City Grants $1 Million for New Academic Center Student Life Focuses on Holistic Development Tech Grad Tom Pryslak’s Expertise Powers-up Swiss-based Supercollider
Volume 10, Issue 1 / Fall 2013 The Magazine for Students, Alumni & Friends
DOORS OPEN AT TECH LAW Page 14
Plus! ANNUAL HOMECOMING ISSUE, Pages 6-11
Letter from the President
Hello again! Each August, just before our traditional fall semester starts, I gather our faculty and staff to share information and offer my thoughts on the coming year. This year, I challenged us all to “Choose to Shine.” To me this means choosing to not only do your best, but to also lift up those around you and enable them to do and be their best. As I reflect on the past few months, I see many ways in which our Indiana Tech family is shining. »» We are once again blessed with growth, as you can see in our enrollment story (Page 19) and our faculty additions (Page 21). »» The future is bright for our newly opened law school. The university celebrated the dedication of the school with several distinguished guests, and you can read about it on Page 14. »» Our annual Warrior Weekend was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our graduates and honor those returning for their 50-year reunion. See Pages 6 to 11 for photos and stories. »» We received a generous grant from the City of Fort Wayne to support our new academic center (Page 4). This issue of Trends also features two alumni who choose to shine every day: retired engineer Tom Pryslak, who recently participated in groundbreaking physics research (Page 16), and Christine Hutchins, the first female command chief of the 122nd Fighter Wing (Page 20). I’d love to hear how Indiana Tech has helped you shine. Stop by for a visit; you’re welcome any time. Sincerely,
Dr. Arthur E. Snyder, Ed. D. President
Contents Departments 22 Warrior Athletics 24 From the Desk of Mike Peterson 26 Richter’s Notes 27 Alumni Updates 28 In Memoriam 29 Faculty & Staff News
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Features
2
Tech Happenings
4 City Supports Academic Center with $1 Million Grant 6 Warrior Weekend 2013
6 Weekend Highlights
8 Alumni Hall of Fame Induction
9 Alumni Award Winners
11 TWIST XXIV Golf Outing
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12 The Path to Holistic Development 14 Indiana Tech Dedicates Law School 16 Power Up – Tech Alumnus’ Expertise Essential to Supercollider 20 Hutchins Makes Blacksnake History 21 Faculty Expands With University Growth 14 Trends Volume 10, Issue 1. © 2013 Indiana Institute of Technology Arthur E. Snyder, Ed.D. President Trends is published three times a year for alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends of Indiana Tech by the university’s Creative Services department and Office of Institutional Advancement.
Mark Richter Vice President of Institutional Advancement
Brian Engelhart Vice President of Marketing
Janet Schutte Director of Marketing
Lucinda Neff Graphic Designer
Sarah Suraci
Please send comments, news, and feature story ideas to:
For alumni news, please send to the attention of the Alumni Office at the address on the left, or call:
Indiana Tech attn: Creative Services 1600 E. Washington Blvd. Fort Wayne, IN 46803
260.422.5561 or 800.937.2448, extension 2219
260.422.5561 or 800.937.2448, extension 2250 e-mail: jlschutte@indianatech.edu
Marketing Specialist
e-mail: alumni@indianatech.edu. The editors reserve the right to edit articles for length and clarity. Articles may be reproduced with permission and proper attribution.
Michael Peterson Director of Alumni Relations
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Tech Happenings
Yoder Honored for Innovation Brad Yoder, director of the School of Education, was honored with the Leepoxy Award for Teaching Innovation at the annual Convocation in September. The annual award is given to a fulltime faculty member who challenges students to continuously
Guest Speaker Entertains and Inspires
progress to higher levels of thinking; engages students in active learning activities; and connects to students in innovative ways
Ken Futch, president of Ken Futch and Associates and
to positively impact their experiences at Indiana Tech.
author of “Take Your Best Shot,” delivered a humorous
Yoder was given a framed certificate stating that he:
and thought-provoking speech on turning challenging
■■ Sets high expectations for students
situations into opportunities as part of the University Forum speaker series. The standing-room only crowd in the Magee-O’Connor Theater heard Futch describe how he accidentally shot himself in the head. The wound turned out to be relatively minor and provided him with a great story he can use to set himself apart
■■ Encourages students to be reflective in their practice ■■ Brings real world teaching into the classroom, challenging students to problem solve, analyze, and critically think through teaching situations ■■ Is a daily example of the Teacher Education Dispositions
as a speaker. Amid other stories of personal adversity,
for students, utilizing the foundation for effective
he advised students to work at turning negatives into
professional practice
positives. Ken Futch and Associates is an Atlanta-based training company that teaches organizations and individuals how to recognize and capitalize on opportunities. Before founding his company in 1986, Futch was in sales and management with AT&T. His success led to his selection as a top trainer at AT&T’s prestigious National Sales School and to being featured in Newsweek magazine. For more information on Futch, visit www.kenfutch.com.
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Something for Everyone at Family & Friends Day Student Life put together a fun-filled Family & Friends Day in October to help students share their Tech experience with important people in their lives. The day included a free concert; an Orange
a
Out at the women’s soccer game; outdoor games such as kickball and tug-of-war; a bowling tournament; pumpkin painting; a magician; and a free showing of “Despicable Me 2” in Magee-O’Connor Theater. More than 250 people came out to enjoy the day, visit with students, and catch some Warrior spirit.
b
IN TH E PHOTOS:
c
a Nothing brings people together like
a spirited game of kickball.
b Warrior artists painted mini pumpkins
in the Rec Center.
c Tech alumna Staci Stork and her band
were among the musical acts featured
in the free concert.
d Fans were decked out in Tech gear and
smiles to watch the women’s soccer team
take on Davenport.
Photos by Lucas Carter
d
Tech Named Military Friendly for 3rd Straight Year Victory Media has named Indiana Tech to the coveted Military Friendly Schools® list for the third consecutive year. The 2014 Military Friendly Schools® list honors the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus. “Inclusion on the 2014 list of Military Friendly Schools® shows Indiana Tech’s commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students,” said Sean Collins, vice president at Victory Media and a nine-year Navy veteran. “The need for education is growing and our mission is to provide the military community with transparent, world-class resources to assist in their search for schools.”
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Evans-Kimmell Hall
Abbott Center
Warrior Field
Uytengsu Center
Warrior Fieldhouse
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City Supports Academic Center with $1 Million Grant Word had spread across campus that big news was coming, and students, faculty and staff gathered outdoors on the hottest day of the summer in Fort Wayne to be the first to hear what it was. The crowd was not disappointed: Mayor Tom Henry revealed that the first grant from the Legacy Higher Education Opportunity Fund has been awarded to Indiana Tech’s new academic center. Indiana Tech will receive $1 million to help support capital expenditures for the construction of the academic center. Indiana Tech is investing nearly $15 million for the academic center, which is currently under construction and is expected to be complete by August 2014. “Indiana Tech’s commitment to Fort Wayne, our downtown, and the East Central Neighborhood is exceptional,” Henry said. “The new academic center will serve students, faculty, and the entire community. A commitment to education and learning makes Fort Wayne more attractive for new businesses and jobs and encourages a greater quality of life. We’re creating transformational change that is positioning us for future growth and success.” The center will house 13 classrooms for both undergraduate and graduate courses. It will feature the Ravi and Eleanor Talwar Leadership Center, focusing on leadership training and education, and the Center for Creative Collaboration to support area entrepreneurs. Additionally, a state-of-the-art education laboratory, a high-tech criminal science laboratory, an expanded McMillen Library, an art gallery, and a multi-flex auditorium and theater will be located in the academic center. The library, theater and auditorium will be open to the public and the education and criminal science laboratories will have limited public use. In addition, the center will provide pro-
gramming for the entire community in- who propose projects with the most cluding innovative efforts to help youth potential for growth. develop math skills and entrepreneurs “Indiana Tech is deeply grateful to have develop successful local businesses. earned the support of the Legacy initiaMath programs will be offered on tive for the new academic center,” Presiweekends and during the summer. It dent Arthur Snyder said. “From the very will be free to Fort Wayne high school start of planning for the project, commuand middle school nity engagement and students, particularly benefit have been centhose families who are tral to our vision for the ACADEMIC CENTER facing financial chalacademic center. With F E AT U R E S : lenges. The program support such as this, will collaborate with that vision is becoming Thirteen Classrooms local school profesreality.” Ravi & Eleanor Talwar sionals and non-profit Legacy Fort Wayne Leadership Center groups such as the is an initiative to guide East Central Neighbordecision making about Center for Creative hood Association, East the Fort Wayne ComCollaboration Wayne Street Center, munity Trust and City Boys & Girls Clubs of Light Lease SettleEducation Laboratory Fort Wayne, and more. ment funds, which toThe Center for Cretal about $79 million. Criminal Science Laboratory ative Collaboration will As part of Legacy Fort Expanded McMillen Library also provide significant Wayne, the Higher support for local ecoEducation OpportuArt Gallery nomic development nity Fund was created, efforts. It will act as a which provides highMulti-flex Auditorium one-stop shop where er-learning nonprofit & Theater entrepreneurs can reinstitutions up to a $3 ceive assistance in all million, 3-to-1 match key areas needed to start a successful for capital investments. The investments business, including business planning, must be made in downtown Fort Wayne market research and prototype design. or surrounding core neighborhoods. The Preference for clients will be given to in- Opportunity Fund has a limited amount dividuals with financial need, those de- of dollars available and applications are veloping technology start-ups, and those considered as they are submitted. ¢
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201 3 H O M E CO M I N G F E AT U R E
WARRIOR WEEKEND 2013 Warrior Weekend (Homecoming) 2013 was another great success as alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and current students all gathered together on the Fort Wayne campus for a variety of festive events and activities.
16 men and their guests who returned to celebrate 50 years since their graduation in 1963
A very successful Road Warrior Cruise-In with more than 50 vehicles and a live band
A fascinating TECHnology 101 session about energy engineering from Dr. John Renie
An alumni baseball game with a great crowd of more than 300 people
The Dancing to the Decades Party at the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown featuring a live band that attracted more than 100 people Business “neighbor� Mark Deister of Deister Machine Company, Inc. sharing his story with a full room at the annual prayer service The Indiana Tech Law School dedication ceremony (see page 4) 18 brothers and guests from Alpha Epsilon Pi who came to campus for lunch and a tour (for most, this was the first time back in many years)
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An energizing Alumni Banquet honoring the members of the class of 1963, three alumni award winners, the newest Alumni Hall of Fame inductee, and more Two gentlemen who returned to celebrate 65 years since graduation: John Pawlisch & Herman Sinemas A wonderful time of meeting new people and renewing old friendships
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ALUMNI HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
Heinz Wegener Heinz Wegener was honored as the 2013 inductee into the Indiana Tech Alumni Hall of Fame. The Alumni Hall of Fame was initiated in 2005, so that each year we may honor an outstanding Indiana Tech graduate who has reached an exceptional level of professional achievement. This award is the highest that our university bestows. In 1951, Wegener immigrated to the United States from Germany with his parents and brother. His early school years were difficult as fellow students often picked on him because he recently arrived from Germany. This caused Wegener to become determined to work hard to fit in with the crowd. By doing well in school and becoming a strong athlete, he was able to do just that. Wegener’s drive and hard work ethic continued through high school and into his college years at Indiana Tech. It even helped him pursue and marry the girl of his dreams, Nan, at the end of his freshman year at Indiana Tech in 1967. His hard work in college helped him graduate summa cum laude from Indiana Tech in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. While earning his degree, Wegener worked as a junior engineer at Magnavox Company in Fort Wayne. Upon graduation, Wegener be-
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gan his career at General Electric in Utica, N.Y., designing circuitry for military and space station receivers. He and Nan moved from there to Atlanta, where he worked in the Satcom Division of ScientificAtlanta designing circuitry for satellite communications receivers and other satellite-related products. Wegener also was manager of the Ground Communications Equipment engineering department managing new product design and standard product support. In 1978, Wegener spent a year gaining valuable experience designing various radar receivers for the Georgia Institute of Technology Research Institute. During this time, he founded Wegener Communications, Inc., a subsidiary of Wegener Corporation, in the laundry room of his home.
Wegener Communications has grown into a multi-million dollar leader in the satellite communications industry. For the first 11 years, Wegener directed Wegener Communications’ engineering. From 1989 to 1994, he managed the Custom Products Group, the Telecommunications Business Unit, and was responsible for initial implementation of world-class JIT manufacturing techniques and the Total Quality Commitment (TQC) concept at Wegener. Today, Wegener is president and owner of Cross Technologies, Inc., which is a private company that manufactures electronic equipment for the satellite and telecommunications markets.
2013 ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS
Kevin Faus, BSBA 2007
G.O.L.D. (Graduate of the Last Decade) Alumnus of the Year
During his successful career climb to owning his own company, Wegener became both a workaholic and an alcoholic. Time with family and involvement with church became secondary to building his career. He found himself in a position that should bring happiness and joy, but instead he felt unfulfilled. In 1980, he had a divine spiritual moment that changed his life forever. And in 1984, Wegener was healed of his addiction to alcohol through prayer. In 1985, he co-founded Norcross Fellowship Luncheon, a place for businessmen to gather and share their faith in Jesus Christ. Because of the faith that both he and Nan share, they have made generous donations to Indiana Tech that have provided for the Heinz and Nanalee Wegener Worship Center and made faith services at Indiana Tech more readily available to students. The Wegeners also established the Heinz and Nanalee Wegener Scholarship. Wegener is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), a past member of the Executive Committee of the Southeast Council of the American Electronics Association (AEA), and served as Chairman of the Southeast Council of the AEA in 1992. He is also a past member of the Board of Advisors of Technology Executive Roundtable. Almost every year, you will find the Wegeners on the Fort Wayne campus during Warrior Weekend. Wegener typically leads the prayer service held during the weekend. He is a true Warrior who continues to stay engaged with our Indiana Tech community and provides both hope and support for our students, faculty, and staff.
Kevin Faus came to Indiana Tech out of Norwell High School in Indiana. In addition to being an excellent student who consistently made the Academic Honors List, Faus also excelled on the Warrior soccer team. He loved all of his business classes, and he made many great friendships during his days at Tech that continue to remain strong today. Faus has been a very involved member of our Alumni Board for the past two years. He has participated in the TWIST golf outing for 14 years straight. Over the last two years as a member of the Alumni Board, Faus has been instrumental in implementing new ideas for the TWIST and single-handedly added a new co-title sponsor for the event (which equates to $5,000 for the outing.) He also has donated many raffle prizes for this event. Faus owns and operates an American Family Insurance Agency on the northwest side of Fort Wayne. He has earned the Distinguished Insurance Agency Award by JD Power & Associates and the 2012 American Star Agency, and he has been named an All-American Agent. He is also very involved with the Anthony Wayne Rotary Club, which does many community service projects around the region. Faus said there were many people at Tech who went out of their way to help and guide him as a student, so he wants to give back to the school that gave so much to him. He has been married to his wife, Amber, for nine years, and they have four children: Gavin, Grayson, Greenley, and Gwyneth. The best piece of advice he ever received is, “If you come to a fork in the road, take it. You never know when you might need a fork later.” Kevin Faus has been a great addition to our Alumni Board team, and he is a true supporter of all things Warrior.
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2013 ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS / CONTINUED
Aaron Clark, BSBA 2005, MBA 2012
Kim Clapp, BSA 2008, MBA 2011
Aaron Clark played soccer at Indiana Tech during his undergraduate days in addition to serving as a resident assistant, being involved in the Society for Human Resource Management, and earning a place in Alpha Chi Honor Society. He was an academic all-conference soccer player and was named the Outstanding Graduate in Business Administration for 2005. He spent three years working for Sports Authority managing front end operations for this sporting goods retail store and handling all HR responsibilities for the store. Currently, he works as an account recruiting manager for Aerotek, where he manages large accounts in northern Indiana, recruiting and managing contractors and meeting customer needs by working directly with hiring managers. Through his position at Aerotek, he has become very involved with the Indiana Tech Career Center and serves on the employer advisory board. He helps with mock interviews and has volunteered many hours to support our students. Also, he is a member of the Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana.
Kim Clapp is an avid supporter of Indiana Tech. She has served on the Alumni Board for the last few years and has just taken over the reigns as president for 2013-14. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in human resources through our College of Professional Studies in 2008 and went on to earn an MBA with concentrations in management and health care administration. Clapp loved her experience at Indiana Tech and continues to give back in numerous ways, including sending her son Caleb to school here. Caleb is a freshman at Tech this year. She also recruits assistance from her husband, Eric, at many of our alumni events throughout the year. They have both served many hours during our Warrior Weekend events including long days at the TWIST golf outing. Clapp was instrumental in securing sponsorship this year from her employer, too. She and Eric also have a daughter, Syslie, who has been involved with some of our Tech events. Clapp spent seven years working as a human resource manager at MCS, LLC and currently serves as operations and human resource manager for BKD, LLP in downtown Fort Wayne where she handles everything to do with operations, human resources, and recruiting along with many other duties.
CPS (College of Professional Studies) Alumnus of the Year
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Alumni Volunteer of the Year
TWIST XXIV Golf Outing
This eventful weekend filled with celebratory and interesting activities was capped off by the 24th Annual TWIST Golf Outing played at Chestnut Hills on September 15. There was another full field of foursomes that teed off at noon. This year’s outing brought in more than $12,000, which will be distributed evenly between Warrior athletics and the Moore-Trask Scholarship (awarded annually to a deserving business student). Next year will be a special year for the TWIST as it will mark the 25th anniversary for this fun event.
Don’t miss out on all of the wonderful events planned for Warrior Weekend 2014. Put the dates on your calendar today: September 19 to 21, 2014.
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR! IndianaTech.edu
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the journey is the destination the path to holistic student development by Andrea Check / Director of Student Life
We all enter the door into our independent adult lives differently, in our own way and time, and with differing needs. That is the basis of Student Life’s focus on holistic student development this year. Our primary goal as a department is to provide experiences to students which will help promote their growth and development into successful adults once they graduate. Of course, that goal is shared among all departments across campus. While this has always been a focus, Student Life was looking for a way to better communicate this intent to students, faculty, and staff. Over the summer, Student Life Coordinator Beckie Daugherty and stu-
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dent intern Chris Roth worked to sift through various student development models and to refine one that fits our students at Indiana Tech and puts a construct around the efforts which were formulating. As a result, all programming efforts by Student Life now fall into 11 developmental capacities: Arts; Community @ Tech; Local Community Connections; Cultural Impact; Occupational; Physical and Emotional Wellbeing; Sexual and Relational Wellbeing; Social Awareness and Environmental Education; Spirituality; Academic Studentship;
and University Life. We believe intentional programming in these areas will help promote the development of well-rounded individuals who will be successful no matter their field of study. The acquisition of skills inherent in participating in events related to these areas can make students better employees and give them practical experience in leadership, as well as exposure to areas where they may not have had prior opportunities. To help the campus community connect to this idea, Daugherty and her Program Team are communicating in multiple ways which events help develop students. Students can collect buttons representing each type of event, and the weekly calendar has each event represented by an icon created for the developmental areas. We are also using these visual repre-
Student Life Badges CAMPUS COMMUNITY
STUDENTSHIP
ARTS
SOCIAL AWARENESS & ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
CULTURAL IMPACT
UNIVERSITY LIFE
sentations of the areas on all event marketing. So, what types of events are planned? We have a new Open Mic series beginning in October featuring local artists coming onto campus. A new On-Campus Field Trip leadership series also has begun. The first guest was a young owner of a skateboarding company who travels the world talking to young people about the importance of utilizing your college degree to do something you are passionate about. October saw Mike Couzins, announcer for the TinCaps, come to campus and spend the day talking with students about how he created a brand for himself while still in college. He was then the feature announcer for the Ultimate Frisbee Game that afternoon featuring students taking on TinCaps employees.
We also organized our first Family & Friends Day, which brought more than 300 of the people most important to students onto campus to experience a day at Tech. There’s plenty of fun, too, with traditional homecoming events, Movies in the Magee every month featuring free films not yet released on DVD, and a multitude of Intramurals and competitive tournaments. One of the most dynamic strengths of our undergraduate student body is their diversity and the different backgrounds and experiences they have. Success looks different for most of us; by developing multiple aspects of our students, we meet them where they are and journey with them while they acquire the experiences and skills to reach their idea of success after graduation. ¢
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SEXUAL & RELATIONSHIP WELLBEING
PHYSICAL & EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
LOCAL COMMUNITY
OCCUPATIONAL
SPIRITUALITY
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Indiana Tech Dedicates New Law School The Schaefer Center buzzed with anticipation the morning of September 14 as those in attendance awaited the dedication ceremony for Indiana Tech Law School. Supporters of the law school and the university were not disappointed by the event filled with optimism, strength, sentiment, and a touch of humor. As the opening procession began, two narrators shared information about the participants as well as Indiana Tech history. The last section of the processional included more than 25 representatives from law schools around the country. The dedication ceremony itself included comments from: ■■ Dr. Arthur Snyder, Indiana Tech president ■■ The Hon. Frank Easterbrook, chief judge of the U.S Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ■■ Greg Zoeller, Indiana attorney general ■■ Katherine Broderick, dean of the David A. Clarke School of Law at the University of the District of Columbia ■■ Peter C. Alexander, dean of Indiana Tech Law School Snyder spoke of the journey from the idea of opening a law school to the reality of enrolling the charter class, including dealing with naysayers along the way. Easterbrook also took on the doubters, addressing the questions
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of why a new law school was worth opening and why he was lending his support to the effort. He answered the questions by explaining that Indiana Tech offering a more modern and new approach to how law curriculum is delivered by offering the students many new opportunities including internships, externships, mentoring, and on-the-job legal training. “Indiana Tech is trying,” he said. “Three cheers for those who try new ways.” Zoeller recalled the anxiety of his own days as a law student, and he praised Indiana Tech Law School for its commitment to teaching professionalism along with case law and legal theory. “This bold new approach with its roots in our earlier legal traditions has great promise,” Zoeller said. After expressing her envy for the state-of-the-art law school building, Broderick praised the law school faculty and staff for their commitment to providing an innovative legal education. “I predict this community is on the path to being a great law school,” she said.
Although all of the guest speakers impressed the audience with their thoughtfulness and support for the new law school, it was the words of the dean that proved to be truly moving. Alexander relished the opportunity to confront the school’s critics, speaking passionately about the devotion of the faculty and staff as they build a law school that will make a difference. “People have taken a chance on my vision for legal education, and they have cast their lot with me to make law school more relevant, more rewarding, and more affordable, and to them I will give my very best,” he said. “And the people with whom I interact everyday have already shown me that they will give to me and to one another their very best.” Alexander then was nearly overcome with emotion as he addressed the law students directly. “You are fearless … Sometimes you scare me with how fearless you are,” he told them. “You don’t know how good you are or how great you’re going to be.” ¢
Photos by Steve Linsenmayer
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Alumni feature
When British theoretical physicist Peter Higgs was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in October for his work discovering the Higgs boson, an Indiana Tech grad living on a lake north of Bryan, Ohio, had a special reason to rejoice. Higgs might not have won the award were it not for retired engineer Tom Pryslak.
by Steve Penhollow
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W
hile doing research at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in the mid-’60s, Higgs theorized that a field permeates the entire universe and that an elusive particle gives mass to other particles, among other loose-threadtying scientific wonderments. The field was dubbed the Higgs field and the particle, the Higgs boson. The Higgs boson was the last piece of a scientific puzzle, and it was discovered in July 2012. It was a long journey that brought Pryslak from humble beginnings in the “southern tier” of New York State to the discovery of the Higgs boson. Pryslak said his first home was a “shack” with no indoor plumbing. “I had two older brothers,” he said. “And we drew straws to see who would warm the seat in the outhouse. I always seemed to lose.” Years later, when his parents bought a Cape Cod across the street with an indoor washroom, Pryslak said one of the first things he did was kiss the bathroom floor. Pryslak’s family lived in the poor side of the town of Elmira Heights and, as a result of that and other factors, he grew up with a chip on his shoulder. If there’s one thing that “has always been self-evident” about him, he said, it is that there’s nothing that makes him want to do something more than telling him he can’t do it. One of the reasons he ended up at Indiana Tech, the first member of his family to attend college, is that a fifth grade teacher told him that no Polish or Ukrainian kid ever amounts to anything. Pryslak said his mom worked for 25 cents an hour in a textile mill so at least one of her children could go to college. Unlike his brothers, Pryslak realized there were extra rewards for working extra hard, and so he was atypically driven.
Picture of Tom Pryslak from Indiana Tech’s 1969 yearbook.
“What I understood early on was that you have to do something well or not do it at all,” he said. After his high school graduation, Pryslak’s grandfather took him aside and said, “You are the one that is going to lead this family out of the darkness and into the light. You cannot fail.” Pryslak said he was 17 at the time. His preference for college was the University of Buffalo, but Pryslak’s father thought his son’s success depended on him getting as far away from his girlfriend as possible. “This was part of his wisdom,” Pryslak said in hindsight. Indiana Tech offered small class sizes, Pryslak said, something that wouldn’t have been available at the University of Buffalo. “‘This is what’s going to help you,’” Pryslak recalled his father saying, and he proved to be correct. The aerospace engineering degree Pryslak earned at Indiana Tech in 1969 encompassed many engineering disciplines and prepared him for the wide-ranging career he could not have known he was going to lead. “I had a good time in my career, and it’s because I had a good education,” he said. “I can say that. The training, the scope of training, I got from Indiana Tech gave me that ability.” Eventually, Pryslak became one of North America’s leading experts on reliability-centered maintenance and failure diagnostics. In layman’s terms, Pryslak was something like a more earthbound version of chief engineer Montgomery Scott from TV’s “Star Trek.” In “Star Trek,” Cap-
tain Kirk frequently called down to the engine room of his vast starship to ask Scott, aka “Scotty,” for more power. And Scotty usually delivered. Pryslak usually delivered too. He developed a specialized skill set that made him a highly sought-after consultant in many industries. Pryslak knows how to increase the power. Which is to say, he — like the fictional Scotty — knows how to make equipment of all types perform at maximum efficiency. Until 2011, Pryslak was called upon by the oil, power, pharmaceutical and plastics industries to make old equipment work better, new equipment work as it should, and all equipment work in beautiful concert. “Equipment is equipment,” Pryslak said. “If I work for a refinery, I have a pump; I have a motor. If I go back to the pharmaceutical industry, I have a pump; I have a motor. If I go to a power plant, I have the same thing.” He always told his employers the same
I had a good time in my career, and it’s because I got a good education...
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Below: Pryslak at his home near Bryan, Ohio (photo by: Steve Linsenmayer)
thing: “In six weeks’ time, I’m going to have something for you.” And he always did. Pryslak said he devised protocols for diagnosing existing problems and predicting future ones that are in wide use in various industries. “I never made (my ideas) proprietary,” he said. “I never copyrighted them. I just share them wherever I go.”
As a boy, Pryslak had been “a Sputnik kid” and had won a science fair by using a radium dial watch to make alpha, beta and gamma particles visible to the naked eye. “I thought about where I was as a kid,” Pryslak said.
“And here someone is offering me the chance to work on something of this scale, this piece of equipment.” Naturally, Pryslak had to run the whole idea past his doctor and his wife. Both of them said, “no.” They had good reason, given Pryslak’s recent health history. But the tenacious Pryslak assured his wife that he was feeling pretty good and accepted the roughly seven-week position at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Meyrin, Switzerland. Pryslak is not allowed to say much about the time he spent at a location eight miles outside of Geneva. The Hadron Supercollider is located 300 feet down in solid bedrock, so Pryslak had to regularly ride “a very scary elevator.” Pryslak said he worked six to seven days a week, 12 to 14 hour days. He had a chance to meet Higgs, whom many of Pryslak’s family members have pointed out he physically resembles. When Pryslak left Switzerland, there were several short term modifications from and by several groups to be made by the end of 2011. The consortium of Pryslak suffered a mild stroke in 2010 and decided modifications allowed the LHC to accomplish a higher a year later that he’d optimized enough equipment for power rating later that year. a lifetime and trained enough people in his methods. Little more than a year later, physicists from CERN Three days after that, however, he received an announced that they had discovered a “Higgs-like” unexpected phone call from a man with a central Euparticle. ropean accent. The man identified himself as Arek, diIt goes without saying that this experience was a rector of BalticBerg Consulting. Arek said he’d heard career highlight, but Pryslak said there have been othfrom one of Pryslak’s former supervisors that he was ers. retired. Pryslak said he contributed to the creation of a one“I said, ‘Yeah for a whole three days.’” dose-a-month version of Risperidone, Pryslak recalls. “ ‘What’s up?’ ” an anti-psychotic drug. Patients who As it turned out, Arek coveted Prysare prescribed Risperidone often forI help people. lak’s expertise. Arek and his team get or neglect to take it regularly. I solve their needed someone to increase the ef“That’s a good feeling,” he said. “I problems. I enjoy ficiency of a piece of equipment they helped somebody’s pain. That, to me, were working with near Geneva, Switis the greatest. it immensely. zerland, called the Large Hadron Col“I had several other activities in my lider, a colossal particle accelerator career that gave me that same feeling,” built to collide protons. Pryslak said. They couldn’t get it above 50 percent, Arek These days, Pryslak, 66, and his wife are enjoying a explained. If they failed to increase the power, Arek lakeside retirement. said, they wouldn’t be able to use it to confirm or rule A friend in a nearby hardware store asked him to out the existence of the Higgs boson, aka the God help out in the shop one day, and now Pryslak is workParticle. ing there part-time. It isn’t really all that different from Pryslak thought the call was a joke, of course, and what he did before. then he put the sincere-seeming Arek on hold so that “I help people,” he said. “I solve their problems. he could collect his thoughts. I enjoy it immensely.” ¢
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Total Enrollment Increases 16.2% Indiana Tech’s enrollment continues to soar, reaching total enrollment of 8,146 for fall 2013. This is a 16.2% increase from fall 2012. “We have been very fortunate to serve more and more students each year,” said President Arthur E. Snyder. “But we never take that growth for granted. Our success depends on providing a high-quality education that gives our students a foundation for career success.”
“Providing relevant degree programs, from associate to doctoral level, in ways that fit our students’ needs and desires will help us thrive for many years to come,” Snyder said. “Our faculty and staff have proven to be tremendous innovators not only in their approach to education, but in the types of programs we offer. Students who come to Indiana Tech today will be well-prepared for the careers of today and tomorrow.”
Student Enrollment Since 2009
8,146 8K 7,010
6,153
6K 5,343 4,794
Indiana Tech’s total enrollment includes traditional young adult undergraduate students at the Fort Wayne campus; mid-career learners of all ages in undergraduate and graduate programs at campuses throughout Indiana and Kentucky; online undergraduate and graduate students; Ph.D. students in a blended online/classroom program; and law students at the Fort Wayne campus.
In addition to the Fort Wayne campus, Indiana Tech also has campuses in Elkhart, Evansville, Fishers, Greenwood, Huntington, Indianapolis, Jeffersonville, Kendallville, Louisville, Mishawaka, Munster, Northern Kentucky, Plainfield, and Warsaw as well as extensive online programs.
4K
2009
IndianaTech.edu
2010
Fall 2013
2011
2012
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2013
Hutchins Makes Blacksnake History Tech Grad Becomes first female Command Chief of 122nd Fighter Wing
When Christine Hutchins followed family members’ footsteps into military service, she didn’t realize that she would one day make history. In September, the Fort Wayne-based 122nd Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard held a Command Chief change of authority and promotion ceremony making Indiana Tech alumna Hutchins the Blacksnakes’ first female command chief in its 67-year history. She was promoted to chief
Hutchins first enrolled at Indiana Tech in 1991, “and one thing led to another, and I just didn’t finish.” In 2009, she decided it was time to get serious about higher education again. She spoke to Perry Collins, a retired colonel from the 122nd Fighter Wing and then-vice president of Tech’s College of Professional Studies, and he told her about a new scholarship the university was offering for active duty military personnel. “He put me in contact with (admissions
master sergeant, and Chief Master Sgt. representative) Sharmila Chowdhury; she James E. Salway II passed the responsiset me up, and I was enrolled in the online bilities of the position of the 122nd Fighter program,” Hutchins recalled. “This program Wing’s Command Chief on to her. was the right choice for me because it gave Hutchins earned a bachelor’s degree in me the flexibility I needed for my work and organizational leadership in 2010 and went home schedule.” on to earn a master’s in organizational leadCompleting her degrees has helped her ership in 2013. develop leadership skills. “My education Hutchins’ father served more than 30 has given me the background I needed to years in the Guard; she has two brothers understand personality types, leadership who each served more than 20 years; and styles, communications styles and how to she has a sister who served six years. “I interpret and interact with diverse cultural chose to follow in their footsteps, because work ethics,” she explained. “Basically, I wanted to serve my country, but I also it helped me learn how to be an effective wanted the experiences and the education leader, communicator, listener and teachthat the military offered,” she explained. er.” She began her career with the Guard in Many active duty military and veterans 1982 as an administrative communications are aware of how service can provide ficlerk in the Combat Support Squadron and nancial assistance for college, but Hutchins My hopes are to has served in a variety of positions in the said college students also gain less tangible pave a new way for past 30 years. benefits from military service. our younger female “The military way of life and its struc“I feel any military background can esairman to follow. ture fit me; it offers various opportunities tablish a foundation for the self-discipline to travel and along with that I knew I would that you need to attend college, especially get both a military and a civilian educaif you are a non-traditional student,” she tion along the way,” Hutchins said of her said. “Our military education also teaches decades of service. “I have really enjoyed the challenges that us the importance of prioritizing your workload and how to each of my positions has held throughout the years; I kept manage your time.” striving to achieve more in my career.” For students considering enlisting, she extols the value of She said she is honored to be selected for her new position career preparation available through the Guard. and hopes to encourage other people to keep reaching for new “The Air National Guard can provide opportunities to obtain heights. an education and technical training that can complement most “My hopes are to pave a new way for our younger female civilian job opportunities,” Hutchins said. “On the other hand, airmen to follow. However, just not the females,” Hutchins exa person can select a career field that is not related to their plained. “I want to show all of our enlisted members that it civilian career path, which allows them to gain experience and does not matter where you start your career; you should allearn things that might not otherwise have been available to ways strive to reach the top. Anything is possible, don’t sell them. The training, education and experiences’ opportunities yourself short, and reach for the stars.” can be endless.” ¢
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Faculty Expands With University Growth Indiana Tech’s growth is obvious to people who visit, or even just drive past, the Fort Wayne campus. Six new buildings have been added in the past five years, with another (the academic center) under way. It’s also obvious to those who look at our map of satellite campuses and realize
Joseph Barimo, Ed.D
that Indiana Tech classrooms are spread from northwest Indiana to northern Kentucky. And the annual announcement of enrollment numbers (see page 19) provides even more evidence. However, one measure of the university’s growth has been more subtle:
Gloria Chen
Jaydip Desai
assistant professor of business & academic coordinator for the Louisville region
assistant professor of intensive English
assistant professor of biomedical engineering
Josh Long
Monique Ross
associate professor of economics
associate professor of computer engineering
Kimberly Harding, Psy.D.
the steadily increasing number of full-time faculty members on board to educate our thriving student population. Tech has 52 full-time faculty members (not including Law School faculty) for 2013-14 compared to 41 at the beginning of 2012-13.
Crystal Karn
Maria Lee
assistant professor of psychology
assistant professor of marketing and management
assistant professor of computer science
Terri Shaw
Reisa Snyder
Bonnie Wilkins
Dale Wright
assistant professor of psychology
assistant professor of education
assistant professor of health information technology
assistant professor of mathematics
IndianaTech.edu
Fall 2013
Dominic Lombardo director of the Center for Criminal Science and assistant professor of criminal science
21
Hockey Team Names Coach, Signs Recruits Frank DiCristofaro will be the head coach of the Warriors’ men’s ice hockey team, which will begin competition in fall 2014. “We are very pleased to have Frank join our team,” said Athletic Director Martin Neuhoff. “His experience and expertise in recruiting and coaching will be an asset to us in the launch of our ice hockey program and beyond.” DiCristofaro was previously head hockey coach at Wayne State University. Prior to that position he was associate head coach at St. Clair Shores High School in St. Clair Shores, Mich. He holds a USA Hockey Level 4 Coaching Certification. “I’m very excited to become part of the Indiana Tech community,” DiCristofaro said. “Coach Neuhoff has a great framework in place with his plans for the hockey program. I’m looking forward to being a part of the strong tradition that Indiana Tech has established in both academics and athletics.”
22
His professional playing experience as a forward includes time with the Detroit Hitmen (AAHL), the Detroit Dragons (AAHA), and the Chi-Town Shooters (AAHA). He played collegiately at Wayne State University. DiCristofaro earned a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s degree in sport administration from Wayne State. Jarrett Pfeiffer of Ypsilanti, Mich., Matt Hughes of Wilsonville, Oregon, and Ian Maisonneuve of Fort Wayne are the first players to join the team for the inaugural 2014-15 season. A 2010 Lincoln High School graduate, Pfeiffer amassed 190 points in 90 games, scoring 99 goals and tallying 91 assists in his career. After his high school days Pfeiffer went on to play junior hockey where he totaled 175 points in 116 games
TRENDS
over three seasons. In that time he scored 85 goals while dishing out 90 assists. Maisonneuve is currently a defenseman with the Fort Wayne Federals of the MNJHL. Last year he played for the Boch Blazers of the ESHL. In 2011-12, with the Mass Maple Leafs of the ESHL, he tallied three goals and four assists in 15 games while also helping the team to the USA Hockey Junior National Tournament where they placed second. In addition to his skills, Maisonneuve is the grandson of former Fort Wayne Komets and USA Hockey National team member Roger Maisonneuve. Hughes will be vying for the starting goaltender position. He played last season for the Battle Creek Revolution of the NA3HL where he set single season records for save percentage (90%), wins and shutouts (4). He also tallied four assists which set a goaltender record in Battle Creek. He ended the year as the runner-up for the Goaltender of the Year award and was selected to the second team All-NA3HL. ¢
Golfer’s Take Women’s WHAC Title The Indiana Tech women’s golf team won the WHAC regular season title with a stroke total of 1623, besting Madonna (1630) by seven strokes. With the conference championship, Tech earns the right to host the 36-hole spring playoff. The winner of the spring playoff event will represent the conference at the NAIA National Championships. Freshman Wiebke Schlender (top left) was named Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year for win three of the WHAC’s four jamborees. Head Coach Kelly Mettert was awarded Coach of the Year honors.
State Group Honors Wrestling Assistant Assistant wrestling coach Thomas Pompei was named Junior Coach of the Year by the Indiana State Wrestling Association (ISWA) during the summer. The award is given out annually through the ISWA to a coach that devotes his time to helping Indiana Wrestling. Along with this honor, Pompei got to travel to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., for a weekend to learn from some of the greatest wrestlers and coaches in the world. Pompei continues to volunteer his time and talents to Team Indiana to better the quality of wrestling in the state. Pompei is working toward his Master of Business Administration at Indiana Tech while also teaching fifth grade classes at a local elementary school.
Follow the Warriors Read the latest Warrior athletic news at www.IndianaTech.edu/athletics.
TECH
T WIT TE R : @INTechWarriors FACE BOOK : Facebook.com/IndianaTechWarriorss
IndianaTech.edu
Fall 2013
23
Alumni News
From the Desk of Mike Peterson I absolutely love fall. Cooler weather returns; the leaves turn various hues of orange, red, and yellow; football season is under way; students are back in classes; and many alumni return to campus to enjoy the wide array of fun activities during Warrior Weekend.
Mike Peterson, director of alumni relations
It was fun to see the many familiar
Fall also means that the holiday season of Thanksgiving
faces of those who come back annually for this festive weekend. And there was another great group of men that made the trip to campus to celebrate their 50-year class reunion. These impressive men all graduated in 1963. I’m always amazed at the stories of success that are revealed through this time of celebration.
and Christmas is fast approaching. These are special times when families gather together to celebrate. You are part of a larger family that we like to call the Warrior community. This is a family that extends across the United States and around the world. Be proud to be a member of this Warrior family!
If you’ve never experienced one of our Homecoming weekends, I encourage you to make plans to join us next year on the Fort Wayne campus for Warrior Weekend ’14 September 19 – 21. The weekend is full of exciting events and activities for alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends. No matter what year you graduated or even if you’re still in school, there is something for you to enjoy. Another reason to join us for next year’s Warrior Weekend is to take a tour of the latest addition to the campus: the new academic center. This will be an impressive and beautiful building which will become a focal point for student activity. Our tentative plans include several activities and special performances in this new facility during Warrior Weekend ’14.
24
TRENDS
We give thanks for all of you who continue to stay engaged with Indiana Tech and provide valuable support that has enabled us to better serve more students than ever before. You are helping to make an impact on the success stories of a whole new generation of Warriors. We look forward to spending time together during Warrior Weekend or at one of our other alumni events during the upcoming new year. If you can’t join us, please continue to keep us updated on your family and career highlights by sending us an e-mail at alumni@ indianatech.edu or by visiting www.indianatech.edu/ alumni. Until next time — Stay savvy, Warriors!
Hats off to Alumnus Greg Lynch
In 1981, Greg Lynch graduated from Indiana Tech with a degree in civil engineering. Just three years after graduating, he made a commitment to join the Indiana Tech Alumni Board. Twenty-nine years later, Lynch found himself still serving on the Alumni Board. He is a past president and past represen-
less hours at various other alumni events, too. The Lynches are loyal contributors to Indiana Tech and have been members of the President’s Club for many years. While there is no doubt that Lynch will continue to stay engaged with and support Indiana Tech, he has chosen to retire from the Alumni Board. It will be difficult
tative to the Board of Trustees, has served in every role on the Alumni Board, and chaired many committees along the way. In 2010, Lynch was named the Alumni Volunteer of the Year. Over the years, Lynch has been instrumental in the planning of Homecoming weekend and the TWIST golf outing. He and his wife, Kate, have volunteered count-
to find someone as dedicated to this university to fill his shoes. The Alumni Board and Indiana Tech wish to extend to both Greg and Kate Lynch their sincere gratitude and thanks for 29 years of service. Lynch currently works for Almet, Inc. in Fort Wayne as vice president of engineering. ¢
Save the Warrior License Plate! Indiana residents have a fantastic opportunity to display their Warrior pride on a daily basis by driving around town with an Indiana Tech specialty license plate. However, these plates may become extinct in the near future. The state of Indiana and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles are following a new standard where each organization must sell a minimum of 500 specialty plates during the course of a year. Any organization that does not hit this minimum standard in 2013 will be put on probation during 2014. If the organization still fails to meet the 500 plate level, that group would be
eliminated from participation in the specialty plate program beginning in 2015. Indiana Tech is on track to sell about 430 plates for this year. To avoid probation, more Indiana Tech supporters must purchase the specialty plate. It is a simple and inexpensive way to not only give to Indiana Tech but also advertise for the university everywhere you drive. The cost of the specialty plate is just $40, and $25 of that fee goes to the university. This small investment helps better equip the university to provide high-quality learning experiences for its growing student body.
IndianaTech.edu
If you are an Indiana resident, please consider joining the greater Warrior community in a show of support and pride by purchasing an Indiana Tech specialty plate through the Indiana BMV (www.in.gov/bmv/2729.htm). You can help save the endangered Warrior license plate.
Fall 2013
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Richter’s Notes
President’s Club Marks Record-Setting Year Thanks to your support, the President’s Club at Indiana Tech had another record breaking year. With 43 new members, we enrolled the highest number of new members ever.
Mark Richter, vice president of institutional advancement
The President’s Club honors the generosity that our supporters have expressed though their annual gifts to Indiana Tech. You can become a member of the President’s Club through your gift(s) of $1,000 or more per year. We account for these gifts based on our fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through June 30.
President’s Club Benefits As many members will attest, the greatest benefit of being a part of the President’s Club is the joy and personal satisfaction that come from making a difference in the lives of Indiana Tech students. President’s Club members not only support the university’s commitment to providing a high-quality, career-oriented education to our students – they serve as examples of the leadership that we seek to instill in every student who comes here. To honor that leadership and extend our appreciation, Indiana Tech does provide special benefits to every President’s Club member: President’s Annual Report: Indiana Tech’s
performance and progress is heralded in this award-winning publication that is mailed to President’s Club members. Each of our donors is acknowledged by name in this report. A Little Piece of Campus: Each year, a
beautifully detailed keepsake ceramic miniature of a campus building is given to President’s Club members. Seven different models are available and will not be sold. This exclusive gift is only for President’s Club members.
26
TRENDS
Personal Invitations to Special Events:
You will receive invitations to other special events throughout the year, with some reserved as a special “thank you” to members. Included in next year’s events will be an invitation to join us for a fun evening in a corporate suite at a Fort Wayne TinCaps baseball game. President’s Club Suite: Visiting from out of
town? Stay with us! This unique program allows President’s Club members to enjoy an overnight stay in the President’s Club suite located in Evans-Kimmel Hall at no charge. Reservations can be made by contacting Rose Replogle at 260.399.2846 at least 30 days in advance of your campus visit. President’s Club Dinner: You will be invited
to join the university’s administrators and all President’s Club members at this elegant and exclusive dinner, held annually as the kickoff event of Homecoming. President Arthur Snyder and his wife, Camille, host this special evening for our most generous benefactors. Next year’s dinner will be September 18, 2014 at the Fort Wayne Country Club.
Alumni Updates ›› Kurt Siem, BSEE 1966, retired from Anritsu Co. in Morgan Hill, Calif. He was western regional sales manager for telecom accounts. ›› Donald Smith, BSMA 1967, is a software engineer with Northrop Grumman. ›› Godwin Chungag, BSME 1987, was named dean of division III at Aims Community College in Greeley, Colo. He will oversee programs such as automotive technology, aviation, engineering and industrial technology. Chungag earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at Wayne State University in Detroit. ›› Kayevonne Dailey, ASGS 2011, has been appointed to the Indiana Commission for Women. She is also the executive director of Friends of Bethany, Inc.
new to the president’s club We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the following new members of the President’s Club for the Year Ending June 30, 2013
›› Adam Craig, BSOL 2012, is west coast sales/operations manager for Polar Leasing Co. ›› Josh Ambrose, BSBA 2013, works in purchasing at Weaver Popcorn Co. in Van Buren, Ind. ›› LeAnn Brown, Ph.D. 2013, was appointed director of the Management Development Center in the College of Management and Marketing for Fort Hays State University. ›› Heather St. Peters, Ph.D. 2013, was appointed Vice-President of Human Resources for LCC International University in the city of Klaipėda, Lithuania. Send us your news! Share accomplishments and adventures at www.IndianaTech.edu/alumni or send to marketing@indianatech.edu.
Leonard & Muriel Alexander Champaign, Illinois
Irvin & Kathie Kontowsky Elkhart, Indiana
Mary Slafkosky Muncie, Indiana
Deborah Allen Tallahassee, Florida
James & Marilyn Larson Fort Wayne, Indiana
Billy & Evelyn Steinkuhler Arvada, Colorado
David & Kathy Aschliman Fort Wayne, Indiana
Charles & Cheryl Lingenfelter Charlotte, North Carolina
Zaffar & Tahira Tabani Dallas, Texas
AT&T Foundation Indianapolis, Indiana
Ada Long-Croom Spring Hill, Fla.
Ravi & Eleanor Talwar Carmel, Indiana
Richard & Eleanor Barclay Aiken, South Carolina
John & Joan Maher Decatur, Georgia
Brian T’Kindt Fort Wayne, Indiana
James & Vanda Bell Blanco, Texas
Duncan & Christine McCorquodale Noblesville, Indiana
John & Norma Weimer Fayetteville, Tennessee
Michael & Deborah Brodie Universal City, Texas
Phillip Monteith North East, Maryland
Eric Welch Muncie, Indiana
andré douglas pond & Lavinia cummings Fort Wayne, Indiana
National Institute for Trial Advocacy Boulder, Colorado
Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc. Fort Wayne, Indiana
Theodore & Phyllis Denning, Jr. Knoxville, Tenn.
Thomas and Hope Noll Fort Wayne, Indiana
Engineering Resources, Inc. Fort Wayne, Indiana
Edward Norena Laredo, Texas
David Winters & Debbie Tipton Winters Clarksville, Tennessee
Joseph Fallon, III Fort Wayne, Indiana
Parkview Whitley Foundation Columbia City, Indiana
E. Rick & Carolyn Gesue Monkton, Maryland
Walter & Jo Anne Pfister Wichita, Kansas
Kathleen Hensley Kent, Washington
SchenkelShultz Fort Wayne, Indiana
John Jacob Defiance, Ohio
Richard Scibelli Pawcatuck, Connecticut
Shawn & Julia Karn Utica, Michigan
Dennis & Judith Sensenich Millersburg, Indiana
Volume 9, Issue 2
William Woodfill Sussex, Wisconsin Gary Workman Woodbury, Minnesota A. Joseph Zambito Prescott Valley, Arizona Jeffrey & Beth Zimmerman Fort Wayne, Indiana
Spring 2013
27
In Memoriam
We have learned of the deaths of the following alumni and friends.
Henry George Cook Fort Wayne, IN BSME 1963
Geno L. Piantoni Old Saybrook, CT BSEE 1949
Roger C. Dalrymple Shoshone, ID BSCE 1974
Rex E. Pierson, Jr. Saint Amant, LA BSME 1957
Gerald D. Doeden Bradenton, FL BSRE 1946
Walter E. Suever Mesa, AZ BEEE 1963
Richard M. Hess Warren, OH BSME 1948
Ronald H. Weaver Kempton, PA BSCE 1961
John E. Hilker Fort Wayne, IN BSCE 1949 Rayford A. Loftin Fort Wayne, IN BSEE 1952 Edmund J. McMahon Anchorage, AK BSCE 1954
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If you would like to send a memorial gift to honor someone, please contact Michael Peterson at 800.937.2448, ext. 2418.
Patrick E. Pomes Pat Pomes began teaching as an adjunct professor for Indiana Tech in July 2008. This quickly became his passion as he took great joy in teaching and forming lasting relationships with his students. Pomes had a gift for encouraging and mentoring former students and quite often they would contact him for assistance and advice. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Indiana Tech, Office of Institutional Advancement, 1600 E. Washington Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46803 to be used as a student scholarship. Please put Pat Pomes Memorial Scholarship in the memo line.
Faculty & Staff News Engelhart Chosen for New Marketing VP Role Brian Engelhart was named vice president of marketing in August. As vice president of marketing, Engelhart will lead the university’s integrated marketing communications efforts and oversee the Creative Services department. “We have been very fortunate to experience tremendous growth over the past 10 years,” President Arthur E. Snyder said. “The addition of a vice president of marketing, particularly with the talents and experience that Brian brings us, will help us maintain the momentum we have built.”
Engelhart has 20 years of experience in strategic communications, marketing, advertising, and public relations. His most recent position was director of client services at Britton Marketing & Design Group. He also has worked for Asher Agency in Fort Wayne; Tran Interactive Design Group in Falls Church, Va.; and Conover & Company Communications in Washington, D.C. “It’s a privilege to join the team at Indiana Tech,” Engelhart noted. “It’s long been a place of accomplishment, and I look forward to working with the entire Indiana Tech community as we seek to take the university to even greater heights in the years ahead.”
Staff, Faculty Serve Professional Groups, Boards Reference Librarian NIna Collins has been elected to serve as Secretary for the Indiana Association of Information Science and Technology (I-ASIS&T). I-ASIS&T is the Indiana Regional chapter of the 75-year-old worldwide organization, The Association for Information Science and Technology.
Professor John Minnich was reappointed to the Indiana CPA Society leadership cabinet.
Susan McGrade has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the African African-American Historical Museum in Fort Wayne.
Dr. Staci Lugar Brettin’s article entitled
Your Corners!: Affinity Groups and Intra-
“A Proposed Framework for Entrepre-
group Dialogues” at the AAACE (Ameri-
neurial Learning” was published in Busi-
can Association of Adult & Continuing
ness Education Innovation Journal in
Education) in November. Angela Schuricht, assistant professor
Health Information Technology Pro-
of English, presented the paper “E-port-
gram Director Kelly Fast was an attend-
folios: “The Intersection of the Personal
ee and co-presenter with Cindy Verduce,
and the Public” at the Conference on
M.Ed., for the Indiana Health Informa-
College Composition and Communica-
tion Management Association’s (IHIMA) meeting in April. The presentation topic was Professional Development.
Thera Bailey financial aid counselor Rita Cloud executive operations coordinator, president’s office Cynthia Feasel accounts payable coordinator Bilal Heredia enrollment manager, College of Professional Studies Henry King director of institutional planning and evaluation Kay Madrick, admissions representative, College of Professional Studies – Louisville Natalie N. Mesbah academic resource center specialist, Louisville Neal D. Quandt prospect researcher Will D. Schafer technology support technician
Faculty Publish, Present Work
June 2013.
University Welcomes New Staff
tion in March. The presentation reported on classroom research that looked into how students perceive their online pres-
Dr. Susan McGrade and Dr. Ruby Cain
ence as “composers” through the cre-
will present “Before You Begin that Cou-
ation of Web portfolios in a composition
rageous Conversation on Racism, Go To
course.
IndianaTech.edu
Stephanie Smith, enrollment assistant, College of Professional Studies – Indianapolis Tracy Spann admissions representative, College of Professional Studies-Louisville Meghan M. Swihart enrollment assistant, Elkhart Sarah Suraci marketing specialist Kristina Treller admissions representative, College of Professional Studies, Northern Kentucky
Fall 2013
29
1600 East Washington Blvd. Fort Wayne, IN 46803 www.IndianaTech.edu
Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
TE CH
WA RRIORS
Remember This? Take a trip with us down memory lane and tell us everything you remember about some interesting photos (like the one at right) from our past: Who, what, when, where, how– whatever you’d like to share.
Join the Indiana Tech Alumni Group on Facebook and share your memories with us!
Fort Wayne, IN Permit No. 159