogg’s books are included, as well as other art. 22
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advancements Cluts named director of annual giving Kevin D. Cluts has joined the development staff at The University of Findlay as the director of annual giving. Cluts’ primary responsibility is to build a foundation of philanthropic support from alumni, parents, friends and current students. In this role, he will lead a multifaceted annual giving Kevin D. Cluts program that communicates the impact of a Findlay education and encourages individuals to strengthen that impact by providing consistent annual gifts. The annual giving program includes direct mail, phonathon, personal solicitation, events, social networking and targeted email initiatives. Cluts joined the University in 2007 as assistant director of career services and director of internship and cooperative education programs after more than 20 years working in fundraising and administration. Cluts served from 2004-2007 as a major gifts officer for WBGU-TV at Bowling Green State University, where he assisted donors and advisers in establishing planned giving priorities; helped to establish policies for the WBGU major giving program; and helped develop and implement capital campaign and major gift cultivation strategies for top prospects. From 2002-2004, Cluts was a development officer for the JTD Hospital Foundation in St. Mary’s. There, he implemented a new annual giving program and developed solicitation and marketing strategies for a $4 million capital campaign. As director of alumni relations and annual giving and a regional development officer at Bluffton University from 19982001, Cluts oversaw an increase in the annual fund program and an increase in alumni annual giving. Cluts also oversaw an increase in both the annual fund program and alumni annual giving at Tiffin University, where he was director of alumni relations and annual giving from 1995-1998. Cluts received a master’s degree from Bowling Green State University and a bachelor’s degree from Bluffton University.
Internationalize K-12 Education project awarded Community Foundation grant The University of Findlay recently was awarded a $36,200 grant from the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation to provide K-12 students with experiential intercultural learning opportunities in school. The funds are made available from the Madeleine T. Schneider Fund. The project, Internationalize K-12 Education in Hancock County, will be implemented by the University’s department of language and culture. The goal of the project is to provide cross-cultural training and encourage development of effective intercultural communication strategies among Hancock County students through a service-learning framework. International students studying at UF and domestic students who have studied abroad will work with the K-12 students. They will visit classrooms and share their first-hand knowledge of different cultures. The University will develop a resource bank with teaching materials necessary for the culture-specific activities for student presenters to use. Before the completion of the project, a service-learning course will be developed. “The project is expected to have a positive impact not only on K-12 youth but also on University students,” said Hiroaki Kawamura, Ph.D., director of the department of language and culture. “The K-12 students will develop intercultural sensitivity through direct, face-to-face interaction with people from different cultures and those who experienced different cultures firsthand. International students will better integrate into the community and learn presentation skills.” The vision of this project is based upon the University’s commitment to international education, students’ civic engagement and experiential learning. The University expects to serve 300-400 K-12 students each year.
www.findlay.edu
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oiler Action
Ernst Takes the Helm in Men’s Hoops If Charlie Ernst has his way, the Oilers will be hard-charging on defense, fast-moving on offense — and successful. By Suzanne Wilcox English M ‘09
L
ooking ahead to his first season at the helm, the new men’s basketball head coach said, “I’d like to be aggressive on defense and play an up-tempo game — then recruit players who can play in that environment.” Ernst served for 20 years an assistant coach under legendary coach Ron Niekamp, with primary responsibilities for coaching the defense and recruiting. He is excited by the prospect of taking over the Oilers, who won the 2009 Division II National Championship with a record of 36-0. He credits his former boss for giving him room to grow. While a student, Ernst played for Niekamp, as well as on the golf team, and graduated from UF in 1992 with a bachelor’s 24
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degree in public relations and marketing. In 2006, he earned a master’s degree in education as well. While a student, he gave tours and worked in the admissions office, resulting in his being offered a job after graduation. “It was a good experience for me; it taught me how to sell the school,” a real plus when it came to recruiting, Ernst said. In addition to serving as an assistant coach, he worked first in admissions and then as assistant director of financial aid. As his coaching role grew, Ernst took over responsibility for running summer basketball camps, and served as the Oilers’ primary defensive coach. “Ron has made defense a priority for our program; he’s preached it every day,” he said.
During his two decades as an assistant, Ernst sometimes considered other opportunities. “I have a great relationship with Ron, and it was fun to come to work every day. The responsibility, the ownership and the comfort I had here, I probably wouldn’t have had elsewhere. I really fell in love with the school and the community, and I felt this was me,” he said, adding that he and his wife, Belinda, ’02, whom he met at UF, have two children, Allison and Samuel. During his 20 years as an assistant, the Oilers tallied a 479-136 record, a .779 winning percentage, including the perfect 36-0 season en route to the national championship. For his work during the title run, Ernst was named the “Rising Star” award winner, one of five coaches in the NCAA to be named assistant coach of the year — and the only Division II coach on the list. Ernst knows he will need to define himself as a head coach. “I would say my top priorities with this team will be just to help them understand that I’m a different person and coach than Ron. I’ll be laying down the foundation of who I am, and the ground rules may change a little bit,” he said. He remembers the first time the Oilers won the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference South Division title — something the team has now accomplished nine of the past 10 years. He hopes to still be the top team in the GLIAC South five years from now.
“To be honest, I feel comfortable in almost every facet, except perhaps coaching in games. There’s not much I haven’t done, except argue with officials and call timeouts,” he said, adding, “Ron has really prepared me well. If I’m successful, he deserves a lot of the credit.”
Alumni Event Calendar October
21 Columbus Alumni Reception Brookside Golf and Country Club – 7-9 p.m.
(Register at www.findlay.edu, Keyword: Alumni)
Alumni Events Calendar - Spring ’09 December 2-4 Kalahari Weekend Sandusky, Ohio
(Register at www.findlay.edu, Keyword: Kalahari) 6 Third Annual ASHP (Pharmacy) Mid-year Alumni and Friends Reception Marriott Convention Center Hotel New Orleans, La. – 5:30-8:30 p.m. (Register at www.findlay.edu, Keyword: Pharmacy Reception) 7 Fall 2011 Commencement Activities
Commencement Baccalaureate
Commencement Brunch
Ritz Auditorium – 11 a.m. Alumni Memorial Union – 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Undergraduate and Graduate Commencement
January
Koehler Fitness and Recreation Complex – 2 p.m.
13 NMI Certificate Ceremony and Banquet Winebrenner Theological Seminary - TLB Aud. – 5 p.m. 28 Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet Winebrenner Theological Seminary - TLB Aud. – 11 a.m.
February 25
Pre-Vet Alumni Reception
March
Hyatt Regency, Columbus, Ohio – 5-7 p.m. (Register at www.findlay.edu, Keyword: Alumni)
4-10 Florida Alumni Receptions (Register at www.findlay.edu, Keyword: Alumni) 23 OHSAA Boys State Basketball Brunch Fawcett Center, Columbus, Ohio – 8-10 a.m. For more information or to register, go to www.findlay.edu, Keyword: Alumni, or call 419-434-4516. 25
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alum Events
D.C. Alumni and Friends Gather
Pritts Family hosts eighth Columbus Summer Send-off The eighth annual Columbus Summer Send-off was hosted by Bob ’57 and Catherine Pritts at their home on Sunday, Aug. 7. Bob, Catherine, their son, Steve ’78, and his wife, Tracey, and neighbors, Keith and Shelia Hutchin, hosted activities and provided a wonderful selection of food.
Eighteen incoming Columbus area, first-year students from the Class of 2015 attended, along with nine UF sophomores and juniors.
President Katherine Fell greeted alumni and friends in Washington, D.C., at a reception hosted by Marian S. Lowe ’97 of Strategic Health Care on Sept. 14, 2011. Brian Washington ’84, member of the UF Board of Trustees, also attended and gave an update on The University of Findlay. Ruthanna (Maxwell) Weber ’36 attended the reception. Ruthanna’s mother, Grace (Wisely) Maxwell also graduated from Findlay College, earning a two-year degree in 1902 in music.
Class of ’62 plans 50-year reunion celebration The Class of 1962 reunion committee met July 27 at the Stout Alumni Center to finalize plans for the upcoming 50-year class celebration in 2012. The committee began planning last spring and recently met with Jim Houdeshell, P.E.D. ’53, class liaison, and Charlie Shepard M ’04, campaign director.
UF’s president, Dr. Katherine Fell, alumni director Dee Dee Spraw ’00, M ’07 and admissions counselors Charlie Webb and Missi Edwards welcomed the students and their families. Music and singing, a water balloon contest and an egg toss were all part of the day’s fun. Class of 1962 committee members include (from left): Jim Houdeshell ’53, John Givens ’62, Fred Green ’62, Roger Orwick ’62, John Berg ’62 and Mike McPherson ’62. Gary Wesco ’62, not shown, was connected via a conference call for the meeting.
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OT weekend class of 2011 celebrates completion Columbus alums hit the links The fifth annual Columbus golf outing took place on June 6, 2011, at the York Golf Club. Many alumni and friends participated, and the weather for the day was perfect. President Fell attended and made brief remarks during dinner. UF’s new head football coach, Rob Keys, also addressed the group and encouraged everyone to attend Oilers football games. Bryan Golding ’99, M ’01, Joseph Fell and Elliott Fell took first place, and Alan Baker ’73, Kevin Stechschulte ’03, Tom Leddy and John Zitkovic took second place. Other winners included: longest drive – Scott Kromer ’05, Joseph Fell; closest to the pin – Chip Warren, Matt Banks ’02; longest putt – Elliott Fell, John Zitkovic.
Members of The University of Findlay’s 2011 occupational therapy weekend class attended their final classes in the program during the week of July 4. The final day was spent presenting graduate research projects. The students have completed all of the didactic and fieldwork requirements and will take their national certification examinations to become registered occupational therapists. The program provided a final celebratory luncheon where Dee Dee Spraw, alumni director, provided information on how to stay connected as UF alumni.
Alumni Office recognizes NMI grads The Office of Alumni & Parent Relations was represented at the certificate graduation ceremony for the Nuclear Medicine Institute (NMI) on Aug. 19. Each graduate received a certificate of completion along with a NMI/UF alumni lapel pin. The ceremony recognized 31 members of the graduating class. The ceremony included the induction of five new members into the Lambda Nu – Ohio Iota Chapter: Miranda Finch, Manal Gergis, Samantha Patzer, Stephanie Rizzo and Amanda Strauss, and the awarding of the HeartLight Pharmacy Operating Scholarships, the Nuclear Medicine Institute Scholarship, the Dr. Ann Whithaus Scholarship and the Mallinckrodt Award of Excellence.
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alum Notes i
In Memory
Don E. Creager ’48 of Ft. Myers, Fla., died June 24, 2011. A graduate of Hamler High School, he earned an A.B. degree in social studies and business from then-Findlay College, where he worked part time and edited the Findlay College News. He earned a B.D. degree from Winebrenner Graduate School of Divinity in 1953 and was ordained in 1950 at the Zion Church of God. He served Churches of God congregations in McComb, Ohio, and Harrisburg and New Cumberland, Pa. He pastored the Trinity United Church of Christ in Mercersburg, Pa., from 1961 until 1986. He was designated pastor emeritus of that congregation on Sept. 12, 1993. He also taught religion courses as a part of the Mercersburg Academy for 13 years. In retirement, he was a pastoral assistant for the First United Methodist Church of Mercersburg from 1990-99, before moving to Shell Point Retirement Community in 2000. A lifelong learner, he pursued graduate studies at Lancaster (Pa.) Theological Seminary, pastor’s convocations at Princeton Seminary for 10 summers, two monthlong study abroad trips and a semester of clinical pastoral education at Austin Hospital,
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Victoria, Australia, in 1981-82. He is survived by his wife, Gail; two daughters, Jeanne Barnes of Silver Spring, Md., and Carol Bernstorf of Greensboro, N.C.; two stepdaughters, Jennifer Raymond of Alexandria, Va., and Laurier Schuyler of Rindge, N.H.; six grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren; and a great-grandson. Richard Lee Couchot ’63 of Bellefonte, Ky., and Englewood, Fla., passed away Sept. 3, 2011, in Englewood. After earning a degree in business administration from Findlay College, he studied business law at Miami University in Piqua, Ohio. He worked in small and commercial loans with American Finance Co. in Piqua and Dayton, Ohio, and Richmond and Indianapolis, Ind. He also spent more than 20 years with Ashland Financial Services in Ashland, Ky. He was known as an able handyman, and he enjoyed fishing, golfing and spending time with his family. He played football, basketball and baseball during his years at Findlay College, and he established the Richard Lee Couchot Football Endowed Scholarship Fund at The University of Findlay, which has helped more than 40 young people attend college. Surviving are his wife, Katharine; sons, John T. Couchot of McKinney, Texas, Dr.
Michael D. Couchot of Ashland, Ky.; daughters, Joan E. Floyd of Oviedo, Fla., and Ann M. Burge of Stevenson Ranch, Calif.; two brothers and three sisters. Memorials may be made to the Richard Lee Couchot Endowed Scholarship Fund, The University of Findlay, 1000 N. Main St., Findlay, OH 45840 or through the website at www.findlay.edu, Keyword: Online giving. Joan Rae Lewis ’69 of Bluffton, Ohio, passed away June 26, 2011. A native of Bluffton, she taught physical education before retiring from Riverdale School, and also retired from the Arlington Pharmacy. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Findlay, and the Order of Eastern Star. She is survived by her mother, Melvena Lewis of Bluffton, and five cousins. The Rev. Dr. Earl A. McCall ’76 of Urbana, Ohio, died April 24, 2011. He served in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean Conflict from 1945-52. He entered ministry in 1960 and was ordained in the Church of God, Anderson, Ind., in 1964, while serving the Northside Church of God in Urbana. He served United Methodist churches in Marysville, Dunkirk and Van Buren, Ohio; Muncie, Elkhart and Kokomo, Ind.; and was
a missionary to the Ebenezer Church in Cayman Brac. He earned a bachelor of education from Findlay, a master of theology from from United Theological Seminary in 1979 and a doctorate of ministries from Bethany Theological Seminary. After retirement from ministry, he was a substitute teacher for Champaign County schools. Surviving are his wife, Sharon; sons, Ben of Findlay, Stephen of Urbana, Kenneth of Las Vegas, Joshua, serving in Germany and Christopher; and daughters, Samantha, Anna, Tabitha, Jasmine and Katie Marie, of Urbana.
Friends
i
Richard Mannion of Gulfport, Fla., died April 20, 2011. He coached the Findlay College soccer team from 1982-83. Employed by Marathon Oil Co., he retired in 1998 as director of public relations. He is survived by his children: Kathleen Mannion, Patrick Mannion, Jennifer Fox and Colleen Mannion; seven grandchildren; and two brothers.
Abbreviation Key: A - Associate’s Degree B - Bachelor’s Degree C - Certificate M - Master’s Degree D - Doctoral Degree H - Honorary Degree
remembering Glenn E. Stout ’42 Philanthropist - Advocate - Meterologist June 27, 2011 Glenn E. Stout of Savoy, Ill., passed away June 27, 2011. A native of Fostoria, Ohio, and an honors graduate of Findlay College, he attended the University of Chicago where he earned a meteorological certificate through a government fellowship. He entered the U.S. Naval Reserves, where he monitored weather conditions for air support in the Pacific and taught at the weather school at Chanute Air Force Base. In 1947, he joined the staff of the Illinois State Water Survey where he was involved as an engineer in the groundwater section and then switched to meteorological work to pursue pioneering research in artificial production of rainfall. He advanced as head of the atmospheric sciences section and assistant to the chief, serving until 1973. He became the director of the Water Resources Center at the University of Illinois, as a part of the Institute for Environmental Studies in 1973, where he also served as a professor. He retired in 1994, but remained active as emeritus director. He also became the research coordinator in 1987 for the Illinois/Indiana Sea Grant Program based at the University of Illinois. In addition, he was active with the International Water Resources Association, serving as an officer for 20 years until 1999. In 1984, he became executive director, serving until 1994, when he was elected IWRA president. He traveled all over the world as he promoted cooperation on water resources, including Africa and Latin America, and he was especially concerned about advancing peace in the Middle East through resolving water resources allocation issues. He is known internationally for his work in discovering in 1954 the hook-shaped radar echo pattern predicting the development of a tornado, which led to the establishment of radar stations throughout the United States for the detection of severe storms and tornadoes. He also served, by invitation, for two years as the science coordinator for the National Center for Atmospheric Research at the U.S. National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C. He was a consultant for the advisory committee on weather control appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower and was a consultant for the Crop-Hail Insurance Actuarial Association of Chicago, where his climate studies were used in setting insurance rates.
As an international expert in water resource management and conservation, he participated in numerous professional organizations, organized many conferences and presented papers at international symposiums, and his work was published in scholarly journals in China, Honduras, Mexico, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy and other countries. He was a passionate advocate of adequate, clean water supplies for people around the world, achieved by peaceful means. For his outstanding career and groundbreaking research, he was named as one of the first two Distinguished Alumni of Findlay College in 1962, and he was awarded an honorary doctor of science degree in 1973. He remained involved over the years with his alma mater and served as president of the Alumni Association Board of Governors. He and his wife, Helen, hosted alumni gatherings in their home and participated in many campus events, including the 2007 Homecoming golf cart parade. They supported scholarship assistance, were C.T. Fox Society members and, in 1994, created an endowment for the upkeep and maintenance of the Glenn and Helen Stout Alumni Center. For their achievements and generosity, they were named Distinguished Associates in 2007. Surviving are his wife, Helen (Beery) Stout; children, Bonnie Lloyd of Jenkintown, Pa., and Steven of Albuquerque, N.M.; five grandchildren; six greatgrandchildren and a brother. www.findlay.edu
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alum Notes ’72
William “Bill” Daher has a new position as security manager for Cauley Security Services in Pittsburgh, Pa. He is in his fourth year of sponsoring a Relay for Life team with the American Cancer Society. Last year his team set a regional record by raising more than $20,000, which was also the fourth highest in the state of Pennsylvania. His team is active all year, sponsoring golf outings, bowling, miniature golf, raffle ticket sales, candy and ice cream sales, dinners, corn hole tournaments and more. He lives in Lower Burrell, Pa. Bruce and Vicki (Miller ’71) Stefanik were recognized for 25 years of service in Salvation Army ministry during the Salvation Army Southern Territory’s Commissioning and Ordination Weekend in June. They were presented with certificates
and service bars at a Saturday luncheon and were publicly recognized at the beginning of a Saturday evening musical, “Our People.” Bruce was introduced to Salvation Army ministry while he was doing fieldwork for a class in Children’s Ministry in the Church while he was a student at Findlay College. They live and serve in Sebring, Fla.
’82
Ron Wright was named head football coach for Hudson City Schools, where he is also a science teacher. His wife, Pamela (Kruse ’81), is a manager for the accounting firm of Brockman Coats Gedelian & Co. They live in Stow, Ohio.
’97
Nicole (Prince) Pierce has a new position as account planner for Time Warner Cable Media – Cleveland Interconnect. Her husband, Zach Pierce ’97, is director of
brownfield services for BJAA Environmental. They have a daughter, Caitlyn Monroe, born Nov. 27, 2009, who joined her sisters, Emily, 6, and Brooke, 3. The family lives in Aurora, Ohio. Richard Radners received his doctorate of education from Walden University in April 2011. He is teaching Business Statistics at Walsh College. He also is employed by Ford Motor Co., where he is a Six Sigma Master Black Belt. He lives in South Lyon, Mich.
’98
Julie Jones and Joseph Bailey were married March 13, 2011. She has a new position as Midwest area finance reporting manager for Verizon Wireless in Cincinnati, Ohio, and he is a systems technician for Proscan Imaging, also in Cincinnati. They live in Mason, Ohio.
’01
Alissa (Simpson) Preston and her husband, JJ, welcomed a daughter, Molly Louise, born March 25, 2011. The family lives in Columbus, Ohio.
’07
Vaishali Maheshwari (M) and Himanshu Kalva were married May 22, 2011. She is a management analyst for Vensoft Inc. in Phoenix, Ariz. The new couple resides in Chandler, Ariz. Nicole Milligan has a new position as an associate veterinarian for Banfield Pet Hospital in Monroeville, Pa. She and her husband, Burnett Smith, reside in Kittanning, Pa.
’11
Jeremy and Betsey (M ’11) Mascaro announce the birth of a daughter, Josephine Ann Watson, born March 21, 2011. The family resides in Findlay.
Michael Smythe ’65: Editorial Excellence Michael Smythe has won numerous honors during more than 45 years in the broadcast industry, including a Mid-America Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in October 2010 for Best Commentary/Editorial, but he still proudly wears his 1965 class ring from Findlay College. At the Missouri Broadcasters’ Association (MBA) convention in June, he was named the new chair of the board of directors at the organization’s annual convention. The association represents 303 Missouri radio stations and 48 television stations. In addition, he won first place for 2011 Best Editorial at the convention for his “ViewPoint” segments, marking his ninth consecutive award from the MBA. Also in June, he won 2011 Best Editorial at the convention of the Illinois Broadcasters’ Association, which was his seventh consecutive win. Smythe is vice president and general manager of CBS station KFVS-TV and WQWQ-TV (CW) in Cape Girardeau, Mo., where he began in 1998 as general sales manager. He introduced “ViewPoint” in 2001, the year he became the general manager. In 2008, KFVS12 was named Medium Market TV Station of the Year by the Illinois Broadcasters’ Association for a record
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sixth consecutive year. He also was a finalist for Emmys in 2003 and 2004 for “ViewPoint.” Smythe is a member of the board of directors for Southeast Missouri State University, where he received the Distinguished Service Award in 2009. He also serves on the board of directors for the St. Louis Boy Scouts Council. A native of Toledo, Ohio, Smythe played basketball at Findlay College for Coach Jim Houdeshell ’53. After earning degrees in speech and business at Findlay, he enrolled at Bowling Green State University, where he received a master’s degree in broadcasting and business. As a major figure in broadcasting in the Midwest, with a career strewn with accolades, Smythe still recalls his roots, “I will always remember what Findlay College did for me.”
What’s new with you? Send us your news: www.findlay.edu, Keyword: Whats new
end Notes Timothy Murphy M ’98: Making a Difference for the Environment
We are Family! Greetings alumni! We hope to see you back for Homecoming and Family Weekend – Oct. 14-15! Experience the campus in full fall splendor while enjoying a schedule of activities in a first-ever event that embraces alumni, students, parents, grandparents, faculty and staff.
Timothy Murphy, Ph.D. (M ’98), associate professor of environmental, safety and occupational health management at The University of Findlay, has a passion for protecting and preserving the environment that has defined his life. “My main interest has always been to make a difference in the environment,” he said. He has sought to infuse that attitude into the students he teaches and mentors. In addition to teaching classes, Murphy engages students in applied research projects. Murphy earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental health from Ferris State University in Michigan, and was awarded a master of science in environmental, safety and health management from UF. He went on to earn his doctorate in environmental science at The Ohio State University. In 1999, he started teaching. “I got into education because I found that I could be part of a team that teaches a lot of students to do the same thing that I was doing, and so more work can be done,” he explained. Murphy also participated in the Environmental Public Health Leadership Institute, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and then served as an instructor and mentor for four years. Internationally, he gave a presentation at the Kake Educational Institute’s university in Chiba, Japan, in 2005 at the International Symposium on Crisis Management and returned in 2008 as a keynote speaker. This fall, Murphy assumed new duties as the chair of the Faculty Senate. He also was recently elected to a two-year term on the board of the national Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council. The focus of Murphy’s interest has changed from solid waste to sustainability issues. He paraphrased the Brundtland Commission’s definition of sustainability as, “Live your life in a way today that saves resources so that future generations can live the same way.” “We can do things smarter,” Murphy said. “I like to do applied research, something that the students can learn from more readily and can be applied as quickly as possible to solve a problem.”
Friday evening will kick off with a parade that includes shopping carts decorated by clubs/organizations, a pep rally including the crowning of the king and queen and a carnival atmosphere that will lead into the annual display of fireworks. The members of the Class of 1961 will celebrate their golden reunion and the environmental program will celebrate its 25-year anniversary. On Saturday, the traditional Alumni Breakfast will be held in Winebrenner Theological Seminary honoring our 50-year class (1961) and the 2011 Distinguished Alumni: Greg Denecker ’94; Larry Manley ’61; Mary Ann Rohleder ’53; and George Showers ’65. Also receiving awards at Homecoming are: Johnnie Jackson ’07, M ’09 – Old Main Award for young alumni under the age of 36; Sharon Milligan – Arch Award for faculty or staff members who are not alumni but have served the institution with distinction for more than 25 years; and the late William Flanegan ‘59 – Gold Medallion Award for alumni who deserve recognition, but are now deceased. Following the Alumni Breakfast, join us for the sixth annual 5K walk/run; dedication of the 1961, 2010 & 2011 class gift; reunions for the Greeks, Black Student Union, Alpha Sigma Phi and Marketing Club and many other activities for alumni and families. For more information and to register for activities, go to www.findlay.edu Keyword: Homecoming. Continue your Oiler pride, and be sure to keep me updated by filling out the “What’s New with You?” form at www.findlay. edu, Keyword: Alumni. With Oiler Pride!
Dee Dee Spraw ’00, M ’07 Director of Alumni and Parent Relations www.findlay.edu
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Homecoming Parade/Family Weekend Pep Rally featuring the Coronation of King & Queen and a Carnival Friday – 7 p.m., Cory Street Mall Enjoy laser tag, train rides, ponies, inflatables and carnival foods. Make a memory in the photo booth, and end the evening with UF’s annual fireworks display! All Greek Reunion Saturday – 6 p.m., Waldo Pepper’s Upstairs, 411 S. Main St. Continue your Homecoming celebration with heavy appetizers, dancing and catching up with friends. A block of rooms at the Findlay Inn & Conference Center has been reserved at $66 each, plus tax. Reserve by calling Findlay Inn & Conference Center, 200 East Main Cross St., Findlay, at 419.422.5682 by Thursday, Sept. 15. Be sure to mention Greek to bring up the block of reservations. Check out updates on Facebook: University of Findlay ALL GREEK Reunion. Congratulations to our 2011 Award Recipients: 2011 Distinguished Alumni Mary Ann Rohleder ‘53 George Showers ‘65 Greg Denecker ‘94 Larry Manley ‘61 The Old Main Award Johnnie Jackson ‘07,’09(M) The Gold Medallion The late William Flanegan ‘59 The Arch Award Sharon Milligan
Alumni Association Annual Breakfast Saturday – 9 a.m., Winebrenner Theological Seminary – TLB Auditorium Enjoy breakfast with alumni from all over the nation while congratulating the 2011 Distinguished Alumni. Admission: $10/adult; $5/child (ages 6-12), under 5 free Reunions! The All Hazards Training Center Open House 25-Year Reunion 50th Class Reunion - Class of 1961 Alumni Swimming & Diving Meet Alumni Baseball and Softball Games Ninth Annual Marching Band and Oiler Brass Reunion Environmental Programs 25th Anniversary Celebration Dinner Black Student Union Reunion Dinner Marketing Club Reunion Alpha Sigs Reunion Dinner For a detailed list of all Homecoming activities and to register, go to www.findlay.edu, KEYWORD: Alumni