successfully tackles challenges of an unprecedented year
Hanover
Mya Urba ’24 becomes Hanover’s first
On the cover: Mya Urba ’24 navigates new territory as the Hanover football program’s first female on-the-field coach.
Throughout its storied history, Hanover College’s financial stability has been ensured by planned gifts. Estate plans transform campus and define student experiences for generations. Regardless of sizewhether a bequest in a will or the designation of Hanover as the beneficiary of a retirement account, life income gift or insurance policy – planned gifts secure the donor’s legacy, even living forever as part of the College’s endowment.
The 1827 Society recognizes the vision and benevolence of alumni and friends who shape campus life by including Hanover in their estate plans. Each year, members receive invitations to special donor activities and events, access to the College’s financial-planning specialists, recognition in publications and an exclusive gift.
To explore your planned giving vision, create your legacy or learn more about The 1827 Society, contact Kevin Berry ’90, senior director of individual philanthropy, at 812.866.6813 or berry@hanover.edu.
hanover.edu/plannedgiving
Campus now features disc golf course
Frisbee golf enthusiasts rejoice! After decades of aiming at informal targets scattered around the Quad, Hanover’s campus now features an official nine-hole disc golf course.
Completed in mid-May, the par-31, 3,791-foot course weaves within the woods and open areas surrounding the YMCA, water tower, soccer field, observatory and softball diamond. The nine varying-distance holes begin adjacent to the Lynn Center for Fine Arts and end near the Shoebox. The course also includes a practice hole, located by the entrance to the Panther Athletic Complex.
Created by the Ultimate Frisbee Club (UFC), the project was funded by the organization and the Student Activities Budgeting Committee. With their four-event season erased by the COVID pandemic, UFC members elected to use their yearly budget to help offset the costs of the course. Funding, normally used for entry fees and travel expenses, provided the official baskets, tee boxes, signage, course maps and scorecards.
Hanover’s disc golf course, included on the UDisc app, is free to use.
CLASSES OF 2020 AND 2021 HONORED AT ALUMNI STADIUM
A historic day on the Hanover College campus featured the conferral of degrees to members of the classes of 2020 and 2021. Driven by the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic - and the emergence of the 17-year cicadas - separate ceremonies were held for each graduating class Saturday, May 29, at Alumni Stadium. Hanover’s graduation ceremonies were held at the College’s outdoor athletic facility for the first time since 1987. That ceremony - the final commencement for then-President John Horner - was moved to the football stadium due to excessive noise from the cicadas.
188th Commencement
Class of 2021
Grace Elizabeth Phillips ’21 Senior Address
“We continue to surprise those who have come before us with our resilience, with our desire to change the status quo and with our spirit. Our generation has faced incredible storms, storms that herald change and conflict, but also bring growth in the aftermath.”
84th-annual Honors Convocation
Brynn Durecki ’21 and Emma Kate McMurtry ’21 received Hanover’s top student awards, while Mandy Jui-Man Wu and Dominique Battles earned top faculty awards during the 84thannual Honors Convocation. The event, celebrating the academic achievements of Hanover’s students and faculty, was held April 15 in Fitzgibbon Recital Hall, Lynn Center for Fine Arts.
Durecki, a chemistry major with minors in biology and Spanish, earned the Henry C. Long Citation for Scholarship and General Excellence. She also received the Keith and Gwen White Award for Graduate Study in Chemistry.
McMurtry, a history major with a minor in communication, received the John Finley Crowe Citation for Scholarship and General Excellence. She also earned the Robert E. Bowers History Award, A. Glenn Mower, Jr. Pre-Law Award and John B. Goodrich Prize in Oratory.
Wu, associate professor of art and art history, earned the Arthur and Ilene Baynham Outstanding Teaching Award. She joined Hanover’s faculty in 2013 and specializes in Chinese art, Eastern art history and arts of the Silk Road.
Battles, professor of English, received the Daryl R. Karns Award for Scholarly and Creative Activity. She joined the College’s faculty in 2000 and specializes in Middle English literature, Chaucer, Boccaccio, early literature, medieval romance, medieval tradition of Thebes, classical tradition in medieval literature and cultural identity in Middle English romance.
Jones selected for Orr Fellowship
Emily Jones ’21 has received a coveted Orr Fellowship. The two-year post-graduate experience places high-achieving college seniors from across the Midwest in full-time, paid positions at dynamic companies and organizations in Central Indiana.
Jones will participate in a rotational program at Ingram Micro, an Indianapolisbased information technology company. The fellowship will provide an extended exploration of four operational aspects of the company, plus a special curriculum that includes an executive mentorship program, acceleration of career advancement and extensive network.
A communication and business major, Jones was one of just 79 fellows selected from a pool of nearly 1,300 candidates. The competitive, three-month process included interviews and networking events with an evaluation based on gradepoint average, extracurricular involvement, leadership experience and personal and professional traits such as work ethic, resilience, curiosity and enthusiasm.
Aimée Rust-Scheuermann ’96 was presented with the Dorothy Cheesman Distinguished Service Award by the Indiana Association for College Admission Counseling (INACAC).
Named for a longtime member of the admission staff at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, the Cheesman Award is presented annually to recognize distinguished and exemplary service to students in their search for post-secondary education. Honorees, nominated by peers, must have a minimum of five years of significant INACAC membership experience as a committee member, committee chairperson or as an officer in INACAC or the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
Rust-Scheuermann, who joined Hanover’s staff in 2016, serves as the College’s senior associate director of admission, Indianapolis regional representative and coordinator of the Hanover Alumni Recruitment Team (H.A.R.T.). She has 25 years of experience in admission, including previous stints at Butler University, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School and Franklin College.
Emma Kate McMurtry and Brynn Durecki
Battles earns publishing award for unique series
This spring, Professor of English Dominique Battles was presented with the 2020 Wilson Prize for Article of the Year from “Studies in Philology.”
Battles earned the honor for a two-part series, which explored the connection between the late 14th-century Middle English “Athelston” and the English Peasants’ Revolt of 1381. The pieces established the first sustained literary engagement with the rebellion in Middle English literature. “The Middle English Athelston and 1381: Part I: The Politics of Anglo-Saxon Identity” was published in the January 2020 issue of “Studies in Philology.” “The Middle English Athelston and 1381: Part II: The Road to Rebellion” followed in the July issue.
“Studies in Philology” is an industry journal printed by the University of North Carolina Press. The quarterly publication features articles written about relations between British literature and works in the classical, Romance and Germanic languages, as well as articles on British literature through Romanticism.
Vanover awarded grant to create open-resource theatre textbook
Gabriel Vanover, assistant professor of theatre, has been awarded one of just six statewide grants from the Private Academic Library Network of Indiana, Inc. (PALNI) to create an open educational resource (OER) through the organization’s PALSave Textbook Creation Grants Program. Open educational resources are free-access online course materials, including textbooks and other tools. The availability of these no-cost resources is proving to play a vital role in student success and retention by significantly reducing costs, saving scholars millions annually.
Vanover will use the $5,000 PALSave grant to develop and author “Center Stage,” a free online textbook designed to give students an introduction to theatrical process, following productions from concept to presentation. “Center Stage” will focus on the modern theatre and incorporate media, built-in reflection activities and guided questions for instructor-led discussions and forums.
PALNI is a non-profit library-to-library collaboration made up of 24 private, academic libraries. PALSave, financed with support from Lilly Endowment Inc., provides collaborative resources and a framework for OER awareness, education and engagement. In addition, PALSave funds and supports faculty adoptions of affordable learning materials to enhance the teaching and learning missions of private higher education in Indiana.
Morris joins staff as vice president for business affairs
Vincent Morris has been appointed Hanover’s vice president for business affairs. He joins the College’s administrative staff with more than 20 years of experience as a higher education finance and risk management officer and independent business consultant.
Morris served as vice president for finance and chief financial officer at Houghton College from 2016-18. From 2012-16, he was executive director for higher education practice at Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc. He has also operated the Illinois-based Morris Consulting since 2006.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies and youth ministry from Gordon College and, later, a master’s degree in theology from Wheaton College. He served as a youth minister at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Warrensville, Ill., from 1989-98 before moving into higher education.
In addition to his theological degrees, Morris holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with concentrations in finance, strategic management and managerial and organizational behavior. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from Wheaton.
Faculty, staff retire at year’s end
The closing of the academic year signaled the beginning of retirements for six members of the Hanover community. Collectively, these employees totaled more than 120 years of service to the College.
Mike Bruce ’78
Vice President for Business Affairs
Bruce returned to Hanover in 1995 as comptroller and was named associate vice president for business affairs in 2000. He has served as vice president for business affairs since 2005, overseeing the College’s financial, human resources, information technology and physical plant operations.
Debbie Kroger
Campus Safety Officer
Kroger, an emergency medical technician, started at the College in 1997 as a security officer. In addition to campus safety, she has been a campus resource for first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, women’s self-defense courses, medical response and fire safety.
Craig Philipp
Professor of Chemistry
Philipp joined Hanover’s faculty in 2007 as an assistant professor of chemistry. He previously worked in the consumer products industry, including positions with TreattUSA, Tropicana Products and Brown & Williamson, before his transition to academia.
Nancy Rodgers
Professor of Mathematics
Rodgers began her tenure in 1990 as an associate professor of mathematics. She came to Hanover after serving Kent State University as professor of math and author, copywriter and technical writer of online tutorial systems.
Pat Schuring
Faculty Support Assistant
Schuring, a member of the Office of Academic Affairs, started at the College in 1998 as a faculty secretary. She served the College’s faculty and students in Classic Hall for all 22 of her years on campus.
Debbie Seaver
Associate Director of the Gladish Center for Teaching and Learning
Seaver joined Hanover’s staff in 2015 as an instructional technologist. She was named accessibility services coordinator in 2018 and, in 2019, started a two-year stint as associate director of the Gladish Center.
Mike Bruce Debbie Kroger
Craig Philipp Nancy Rodgers
Pat Schuring Debbie Seaver
DPT program takes major step toward accreditation
Hanover’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program (DPT) was granted “candidate for accreditation” status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) in May. The achievement marks a key milestone for the new academic offering, indicating Hanover’s hybrid program is progressing toward full accreditation.
CAPTE is nationally recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The entity grants specialized accreditation status to qualified entry-level education programs for physical therapists. Hanover’s DPT program previously received accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission last summer.
Hanover’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, the College’s first doctoral offering since 1915, is designed to connect the liberal arts with career preparation in this high-demand field. Hanover’s first group of DPT students participated in an on-campus orientation June 15-17. Classes began June 21.
Completion of the College’s accreditation process is expected during summer 2023. Federal regulations permit graduates of the initial cohort to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination, the licensure exam for physical therapists, prior to the finalization of accreditation.
Choirs selected first North American ensembles for international festival
The Hanover College Concert Choir and Chamber Singers became the first North American ensembles invited to participate in the International Choir Festival Chernomorski zvutsi.
Now in its 10th year, International Choir Festival Chernomorski zvutsi is traditionally held in Balchik, Bulgaria, a coastal resort town on the Black Sea. This year’s festival was held virtually June 2-6 and included a mixture of live and pre-recorded online performances.
Under the direction of Madlen Batchvarova, professor of music, the College’s ensembles performed three selections. The Hanover Chamber Singers sang French-Canadian composer Donald Patrequin’s “J’entends le moulin,” in French, and Bulgarian composer Philip Kutev’s beloved traditional choral song, “Vecheryai Rado,” in its native language. In addition, the Hanover Concert Choir performed Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s “You Will Never Walk Alone (with ‘Climb Ev’ry Mountain’).”
Along with Hanover’s ensembles, this year’s festival featured 60 choirs from Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Turkey. The event included 132 choirs and more than 5,300 singers from Europe and Asia during its first nine editions.
Hanover’s vocal program earned distinction within the European choral community during a 2019 spring-term tour of Bulgaria. The 13-day trip included performances of sacred songs and Bulgarian folk pieces at three concerts and participation in workshops with local students and choirs.
Good Neighbor initiative to connect interns, local area
A group of select Hanover students is not only currently gaining solid work experience, but also a deeper connection to the local community through The Good Neighbor Internship Program.
The initiative provides paid internships for 10 students at Jefferson County (Ind.) businesses and organizations. The program, which targets sophomores and juniors, creates a pathway for Hanover students to utilize their strengths, build professional skills and see what makes the local area an attractive place to live and work. Area business owners and organization leaders, meanwhile, gain an opportunity to maximize local talent in the short term and, potentially, for years to come.
The competitive program, managed by Shaina Lin Hackbarth ’16, assistant director of internships and systems, placed interns at a wide range of local companies this summer, spanning governmental agencies, religious organizations and for- and notfor-profit businesses. Students are working in a variety of fields, including computer science, data management, marketing, web design and social media. Successful applicants must work a minimum of 250 hours during the summer months. In addition to a salary, the participants will also receive academic credit. Campus housing is available for students from outside the local area.
Four to receive Hanover’s highest alumni honors
Four Hanoverians will be honored with the College’s highest alumni awards during a special Homecoming ceremony next fall. Geoff Lorenz ’65 and Dr. Curtis Stine ’71 will be presented with the Alumni Achievement Award. Benjamin Gunning ’08 and Brianna Harlan ’15 have been selected to receive the Distinguished Young Alumni Award.
The event is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 1, in the J. Graham Brown Campus Center.
The awards, presented annually since 1960, recognize graduates who have enhanced the reputation of the College by making significant contributions to their community, state or nation through professional service, public service and/or civic activities.
For more than 50 years, Lorenz served as an executive with the Lorenz Corporation, an award-winning family-owned publishing company for choral composers, elementary music educators and church musicians.
During his tenure, Lorenz trademarked Heritage Music Press to create one of the country’s leading educational publishers, negotiated distribution agreements, led an expansion into the general education market and played an active role in the growth of Christian Copyright Licensing International.
Lorenz served four terms as president of the Church Music Publishers Association and was the first recipient of the Retail Print Music Dealers Association Industry Award for Service, Leadership and Teamwork. He is a trustee emeritus of Hanover’s board and currently serves as a board member for United Theological Seminary.
Lorenz and his wife, Niel, live in Dayton, Ohio. The couple has three sons and three grandchildren.
Stine, who resides in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., retired as professor emeritus from the Florida State University College of Medicine in 2017. While active, he directed the third- and fourth-year medical student curriculum, participated on numerous institutional committees and treated patients at the student health center and a community health center.
He attended the Indiana University School of Medicine from 1971-75. He completed his boardeligible residency training at the E. W. Sparrow Family Medicine Residency in 1978.
Stine is currently involved with the American Academy of Family Physicians and Florida Academy
of Family Physicians. He has earned emeritus status as a member of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine and the National Board of Medical Examiners.
He and his wife, Judy, are the parents of two daughters, Elizabeth and Anna. The couple has seven grandchildren.
Gunning has more than 15 years of experience through executive roles in nonprofit management, philanthropy and partnerships.
He currently serves as a growth lead at Propelland, a San Francisco-based global strategy, design and engineering consultancy. Prior to joining Propelland’s staff earlier this year, he spent three years as senior operations manager for Cooper Professional Education. He previously served as director of development at the University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy and graduate division, development director at Milwaukee Film, and assistant director of annual and special giving at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Gunning has served on numerous non-profit boards, including statewide LGBT advocacy groups, community foundations and educational institutions. Currently, he is a board member and treasurer for the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, Calif.
He and his partner, Allan, live in Oakland, Calif. Harlan is a multiform artist, speaker, community organizer and strategist. She collaborates nationally with nonprofits, institutions and community groups to explore how sociopolitical identity affects health, individuality and community. Her work has been featured in “ARTnews” and published internationally.
In 2020, Harlan helped create “She Ascends,” an augmented-reality monument for Breonna Taylor, and made her New York gallery debut with the solo exhibition, “Black Love Blooms: New York Nook.” In 2018, she was commissioned to create an installation for the Center for Interfaith Relations’ Festival of Faiths. That year, she was a recipient of the Kentucky Foundation for Women’s Firestarter Award.
Harlan, a Louisville, Ky., native, completed a Master of Fine Arts in art and social action at Queens College, City University of New York. She continues to serve the university’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Incubator.
Gaining Ground
Mya Urba ’24 becomes Hanover’s first female football coach
Game tied with 1:19 left. Opponent has the ball inside Hanover territory. Fourthand-one. Donning an easily spotted electric pink vest, with ponytail perched above her head, Mya Urba ’24 signals the Panthers’ formation from the sidelines, then anxiously implores her defensive unit to make a game-saving stop.
hough just 19 years old, Urba has pursued her passion to coach football for the past five years. Through her journey, she has shaken off stereotypes while stockpiling knowledge, acquiring more responsibility and earning the respect of athletes, coaches and opponents.
“From an outsider's perspective, I'm a 5-foot, curly-haired blondie who wears football stuff,” stated Urba. “I've been asked multiple times, I'll be at [a local store] and I'm wearing the [Hanover] football sweatshirt and they're like, ‘Oh, who's your boyfriend on the team?’ I am like, no, I coach.”
This year, Urba became the first female on-the-field coach in Hanover College’s 135-year football history. Working side-by-side with Defensive Coordinator Aarik Gault, she coached linebackers and, during games, signaled defensive alignments prior to each of the opposition’s plays.
Urba, who also plays defense for Hanover’s lacrosse team, served as an assistant coach while a student at Westfield (Ind.) High School. Her involvement with the Shamrocks’ football program, which began on a whim prior to her freshman year, transformed an initial curiosity into a passion.
During her college search process, Urba longed for a role with her future school’s football program. Options such as equipment manager and office assistant were occasionally presented, but she really wanted to continue coaching. All she needed was an opportunity.
“I had to fill out a player's recruiting form,” said Urba. “There was no easy way for me to do it. They would ask me for my height, weight and position film. I'd put my name and then scroll to the little notes at the bottom and just say, ‘Hey, I'm looking to coach. Is there a position for me?’”
Hanover checked many boxes on Urba’s wish list, which also includes academic interests in environmental biology and art and design. While visiting campus, she met with members of the Panthers’ football staff. Head Coach Matt Theobald ’96 immediately witnessed her sincerity and appetite for the game. An offer to coach was quickly extended.
“They were like, ‘What do you see yourself doing?’,” said Urba. “‘We want to help you do what you want to do. If you want to be a coach, if you want a higher role and be able to have more responsibility than you had in high school, we want to be able to make that happen.’ They never held back once and that was very different and made me feel at home. They were ready to just believe in me from day one.”
“She just kind of fit right in with us,” said Theobald, who has guided the Panthers since 2016. “Sometimes we get people from the outside that want to be a part of this, but aren't all in. I would say Mya is 100 percent all-in with Hanover football.”
Since earning the opportunity, she has been driven to acquire more intricate football knowledge and merit additional responsibilities. A critical task, given the nature of the sport and age group, has been to earn respect from the athletes.
“A lot of the guys have already played six years, or more,” said Urba. “There's not a female presence unless it's the moms bringing snacks or whatever. So, it was definitely a learning experience for a lot of the guys to have to look up to somebody like a female in a higher role.”
“One of the biggest things about Mya is her dedication to the sport,” said linebacker Ross Eckert ’21. “[After] our first game at Defiance, we were on the bus ride home. I was talking to her and realized there is a lacrosse game today. I asked her ‘Mya, don't you play lacrosse?’ She was like, ‘Football comes first.’”
“It was a neat relationship kind of being built with her and the rest of the team,” said Theobald. “She’s our voice from the coaching staff to the players. There is some pressure on her. It is not the most glorious job in the world, because at times, especially on defense, there is a lot of stress on you to make sure you get it right. She's done a great job of just being professional and she takes it super seriously.”
Under Theobald, the Panthers have won three consecutive Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference championships and earned two berths in the NCAA Division III tournament. However, well beyond wins and losses, Hanover’s football “family” - totaling more than 130 athletes, coaches and auxiliary staff – encourages unity, accountability and respect.
“I never thought in my life I would have a female coach,” said Eckert. “It kind of taught us that it doesn't matter who you are. As long as you do your job and you do it to the best of your ability, you are going to fit in. Maybe the first day Mya was here it was kind of weird seeing a girl on the field. But, after that, it was like she is just a coach. She's part of this team just as much as the next person.”
“There aren't many jobs where you're not going to interact with a female in a certain position of power,” said Theobald. “I think it's important for our guys to be able to work with women and see them not just as a [figurehead], but see them as a person, and a person that they're going to have to take direction from, work with and work alongside. Hopefully, that will translate later in life.”
The impact of the COVID pandemic piled Hanover’s abbreviated spring season on top of the regularly scheduled lacrosse season. At a minimum, Urba logged four and one-half hours per day at Alumni Stadium with lacrosse and football practices often running consecutively. Double duty, however, did not discourage her from tackling the two, very distinct responsibilities.
“Am I exhausted when I get back? Yes,” said Urba. “Do I get to start my homework at 8 p.m. and have to get up that next morning for classes again? Yep. And do it all over again. I absolutely adore it. It is so cool and so rewarding to be able to do both.”
“It was a tough spring for her,” said Theobald. “She shows up on time. She knows the practice plan, knows the game plan and gets everything we need done.”
Since 2015, when the Arizona Cardinals hired the NFL’s first female summer intern, women have increasingly secured administrative and coaching roles inside the football universe. Katie Sowers famously served as an offensive assistant with the San Francisco 49ers during their run to the 2020 Super Bowl. There were six women coaches on the sidelines during the NFL’s 2021 playoffs.
“That's what is unique to football and what I really love about it,” said Theobald. “We are all out there trying to achieve one goal. And that is what football breaks down, a lot of barriers.”
“I've always felt that openness to other individuals who maybe don't fit the stereotypical mold,” said Eckert. “It speaks a lot to what we're willing to do and, if you're the best at what you do, it doesn't matter what you look like.”
Once a casual interest, football has become a passion for Urba. While her destination may still be shrouded in uncertainty, her future is wide open.
“I have a daughter. Coach [Justin] Robinson has a daughter. Coach Gault is a new father. He has a daughter,” said Theobald. “We obviously always want to protect [Mya], but we have daughters and we want to make sure that they have every opportunity going forward to follow their dreams and their passion. I think that is really what we are trying to help Mya with. She is passionate about [coaching football]. She's the first and we want to help her achieve her goals and her dreams.”
Browning, Joseph headline athletic honorees
Decorated athletes Erin Browning ’21 and Myles Joseph ’21 capped their collegiate careers being selected Hanover’s most outstanding female and male senior athletes, respectively. Browning, a standout for Hanover’s track and field team, is a two-time Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference champion in the hammer throw (2019, 2021) and national qualifier. She was named an academic all-American and also earned all-region honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
During the 2020 indoor season, Browning set the school record in the weight-throw (15.87 meters/52-feet, 1-inch). During the spring of 2019, she established Hanover’s outdoor record in the hammer throw (51.93 meters/170-feet, 4-inches) and, later, placed 16th in the event at the NCAA III outdoor national championships.
Joseph was a four-time all-Heartland Conference honoree for Hanover’s soccer team. He was a three-time first-team all-HCAC selection and the league’s defensive player of the year as a sophomore (2018).
Anchored by Joseph, the Panthers’ defense allowed fewer than one goal per match during his career. The program posted 26 shutouts and a 44-17-6 overall record in that span, highlighted by a 30-4-2 mark in league matches, two conference championships and a berth in the NCAA III national tournament.
The Bill Griffin Mental Attitude Award was presented to Jake Metzler ’21, who overcame two potentially career-ending ankle injuries to compete as an offensive lineman/tight end for Hanover’s football squad. Brittney Ralston ’21, a four-year utility player and team leader for the softball program, was presented with the Mildred E. Lemen Mental Attitude Award. Hanover’s women’s soccer squad earned the Dean’s Award for the third straight year. The honor recognizes the team with the highest grade-point average (GPA) through the academic year. The 30-member team, guided by Head Coach Jim Watts, collectively achieved a 3.53 GPA.
The women’s lacrosse program received the Faculty Athletic Representative Award, which is presented to the College’s team with the best cumulative grade-point average improvement from one year to the next. The 14-member squad, led by Head Coach Brandon Allwood, raised its collective GPA by 0.295 points from the previous year.
Women’s soccer sweeps league crown, post-season honors
Hanover’s women’s soccer team earned the Heartland Conference championship and swept the league’s top individual honors after an unbeaten spring season.
Forward Maggie Day ’22 was named the Heartland Conference’s offensive player of the year. Midfielder Josie Dattilo ’23 was named the league’s best defensive player and midfielder Jostin Reeves ’24 was tapped the HCAC’s top newcomer.
Hanover posted an 8-0 mark during the abbreviated 2021 season.
The Panthers secured the league title with a 3-0 win against the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in the HCAC tournament.
Day led the Panthers in scoring with a team-high eight goals and 18 total points. Reeves posted seven goals and 17 points. Back Bryn Rolfsen ’22 led Hanover with five assists.
Dattilo was named the tourney’s most valuable player.
The Heartland Conference championship was Hanover’s first since 2018 and 10th overall. The program has won eight HCAC championships under 13th-year Head Coach Jim Watts, who was named the league’s coach of the year for the sixth time.
Football secures third straight HCAC championship
Hanover’s football team captured the program’s third consecutive Heartland Conference championship. The Panthers posted a 4-0 record in the COVID-abbreviated spring season.
Hanover opened the season with a 56-12 road victory against Defiance College. The Panthers notched two wins at Alumni Stadium, edging Bluffton University (51-44) and the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (27-24). The squad outpaced Franklin College, 56-21, in the 90th-annual Victory Bell clash April 10 in Franklin, Ind. Three of the squad’s HCAC contests were cancelled due to injuries or illness.
Running back Shawn Coane ’21 extended his record-setting career total to 3,458 rushing yards. This spring, he netted a teamhigh 420 rushing yards on 67 attempts. The four-time all-Heartland Conference selection shared the team lead with six rushing touchdowns. The effort boosts his career total to 41, matching Hanover’s record set by former all-American Anthony Brantley ’77 from 1973-77.
Men’s tennis nets Heartland Conference regular-season title
Hanover’s men’s tennis squad earned the Heartland Conference’s regular-season championship. The Panthers posted a 10-1 mark during the spring season, including a 5-0 record in HCAC matches.
Joey Keal ’24 was named the league’s outstanding newcomer. Head Coach Eric LaRue was tapped the HCAC’s coach of the year for the first time.
Keal, the fifth player in school history to earn the conference’s newcomer-of-theyear honor, posted a 6-2 record in the No. 2 singles position. He was 3-0 in HCAC matches. In addition, he was 8-3 in doubles action, partnering in the Nos. 1-2 slots with Connor Garrison ’22 (5-2), Keith Asplund ’21 (1-1), Rodolfo Jacome ’24 (1-0) and Roger Trombley ’21 (1-0).
Hanover was unbeaten during the COVID-shortened regular season. The Panthers fell to the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, 5-2, in the Heartland Conference tournament championship match, May 9, in Nicholasville, Ky.
Women’s cross country wins HCAC championship
Arig Tong ’22 led Hanover’s women's cross country team to the Heartland Conference championship.
The seven-team event was held March 14 at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky.
Tong, who had finished second in each of her first two seasons, was named the Heartland Conference’s runner of the year after capturing the league’s individual title with a time of 23:16.82. She is the Panthers’ first HCAC runner of the year since Leah Peelman Mysock ’06 in 2005.
The Panthers placed four runners in the top 11 spots and finished with 39 points to hold off the RoseHulman Institute of Technology (62 points) and Manchester University (73). Brianna Medcalf ’22 and Sawyer Osmun ’22 each notched top-10 finishes to earn all-conference honors. Medcalf posted a sixth-place finish in 24:29.92, while Osmun was seventh in 24:30.48. Leah Anders ’23 finished 11th with a time of 25:38.55
Head Coach Brady Wells ’83 was named the league’s coach of the year for the first time. Wells led Hanover to its sixth HCAC championship and first since 2014.
Panthers tally six firsts at HCAC outdoor track and field championship
Hanover’s women’s track and field team posted a third-place finish at the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference championship. The Panthers recorded six first-place finishes at the meet, held April 30-May 1 in Terre Haute, Ind.
Zaleeya Martin ’23 keyed Hanover’s effort in the running events. She earned conference championships in the 100-meter dash (12.65 seconds) and 200-meter dash (25.63). Martin also anchored the Panthers’ 4x100-meter relay team, combining with Makenzie Carroll ’22, Alijah Craig ’23 and Alexis Gerke ’22 to post a league-winning time of 50.9 seconds. Hanover captured HCAC titles in three field events.
Erin Browning ’21, a 2019 national qualifier, won the hammer throw with a 46.92-meter toss. Emily Jones ’21 was first in the pole vault, covering 3.15 meters. Jessica Beckman ’22 captured first place in the discus with a 38.74-meter throw.
As a team, Hanover finished third among 10 schools at the meet with 128 total points. The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology was first overall with 215 points. Manchester University placed second with 147.
Sprint marks highlight league indoor championships
In late February, Zaleeya Martin ’23 and Cody Horner ’23 each set Hanover records in the 60-meter dash to lead the Panthers at the Heartland Conference indoor track and field championships.
Martin won the Heartland Conference’s women’s 60-meter dash championship with a record-setting time of 7.92 seconds. The effort surpassed her previous record of 8.00 seconds, set Feb. 12 at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology’s Friday Night Spikes.
Hanover placed third at the seven-team meet with 100 points. Host Rose-Hulman won the HCAC title with 189 points and Manchester University was second with 137.
Jessica Beckman ’23 captured the league championship in the shot put. She turned in an 11.34-meter effort to win by 13 inches.
Horner established the Panthers’ men’s 60-meter dash school record in one of the HCAC’s early qualifying heats. He advanced to the finals with a time of 7.14 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 7.16 set by Torrey Gardiner ’17 in 2014. He later placed seventh in the final heat.
The Panthers posted a fourth-place finish at the men’s HCAC championship with 58 points. Rose-Hulman was first with 194 points, followed by Manchester (104.5) and Defiance College (66).
Reece Hunter ’21 earned the Heartland Conference crown in the high jump with a leap of 1.87 meters. He won by one inch.
Hanson breaks 42-year-old track record
Cooper Hanson ’22 broke a 42-year-old school record in the 800-meter run while competing for Hanover’s track and field team at the Lee University Last Chance Meet, May 17, in Cleveland, Tenn.
Hanson covered the 800 meters in 1:55.36 to surpass the previous mark of 1:56.04, set by Brian Shortridge ’81 in 1979. Hanson finished 21st in the event, which featured athletes from all three NCAA divisions and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
Men’s golf lowers school
36-hole mark
Hanover’s men's golf team posted a new school 36-hole record to win the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Preview. The 10-team event was played April 17-18 at Hidden Creek Golf Club in Lima, Ohio. Charlie Bullerdick ’21 (143), Luke Van Leeuwen ’22 (145), Dawson Long ’23 (150), Aaron Wade ’21 (152) and Griffen Reynolds ’23 (157) combined to post a twoday total of 586 strokes (293-293) to win the team title by two strokes. Bullerdick earned co-medalist honors, topping the 61-golfer field with a 143 (72-71).
The quintet’s effort surpasses the former mark of 592 (291-301), set at Mount St. Joseph University’s Stateline Shootout Oct. 6-7, 2018. Bullerdick, Addison Allyn ’20, Brandon Bishop ’22, John Summerlin ’20 and Austin Zapp ’20 combined to establish the previous record.
McNally-Henriksen sets freshman scoring records
Masi McNally-Henriksen ’24 set two Hanover single-match scoring records to lead Hanover’s women’s lacrosse team to a 19-6 victory against Franklin College April 29 in the semifinals of the Heartland Conference tournament.
McNally-Henriksen set new school marks for goals and points by a freshman, surpassing two records previously held by Mallory Fogus ’19. She netted seven goals and had two assists in the triumph. Fogus scored five goals in a contest twice during her freshman campaign in 2015. She also totaled six points (four goals and two assists) against Defiance College that season.
Hanover finished the 2021 campaign with a 4-5 overall record, including a 2-1 mark in league contests. The Panthers fell to Transylvania University, 20-3, in the May 1 championship match. The squad had six matches cancelled due to COVID-related issues.
HALL OF FAME DAY
Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021
Hanoverian Eternal is now available on Hanover’s alumni website. Information about the passing of members of the College community, including alumni, faculty, staff and trustees, will be regularly updated online along with links to obituaries, when available. our.hanover.edu/eternal
1943 CLARA GERTRUDE BAYNES SHELBY, 99, of Hernando Beach, Fla., died April 2, 2021
1950 EDWIN CHARLES STEINER, PH.D., 92, of Boulder, Colo., died March 21, 2021
1950 JAMES ALBERT PETERSON, 95, of Bloomington, Ind., died Dec. 30, 2020
1951 BARBARA BLUME BIZER, 91, of Louisville, Ky., died Feb. 19, 2021
1952 E. ROGERS JACKSON, 90, of Hilton Head Island, S.C., died April 16, 2021
1952 EVERETT RAY LANHAM, 96, of Cave Creek, Ariz., died April 22, 2020
1953 ARLAN K. "BUD" KING, 90, of Rushville, Ind., died April 10, 2021
1955 WALTER FREDERICK LAFEBER, PH.D., 87, of Ithaca, N.Y., died March 9, 2021
1956 NORMAN KEITH LEE, 87, of Ridgeville, Ind., died Feb. 22, 2021
1956 IMOGENE CAROLYN VESTILE STORM, 87, of Fraser, Colo., died March 25, 2021
1956 JOHN FREDERICK ZIRZOW, 86, of Bradenton, Fla., died Feb. 7, 2021
1957 JAMES E. ROBERTSON JR., 85, of Hardy, Va., died January 18, 2021
1958 MARGARET ANNE FREEMAN ULERICH, 84, of Picayune, Miss., died August 25, 2020
1961 JACQUELINE FINCH FRESH, 82, of Louisville, Ky., died April 28, 2021
1963 JOHN R. ACKLAND, 79, of Bakersfield, Calif., died Jan. 17, 2021
1963 DALE E. DOWDEN, 79, of Vincennes, Ind., died Dec. 29, 2020
1966 DR. JAMES A. HUNT, 76, of Cocoa Beach, Fla., died April 9, 2021
1967 ROBERT PRICE CURTIS, 75, of Mishawaka, Ind., died March 28, 2021
1968 STEPHEN J. BEARDSLEY, 75, of New Albany, Ind., died March 2, 2021
1970 DR. WILLIAM M. FALLS, 72, of Bath, Mich., died Feb. 23, 2021
1970 MICHAEL T. HARVES, 72, of Spokane, Wash., died Feb. 19, 2021
1970 JAMES GORDON MOSCHENROSS, 73, of Fishers, Ind., died May 13, 2021
1971 MICHAEL TODD JACKSON, of Whitefish, Mont., died April 6, 2021
1982 DONNA KAY MULLETT CLARK, 60, of Louisville, Ky., died Nov. 19, 2020
1986 MICHAEL KEITH BLASDEL, 68, of Hanover, Ind., died May 1, 2021
1986 JOHN EDWARD LUKOWSKI, 57, of St. Paul, Minn., died March 16, 2021
1987 SUSAN MICHELLE SPECK
PHILLIPS, 55, of Elizabethtown, Ky., died April 19, 2021
1998 SHELLEY DAWN ROBERTSON, 44, of Indianapolis, Ind., died March 24, 2021
2009 KRISTEN ALEXANDRA
CROXTON, 34, of Madison, Ind., died Feb. 14, 2021
FACULTY AND STAFF
RUTH THATCHER CALKINS, 90, of Indianola, Iowa, died Feb. 11, 2021 (former bookstore manager and wife of economics Professor Ralph Calkins)
JOANN SHORT CHEATHAM, 90, of Madison, Ind., died March 15, 2021 (former campus operator/receptionist)
GEOFFREY D. KLINGER, 54, of Avon, Ind., died May 9, 2021 (former communication professor)
JAMES L. FERGUSON Professor Emeritus of English
James L. Ferguson, professor emeritus of English, died May 12, 2021, in Charlottesville, Va. Ferguson, 93, served Hanover’s English department for 29 years. He joined the College’s faculty in 1963 as an assistant professor and later served as department chair. He retired in 1992 as the James A. and Sophronia R. McKee Professor of English Literature.
He was born on April 26, 1928, in Iberia, Mo. He graduated from Hoover (Calif.) High School in 1946 and studied two years at Glendale College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English at Occidental College in 1951 before serving in the U.S. Army from 1951-53. After military service in Hawaii, Japan and Korea, he returned to Occidental, earning a master’s degree (1955) and working as an instructor and teaching assistant while obtaining a doctoral degree in literature (1963).
Ferguson bolstered Hanover’s English curriculum, teaching literature and modern drama, including popular courses about John Milton and William Faulkner. In 1991, he published “Faulkner’s Short Fiction,” a study of the author’s short stories.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lorice Mittry Ferguson, and his parents, Oral Ferguson and Helen Rames Briggs.
Ferguson is survived by his daughter, Kathleen Chapman and her husband, David; daughter, Lynne Ferguson; sister-in-law, Jeanne Shikany; four grandchildren, a niece and nephew.
ROBERT JAMES ROSENTHAL
Professor Emeritus of Philosophy
Robert James Rosenthal, professor emeritus of philosophy, died Feb. 26, 2021, in Hanover, Ind.
Rosenthal, 82, served as a member of Hanover’s faculty for 47 years before retiring in 2014. He has the second-longest faculty tenure in school history, surpassed by only Joshua Garritt (1856-1906).
He was born March 31, 1938, in Hartford, Wis. He earned a bachelor’s degree at St. Olaf College in 1959 and a doctoral degree at the University of Maryland in 1968. After three years as an instructor at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, he began his tenure at Hanover in 1967. His areas of specialization included the philosophies of art, environment and religion, and intentional communities.
Rosenthal developed many courses and led generations of Hanoverians into field study of the “simple life” during his spring term course, "Utopias and Intentional Communities.” He also served as a founding member of The Friends of the Hubbards and the Communal Studies Association.
Rosenthal was preceded in death by his parents, Armand and Virginia Rosenthal. He is survived by his wife, Vicki Jenkins; daughter, Sonya Rousseau and her husband, Nathan; brothers Donald, David and Thomas Rosenthal; sisters Beverly Larsson, Karen Meyer, Jean Johannes and her husband, Jim, and Janet Butterbrodt and her husband, John; one grandson and several nieces and nephews.
YOUR LEGACY SECURES OUR FUTURE
A strong endowment creates the solid foundation to make the Hanover experience possible for future generations. Endowed funds provide essential financial support for all aspects of the College, especially its students, faculty, academic programs and career-centered endeavors. In recent months, Hanover’s endowment has received generous support, including these new legacy commitments:
The Barnard Family Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established by John ’65 and Susan Barnard, the scholarship will be awarded to a student in good academic standing with financial need.
The Copeland Family Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established by James L. ’61 and Roberta D. Copeland ’61, the scholarship provides annual support to a deserving undergraduate student.
The Nancy Flamme Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established by Nancy Flamme ’77, the fund provides a scholarship for a student in good academic standing with demonstrated financial need. Priority will be given to women and/or students who are Black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC).
The Hamann Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established by Al ’60 and Sue Groppenbecher Hamann ’61, the scholarship will be awarded to students who have declared a desire to pursue a career in Christian ministry with first preference to the Presbyterian Church.
The Wendy Martin Endowed Scholarship Fund for BIPOC Students
Established by Wendy Martin ’95, the fund provides an annual scholarship for a student in good academic standing with demonstrated financial need. Priority will be given to students who are Black, indigenous and people of color.
The Dr. John and Barbara Plinke Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established by Mark ’89 and Marla Kohler Whittenburg ’90 and Eric ’89 and Lori Newlin Plinke’89, the scholarship will be awarded to students of color while supporting Hanover’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
The Shrewsberry Family Endowed Fund for Basketball
Established by Mr. and Mrs. William L. Shrewsberry, Jr., the fund will provide support to the men’s basketball program.
Dr. Robert E. Wolverton ’48 and Dr. Mars M. Westington Endowed Scholarship
Established by Dr. Robert E. Wolverton ’48, the scholarship recognizes former Hanover Professor of Classics Dr. Mars Westington and will be awarded to a student who wishes to pursue a degree and teach in the field of Classics.
Interested in making a never-ending gift? Endowments can be established with a single gift or series of gifts to meet the minimum fund requirement of $25,000. For more information on how you can create at legacy at Hanover, call 812.866.6813 or visit hanover.edu/giving.
Hanover College’s 94th-annual Homecoming will be bigger than ever! Hanoverfest will feature activities for all ages, including class reunions, friends, food, football, live music and much, much more.
Homecoming 2021 will feature 28 reunions, gathering class years ending in 0, 1, 5 and 6. The classes of 1970 and 1971 will enjoy 50-year celebrations at the Point. The Golden Panthers Reunion will include graduates from 1955, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1965 and 1966. Reunion Zero - new this year - will be a special gathering for members of the classes of 2020 and 2021.
