Pacesetter - Spring-Summer2007

president’s message The Courage to Serve Once in a while, I teach.

This spring, a few students in the Vaughan-Beaven Service Learning Honors Program came together Tuesday nights to study Christian Social Ethics with Teresa Simmons and me.

It was fun. The students read difficult essays — in a field not directly related to licensure exams — and they dug right in.

Soon, they had turned themselves into fine conversation partners.

I think, too, that they gained a fresh sense of how special the health care professions are.

It’s amazing to realize that in the Roman world, where Christianity sprang up, taking care of the sick was by no means automatic. We learned that during two different epidemics, pagans very often pushed sufferers away, or even, as with the Roman

“ That spirit of service touches

health care —

and

more.”

physician Galen, simply fled. They just weren’t motivated to care for people, especially when the conditions were dangerous.

At the same time, Christians were nursing one another — often their pagan neighbors — back to health. Of course, the two epidemics — smallpox or measles, perhaps, but no one is sure — took many lives. But when those afflicted were cleaned and fed

and offered water, fewer died than would have otherwise.

This attitude of care flowered, by the late fourth century, into the invention of the hospital.

As the students in our class learned from one writer on the history of health care, “Christianity planted the hospital.”

How inspiring! This heritage, after all, is our heritage.

The students we taught got a fresh sense of how extraordinary — how astonishing — courageous service is. But as you can see from this issue of the Pacesetter, the spirit of courageous service lives on — in lives linked not only with Kettering College but also with those pioneers we learned about in class.

That spirit of service touches health care — and more. Stories about that spirit make me grateful for what 40 years — the age now of the college — have meant, and they make me confident about our prospects for the next 40 years.

You contribute to all of this. I am proud to be part of what you have built together.

DR. CHARLES SCRIVEN, PRESIDENT

Pacesetter

the magazine of Kettering College of Medical Arts

4 departments 2 Campus Notes

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features 4

Kettering College Touches the World

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Commencement 2007

9 Alumni News 12 Class Notes 13 Partnerships IBC Campus Candids

Reserves. The couple met while serving in Kosovo.

Pacesetter is published twice yearly by the public relations office at Kettering College of Medical Arts for the alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and students of Kettering College.

Pacesetter Public Relations Office Kettering College of Medical Arts 3737 Southern Blvd.

Kettering, OH 45429 www.kcma.edu pacesetter@kcma.edu

With numerous ties to the United States military, Kettering College of Medical Arts is achieving a global reach

237 graduates were honored during Kettering College’s 39th annual commencement ceremonies in April

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Alumni Survey

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Eye of the Beholder

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Medicine Is as Close to Love as It Is to Science

On the Cover Nuclear medicine student AMY BAKER and her husband, TODD BAKER, are both part of the Army

S P R I N G / S U M M E R 20 07

Let us know what you want from your Alumni Association

Faculty member Doug Black shares a collection of photos that showcase the beauty of our Creator’s handiwork

Respiratory care student Tonya Weddle tells of a poignant encounter during a recent clinical experience

EDITOR Mindy Claggett ASSISTANT EDITOR Cheryl Kennison CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cessna Winslow, Clive Wilson, Doug Black, Tonya Weddle PHOTOS Lee Ann Yahle, Doug Black, Bella Photographics, Michael Henry, Amy Moretta, Media Group @ Michael’s, Carol Warner, Kettering College Archives. © 2007 JupiterImages Corporation (p. 12, 13). Additional photos provided by Amy Baker, Ben Guptil, Eric VonFossen, and Clive Wilson.

PRINTING Mound Printing Kettering College of Medical Arts is a fully accredited coeducational college that specializes in health science education. A division of Kettering Medical Center, the College is located on the KMC campus in a suburb of Dayton, Ohio, and is chartered by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. An institution of Christian higher education, Kettering College graduates health care professionals of high character who, in the tradition of the Master Healer, give whole-person care to their patients and generous service to their communities.

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campus notes New Faces >>

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First-Time College Event a Hit with Prospective Students >>

After 10 years of serving as an adjunct professor for the College, David VanDenburgh, D.Min., has joined the full-time faculty as an associate professor of religion.

VanDenburgh was senior pastor at the Kettering Seventh-day Adventist Church from 1996 to 2006.

He says he David ^VanDenburgh decided to join the KCMA faculty because he “loves teaching, and this gives me a chance to focus on what I love to do.” Before coming to the Dayton area, VanDenburgh spent 10 years as an adjunct faculty member at the Loma Linda University schools of medicine, dentistry, and allied health professions.

VanDenburgh earned a doctoral degree in pastoral theology and leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., in 1982; a Master of Divinity from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich.; and a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. Adventist health and education institutions are blessed with several from VanDenburgh’s family.

Son David teaches English at Andrews Academy in Michigan; son Jonathan graduates this year from Andrews University; wife Chris ’07, a registered nurse, is a parish nurse coordinator in the Kettering Health Network.

VanDenburgh, a sailor with a master’s license from the U.S. Coast Guard for sail and power vessels, pilots his sailboat, Ariel, on Lake Michigan.

Friday featured Red Cross first During the last weekend of March, Kettering College played aid certification, a college informahost to 45 students and sponsors tion session, and a tour. After a for “MedKamp,” a program taipizza luncheon, everyone was lored for prospective Adventist studivided into small groups and dents, designed to give interested given “career tours” of academic students and their parents a taste programs and their individual of what life is like at Kettering skills labs. A pasta dinner was College. followed by a vespers service Positive feedback encouraged featuring vocalist www.kcma.edu/medkamp the MedKamp Arlene Gutierrez.

Click online to see a gallery of all the committee for On Sabbath fun and excitement that took place next year’s event: morning, youth at Kettering College’s MedKamp.

“The whole church was held MedKamp experiat Kettering ence was very good for me,” one Seventh-day Adventist Church, student said. “I liked everything followed by a Sabbath lunch. about it. It was so much fun.

That evening, attendees took a bus to Cincinnati for a riverboat The people here impressed me. cruise featuring a vespers service Not only did they provide me and a Mexican buffet. Everyone with good information, but they headed for home on Sunday. The also were very friendly and nice.”

Opening night on Thursday College hopes to see many featured the game show-style MedKamp faces back on campus trivia game “ThinkFast!” very soon.

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PAC E S E T T E R Spring/Summer ’07

see more >>

campus notes A Spiritual Ambassador: from Kettering to Kettering

by C LIVE W ILSON , K ETTERING C OLLEGE CHAPLAIN

I was asked by my former mentor and minister Llewellyn Edwards, president of the Scottish Mission of Seventh-day Adventists, to speak at their annual spiritual youth retreat and then present to the ministers working within the Scottish Mission late last fall.

The United Kingdom town of Kettering, Northamptonshire, was home to many wonderful memories for me, and it felt right to pay my respects to it while there. This idea bore fruit when I paid a visit to Mayor Donald Patterson of Kettering, Ohio, and took official greetings from him to Mayor Maurice Bayes in our sister town, Kettering, UK. After I returned, I had the pleasure of relaying Mayor Bayes’ greetings and gifts back to our own mayor.

The true highlight of my trip, though, was the time I spent with the energetic young adults I met in Scotland. The spiritual retreat began on a Friday evening, with young adults coming from all parts of Scotland, especially Glasgow and Edinburgh, where

many were university students. In total, there were about 45 in attendance — ministers, students, friends, and other young adults, all from the Scottish Mission locale.

After opening prayer, we began with a lively song service, something that I had really missed about the corporate UK worship experience. That evening, we did an overview of the presentations that were to follow. The group was great. The feedback was excellent, and we shared a time of deep discussion.

Saturday was a full day — a presentation in the morning, a long hike in the beautiful Scottish loch regions, an evening presentation, and a late-night movie. We had a good time with these messages; they provided important food for thought and provoked exciting dinner discussions.

The morning of our departure ended with the ordinance of humility — foot-washing and partaking of communion together. It was a high spiritual note in our time together. Hearts were

> KCMA chaplain Clive Wilson with the Kettering (UK) mayor,

Maurice Bayes

touched; lives changed; new friendships formed; relationships with God were renewed for some, restored for others, and elevated for us all.

PROGRAM ACCREDITATION SUCCESSES Several of Kettering College’s academic programs recently received the good news of continuing accreditation.

The pre-licensure nursing program was again granted “full approval” by the Ohio Board of Nursing in mid-March.

The physician assistant program also received notice in March from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant that it was awarded seven years of accreditation. Only 10 percent of programs receive this.

The radiologic sciences and

imaging program was awarded an eight-year accreditation during the last site visit by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. This is the greatest amount of time for which a program can be accredited.

The medical sonography program had a site visit from the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRCDMS) in late March. The committee’s exit summary was extremely positive; the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) will review the results

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and offer the official status of accreditation in the next few months.

The only program not up for reaccreditation this year was respiratory care, which is accredited through 2011. The program’s last site visit in the fall of 2000 resulted in 10-year accreditation status.

Maintaining current accreditation is important to the mission and reputation of the college, and a renewed accreditation is testament to the dedication of each program’s faculty.

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Kettering Colle

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K E T T E R I N G C O L L E G E O F M E D I C A L A RT S

ge

ches orld

by C ESSNA W INSLOW

As an institution of Christian higher education, Kettering College of Medical Arts graduates health care professionals of high character who, in the tradition of the Master Healer, give whole-person care to their patients and generous service to their communities.

[KCMA mission statement]

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N THE HEALTH CARE PROFESSION, KETTERING COLLEGE OF MEDICAL ARTS STUDENTS, ALUMNI, AND FACULTY SERVE THE WORLD on a daily basis. Many have also used their skills while protecting our country, and the stories they share are inspiring.

Though their experiences vary, their hearts and devotion are united. Amy Baker is pursuing a degree in nuclear medicine. Besides being a student, she is a mother of two young daughters and a reservist

^ Amy Baker with her husband, Todd, and their daughters, Hailey, 6 and Graceful, 1.

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Nuclear medicine student Ben Guptil served for 14 months in Iraq.

>

Ben Guptil at the Mazes of Babylon.

from military tactics but rather from another force — the media. The attention his unit received was constant and, at times, overwhelming.

While Ben is honored to have served his country, he says he is glad to be home and is eagerly embracing this new chapter of his life. As a young father, he looks forward to completing his associate’s degree in nuclear medicine and following that up with his bachelor’s in advanced imaging.

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with the Army. For now, she is managing these roles solo while her husband is serving in Iraq. “Juggling school and my husband’s deployment is very difficult,” she says. “I signed up for school before my husband was told of his deployment, so I had a full load of classes.”

While Todd is in Iraq patrolling towns and providing security for missions, Amy works in battalion supply at a local armory one weekend a month. Wearing so many hats is a challenge, but Amy understands the importance of her service and that of her husband. She knows her family’s sacrifice is only for a season, and like every season, there are joys and hardships. Faith, friends, and family are her keys to survival.

“Rarely while my kids are awake do I get a lot of studying done,” Amy says.

“When I am falling behind in my studying, I can send the girls to their grandparents for a weekend. I hate to ask for help, but sometimes you have to swallow your pride to survive.”

Being able to talk to her husband on the phone frequently and having close friends at Kettering College to study with helps assure the young mother that she will get through this challenging and busy phase. Amy says she takes it one day at a time.

“I thank God daily for helping me through that day and for keeping my children and me safe while their father is away,” she says. Todd is expected to return home in November.

Like Amy, Ben Guptil understands the importance of duty. From 1995 to 2001, Ben served in five locations with the Army, starting at Johnston Atoll, a small island in the Pacific Ocean.

“After a year there, I was stationed at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, and then was sent to Seoul, South Korea,” he says. “I finished my active duty tour in Fort Lewis, Wash.,” he explained.

After being discharged from active duty, Ben served as a reservist, and in 2003, he was sent to Abu Ghraib, Iraq.

While in Iraq, Ben was a compound supervisor in a detention camp. The biggest challenge, he says, was not

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STUDENTS BRING THEIR DREAMS

TO KETTERING COLLEGE HOPING FOR A JOB WORTH HAVING AND A LIFE WORTH LIVING, BUT IF WE ARE BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING, AND CALLED TO SERVICE, NOT JUST A LIVELIHOOD, THEN

CHARACTER MATTERS AS MUCH AS COMPETENCE. Dr. Charles Scriven, KCMA President

Alumnus Eric VonFossen ’92 personifies well what Kettering College President Dr. Charles Scriven often says about being blessed to be a blessing, being called to service, and assigning equal importance to both character and competence. Like many Kettering College faculty, students, and alumni, Eric has been a blessing through service — both in his community and abroad.

“After Sept. 11, I realized I was in a position to actually do something positive and not just have the grum-

K E T T E R I N G C O L L E G E O F M E D I C A L A RT S

blings of patriotism,” Eric says. While completing his physician assistant degree at Kettering College, Eric joined a newly formed Army reserve unit out of Columbus, Ohio.

Serving his country was something Eric knew well. Prior to enrolling at KCMA, he spent six years in the Navy as an electrician. During his naval career, he operated the nuclear power plant on the USS Boston, a fast-attack submarine.

The Army reserve unit he joined after graduating was attached to the Special Forces, which meant it had a higher level of physical fitness and training requirements than other assignments. In January 2004, the 28person unit was deployed to Afghanistan for nine months.

“We were divided up into four-man ‘CAT-A’ teams and a medical team, which consisted of a captain — myself — and a senior medic,” Eric says. “The CAT-A teams were each assigned to a different outlying post, called either an A-camp or fire base depending on their capabilities, to work directly with the Special Forces/Green Berets. Over the course of the nine months, the medic and I traveled around to these different camps.

“The work was fulfilling and at the same time emotionally draining,” says Eric, who witnessed much pain. Each camp, he says, had a clinic to provide health care to the local villagers. Eric and the medic would often work there for a few hours each day, treating people for a variety of things

< While serving in Afghanistan, Eric VonFossen, participated in clinics for local villagers.

<

Physician assistant alum Eric VonFossen (`92)

including dehydration, back and knee pains, rashes, parasite infestations, polio, tuberculosis, gunshot wounds, or injuries from land mines.

At most clinics, he saw only men and children. Women either were too closely guarded or considered too unimportant to be seen.

“Once I was in a village set up to treat people, and the Special Forces medic became angry because the village elders were not allowing any women to be treated.” Eric recounts the story: The medic told the elder, “We know there are sick women here, and we want to treat them too.” The elder said, “The doctor is for the men and children. We have a cemetery for the women.”

Distressing as that was, Eric was grateful for the experience of being in Afghanistan, a country and culture so different from his own. He says he appreciated the opportunity his service gave him to sit and talk with his Afghan interpreters and really learn what their life was like.

“Without a doubt, the best part was the people I was deployed with and met,” Eric says. “I cannot imagine being around a better group of people for the job to which we

were tasked. It was an honor to get to work with the Special Forces.”

Initially, Eric thought he would solely be providing basic medical care but found that to be only half of his service.

“The rest of the time, I got to assist the Special Forces soldiers in their tasks,” he says. “We would often be considered ‘extra guns’ on their missions. I did cache and building searches with them.”

For his service, Eric received a number of medals including a Bronze Star for service and a second Bronze Star for valor. He also received the Combat Medical Badge from when one of his patrols hit a land mine.

After returning home, Eric decided he had accomplished what he set out to do and formally resigned from the military. Today he is a family practice physician assistant with Primecare Physicians in Sidney, Ohio.

Eric, Ben, and Amy are just a small sample of the difference the Kettering College family is making around the world.

Kettering College is committed to giving whole-person care to patients, wherever they may be, and to generous service to our communities.

Kettering College Military Connections Below is a list of immediate relatives and members of the Kettering College community who are serving or have served in the United States military. Kettering College appreciates and honors all veterans for their service to our country.

Lanorris Agnew Army, 2003-present Nephew of physician assistant student Tierra Hurd

Benjamin Guptil Army, 1995-2001 Army Reserve, 2003-2005 Nuclear medicine student

Amy Baker Army National Guard, 1998-present Nuclear medicine student

J. Christopher Harkey Marine Corps, 1998-2003 Nuclear medicine student

Todd Baker Army National Guard, 2001-present Husband of nuclear medicine student Amy Baker

Jeremy Heimgartner Air Force, 1993-2005 Husband of nursing faculty member Nicole Heimgartner

Larry Beneke Navy, 1966-67 Marine Corps, 1968-1970 Director, Department of Radiologic Sciences & Imaging

Brandy Litzinger Army Reserve, 2001-present Physician assistant student

Brandy Benton Army Reserve, 1998-2006 Nursing student Thomas Benton Army, 1996-2004 Army Reserve, 2003-2005 Army National Guard, 2005-present Husband of nursing student Brandy Benton Ray Bishop Air Force, 1952-56 Father of staff member Mindy Claggett Stephanie Butkus Air Force, 1997-2002 Nursing faculty member William Callison Marine Corps, 1994-1999 Army, 2000-2004 Husband of radiologic technology student Wendi Callison Stacey Childress Air Force, 1999-present Nursing student Mildred Weynberg Doster Army Air Force, 1943-45 Mother of arts & sciences faculty member Jill Evans Beverly Ervin Army, 1976-82 Staff member

Charles Moore Navy, 1983-1990 Nursing student Jim Nesbit I Army, 1918-1919 Grandfather of staff member Jim Nesbit III Jim Nesbit II Army, 1970-72 Father of staff member Jim Nesbit III Joseph Nesbit Army, 1966-68 Uncle of staff member Jim Nesbit Chad Ownbey Navy, 1994-present Brother of respiratory care student Rebekah Self Kelvin Paulsen Air Force, 1980-2001 Medical sonography faculty member David Price Air Force, 1976-98 Arts & sciences faculty member Husband of health professions faculty member Susan Price Tom Rule Army, 1968-70 Arts & sciences faculty member Samuel Sampson Army, 2001-present Husband of nursing student Kimberly Sampson

Richard Ervin Army, 1976-82 Husband of staff member Beverly Ervin

Randy Smith Army Reserve, 2001-2004 Air Force Reserve, 2004-present Nuclear medicine student

Eric Gayheart Navy, 1991-96 Navy Reserve, 1996-98 Staff member

Deborah Toirac Air Force, 1972-1996 Nursing student

Kathi Gayheart Army, 1989-92 Army National Guard, 1992-98 Wife of staff member Eric Gayheart

Rick Williams Air Force, 1996-2000 Air Force Reserve, 2000-present Director, extension education & professional training

Frank Golich Air Force, 1976-86 Air Force Reserve, 1987-99 Arts & sciences faculty member

Vicki Wilson Army, 1995-2000 Nursing student

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in the spotlight Kettering College

Graduates Another Record Class On Saturday, April 28, Kettering College of Medical Arts conferred degrees and certificates on a record number of students — 237 — at the school’s 39th annual commencement ceremonies. The event, held for the first time at James S. Trent Arena in Kettering, featured Raj Attiken, Ph.D., president of the Ohio Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, as the keynote speaker. The class eclipsed the previous record of 215 set in 2006.

One of the evening’s highlights was the presentation of the George B. Nelson Award to Pamela Keller, a graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Health Professions program with an emphasis in physician assistant. Named after the founding president of Kettering Medical Center, the award is given to the KCMA graduate who most exemplifies the spirit and practice of the College’s mission. Other nominees included Jodi Davidson (medical sonography), Karla Eldridge (radiologic technology), Deborah Kaehler (Associate of Science nursing program), Kathy Napier (respiratory care), and Lynn Wright (Bachelor of Science in Nursing).

Nominations are made by the academic department chairs.

During his message entitled “Dangerous Dreams,” Attiken encouraged the graduates to remember not only how they do what they do, but also why.

“There is an element of risk and danger in every human interaction,” Attiken said. “You have been given the very sacred privilege of engaging human lives at extremely vulnerable moments. When we serve, we discover that life is holy. Service is an opportunity to get the message, to hear God speak through every encounter you have with a patient. When we serve, we don’t serve with strength, we serve with

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ourselves. Service is not about fixing what may be broken — only service heals.

“The ‘dangerous dream’ that I hold up for you is that every encounter you have with a patient will be framed with the caption, ‘God was here.’”

During the conferral of degrees, the College president granted 175 Associate of Science degrees in the following areas: nursing (111), radiologic technology (28), medical sonography (22), respiratory care (17), and nuclear medicine (9). Fourty-four Bachelor of Science in Health Professions degrees were awarded in the following specialties: health professions (17), physician assistant (12), health care professional studies (7), advanced imaging (6), and medical sonography (2).

Twelve Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees were presented as well. The following certificates of completion were granted: magnetic resonance imaging (5), computed tomography (2), general angiography (1), cardiac angiography (1), and physician ^ 2007 George B. Nelson Award winner Pamela Keller assistant (1).

Seventeen of the graduating students received special recognition as members of the Vaughan-Beaven Service Learning Honors Program: Franklin Baker (physician assistant), Andrea Carr (nursing), Darrell David (health care professional studies), Traci Eagan (nursing), Erin Eller (nursing), Sherry Erwine (nursing), Teresa Howland (nursing), Deborah Kaehler (nursing), Pamela Keller (physician assistant), Brandie Moore (physician assistant), Kelly Olson (nursing), Barbara Purvis (nursing), Suzanne Pyatt (nursing), Bryan Stephens (physician assistant), Christine VanDenburgh (nursing), LaToyia Williams (health care professional studies), and Lynn Wright (nursing).

K E T T E R I N G C O L L E G E O F M E D I C A L A RT S

alumni news MESSAGE FROM THE ALUMNI PRESIDENT

MESSAGE FROM THE ALUMNI RELATIONS OFFICE

It is hard to believe this will be my last letter as alumni president. I have greatly enjoyed working more closely with Kettering College alumni over the past 2 1/2 years, as I’ve visited different medical facilities in the greater Dayton area, met with alumni in multiple states at various events, and attended Alumni Weekend celebrations. It has been so rewarding to get to know your stories— where you’ve been and gone in the years since graduation. A common thread in each story is the part Kettering College has played and is continuing to play in each of your lives.

Over the past few years, I’ve witnessed many exciting developments. I was present for both the groundbreaking and the ribbon cutting of the new Boonshoft Center for Medical Sciences. I have seen the number of legacy students — children and family members of alumni — increase on our campus. I have been a part of a renewed Alumni Association with more opportunities for alumni to reconnect with each other and the college. Each of these has only further impressed within that the legacy of Kettering College and its graduates will continue to be strong well into the future.

Many thanks to the Alumni Association board of directors for its continued dedication to the college. I also thank the association for the opportunity to serve. It has been an honor.

I hope to see you at the upcoming events we have planned for 2007, including the Dayton Dragons game on July 17, Alumni Weekend Nov. 9-10, and at the activities planned to commemorate the College’s 40th anniversary.

Join me in reflecting on the past 40 years and in looking forward to the next 40.

Best Wishes,

You can make a difference right now!

I often hear alumni say they want to do something to help Kettering College, to be more involved with the Alumni Association, to reconnect more often with their classmates. However, they aren’t always sure how to make a meaningful contribution; whether they have the time; or whether their involvement will be welcomed.

Well, there are many ways you can help out. Some require very little time or effort, but each of them can bring tremendous benefit to our alma mater: • Serve as a mentor • Attend an Alumni Association event like Alumni Weekend or the Dayton Dragons game, and bring a fellow alumnus with you • Complete the survey on the next page • Make a donation to the annual fund • Update your information by visiting www.kcma.edu/alumni • Visit the new Boonshoft Center for Medical Sciences (I’d be glad to give you a tour of campus) • Read Pacesetter, and share it with a friend • Contact a former professor and say thanks for his/her teaching and mentoring • Act as an ambassador and share your love of Kettering College I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Cheryl Kennison Associate director of alumni programs and services

Teresa Simmons ’91 President, KCMA Alumni Association

Family Ties We are still collecting photos of our many alumni with family ties. Celebrate your shared history by sending photos of the Kettering College alumni in your family. We’ll feature your pictures in an upcoming edition of Pacesetter. Don’t forget to include the names, graduation years, and programs of all alumni, as well as your relationships to one another.

High-resolution (300 dpi) electronic files of photos may be sent via e-mail to cheryl.kennison@kcma.edu; prints or CDs may be sent by mail to Kettering College Alumni Relations, 3737 Southern Blvd., Kettering, OH 45429. All photographs will be returned.

^ The Hoover family shares a strong family tie to Kettering

College, representing two generations and three programs.

Faculty member Robert Hoover ’84 is a radiologic technology graduate; son Justin is a human biology major; wife Terry (McEvoy) Hoover ’85 is a nursing graduate.

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WO U L D N OT I N T E R E S T M E

Adopt-a-student (mentoring program) Online community

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Sporting events

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Family outings (picnics, zoo, etc.)

Workplace events Program reunions at KCMA (nursing, respiratory care, etc.)

Class year gatherings at KCMA Golf tournament

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Alumni weekend Arts and entertainment events (symphony, opera, plays, etc.)

Fundraising involvement (alumni scholarship fund, annual fund) U.S. travel program

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International travel program Service/volunteer projects Networking opportunities Breakfast gatherings Luncheon gatherings Dinner gatherings Educational offerings (seminars, CEUs, etc.)

Chapter events in your local area Student recruitment Other service/activity suggestions:

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WO U L D I N T E R E S T M E

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The Kettering College alumni association wants to offer programs and services that meet your needs and interests.

Please help by completing this survey and indicating whether each item would or would not interest you. Surveys can be returned to: Alumni Relations, Kettering College of Medical Arts, 3737 Southern Blvd., Kettering, OH 45429; or, complete the survey online at www.kcma.edu/alumni/survey. All completed surveys returned by July 13 will be entered in a drawing for an alumni association gift package. Thank you for your time!

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ALUMNI A S S O C I AT I O N

Name: Class Year: Program of Study:

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alumni news The New College Archives

Mentors and Friends Kettering College needs the active involvement of alumni to reach our goals of mentoring and enriching the lives of the next generation of health care professionals. Many current students and new alumni are interested in establishing mentoring relationships with alumni, and we need you to make this a success!

Being a mentor can mean anything from allowing a

A call to all alumni

student to shadow you at your workplace, providing

Thank you to the alumni who have sent items to be

encouragement during semester exams, or assisting

used in the archives and display area in the Boonshoft

a new alumnus in finding his or her first job. With

Center for Medical Sciences. We are still in need of

today’s technology, you do not need to live in the

College and medical memorabilia from all class years

Dayton area to participate in the mentoring program.

and programs to keep College memories alive for

We have alumni around the country, and you can

generations to come. We are looking for old photos,

always make a difference by communicating via

textbooks, event programs, and medical equipment.

We are also looking for uniforms representing the

phone and e-mail.

various eras of the college.

To serve as a mentor — or to be assigned one, contact Cheryl Kennison by phone at (937) 395-8607 or by

To donate, contact Cheryl Kennison at

e-mail at cheryl.kennison@kcma.edu.

(937) 395-8607; or, send her an e-mail at cheryl.kennison@kcma.edu.

KCMA Alumni Association Day with the Dayton Dragons Tuesday, July 17, 7 p.m.

All alumni are invited to this second annual family event! Join your fellow alumni and help pack our private lawn at Fifth Third Field. Tickets are $5, with $2 of each ticket going directly to the Alumni Association Scholarship Fund. Children 2 and younger are free. Purchase your tickets through the alumni office by calling Cheryl Kennison at (937) 395-8607; or, send for tickets via e-mail: cheryl.kennison@kcma.edu.

Round up your family, grab some blankets to sit on, and bring your glove along. Hurry — seats are limited!

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class notes

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Robert Wilkins ’74 has been appointed chairman of the department of respiratory care at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

He was recruited to this position from Loma Linda University in California, where he had been a faculty member since 1979. Robert was named the Kettering College of Medical Arts Alumnus of the Year in 1988.

Jo (Gould) Kirk ’03 and Samuel Kirk were married June 30, 2006, and live in Columbus, Ohio. Jo is a radiology technologist at Riverside Hospital. Her e-mail address is samandjokirk@gmail.com.

Judy (Owens) Gill ’78 lives in Apopka, Fla., where she is a full-time nanny for her three grandsons. Her e-mail address is jlowens49@hotmail.com.

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1970s

In Loving Memory Diane (Christie) Beneke Jan. 20, 1946 – Feb. 13, 2007 It is with great sorrow that we mourn the passing of Diane Beneke. For more than two decades, Diane served Kettering College of Medical Arts and guided the careers of college administrators Winton Beaven, Robert Williams, Peter Bath, and Charles Scriven. Her dedication and vision were responsible for the character, continuity, and unwaveringly high standards of the institution and its administration.

In the three years since Diane was first diagnosed with cancer, she boldly and confidently faced the battle and graciously continued this fight until her passing. A shy person by nature, Diane stood before her church body and testified about her faith in God during her illness. Her faith in God had transformed her.

Diane leaves behind her husband Larry, a faculty member; sons Darin Christie ’96 and Todd Christie ’02; stepson Aaron Beneke ’95; many grandchildren; other relatives; and many, many friends. She will be dearly missed, but she will never leave us. Her legacy will be remembered by the words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

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Ovidio Demiar ’78, ’84 lives in Grandview, Wash. His e-mail address is fedemiar@mac.com.

___ 1980s

Cheryl Reinhardt ’81 is a physician at Lifestyle Center of America. She and her husband, Steven Jones, live in Sulphur, Okla., with daughter Darby, 10. Cheryl is the first violinist in the Oklahoma University community orchestra; Darby is the same in the Oklahoma City Youth Symphony.

Debra (Cole) Brock-Johansen ’88 earned a bachelor’s degree in social psychology in 2002 and is a coordinator for case management at Kettering Medical Center. She lives in Beavercreek, Ohio, with her husband, Larry, and daughter, Angela. Debra’s e-mail address is dljohansen@ameritech.net.

___ 1990s

Michael Harris ’92 lives in Hillsboro, Ohio, and works at University Hospital Cincinnati. He is working toward a master’s in nursing at Xavier University.

Tim Arney ’95 is a staff nurse at Sun Health and lives in Surprise, Ariz. His e-mail address is timrne@aol.com.

2000s

Leigh (Troha) Breznay ’06 is a physician assistant at Miami Valley Plastic Surgeons. She and her husband, Chad, live in Miamisburg, Ohio. Leigh’s e-mail is jete17@aol.com.

Remembrance

Carl E. Jones ’69, former faculty, went peacefully to his rest on Dec. 14, 2006.

After serving as a faculty member for one year, Carl started a respiratory department in National City, Calif., and later in Prairie Du Chien, Wis., where he stayed until his retirement. He is survived by his wife, Donna; and son and daughter-in-law Steven and Cheryl Reinhardt ’81; daughter and son-in-law Brenda and Jim Quick; and granddaughter Darby.

Trisha Pons ’01, ’03, former faculty, passed away in an automobile accident on April 11, 2007, at the age of 27.

Trisha earned both associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in nursing from Kettering College and was a clinical instructor in the nursing program for three years. She completed her master’s degree in 2006 from Wright State University. Trisha was working in the coronary care unit at Kettering Medical Center. Memorial donations may be made to the Trisha Pons Nursing Scholarship by visiting www.kmcfoundation.org.

What’s your story?

To have your information included in future Class Notes, update your information online at www.kcma.edu/alumni; or, call (937) 395-8607.

Send us a photo of your new baby, and we’ll send you a Kettering College baby bib.

Send digital images (300 dpi) via e-mail to cheryl.kennison@kcma.edu; send prints by mail to Alumni Relations, Kettering College of Medical Arts, 3737 Southern Blvd., Kettering, OH 45429.

All mailed photos will be returned.

K E T T E R I N G C O L L E G E O F M E D I C A L A RT S

partnerships Celebrate Your Alma Mater >> Continue the Kettering College Tradition with a 40th Anniversary Gift This year is a special one for Kettering College of Medical Arts because it marks our 40th anniversary. We have many celebrations planned, including an expanded Alumni Weekend and a variety of community events.

Each of these will celebrate College history and tradition. One of those traditions is alumni giving.

Alumni giving is an opportunity to celebrate your alma mater, to look both backward and forward. Use this 40th anniversary as a catalyst to re-energize this tradition of giving and to establish a solid foundation for years to come.

With a gift this year, you can show your pride in your school and join with your classmates in the tradition of alumni giving. If you are a regular contributor, celebrate this milestone by increasing your gift by $40, $400 or

$4,000. If you are a first-time donor, celebrate this anniversary by making an initial contribution of $40.

To be a part of this tradition, contact Cheryl Kennison in the alumni relations office at (937) 395-8607; or give online at www.kcma.edu/giving.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP FUND The Alumni Association recently founded a scholarship fund that will provide support to students experiencing financial need.

A portion of the ticket prices of many Alumni Association activities will go directly into the fund, so by participating in these events, you can make a difference in the lives of Kettering College students. Individual donations to this fund also are gladly and gratefully accepted.

To give toward this or any of the more than 27 scholarship funds for Kettering College students, please contact Cheryl Kennison in the Alumni Office or Susan Faulkner at the Kettering Medical Center Foundation at (937) 395-8607. For information on establishing a scholarship, contact Dave McElwee in the Foundation at (937) 395-8607.

40 Y E A RS O F E XC E L L E N C E

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Eye of the Beholder by

DOUG BLACK

>> G l o r y

E

very day is a marvelous gift, but even so, some days are better than others, and once in a great while, everything fits together flawlessly, resulting in a perfect day.

October 29, 2005, was such a day. It was the final weekend in October, but the weather was unusually warm following a series of cool, if not chilly, nights. There had not yet been any of the autumn storms that strip golden leaves from the trees, and the low humidity made possible a cloudless sky so blue that it can scarcely be described. I felt compelled to preserve as much of the beauty as I could against the bleakness of impending winter. The resulting photos were not quite as splendid as the day itself, and yet they are still breathtaking to me.

I always try to capture a mood or feeling in my photos, exemplified in the images “Peace” and “Reflection.” When I take pictures, I like to use the light for effect — to emphasize colors and shadows. Of course, the brilliant red leaves shown in “Richness” and “Saturation” display a remarkable range of color and shadow; however, I think my favorite is “In the Garden” because the play of the shadows against the golden leaves always leaves me feeling like I’m in the very presence of God. I like to

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K E T T E R I N G C O L L E G E O F M E D I C A L A RT S

>>

Wa y f a r e r ’s P a r a d i s e

think that Adam and Eve might have experienced something similar on their evening walks … in the garden.

“Autumn Splendor,” “Glory,” and “Wayfarer’s Paradise” recently were featured in the Dayton Metro Library’s Art by Librarians exhibition.

“Glory” again plays the bright against the dark. It was taken on a late afternoon in March 2006, and it shows the clearing sky over Ridgeleigh Terrace just after an early spring thunderstorm. “Wayfarer’s Paradise” was taken in July 2006 on the day of my son’s wedding, from the back portico of the Wayfarer’s Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes near Long Beach, Calif.

The Wayfarer’s Chapel was built by the son of Frank Lloyd Wright and is one of the most essentially peaceful places I have ever seen.

DOUG BLACK is KCMA’s coordinator of instructional technology and an associate professor in the Learning Commons. He is involved in online teaching and learning and is considered one of the campus “computer gurus.”

Though Doug is designing online computer courses for the college, his talents clearly extend beyond the realm of the PC.

>> P e a c e

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student perspective Medicine Is as Close to Love as It Is to Science

by T ONYA W EDDLE

R

ecently in our KCMA 101 class, our discussion of Jesus as a teacher, healer, and preacher was quite interesting. There was one quotation in particular that Dr. VanDenburgh spoke of that really caught my attention: “Medicine is as close to love as it is to science.”

This is an incredibly powerful statement, any way you look at it. It is very basic and straightforward but really packs a punch. As a struggling first-year student, I’ve become so focused on the “learning” coming from books and quizzes that I sometimes forget that lessons come in all forms and scenarios.

A wonderful example of this: “Mrs. X,” a patient I encountered during my clinical rotations, was a sweet little elderly woman who, I was soon to discover, was quite the talker. It seemed as though, once I entered her room, it became quite difficult to leave, as she went on about this or that, as well as asking for this and that. My clinical instructor “warned” me before I went in to see her that she was a bit “needy.”

As I'm sure most people realize, patient care has a certain time frame in which specific things need to be done, and in many cases, it’s just not possible to spend as much personal time with a particular patient as we’d often like to. This fact was true with Mrs. X, but she “wasn't having it.” As far as she was concerned, if I was in that room, I was fair game. After removing her breakfast tray, filling her water pitcher, and supplying her with an extra blanket, I was finally “allowed” to begin her breathing treatment. As we were finishing, I realized there was a specific dispenser I needed to perform her last treatment with. I told Mrs. X I would return shortly, and as I headed out the door of her room, I honestly must say that I was grateful to finally “see the light of day” once again.

When I returned, Mrs. X was lying quietly in her bed. She asked me if I would mind waiting just a bit, as she was in the middle of prayer. I then asked her if she would like me to pray with her. She seemed both

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surprised and sincere when she responded with a simple, “Yes.” I took her hand, and as she spoke to her Father, I knew something special was happening.

It wasn’t the prayer itself, although that was special enough; it was the connection between her and me.

I had learned a valuable lesson that I wasn’t going to learn from any book or by studying for any test. It was the “classroom quote” in action.

As Mrs. X concluded her conversation with God, she continued to hold my hand. It was then that she told me that I was the first caregiver to offer myself as a prayer partner since she had been a patient at this particular hospital. Wow… the power of God to lift a person up and to humble her — all in the same second, never ceases to amaze me.

As I exited that hospital room, I was left with one baffling question: Why was I the only person willing to pray with this woman? Do caregivers eventually become complacent to the other needs of their patients, only focusing on the physical and tangible? Are sites so short-staffed and workers so pressed for time that they honestly can’t allow themselves to get caught up in the emotional aspects of their patients’ lives, or is it a defense mechanism to distance themselves from all the “drama?”

I realize that as a student, I am not responsible for an entire floor of patients; that in turn allows me to be able to take the extra time, if needed, with my patients. I don’t have a timeline to follow or a patient load to handle. I know the medical field is demanding of more than just a person’s time. However, I hope when I do actually begin my career, and I’m working a long, busy, 12-hour shift, I can think back to the day that, as a lowly, know-nothing student, I learned more from a frail, tiny little old lady than I ever possibly could have imagined.

TONYA WEDDLE is a first-year respiratory care student at Kettering College.

K E T T E R I N G C O L L E G E O F M E D I C A L A RT S

campus candids 1

1 Romimir Altares (arts and sciences) helps serve ice cream at the KCMA Luau in April.

2 Angela Mason (medical sonography) and Brian Page (nursing) participate in the ThinkFast! game at MedKamp in March.

3 Radiologic technology student Courtney Keiser tries her hand at climbing the rock wall during the student life trip to Urban Krag in December.

4 In early April, several nursing students, staff, faculty, and other participants from Kettering Medical Center worked together to assemble and wrap 180 Easter baskets. These were sent to six local community agencies, including homeless and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shelters.

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5 [clockwise, starting at the left] John Ferrell (arts and sciences), Elizabeth Day (radiologic technology), David Christensen (radiologic technology), Pamela Keller (physician assistant studies) and Anna Kroll (arts and sciences) take in a Dayton Bombers hockey game in January.

6 Dr. James Londis, professor of religion at Kettering College, was the keynote speaker at the annual winter convocation in January.

7 Arts and sciences faculty members Paul DeLange and Frank Golich chat after the winter faculty and staff retreat in February.

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