Knox Magazine — Fall 2023

FALL 2023

“WHEREVER I GO, I FIND A KNOX CONNECTION. IT’S SUCH A SMALL WORLD.” —Robert Nguyen ’22, photographer and one of Knox’s 18 under 37

Julio Noriega, Burkhardt Distinguished Chair in Modern Languages and

3

5

1

STEVE DAVIS

When he first arrived at Knox in 2009, Julio Noriega’s office was in George Davis Hall. But after a stint directing Knox’s study abroad program in Barcelona, Spain, he moved to Borzello Hall. But location isn’t a big deal to him—“I’m happy at Knox anywhere,” Noriega said. He teaches Spanish language and culture classes at the College, and enjoys sharing his love of hispanic, Andean, migrant, and indigenous literatures with students and others.

1. I use my bike as a mode of transportation to Knox when the weather permits. It’s nice since my home is close, though I do have a car in case it’s too cold or raining. I enjoy biking all around Galesburg when I can.

2. I’ve been collecting books since my undergraduate studies and I’ve built a specialized library. Among my prized Quechua collection are books that I inherited from former Knox professor Edmundo Bendezú through his wife, Mary Ann. Included in the collection are Bibliographie des langues aymara et kicua by Paul Rivet from 1951, Diego González Holguín’s Vocabulario de la lengua general de todo el Perú from 1952, and Dioses y hombres de Huarochirí from 1966, translated by José María Arguedas.

Open Door Chair of Latin American Studies 2

7

4

6

3. These records are part of a collection of Spanish, guitar-led instrumental music from the 1960s and ’70s. I enjoy this style of music and share it with others whenever I have a chance.

4. Two of these mugs were given to me by former Knox students— just prior to her departure for graduate studies, a student from Oklahoma gifted me one, and the colorful mug is from a student who studied French and Spanish. The green-striped mug is from home. I’m not much of a coffee drinker, but I cherish my mugs.

5. I received this gourd as a gift from an indigenous artist in Huancayo, Peru, about a decade ago. The art tells a story that is read from left to right. It’s about a fox who is playing the part of a messenger. The artist created it by drying the gourd and then burning the images onto it.

6. I use a fountain pen when writing and grading papers. I have a small syringe to soak the ink out of the inkwell and then inject it into the pen. I also use a small leather notebook here that I scratch notes in and write about my daily activities. I tell students that they don’t want to look in it because they might see their grades!

7. This shelf is where I keep my degrees and awards. Among them are my college degrees and a contest certificate from the University of Miami. Eventually, I would love to fill this shelf and the walls around my office with original art.

MAGAZINE

VOLUME 106, ISSUE 2

FALL 2023

“I WANT TO BE A STRONG EXAMPLE SO THAT FIRST-GENERATION IMMIGRANT STUDENTS LIKE MYSELF CAN SEE THEMSELVES GOING TO A PLACE LIKE KNOX.” KRISTAL ROMERO ’13 (PAGE 18)

18 Under 37

Departments

Catch up with some of Knox’s extraordinary alumni.

Page 6

Knox Announces Faculty Promotions

Open Door

Inside front cover

2 East South Street

Page 4

The South Lawn

Page 22

Knox Writes

Page 42

Class Knox

Page 47

Parting Shot

Inside back cover

Five Knox faculty members advanced in rank this year.

Page 22

A Fond Farewell to Retiring Faculty Bidding adieu to six beloved faculty members.

On the cover: Skateboarder captured at sunset by Robert Nguyen ’22, one of Knox’s 18 under 37.

Page 24

LAYOUT DESIGNERS Becky Hale Ami Jontz

CONTRIBUTORS, WRITING & PHOTOGRAPHY Mitch Prentice ’17 Kent Kriegshauser Steve Davis

Nysa Phulwar ’26

Peter Bailley ’74

Christina Smith

Suyash Chitrakar ’25

Carla Wehmeyer

Sara Koenke ’12

Knox Magazine is published twice yearly by the Office of Communications, Box K-233, Knox College, Galesburg, IL 61401-4999; Phone: 309-341-7760; Email: knoxmag@knox.edu.

It is distributed free of charge to Knox alumni, students, parents, and friends.

The magazine welcomes information and story ideas. Please query before submitting manuscripts.

ISSN: 0047-3499 Visit us online at magazine.knox.edu.

STEVE DAVIS

EDITOR Christine Mueri, Ph.D.

Opening Up the Skies The view is pretty spectacular from the College’s17-inch Planewave Astrograph telescope on the roof of the Umbeck Science-Mathematics Center. The Knox observatory was dedicated this summer and will be used in teaching astronomy at every level.

Editor’s Note

Letter to the Editor

H

ello! I’m Christine, the new editor of the Knox Magazine.

Although I am not a Knox grad, I am a passionate advocate for liberal arts education and a proud Macalester Scot. I’ve written a whole lot of things in a whole lot of places, including health care, nonprofits, marketing agencies, and higher ed. I’m a lover of books, baking, Broadway musicals, my boys, and my sweet kitties. I’m delighted to serve as your editor and so proud to share this issue with you.

When we decided to revisit the 18 under 37 theme, I wasn’t sure what to expect. When we did it last in 2014, the stories we told were incredible. I wondered and worried, could we possibly bottle the magic a second time around?

Well, friends, you won’t be surprised to know the answer is a resounding YES. I started with a list of 18 alumni and it quickly grew. As I write this, I’ve completed 30 interviews and counting!

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed these chats with our recent grads. In the pages ahead, there are so many impressive careers and accomplishments to celebrate. But what I hope you also find in these stories is a deep, almost reverential, love and appreciation for the education they received at Knox. Every one of the graduates included here left Knox with chosen majors and minors, and some of them are using what they learned at Knox in their post-college lives.

Some forged new paths. But, to a person, they credit Knox for an extraordinary education.

And these conversations revealed that this collective education involved so much more than chemical equations or brush techniques.

In the dappled shade of the quad and the cinderblock hallways of SMC, they learned to try, to persevere, to fail. To be comfortable being uncomfortable. To ask questions. To ask for help. To be good students and good human beings. And so, so much more.

I hope you enjoy reading these stories as much as I enjoyed writing them!

My very best, Christine

4

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

Flashback article in the spring edition of Knox Magazine I was active in the 1940s women’s basketball team. Actually my freshman year I was captain and played center forward. We won a trophy that year. It was the first time in 12 years that Knox won the Round Robin cup. Our team was Alice Macy Eaton ’48, Nancy Downes ’48, Jane Bagley ’48, LG “Gene” Schmidt Stoerzbach ’48, Marcia Faust ’48, and Lois Stringe ’48.

—Pat Mears Sells ’48

Send us your letters!

Knox Magazine welcomes the opinions and comments of its readers. Write to the Editor, Knox Magazine, Box K-233, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401-4999, or email knoxmag@knox.edu. Letters should refer to material published in the magazine and may be edited for length or clarity.

2 East South Street President’s Note Exciting Things to Come

O

ur fall academic term is underway and I am excited to witness the coming together of a unique, inquisitive, thoughtful, and resilient group of students, faculty, and staff. As we navigate our first few weeks together, we reconnect and share aspirations with friends and colleagues and embrace the moment to challenge each other and ourselves to journeys of exploration, understanding, improvement, and growth.

I am excited that we welcomed nearly 300 new students. Most of the new student members of our community arrive at Knox after a high school experience significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Their high school experience was defined by loss, change, and unpredictability, and yet this class enters with an incredibly strong academic profile. I am excited to see what this incoming class and group of transfer students accomplish during their time here at Knox and to see how they will push us all to be better and stronger.

I am excited that, thanks to a generous anonymous lead donor, we will open a new facility at Green Oaks next year. The opportunities that this new facility will grant for our students, faculty, and community are endless—including new immersive experiences, academic and recreational opportunities, as well as community events.

I am excited that our plan for growth is beginning to produce success that we can all see and embrace. In partnership with our new Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admission Nathan Ament and the team he is assembling in Admissions, we are seeing opportunities to grow our incoming classes to levels that will surpass pre-pandemic years.

SÉAN ALONZO HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY

I would like to share with all of you what excites me about the upcoming year here at Knox.

I am excited that our alumni, parents, and friends continue to show their support and love for Knox through their philanthropy and engagement. Our vision and growth are powered by the support of our Knox family and I am excited to continue to work with all of you to align your passions with our vision to create the greatest impact for Knox.

I am excited that our alumni are using the knowledge and skills they learned here at Knox to create lives of purpose and follow their passions. Eighteen of our young alumni (under 37) are featured in this edition of the magazine, but I know there are thousands more doing equally impressive and inspiring work. We love hearing and sharing your stories, so please, continue to stay in touch.

And finally, I am excited to partner with our local community here in Galesburg to deepen our relationships, increase collaboration, and work together to address challenges and build on opportunities to make positive and sustainable change in our city and on campus.

Knox is and always has been a place of great opportunity, built and maintained through hard work and collaboration.

This is who we are, and I’m excited to see where our hard work and collaboration will take us over the next year.

With warmest regards,

C. Andrew McGadney

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

5

DER UNDER U

16 36 17 37 18 38 19 39 Profiles by Christine Mueri

6

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

SUBMITTED

Teachers. Students. Leaders. Listeners. Trend-setters. Game-changers. We’d like to introduce you to 18 alumni who exemplify the incredible intelligence and individuality that make Knox students unique. Though they haven’t yet celebrated their 40th birthdays, this group of remarkable young alumni are out in the world doing cool stuff, repping Knox every chance they get. And you won’t be surprised to know that this is just the tip of the iceberg—we could fill 50 magazines with these stories, because a Knox education is about so much more than textbooks and term papers. It’s about finding yourself and then finding your place in the world. We couldn’t be more #KnoxProud of these young alumni!

Dakota Stipp came to Knox to get a degree in computer science, and he pursued that goal in earnest. He landed incredible back-to-back internships during his sophomore and junior CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, summers, but when he returned to AMUSE TECHNOLOGIES campus for his senior year, he brought a newfound clarity: computer science was interesting but it wasn’t quite right. “I was committed to finishing that degree but I wanted to do something else,” he said.

That something else turned out to be Repertory Term, during which he sound-designed one show and acted in both shows. But this wasn’t his first encounter with theater; he had previously sound-designed several shows for Smith V. Brand Distinguished Professor of Theatre Elizabeth Carlin-Metz. “Designing for Liz really challenged me to take agency and responsibility,” he said. “I was expected to take the initiative; no one was holding my hand.” He also sang in the choir and music-directed Soulfege, an a capella group on campus. He credits leadership roles in these groups with giving him early opportunities to become a strong, confident leader.

After Knox, he headed to the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts in sound design. During the three-year program, he designed a number of shows and learned from some of the best sound designers on Broadway. And as much as he enjoyed it, it still wasn’t quite right.

While at Yale, Stipp began working with applications for spatial and sensor technologies in performances and exhibitions, and that work led him to create Amuse Technologies in 2020. Amuse is a platform for dynamic short-form storytelling in museums, city centers, and just about anywhere else—a bit like a travel guide that shares fun little nuggets of information wherever you find yourself.

As CEO, Stipp is still learning on the fly and taking the initiative as he and his team work toward the public launch of Amuse next year. And the mix of creative and management work is just right for him.

“Knox had a profound impact on me as a person,” he said. “One of the most important things I picked up at Knox that continues to be instrumental in my work with Amuse is doing the right work. It’s one thing to work effectively, but another entirely to know what work to do and do that work effectively.”

’17

DAKOTA STIPP

8

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

When Natasha Caudill meets new people, she has learned to expect the CONTENT CREATOR awkward pause after she explains what she does for a living. Most people view social platforms like TikTok as frivolous or superficial, but Caudill is quick to praise her online community of more than 1.3 million followers.

“TikTok has been an incredible bridge for me to make connections,” she said.

Before she became TikTok famous, Caudill came to Knox with the dream of focusing on American Studies and eventually doing educational consulting.

Although she had been quiet in high school, she flourished at Knox and filled her days with student senate, theater productions, Knox Improv Club, Alpha Phi Omega, Blessings in a Backpack, alumni ambassadors, and Admissions work study.

She started doing TikTok videos while at Knox, mostly focused on what it’s like to get ready and put on makeup as a colorblind person. Caudill was born with a rare hereditary eye disorder, achromatopsia, which means she sees the world in black and white.

She also has low vision in general and day blindness.

Her infectious laugh and goofy personality drew viewers in and now she works with a talent agency and has landed partnerships with major beauty brands.

And though she loves what she’s doing, she’s also keeping an eye on that long-ago dream of educational consulting. Her upcoming partnership with the Chicago Transit Authority is an exciting step in that direction. Caudill will be working with the organization to create educational content about accessibility on its trains and buses. And after a recent stint serving on a panel at a disability film festival in New York, she hopes to eventually move into corporate speaking on disability and accessibility issues.

“Before Knox, I was not a leader,” she said. “I was a follower. Knox broke me out of that shell and gave me confidence. There’s no pressure to be anything at Knox. You come as you are and that’s what makes the community so quirky and unique. My time at Knox transformed me in so many ways.”

W

’20

NATASHA CAUDILL

hen Alex Uzarowicz visited Knox’s campus, a very kind man stopped him in Old Main and asked a few friendly questions about the visit and what he was interested in studying. They chatted briefly and the man disappeared down the hall. Uzarowicz didn’t think anything of it until the tour guide shared that the kind man who stopped to chat was the president of the College.

“That first encounter with President Roger Taylor painted a very welcoming image and told me so much about what Knox is about,” he said.

“That really stuck with me, and I still have that image of Knox.”

Once on campus, MANAGER OF GLOBAL CAUSE Uzarowicz found his PARTNERSHIPS, UNICEF USA classmates and professors equally warm and welcoming. He founded the Knox Conservative Club, played Ultimate, wrote columns for The Knox Student (TKS), and did community service projects. He was chosen as the graduation speaker for his class and graduated with a degree in political science and a journalism minor, eventually going on to earn a master’s in public policy.

In his current role with UNICEF USA, Uzarowicz manages faith-based fundraising for the global organization.

He works closely with a wide range of faith communities to raise more than $100 million annually for children both at home and abroad, and he finds that this work ties back to his time at Knox; specifically, the time he spent working with Kathleen Ridlon, the former director for the Mark & Jeannette Kleine Center for Community Service and associate professor of dance.

“All of the opportunities to serve at Knox were so enriching because it’s one thing to learn about public service and political science, but it’s entirely another thing to actually serve and work with people,” he said. “My time at Knox led me toward this path and I’m so proud to do work that makes a difference.”

SUBMITTED

SUBMITTED

’13

ALEX UZAROWICZ

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

9

10

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

W

hen Samantha Burgess came to Knox at 17, she had never been away from her hometown in upstate New York, and the culture shock of the Midwest was real.

But Burgess knew what she wanted: a double major in neuroscience and music, and Knox was the only school that would let her do it. Once she was ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR, BERKELEY on campus, she COMMUNITY CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA found a home in the STORE MANAGER, TREK BICYCLE music department and a long list of music ensembles and clubs. She also found supportive professors who encouraged her to pursue her research interest in music cognition.

After Knox, Burgess headed to Ohio State University, where she earned a master’s degree in music theory, continuing her research in music cognition. During that program, she decided to add a second master’s in orchestral conducting. Shortly after graduation, she was selected as the assistant conductor for the Berkeley Community Choir and Orchestra, so she packed up and headed west.

Burgess has made herself at home in California, where she regularly conducts for both her own organization as well as the Berkeley Symphony. She’s also working as the store manager for Trek Bicycle, a job that she sees as directly related to her work on the podium.

“This job is teaching me entrepreneurial skills and people management, both of which are really hard for young conductors to get and vitally important,” she said. “I am the face of that store in our community, so I do community outreach and partnerships, but I have also learned the ins and outs of being in charge of a multi-million-dollar business.”

She loves balancing her conducting work with her work at the store, and sees endless opportunity in the Bay area. “I consider myself lucky to end up in as interesting a place as I did,” she said. “I’ll probably have to move again for my next conducting job, but wherever I end up, I know I’ll find amazing people and opportunities. Knox taught me how to be at home anywhere.”

SAMANTHA BURGESS

SUBMITTED

’19

SUBMITTED

’08

LEAH HEISTER BURTON

SUBMITTED

L

eah Heister Burton credits her parents with encouraging her to use her time at Knox to explore different subjects and interests. She took the advice seriously, joining the soccer team and running both indoor and outdoor track. She chose a political science major and added minors in international CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER, U.S. SOCCER FEDERATION business and French, along with serving as class president. And she joined Tri Delta, a national sorority focused on philanthropic service and self-development, which helped to propel her forward.

After graduation, she accepted a one-year position with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the national philanthropic partner of Tri Delta.

“I was first connected to St. Jude at Knox, and loved that feeling of working for a purpose that was larger than myself,” she said. She found that she loved building relationships and being part of a team. “At St. Jude, I absolutely fell in love with fundraising and that completely shifted my path,” she said. That led to a master’s in nonprofit management with a focus on fundraising and positions with a nonprofit consulting firm and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Museum. And earlier this fall, she joined the team at the U.S. Soccer Federation.

Burton’s role as chief advancement officer at U.S. Soccer is the first of its kind during a once-in-ageneration moment for the sport, as the organization looks to deliver an ambitious vision through the expansion of funding to drive overall impact and access to the game. “The greatest thing Knox taught me is how to think,” she said. “Majors are important but there’s no one way to go into medicine or business or the arts.

There’s so much to explore through the perspective of liberal arts, and that exploration made me into a skilled communicator, a strategic thinker, and a global citizen.”

’10

MAURICE MCDAVID

Maurice McDavid came to Knox to play football and study political science, but four years later, he graduated with a degree in elementary education. As luck would have it, he missed registering for a political science course his sophomore year, so he took a course called School and Society. During the course, they watched the movie Freedom Writers, and one line from Hilary Swank’s character struck him: “If you’re defending a kid in a courtroom, the battle’s already lost. I think the real fighting should happen here in the classroom.” “That line cut deep,” he said. “I changed my major to education the next week.”

Though political science didn’t stick, football did turn out to be a big part of his Knox experience. He played all four years and was elected captain his senior year. After four years of hard work building into the program, he expected to start his senior year.

But a few games in, McDavid was bumped out of the starting lineup by a younger player. He was devastated, but soon saw the player’s talent and contributions to the team. “One of the most important things I learned at Knox was how to lead from the sidelines,” he said. “You don’t have to be in front of everybody, in the middle of everything, to be leading.”

McDavid is still leading from the sidelines, and sometimes front and center, too. After graduating from Knox, he taught in middle school for a couple of years before moving into administration.

He earned a master’s in school administration and was hired as an assistant principal. He started his current position as principal at Turner in the fall of 2020, when the world was shut down. So he learned to be a principal virtually, doing morning announcements on YouTube so his students could get to know him. He also gained notoriety for his weekly Freestyle Fridays, which featured McDavid as the rap star of a music video sharing school news.

He’s wrapping up his Ed.S. with an Ed.D. on the horizon, and he’s currently working on a podcast called “Black, Brown & Bilingüe,” which he says got its start at Knox. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities I had at Knox. They set me on a path that I would not be on otherwise.”

PRINCIPAL, TURNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSISTANT PASTOR, UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF DEKALB

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

11

12

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

SUBMITTED

CARY ARCHER

’09

SUBMITTED

’17

SARAH PAWLICKI, PH.D.

W

hen Cary Archer thought about how he would use his psychology degree, he imagined becoming a psychologist or a sex therapist. He also considered the possibility of getting a Ph.D. and going into research. But he never imagined becoming an educator.

Archer enjoyed the opportunity to take a wide range of courses during his time at Knox, and he is especially grateful he had a chance to do a clinical term his junior year, but not for the reason one might expect. “Clinical term helped me figure out exactly what I didn’t want to do,” he said. Turns out, he didn’t enjoy the research that much, and counseling didn’t feel like the right fit either. He found inspiration in an unexpected place: the classroom.

“My professors at Knox created a very dynamic and positive space,” he said. “Education started to become more MANAGER OF EDUCATION, interesting to me; why PLANNED PARENTHOOD limit your impact to just OF ILLINOIS six or seven clients a day, when you can get the skills to impact hundreds of people?” After Knox, he earned a master’s degree in human sexuality education and eventually landed a job as a sexual health educator at Planned Parenthood of Illinois. Twelve years later, he’s managing the organization’s massive education program, impacting more than 5,500 students each year.

His team of educators provides more than 700 classes each year throughout the state of Illinois, and the need continues to grow. “Kids need good, accurate sexual health information,” he said. “I’m still so excited to be working in the field of sexual health education; it feels like there’s always something new to learn or figure out. That’s one of my favorite things about the field—it’s so expansive. I will never get bored doing this work.”

SUBMITTED

W

hen Sarah Pawlicki visited Knox as a transfer student, Seymour Library was part of her campus tour, and when she saw the College’s special collections and archives, she knew this was the place for her. She came to study history, and that’s exactly what she did, but she did it in a way that surprised her.

“I’ve always loved history but it was not until my Knox classes that I became more fully aware of the broader social power behind studying history,” she said. “My time at Knox MELLON POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW, NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES taught me that history can be both a weapon of oppression and a tool for liberation.”

Thanks to the encouragement and mentorship of Mary Elizabeth Hand Bright and Edwin Winslow Bright Distinguished Professor and Chair of American History Cate Denial, Pawlicki’s next step after Knox was a Ph.D. program at the University of Minnesota. She’s finishing that degree now, prepping for a stint in the National Park Service Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Program.

She’ll be working at the National Register of Historic Places on its women’s history materials, helping the organization to develop educational programming and building a more robust and intersectional collection of women’s history sites. It’s not an area she has worked in before, but she’s not worried about the learning curve. “Honestly, fearlessness is something I learned at Knox,” she said. “I am willing to take the leap into a project and learn on the fly.”

’18

KAREN ARMENDARIZ

Although she is only PH.D. STUDENT, five years UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN into her career, Karen Armendariz has already amassed some pretty incredible experiences. After graduating with a self-designed major in sustainable urban development, she worked at Galesburg’s Safe Harbor for a year before moving to New York City to work as a research fellow for the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality. Next up, a move to Washington, D.C. for a stint with a regional planner doing transportation work. She then moved into the consulting field and started doing environmental and climate change planning, working to create climate action plans with an eye toward vulnerable communities in the D.C. area.

“And then, suddenly, I moved to Wisconsin to do my Ph.D.,” she laughs. But her presence in her doctoral program is not necessarily a surprise, at least to her faculty

mentors at Knox. When she was at Knox, she designed her own major and wound up with three “wonderful” advisors: Assistant Professor of Anthropology-Sociology Teresa Gonzales, Assistant Professor of Political Science Daniel Beers, and Robert W. Murphy Chair and Professor of Political Science Karen Kampwirth. These three played a vital role in her time at Knox and taught her about collaboration. “My mentors were my champions,” she said.

“I saw how they advocated for me and it made me want to do the very same thing for the people and communities I work with now.”

Her current project is a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on introducing climate smart farming practices in the southern United States, and she’s still using the skills she learned at Knox to explore this new terrain. “The technical work I do is so interesting and amazing but ultimately, Knox taught me to consider who we are working with and working for, so it’s not just about the numbers. It’s about the people I’m helping.”

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

13

’16

ROHAIL KHAN

Most students choose a VICE PRESIDENT college based on what they OF PRODUCT hope to major in, but MANAGEMENT, Rohail Khan chose Knox BLACKROCK specifically because he had no idea what he wanted to do. And although he felt a bit of culture shock coming from his hometown of Islamabad, Pakistan to Galesburg, he dove into college life with great enthusiasm.

He joined the tennis team and through hard work and individual training sessions with his coach, Miriam Skrade, he earned the role of captain his senior year. Coach Skrade and his team were a key part of Khan’s Knox experience, as were his brothers at Gentlemen of Quality (Alpha Gamma Alpha), a local fraternity. “I had an incredible community at Knox,” he said. “There was the Knox College network, but 14

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

SUBMITTED

within that, I had the tennis team network and the GQ network. These networks were a huge part of my time at Knox.”

Khan eventually decided on a physics major, and when he started thinking about a career, the Bastian Family Center for Career Success connected him with Knox alum and trustee Helen Lin ’94. Lin is the founder and CEO of New York City-based data analytics firm Discern.io, and she needed an intern for a financial services product. Khan took the leap and the internship turned into a full-time job and a career in financial services.

“Helen was very invested in bringing someone from Knox into the role to give back,” he said. “She helped me get that internship and break into finance, all because we were both part of the Knox network. It’s really cool to be part of a community like this.”

J

’10

JOHN EISEMANN

KATHLEEN BEESON, PH.D.

’09

ohn Eisemann joined the choir in high school on a whim.

After just a few months singing, he knew he wanted to make music part of his life going forward. And he came to Knox planning to do just that, but what he didn’t expect was how challenging that would be. “I didn’t really think about singing as something that could be technical until I got to college,” he said. “Knox taught me that there was a technical and academic side to music that I had no clue even existed. It was a huge eye-opener for me.”

The technical skills he CHORAL DIRECTOR, picked up at Knox serve him GRANT HIGH SCHOOL well in his current role as FOUNDER, IN MEDIO choral director at Grant High School in Portland, Oregon, where he directs five choirs. He describes the job as “more of a lifestyle than a career,” because he spends so much time with his students. “I work with most of these kids for four years, and they help me grow and change just as much as I help them,” he said.

Although his days are steeped in music-making, Eisemann felt called to create a space for post-collegiate chorale singers in Portland to come together and continue to refine their craft. The result is In Medio, a semi-professional choir that he runs alongside his wife, Jen Milius ’10, who he met in choir at Knox. In Medio means “in the midst” and refers to the feeling of being right in the middle of something—far enough along that you feel comfortable but far enough from the end that you aren’t worried. The tight-knit group rehearses weekly and performs four concert cycles each year.

As a bonus, he finds moments of overlap between directing his younger students and the adult group. “I love being able to talk to my students about what I’m doing with the adults to show them that there is a world of singing beyond high school or even college,” he said. “As a director and a singer, I always want to think about what’s next. How can I make this better? That’s what keeps me going.”

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

15

SUBMITTED

SUBMITTED

K

athleen Beeson arrived at Knox in 2005 with a vague appreciation for biology and a deep curiosity about the brain. So when Knox created a neuroscience major her sophomore year, she immediately chose her major. And then she met Esther Penick, associate professor and chair of neuroscience, and something clicked.

Penick encouraged her to apply for the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute fellowship and helped her design a project.

Beeson won the fellowship and spent the summer doing paid research. She worked closely with Penick, who taught her electrophysiology, a technique to record electrical activity in live neurons, and pushed her to think bigger.

“I had never considered being a researcher, but I fell in love with the whole process of planning and thinking about the science,” she said. “There’s a lot of tinkering and troubleshooting, which is so much fun for me.”

After graduation, Beeson did a few different things, but she felt an itch to get back into research. She eventually RESEARCH FELLOW IN NEUROBIOLOGY, landed a HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL research assistant position in Oregon and went on to earn her Ph.D. in neuroscience. And before the ink was even dry on her diploma, she and her partner moved to Boston so she could start a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School.

As her career moves to the next level, she has an even greater appreciation for her research experience at Knox.

“My independent work at Knox is what allowed me to make a way back into research after graduation,” she said.

“Esther really trusted me to do the work on my own, which made me feel like I owned it. To have that kind of independence from the beginning was incredible.”

SUBMITTED

R

SUBMITTED

esearch was not the reason that Anna Meier came to Knox, but it turned out to be one of the most significant aspects of her time in Galesburg. As a sophomore, Meier was able to do an independent study on public perceptions of terrorism.

Though she felt somewhat unprepared to take on self-driven research, she jumped at the opportunity. “It was very empowering,” she said. “I wasn’t just writing about what others are saying. I had my own data and new things to say.”

During her senior year at Knox, she served as a teaching assistant for an international relations class ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF POLITICS, and found that she really UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM

’13

ANNA MEIER, PH.D.

16

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

loved teaching. But when she graduated with a double major in international relations and modern languages (German and French), she had every intention of following her research interests in terrorism and national security policy to D.C. But government work wasn’t a good fit, so she shifted to pursue her Ph.D. in political science at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Shortly after graduation, she was offered a position at the University of Nottingham in the U.K., so she packed her bags and headed over the pond to start another adventure. Most of her day is spent working with students, and though Nottingham is very different from Galesburg, the lessons she learned at Knox serve her well.

“Knox taught me that discomfort could be empowering,” she said. “I learned that I had the skills and abilities to do things that I didn’t think I could do. Knox showed me what my future could look like, which was so eye-opening.”

SUBMITTED

’15

ADRIENNE ERNST, PH.D.

Adrienne Ernst did a little bit ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF of everything ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND during her STUDIES, BERRY COLLEGE four years at Knox. She did research on the local food scene in Galesburg to explore the possibility of expanding local agriculture. She spent a summer in Wyoming as an intern surveying raptors and working with mining companies. She worked with Watson Bartlett Professor of Biology and Conservation Stuart Allison on a project focused on restoration ecology and did an honors project focused on how to use community science to gather data that is usable and meaningful.

“I did so many things that were fun but not quite right for me,” she said. “I think that’s one of the best things about Knox. You have the freedom to try a lot of different things.”

After graduation, she enrolled in a research-focused joint

Ph.D. program between Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Garden. But after serving as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate cell biology course, her focus shifted. “I loved my experience at Knox, but I had never really pictured myself being on the teaching side of things,” she said. “But I absolutely loved it.”

She is currently wrapping up a two-year postdoc at Utah State University and is headed to Berry College in Georgia for her first semester as a faculty member. It’s not exactly the path she envisioned as a Knox student, but she is thrilled to be at Berry and cannot wait to meet her students and start forging the student/faculty connections that were so vital to her at Knox.

“I feel like Knox is a very supportive environment,” she said. “Most professors encourage you to try things, and I think that’s so important at that early stage in your life.

I never would have done this without Stuart’s help, and I am looking forward to building that kind of relationship with my own students.”

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

17

Coming from sunny California, Kristal Romero wasn’t quite sure what to expect when she visited Knox as a prospective student. Her DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF visit included the standard STRATEGIC CAMPAIGNS, stuff—checking out the dorms, LOS ANGELES COUNTY touring the campus, and FEDERATION OF LABOR, AFL-CIO talking to students. But when COMMISSIONER TO MAYOR she got to sit in on Robert W. BASS’ CLIMATE EMERGENCY Murphy Chair and Professor MOBILIZATION COMMISSION of Political Science Karen Kampwirth’s class, something clicked. “I knew right then. This is it. I want to be here,” she said.

She stayed busy with an international relations major and a history minor, also finding time to be a founding member of Kolorworx, a club focused on colorguard. But even when things were busy and stressful, she never took a moment for granted.

“As a first-generation student and the daughter of immigrants, I felt so lucky to be able to have the opportunity to go to a college like Knox,” she said. “I knew I wanted to spend my career paying it forward.”

Romero started her career at a nonprofit working with people with HIV and AIDS but felt frustrated because she was powerless to change the underlying power and social dynamics at work. She tried a political campaign and then a position at a public policy nonprofit focused on youth, but she felt a familiar frustration—she loved the work but felt like she wasn’t getting to the root of the problem. So when the opportunity to work with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters popped up, Romero jumped at the chance.

And the rest is history. She fell in love with the labor movement and has been working with unions ever since. “For me, coming to the labor movement has been an opportunity to take all of the skills I learned at Knox, particularly the diplomacy skills I learned in international relations, and use them to fight for something I am passionate about,” she said.

She currently works for the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, the local branch of the AFL/CIO labor union. Her office is the central point of contact for unions in LA County, and she works closely with workers to provide whatever they need.

“At every step of my career, the experience I had and the lessons I learned at Knox shine through,” she said. “In my career and my personal life, I want to be a strong example so that first-generation immigrant students like myself can see themselves going to a place like Knox.”

SUBMITTED

18

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

SUBMITTED

’13

KRISTAL ROMERO

’19

QUINN SHARP

Quinn Sharp knew he wanted to be an engineer and he ENGINEER, AERODYNAMICS knew he wanted to AND THERMAL ANALYSIS BRANCH, NAVAL AIR play college football, SYSTEMS COMMAND so he probably shouldn’t have ended up at Knox. The College wasn’t known to be a football powerhouse and had no engineering major at the time, but it did have a strong physics department, which was enough to get Sharp to campus. Once he moved in, he dove into his physics coursework, adding a second major in math. The typical engineering path is a combination 3-2 program, where you can earn both a liberal arts degree and an engineering degree in five years. But Sharp knew the typical path wasn’t for him.

“I chose to stay at Knox and play football my senior year,” he said. “After graduation, I went into a master’s program

and figured there would be things to catch up on and things I already knew. It turned out to be just exactly that.” He earned his master’s in engineering from the University of California at Irvine and immediately found a job with NAVAIR, a branch of the Navy that specializes in leading-edge defense systems, engineering, computer science, electronics, finance, logistics, and contract management. Most of his colleagues went to engineering schools, but he stands by his liberal arts education.

“I honestly believe I am a more well-rounded engineer than most because I didn’t just take engineering courses for four years. Knox taught me problem-solving skills and writing skills that I use every day,” he said. He also feels that his experience as a student-athlete is relevant to the work world. “The life lessons I learned from football were huge. You learn a lot from the discipline of having to show up for your team and yourself.”

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

19

’19

JORDAN ANDERSON

When Jordan Anderson enrolled at SOCIAL MEDIA PRODUCER, Knox, his dream NFL job didn’t even exist. He loved football and he loved sports media, but he wasn’t sure how to combine the two into a career. Self-designing a major in sports management communications was a good start.

And four short years after graduation, Anderson has found his place as a member of the NFL’s social media integration team. His job is to find creative and engaging ways to work social content into NFL GameDay Morning, the Emmy-nominated comprehensive pregame show that helps fans get ready for kickoff with the latest news, expert analysis, and reports from around the league.

20

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

SUBMITTED

As the lead social producer, he also manages showspecific social handles—@NFLTotalAccess and @NFLGameDay on Twitter and Instagram—and combs social platforms for relevant content about players and teams that are active that day. He never knows what he’ll find or how the hosts and analysts will respond to or engage with the photos and content he provides. “It’s a very dynamic environment,” he said.

Anderson sees a strong connection between his time at Knox and his work at the NFL. He finds that the “entirety of a liberal arts education” has prepared him well for work and life. Staying focused and on track while juggling football, work, activities, and classes was great practice for his role at the NFL. “Each day is different, and I’m balancing different stories and working with different teams,” he said.

“Knox totally prepared me to be able to adapt as things change. I use that flexibility every single day.”

W

hen Robert Nguyen arrived in Galesburg, he wasn’t quite sure that this “slightly sleepy small town in Illinois” was the right place for him.

He missed the crowded, bustling energy of Hanoi and MFA STUDENT IN PHOTOGRAPHY, thought about NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY returning home

SUBMITTED

’22

ROBERT NGUYEN

after his first year. But he decided to give Knox another chance. And, in his words, “one term changed everything.”

In the fall of his sophomore year, Nguyen took his first photography class with Professor of Practice in Art Michael Godsil, and something clicked. He started taking photos around campus, eventually serving as a photographer and then photo editor for TKS, the student newspaper. He fell in love with sports photography and self-designed a major in sports communication. After graduation, he stayed at Knox and worked with the Communications team covering Prairie Fire athletics. “I loved following all of the teams,” he said. “There’s something so special about being on the field and capturing those moments.”

During a visit home to Vietnam, he received an offer to move to Los Angeles for a marketing internship and he decided to embrace the adventure. He moved to LA for the three-month internship and things were going well—he landed a promotion and signed a new lease, but the job fell through. He used his downtime to build his freelance photography business, shooting for clients all over LA. He thought about returning home, but, just like he’d done at Knox, Nguyen decided to give LA another chance.

He applied to the New York Film Academy, intent on an MFA in photography. NYFA has a campus in Burbank, not far from where Nguyen lives. He was accepted and started this fall. “I really fell in love with photography at Knox,” he said. “I know in my heart and soul that I belonged at Knox. I learned so much there that is helping me get to where I want to go.”

We know these stories are a drop in the bucket, and we probably missed some super awesome stories from young (and older!) alums. Are you doing something cool?

We’d love to hear about it! Drop us a line at knoxmag@knox.edu. We might use your story in a future issue of the magazine!

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

21

PETER BAILLEY ’74

Five Knox faculty members received promotions prior to the start of the 2023-24 academic year.

22

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

Hilary Lehmann Associate Professor of Classics Lehmann has been granted tenure and promotion to associate professor. She received a Master of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her Ph.D. in 2016. Her courses span Classics-inspired topics, including Greek and Latin languages, classical mythology, Greek and Roman gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity in the ancient Mediterranean, and classical reception. Lehmann has presented her research at many national and international conferences and is the recipient of fellowships from the Loeb Classical Library Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities/American School of Classical Studies at Athens for her book project, Feeling Home: House and Household in the Attic Orators.

PETER BAILLEY ’74

Knox Announces Faculty Promotions

The South Lawn Tim Stedman ’09 Associate Professor of Art

STEVE DAVIS

Kiraly has been promoted to associate professor of practice.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre from Knox College and began working for the College in 2011. He adapted his novel Diminished Capacity into a screenplay and the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008. His adaptation of another of his novels, Who’s Hot/Who’s Not, ran at the Laguna Beach Playhouse in 2001 and received an Honorable Mention in that year’s Backstage West awards. As writer-inresidence, Kiraly wrote a play for each iteration of the Knox New Plays Festival every three years from 2013 to 2022.

He continues to lead workshops in fiction, playwriting, screenwriting, and fiction-into-film at Knox.

Stewart was granted tenure and promotion to associate professor. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Dickinson College in 2010 and a Ph.D. in political science from Indiana University in 2017. Stewart says her research and teaching interests stem from an interest in how national identities are built, contested, and negotiated, and how that process impacts political legitimacy. Her book, Legitimating Nationalism: Political Identity in Russia’s Ethnic Republics, is forthcoming with the University of Wisconsin Press. Stewart has published articles on Russian holidays and nation building and a book chapter on cultural activism in Russia’s regions. She conducted research in Russia and Estonia and co-led a Knox student trip to Bulgaria. Stewart is a core member of the Program on New Approaches to Research and Security in Eurasia and has published policy memos with the organization.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

23

PETER BAILLEY ’74

Rubin has been granted tenure and promotion to associate professor. He received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Chicago in 2009, continuing on to complete a Ph.D. in anthropology in 2016. His courses challenge students to engage with real-world problems by conducting ethnographies, analyzing films, and interrogating current events. His primary teaching interests include science and technology studies, political anthropology, the anthropology of crime, human rights, and more. Rubin’s professional accomplishments include nine peer-reviewed articles, nine non-peer-reviewed publications, five book reviews, a book currently undergoing peer review, and one multimedia project. He is also in the midst of a research project involving the politics of news media literacy education.

Stedman has been promoted to associate professor of art, professor of practice. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in studio art and visual culture from Knox College in 2009 and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in graphic design at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2011. His teaching interests include design, typography, creative coding, and new media. Stedman’s portfolio of design work for major recording artists is internationally recognized. His award-winning album cover designs have been widely published in critically curated books and journals. At Knox, he mentors student art and new media projects, including working as the faculty advisor on multiple student proposals for the 150 Media Stream/ACI Contest for Digital Art in Chicago, both of which were selected as the winning proposals in 2020 and 2022.

Katie Stewart Associate Professor of Political Science

Jonah Rubin Associate Professor of Anthropology-Sociology and Co-Chair of Peace and Justice

PETER BAILLEY ’74

STEVE DAVIS

Sherwood Kiraly ’72 Writer-in-Residence and Associate Professor of Practice in English and Theatre

A Fond Farewell to Retiring Faculty Six faculty members retired from Knox at the end of the 2022-23 school year. This group of educators has accumulated over 200 years of service to the College.

“This esteemed group of retirees has profoundly shaped Knox College,” said Michael Schneider, provost and

dean of the College. “In addition to individually amassing significant achievements as scholars and artists in their own fields, one could scarcely exaggerate their collective impact on the life of the College. They have taught foundational courses in the curriculum, mentored advanced students, accompanied students

across the globe in experiential learning programs, and served their colleagues in governance and administrative positions. On a personal note, I cannot imagine my time at Knox without their unique contributions to the daily life of our institution. They have my sincere admiration and respect.”

Michael Godsil Associate Professor of Practice Emeritus in Art

STEVE DAVIS

Michael Godsil

“This esteemed group of retirees has profoundly shaped Knox College.”

—Michael Schneider, provost and dean of the College

24

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

During his time at Knox, Michael Godsil taught the art of photography to countless students, developing a visual framework for creative and journalistic media. His courses taught not only the physical application of photography through film development and camera functionality but also tools for editing and how to capture any subject in its best frame.

Generations of students have discovered a lifelong passion for photography and some have pursued careers in photojournalism or related fields due to the coursework developed

by Godsil.

“His role in providing creative opportunities to students who’ve never imagined themselves to be ‘creative’ has been a transforming factor in the education of countless Knox students,” Mark Holmes, Knox chair and associate professor of art, said.

Over his career, Godsil amassed numerous achievements in the academic and artistic realms. Dating back to 1984, he has exhibited dozens of solo and group photography

The South Lawn in Chicago, Seattle, and Ripon. He also served as a member of the Mathematical Association of America.

Around campus, Hastings established multiple internship opportunities and supervised student projects in applied mathematics. He also served as the College registrar for a decade.

Lynette Lombard Chancie Ferris Booth Distinguished Professor Emerita of Art STEVE DAVIS

Kevin Hastings

presentations and galleries of his work.

His photographs of melting glaciers vividly depict the impacts of climate change, and his photographs of cultural sites in the American southwest serve as calls to protect the cultural heritage of indigenous peoples. Godsil was also involved with clubs in the Knox and Galesburg communities, including the Knox Photo Club, Rotary Club, and Galesburg Camera Club.

Hastings’ colleagues upon retirement.

Hastings’ career was marked by dedication to the Knox community.

He was awarded a Knox Faculty Development Award in 1998, named the Rothwell C. Stephens Distinguished Service Chair in Mathematics in 2015, and received the Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence in 2019. His scholarship as a mathematician resulted in publication in textbooks and magazines. Hastings’ work was also presented at universities

Kevin Hastings

Lynette Lombard taught with a passion for art and developing great artists. Her approach to teaching was described by her peers as one of encouragement and attention to detail. Her primary artistic interests focused on painting, interpreting landscapes, and drawing.

Lombard also shared a strong interest in feminist theory, modernism, contemporary painting, and printmaking.

“Students were fortunate to witness the delight she projects in discussing their work, taking it apart piece by piece, pointing to strengths and exposing shortcomings,” Mark Holmes, Knox chair and associate professor of art, said.

Kevin Hastings’ career in mathematics focused on applications of real-world problems. Since joining the College’s faculty in 1986, he has led students to a greater understanding of a wide variety of data-driven topics, including mathematical statistics, operations research, financial mathematics, and honors research.

“He has been an exemplary senior leader of the faculty, offering a reasoned and sober influence on faculty debate and decisions,” wrote one of

PETER BAILLEY ’74

Rothwell Stephens Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Mathematics

Lynette Lombard

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

25

Lombard’s work was presented in exhibits around the country, with dozens of shows from Massachusetts to Illinois. Lombard’s career at Knox saw numerous awards, including the Philip Green Wright Lombard Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1999, multiple Knox Faculty Research/ Creative Work grants, and the Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence in 2022.

Around the Knox community, Lombard served as Knox Campus Representative for the Chicago Semester in the Arts, organized the Clare Smith Memorial Exhibition, and served as chair of the Knox College Art Department. She also helped lead the Knox in NY program since 1994.

vocal performance helped develop the Knox College Choir into the internationally recognized group it is today.

“Over the years, the choir has been acclaimed not only for its high level of musicality and adventurous programming but also for the strong sense of community that Laura fostered,” Joan Huguet, chair and associate professor of music, said.

Lane was also known for conducting multiple community vocal groups, including the Nova Singers and the Galesburg Community Chorus. She served as the president of the Illinois

Laura Lane

Laura Lane’s passion for music was seen time and time again throughout her 40 years as Knox College choir director. Over that time, Lane’s name became synonymous with the music culture of the College, as she developed strong relationships with students and community members. Her passion for

26

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

STEVE DAVIS

Professor Emerita of Music and Director Emerita of Choral Activities

Tony Gant

STEVE DAVIS

Laura Lane

Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), as well as a clinician for the Illinois Music Educators Association annual meeting.

Lane’s library of choral recordings includes over a dozen recordings of Knox College Choir tours and Nova Singers performances. Her hard work resulted in a number of significant awards, including three Exceptional Achievement Awards for her work with choirs, awarded by the Knox College Personnel Committee in 2000, 2007, and 2016; a National Endowment for the Arts for Nova Singers/Monroe Crossing concerts, a workshop, and community outreach between 2016-2017; and the Harold Decker Award from the Illinois ACDA in 2018.

She received the Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence in 2023.

Tony Gant Associate Professor Emeritus of Art Tony Gant’s career in teaching led many students to ponder ideas of sculpture, philosophy, African art history, printmaking, and media culture. For years, non-majors who

The South Lawn casually enrolled in Gant’s drawing class emerged 10 weeks later with their eyes opened and eager for more.

Gant’s peers point to his uniquely absurdist humor as a key to his teaching success, as well as his honest and conversational approach to providing students with their first real critiques.

“Tony is like a Zen master,” Mark Holmes, Knox chair and associate professor of art, said. “He comes on slowly, giving students space to ponder his questions and guiding them to take control of the conversation.”

Since 1984, Gant has held exhibitions of his work from Spain to many states around America. He also helped organize over 40 art exhibits to expose the work of contemporary artists from near and far to the wider Knox community. Gant was awarded multiple Knox Faculty Research/Creative Work Grants, as well as a Knox Faculty Development Grant for travel to the Museum of Modern Art in preparation for a New York exhibit.

Professor Emeritus of Economics Throughout his career as a teacher and colleague, Richard Stout exemplified the importance of sound reasoning and decision-making.

His approach to education was centered around useful applications of the principles of economics, macroeconomics, money and banking, law and economics, public finance, statistics, and econometrics. His interests also spanned from school performance ranking to the reclamation of farmland after surface mining, the subject of his 1998

SARA KOENKE ’12

Richard Stout Rich Stout

publication Prime Farmland Variability in Meeting Post-Mining Yield Targets.

“He wants his students to excel, and for this reason, he always has time to share with you when you need it. He is very approachable,” wrote one of Stout’s students.

Stout had many opportunities to present his work during his career, including leading a seminar with the State of Illinois’ Office of Trade and Investment and working as a presenter for the Prime Farmland Reclamation

Forum, sponsored by the United States Office of Surface Mines. He served as an expert consultant in law cases involving wrongful death compensation and was the principal statistician on an Illinois school district evaluation project that received the Most Distinguished Research Award in 1994 from the U.S. Governmental Research Association.

He received the Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence in 2020.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

27

STEVE DAVIS

Knox College Receives Largest-Ever Richter

CARLA WEHMEYER

Last fall, Knox College received a $300,000 grant from the Richter Memorial Fund to support student research projects. Since 1995, the fund has provided more than $1.3 million to support Knox students pursuing projects that encourage critical thinking and exploration outside of the classroom walls.

These funds unlock a central part of the Knox experience: experiential learning. Our faculty do amazing things with students in the classroom, but when given the opportunity to take their work beyond those four walls, Knox students have proven to be

28

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

nothing short of extraordinary in their creativity and effort.

“I’m so excited to think about all the ways we can put this grant to work for Knox students,” said Lisa Harris, director of the Gerald and Carol Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study and Health Professions Advising.

“I’m looking forward to engaging students and faculty in scholarship and creative activities on- and off-campus in the years ahead.”

Recontextualizing Research More students doing research is great, but the grant isn’t just about quantity.

It’s also about exposure. In many colleges and universities, research happens chiefly in the context of a course—students spend time in the library for a research paper or they work with peers to conduct experiments in the lab. But at Knox, research is so much more than just what happens in the classroom. This generous grant means that hundreds of Knox students will have a chance to explore independent research in their field.

“My hope is to continue demystifying what ‘research’ means to students and to help students dip

The South Lawn

PETER BAILLEY ’74

their toes into investigation and inquiry earlier in their college careers through things like Immersion Summer and faculty-led collaborative research projects,” said Harris. “This grant will allow us to do that and more.”

The 2022 award is the largest ever and will support more than 300 Knox students as they propose and complete an intensive research or creative project within their discipline. Many of these projects happen within two unique Knox opportunities: the Artists, Scholars, and Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow (ASSET) program, a research opportunity available to juniors who meet specific criteria; and the collaborative research projects program, sponsored by the Vovis Center, in which students partner with Knox faculty for a six- to eight-week collaborative research project. These independent research opportunities result in work that is wildly creative and ambitious. Last year’s projects included work on honor killings, fashion brand identity, bioregional herbalism, and knowledge gaps in Wikipedia, to name but a few.

“We are exceptionally grateful to the Richter Memorial Fund for the generous support of our students,” said Michael Schneider, provost and dean of the College. “Students need support for research and creative work now more than ever. The pandemic has constrained many student experiences. This award provides the resources to restore and invigorate student engagement in these high-impact activities.”

Trapedo Sims Wins Illinois Humanities Grant

Students created presentations to reflect on their time in the course.

STEVE DAVIS

Grant

Daniel J. Logan Assistant Professor of Peace and Justice Leanne Trapedo Sims has been chosen as a second-time recipient of a grant from Illinois Humanities. The grant is part of the Envisioning Justice program, which provides funds to more than 20 organizations and individuals working throughout Illinois to address the injustice of mass incarceration. The funded projects utilize the arts, humanities, and community organizing to enact change, inform public opinion, and promote a more just society through community-based approaches to accountability and public safety.

Trapedo Sims’ work focuses on the power of storytelling as an act of healing and connection. Last year, she used funds from a previous Illinois Humanities grant to bring the Denver-based Motus Theater to Knox College and the Galesburg community. Motus Theater’s JustUs project supports community leaders who are impacted by carceral systems share artfully crafted autobiographical monologues that expose the devastating impact of the criminal legal system and inspire action towards a vision of true justice. This year’s grant funded a program at the nearby Henry Hill Correctional Center.

Last spring, Trapedo Sims took nine Knox students to study alongside nine students at Hill Correctional Center in a peace and justice studies course titled Life Writing as Social Engagement: Lived Experience and Transformation.

“The prison industrial complex continues to exist partly because there are less-impacted communities who do not know anyone on the inside of a jail or prison—or directly impacted by the carceral system,” Trapedo Sims said.

“When we don’t know people who are impacted by injustices, it can be so easy to dehumanize an entire community. I think storytelling through the arts is one of the most powerful ways to speak about contemporary crises. The arts can do it in ways that text often fails.”

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

29

Learning the Ropes with Aerial Dance Chicago

PHOTOS BY STEVE DAVIS, SUYASH CHITRAKAR ’25

Earlier this year, Knox College students had the opportunity to study and work alongside professional dancers from the Aerial Dance Chicago team. The group was trained on special techniques used by the professional dance company, including free barres (large poles), hanging silks, and swinging apparatuses. The weeklong dance residency culminated in a sold-out performance at the Orpheum Theatre in Galesburg featuring Knox students alongside the professional dance troupe.

30

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

The South Lawn

All Knox students were invited to learn the basics of aerial dance during workshops held on campus. Six students auditioned and were chosen for the public performance at The Orpheum Theatre. Shown above, from left: dancers MJ Opulencia ’25, Gwen Merrick ’24, Madelyn Pellegrino ’26, Marina Hope ’24, Aicha Chemani ’24, and Lauren Reed, Aerial Dance Chicago choreographer. Not Pictured: Knox student Tristan Blus ’23 who light-designed part of the performance.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

31

Since its creation in 1958, Green Oaks has been an incredible resource for Knox students, faculty, and staff, and Knox College is committed to the continuing stewardship of Green Oaks and to the enhancement of its contribution to the cultural and intellectual life of the College.

Last year, Knox celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Green Oaks Term, but the land has been part of Knox much longer. Green Oaks is a resource for learning across the curriculum, encompassing diverse subject areas including environmental studies, biology, regional history and prehistory, general education and preceptorial courses, and the creative arts including painting, photography, and writing. Green Oaks has also become a place for community-building gatherings of students and faculty, such as the annual Prairie Burn.

The College recently announced the construction of a new multipurpose facility at the Green Oaks Field Station thanks to a generous lead gift from an anonymous donor.

In the past, Green Oaks utilized Schurr Hall, a converted barn, as a residential facility and field station for educational purposes, but this space has reached a point where new construction is necessary to continue operations. The new facility will be built north of the west prairie and will feature sleeping quarters for up to 16 students, a small director’s suite, a large kitchen, modern bathrooms, and laundry facilities. The space will also include two large classroom spaces that can be arranged to meet the needs of classes and groups. The new facility will be heated and cooled, allowing for year-round use. It will also be fully accessible and built with green materials as part of Knox’s commitment to sustainability.

Tree removal for the project is underway, with construction of the facility starting soon. Many of the trees marked for removal are black locusts, a non-native species to central Illinois. Decisions on tree removal were made thoughtfully and in consultation with members of our community who know the land best.

The new facility will be available for Knox use as well as for retreats, programs, classes, and Galesburg community and school groups. Stuart Allison, current director of Green Oaks Biological Field Station and Watson Bartlett Professor of Biology and Conservation, emphasized that Green Oaks isn’t just for academic use; all members of the Knox community are invited to explore and experience this unique part of Knox.

“We would love to see increased use of Green Oaks by the entire Knox community,” Allison said. “The College is investing in a wonderful place. We need to take advantage of the natural landscape and ecology of our surroundings.”

RENDERING BY FARR ASSOCIATES

New Green Oaks Field Station Planned

Go Figure: Green Oaks

700 acres

32

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

1950s first official Prairie Burn

40

acres of tall grass prairie

The South Lawn

Home to the

171 bird species observed

2nd restored prairie in the United States

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

33

PHOTOS BY STEVE DAVIS, SUYASH CHITRAKAR ’25, KENT KRIEGSHAUSER

COMMENCEMENT 2023

34

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

The South Lawn

Knox College’s 178th Commencement ceremony honored the class of 2023 on June 4, 2023. On a warm, late-spring morning, family and friends gathered to the sounds of the Cherry St. Combo on the South Lawn of Old Main to congratulate and celebrate the achievements of 266 graduating students.

Knox College President C. Andrew McGadney praised the dedication and resilience of the class, noting their ability to reach the end of their college careers despite the many challenges they faced along the way.

Following McGadney’s address, honorary degrees were awarded to Joseph B. Glossberg, a successful wealth advisor and longtime Knox trustee, and Michelle Kuo, a vocal advocate for social movements in racial and economic justice, incarceration and detention, restorative justice, and prison abolition. Commencement speaker Brooke M. Wiseman also received an honorary degree for her service as chief executive officer of Blessings in a Backpack, the only national organization solely dedicated to closing the weekend hunger gap for food-insecure students.

Wiseman urged the class of 2023 to keep volunteer work a part of their lives after leaving Knox.

“Choose your cause. Take your skills and passion out into the community. We all have a lot of work to do together. They are waiting for you now,” Wiseman said.

Retiring Director of Choral Activities Laura Lane received the Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence just before senior class speaker Alexandra Marcoullier ’23 began her remarks.

In closing, senior class officers Vanessa Christine Jackson ’23, Josie Lopez ’23, and Class of 2023 President Katherine Zhang made individual remarks.

Director of Spiritual Life Dan Marlin completed the ceremony, asking the graduates to carry their values into the next step of their journey and let integrity be their guiding light.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

35

What’s Next for The Class of 2023?

STEVE DAVIS (6)

The Class of 2023 celebrated their career at Knox during Commencement on June 4. We asked a group of graduates what their plans are moving forward and how they defined the Knox experience. Here’s what they had to say:

Jonathan Lau graduated with a double major in math and computer science.

Lau plans to pursue a master’s degree in the fall, focusing on statistics or artificial intelligence. Lau sees his Knox experience as a collection of excellent academic opportunities. He pointed to his study abroad experience at Oxford University as a highlight of his college career.

Laurelee Boon graduated with a major in chemistry. This summer, she plans to move to Michigan and begin organic chemistry research early before attending the University of Michigan in the fall. Boon plans to pursue her Ph.D. with the goal of eventually working for a pharmaceutical company, and she says Knox’s faculty were pivotal in guiding her toward graduate school.

“Knox offered me so much freedom. I had so many unique experiences here, like Flunk Day, that I’ll never forget.”

“I wasn’t sure if I could really make a career in science, but the professors here really helped me see all of the opportunities and ways forward.”

Kaustuv Dawadi graduated with a double major in economics and business management. Dawadi secured a full-time job in Springfield, Illinois, working in the Illinois Auditor General’s office as an entry-level auditor monitoring state budgets. As an international student from Nepal, Dawadi says the diversity of peers he met during his four years was a highlight of Knox.

“One of the best things about Knox is that everyone is so nice. Everyone wants to help you succeed.”

Saxon Alvarez graduated with a major in biology. She plans to complete an additional year at Knox starting in the fall. During summer break, Alvarez worked on a research project with Associate Professor of Biology Nick Gidmark.

As a student-athlete, Alvarez pointed to the many interactions with coaches and teammates that made a massive impact on her time at Knox.

“Winning the Midwest Conference Tournament and going to the NCAA tournament was something that I will never forget.”

To read more interviews, go to magazine.knox.edu.

36

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

The South Lawn The ’Burg Blessings in a Backpack Going Strong

Jamil Davis graduated with a major in public policy. He plans to take a much-needed break this summer before pursuing his master’s in public affairs at Indiana University in the fall.

He hopes to begin a career in politics later on. Davis says his time at Knox was transformative and feels that he left the college a changed person.

Since it was established on campus in 2010, BIAB has grown and evolved, finding creative ways to stretch its dollars. The program is a collaborative effort between Knox and Galesburg, as many local businesses host fundraisers to ensure the group has what it needs to feed nearly 450 local students each weekend.

BIAB relies on student volunteers, and Estes hopes to see those numbers increase. He sees the program as a unique opportunity for Knox students to directly connect with the community. There are also wonderful leadership opportunities within the program. “Feeding kids is what we do, but there are so many other benefits,” he said. “I hope people find the time to give it a try.”

STEVE DAVIS

“I’ve grown greatly. Knox has really given me an opportunity to excel and I’m grateful for that.”

The idea of organizing volunteers to pack food for hundreds of Galesburg children while the cost of supplies has risen 40 percent is a sizable task. But Joel Estes, visiting instructor emeritus of educational studies and long-time Blessings in a Backpack (BIAB) program advisor, is unwavering in his dedication to the mission: provide local children with a backpack of kid-friendly, nutritious food to take home each weekend.

CJ Johnson graduated with a major in creative writing. Johnson plans to spend the summer attending the Denver Publishing Institute, a fourweek graduate certificate program in publishing. From there, they will work on a career in publishing.

Blessings in a Backpack meets on Tuesday nights at 6:00 p.m. in the First Presbyterian Church to pack meals and everyone is welcome. The program is co-led by student development leaders Dan Marlin and Teresa Nelson.

“So much has changed between my first year and last. I feel like I’ve seen a lot of transformation during my time at Knox.”

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

37

I am Knox — Nick Henning ’23 Vitals Hometown: Bellevue, Washington Major: Business Management & Political Science Pronouns: He/Him/His Campus Involvements: Baseball Team & Phi Gamma Delta

Three Facts about Nick I climbed the tallest mountain in Idaho, Mount Borah, with my uncle.

I enjoy adrenaline-rush activities such as skydiving and bungee jumping.

I love to travel and have been to 30 states and four different countries (and counting!).

STEVE DAVIS

What’s your next step after Knox?

After graduation, I will be moving to Dallas-Fort Worth to pursue a career as a police officer. That’s part of why I chose to major in political science—I think understanding the political system will help me better navigate my career in law enforcement. I am passionate about helping people and giving back to the community. I have never wanted an office job. I love being outside and talking to people. Being able to protect the community and society that have given me so much is something I look forward to doing in the future.

Tell us what you love about baseball.

I started playing as a young kid and eventually chose to focus on baseball because I love the technicalities and thinking that go into playing the sport. It never fails to challenge me and even if you fail three out of 10 times, you can still be an excellent player. That is what I like most about Knox baseball as well—the opportunity to excel by learning from mistakes. I enjoyed meeting a few members of the team while visiting, and I knew I could be a better player and person here.

I was right. I have been able to grow and learn a great deal in the time I have spent at Knox.

What is some advice you would give to other students?

Don’t be afraid of failing. It is crucial to keep an open mind and embrace the opportunities that college has to offer. Test your limits. Step outside your comfort zone. It is the only way you can discover the best version of yourself.

38

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

The South Lawn

SUBMITTED

Corey Goff joined the Knox community this summer as the College’s new Director of Athletics.

He comes to Knox after five years as director of athletics and physical education at Ransom Everglades School in Florida. A native of Pennsylvania, Goff earned a Master of Science degree in educational psychology from the University at Albany. He also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and secondary education from Susquehanna University. In his athletic career, Goff was a member of the varsity football and baseball teams, playing in the NCAA playoffs in both sports and serving twice as baseball team captain.

“I can’t wait to get started building partnerships across the community and working with our talented student-athletes, dedicated coaches, and staff,” Goff said. “Together, we’ll foster a culture of excellence, inclusivity, and holistic development for our student-athletes.”

STEVE DAVIS

New AD Takes the Lead

Knox Welcomes Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admission Nathan Ament is just a few months into his role as Knox’s new Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admission, but he’s already bringing a fresh perspective to the admissions process at Knox.

At Knox, Ament is responsible for the offices of admission, student financial services, and communications.

He hopes to foster collaboration and creativity as his team works to boost enrollment and attract more students to Knox. “I pride myself on being a thoughtful listener and connector of people,” he said. “I really enjoy helping those around me use their skills to thrive and support the mission of the organization.”

He joins Knox from Loyola University New Orleans, where he served in a similar role, leading the enrollment management team. During his tenure at Loyola, Ament focused on improving access and equality for all students while growing and stabilizing

Loyola’s undergraduate population to provide a solid foundation for the University. He also led his staff at Loyola through numerous challenges, including a global pandemic and a Category 4 hurricane that knocked out power to the campus for a month.

Ament has Illinois roots and earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Augustana College in Illinois.

He also holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Saint Mary’s University, Minnesota.

Professionally, he is active in numerous admissions organizations and co-hosts “The Admissions Directors Lunchcast” podcast with his friend and partner, Teege Mettille. With more than 20 years of experience in the field, Ament’s expertise spans all areas of strategic enrollment management and execution, including financial aid, staff management, cross-campus relationship-building, and student visit experiences.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

39

SUBMITTED (3)

Bringing Art to Life In May, Knox College graduate Ingrid Wasmer ’21 and current student James Adamson ’25 debuted their art installation, “Full-quieting,” at 150 N. Riverside Plaza in Chicago.

The winning entry in the 2022 150 Media Stream contest featured a video showing the artists working on various physical art pieces, highlighting motion and process of painting, ceramic work, and digital animations. The video appeared on a uniquely designed digital display made up of 89 LED blade panels.

40

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

The South Lawn FUN FACTS about FLUNK DAY 2023

STEVE DAVIS

(FLUNK 101: Introduction to Fun)

5

hours of rides on the trackless train back and forth across campus

500 boba teas made

150 lemonade shake-ups sold

From left to right: Yuge Zhou, 150 Media Stream curator and Knox College Associate Professor of Art Tim Stedman with the artists, Ingrid Wasmer ’21 and James Adamson ’25.

6

large attractions, including carnival rides STEVE DAVIS

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

41

Capturing Life in the Present Tense Ben Gaa ’98 is celebrating the release of his sixth book of haiku and senryu poetry, One Note Moon. We caught up with Ben to get the scoop on his latest book and the art of haiku.

How did you get into haiku?

I got turned on to haiku at Knox. I was a creative writing major so I was writing all the time—long poems, mostly, focusing on rhythm and structure. Sheryl St. Germain was the poet in residence when I was there, and she gave me a book, The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, & Issa by Robert Hass. She had studied under him and passed his work on to me.

When I first started looking at it, it immediately blew my mind. It was the first time I had seen haiku not written in 5-7-5 and I was floored. I started writing haiku but I couldn’t find ways to learn more about it (this was pre-Google days), so I put it aside until 2009 when it resurfaced and I got back into it. Four chapbooks and two full-length collections later, it’s the only thing I read and write now.

Tell us a bit about your writing process.

For me, the process is so much more important than the end product. I start by sitting down, in my reading chair or a pub or a park or someplace I can sit by myself and observe. And I have things with me to read—a poetry anthology, the latest issue of a journal.

I read to quiet my brain. It helps me get out of my own head and helps me become attuned to receive and be aware of haiku moments. I start reading and lo and behold, something catches my eye or my ear, and I’ll write a line, and then I think, okay, where does this

42

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

go? How do I build this moment? And then I’m off and running. Sometimes it leads to six or seven poems I could submit. Sometimes I end up with six or seven horrible poems. Sometimes there’s no writing, just a lot of reading.

I am committed to the process, so I sit down every day and try to create these raw materials that I can then later refine and refine and refine until they are just right.

Early on, when I started to look into this seriously, I made the decision to get good at it, to go all in. I started with micro-goals. One of them was to pick three or four poetry journals and try to get something published in every issue of every journal. That meant that I had to subscribe to journals, read every issue, and have a stack of poems available when submission guidelines came out. I built in a process of reading and writing and submitting for those journals. And I started to have success—four journals became 15 journals, and now it’s just part of what I do during the week. When I get to a point where I have a lot of published poems, I start to think about finding a home for them. It happens pretty organically.

How is haiku different from other types of writing?

When most people hear the term haiku, they think of a template, three lines with a set number of syllables (5-7-5). That’s all fine and good but the heart of a haiku is that it captures a

moment that happens in real time, in the present tense. Every time you read the poem, you are experiencing that moment live, in person. And the reason why I read other people’s work to get out of my own head is because a haiku doesn’t belong to the poet per se.

When I’m doing my job as a haiku poet, you don’t see me in the poem.

The poem isn’t complete until somebody other than the poet reads the work. The way they are constructed gives you just enough info to step into that moment. They allow you to fill in the details and white space around that poem with things from your own life. I love writing in this form because it’s not about me; it’s about the collective experience of being human on this planet.

What would you tell aspiring poets?

You can be a writer but writing doesn’t have to be your career. Writing poetry

Knox Writes Books by Members of the Knox Community isn’t my full-time job. I think of it as my vocation, like a calling. My day job in IT gives me the freedom to be able to do all of this on my own time.

And I can set my own cadence and determine my own roadmap. I would tell aspiring poets that you can make your own path. You don’t have to teach. You don’t have to get an MFA. You don’t have to go to school for creative writing.

I honestly think part of why this stays fun is because it’s not my full-time job. It does require a lot of seriousness, a lot of focus, and a lot of commitment. There’s more to it than just being inspired and writing the words down. You have to write and then write some more. It’s about writing a lot. And being able to recognize things that might have a chance. Focus on the process, not the product.

Ben Gaa is your friendly neighborhood haiku poet and host of Haiku Talk on YouTube. He’s the author of two full-length collections of haiku and senryu. With more than 1,200 haiku and senryu published in journals and anthologies around the globe, he enjoys both giving and attending poetry readings, conducting haiku workshops, and being a part of the literary conversation. Ben works as an IT functional analyst and lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with his rascal of a cat, Anastasia.

Railroad Mandolin Publishing, 2023 Jenny Footle ’13 This collection of poetry challenges us to confront the uncomfortable truths of our world and compels us to take a stand against the shadows that threaten to engulf the vulnerable.

A Brutal Reckoning: Andrew Jackson, the Creek Indians, and the Epic War for the American South Alfred A. Knopf, 2023 Pete Cozzens ’79

Concerning Those Who Have Fallen Asleep

The story of the pivotal struggle between the Creek Indians and an insatiable, young United States for control over the Deep South—from the acclaimed historian and prizewinning author of The Earth is Weeping.

Astra House, 2022 Adam Soto ’10

Hungry People

A collection of short stories moving through time and place, exploring the spaces where we haunt each other and ourselves through our choices, our institutions, and our dreams.

Split/Lip Press, 2018 Tasha Coryell ’10 These darkly comic short stories explore the physical and emotional cravings of people and the surprising things they do to find satisfaction in a world where no one is ever really satisfied.

Stalking Justice Amika Press, 2023 John Manos ’74 In retirement, former Chicago Police Department detective Larry Klinger discovers a deep well of unprocessed grief for his late son.

This story of love and loss examines a father’s core duty.

Love Poems, Volume II Balboa Press, 2023 Roland Peaslee ’55 In his second book of poetry, Peaslee continues to navigate the void left by the untimely departures of his beloved wife, Bonnie, and cherished son, Brian.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

43

Flashback

KENT KRIEGSHAUSER

Celebrating the Taylors October 19, 2013: In recognition of their distinguished legal careers and unwavering service to Knox College, President Emeritus Roger ’63 and retired pro bono counsel Anne Zweifel Taylor ’63 were awarded honorary Doctor of Laws degrees during the 2013 Homecoming celebration. Also pictured are, from left, Emerita Trustee and Chair Emerita Diane Smatlak Rosenberg ’63, Emerita Trustee and Chair Emerita Janet M. Koran ’71, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and former Dean of the College Lawrence B. Breitborde, and Chancie Ferris Booth Professor Emeritus of Political Science Lane V. Sunderland. The Taylors and the Class of 1963 will celebrate their 60th Reunion this fall.

44

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

Class Knox Advancement News

Knox Clubs continue to be active coast to coast, and we encourage you to join a club in your area.

Knox Clubs are a great way to maintain your connection with fellow Knox alumni and the College through social, educational, cultural, and community service activities. If you’re interested in starting or joining a club, please contact us at engage@knox.edu.

We continue to celebrate our amazing alumni community through Alumni Achievement Awards, Young Alumni Achievement Awards, and Knox Service Awards. These awards recognize alumni who have distinguished themselves in their careers or in service to Knox. To get more information on these awards or to nominate an alum, please visit www.knox.edu/alumni/alumni-awards.

The Council continues to encourage all alumni to stay connected to the College, and one excellent way to do so is through the Power of Experience (POE) grant program.

The POE grant program provides students with funding to make transformative off-campus experiences happen, and the Alumni Council is committed to supporting the program with a yearly gift.

We strongly encourage everyone to join us in supporting the POE grant program to provide all Knox students with access to these amazing opportunities. You can donate at www.knox.edu/givenow.

Thank you for your ongoing support of Knox and your contributions to our alumni community.

Veritas, Tom Bazan ’05, Chair Kathy Mahaffey ’78, Vice Chair Joe Moore ’80, Secretary

STEVE DAVIS

A Message from Alumni Council

Looking Back at 2022-2023 As the College wraps up its fiscal year, we’re thrilled to share some highlights with you: • $19.3 million donated by more than 6,000 generous alumni, parents, and friends • More than $5 million donated to the Knox Fund • More than $300,000 donated to the K Club • New endowments to provide unrestricted support, scholarships, and athletics • Dedication of the Knox Observatory, thanks to funding from alumni and Galesburg community leaders • Seven philanthropists joined the Old Main Society of legacy donors • More than 300 alumni and parent volunteers • 62 in-person and virtual event engagement opportunities • More than 3,300 individuals attended an in-person event, logged on to an online event, or listened to a Knoxcast episode Thank you for showing up, giving back, and promoting Knox in so many ways. We are grateful for your philanthropy and investment in Knox. Your continued involvement sustains the College we all love so much.

Here’s to a wonderful year!

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

45

Board of Trustees Updates

Douglas Bayer, Ph.D. ’66

PETER BAILLEY ’74

At its spring meeting, the Knox College Board of Trustees elected April J. Morgan, J.D. ’04 to a four-year alumni trustee term. Maurice “Mo” Harris ’08 also joins the board for a two-year term.

The Board also voted Douglas Bayer ’66 and Gerald Vovis ’65 Trustee Emeriti in recognition of their long service on the Board of Trustees and many contributions to the College.

SUBMITTED

April J. Morgan, J.D. ’04 Morgan currently serves as the Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority Board, the governing arm of the second-largest transit agency in the U.S. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. Morgan majored in political science and sociology at Knox, going on to earn a Juris Doctor from Northern Illinois University College of Law.

Gerald Vovis, Ph.D. ’65

SUBMITTED

46

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

PETER BAILLEY ’74

Maurice “Mo” Harris ’08 Harris is the research manager for Transwestern Real Estate’s Minneapolis office and a member of the Golden Valley, Minnesota City Council. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Harris graduated from Knox with a degree in political science and history and went on to earn a master’s in public affairs from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has served the College as an alumni mentor, an at-large member of the Alumni Council as well as chair of the Council, and a member of the Young Alumni Steering Committee. He is also a leader for the Twin Cities Knox Club and helps to plan alumni gatherings in the Cities.

Doug Bayer joined the Board in 2008. While at Knox, he earned his bachelor's degree in physics and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He later earned both a master’s degree and doctorate in nuclear physics at Michigan State University. Bayer spent most of his career at Microsoft as director of Windows security and in various other roles in software development, security, and computer systems research. Bayer is currently president of the Douglas and Maria Bayer Foundation, a nonprofit supporting the arts, education, and the environment. He and his wife also created the Bayer Faculty Chair in Earth Sciences in Knox’s Environmental Studies Department. The Bayers have generously given their time, expertise, and philanthropy in support of the Knox Fund, endowment, and capital projects including the Umbeck Science-Mathematics Center, Knox Observatory, and renovation of the Beta Theta Pi house.

Jerry Vovis first joined the Board as an alumni trustee in 2001 before becoming a general trustee in 2010.

He received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and honors in biology, graduating magna cum laude, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in biology at Case Western Reserve University. Vovis began his professional career as a research scientist and faculty member at The Rockefeller University in New York City.

He subsequently moved into the biotechnology industry, where he has more than 20 years of executive management experience. He is currently vice president of scientific affairs at Modifi Biosciences, Inc. Vovis and his wife, Carol Klail Vovis ’65, have been generous supporters of Knox through the establishment of the Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study and a lead gift for the renovation of Alumni Hall. Their longstanding support of Knox extends to the Knox Fund, the Umbeck Science-Mathematics Center renovations, and athletics.

Class Knox 1949

We are Knox.

You are, too.

If you attended Knox for one year, two years, or graduated with honors, you are part of the Knox alumni community.

You are the best reflection of Knox College and the education it provides.

So, keep us informed. Tell us what you’ve been up to, if you’ve been promoted or honored, or simply say hello. Here’s how: • contact your Class Correspondent or: • have other media sources send us press releases, articles, and publicity.

Please send information about births, marriages, and deaths directly to: Alumni Records Knox College, Box K-230 Galesburg, IL 61401-4999 Email: records@knox.edu Send all other updates, correspondence, or questions to: Stephanie McMillan Assistant Director of Volunteer Engagement & Events Knox College, Box K-230 Galesburg, IL 61401-4999 Email: sdmcmillan@knox.edu Please note that Class Notes may be edited for space and in accordance with the Knox Style Guide. If you are submitting photos, please send high-resolution images that are at least 300 dpi.

Update your contact information:

Harry E Babbitt, Ph.D. just finished his 80th bilingual book, Galesburg, Illinois: A Brief History, and it is available on Amazon. While he has been living in Argentina for several years, he spent the first 50 years of his life in Galesburg. He wrote to tell us more about this new publication. “When I was young, I never knew much about the history of the area, which I regret. I believe every junior and senior high student should know a little about the history of their hometown. In the last chapter, I decided to include some of my personal memories of Galesburg and Knoxville that go back 80 to almost 100 years, including those of Knox College.”

Class Correspondent: Megan Clayton pclayton@knox.edu

1950-1953

Class Correspondent: Megan Clayton pclayton@knox.edu

1954

A cheerful note from Bobbie Shlick Poor at her summer place in Leland, Michigan, though by the time this is published she will be back in Missouri and continuing service as a docent at the St. Louis Zoo, where she says a day on the grounds is always an adventure. On the last day of spring she wrote: “Michigan is a fine place to spend the summer season. Families are beginning to trickle in for the yearly visits to the Poor House North and it is great fun to have them here, pets included. This is cherry farm country but the countryside is also host to several wineries.

Leelanau County is becoming a destination for oenophiles and has been producing some national prize-winning vintages. Come on up and sip and savor!” ❯ I would love to, Bobbie, but sorry to say our travel days are over. Our longest trip this year has been about 25 miles to our most distant medical appointment. But, we keep on keeping on. And that’s all I have this time.

Class Correspondent: Jim Dunlevey dunlevey@aol.com

1955

Roland Peaslee writes that his second book, Love Poems Volume II, is available on Amazon along with Love Poems: A Lifetime of Poems for the Love of My Life. ❯ George Elliott says he survived another year in the business world as CEO of WoodMart Building Center in Quincy, Illinois.

As a member of ROTC at Knox, he says his first tour of duty was as a lieutenant on the border of East Germany during the Cold War in 1956. He served for 22 years and hopes the future will be peaceful. ❯ Al and Barbara Behringer Paulus ’56 relocated to Hernando, Florida, after more than 30 years in Tucson, Arizona. They moved into a retirement community near family while remaining in a warmer climate. Al says, “So far, so

good!” ❯ Lynn Weise Victor sent a great update: “Knox is never much out of my mind, and I have kept many of the recent publications, which keep me up to date on current happenings. Even more fulfilling, from times past, was the annual Knox College spring event in New York City. What a wonderful way to renew ties with younger generations of alumni as well as the occasion to meet Siwashers from years past. I seem to remember meetings were held at The Yale Club then. Was it on the 22nd floor? You never know when you’ll meet another Knox grad. Several years ago in the parking lot of Corvallis’ largest supermarket, I saw a van from Illinois and thought it must be someone I know. As a young lady emerged, I asked exactly where she was from in Illinois. Her retort, “Oh you probably wouldn’t know.” My retort was, “Try me.” She said, “It’s about 200 miles from Chicago-Galesburg.” I told her I was a Knox College alumna and that I was hoping to attend my 50th Class Reunion. She told me her dad teaches at Knox College. ❯ Don ’53 and Gail Holmes Curtis just sold their cruising boat. Gail reports, “We owned and loved her for 17 years but decided a change of pace would be good for us. We just got back from a trip to Rockland, Minnesota, where our new boat is being built.

We expect delivery sometime this summer. Fall will be spent getting the electronics installed and then we are good to go. Acknowledging our age, we will probably not be doing the same longrange cruising but we will be happy to be back on the water.” ❯ Mort Weir writes, “Ceil and I lived in Arizona for nearly three years but missed seeing our family often and have moved back to Champaign, Illinois. We still spend our summers in our cabin in Lake City, Colorado, but at our age, we may have to give that up before long. Our eighth great-grandchild just arrived, a girl. That makes us feel even older.”

Class Correspondent: Megan Clayton pclayton@knox.edu

1956

Life in ’56-land evidently is quiet and serene, judging from the (lack of) responses to requests for news. Perhaps this is the reward for those of us heading to nonagenarian status. As I write this in early July, Knox has a contact list of 69 for our class. ❯ Bob Atchison writes that he and Mary McKevitt ’54 are so thankful for Flunk Day 1953, which brought them together. They have been married for 67 years and are now retired from 40 years in education and 26 years of military service. They are the parents of three boys and one girl, grandparents to two boys and three girls, and have six great-grandchildren, all of whom are doing well. One of their granddaughters is a missionary in Berlin, Germany. He and Mary send a thank you to Knox. ❯ Bob and Judy ’58 Rothe are another couple who met at Knox. They celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary with a cruise on four of the five Great Lakes from late May to mid-June. I wonder

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

47

Margaret Konzo Wolf ’59 has planted and maintains an award-winning which lake didn’t get on their itinerary. ❯ I enjoyed a message from Gay Jolley which I am sending on as she wrote it. “What isn’t going on?

It’s nothing but hectic at the Jolley home and promises to continue. The biggest news is that I am moving to a senior residence. My cook is not very good, the conversation is lacking in interest, and the housekeeper keeps drinking my good stuff. So I am moving to a place where these will be provided. I realized that I need to be among people more; my brain was getting fuzzy. In addition to that, I have joined an Episcopal religious community. No, not a nun, but a sister. I am the assistant chaplain, among other things, and plan to take life vows next February. At church I have been serving on the vestry and am taking classes to become a licensed preacher. My children are doing fine, but it’s difficult to reconcile myself to the fact that both are due to retire soon. Two grands married; two to go. The granddaughter who is living in Scotland expects to graduate with an MFA from the U of Edinburgh in November and plans to marry there in January 2025. I’ll be traveling a little, but not to Knox any time soon, I’m afraid.” She sends best wishes to all. ❯ Sadly, we also have news of more losses. Marv Trepton, age 89, passed away on May 25. Pat Bush Long sent notice that her husband, Jerry, died on May 8. Both ’56ers, she and Jerry were another Knox couple. His obituary can be seen at doolittlefuneralservice.com. ❯ And I will add my personal note that my husband, Bob ’55, died April 30. We also met at Knox, 69 years ago, and were married for not quite 67 years.

Class Correspondent: Ricky Jung Schwarzler schwarzler@msn.com

1957

Dick Whitcomb sent a nice note saying he and his wife, Joan Whitcomb ’56, have great memories of their days at Knox. Dick and Joan were popular and involved students at Knox, and continued their involvement through generous gifts over the years. The stunning Dick and Joan Whitcomb Arts Center is one of their special gifts. The building has won several architectural awards and has significantly enhanced education in the arts at Knox. Dick continues to go to work every day, but reports Joan is dealing with Alzheimer’s, and thus they have limited their traveling. He sends a special “hello” to all their Knox friends. ❯ Saw Frank Stanicek recently.

He looks like he could start as halfback for Old Siwash this fall. Still amazed that he and his wife, Gretchen Haas Stanicek ’58, had two sons who played major league baseball, and another who was the star QB at North Carolina. Shows what a Knox education will do for you! Good news! ❯ Ann Elwert Blum is almost fully recovered from her broken hip, but says her rodeo days are over.

Good move, Ann! ❯ Her Knox roomie, June Lynch Bath, and her dog, Javie, continue to win ribbons at kennel club events. June has become an expert on albino cardinals (technically, they

48

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

are Pyrrhuloxia, she notes), and has built a home for them in her wild bird sanctuary. She is hoping to cut a record on her rendition of wild Pyrrhuloxia calls. I am sure it will be a big seller! ❯ Homer Johnson is living the dream at the Admiral at the Lake retirement home in Chicago, where the women outnumber the men by more than two to one. Doesn’t get any better than that! ❯ Bill Shaffer, the Corn King of Carmel, Indiana, (get it? Carmel corn!) seems intent on continuing his 50-year-old feud with Trev Winebright over the location of the 1957 graduation. Trev says it was on the Old Main East lawn; Bill says it was on the South lawn. Bill has even asked the Knox Archeology Department to conduct a thorough investigation but has received no reply as yet. Perhaps it is because Knox has no Archeology Department. Bill claims to be the paragon of Christian virtue. He recycles and buys Girl Scout cookies. However, with age he is forced to choose and is going with the cookies! ❯ Nick Panos, the Michael Jordan of Peoria, had three grandkids graduate from college this June, so his wallet is a lot lighter. ❯ Reminder: The Last Play by Armondo Lopez ’58 is available from Amazon Books. ❯ Jamie Bjorkman has spearheaded the effort to develop a tribute to the Knox alums who died in our many wars, beginning with the Civil War. The 99 Lives Gold Star kiosk stands just inside the entrance to Memorial Gymnasium, which was itself named to honor our military dead. Jamie reports that the kiosk is scheduled to be replaced with an interactive screen twice as large as the current one. Wish there was an award we could give him for his efforts. Jamie also notes as Galesburg’s first pizza delivery man he even delivered to the Beta house.

No doubt the Betas are eternally grateful for Jamie’s kindness and generosity, and may even save a spot for him in Beta heaven.

Class Correspondent: Homer Johnson Hjohnso@luc.edu

1958

Class Correspondent: Caroline Porter portercaroline38@gmail.com

1959

According to Fred Kaplan, “1959 was the year that changed everything.” I emailed the above statement to 53 of our classmates and asked for brief change(s) in their lives since 1959. Five classmates emailed: ❯ Howard Dillon’s first library position was at Ohio U, and now he’s seeing automation of library procedures and ChatGP and AI. Wondering will our grandchildren live in a better world…or not?! Howard, Larry Blasch, Bill Reiners, and Jim MacDonald have had a few Zoom talks. These talks have prompted Howard to start a database of living and deceased classmates. Thus far, the numbers are in: 132: number of 1959 graduates identified.

87: classmates presumed to be living. 45: classmates reported deceased. If you have any

additional information to share, please email Howard directly at hdillon37@mail.com. Howard also emailed me a picture celebrating his 85th birthday at a very fine restaurant. I thanked him for the picture and told him I certainly will recognize him when he attends our 65th Reunion in 2024. The picture had the largest glass of red wine my eyes had ever seen! ❯ Mary Coyne Karau has moved to a retirement community in Bend, Oregon. One daughter lives nearby and the other lives in Montana. Family visits are great fun, restaurants every night, long talks and many laughs. ❯ David Poston kept in touch with Brooks McNamara and Tom Neumiller, but unfortunately they are no longer with us. Dave greatly valued their friendship. He still keeps in touch with Nan McNamara. ❯ William Reiners emailed very interesting information. Bill and Norma live in Tucson, next door to their elder son and family. They exercise, sing with a large chorus, and Bill paints in acrylics. He encourages us to request and read a copy of Knox’s 2022 publication, Our Strategy: A Bold and Ambitious Framework for Growth. This document reveals how undergraduate education has changed since our years in Galesburg, but also what it will take for the College to survive. Bill also recommends that we read Mondo Lopez’s ’58 book, The Last Play. This book describes the fateful event of 1954. Bill and the MacDonalds also feel that President McGadney is doing a fine job of communicating and developing a bold and ambitious framework for growth. ❯ Georgia Raft Souris received her MAT from DePaul and taught for a few years. She and her husband live in Arizona, have two sons, one granddaughter, and four great granddaughters. She has been very active in Daughters of Penelope, a Greek fraternal organization and has recently been awarded the Light of Penelope Lifetime Achievement Award. They both are healthy, have slowed down since COVID-19, and do not hear from any Knox classmates. I also called a few classmates for additional updates. ❯ Jim and Jan MacDonald live in Gig Harbor, Washington, in a 55-and-over community. They both are doing well, read a lot, and have participated in The Great Decisions discussion program on world affairs for more than 40 years. Jim said, life is good! ❯ Janet Shroyer moved to a retirement community in Winston Salem, North Carolina. She is starting to play her cello and is looking for a group to join. She has a large garden, a large dog, and a small house. ❯ Connie Church Swanson transferred to Miami of Ohio her junior year. She now lives in Indiana near her daughter. She has three daughters and one son, and one of her daughters graduated from Knox. She worked at GlaxoSmithKline in sales with doctors to introduce new drugs about to be on the market. ❯ Margaret Konzo Wolf lives in a retirement community in Colorado. She started an awardwinning daylily garden and grows zucchini to give to the chef to make zucchini bread. She sent me pages of personal information to complete for

Class Knox lily garden for her retirement facility. my heirs. Yes, I have a file, this is in addition to so many pages I hope to live long enough to complete the pages. ❯ Donald and Molly Black Verene shared that Don received his Ph.D. from Washington Univ. A writer, philosopher, and academic at Northern Ill U., Penn State, and Emory University, Donald has received many awards and is considered a worldwide authority on Giambattista Vico. He leads Emory’s Center for Vico Studies and Molly serves as assistant director of the Center. Their son, Christopher, is a photographer and assistant professor at the College of Staten Island, CUNY. In 2021, he was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship. ❯ Bob Grover has agreed to be co-class correspondent. Bob will help to gather info from 1959 classmates— emails, texts, calls, threats—anything we can do to try to gather more information. A classmate said our class news is bleak; ever try to get blood from a turnip?

Co-Class Correspondent: Conny Drew Tozer connytozer@yahoo.com Co-Class Correspondent: Robert Grover melvincrudley@gmail.com

1960

Class Correspondent: Dick Aft aftd@fuse.net

1961

Class Correspondent: Megan Clayton pclayton@knox.edu

1962

It’s that time again. We all live crazy and challenging lives. For most of us this will be the big “83” year! Let me start by assuring you all my life is not for the weak of heart. Health good, friends leaving, grandkids graduating from college, great grandkids coming in big numbers, getting up from planting the garden is quite a challenge, and meeting the AARP 5,000 step daily goal requires an afternoon nap. ❯ Ellen Louthan Hawley writes that she agrees with the overall message that life at 83 has its challenges. She says, “I am still living in Sarasota, Florida, and loving it but not the summer’s heat and humidity. Have decided to travel in the summer and enjoy the arts and entertainment the area provides the rest of the year. After my husband, Stephen, died three years ago I found that I was not the only widow in my neighborhood. Three others had been widowed within the same year and so we have banded together to share cards, meals, travel, and camaraderie. Just returned from a trip with them to Savannah and prepping for a trip to Seattle in June, Great Lakes cruise in July, and Panama Canal in October. My bucket list includes a trip to Japan now that they have finally reopened.

Anyone have a good tour company to share with me? Time is of the essence as I realize that I am now running out of time to do all the things I want to do. Stay healthy and enjoy life.”

Class Correspondent: Kate Calvert Bloomberg kateberg40@gmail.com

1963

Class Correspondent: Ramona Reed Landberg landberg.group@outlook.com

1964

From Cathy Shriver ’66: “Don says to say that he is still practicing!” (For context, see the Spring 2023 issue of the Knox Magazine). ❯ The Cow Head report from Evan Cameron: “For those suffering elsewhere from heat, exhaustion, and perhaps smoke in air, a suggestion: come to Cow Head on the upper edge of Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland. The temperature outside as I write (9:30 a.m. NL time), is 3° Celsius, gentle rain failing, wind up a bit but no ‘harbour day’ for the fisher folk. Though God and I have never met, I’m sure this is where He spends his summers alongside my wife (a Newfoundlander), assorted family, friends, and me, or so I’ve been told. Now that the forward-looking folk of Utah, as of this morning, have banned the Bible from schools to prevent children from reading of things more violent and degrading than their normal TV encounters, I suppose that it might be safe for me to revisit childhood haunts in the U.S. of A. once again—but I may give that a pass.

Keep well, all of you!” ❯ A beautiful reflective from Gaby D’Elia Shufeldt: “Remember that Knox motto or whatever it was called: Not to live, but to live well. I never liked it when I was a student. In a reflective mood these days, I’m catching up with it. What do others in our class think?” ❯ Val and Terry Klopcic continue to extol the virtues of Road Scholar tours. Their latest was Boston: Birthplace of American Liberty: Five days of lectures and historian-guided walks.

Accommodations were top class, as always with Road Scholar. Highly recommended. ❯ Lee Scott continues to experiment in art: “I finally found a suitable frame for the macro photograph that I recently took of one of my abstract paintings using my cell phone. It will be in the photography section of the Annual Membership Exhibition of the Franklin County Art Alliance.

The title is “Virgin Landscape-1,000,000 Miles Away.” I plan to try this technique on some of my other complex textured paintings. I have been having more visitors and friends come to see my unusual paintings, including children. ❯ From Leslie Nauta: “Just working on my second fiction novel. First novel done and ready for a professional editor. Also doing my art for several art groups and gallery. I will be the featured artist for July at the Antioch Art Gallery.” Her three grandsons live in California. ❯ Nancy Levin, one of the “Magnificent Eight” of pre-COVID fame, sends good news: “Travel has returned to my life.

Last fall, I flew to Australia with my grandson, where we joined his mother and her family and

then visited my sister and her daughters. In April, I had two weeks in Portugal and London with my son and his wife and her parents. Looking forward to finally reuniting with seven Knox friends in Chicago in August after three long years, plus a bonus visit this fall with Gaby D’Elia Shufeldt.

Distinctions between family and longtime friends blur at this point…they all feel a bit like family!” ❯ Ron Lebeiko sends an update: “My personal news is that, like many of my colleagues, I have rounded the age of 80 and am enjoying three young grandchildren, having moved to Seattle with Carol, my wife, nine years ago. It’s a welcome surprise achieving that age as my father, who survived wounds in WWII combat, died of cardiac issues in his mid-40s. It’s likewise a salute to modern medical and cardiology practices.” ❯ Finally, following up on the Spring issue report on Michael Johnson’s singular honor, viz: having an issue of The Journal of Family Violence dedicated to the impact of his work, Michael submitted a recap of his career: “I married Terry Johnson ’65 in 1965 and we moved to Iowa City, where I got master’s degree in sociology, and she began studying Germanic languages. In 1968, we moved to Ann Arbor, where I got a Ph.D. in sociology, she a master’s in Germanic languages. In 1972, we moved to State College, where I began my career in sociology and women’s studies at Penn State, my research focused on relationships and my teaching on relationships, social justice issues, and feminist sociology. At Penn State, we took Women’s Studies from a part-time unpaid program in 1972 to a full Ph.D.-granting department in 2000. I was also instrumental in the 1974 foundation of the Martin Luther King House at Penn State, I advised the LGBTQ student groups on campus for many years, and I spent years volunteering at the local women’s shelter, including six years on the Board, three as chair.

I attribute my devotion to social justice activism to my years at Knox College. In 1992, in preparation for a trip to Vietnam with a group of feminist scholars, I switched my research focus to domestic violence and developed an analysis that was labeled a “paradigm shift” in the area. In 2005, I retired from Penn State to write a book (2008) which led to major breakthroughs in theory and practice and provided me some very fulfilling years of international consulting before I fully retired in 2015. My personal life centered on solo high mountain backpacking (for peace and quiet, not distance), birding, music (appreciating, not performing), reading, and international travel, most recently on birding trips to the Amazon and Antarctica. In 1989, I started dating Maureen Mulderig and we married in 1997. We travel together a lot, including Mexico, Costa Rica, China, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Africa, and will soon be heading for Europe. I’ve led a privileged life.”

Class Correspondent: Terry Klopcic klopcicjt2@yahoo.com

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

49

Vic Beattie ’67 is extending his 19-year streak as a

1965

The invitation to submit material for this round of class notes welcomed your ruminations on the past as well as your news. ❯ Larry Horist ’65 responded with some of both. He wrote, “Per your request, here is my update. I drive at my age—80. I’m talking about the car, not golf.

Continued my Knox College Young Republican politics throughout my life. Made a couple attempts at public office, but the voters spared me the necessity of serving. After a few starter jobs, I wound up at the Nixon White House, then a lobbyist for Sears, Roebuck & Co. Then back in Chicago as PR guy for the construction of the Sears Tower. In 1975, I started my own public affairs consulting business with interesting clients—Publisher Steve Forbes, Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman, the Reagan White House and the City of Harbin, Peoples’ Republic of China.

My proudest civic activities were revitalizing the old City Club of Chicago and leading a multiyear effort to save the Chicago Theater from the wrecking ball. Twelve years ago, I gave up the business to devote myself to writing in Boca Raton, Florida. One book done, a second ready for the publisher, and a third nearly done. One screenplay ready to market and one more in the cerebral stage. I also write about 30 paid political commentaries for an online news blog. Other than writing, I play a little tennis, bowl four days a week, and jump out of an airplane every now and then. But my passion is still my wonderful and interesting kids—including an adopted daughter, Yvette Myrie ’83, also a Knox graduate.

My youngest biological son just got married at the age of 29—and yes, I became a father after 50. My most significant tie to Knox is a severalhour phone conversation every Saturday morning with the brother of my Knox roommate, Joel Lasker ’66. Sadly, he passed much too young. So, there ’tis six decades in 300 words.” ❯ Gale Hurd shared some happy memories of the past, including some from her time at Knox: “Got my first taste of living in a farming community in Galesburg. That included Marty’s Pizza downtown and their deep-fried whole catfish... yum!

I’ve lived near Middlebury, Vermont for the last 50+ years, happily back in the midst of farm country. My son lives about an hour away. I retired as the Victim Advocate in the Addison County State’s Attorney’s office 20+ years ago.

For all those years I’ve also been a compulsive volunteer...school board, selectboard, planning commission, Guardian ad Litem, Court Diversion, Open Door Clinic, etc. Although I haven’t been back to Knox, I have great memories of all the things I learned and the friends and fun I had there. I especially remember Sigma Nus Dan Kemp ’63, Roger Pearson ’63, Larry Clayton ’63, Joe Thompson, Jody Marquis Clayton ’64, plus Marie Barber Henry, Jean Klimick Pereira, and Ardena Henrichsen with whom I also shared an apartment in Oak Park for a year.

Some of these friends have sadly passed but I

50

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

hope the rest of you are well (as we can be at this age!) and happy.” ❯ After spending 18 years in Sarasota, Florida, rampant growth and rising temperatures prompted Gary Moses and his wife, Marilyn, to move back to Colorado, where he grew up. Gary, like several other Knox alums, attended George Washington High School in Denver. After graduating, he and high school classmates Hadley Pullen, Gary McCool, and Tod Brown trained off to Knox on the Denver Zephyr. Knox has been a big part of his life ever since, and he has especially enjoyed going back for reunions. Currently, Gary is working with the College on his proposal for a decade of the ’60s Reunion. A strong supporter of the concept, he says, “Although most of the people I knew at Knox were in the class of ’65, I had many friends from surrounding years. So, why are Knox Reunions held for classes five years apart? To me, it never made sense, but especially after one’s 50th.” Gary welcomes those wishing to learn more about the proposed Decade of the 60s Reunion at Knox Homecoming 2024 to email him at garymari@aol.com. ❯ June was a busy month for Warren Johnson and Paula Hoffstadt Johnson. While packing up the contents of the house in Minneapolis they had occupied for many years, they sent this brief update: “We are deep into preparing to move to a beautiful senior housing building near us. Downsizing from a large house to a modest apartment is a real challenge. So many things and so little space! So many books and so few shelves for them. We’ll survive and then enjoy the great facilities and make new friends. With Warren having just turned 80 and me a few months behind, it’s the right time to make this change.”

They are planning to attend our 60th Reunion in 2025. ❯ Henry Randolph sent this response after reading the previous issue of the Knox Magazine: “After returning from an 8-week adventure in Japan, I was catching up on the spring issue of Class Notes and the unvarnished bio by Glenn Schiffman jumped out at me. For once, here is one of our alums offering up something other than the usual self-congratulatory Biedermeier tropes that are the staple of most of these notes.

Their authors seem to forget how uniquely fortunate our 1960s cohorts were as beneficiaries of what possibly was the economic sweet spot decade of the American Century. I’d like to take it a step further in dispensing with those obstinate middle-class illusions: let’s talk mortality instead. Here is a link to a poem I wrote years ago to note the passing of a long-time colleague and mentor (and grandee owner of Camulos, a real California rancho north of LA): www.knox.edu/randolphpoem. If anything, this poem has gained in relevance with the accumulating years. Sure, some may think it morbid or call it a jeremiad, but maybe it is just the thing to help shake off the class notes torpor and usher in an era of life stories stripped of the gloss.” ❯ Henry is referring to an autobiographical class piece submitted by Glenn Schiffman that was

published in class notes in the spring issue of the Knox Magazine. Now, Glenn follows up with this message: “My autobiography, Life in the Fast Lane, Truckin’ on the Rock’n’Roll Road 1971-1976, is available on Amazon both as an ebook and soft cover. Some names have been changed to protect the innocent.” ❯ Given that most of us turned 80 this year, it is not surprising that our classmates are starting to look back on their lives. Hopefully, we can look forward to more autobios in future class notes.

Class Correspondent: Diane Trout-Oertel doertel@oertelarchitects.com

1966

Class Correspondent: Judith Holland Sarnecki judithsmamabear@gmail.com

1967

Some members of our class still have the travel bug! ❯ Vic Beattie writes: “My wife, Geri, and I continue to cruise as much as possible. We are fortunate this year to have gone to Antarctica in February and will be going to the Arctic in July.

In February, we circled southern South America from Buenos Aires to Santiago. In July, we will go round trip from Copenhagen into Norway’s fjords above the Arctic Circle. Meanwhile I continue to volunteer at the USS Midway museum in San Diego as a long-standing docent (19 years).” ❯ James Nordin is an ambitious world traveler: “In my last epistle I wrote about our trip around Africa. Because of COVID-19, two cruises that were originally a year apart were rescheduled back-to-back. So, we got off the Africa cruise on December 20, 2022 and boarded a world cruise on January 19, 2023. We sailed west from Los Angeles across the Pacific, (and the international date line) around Australia and New Zealand, on to Indonesia and Malaysia, a week in India (including the Taj Mahal), to the middle east and Jerusalem and Bethlehem, through the Adriatic and on to France and Spain, past Gibraltar and across the Atlantic to Fort Lauderdale, then through the Panama Canal, up the Mexican coast and back to LA. All said and done, it was 111 days, six continents, two canals, about 30 countries, and over 40 cities. Whew!

The Taj Mahal is breathtaking! The story behind the building is even more impressive. (You should check it out.) Petra in Jordan is almost equally astounding. (Remember Indiana Jones riding down the narrow canyon into a city carved in stone?

That’s Petra—not a Hollywood set.) Ephesus is another ancient seaport whose residents Paul wrote to in his letters to the Ephesians, except it is now seven miles from the sea. A lot can happen in 2,000 years. Visiting the Taj Mahal, Petra, and Ephesus should remind us that technology doesn’t make us smarter—it only makes things less labor intensive. Ephesus had indoor toilets and indoor water to flush those toilets. Ironically,

Class Knox docent at the USS Midway Museum in San Diego. while there was no COVID-19 on our aborted 2020 world cruise, Linda and I both came down with it on this cruise. We missed going to Komodo Island, home of the Komodo dragons. According to our shipmates, they are VERY large and very unfriendly. The villagers keep them at bay by throwing dead chickens behind them. We were supposed to stop at about eight ports in Australia and New Zealand, but Cyclone Gabrielle chased us away. New Zealand had huge damage from the storm, but we hid out on the leeward side of the island and only had “freshening breezes” (aka high winds). We suffered somewhat the same fate when we were supposed to visit Croatia. The Adriatic forms a funnel for winter storms from the Arctic and one came at us. We again hightailed it out of harm’s way and hid behind Malta. Valletta is a wonderful place to visit, especially if you like LOTS of stairs. There is an upper and lower level to the city and they are about 100-150 stairs apart. We found an elevator. Venice is essentially closed to cruise ships, so we stopped in Ravenna. We highly recommend this city. Excellent historical sites and, except for the mission on top of the mountain, a very walkable place. One word of caution. In Italy, a pepperoni pizza means dough and cheese and bell peppers (unless you’re in a tourist restaurant). Sausage picante is our pepperoni. India is now the most populous country in the world, and cows really do rule. On the highway, on the sidewalks, in the parks, wherever, you don’t mess with the cows. If you kill a cow, it’s 12 years in prison.

India has spectacular wealth and heartbreaking poverty. Although Mumbai, Jaipur, Delhi, and other major cities have millions of people, more than 65% of Indians live on small farms. Of course, there is the Taj Mahal. Finally, our biggest disappointment was in Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Jerusalem is in Israel. Bethlehem is in Palestine.

The Christian sites didn’t seem to us to be anything more than commercial tourist attractions.

For example, the path that Christ supposedly walked with his cross is lined with merchant stalls selling “religious artifacts.” There is only an old Christian church in Bethlehem, but lots of “Nativity Motels.” And, of course, the tension between the Israelis and Palestinians is very real.

What I found most interesting is that our guide in Israel was a secular/non-practicing Jew and our guide in Palestine was Christian. Their disagreements seemed much more political than religious. Maybe that makes sense since Judaism, Islam, and Christianity all come from the same root, at least in Abrahamic theory. Lucky for all of you, we aren’t planning any cruises until 2024, so I will likely be quiet until then.”

Class Correspondent: Helen Gilbert helengilbert98571@gmail.com

1968

Susan Van Kirk has been participating in many speaking engagements and signing her books.

Her next book will be out next year. ❯ Ira and

Janet Weiner shared: “Not much exciting happening here. Not surprisingly, it is warm and humid here in northwest Florida. We cool off in the pool when needed and keep a weather eye out for hurricanes and the occasional tornado.

Gardening and yard work keep us busy. It is only June and some of our vegetable plantings are almost through yielding! We are regular visitors to our local public library branch and have discovered several authors and series which keep us entertained. We had visitors in April and will have our oldest granddaughter here in August.

Social life is minimal since the pandemic and possibly before but we still enjoy each other’s company.” ❯ Harvey Sadow wanted us to know “due to several health surprises, my pal, Alice, and I have decided to put off the launch of the website for the new porcelain work. I will post an announcement on the class website when we are ready to launch.” ❯ Chip Evans recently had a telephone conversation with Brad Routon. They first met early in their first week at Knox at a dance in the gym, at which time they realized they were both swimmers. In the recent call, they commiserated and laughed about age-related things they now have in common. ❯ Chip and I also wanted to remind you, if you started with us at Knox in September 1964, then you are in the class of 1968, if you finished at Knox or not. If you are able to attend our 55th Reunion in October or not and you want to connect with other members of the class of 1968, then join our Knox 68 Facebook group, if you are not a member yet. Some of us are more interesting than we were in 1964. We have Music Monday, Tuesday’s Tip, Wednesday’s classmate news, Throwback Thursday, and Friday Fun Fractured Fairy Tales.

The group has 156 members. Some classmates participate each day, some once a week, and others a couple of times a month. Please feel free to suggest a question we might like to discuss or ask a question. I especially love the Friday jokes. It’s a nice way to stay connected and learn how others feel by reading the comments. If you meet with any Knox people, please take a picture and post it. We would love to know if you will be able to come to Homecoming in October for our 55th.

We’ll leave the light on for you. ❯ My update is that it’s been a busy summer. Recently I drove my middle son, Judd, three hours to Westfield, Wisconsin to his favorite camp. He just turned 45 and has gone since he was 21. The same people run it and many of his friends still come back. It’s worth every minute of driving. Participating in a book club from church, gathering with retired teachers, lunching with friends of 45 years, teaching Bible School, and visiting Wes. He has been in memory care now for three years but we can still make a connection. Our contributing groups are small this time.

Remember, we love to hear about your life.

Class Correspondent: Susan Meyer Mika pottatea@comcast.net

1969

From Besançon, France, Jeremy Gladstone writes that he spends a lot of time recovering from bike accidents! He also enjoys hiking, occasional golfing, and visiting one son and his family in France and a second son and his family near Chicago. Sadly, Jeremy’s wife passed away two years ago. He remains in contact with classmate David Bell. ❯ Mike Phenix reports from Lawrence, Kansas: “I only attended Knox for my freshman year, but I very much enjoy reading the information about Knox, especially the Class of 1969. I’m sure no one remembers me.” Correspondent’s note: We do remember you as a gifted second baseman on the freshman team! ❯ Lou Coatney is enjoying retirement in Norway (where his younger children are), designing historical board games and cardstock paper model ship plans (free on CoatneyHistory), and trying to stop WW3. His latest anti-war wargame is Bakhmut Meatgrinder: Verdun 2023. Correspondent’s note: my top pick for zaniest post-Knox career. ❯ From Oro Valley, Arizona, Linda Barkwill writes that she lost her husband in 2018 and now is busy following the lives of her niece and nephew and who now have nine children between them. Her favorite exercise is indoor pool aerobics, and her most enjoyable activity is setting up dinners with friends—“it’s like a cruise ship that doesn’t leave Tucson.” ❯ We caught Mollie Miller Thorn counting down the days to retirement! “I’ve spent the past 36 years as a family therapist, and I’ve loved every minute. But now, it’s time to kick back a little. I want to see more of my kids and grandkids, to spend more time exercising and singing with my choral groups, and catching up with friends. Phil and I enjoy going to the theatre together and spending time with our family. Fun Fact: Mollie has seen Dick Schwartz ’71 speak at conferences many times. Only last week did she realize he was a Knox alum! ❯ David Luery, retired in Tucson, Arizona, is caring for his wife, Nicolette Pfaff ’70, who has Alzheimer’s; they will soon celebrate their 52nd anniversary. He tries to remain active in his camera club and in other photographic pursuits. ❯ Ralph Walter claims to have the best-ever retirement jobs. He is a Bynum Tutor Fellow at Kellogg College, University of Oxford where he continues his research on British byelections. He splits his time between Los Angeles and the university. Sadly, Ralph reported the loss of our classmate John Gardner in May 2023 in Naples, Florida. ❯ From Countryside Lake, Illinois/Seabrook Island, Ray Howell and Marilyn Howell are busy un-disciplining two grandchildren (LOL) and conducting research to determine how much is too much golf. Ray has spent the last 10 years in prison ministry at Cook County Jail and the IDOC. “I have eight guitars and a recording studio with the never-ending goal to master both.” ❯ Linda Pohle says, “I went to grad school in Denver after graduation and have stayed in Denver since. I’ve retired from a

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

51

Steve Weiner ’71 is working on his quest to see every known painting career in corporate communications, including nearly 30 years as a freelance writer. I see Donna Tribolet Halcomb regularly and we Zoom monthly with fellow alums Shirley Schwiesow Streib, Pat White Amschler, Pam Wait Miles, Eileen Murphy Thorpe, and Donna Chase Turnbaugh, sharing stories, reminiscences, and much laughter. FYI, none of these friends have aged a bit!” ❯ Kim Adams Post sends greetings from Cincinnati. She is still working part-time as an executive coach and leadership developer but loves spending time with her four grandkids (and lifelong Knox friends) best of all. Husband John ’67 is still active doing home repairs for elderly and low-income families. ❯ From West Lafayette, Indiana, Dave McMillin, Ph.D. retired from Purdue at the end of 2018 but is still studying chemistry when asked to help condition the water in the swimming pool at Pine Creek Camp. He and his wife, Nicki, enjoy time with friends and do some traveling, especially to be with family. All three of their children and grandchildren live in Florida. ❯ Dave Novis maintains two residences in Maine and writes: “I thought you might enjoy the attached photos (correspondent’s note: I did) of the international summer headquarters of the Novis Consulting, LLC empire. For reasons I do not understand, I still have clients. I also do a fair amount of writing, lecturing, and committee work for my professional organization, the College of American Pathologists. When my brain starts fatiguing, I walk from my office out to the end of my dock and attempt to disrupt, usually unsuccessfully, the leisure activity of the fish that populate Nickerson Lake.” ❯ Bill Howell also has multiple residences…a big place in the Blue Ridge and a home on the beach, both in North Carolina. He’s been busy getting the beach property ready for Airbnb rental this summer, and lives on his boat, a 37-foot trawler when the place rents. Correspondent’s note: Bill is a real inspiration for me, as he has aggressively managed his cancer treatments, including experimental trials and he’s beaten all the odds for 13 years. ❯ Also fighting a valiant battle with cancer is classmate Lorelei Patey. Jim Hallock was good enough to inform us about her CaringBridge page. Her account name there is under Summer Eternity.

Also on the support team are Bill Combs, KT Johnson, Rock Webster, Sara Doherty and Dianne Aull Winkler (apologies if I’ve left any classmates out on this list). ❯ Your Class Correspondent, Paul Behnke, is looking forward to interacting with you frequently in the run up to our 55th Class Reunion. He will be working with Kim Adams Post, Molly Miller Thorn, Ray Howell, and Stephanie McMillan of Knox volunteer engagement to develop a digital platform to enable us to communicate more frequently in the future. So, watch this space!

Class Correspondent: Paul Behnke pbehnke48@gmail.com

52

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

1970

Class Correspondent: Nancy Hoover Debelius Knox1970@zoominternet.net

1971

The Glorious Class of ’71 continues to march on —maybe a tad slower than before—but onward we go. ❯ The big news is that Brenda Butler has rightfully been honored with an Alumni Achievement Award! She was honored for her dedicated work as a journalist with more than 30 years of experience as a reporter, copy editor, and senior features editor, being the first African American associate managing editor at the Chicago Tribune; executive director of Columbia College– Columbia Links, a Chicago public high school journalism and media literacy program, threeterm president of the National Association of Black Journalists–Chicago Chapter and a longtime volunteer and mentor for Knox students.

Congrats, Brenda. You make us proud! I know that the other five Alumni Achievement Award winners from our class are honored to have you join them. ❯ Steve Weiner (sweiner@listenup.com) is working on fulfilling his multi-year bucket list quest to see every known painting by Johannes Vermeer. Shortly before it was taken away, he saw the one that was stolen in 1990 and never recovered. This past March, he and his wife and son (artists and art history students) traveled to Amsterdam for the largest Vermeer show in history at the Rijksmuseum. With 28 of Vermeer’s acknowledged 35 paintings in one place at one time, this show received significant attention.

Due to a little planning and some luck, Steve spent time in the show alone (with the museum guards) where he could see 28 of the 35 paintings. That brought Steve’s total to 31 Vermeer paintings. He plans to see the remaining four in the summer of 2023. Stay tuned for the conclusion of this quest! ❯ Laura Fredenhagen Schaefer (adlschaefer@yahoo.com) and husband, Dan, were in Virginia and North Carolina in May and June to spend time with their children and their four grandchildren, ages 6 to 12.

Grandchild number five arrived last fall to their son and daughter-in-law near St. Louis. Lonnie and Dan again hosted “Camp Schaefer ‘’ for all families in July at their home in Amboy, Illinois where much horseback riding, ATV-ing, fishing, go-karting, and driving of big tractors will take place! We’re waiting for word of Camp Class of ’71 in Amboy, where we can join the Dukes and have fun. ❯ Charley Stivale, Ph.D. (ad4928@ wayne.edu) and his wife, Nancy, traveled to Paris with trips out to sites in Normandy (Rouen, Honfleur, Normandy beaches, Caen, Bayeux), Brittany (St Malo & Mont St Michel), and Loire Valley with magnificent chateaux and cities (Angers, Langeais, Azay-le-Rideau, Villandry, Chenonceau, Chambord, Tours). Next travel plans are for New Zealand and the east coast of Australia later this year. ❯ Closer to home, Larry

Kusch (twams67@comcast.net) and Ralph Norman drove down to Galesburg to have a relaxing visit and lunch with the incredible Harley Knosher. Larry’s other travels took him to Naples, Arizona and, with his wife, on a cruise to the Dominican Republic, Aruba, and Curacao. ❯ Bill Goldberg (wjgoldberg11734@gmail.com) is still working (from home) with UBS in the wealth management business in Houston. Besides keeping in contact with his Sigma Nu brothers, he reports that, with his daughter moving back from New York, he is trying to be a more present grandfather than he was a father and is enjoying soccer practice with the three-year-old players. ❯ After 36 years, Ann McConachie (amcconachie71@gmail.com) sold her house and bought a condo. She had been putting off selling it because the new buyers in her neighborhood were tearing down houses and cutting down all the trees to build monster houses with circular drives, patios, and in-ground pools. Ann’s house being 73 years old and needing a lot of work, she was trying to prepare herself for it to be torn down and the six big oak trees in the backyard cut into firewood. The really good news from the sale of her 73-year-old house is that, unlike the other houses, the new owners of her house want to rehab it and keep the oaks (the husband is an arborist). She moved from Downers Grove to Naperville and is still close to her daughters and teaching buddies. ❯ Larry Clark (Larrysclark@ gmail.com) retired from LSU Shreveport where he was the chancellor (president) for the past nine years, that followed being a b-school dean at three different universities over 28 years. He says that he owes much to Knox College where he was a grader for “Bro White” and a student worker for Wilbur Pillsbury, who taught him about textbook writing (and helped him become a national lead author with McGraw-Hill). ❯ Judy and I just got back from a long vacation in Israel (with most of our children and our 13-year-old granddaughter), Jordan [Wadi Rum (think Matt Damon in “The Martian”) and Petra (think Harrison in “Indiana Jones”)], Krakow (Auschwitz and Birkenau), Prague, and Vienna.

We’re hoping to go to New Zealand and Australia next year. I am still playing hardball baseball managing my 60+ team and playing catcher, first base, and outfield on my 65+ team.

The first weekend of October, I’ll be playing in and overseeing my Shoeless Joe Baseball Tournament at the Field of Dreams in Iowa. The last weekend in October, I’ll be playing in a parentchild tournament in the Scottsdale area with my oldest son and my granddaughter. Is this heaven?

Class Correspondent: Jerry Tatar jerry@tatarlawfirm.com

1972

André F. Connan writes, “Ready for a helicopter flight? Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram .com/koolbreezehelicopters.” ❯ John Durham writes, “My nephew and I did a Route 66 road

Class Knox

by Johannes Vermeer. His current count is 31 out of 35!

2023 Alumni Achievement Award Brenda Butler ’71 Brenda Butler ’71 forged an exemplary 35-year career in journalism, working as a reporter, copy editor, and senior features editor. She was the first African American member of the Chicago Tribune to hold the position of associate managing editor and her professional experience spans from the historic Johnson Publishing’s Jet Magazine to the Chicago Tribune.

Butler’s ongoing dedication to Knox students includes professional mentoring and career advising. Her commitment to Knox alumni includes being a founding member of Allied Blacks for Liberty & Equality (A.B.L.E.), a facilitator in the creation of the Black Alumni Association of Knox College (BAAKC), and a supporter of the Black Alumni Network.

Why did you choose to attend Knox?

I wanted to get away from home and, at the time, I wanted to be a doctor. I sent off my application to parts of the country I was interested in and Illinois was one of them. Knox has an excellent pre-med program. I wanted a small liberal arts college and the program was great; it all lined up.

KENT KRIEGSHAUSER

Alumni Achievement Award Winner

trip, Albuquerque to Chicago, was great fun. I’m going back to Italy in September.” ❯ Carolee Burns Hayes writes, “John ’71 and I are wondering if we are first in our classes to have a grandchild graduate from college. Our son, David, was born in Galesburg while we were at Knox. His first son, Collin, just graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and Computer Science. I have finally decided to retire from 50 years of loving teaching. Started as a middle and high school teacher and moved on to professional development. My last 25 years were leading the Thinking Collaborative which provides training in cognitive coaching and adaptive schools.” ❯ Susan Wessels Hiatt writes, “I am still navigating this weird phase of widowhood; I do not wish this on anyone! William and I enjoyed 48 years of marriage and 51 years of being together after meeting freshman year at Knox, in the cafeteria line! Hard to believe that he has been gone 2 1/2 years. I have since purchased a little cottage on an island in Maine, a place we visited every summer together. I now spend half the year in Maine, watching the lobster boats bob in the harbor outside my front door. The rest of the time I remain in Denver, close to my daughter and her family. My three grandchildren, ages 8, 10, and 13, keep me entertained with their varied activities. I have resurrected my old guitar, purchased in Galesburg in 1969, and started playing again, although not well! Besides that, and trying to play some golf whenever possible, I am kept busy renovating my house in Maine and the new, smaller house that I purchased in Denver.” ❯ Maria Ippolito writes, “It was so wonderful to see photos of the 50-year Reunion and my fondly remembered colleagues from the class of ’72!!

I am still a professor in the department of psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage, but have decided to make spring 2024 my last semester as a full-time faculty member. So I am enjoying the longer days that are part of summer up here near the North Pole and counting down the days until my next adventure.” ❯ Sammi Maier King has written a book, Mom’s Time Out, a humorous memoir that covers everything from kids, husbands, and “finding the funny ‘’ in exercise, gardening, and more. The book will make you smile and maybe laugh out loud! Cover art and illustrations were done by Casey Kremer ’73. Available at your local bookstore and online at Amazon. Be sure to leave a review! ❯ Ron Lipton writes, “Living a low-key life in Albuquerque. Retired from playing music (and from the part-time day jobs that helped keep me afloat during the slow times). A career of wild ups and downs, from playing some of the sleaziest dives imaginable to the stage of the Telluride Jazz Festival and just about everything in between.

Still occasionally working on original songs with my long-time, off-and-on songwriting partner, for no other reason than to just try them out at modest little open mic nights. Still some mixed feelings about having skipped the 50th Reunion,

What are your favorite memories from your time at Knox?

Being one of the founding members of A.B.L.E. is something I’m very proud of. Overall, I’m just proud to be a product of Knox. The professors and colleagues I met here were all instrumental in helping me become the person I am today. Everything I learned at Knox, along with my family and personal convictions, has contributed to my success.

What advice would you give to students trying to start a career in journalism?

If you want to be a journalist, start practicing journalism. If your college has a newspaper or a digital media outlet, even a radio or TV station, start reporting. See what the right fit is and take advantage of those opportunities.

You need to show future employers that you have experience in the field.

Show them that you’re serious about it.

I have mentored students, helping guide them toward a career as a writer, editor, videographer, or whatever direction they want to go. It can be helpful to share with them how to take that first step into the field. I would love for more Knox students to reach out and chat about journalism. I’m open to sharing whatever knowledge I can.

Watch a video interview with Brenda at magazine.knox.edu.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

53

Jane Goeltz Stetson ’73 celebrated her 30th year as a Denver Zoo although I still lean towards my rationale of looking at it as something special for those who were together all four years and graduated together.

Anyway, not much else going on. No kids, grandkids, etc.; somehow never got around to settling down and starting a family. Maybe for the best.

The musician’s life, and income, can be (and was) pretty unstable at times. But the time I did spend at Knox and the amazing people I met there (and I am deeply grateful to still be in touch with quite a few of them) continue to have a special place in my heart. (Jeez, who’s the maudlin, sentimental old fool who just wrote that, lol?)” ❯ Jane Debowski Pacelli writes, “My friend Joan and I did a ropes course a couple weeks ago. We thought it was going to be mostly zip lines but we were wrong. Could have used a lot more grip strength and upper-body strength but we managed to make it through! The other people our age who were there were grandparents watching their grandkids do it. The house feels so empty without animals. After some travel this month, I’ll start to look for some rescue kittens.” ❯ Jim Rosenthal writes, “Not much news from me. My band, Old Man Mojo, is booked into three blues festivals this summer, and we are hoping to get additional festival dates as the year wears on. I see my nearly two-year-old granddaughter as often as I can; she is a perfect delight. Best to all.” ❯ Ross Terman writes, “Lois and I spent 34 days visiting 11 cities in Spain, France, and the Netherlands.

We did this even though on our first day in Spain a woman talking on her cell phone plowed into Lois while she was walking, knocking her to the ground and, we found out later, breaking Lois’s kneecap. It was an adventure, especially in France where we had two train trips canceled due to strikes. We just returned from Chicago where the family made a 90th birthday celebration for my aunt and we saw Dean and Chris Rowinski Turner while we were there.” ❯ Sandy Hroziencik Thompson writes, “I’ve taken the summer off from part-time teaching here in Austin, Texas. Our daughter had a baby boy a few months ago. If anyone wants to add their name to Facebook for our class of 1972 that would be great. I enjoy reading what everyone is up to.” ❯ Dave Wood writes, “Playing golf with Jim Leech, Monte Abbott, and John Flood in the Knox Golfer. Look online for results.”

Class Correspondent: Wendy Scherwat Ducourneau wjsd@jps.net

1973

The Class of 1973 is gearing up for our 50th Reunion in October. I asked our classmates what is the first thing that you would like to see or do when you get to Galesburg? I think I will stand in front of Old Main and just enjoy the moment. ❯ Tom Cooke and Nancy McMaster ’74 look forward to visiting Galesburg. It will be Nancy’s first time back since the 25-year Reunion in 1998 with then-six-month-old twin boys. They have lived in

54

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

Bellingham, Washington for the last 16 years after 24 years in Seattle followed by five years back in suburban Chicago. Before heading to the ‘Burg they will be spending five nights at an Airbnb only blocks from where they lived in Chicago in the late ’70s before moving to Seattle.

Upon arriving in Galesburg, Tom plans on lunch at The Taco Hideout (but admits that he might be eating alone). ❯ Arlington Heights, next home of the Chicago Bears, was a reunion site for Don Corrigan with John Gorski at Peggy Kinnane’s Irish Pub, and with Mike Hennessey at the Shakou. St. Louis resident Corrigan was visiting his daughter, Christa of Arlington Heights, who was transferred from Dublin to Chicago by S&P Global in 2022. The first thing Don would like to see at the Knox Reunion is a good karaoke machine in the Giz, so he can listen to Bolier sing The Who’s songs, Hennessey sing Three Dog Night songs, Cav sing Phil Ochs’ songs, G. Divers sing T.S. Eliot “Cats” songs, and Chuck Joern do songs played at a Knox Homecoming by Alice Cooper, like Alice’s “I Gotta’ Get Out Of Here.” The icing on the cake would be Gorski singing “Blue Velvet” by Bobby Vinton, his Polish Prince hero, whom he claimed was much better than Led Zeppelin doing “Whole Lotta’ Love.” ❯ Jim Doherty reports that he has been enjoying his retirement from the CIA, spending the last two years in Hawaii. Jim can’t wait for the Reunion to reconnect with his old buds TKE historian John Gorski and Knox football legend Bob Bolier. (Do I sense a theme here?) ❯ Jane Goeltz Stetson writes: “I’m enjoying retirement, but not ready to sit in the rocking chair. I have been a volunteer at the Denver Zoo for 31 years.

Last year for my 30th anniversary, I got to feed the elephants. This year I got to go to Zambia to see them, along with so many animals. I have been lucky to travel to Seattle to see my daughter, and to Arizona for spring training and to visit friends. Looking forward to going back to Knox in October. Who knows where next! What I am looking forward to seeing is the Arts building. I missed the reunion five years ago and still haven’t seen the new building.” ❯ Joan Raming McGuire offers this: On October 7, 2021, Joan was walking and was struck by a car. After five days in the hospital, she spent two months in skilled nursing, and 17 1/2 months in assisted living. Happily, in mid-May, Joan purchased a two-bedroom condo which she shares with her only daughter, Emily. Joan says, “It is fun having self-care again!” She is thinking about the Great Lakes Tour in September. See you in October!

Class Correspondent: Nancy Bakos Hunter geo_hunters@q.com

1974

John Porter: “Spring 2023 has had a refreshing lack of local drama AND personal medical adventures. A year ago, I had a full replacement of my right knee (too much basketball and motorcycling), and I am happy to report a great

outcome. While I can no longer run with much velocity, dog walking, bicycling, and dancing have been fully resumed. Don’t rat me out to my surgeon, but I am jogging quite slowly a couple times a week. The biggest news is a new granddaughter named Simone. I visited her in Highland Park, California. Four months old now, it was such a treat to hold her, stroll together, and introduce her to spoken Japanese. Her dad, Kevin, often sings to her in Spanish, so I am trying to keep up. Locally, North Carolina politics rather suck. The legislature overrode a veto of their 12-week abortion ban bill. The NC Supreme Court is about to overturn a previous ruling about our gerrymandered districts, and our junior U.S. Senator is defending Trump. Amazing how minority rules in this day and age. I am keeping busy doing things I love. Many neighbors are visiting for help with their bicycles, and lately some have been seeking assistance with their pandemic puppies’ training. I have discovered that including my dog, Delilah, in walks or formal training is really a boon to both dogs and their humans. Pups seem to model sometimes on Delilah’s actions, and owners love the experience of handling a trained canine. This is a very satisfying thing.” ❯ Jeff Mangers: “As I write this, Brenda and I are sailing from Malta on a cruise to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. We are also celebrating our official approval as Costa Rican residents. ¡Pura vida!” ❯ Phil Pucel: “My wife, Christine, and I have made a number of bicycle tours in Europe since 2004 and, on a number of these trips, we visited relatives in Slovenia. Most recently, we hiked Mount Triglav in the Triglav National Park, spent four weeks in Annecy attending French language classes, and rode our bikes in the area around Clermont-Ferrand and the Pyrenees. Over the last few years, we visited the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, and California (Redlands, Santa Maria, Santa Rosa, and the Lost Coast where the camping is awesome). We have participated in several fundraising MS (multiple sclerosis) bike tours in Wyoming, and plan to join a fundraising tour in Utah in June 2023. Thank you to the committee for all you are doing for the big 50th Reunion.” ❯ Linda Baring Gutesha: “My work in assessing superfund sites, hazardous waste sites, and other commercial sites with groundwater and surface water contamination tapered off into retirement a few years ago and my wife recently retired from her work as an NP. (And thanks, Linda, for being a first timer with Class Notes.) ❯ Dave Coons: “Happily retired, I enjoy spending time with our four grandchildren. From time to time I’m asked to assist those I left behind with implementation of my legislative efforts, which I do gladly.” ❯ John Manos: Stalking Justice is the latest book written by John. Called “A stunningly bold novel composed with great authorial confidence,” the book recounts how a retired homicide detective assists a friend whose daughter is threatened by a violent stalker. This thriller is described as “a psychologically astute tale of emotional conflict

Class Knox volunteer by feeding the elephants. in a crime drama, the latter just as intelligently conceived as the former.” Reviewers call this “a remarkable novel—poignant and provocative.”

John is offering classmates this incentive: “I’ll buy a drink at our 50th Reunion for any classmate who can prove he or she bought a copy.” The book is now available for sale on Amazon. ❯ Paul Soper’s wife, Joanne, has let us know that he passed away unexpectedly in 2021. ❯ 50th Reunion: The Committee for 1974’s 50th Reunion is hard at work planning activities for our big event. Mark the date: October 25-27, 2024. Feel free to contact committee members if you want to participate or to pass along ideas for the event.

Also, please post pictures on our Class Facebook page (Knox College Class of 1974). It’s always fun to see what pictures from our days on campus are still lurking out there.

Class Correspondent: Monta Lee Dakin mld780@aol.com

1975

Betsy Healey and John Michael Healey ’72: “We got married June 9, 1973. Cush Copeland ’72 was the best man. Scott Montgomery ’73 provided awesome guitar music. Many Knox students stuck around the ‘Burg to celebrate, including Claudia Hicklin Kaufman, Mary Ann Madej, Sue Blew, Shep Crumrine, and Barb Van Ness among others. We celebrated the 50th anniversary with family and friends in Denver, Chicago, and Galesburg. We are snowbirds living in perpetual spring between Colorado and Arizona. We golf, hike, and volunteer as naturalists for Colorado Parks & Wildlife.” ❯ Shep Crumrine writes, “I was able to get together with my roommate of four years, Michael Lincoln. It had been decades. It was great to catch up and we vowed not to wait so long.” Music, being an integral part of his life, Shep continues playing cello with the Concord Chamber Orchestra in Milwaukee and also in a string quartet performing interesting venues like a rooftop bistro this past summer. His 12-string guitar is back in shape and he is playing and possibly planning some performances. Although officially retired after 39 years as a music therapist, Shep maintains his credentials with state and national regulating boards. He continues advanced academic work toward qualification as a neurologic music therapist and membership in the World Federation of Neurologic Rehabilitation. “My wife, Mary, and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. We are busy in the garden, bicycling, hiking, camping, kayaking, cross-country skiing, and traveling.

I’m active in the St. Sebastian Facing Racism ministry education and voting subgroups, the Milwaukee Inner City Alliance for Hope (MICAH), and driving for Souls to the Polls at election times. I do hope to be in Galesburg for the 50th.” ❯ Mary Ann Madej says, “My husband and I live in very northern California, near Redwood National Park, where I worked for most of my career as a geologist. Our two

daughters, who couldn’t wait to leave Arcata after high school, are now both within 10 miles of us.

Humboldt County doesn’t look so bad to them now! And we have a baby granddaughter to dote upon, so life is good. Hard to believe that we’re turning 70 this year!” ❯ Lynne Barney Porter writes, “I saw Gwen Webb in December 2022 when she was in the D.C. area, and she returned in February to attend a 70th birthday party. I am enjoying life in my seventh year of retirement with my seven-year-old grandson as the joy of my life! I cruise the Chesapeake in the summer with family and friends and travel the world in the off-season.” Lynne plans to return for the 50th year Reunion. ❯ Gwen Webb notes, “I saw Lynne Porter at her 70th birthday party. I am going to enjoy my 69th birthday in November!

My family is well. My son and daughter have blessed me with three wonderful grandchildren, one a high school graduate, one 12, and another nine, all amazing.” Gwen continues working at Texas A&M with no plans to retire. “I am committed to addressing our missed opportunities in building a better nation and school system for our children in the areas of diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice. I am excited about the new president at Knox and the wonderful progress Knox has made over the years in the area of diversity, and I want to be more involved with the Knox College family.” ❯ Jim Mason sends warmest greetings from Colorado Springs: “I recently returned from an informative and aspirational spring Board of Trustees’ meeting and Knox’s 178th Commencement ceremony, which was superbly executed. I am happy to report, for those who may not have received an opportunity to return to campus lately, all is well and the campus looks beautiful. Our students remain intellectually curious and courageous.

President McGadney, staff, and faculty continue to perform magnificently with inspiration and exacting standards. The pride and sense of community are evident throughout campus and among all stakeholders. I am Knox proud! Moreover, please know, all of Knox appreciate each and every contribution you offer. I ask you to join me in continuing your support as a demonstration of your dedication and belief in paying it forward.” ❯ George Szostkowski writes that he continues to stay in contact with Rich Burke, Jim Cooke ’76, Sverre Falck-Pedersen ’74, James Millhorn, Neil Schaye, and Micheal “Coo” Wright through birthday and anniversary celebrations, and recently reconnected with Don Hill.

George and his wife, Xiaochen, immensely enjoy their involvement with the Chicago Chinese Culture and Arts Society through many entertainment and social events. Xiaochen sings and dances in some ensemble performances and George contributes through a remarkable array of activities and has served as a co-master of ceremonies for a Chinese New Year celebration extravaganza. “We have enriched ourselves not only culturally, but have made many new friendships. We are looking forward to our next

European travel adventure and then planning a trip to China sometime thereafter.” ❯ Ann Ranfranz and her husband, Jeff, plus their three daughters, their spouses, and grandchildren (the whole crew of 13) are continuing a tradition of a week together in Door County. Their grandparent opportunities included spending four days a week during the first year of COVID-19 in Madison supervising one very young granddaughter while her parents were busy telecommuting and then this past May watching grandchildren while their parents took a long-planned celebratory trip to NYC. Ann reports they “had a great time with the grandkids but were so tired by the end of the week!” Ann and Jeff have traveled extensively around the U.S. “Prior to COVID-19, I had the great gig of accompanying Jeff on many of his consulting/training trips. Now we spend a fair amount of our time exercising, me walking, Jeff running and he recently discovered Pickleball. I am thinking about giving it a try.” ❯ Gary A. Pokorn writes he has FINALLY completed selfpublishing his book The Peace and Power of a Positive Perspective. Though originally copyrighted in 2010, it was put on the back burner, but by the time this issue of Knox Magazine is published, his book will be available. “I hope my classmates enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. A great gift to family, friends or clients.” ❯ Daniel Martin says “The penguins and sea lions and glaciers were awesome if you ever get a chance to go to Patagonia, not the store but the southern part of Argentina. Now I’m going up to my log cabin in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where there are no people or noise, only the loons and if I’m lucky a wolf at night.” ❯ Jack Dare notes, “I’ve sold the house after nearly 40 years in Downers Grove and moved to the shores of the Fox River near downtown Ottawa. I’m enjoying the summer on the river, with plenty of boating and kayaking in the Starved Rock area.” ❯ Dan England visited Galesburg in May. “My family, including Ryan England ‘00, wandered around the campus. It was fun to discover and discuss the various changes from my years at Knox compared to his years and the present improvements.” ❯ Sheri Sprung Morrison writes “Gary Anderson, Bob Nelson, and I have been doing a video visit every couple of months ever since Gary’s wife, Judy Middleton Anderson, passed away. It’s a great way to catch up. Gary recently remarried. His wife’s name is Robin and they enjoy traveling and gardening.” Sheri and her husband, Jerry, are actively involved in climate change initiatives; Jerry, through the MIT Policy Lab Climate Change Fund, and together by equipping their home to get off the grid. “We’ve had solar panels on our roof for many years and recently bought a battery as back-up.” Sherri is also part of a group at her synagogue, the AntiRacism Impact Team. Beneficiaries are many and include the First Nation, Amah Mutsun tribe’s Land Trust, and services for homeless citizens through collaboration with the Spark Church and a nonprofit named MOVE Mountain View.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

55

Forty-five years after receiving her B.A. in English from Their biggest excitement is that they’ll be going up to Seattle at the end of July to take care of their grandson, Milo, who will be 20 months old then. This will be the first time they’ve taken care of Milo and the longest amount of time they will have spent with him! Then they travel to Ashland to enjoy theater and wine-tasting with high school friend, Barb Epstien ’76. ❯ Jenny Lisenby Lockington traveled to Scandinavia this summer and still enjoys singing with her church choir. ❯ Sue Blew relay-swam the English Channel.

Class Correspondent: Dave Langston dave_langston@hotmail.com

1976

For the past 12 years, Phi Delts and Fijis from Knox have had a golf outing in the Chicago area on the last Saturday of June. The golfers are graduates of the classes at Knox in the late 70s and early 80s. This year, we had almost 40 golfers participate in this fun event, which was dedicated to Fiji Paul Brauer ’78 and Craig Steele ’76, both of whom are no longer with us.

Class Correspondent: George Pearce geoknox@comcast.net

1977

Hello classmates! As I am writing this, Ed Jepson is on a dream trip to Norway with good friends. After spending time in Oslo, they have visited Flam, Bergen, and Alesund, taking in the fjords and breathtaking vistas along the way. ❯ I just had a wonderful dinner with Less Boucher ’76 and Beth Prough Boucher ’76 in Springfield, Illinois. I was on a road trip visiting the city, where I lived from 1960-1969. It has changed a bit since then, but the two houses we lived in are still there, and the current residents of one of them invited us in to take a trip down memory lane! ❯ Bill Hurley got in touch: “Using my Knox geology degree, I worked on exploratory and drilling rigs on the Gulf Coast for some time.

Twelve-hour shifts, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year caused me to shift gears. I was inspired by Mike Wiggin ’77 (who has now passed) to take the LSAT and get a law degree at John Marshall Law School. I enjoyed a successful legal career in Chicago for 35 years, mostly representing financial institutions in their regulatory, transactional, and litigation matters. Married since 1988, my wife, Sheryl, and I have two sons, who both served in the Marine Reserve. They are both married and we have one grandson. Along the way I stayed in touch with Chuck Barstow and he and I spent a lot of time in the Galesburg area duck hunting. As an escape from Chicago, Sheryl and I bought a 40-acre parcel south of Galesburg which we used recreationally and then eventually built a house on. In 2017, we made it our permanent home. Now we are surrounded by open space, 20 acres of trees we planted, my wife’s two horses, three retrievers, and various barn cats. I see Knox classmates from time to time. Brent

56

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

Petersen ’78 has been my physician for many years. I saw John Pritchard ’78 and Les Hunter recently at a retirement party. I will be participating in a Fiji-Phi Delt golf outing in June, and Norm Hilner ’79 helped put it together. It has been a great opportunity to see my fellow Fijis.

It has been a long and interesting journey!” ❯ Jill Reeve Kirk writes: “My big news is that I’m retiring at the end of this month. Our first postretirement activity will be a visit to Maine and Nova Scotia in July.” ❯ I have been in touch with Kris Zamrazil, who was supposed to come to Chicago for a visit with Paula Barrow Danoff, Missy Mueller, and Jan Schlichting Junk.

Unfortunately her older dog, Luka, has been having some health problems so she had to cancel the visit. Kris is busy remodeling her new home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Hopefully we can get together with her soon! ❯ Barbara Linden shared: “I retired as a general pediatrician in May 2022, after being in practice for 38 years.

Am loving retirement! I miss my colleagues and my patients but not the work and the on-call schedule.” ❯ Glen Thompson ’78 mentioned this in the last magazine; thought I would add it for our class. Molly Brewer Hoeg, Kathy Mihalovic Thompson, Julie Ozaki Modaff, and Mary Jo Dirkes joined my husband, Vic Heintz ’74, and I at our summer lake house in the central Adirondack Mountains of New York last August, postponed from 2020 due to COVID-19. A great time was had by all: swimming, kayaking, a rail to trail excursion, and lots of reminiscing! Happy summer to all!” ❯ Marna Buttel Kitzmiller got in touch: “ My husband, Mike, and I bought a house in Arizona in 2011 and have been snowbirds since then. But this past year we had a new home built there and sold the old one. Later this year we will be moving and making Queen Creek, Arizona our permanent residence.” ❯ Jim Munro had news: “Scott Luthy ’78 tried to organize a Knox get-together for Flunk Day 2023. Unfortunately the chosen venue was closed on Mondays (who knew it was going to be a Monday?!?!) and John tested positive for COVID-19. So we faked it! We ended up with a small gathering at Applebee’s in Bloomington. It was me, Nicole Danielewicz Dalton ’99, and Tiffany Black ’88—and the bartender was Knox class of ’18 (sorry, Benjamin, should have gotten your last name, but I was winging it. Next year will be better!). Given the range of classes, it was a lot of ‘What did you major in? Who did you study with? What are you doing now?’ Hopefully this is the start of something more frequent in the Bloomington-Normal area!” ❯ Bob Steinman shared: “It was Friday, June 2, Palmer Place, La Grange, Illinois. Larry ’75 and Wendy Tarman, Steve and Sue Baumgartner, and Bob and Janet Steinman were enjoying food, fun, and frolic. A great place to meet and eat. By the end of the night, the Doobie Brothers song, “Black Water,” presented by Triple Replay, had us singing ‘I want to hear some funky Dixieland pretty mama’...you get the drift! We hadn’t been

together for probably five years. We all made it home safely! On Saturday, June 17, in Carthage, Illinois, the Hancock County Historical Society honored Owen Muelder ’63, one of the most noted scholars of the Underground Railroad.

Owen has written two books, The Underground Railroad in Western Illinois, and Theodore Dwight Weld and the American Anti-Slavery Society. Owen has given over 300 lectures throughout the U.S. and is still going strong! The 11th Annual Cool Cuzzins Camp will take place at our home in Hamilton, Illinois. All eight grandchildren will be on board for breakfast, lunch, dinner, bath, and bed. Crafts, pool, bowling, movies, and turnyou-every-which-way-but-loose fun for 5 days.

Opening ceremony on July 23 and closing ceremony on July 27. Please send energy!” ❯ That’s all for now! Keep those emails coming.

Class Correspondent: Sarah Kaull skaull@icex.com

1978

Faith Miller reports that she has some exciting (nerve-wracking) news to share: 45 years after receiving her BA in English from Knox, she will be entering an MFA program at Sarah Lawrence in Bronxville, New York. Even applying was hard because transcripts prior to 1996 are not digitized and, therefore, don’t upload. She had to keep faxing requests to Knox because she applied to eight programs, both full residency (as Sarah Lawrence is) and low-residency. To her great surprise, she got into all of them, and the final choice has been very hard. Sleep? What is sleep? Oh, and she hoped to go on a cruise in May before resuming life as a poor student, but the cruise—first booked in 2019 for 2020. Congrats on a new chapter, Faith. ❯ Bob Castle and Deb ’77 still live in Minneapolis, where he is a partner at Fox Rothschild. He points out that we all arrived at Knox as freshmen 50 years ago this fall. Amazing. ❯ Jim Straus reported that the Phi Delts beat the Fijis in the Annual Golf Tourney in late June.

I was not able to make it, so I do not know if that is true or not. If I had made it, the Phi Delts definitely would have won. ❯ It was great to hear from Ted Harvatin, who met up with Doug Floski and Dave Harvey, Ph.D. for a Cubs game on August 31. He hadn’t seen Doug for a few years or Dave since the day they graduated. It was a Sellew 3 reunion. ❯ Steve Fraser reports that he and Dave Koester ’76 are still practicing law together in Southern California and living in Orange County. Their website is WCLawyers.com.

Steve’s daughter, Grace, just received her master’s degree in social work from USC. His daughter, Maddi, is still pursuing her career as a singer songwriter and just released a new single on Spotify with her band Fresh Hot Waffles called “Co Co Cola.” Give it a listen. She has been touring with Tom Sandoval and the Most Extras (Vanderpump Rules). ❯ Susan Hughey Walker’s youngest son got married on April 29 on the Intercoastal in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. It

Class Knox Knox, Faith Miller ’78 entered an MFA program! and administration for years. He and Debbie will remain in Columbia, very close to sons Elisha and Asher and their families and reasonably close to son Jonathan and his family. John is working on an expanded edition of Icebreakers, a self-published book of Bible studies that focus on biographical sketches, Biblical doctrine, and practical Christian living. In addition, he is a member of The Registry, a firm that places interim presidents, provosts, CFOs, and other senior leaders in colleges and universities. He continues to be active in their local assembly, Christ Center Church, with both Asher and Elisha preaching, teaching and remaining active in the church’s music ministry playing and singing. Dad still teaches from time to time and sings tenor in the Christ Center choir. Elisha’s wife, Rachel, sings beautifully, and Asher’s wife, Hannah, is actively working with the young people of the church.

Debbie teaches Sunday School and supports them all with her prayers. ❯ Brent Petersen continues to enjoy seeing patients in Algonquin where he has been since 1987. He sees Chuck Barstow, who lives nearby, on a regular basis. He and Cheryl spend most of their weekends in the Madison area which has been a nice change of pace. He confirms that the Phi Delts did win the golf outing at Chevy Chase in Wheeling. It was nice to see Brian Cox ’79, Glenn “Semo” Thompson, and Bill Hurley ’77, who all carried our foursome. ❯ John “Scott” Luthy has been active with projects around the house, including building some raised beds for vegetable gardening, and getting the drywall put up in the barn/shed, including mudding and painting it. He reports that he is once again in the workforce, but only because he couldn’t volunteer/donate his time. He has been taking courses at the local community college, and in the spring of ’23 acted as an in-class aid for his CAD class. He tried to volunteer as a tutor for CAD and some math courses, but was told he had to be an employee,

so as of June 2023 he is an employee of Heartland Community College in the Tutoring Center.

This coming fall he will be an embedded tutor in the basic CAD class, and then will have hours in the tutoring lab. Fortunately he cannot work more than 25 hours a week! He did miss the annual golf outing this year, however confirms that the Phi Delts were in fact victorious over the Fijis! Other than school and working around the house, he does get together with Tom Morgan and Carolyn Morgan, Bill Anderson, and Glenn Schlichting about every six weeks for lunch while in Naperville. Tom and Carolyn are now both retired, although Tom still does his radio show and some online collectible auctions/sales.

Bill Anderson is semi-retired and works for his son part-time in the family pharmacy business.

Glenn Schlichting is also retired from a career in education. ❯ Brad Milton and his wife, Peg, visited Japan in the spring. They celebrated the 50th anniversary of their meeting there as high school foreign exchange students. They stayed in the home in which she was hosted in 1973, in a small farming village south of Tokyo. The house is currently unused as her host father (105) now resides at a care center in Tokyo near his daughter. During their three months there they mostly stayed in the village where they were able to enjoy small-town life and get to know many of the neighbors, some of whom remembered Peg from her stay 50 years ago. They also traveled a bit with friends, as well as Peg’s host sister and family. Spring was beautiful to see as the mountains greened, cherry blossoms bloomed, bamboo sprouted, rice fields were planted, and tea leaves were harvested. They look forward to going back again for a few months in the fall. After returning from Japan, for a period not long enough to recover from jet lag, they took off to visit friends in Germany and attend his nephew’s wedding in France. Now, they are home, although Peg leaves tomorrow to visit with her high school and

SUBMITTED

rained but was wonderful. She now has two fabulous daughters-in-law. Her husband recently retired. He and his family sold their Cadillac dealership after 118 years in their family. Susan is thinking of retiring in 2024, but she still loves her private bank market exec role with Bank of America. Her oldest son and his wife are moving back from California to Florida mid-2024, much to her delight. Now she can help take care of her grandson. She and her husband will be celebrating their 20th anniversary this fall with a cruise in France. ❯ Tim Hays had very big news. First, proud parents Tim and Deb Gottfried Hays ’79 shared that their twins are both getting married this year. Their daughter, Rachel, was married in late-May in the Pittsburgh area though she and her husband live in Columbus. Like Tim and Deb, they were college sweethearts. Her twin brother, Matt, lives in Boston and is getting married there in September. His fiancé is a Pittsburgh girl. Their grandson, Henry, [great name] by their oldest son, Ryan, turned two in the spring. Tim says it is amazing to see your children as parents and the joy of being able to leave after you are tired from a visit. Tim and Deb celebrate their 40th anniversary this month.

They are planning a proper anniversary trip for next year as he is winding down a consulting contract in September after having sold his family business after a 70-year, three-generation run. They sold to a Czech Republic-based familyowned business. All is going extremely well, including the continuation of their legacy company name, keeping all the employees, and investing in their factory in Chester, Pennsylvania to enlarge and improve operations. Tim is looking forward to returning to a normal pace of life after 39 very hectic years running the business. ❯ John Sircy, CPA reports from West Columbia, South Carolina, that on June 30, he retired from the South Carolina Research Authority after having served this public nonprofit as director of finance

A great group of Phi Delts and Fijis from the 1970s and 1980s gathered for their annual golf outing last June.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

57

The photography of Stephen Tourlentes ’82 is part of a traveling college friends in Nebraska. Brad will be staying home, catching up. ❯ And finally, I include this submission from Tad Daley: “Tad Daley in Los Angeles reports that he is still trying to reinvent the United Nations! Like us it’s aging—we’re soon going to be 70 and the UN is soon going to be 80.” He was one of the lead organizers of the Global Futures Forum in NYC in March 2023, the main civil society contribution to the Summit of the Future that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is cooking up for world leaders for September 2024. He was the leadoff speaker at a symposium at the Bush School of Government at Texas A&M University in June 2023, on the ancient proposal to establish a standing, rapid-reaction, all-volunteer United Nations Peace Force to bring an end to genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Google “Tad Daley” and “Bush School” and the video should come right up. Take a look and then you can judge for yourself whether Tad still possesses a very loud mouth. And after the symposium? He led an expedition to Kostume Karaoke! Google “Tad Daley” and “pink wig princess tiara,” and then you can judge for yourself whether ....” ❯ Thanks for all the news, and looking forward to seeing our classmates at our 45th Reunion in October.

Class Correspondent: David Bates david.m.bates01@gmail.com

1979

SUBMITTED

It is time for the class of ’79 to show the doings of a class full of makers of memories. Being in the

Tad Daley ’78 in D.C.

58

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

parks and recreation field (I even have a title called Minister of Fun), I am moved to recall Daniel Burnham’s call that I used in my last paper at Knox College. Hey! Don’t laugh, Dr. Ivan Davidson in the theater department gave me an A: “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized.” I am proud to be associated with this class of achievers, doers, and dreamers. ❯ Mark Gallagher wrote that he is a retired Unitarian Universalist Minister in Vancouver (not B.C.), Washington (not D.C.). Mark states he is in close contact with Jack Shaw, who is now director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute in Carbondale, Illinois. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a big deal to me as I volunteered for Paul Simon’s first presidential bid when I was VISTA in Wilmington, Delaware. Mark has also been zooming with Sue Nordstrom, who is semi-retired from a career in landscape architecture in Colorado. Mark reports that he was very grateful to reconnect with Bill Hejna, who had retired in Traverse City, Michigan, from a career as a hospital administrator. Sadly, Bill passed in early June 2023. As a legacy, Mark says he reconnected with fellow Knox alumni Barry Williams ’78 through Bill, hailing in on a frequency from the “radio silent” end of the dial. ❯ Ilese Mauskapf Hoyniak sends us news that she is living in St Louis, having relocated to be near her daughter, Caroline, who is an accomplished member of the faculty at Washington University (mascot name Battling Bears). Ilese is happy to state that she and husband, Dan, are the proud grandparents of a new grandbaby, Eloise. Strange but true fact, her son-in-law is also named Dan. Double trouble? Ilese is consulting after a fulfilling and successful run of 30 years in the banking industry.

Sounds like Ilese is cashing in with interest as a grandparent and loving it. ❯ Rollie Thomas sends word that he finally retired after 35+ years as a probation officer and 30 years as an associate instructor of law enforcement at our community college. Further, he did some hospital security work while waiting for his wife, Connie, to retire from being a high school principal after this current school year. They have many plans to travel this year to Minnesota, Florida, Seattle, Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia. Rollie says he stays in contact with Brian Cox (by the way the best snake wrangler in southern Illinois), Eric Jackstadt (taking it to the streets on his motorcycle whenever he can, word is he listens to an ipod recording of the soundtrack to Eddie and Cruisers), Bob Holshouser and their wives and they have a couple outings planned with them.

Connie and Rollie have six kiddos and seven grandkids that are scattered across the USA. So far, though, none that live in New Zealand or Australia. ❯ From the City Hall corridors of the Windy City, Laurie Dittman relays: “I will be retiring from the City of Chicago on October 31.

I’ve been with the City for 30 years, first with the City Treasurer’s Office and subsequently with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities

(MOPD). In that time, I worked under four mayors, two city treasurers and four commissioners of MOPD. It’s truly been a survival story and one in which my Knox liberal arts education and political science studies played important roles. I look forward to enjoying Chicago and doing all the things I’ve never had time to do.” I would vote twice in Chicago for Laurie. ❯ Nancy Warner says, in perfect French dialect, “bonjour” to the class of 1979! Nancy reports that she has never written “because I live a boring, average life. The best thing I can think of, now that I’m retired, is that I’m now in my preferred sleep pattern of going to bed between 1 and 2 am and getting up at 11 am. So, life is good. I’m easily pleased.” Nancy reports that with the help of French bread, brie cheese, and a little wine, she recently culled through photos and was reminded of her junior year in Besançon, France. One of the few pics that didn’t fade with time (cheap film and even cheaper processing on a student budget) was a great shot of Notre Dame in Paris. Nancy is residing in the ‘burbs of Chicago but on a clear evening at 2 am, before retiring, she can see the lights of the Eiffel Tower. Au revoir, Nancy, thanks for reporting in! ❯ Pete Cozzens checks in by letting us know since retiring from the Foreign Service in 2012 after a 30-year career, “I’ve dedicated myself to writing and to my family. My newest book is A Brutal Reckoning: Andrew Jackson, the Creek Indians, and the Epic War for the American South (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2023). My wife, Antonia Feldman, and I live in Kensington, Maryland. I’m going to take my high-school junior son, Eric, out to Knox this summer and make a pitch for him to apply! My best to all.” Yup, I was right about Knox alumni from 1979: high achievers all. ❯ Sonja Carlborg is leading the fight against community rhetoric encouraging the banning and burning of books.

Sounds like a worthwhile endeavor; rock on, Sonja! ❯ From the great state of Connecticut, I heard from my illustrious classmate Wendy MacArtney Feer: “I retired last summer after a 30+ year IT career, with the last 14 years at the State of Connecticut. I remember using a computer with punch cards in Wilbur Pillsbury’s accounting class and vowing that I would never work on computers again!” Haha, never say never! Wendy is loving retirement, finally finding time to read and staying fit to her heart’s content.

Wendy says no grandchildren on the horizon, just enjoying life with my husband of 38 years, Doug, an old high school friend. She relays being in contact and getting together with (though not near frequently enough!) Cindy Latina Schuessler, Sarah Fargo ’80, and Betty Bremser ’80. “I’d love to hear from anyone inspired to reach out.” Sounds to me like a call for all of us to consider visiting Homecoming during our 45th Reunion in 2024! ❯ Speaking of fun people, we heard from James Schaffnit. He sends word that while he was with us briefly at Knox for two years (1975-77), “I had a lot of fun times at Knox.” James says he graduated from

Class Knox

g exhibition called “Ansel Adams in Our Time.”

He’s also still playing baseball. ❯ And lastly, my update. I work (kinda) for a janitorial supply company. It’s a good job to coast into retirement.

I did get my knee replaced so I can continue to play hockey. I run a group that plays every Friday morning. Well, gang that is a wrap. Until next time remember to keep your contacts and stories coming in. Yup, definitely a class full of high achievers and everyone a true maker of memories!

Class Correspondent: Brian Sullivan bjpscruffy4@aol.com

1980

Class Correspondent: Joe Moore joe@joemoore.org

1981

Tom Woolwine writes, “My wife, Joletta, and I are excited that our son, Larson, will be marrying Paige Widrig next month in Colorado. They plan to continue living and working in Denver. ❯ Tom MacMillan shares, “Enjoying being a grandfather so very much. My grandson is nine months old and will be stronger, taller, faster, and smarter than anyone in our family has ever been before.

After 37 years, we are moving from Oak Park, Illinois to an apartment in Chicago, overlooking Grant Park. Daily walks around the museums district, the Bean, Millennium Park. When the crowds are too crazy, we will be up north in Wisconsin boating and kayaking. Life is good.” ❯ Steve Tatge with some updates, “Our news is that we have bought a new (1955) house in Seattle and will be moving after 31 years in our current house once some work is done on the new one. My commute to the UW will go from a 17-minute bike ride to a 40-minute bike ride, but along Lake Washington and through the Arboretum so not bad! It’s a bit of a downsize and a better ‘aging in place’ house than our current one, as we try to get ahead of that inevitable issue. Our other news is that our 21-year-old daughter is moving to Austin, Texas as of August and is doing an online certificate program in paralegal studies from UC Berkeley. All is well otherwise, other than my 60-hour weeks occasionally make me wonder how much longer to keep at it, but I’m so fortunate to have important work and great people to work with. Thanks again for your continued herding of the cats to collect this info!” ❯ For 24 years, Joe Lix has lived near Patagonia, Arizona. It’s a creative, comical, low-population, reasonable-weather place that values independence and not understanding Spanish very well means I don’t hear the chatter.

Came out of retirement in early 2019 for the fourth time, working on acute, chronic vax shedding diseases and answers. So far, I have an amazing gothic playlist. Please can anyone find a way to require powerful people to pass an MRI or EEG psychopath-screening test? Veritas, friends.

Class Correspondent: John Nicolau j.nicolau@comcast.net

1982

I’m going to start out congratulating Annette Andresen O’Donnelly on her induction to the Knox-Lombard Hall of Fame last Homecoming.

We had a nice turnout for the dinner. Noel Dolan Adachi was there to see her husband, Jun Adachi ’81, inducted as well. Congrats to Jun! I had to leave Homecoming early, but Sharon tells me it was a good one! As for other news, here are the updates. ❯ Laurie Matthews writes “I had a great time on campus for Homecoming weekend and catching up with old friends. I hope we have a huge turnout for our 50th Reunion like the Class of 1972 did! I’m in my ninth year at SAIC after retiring from the federal government and living in McLean, Virginia. Still traveled a lot, even during the pandemic, and am hoping to retire (again) in two years. We bought a beach house in Outer Banks, North Carolina, which we rent out, and we will move there eventually. My oldest son is working in Boston and the youngest will graduate from George Mason in December.

He is spending his summer working in Prague so we’ll be visiting him in June. Hi to the classmates I didn’t get to see last October!” ❯ Stephen Tourlentes says “All’s well out here in Boston.

I’ve been fortunate with my work being part of the traveling exhibition, “Ansel Adams In Our Time,” a contemporary look at photographers working in the landscape. It originated at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and has traveled to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, The Portland Museum of Art, and currently at San Francisco’s Fine Arts De Young Museum. By

SUBMITTED

Arizona State University and now lives in Champaign, Illinois, after being in Los Angeles for 20 years. ❯ Mitch Cohen retired from the State of Illinois and he is living in Tulsa, Oklahoma (yes on purpose) and enjoying three grandchildren (ages 4-6). “My wife and I have taken up the game/hobby/fitness regime of pickleball.” He ends his report with a “hello to all.” ❯ Last fall over Homecoming, I had the good fortune to run into Bruce Billingsley at the most recent Reunion MC by one Phil “Cro” Singer ’76. It was good seeing you and others at the most recent get together. Bruce reported that he married the love of his life, Linda Goetz Billingsley, also a ’79 alumni, a love story for the Knox archives for sure! Bruce goes on to say, “Linda and I are both working part-time and making lots of day trips to ride our bicycles. We will celebrate our 44th anniversary in August, having married two months after graduation at Knox.” Congratulations! Bruce also reports that their youngest son, Matthew, just received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from MIT. “Following in mom’s mathematical footsteps, his Ph.D. thesis topic was “Mathematical Tools for Discontinuous Dynamical Systems.” In simple terms, it is about data analysis, machine learning, dynamical systems, and optimization. Matthew is now a machine learning engineer for Resilience, a leader in cyber-risk solutions.” By the way, Bruce, there is no simple term to relate that thesis. Pretty cool, partner. ❯ Our former class correspondent Brian Cox sends his love and open-door invitation to anyone in the Carbondale area. How good of a host is he? He was one of the first servers and later manager of the Packing House in Galesburg. Yes, the very one with the terrific cinnamon buns. Listen to this reflection he sent along: “Beginning of May, Steve Laudel, Bob Holshouser, and Ray Albertina contacted the old Phi Delt gang to come to St. Louis for five days of golf. They had about 15 guys coming from all areas. They all split up and stayed at Ray or Bobby’s house and each night they had a plan for dinner. They invited Norm Hillner down even though he’s a Fiji and he stayed at my house. I couldn’t play because I was recovering from a knee replacement, but I drove around in a cart one day to heckle.

One night they all went to a bar in Collinsville, Illinois and we invited Eric Jackstadt, Fred Heger, and Joe McNamara. So, the Class of ’79 participants were: Steve, Bob H.,Bob Szyman, Ray, Eric, Fred, Joe Mac, and me. The famous Rick Truttman ’76 showed up and Tom Stelter ’77 was also in attendance (another football great). It was a great week with a lot of stories, food, and beer. I think everyone had a blast.” ❯ Here are some other tidbits: Joe McNamara retired from Edwardsville High School and lives in Breese, Illinois. He was coaxed out of retirement to teach Spanish at Breese Mater Dei High School. ❯ Fred Heger moved back to St. Louis to take care of his parents and occasionally is my goalie sub for my Friday morning hockey group.

Rollie Thomas ’79 hiking in Vancouver, British Columbia.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

59

Mary Stoffel, M.D. ’82 is prepping to become a coincidence, I’ve also had work co-currently on exhibition in Oakland at The Oakland Museum of California in the show “Angela Davis Seize The Time” that originated back east at the Zimmerli Museum last year. The real big news is my oldest is off to college (not Knox unfortunately, I tried).” ❯ From Mary Stoffel, M.D., “I’m continuing my post-retirement gig as a locum tenens (fill-in) OBGYN physician, mostly covering short stints of call in rural hospitals in Wisconsin but now also in Michigan and Minnesota. I’ve gone from working at the hospital that delivered the most babies in the state of Wisconsin to places where there is so little ancillary support that I have to adjust my practice quite a bit. But it’s good for me, and I consider many of these situations to be just like a functional cardiac stress test. My husband and I are still waiting on our immigration appointments in Portugal in our quest to pursue residency visas and possible eventual citizenship there, because, well, too many guns here. Their immigration department right now is even more mucked up than ours is, so we wait for the summons. And last, I’m pursuing becoming a living kidney donor; it was something I always wanted to do but my nonstop job and role as primary supporter made this elective surgery a bit dicey to consider. So, now that I’m old and fatter, why not? Originally it was just going to be a random donation to whomever but I’ve since learned of a neighbor whose 20-something son (born with a congenital kidney problem) is in need of a replacement transplant. So even if I’m not a suitable match, I can either do a “chain” donation or give him a voucher to move him up on the list.

Here’s hoping I pass the medical eval and it all moves forward; nothing is without pros/cons, but it just seems sad to have someone die or live on dialysis for want of a kidney, so here’s my pitch: at least make sure your driver’s license denotes your willingness to be an organ donor and that those close to you understand your wishes if that situation arises; don’t waste lifesaving organs! My adult son and daughter live in Madison and I’m grateful that I get to see them fairly often. They are both hard-working, smart, and good at life.

Otherwise enjoying spring in Madison, which is heavenly (once the students leave. JK!” ❯ Kate Kendzy Gingold writes, “The book I’ve been working on for years has finally been published.

It’s called Agatha Annotated: Investigating the Books of the 1920s and it’s a glossary of terms that were familiar to Agatha Christie’s readers 100 years ago but are obscure to readers today. I’ve been writing about early Illinois history since 2006, but this is the first time I’ve combined my love of research with my fondness for Christie mysteries.

My husband Don Gingold ’81 is a major partner in this as he also created an online database as well. As you may imagine, we’re super excited about this project! Other than that, nothing is new. Still working, still traveling, still visiting our kids and granddogs.” ❯ Rocco Marrandino shared that he recently competed in the National

60

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

Senior Games in Pittsburgh and took home a silver medal in pickleball. ❯ Several people thanked Sharon and I for our job as class correspondents; I will say that we enjoy getting to know your news. And, as you can see, I cheat and let you speak for yourselves! Thanks to all of you who sent updates. I am fully retired now and counting the days to Medicare as we pay for our own medical insurance. Tim and I just celebrated our 40th anniversary. We are as amazed as you are. That’s all the news for now. Hope to hear from you all for the next magazine.

Class Correspondents: Chris Bohm Gavlin cgavlin@gmail.com Sharon Schillereff Sschil7470@yahoo.com

1983

Greetings and I hope you are having a great 2023, our 40th year since graduation. Here are some updates I received from classmates. ❯ Cindy Box writes that “I am working these days at Medline as an information systems business analyst. I had many years at my former company, Apple Leisure Group, a collection of travel companies. Unfortunately Apple downsized as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was swept out along with many others and had to find a new position. I went from travel into the medical sector because I wanted a pandemic-proof company, and so far this has worked out very well for me. I was very pleased to find that there are a few Knox alumni from more recent graduating classes at Medline!” Cindy plans to attend Homecoming to see all of us that will be there. ❯ Claudia Wagner Dery writes that “after a career first as an environmental educator, teaching in local elementary schools and getting students out into the natural world, and then as an upper elementary classroom teacher in southern New Hampshire for almost 20 years, I am retiring from full-time teaching with the hopes of staying involved in education part-time to continue to promote outdoor learning for students of all ages.

I also hope to have more time for some of my own creative projects!” ❯ As for me, I’ve been very busy serving as the board president of the Southern Nevada Conservancy, a nonprofit federal lands partner that provides services at recreational and conservation areas in Nevada. In my first six months in the position, our executive director left and then we had to deal with a serious issue at our home office, so I had to dive in and work to keep things going. So grateful to have the opportunity to use my liberal arts education in new ways and continue to learn about new areas of our economy. This July, I spent time with Karen Longawa Dugard, Kathy Schurr, Ronda Wilkinson Sutton, Joyce Hertko ’82, and Peggy Fletcher ’86 in Portland, Oregon environs for a long weekend of hiking, sightseeing, and talking.

We were able to meet for a quick drink with Karen Burich Levin to catch up with her and meet her husband and brother. Everywhere you go there are Knox connections! ❯ Please contact me with updates as I know that many of you are

retiring, becoming grandparents, or just changing with the times and all of us would love to hear about it.

Class Correspondent: Beth Anderson Schuck bschuckgal@gmail.com

1984

Class Correspondent: Val Jencks knoxcollege84@gmail.com

1985

Hello classmates! Julia di Liberti writes, “Lisa Crank and Karen Clayton Akers ’84 just returned from a choral performance at Carnegie Hall in early June. I might have joined them but I was co-teaching a course on sustainability in Kenya and the timing didn’t work out. Mark Penn, M.D. is still playing his french horn in California and Colorado. Mark keeps switching states as he decides where to settle in. He eschews Illinois winters but I did get to be his dancing partner at a wedding last fall. We still got it! Mark still spends time with Lily Cheung and Carolyn Balster ’84. Chip Goodman ’67 and Lisa Crank also came to my mother’s memorial so that intergenerational Knox connection was nice to have. I was unable to attend Paul Steenis’ wedding but wished him and Kevin only happiness and a whole bunch of corny. Steve Potts and I are in touch on Twitter where we have found our people: smart and sarcastic. I’m happy to be in touch with other smart, sarcastic Knoxies on Facebook, too: Doug Peterman ’87, Diane Newell, Glenda Garrison, Margaret Verkoulen Lynn, to name a few. Currently looking for news of James “Rob” Hoelscher, Sara Marchello ’84, and John Murray ’83. Find me at juliadiliberti@yahoo.com. I am still trying to remember who the men in the shower were when I mistakenly walked into the men’s locker room and instead of the women’s freshman year. No glasses, couldn’t see at all.” (Hilarious, Julia!) ❯ Michael Spires writes, “I’ve been appointed to the inaugural editorial board and named comanaging editor for publication and design for Research Development Review: The NORDP Journal.” ❯ Connie Harvey Lamb writes, “Ed and I decided to spend our 35th anniversary reconnecting with some other Knox couples who got married in 1988. First we traveled to St. Louis to catch a Cardinals baseball game with Jeff ’87 and Merris Russell Hennenfent. Then we headed to Chicago to spend the day with Paul and Terry Malcom Downey ’87. While in the city, we also got to spend some time with Raquel Rochelle ’86. It’s fantastic to be able to continue these friendships after all this time!” ❯ Thanks to all! We always look forward to receiving your news.

Class Correspondents: Margaret VerKoulen Lynn mvlynn@comcast.net Jane Davis jedavis_ill@hotmail.com

Class Knox living kidney donor.

2023 Alumni Achievement Award Christopher J. DeWald, M.D. ’83 Christopher J. DeWald, M.D. ’83 is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in spinal deformity and scoliosis in pediatric and adult patients at Rush University Medical Center. In addition to being a member of Rush’s Department of Neurosurgery, he is also a member of a number of professional organizations and has lectured nationally and internationally on advanced spinal surgery techniques. DeWald was voted among the top 10 to 15 percent of doctors in America by U.S. News and World Report and Castle Connolly, a high-quality reference guide to the medical profession.

During winter and summer breaks, DeWald has hosted numerous clinical shadowing experiences for Knox students pursuing a career in medicine. These opportunities have allowed students to work with medical staff and engage with patients, providing real-world opportunities to learn more about caring for patients.

Why did you choose to attend Knox?

I started my career at the University of Illinois, where both my parents attended. When I submitted my paperwork to transfer to Knox, they remembered my name and still had my application from when I applied to Knox years before. That kind of welcoming, personal feeling is what really stood out.

My experience here was so much different.

KENT KRIEGSHAUSER

Greetings from hot and humid Iowa. Although, by the time you read this, the weather will have cooled down significantly! It was lovely to hear from so many of you this time around. Since the pandemic began, it has seemed more difficult to keep in touch and I’m hoping that going forward, we’ll all feel a bit more like sharing what is going on in our lives. So let’s see what’s up with our classmates! ❯ First up, Mike Boyd: “Susan Hagrelius ’85 and I were married at Old Main on July 30, 2022.” Congratulations, Mike and Susan! I can only imagine how beautiful a wedding in Old Main would be. May you enjoy many years of happiness. ❯ David Johnson is headed to New Zealand for the women’s World Cup with his daughter at the end of July. He still lives in Portland, Oregon, where he does IT for the Oregon State Bar (staff since 1987, member since 1989). ❯ Rachel Hall writes, “I’ve just finished my 29th year teaching English and creative writing at SUNY Geneseo. In June, I’ll be meeting Anna Leahy, Ph.D. ’88 and Mary Cantrell in Chicago. From there, we’re going to Door County, where we have a two-week writing residency at Write On, Door County. I’m very excited to get to write alongside some of my favorite Knox friends and writers! I’m not sure what Mary and Anna will be working on, but I’ll be completing a collection of short stories about gun violence. Stories from the collection have appeared recently in Scoundrel Time (scoundreltime.com/what-was-sent/) and Bellevue Review (blreview.org/fiction/avtomat-kalashnikova/ and blreview.org/nonfiction/semantics/).” Way to go, Rachel! ❯ Sterrett Collins, Ph.D. is now the pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Cobden, Illinous, near Carbondale. ❯ I heard from Tony Phillips last fall but was remiss in getting his information to you. Post-pandemic, he’s taken up basketball again and is pleased that shows and concerts are up and running. He works for CGI as a business analyst and subject matter expert on intellectual property, usually with state and local governments. At least, that’s the simplified explanation. For snicks, he also shared the following anecdote: “Once, when I was back home from Australia for a few weeks, I had to do an expedited renewal of my passport, so I went to the local Department of State office in Chicago. As the clerk reviewed my paperwork, she said, ‘You work for CGI?’ ‘Yeah,”’ I replied, confused about why that was important. ‘So do I!’ she said, flashing her lanyard. I’d completely forgotten we run the passport agency offices!” So now you know one of the things CGI does. ❯ Sonia Lichtenwalter, Lisa Metz, and Laurel Andrew were on campus in June to celebrate the graduation of Andrea Bradshaw ’23, daughter of the late Barbara Zemek. We’re all so proud of Andrea and we know Barb would be also. ❯ Finally, I myself have a job change to announce. After six years as a nursing home chaplain, I accepted a new call as pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, still

Alumni Achievement Award Winner

1986

What are some of the highlights of your medical career?

I work on complex spinal disorders. A large percentage of my work is with teenagers with scoliosis, which is a curvature of the spine. I take pride in being able to take care of cases that other people don’t like to take. It can be a challenge, which is why I continue doing it. I’ll be 62 this year and I have no plans of retiring anytime soon.

It’s very rewarding taking care of these patients. Many of them have been rejected for care. When I am able to take care of them, they become patients for life. Even from across the countries, I’ll get updates on them. My career has been very rewarding because of my personal connection with those patients.

I’ve traveled around the country giving talks about scoliosis alongside other doctors. I’ve even operated in other countries. It’s been a fulfilling career. I think the foundation of it all was made at Knox and I’m thankful for that.

Watch a video interview with Christopher at magazine.knox.edu.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

61

Glen Robyne (Robinson) ’88 plans to climb in Muscatine, Iowa. It was a needed change and the congregation is very supportive as I continue to care for my 90-year-old father at home.

Hoping to see you all at Homecoming ’23!

Class Correspondent: Susan Bantz sbantz001@luthersem.edu

1987

I finally reached out for a current set of email addresses, and here is the news from the Class of ’87. ❯ For me, 2027 will be my teaching retirement year and our 40th Reunion (that is hard to believe). ❯ Johanna Chodorowska, ND says, “I am still here in the Philly ’burbs. Same house, same business, although I have added eating disorder recovery coaching, too. So healing body, mind, and soul so athletes can perform better plus love their body, their life, their choices, and their sport.” ❯ Jacqui Villarreal-Peters, M.D. writes, “I’m currently the director of anesthesiology at Methodist Hospitals in northwest Indiana.

I have been traveling a lot these days and have visited over 60 countries. I’m trying to hit 100! I will be a first-time grandparent and looking forward to seeing my granddaughter in October 2023.” ❯ Dave Darling shared: “I am retired, and spending much of the year in Kona with my wife and our three cats. I’m making ceramics and volunteering at the Hawaii Island Humane Society.” ❯ Jack Templeton checked in with no big news to share. ❯ Barbara Kupperman O’Connor said, “My son celebrated his bar mitzvah in January 2023; we are all enjoying not having additional tutoring lessons on Sunday mornings! Some Knox folks made it to the service—Kyna Byerly, Jeremy Duke ’90, and Mary Cantrell ’86. We are going to Spain this summer and visiting my nephew and his family who now call Murcia home. It will be my first time back in Barcelona since 1986.” ❯ Amy Whistler Nykamp wrote, “I have been living in Sonoma County, California, since 1987. In May 2019, I completed my Master of Library and Information Sciences and changed careers to become a librarian. I currently work as an extra-help reference librarian for my county’s public library system and am enjoying every minute of it! My husband and I are celebrating our 29th anniversary on June 11 and our eldest daughter, Eleanor (now 27), is celebrating her first anniversary on June 4.

Our younger daughter, Rachel (22), is coaching gymnastics and is majoring in kinesiology at Sonoma State University. John has his own accounting business and with my work being flexible, we have the time to travel. In fact, we’re leaving for the Galapagos for 12 days on June 11 (spending our anniversary on planes).” ❯ Liz Miller-Janz shares, “My husband and I have been married for 21 years now and live in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. I never thought I would see the day, but after 28 years at Kraft Heinz leading promotional programs, I was laid off last year. As they say, things happen for a reason. I decided to open my own marketing consulting business,

62

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

with the prodding of one of my dearest friends Kristyn Olson Doemling, and am loving both the freedom and variety it brings. For the last eight months, I have been a client leadership director at a fantastic creative agency working on both the Anheuser-Busch and Mars-Wrigley accounts. Beer, candy, and pet food: what more could a girl ask for? As for my Knox friends, in addition to keeping in touch with Kristyn, I love staying connected with many of my Tri-Delta sisters and other Knoxies on Facebook. What a testament to the friendships made at Knox that many of us are still in touch after all of these years!” ❯ Adina Teska said, “I am an attorney in Indianapolis, Indiana. My husband is an attorney also. We have two daughters. My youngest, Amanda, is a student at Purdue University in the engineering department and my oldest, Kaitlin, is a student at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. We are all doing well.” ❯ Jim Lenke shares, “This past spring while attending a space conference in Colorado Springs, I was able to connect with Casey Jones. Currently residing next to the most easterly point in the U.S. and working towards experiments in space with my high school students. Thank goodness for FB and my Knox Family.” ❯ And on that note, I agree 100%. My Knox life led to so many amazing life adventures and friendships. If you did not receive an information request via email from me, please send Knox your current email for next time.

Have a wonderful 2023!

Class Correspondent: Lisabeth Belman lisabeth1208@verizon.net

1988

Hello everyone! I have more updates to share with you. If I can average 10 updates per magazine, then I can have a good class notes submission for at least 10 years! ❯ Medha Deoras-Sutliff has been working in cancer nonprofit and patient advocacy for almost 20 years.

She is currently a project management consultant with the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance.

Medha lives near Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Gary, their four kids and pup Raja.

Connect with her at www.linkedin.com/in/ mdeorassutliff. ❯ Jackie Jordan Morrical is recently retired after 29 years at GDIT/Maximus and lives in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, with husband, Andy. She spent much of the spring traveling to watch her daughter play softball at Macalester College in St. Paul and connecting with Knox classmates along the way including Karen Gebhart Runyon and Mandy Skypala. ❯ Karen Gebhart Runyon lives in Clarksville, Tennessee, and works as a grants accountant at Austin Peay State University. She is now single and has three grown children, ages 33, 31, and 24. She is still running and occasionally enters a race. ❯ Ann Kapoun resides in Mountain View, California.

She is semi-retired from biotech and started a nonprofit helping families with children with developmental disabilities. ❯ Amanda McCoy

Luthy is married to Allen Luthy and they have two adult children. Nick is in Nashville (26) and Claire is in Chandler, Arizona (23). They have lived in the Nashville area for over 20 years. She has been in the trust/finance industry for the past six years. She shares that she remembers so many things about Knox—very grateful for ALL the experiences and education! ❯ Glen Robyne (Robinson) is starting his 22nd year as a campus pastor at Purdue University (Wesley Foundation, a wonderfully diverse ministry). He hopes to experience his seventh trip to Africa next summer and is hoping to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. He has invited anyone who wants to come with them!

He recently celebrated his second anniversary with his spouse, Marybeth, with a trip to France.

His son leaves for the Peace Corps in Senegal in September. His daughter is starting her final year at Purdue in elementary education. ❯ Lisa Crause is working for a medical start-up, providing community paramedicine in underserved communities. Outside of work, just chasing her almost six-year-old and asking herself everyday “what was I thinking” becoming a parent so late in life. They have taken trips to Denver to see Mike Shragal, Montana to see Julie AndersonBauer, and Wisconsin to see Marie Mathis-Waitr. ❯ Sarah Dahl is working as an academic advisor at Metro State University in the Twin Cities. She’s been in academic advising for 28 years and in higher education since 1989. Her son, Will, just completed his freshman year at UW-Madison. She and husband, Steve, are enjoying empty nesting but happy to have Will home for the summer. She’s done some acting/musical theater in her spare time and loves reading, traveling, gardening, cooking, and long walks with Steve or BFF Kathy Peregrine Fryxell, Ph.D. ’86. Life is good! ❯ Linda Noer Peart recently relocated to Clinton, Missouri, and accepted the HR manager position at Champion Brands, LLC, now part of PLZ Corp.

She spends a lot of time reading. Linda and her daughter spend a lot of time and money on their crochet habits and two dogs. ❯ Since my last update, my daughter Brittany received her FSA from the Society of Actuaries. She is finally done with all of those exams. Later that same month, she got engaged, so we are officially wedding planning. Such an exciting time! ❯ Please continue to reach out with updates in your life, achievements, and any milestones. See you at our 35th Reunion and Homecoming.

Class Correspondent: Tracy Brandon TracyDB531@gmail.com

1989

Class Correspondent: Mia Jiganti mjiganti@prodigy.net

1990

If you’re interested in serving as a class correspondent for the Class of 1990, please contact Stephanie McMillan at sdmcmillan@knox.edu.

Class Knox Mt. Kilimanjaro next summer.

1992

Jennifer Maher Coleman wrote that she is living in Ballston Spa, New York, with her husband, Paul, and their two 15-year-olds, Sonja and Asa. Her commission-based painting business Your Toy Portrait (www.yourtoyportrait.com) is in its 15th year. She fronts two synth-pop bands, Architrave and Haley Moley, which can be found on Bandcamp and streaming everywhere. ❯ Brett Barnhart writes, “Lots of exciting things are happening in the Barnhart household. In 2022, my son, Broderick, ended his tour with the Air Force and moved back home to a house that we are working on renovating. Bridget Barnhart ’18 just finished her four years with the Navy at the end of May and has also moved back home.

This January, we purchased a horse boarding facility, where Broderick works full time. There, we board about 50 horses and that, as well as my full-time job, keeps the family very busy!”

Class Correspondent: Tammy Thorsen Ragnini rragnini1@yahoo.com

1993

Class Correspondent: Rebecca Gillan rebecca.m.gillan@gmail.com

1994

SUBMITTED

LaShawn Brownlee graduated June 2022 from DePaul University with her Master of Science in Nursing. She was certified and licensed as an adult gerontology nurse oractitioner (NP) as of February 2023. She’ll be retiring from Abbott (21 years!) soon, to work full-time as an NP. ❯ Bob Connour continues as faculty at Owens Community College in northwest Ohio. He’s been teaching biology there for 23 years. He and his wife, Jackie, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, and their three kids are working, in college, or finishing high school. ❯ Tammy Rosen shares

Nicole Havelka ’95 speaking at Knox’s Ignite Your Fire event.

SUBMITTED

Class Correspondent: Jonathan Sheinkop jonathansheinkop@hotmail.com

that “I hit the USA Today list five times in 2022 (15 total now) with my romance pen name Renee Rose.” ❯ I’ve been busy since our last update with work, travel, and children, feeling things are on the upswing in life, a momentary weightlessness at peak. My eldest at 15 years old is taller than me and makes sure I know that she knows WAY MORE than I do. My son at 12 years old is getting tween angst. My newly minted 10-yearold is too leggy to be my baby. How time flies and flies. Be well, everyone.

Class Correspondent: Lisa Preston-Hsu story.of.a.kitchen@gmail.com

1995

Welcome to another installment of Class Notes: 1995 Edition. Hey, it’s Nicole, your Class Correspondent: and I have news of my own: I went back to visit Knox after at least eight years and I will not wait so long again! I was honored to be one of the featured speakers at Knox’s first Ignite Your Fire event gathering entrepreneurs and explorers. If you had told me, an English and theater major, that I’d be coming back to Knox someday to tell my entrepreneurial stories, I would have told you that was nuts. But, there I was, in spring 2023, at Knox telling my messy story of starting Defy the Trend (defythetrend.com), a community geared toward helping individuals and organizations recover from and prevent burnout. I met students who eagerly raised their hands when asked if they were interested in starting a business someday.

Wow! I was so impressed with them. I also got to connect with so many alumni who were eager to tell their stories of starting and running their businesses. It was wonderful to be with so many who were HONEST about how messy and difficult that journey is, offering each other and students support. Thanks to the whole staff at the Bastian Family Center for Career Success and the Alumni Engagement office for hosting this event.

I can’t wait to come back next time you host the event. That experience inspired me to ask you about your entrepreneurial and/or creative career journeys. I managed to get Scott Wilson to respond, but I know more of you are out there.

Please email me with your stories, I’d love to hear them and maybe share again in the next Knox Notes. ❯ Scott Wilson, who majored in English with a concentration in environmental studies, has run his carpentry business since the year 2000, setting out on his own with only a pickup truck, a skill saw, and limited skills. He took any job he could find and then used his liberal arts background to figure out how to get the job done, thereby steadily perfecting the process of winging it. As his skill in woodworking has increased, so have his margins diminished. Now he chooses the reward of creating over the monetary gains of production. He wishes only to live as an artist in his community, to play his harmonica, grow his garden, take hikes with good conversations, learn Spanish and Swahili, tutor at

Scott Wilson ’95 with one of his woodworking sculptures.

the literacy center, and make things from wood.

He is a lousy entrepreneur. Being incessantly optimistic and uncomfortable with excessive profit, his modus operandi is underbidding jobs and finishing them anyway, all too often working for very low rates for very wealthy patrons. He envisions a society where artists don’t need to be constantly marketing themselves or creating art with marketability as a priority, which, in his opinion, thereby guts the soul of the art. ❯ Alex Dye was able to be part of a great honor of one of our classmates: our very own Jeremy Butler was recognized with a Knox College Alumni Achievement Award for his work as the CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). Jeremy has been a tireless advocate for veterans and most recently worked to support the passage of the PACT Act to protect and support veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. Jeremy was recognized along with three other alumni at a series of events and a ceremony showcasing their outstanding accomplishments. Jeremy’s wife, Jennifer Simon, and Alex Dye made the trip to Galesburg in May

SUBMITTED

1991

Jeremy Butler ’95 and Alex Dye ’95.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

63

“On January 30 (my 40th birthday), we welcomed our daughter,

Jeremy Butler ’95 Jeremy Butler currently holds a position on the board of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), where he most recently served as CEO. After graduating from Knox, Butler served as a naval officer. He spent several months on active duty both overseas and in the United States and is currently a captain in the Navy Reserves.

Butler is an advocate for our military, our country, and Knox College. He has made it a priority to fight for veterans to ensure they have the assistance they need to thrive.

Why did you attend Knox?

I was made aware of Knox by a family friend who graduated from Knox in 1991. After hearing such great things about the College, it went promptly to the top of my list. Another big draw for me was the lacrosse team. The size of the school was also a major factor; the small classes were really ideal for me.

KENT KRIEGSHAUSER

What inspired you to become an advocate for veterans’ affairs?

When I left active duty and shifted into the navy reserves, I started getting more active in the reserve community. It connected me to a lot of incredible people who struggled once they left active duty. I personally had a smooth transition, but I realized that for many, that wasn’t the case. Whether it was unemployment, lack of insurance, or just not getting the benefits they deserved, I wanted to help.

Life after service can be a struggle and I wanted to be able to help my fellow veterans in need. It resonated so much with me to be able to work with veterans who sacrificed so much to get the resources they earned and deserved as civilians.

What we find with so many post-9/11 veterans is that they joined the military to serve their country but when they get out of their time in the service, they want to continue in a different capacity. Helping them find a way back into that service is so rewarding for me.

Watch a video interview with Jeremy at magazine.knox.edu.

64

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

Alumni Achievement Award Winner

2023 Alumni Achievement Award

2023 to celebrate Jeremy’s recognition and to grab an Alfano’s breadstick and a celebratory cocktail at Cherry Street. Alex and Jenner Lee Dye ’93 live in Milwaukee with their two daughters, Hazel (16) and Hattie (12). They will be traveling to New York and Colorado this summer. Alex spent the last 20 years as an IT leader at Master Lock and recently made a move to Milwaukee Tool to lead their product value chain strategy. Jeremy and Alex are in regular contact with Pete Brown who splits time between New York and Colorado with his wife, Leo Ponce. Pete spends his time as a senior strategist and advisor to Democratic campaigns, nonprofits, and corporate clients. ❯ Thanks for sharing your stories, friends. Let me know more about your creative journeys!

Class Correspondent: Nicole Havelka defythetrend@gmail.com

1996

Class Correspondent: Kathryn Dix Biallas kathybiallas@gmail.com

1997

Class Correspondent: Chip Chandler knoxclassof97@gmail.com

1998

I spent a week on campus this past spring while Aerial Dance Chicago brought classes and performances for the Knox and Galesburg community. It felt good to be at Knox. Knox definitely still feels like home, the familiar grounds, the scent of the old buildings, the Round Room in CFA, even the various staircases brought back fond memories. I saw longtime cafeteria worker Henry Wooten! When Kris Nelson saw that I reconnected with Henry, he commented “Every time he’d see Erik ’96 or me, Henry would say, ‘What’s going on, bleach!’” The visit has inspired me to make it to Knox more often. From the updates below you’ll see that our class has been busy accepting awards, achieving career milestones, making big moves, and staying in touch with each other. Let’s keep up the good work! ❯ Jennifer Pfeifer Haydel excels in academia: “In December, I was recognized with a Civic Engagement Award by Transform MidAtlantic for my work developing a community engagement program that brought together students at Montgomery College and Allegany College of Maryland. I was also recently appointed acting chair of the Germantown Humanities Department at Montgomery College.” ❯ Ben Gaa shared news of his newest publication: “Happy to announce that my sixth book of haiku & senryu, One Note Moon, is one of three winners in the Brooks Books 2023 Chapbook Series. It’s available for purchase through the publisher’s site (www.brooksbookshaiku.com).” ❯ Debra De Crane has launched into retirement with a bright perspective: “I

Class Knox Anastasia Stephen, to the world.” —Marissa Parkin ’05 completed my 32nd year at Knox in ITS and promptly retired at the end of January. My tuition was an employee benefit. I took one class each and every term for seven years to complete my BA. I teach yoga at Knox in the fitness center mirror room and am around campus for special events. We have seven grandchildren, and Dennis and I are enjoying retirement. I volunteer weekly at a local food/clothing pantry. Family, friends, retirement, and health, what is not to love. Life is great!” ❯ Michael Vanlandingham checked in from Arkansas: “Hello class of 1998. I am really excited for our 25th Reunion this fall. I am recovering from three different surgeries this summer so I have not been as busy as usual. I had my left knee scoped to remove a torn meniscus and I have had carpal tunnel surgery in both hands two weeks apart. I have been able to make a garden this year, though I have had to take it easy. I saw Season Clauss when she stopped through Arkansas on a motorcycle excursion through the Boston and Ozark mountains. It was great to catch up. I still work in the early childhood sector although I am no longer in the classroom. I took a job as the maintenance manager for all four schools. There are plans to expand Little Martians Learning Centers to nine schools within a few years so I will stay busy. Hope to see you all this fall at Homecoming.” ❯ Season Clauss has made motorcycling her business: “In early April, I headed to north central Arkansas knowing Michael Vanlandingham was there and hearing what great motorcycle riding was there. After a storytellers event, where motorcyclists tell tales on stage related to a theme and motorcycles, for my company, Blah Blah Blah Motorcycles, I trailered my ’21 Royal Enfield Himalayan and drove down to spend a few days riding the twisties and rolling roads. The trip did not disappoint. The area is stunning to ride and I had a blast. However, the high point was meeting up with classmate, Michael, and his partner, Tracey. We met at a local restaurant which held a lifetime of memories, had a delicious meal, and caught up on all things not shared on social media. What a great spring break!” ❯ Autumn Anderson has plans for a cross-country move: “After many years in the Chicago area, in 2020 I moved to the high deserts of southern California near Palm Springs. It was amazing to have Joshua Tree National Park only 30 minutes away, and I have come to really appreciate the completely different type of beauty in this landscape. It was also great to see Lindsay Hansen Brown ’99 so often in LA! It is now time to move again, to the opposite coast - upstate New York! Looking forward to seeing the leaves change color next fall!”

Class Correspondent: Kip Conwell kipconwell@gmail.com

If you’re interested in serving as class correspondent for the Class of 1999, please contact Stephanie McMillan at sdmcmillan@knox.edu.

2000

Class Correspondent: Jennifer Parker parker_jen78@yahoo.com

2001 2002

Heather Frankland’s first poetry chapbook, Midwest Musings, is set to be published by Finishing Line Press in October. Heather lives and works in New Mexico, where she is an assistant professor of English composition at Western New Mexico University, but her poems show that she still considers the Midwest one of her homes.

Included in the chapbook is artwork by Tina Browder ’03, who also did the cover art. ❯ Courtney Wiles Taylor writes: “My husband, John Taylor, and I have been living in Las Vegas, Nevada since July 2018 to be closer to his relatives. We both work in the fifth largest school district and we are fortunate enough to work at the same school. I am a teacher and he is an assistant. I taught 5th grade for one year and have been teaching kindergarten for four years, and I love it! Kindergarten is the foundation for the love and excitement of owning their learning. We bought a house in April 2019 that includes an amazing pool with a waterfall feature. Currently, we have John’s dad and his wife living with us.

Our goal is to go from foster to adoption in the near future. We were saddened that we couldn’t make it to Homecoming 2022 and definitely plan on making it in 2027!” ❯ Alana Surdock King and Daniel King ‘01 moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2019. Alana taught 3rd grade for four years there but is excited to be teaching ELL this upcoming school year. Dan is an environmental, health, and safety manager for a local recreational company. Their two boys, Austin and Colten, are thriving in school and will be a junior and sophomore, respectively. ❯ Norman Golar, Ph.D. has been promoted from dean of arts and sciences to vice president for student affairs at Stillman College. He has worked at Stillman

SUBMITTED

1999

Jason Kesselring has been named a 2022-2023 St. Louis Public Educator of the Year! He teaches secondary science at McKinley High School.

Congrats, Jason!

SUBMITTED

Class Correspondent: Kelly Flenniken kmarlin407@gmail.com

Heather Frankland’s ’02 first poetry chapbook, Midwest Musings.

Chris Rollins ’05 and Tara Converse Rollins ’05 with their newborn son.

College since fall 2010.

Class Correspondent: Jennifer Wreyford jwreyford@gmail.com

2003

Class Correspondent: Allison O’Mahen Malcom allison.o.malcom@gmail.com

2004

Class Correspondent: Susan C. Vitous Johnson susanvitousjohnson@yahoo.com

2005

Tara Converse Rollins writes, “2023 has been a big year! My husband, Chris Rollins ’04, and I welcomed our son, Samuel James Converse Rollins, in April. I continue to work as a licensed professional counselor and dance/movement therapist at a private practice located in Madison, Wisconsin, where we have now lived for 13 years.

I joined a dance company in February this year and it’s been so great to get back to dancing again. Chris is the operations manager for Nations Lending in Monona, Wisconsin. He still picks up his saxophone whenever a good music opportunity presents itself. We were disappointed to not be able to make our yearly trip back to campus for the Rootabaga Jazz festival this year so we can’t wait to get back to Knox to show Sam where it all began!” ❯ Matt Koch writes, “I was recently promoted to director of software engineering at Slalom Build. My girlfriend and I are looking at houses in Denver. Fingers crossed we find our dream home before next winter. Hope everyone is doing well and having a great year!” ❯ Marissa Parkin writes, “On January 30 (my 40th birthday), we welcomed our daughter,

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

65

“You have to see a life-sized butter cow in person to Anastasia Stephen, to the world. We’re over the moon in love with her, as is big sister, Zadie. My 40th wasn’t the glamorous event I’d envisioned, so we’re off to Italy for a celebration with grandparents and friends in August. We’re also looking forward to an extended trip to the U.S. at Christmas and Anastasia can try out her shiny new U.S. passport.”

2006

Heather Lynch writes, “In fall 2023, I passed the American Board of Toxicology examination and am now a board-certified toxicologist!” ❯ Kate Langridge has been teaching middle school art for five years in Kingwood, Texas. ❯ Ashley Palar Look writes, “I am still living in Seattle where I now occasionally see Kelli Refer ’08 and Tom Fucoloro ’08 at child care pick up and drop off. I have been working with VitalTalk for six years, and was recently promoted to director of client solutions. I work with health organizations to provide clinician communication skills training opportunities. I was delighted to connect with so many Knox College choir friends as we celebrated Laura Lane’s retirement this spring at the home tour concert.” ❯ From Carrie Carnes: “My husband and I have been back in Galesburg for a couple of years now, with me working at Trinity Lutheran Church. In spring 2022, I graduated from Emory University, Atlanta with a doctor of ministry degree. In December, my husband was hired as the pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Galesburg. We are enjoying living in Galesburg and both serving here in the community.” ❯ Mary Kiolbasa and her longtime partner, Josh Miller, eloped last September on the fall equinox. ❯ Mary Tibbets writes, “I am doing well, living in Austin, Texas, with my dog and my cat. During the past year, I’ve been fortunate to be able to see a lot of my fellow Knox alumni. In May 2022, I went to the postponed Class of 2006 Reunion at Knox and spent some quality time on campus with Lana Bernico ’05, Jenni Davids, Leanne Lilly, Chelsea Lynn, and Will Yeager ’07. In July, I also visited Jenni in Springfield, Illinois, to go to the Illinois State Fair. You have to see a life-sized butter cow in person to truly comprehend its majesty. Then, in November, I had a long layover in Chicago during which I was able to see Lana Bernico ’05, Cameron Lilly, Chelsea Lynn, and Will Yeager before meeting up with Jenni Davids at O’Hare. Jenni and I flew on to Iceland for a one-week trip that was absolutely incredible, despite the northern lights evading us. We hiked to many waterfalls, explored an ice cave in a glacier, and rode Icelandic horses, among other adventures. This year, I visited Leanne Lilly in Columbus, Ohio in March, and Xing Jin ’05 visited me in Austin in June. Jin and I also made plans to travel together later this year.” ❯ From Kathryn Longo: “This year has brought a lot of change. We bought a house in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, where I work from home for

66

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

Arcadis as a project manager. We adopted a six-month-old black lab/great pyrenees mix named Bosley just a few weeks ago and are enjoying the fun and challenges of having a big puppy!” ❯ Emily Woodruff graduated with a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. She is a licensed therapist working with people diagnosed with a substance use disorder in combination with other mental health diagnoses. ❯ From Erika Barrish: “Our family finally moved to our (partly) owner-built homestead off the grid in northern California. Five-year-old Clara promptly caught a goat in the local rodeo animal scramble, so we are apparently jumping in feet-first to the homesteading lifestyle. I wrapped up my first year as a homeschool teacher with an independent study charter schoo, and am really enjoying empowering families to educate their children while they benefit from many of the social opportunities available through a school.” ❯ Megan Gamble writes, “I’ve seen a lot of Knox friends over the past year or so! In the fall of 2022, I saw Graham Troyer-Joy ’08 and Pammy Schuller ’09 in NYC. For New Year’s, I went through Austin, Texas, for the first time, meeting up with Ann Hernandez and spending some very fun time with Scott Doughty ’07 and Erin Fahrer ’07. In January 2023, Sara Eldridge ’07 came through D.C. and we had a great dinner and drinks. (I promise if you come visit me in DC, I’ll show you a good time!!) In February 2023, Emaad Hassan ’07 came through town and introduced me to his cousin, another Knoxie in D.C., Hamza Akhtar ’16! In May, Claire Valentine-Fossum ’09 bid D.C. farewell to head back west. As I write this update, I’m preparing to head up to NYC for another visit, and hoping to see a handful of Knoxies again. So grateful for my lifelong network of Knox friends!”

Class Correspondent: Megan Rehberg megan.rehberg@gmail.com

2007

Hi everyone!!! It’s that time—Class of 2007 notes. Michael and I thank you for your patience as we both dealt with some significant life changes over the past few years. Feel free to send us updates anytime and we will be sure to include them in an upcoming issue. ❯ Maadie Hassan states, “Still living and tracking viruses in Juba, South Sudan. Had my first category five whitewater rafting experience in Jinja, Uganda, at the source of the Nile River. It was a near-death experience and I have no plans to raft again.

Plans to explore more of East Africa while being here. Miss my Knox family!” ❯ Monica (Schroeder) Boothe has been busy writing young adult fantasy novels. Most recently, she launched a historical fantasy pirate novel called Sinking Sands. Monica lives in the D.C. region with her husband and three children. ❯ Sarah Wylder writes, “I graduated last week with an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in school psychology from George Fox University. My

husband of 15 years, Vainateya Deshpande, and I live in Lake Oswego, Oregon, with our two children and our very old dog.”

Class Correspondents: Laura J. Wentink Marcasciano ljmarcasciano@gmail.com Michael C. Sales KnoxClassof2007@gmail.com

2008

Ben Fitzpatrick says “Chelsea DeJonge Fitzpatrick ’10 and I are back to our summer travels. This year it’s Scotland! Hard to believe it’s our 15th Homecoming this year.” ❯ Pam Bell Lozano recently got promoted to resource development and marketing manager for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis! ❯ Megan Hall is part of a circus company, Soul Penny Circus, based in Denver. They will be performing in August at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest fringe festival! ❯ Jessica Strache had a group of Knox students visit her office as part of their professional immersion experience in Chicago. They visited quite a few offices while in the city. She enjoyed showing them the office and answering their thoughtful questions! ❯ Eric Swanson says, “First time updater, long time reader of class notes. Wanda Wren turns one this summer. Finley the seven-year-old has been loving reading and playing with her sister. Jess and I are attempting to build a magical backyard space in the broiling heat of Savannah. We both work as educators year-round which keeps everyone busy. It is a beautiful life.” ❯ Graham Troyer-Joy has been living in Brooklyn for five whole years now, where he cohabitates with his partner of seven (whole) years and two (mostly whole) cats. He did his first century ride (on a bike he bought from his roommate during the Obama administration), had seven drawings on display in a group show in SoHo that Megan Gamble ‘06 came to, and is coming to Homecoming this year with Brittany Alsot, Ellie Poley ’10, and Madeleine Clay. ❯ Erica Stringfellow Tully has been running around and enjoying Chicago with her two-year-old son, Jude. She visited Donald Rogers ’09 at a vintage pop-up just so she could hang out with him (but if you are in Chicago, check out Butch Queen Vintage). She has also been traveling to see many bands and artists who have decided to go on post-pandemic tours and taking tennis lessons.

Class Correspondent: Erica Stringfellow Tully e.stringfellow4@gmail.com

2009

Anita Longhini Knez still lives, gardens, and regularly overcommits herself in Minneapolis with her husband, two school-aged daughters, and two dogs. She enjoyed a visit from Beccah Lanni ’10 in August 2022 shortly before starting at the Minnesota Department of Human Services as a data and compliance specialist, which she promises is much more interesting (but probably not

Class Knox truly comprehend its majesty.” —Mary Tibbets ’06

Kathy Brown will celebrate four years breast cancer-free this fall! After being unable to travel for many years, she took a trip to Denver and will be heading to GenCon for a gaming convention.

She’s been happily living in Chicago for 10 years now. ❯ Sarah Colangelo says, “I’m learning to sew and thinking about working on a digital zine about the 2008-2013 television series Fringe.

I still work for the Admission Office at Knox (regionally, now) and I’m happy to help your high-school-aged family friends navigate the college search process.” ❯ Jessa Dahl says, “After a year as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas, I’m returning to Knox in the fall of ’23 as an assistant professor in the history department. I’ll be teaching classes on East Asian history, transnational history, and digital humanities.” ❯ Ginny Graves says, “In the last year, I’ve been keeping busy with a new job, marathon number four, and lots of travel. I try to balance the crazy by catching up with Chicago-area Knox alums and spending as much time on the Chicago lakefront as possible.” ❯ Sandy Guttman and her partner, Todd, purchased a storefront apartment in the Heart of Chicago neighborhood of the city. In March, they launched Curb Appeal Gallery, an apartment gallery committed to working with disabled artists while providing creative accommodations for accessing art. Email info@curbappeal.gallery to schedule a visit and meet their gallery dog, Momo! ❯ Maaya Ikeda says, “I quit my academic career during the pandemic, moved from Texas to Massachusetts,

2023 Young Alumni Achievement Award Ladipo Lawani ’08 During his sophomore year at Knox, Ladipo Lawani ’08 started a nongovernmental organization (NGO) in Nigeria to train youth to become entrepreneurs. He was named one of Forbes Africa’s 30 under 30 for being one of Africa’s “most promising young changemakers.”

Lawani is the founder of L&L Foods, a food processing and packaging company focused on the Nigerian market that sources its products from local farmers. In 2016, L&L Foods won the Columbia Business School Shark Tank competition and in 2017, it won the Nigerian Economic Summit startup competition.

Lawani is also a board member of the Bethesda Child Support Agency, which provides free education to orphans and vulnerable children.

Why did you attend Knox?

My mom helped me narrow down my list of liberal arts colleges and we did a lot of research.

We applied to a few, but Knox stuck out due to the level of correspondence. It felt like Knox wanted me more than the others, and I was drawn to that.

KENT KRIEGSHAUSER

2010

Alumni Achievement Award Winner

more exciting) than it sounds. ❯ Mike Callahan is living his life a quarter mile at a time in the Denver, Colorado, area. ❯ Sarah (Williams) Pokorny got married in October 2022, and she and her husband, Ben, are expecting their first child at the end of July 2023! She also got a promotion at her job in February 2023. While she still has the time, Sarah indulges in playing a bit too much D&D and video games. ❯ This year, Jasmin Tomlins transitioned to a full-time life on the road! She’s now living out of her car, traveling from coast to coast with a troupe of jousters (horses and armor and all), using all the vocal skills she learned with the Knox College Choir to make stadiums full of festival goers laugh and cheer, and to teach yet another generation of children that running away to join the circus is a viable career path. ❯ Carly Kirven ’11 writes, “my brother, Zach Kirven, married this past fall. There were several alumni at the wedding, so we took a Knox photo.” ❯ Sam Jarvis was promoted to fifth degree black belt last fall and continues to travel home to train at the Galesburg Kuk Sool Won and Kate graduated residency from the University of Iowa Family Medicine and Psychiatry Program. They are expecting their first child this fall.

Class Correspondent: Sam Jarvis samuelpaulleejarvis@gmail.com

How did Knox prepare you for your career?

Knox was instrumental in the way I work professionally. Before Knox, I would take each thought as a fact. At Knox, I learned to question and understand the thoughts of others around me.

But I also immersed myself in other areas, like jazz drumming. That curiosity helped me become who I am today. Knox wasn’t just focused on giving you technical skills. It helped me see the world through different perspectives. It gave me a different social framework to carry with me.

What advice would you give to current Knox students?

Being in college is an informative time. There are a lot of insecurities and vulnerabilities. If you’re not careful, you can shut yourself off inside your comfort zone. It’s important to grow your network and reach out. You have the opportunity to explore and the luxury of like-minded people all around you.

It’s also a time for balance. You need to discover yourself but also recognize that there is life after your undergrad. Your GPA matters, but you need to take advantage of what you’re being taught. Make sure you make the most of the time you have.

Watch a video interview with Ladipo at magazine.knox.edu.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

67

Franzesca Mayer ’13 is celebrating

SUBMITTED

husband Tim Feltman (Marist College ’06) in private practice part-time, and began working at Loyola University Chicago’s Wellness Center in November 2022. She and her family are finally settling into the Chicago bungalow they bought in January 2022. They celebrated her daughter Dahlia’s third birthday this past April. Gloria has been enjoying concerts like Taylor Swift and Fallout Boy to kick off this summer! ❯ Samantha Newport married Anna Walker on May 27th. Anna is a badass PA and Sam is a lucky bartending bitch. They raise sheep and lavender while doing their part to recruit self-sufficient queer socialists for the end of the world as we know it. Serious inquiries only. ❯ Maurice McDavid says “Samantha McDavid will be starting graduate school at Loyola in the fall where she will study children’s law and policy.

Maurice will graduate from NIU with an EdS in school administration and a school superintendent endorsement in August. Maurice is entering his fourth year as principal in West Chicago, Illinois, and Samantha will be taking over as the coordinator of early childhood programming for DeKalb Regional Office of Education. Their three children are now 9, 10, and 12 and are happy and healthy.” ❯ Rose Van Grinsven says, “I graduated with my master’s degree in library and information science from Chicago State University and will begin a new position as an elementary librarian at the international school I’ve been working at for the past 10 years in Bogota, Colombia. My first son was born last year, and we recently had a playdate with Aparna Kumar ’12 and her son. ❯ Carolyn Hill Hand popped out a kid and stopped being a lawyer.

10/10 recommend on both counts. ❯ Erin Coleman says, “In June, I earned my master’s degree in teaching and completed my first year as a mild-moderate special education teacher. I continue to reside in Denver with my girlfriend, Megan, and our dog, Huck.” ❯ Jordan Stoune says, “I still own and work at Prairie Paws Inn with my dad. I serve on my local library board and enjoy reading and flower gardening in my

and got an industry job at a software company (best decision I made). I’m in the Boston area with my husband and my son. My husband is not a Knox graduate, but got involved in the internship program last year, and he is hoping to do it again if there is another opportunity.” ❯ Ben Scott says, “After four years designing resilient shorelines with SCAPE Landscape Architecture in New York City, I’m going back to school to pursue a Ph.D. in geography at Rutgers and to teach in the Urban Placemaking and Management program at Pratt Institute. I also occasionally write for the New York Review of Architecture and hang out with my boyfriend and his pitbull, Baby.” ❯ Adam Soto’s second book, Concerning Those Who Have Fallen Asleep, was released fall ’22.

He and his wife finished building their house in ATX this summer. He was recently appointed the director of the Insider Prize, a literary award for incarcerated writers in Texas. ❯ Christy Starr says, “After 10 years in California, I am excited to be returning to the Midwest this summer as an assistant professor of educational psychology at University of Wisconsin, Madison. I’ll be returning newly married—to my wife, Tara Elsey! ❯ Caitlin Thompson and Jack Gallalee are still living life in Bloomington, Indiana, with a toddler and two cats. Caitlyn left teaching last year to become an assistant director for exploratory career coaching at Indiana University. Jack is still in regulatory affairs, but recently switched companies. In May, Rachel Deffenbaugh ’09 and Jon visited, and they are looking forward to seeing other Knox alums Mackenzie Loyet, Doug Fennig, and Michael Yu later this year. ❯ Kate Moon-Raess is in awe to have received Public Service Loan Forgiveness in June 2023, and in shock it will just be turned over to daycare for Jovie (4), Mac (2), and Kit (nine months). ❯ Joe Garbin and Cassie Milleville Garbin welcomed their son, Graham, in July 2022. They have loved watching him keep up with his big sister Gemma (2). ❯ Gloria Feliciano Feltman earned her LCSW in March 2022, joined her

68

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

SUBMITTED

Rose VanGrinsven ’10 and Aparna Kumar ’12 with their sons.

Liesl Pereira ’10 and Ashley Olson ’09.

old age. I got married October 1, 2022, and Liesl Pereira was the officiant. She’s the best preacher woman around! My husband and I have three dogs, Maddis, Dobby, and Porter.” ❯ Marc Dreyfuss and Erin Souza Dreyfuss officially have one kid in kindergarten! How did that happen?! ❯ Liesl Pereira and Ashley Olson ’09 welcomed a baby boy named Ayrton this spring.

He’s already a Knox superfan—he was born on Flunk Day! ❯ Clayton Besong was promoted to team lead and has baby number two coming soon. Had the pleasure of being in attendance of Laura Lane’s last choir concert while reuniting with some choir alumni. ❯ Krystle Susmani Hunter says “I just relocated to my fifth state after graduating from Knox. After graduating, I lived in Illinois for a few more years then returned to my home state of California for a master’s program in child life. After graduating, I began working at a children’s hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. I met my husband, Zach, in Las Vegas and after living there for five years we moved to San Antonio, Texas. We almost made it two years in Texas before needing a change. We just relocated from Texas to Florida. I obtained a child life supervisor job at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida. I am loving the new job and I have a great team. We are supporting patients and families during difficult times and hopefully making the hospital experience a little more positive. When I am not working, I attend Pilates classes, take the dog, Bayley, for walks, bake delicious treats to share with colleagues, read or listen to some great books, and get as much use as possible out of my Disney World annual pass to explore the various parks. I would love to connect if there are any Knox alums in the Tampa Bay area or even around Orlando.

Maybe we can meet up at Disney World sometime?” ❯ Dan Dyrda and Laura Miller Dyrda are a staple in Chicago’s South Loop with their abnormally tall son and adorable one-year-old daughter. Laura has been promoted to vice president of Becker’s Healthcare, a media company. ❯ Tasha Coryell graduated with her Ph.D. in composition and rhetoric, sold her debut novel, and welcomed her baby, Ronan Coryell, into the world. ❯ Brian Starr is surviving the heat in Phoenix, Arizona with his wonderful wife, Courtney. They got married last year and are now expecting a baby boy this summer! They also recently met up with Drew Meador and Sarah Ellis Meador ’07, and their daughter Olivia for Renaissance Fair fun in Arizona. He also considers himself to be one of the lucky ones by getting to use his Economics degree at his job where he evaluates the performance of Medicaid programs. ❯ Cami Woodruff and Chris Fennell welcomed their son Callen Peter FennellWoodruff on January 4. They also just bought a house in Everett, Washington, which makes them both first-time homeowners! She hopes they have maybe finally cracked adulthood in our mid-thirties.

Class Correspondent: Cassie Milleville c.milleville11@gmail.com

Class Knox four years with Cirque du Soleil.

2011

Mary Henderson has been a permanency supervisor with DCFS for about a year now. In September, she bought a house in Champaign with her boyfriend and the two welcomed a baby boy in March. If you can believe it, her daughter is now eight. Life is great! ❯ Tyler Hopfauf ’10 and Laura (Johnson) Hopfauf welcomed another baby girl in the fall of 2022. Recently she had works published in Blue Ridge Outdoors, Mother Earth News, GoWorld Travel, and Motherly.

Class Correspondent: Tim Schmeling trschmeling@gmail.com

2012

SUBMITTED

Ivy (Reid) Weede and husband, Matt Weede, welcomed their first child, Alder James, in June 2022. The family and their doggo, Xena, enjoy living in the country outside Nashville, Tennessee. ❯ Megan Funk and her husband, Jon Urban, joyfully welcomed their daughter, Astrid, earlier this year. They are slowly restoring an 1890s Philadelphia rowhouse, while living only a few blocks from Chalia Bellis ’11. Megan continues to design and manage public park construction/renovation projects in the city. ❯ Rachel Clark Cole and her family moved to Minnesota in July 2023. She will soon start as a research scientist at the University of Minnesota, studying neuromodulation as a therapy for movement disorders, as well as teaching courses at local small liberal arts colleges. Her husband is a pediatric neurologist at Masonic Children’s Hospital. Emerson (2) is looking forward to being ~10 minutes away from her cousins! We’d love to reconnect with any Knox friends that are in the Twin Cities area! ❯ Michael Whitt shares “Shannon and I are currently enjoying our summer in our house in Crest Hill. I am starting my second year of my master’s program while Shannon is enjoying her new job at Rush Hospital. In addition, we adopted a new puppy, Barkley,

Kevin Wickman, Grace Fourman ’11, Sam Jarvis, Kate Jarvis ’11 in Chicago right before the Taylor Swift Concert.

who is adorable even when he is a knucklehead.”

Class Correspondent: Aparna Kumar Boehm aparna.kumarboehm@gmail.com

2013

Sarah Johnson reports, “I moved back from Australia to Iowa after spending five years there, in 2020 with my two kiddos during the pandemic.

I’ve since learned to readjust to the Midwest winters and I am lucky enough to enjoy my work as a developer with Corteva Agriscience.” ❯ Jenny Footle states, “In 2021 I enlisted Kathleen Ridlon and the Knox Pickup Dance Company to collaborate with me to curate a set of performances that spread awareness about human trafficking and launch the nonprofit I started called Beautiful Feet Wellness (Beautifulfeetwellness.org). My work has been featured all over the U.S. and will be featured in an art gallery in D.C. starting June of this year. I have works published by Polaris, a well known anti-trafficking organization, and I am publishing a book of poetry, Railroad, this summer. Beautiful Feet Wellness has served over 600 people impacted by human trafficking since 2021 and we’ve been invited to expand to Kenya.

We’ll be taking a vision trip in July 2023. Aside from starting and leading a nonprofit that fights human trafficking, I am an expert, researcher, and national advisor on human trafficking and I have also been accepted to give a Tedx talk in Denver, Colorado, date is TBD.” ❯ Kate (Haslem) Edwards married the love of her life, Stephen Edwards, in September 2022. The wedding was in Estes Park, Colorado, with many of their closest Knox friends and Kappa Kappa Gamma siblings in attendance. Kate’s parents, John Haslem (former/current Knox faculty/staff member) and Lori Schroeder (former Knox professor and dean) were also present. ❯ Emily Weimer lives in Washington State’s wine country with her one-and-a-half-year-old, cats, and husband who she met at grad school. She works as an urban planner and enjoys slowly replacing all her grass with native landscaping, challenging gender roles as she raises a toddler, biking and camping in the PNW, and living the walkable downtown lifestyle. ❯ John “William” Budding still lives in greater Boston, still loves the East Coast, and is still actively working and playing in the region.

William now works as a talent acquisition specialist for a ecommerce software startup called Akeneo which enhances product information management for brands and manufacturers. He has been ramping up involvement with the Knox Alumni Council, making connections and offering career support to recent graduates and current students. William is also a trustee at the Perkins School for the Blind in Massachusetts, an international NGO which is driving innovations and education for disabled children around the globe. Perkins offers accessibility consulting, thought leadership, technology, and educational services to a national and international audience.

If anyone is career hunting, reach out to William

for networking and advice on professional development. He loves sharing his work and helping develop career opportunities for folks in any field.

Otherwise, he is still singing in a local choir, traveling more again post-pandemic, and enjoying weekends at cultural events in the city or out on the water via sailboat. ❯ Joshua and Robyn Brownell have moved back to Illinois! “Josh is an allergist in Itasca and Robyn is practicing family medicine in Rolling Meadows. We welcomed our second child this year in February—Gavin Liam Brownell.” ❯ Franzesca Mayer checked in: “Hey hey, happy pride month!! I will celebrate four years with Cirque du Soleil this autumn.

Running away to join the circus is infectiously wonderful. I am now training on aerial silks and loving it! I may not have pets or kids, but I now have over 30 tattoos that bring me great joy.”

Hannah Basil Bryant merged her family business Basil Financial Group with Savant Wealth Management in April. It’s been a wonderful whirlwind since the process started in August 2022. Hannah is thrilled to have the opportunity to remain a part-time financial advisor at Savant. A win-win for all and influential Professor Spittell was one of her first calls when the press release went out.

Class Correspondent: William Budding williambudding@gmail.com

2014

Hannah Black: “I wrapped up my fourth year teaching high school this year! I am trying my darndest to start a drama department from nothing. I have directed two musicals for my high school now, and I was recognized as an outstanding director this year for my direction of “Chicago: Teen Edition” (out of over 100 schools in the state!). I am also in the process of planning my wedding, which finally has a set date for next year. My fiance and I bought a house this year as well, we are so happy.” ❯ Eliot Davis: “My partner and I adopted a cat, my new anxiety meds seem to be working, and I’m finally in the internship portion of my master’s in clinical mental health counseling. Our kiddo, who turns 11 this summer, has developed a dark and quirky fashion sense. I’m happy a lot of the time.” ❯ Paige Lowe: “We still have three cats in Seattle. I used to be the only software engineer who didn’t care about getting into games, and now I’m an engineering manager at a mobile game studio. Grant is technical writing in between jrpgs and ttrpgs.” ❯ Gracie Glowiak: “I have a son! He turns two in September and it’s amazing. I love being a mom. Also I have a new job. Also I have 15 chickens. Things are going great for me right now.” ❯ Natalia Binkowski Kaplan: “I am expecting my first baby in August! He’s an IVF baby, so the whole process was very long and tiring, but we’re excited to be in the third trimester.”

Class Correspondents: Esther Farler-Westphal efarler.westphal@gmail.com Natalia Binkowski Kaplan Knoxnotes2014@gmail.com

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

69

Samantha Smith ’15 and her partner started Prairie Punk

Jordan Stoune ’10 and Matt Ferguson—October 2022

Zach Kirven ’09 and Brittney Self–Fall 2022

LEFT TO RIGHT: Ashley Olson ’09, Jordan Stoune ’10, Matt Ferguson, Liesl Pereira ’10.

2015

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

knox2015reps@gmail.com

2016

Sophie Click graduated with her Ph.D. in chemistry from Vanderbilt University in spring 2023 and has since bundled her cat, Isma, into the car and moved them all the way to Boulder, Colorado, where she now works as a nanochemistry postdoc at CU Boulder. She is godmother to Rosalinda Castle Perez Everson and Charles Perez Everson’s incredible daughter. ❯ Carly (Taylor) Finan is still happily living in Buffalo, New York, with their wonderful spouse and cats.

Most folks call them Charlie these days. In May, they began a new work-from-home role in tech which occasionally brings them to New York City. The Others, the collaborative dance company Charlie founded and directs, turned one year old in February. The Others will perform debut site-specific work and a selection of repertoire pieces at the newly reopened Buffalo Albright-Knox Gallery in August. ❯ Holden and Julie Wertheimer-Meier are on a great adventure in New York City! After some steep learning

SUBMITTED

SUBMITTED

SUBMITTED

70

LEFT TO RIGHT: Aimee Marchese ’13, Kate Edwards ’13, Tina Shuey ’13.

undergraduates in the fall. ❯ Loye Oyedotun is currently a tech-focused lawyer in London. ❯ Emily Passarelli welcomed her son, Cosmo, in November 2022. He loves watching his dogs, Penny and Jelly Bean, eating anything and everything, and snuggling. ❯ Samantha Smith is happily married to Josh Christianson. Together in Galesburg they started Prairie Punk Farms, a small vegetable farm on the south end of town.

They are running their first CSA (community supported agriculture) this year! Sam has two cats, Juniper and Pinecone, as well as five chickens. Life is slow but meaningful. ❯ Andrew Sparrow has, in the past year, qualified as a nuclear engineering officer in the U.S. Navy.

He primarily works on aircraft carrier propulsion plants. ❯ Alexia Vasilopoulos moved to Colorado last year with her partner, Paul, and dog, Tomato. In July, she began a new job as a high school assistant principal at a gifted school.

She is grateful for all the opportunities she has received and looks forward to recommending Knox College to her students.

Class Correspondents: Abby Kravis Claire Neri

Kayla Anderson got a new job working as a psychotherapist at Urban Balance Therapy and Consulting. She is also traveling as much as she can. ❯ Nesha Harper moved to LA in June to begin her internship year at UCLA for clinical neuropsychology! This is the last step of her Ph.D. (finally). In her free time, she runs half marathons and poorly rollerblades with her best friend. ❯ Bethany Larson began her final year of graduate school at Arizona State University. She won a travel award to attend the Icelandic Textile Center’s Ós Residency. It was her first, and it was amazing! Her artwork involves reclaiming and reappropriating utilitarian textile craft, like rag rugs, to think through things we view as useless, whether it is land, objects, or people. ❯ Maddie Mondeaux drove from Portland, Oregon, to Boston, Massachusetts, where she finished her first year of graduate school in her creative writing MFA program at Emerson College! She has been offered a graduate student teaching position and will teach College Writing 101 to

Gavin Liam Brownwell, son of Joshua ’13 and Robyn Brownell ’13

Kate Haslem ’13 and Stephen Edwards–September 2022

LEFT TO RIGHT: Matt Goedeke ’11, Carly Kirven ’11, Doug Folger ’94, Tracie Folger ’96, Melissa Wolf ’83, Zach Kirven, Brittney Self, Lucas Leckrone, Whitney Mackie Leckrone, Rusty Baker, Adam Estergard.

Emily Passarelli ’15 welcomed her son, Cosmo, in November 2022.

Becky Hixon ’16 graduated with her Ph.D. in English from the University of Michigan.

Class Knox Farms, a small vegetable farm in Galesburg.

Nick Sienkiewicz ’15 and Liz Clay Sienkiewicz ’17—September 2022

Tyler Price ’19 and Elizabeth “Eliza” Dehlin ’20— October 18, 2022

curves and emotional breakdowns on the subway, they are finally adjusting to life as New Yorkers and are frequently known to yell at slow-walking tourists. Holden is working for a theatre ticketing company (not the evil one) and Julie is part of the city research team focused on ending genderbased and domestic violence, but they both make time every Monday night to hang out with Michelle Secunda and watch The Vampire Diaries. They are a little crazy and see multiple plays and musicals a week, including 25 of this year’s 27 Tony-nominated shows. Holden is still writing, and received his first professional publication for his short story “The Last Airport in America” in the anthology The Last Five Minutes of a Storm (Sans. Press). ❯ Kate Mishkin is a freelance reporter and podcast producer for LA-based Neon Hum/Sony Music. She lives with Matt McKinney ’13. A highlight of her year was volunteering at the Sundance Film Festival. ❯ Amalia Hertel Prohofsky and husband, Drake, welcomed baby Daniel Grey in 2022. ❯ Teegan Corgi ’16 passed away in May of last year. ❯ Upon completing a master’s degree in human rights and global health at the University of

in the fall. ❯ Keegan Dohm lives in Vancouver, BC. It’s been a great few years for Knox visitors to Vancouver! Claire Schmidt ’18, Allison Diamond ’14, Annie and Nate Ford Moore, and Celinda Davis ’15 have all recently made the trek to the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Melissa London ’19 is a frequent visitor to Vancouver to continue a years-long cribbage tournament.

Keegan and her partner, Imaara, enjoy taking their dogs Abby and Maya on vacation and most recently road-tripped down the Oregon Coast. ❯ Emma Frey is currently working as a content marketing manager at Epsilon, one of the largest marketing companies in the world. She has also professionally expanded into astrology. She was selected for a 2023 summer speaking session on astrological physiognomy with Nightlight Astrology. Personally, she is newly engaged to her partner of two years, with whom she lives in Denver. ❯ Cassidy Jones lives in Oakland, California, where she works with Fortune 100 companies as an organizational culture consultant at August Public. Something she is excited about right now is developing her voice as a writer, and she is especially grateful for her Class of 2016

Holden ’16 and Julie Wertheimer-Meier ’16 in New York City.

SUBMITTED

SUBMITTED

SUBMITTED

Denver last year, Kati Stemple returned to Chicago. She currently manages USAID-funded global health projects implemented across Africa and the Middle East and sits on the Chicago Knox Alumni Club board. ❯ Emily Finke lives with her boyfriend in St. Louis and their two cats.

She works in a bookstore and has amassed an enormous personal library. ❯ Jay Greve is a tour guide for Chicago Crime Tours and Wendella Architecture Tours and produces an audio drama called The Oasis Midnight Broadcast with Aidan Murphy ’18. ❯ Becky Hixon graduated with her Ph.D. in English from the University of Michigan and has started as an assistant professor of English at Lourdes University. ❯ Emily Hastings recently completed her Ph.D. in computer science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and will be joining the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire this fall as an assistant professor of computer science. ❯ Catlin Watts graduated from National Louis University in June with a Master of Arts in Teaching with endorsements in early childhood education and special education. She has accepted a second grade teaching position on Chicago’s South Side

Catlin Watts ’16 graduated from National Louis University in June with a Master of Arts in Teaching.

Rosalinda Castle Perez Everson ’16 and husband, Charles, celebrating daughter, Mariana’s first birthday in February 2023.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

71

Laura Lueninghoener’s ’16 dream is to get News (formerly known as Newsy) with the premiere of her latest documentary In Real Life: Next Gen Stunts, which highlighted the work of stunt workers on films like Everything Everywhere All At Once. She continues to report on pop culture and entertainment from her home in Chicago, where she lives with her husband, Kyle Connor, and their two orange cats, Tombo and Ollie. ❯ Laura Lueninghoener is still in Chicago working in real estate. She has been at LivCor for three years now and was selected to participate in their year-long rotational leadership program. Between the department shadowing and research capstone, work has been busy but so insightful. She became an aunt for the first time in April and godmother for the fourth time in July. Her current dream is getting 2024 Taylor Swift tickets. ❯ Peter Liao graduated from his Ph.D. program in business psychology in June from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. He is looking for jobs in related roles and hoping to stay in the States.

Class Correspondent: Ellen Lipo ellenmlipo@gmail.com

Michael Gerten ’16 and Emily Williams ’16—August 3, 2019

peers who have supported her in this: namely Keegan Dohm, Charlie Finan, Ella Petersen, and Sophia Segev. In her free time ,she is a part of a She/They Queer Dodgeball league, swims in as many lakes as possible, and obsessively studies her astrological chart to make meaning of her life. ❯ Ellen Lipo lives in Chicago and is pursuing her National Board Teacher Certification while teaching middle school at Chicago Public Schools. ❯ Michael Gerten and Emily Williams married on August 3, 2019! ❯ Casey Mendoza celebrated her sixth year working for Scripps

2017

Sophie Click ’16 and Rosalinda Castle ’16 celebrating Sophie’s graduation in Nashville, Tennessee, May 2023.

72

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

SUBMITTED

SUBMITTED

Theresa Murphy and her husband, Michael, moved to San Diego in April to launch a new location of The Escape Game together. The two of them drove all the way from Virginia to San Diego and enjoyed lots of the USA (including Fitz’s Root Beer in St. Louis, much of Route 66, rain, snow, desert, cacti... and so much Oklahoma). She would like to never be in a car ever again! ❯ Sarah Pawlicki graduated from the University of Minnesota with their Ph.D. in history and minors in heritage studies and public history and native american and indigenous studies. She accepted a two-year postdoc fellowship with the National Historic Landmarks Program, working to develop their women’s history programming. ❯ Callie Rouse received a

Keegan Dohm ’16 and Nate Ford ’16 in Vancouver, BC.

promotion in March 2023 to senior intercultural programs advisor at the Center for Global and Intercultural Study at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. After doing study and research abroad at Knox, she now works with students each day to help them study abroad as well! ❯ Elisabeth Zarnoti and Sean Ramsey ’18 have had a crazy 2023! There have been numerous trips to the dentist, late game nights with friends, hours spent figuring out their careers, so much boba, and many cat snuggles. Elisabeth celebrated one year working at Dunwoody College of Technology leading its annual fund. It’s been very challenging, but she loves the work. Elisabeth and Sean look forward to going to more concerts and spending valuable time with family and friends. ❯ Stephanie Nikitenko got engaged in April 2023 to Kyle Dinse and joined a new law firm as an intellectual property attorney in June 2023. ❯ Tevin Liao has been dancing with The Others, which is directed by Charlie Taylor Finan ’16. In the meantime, they are exploring careers outside of higher ed and are learning to slow down on this hurtling landmass called Earth. ❯ Liz Clay Sienkiewicz married Nick Sienkiewicz ’15 on September 24, 2022, with lots of Knox friends in attendance! They live in Naperville, Illinois, with their two dogs, and pride themselves on having the fastest riding lawn mower in the neighborhood. Liz recently celebrated her first work anniversary with Prowess Consulting, where she works as a communications manager with Big Tech clients.

Class Correspondents: Jen Ripka jripka1327@gmail.com Theresa Murphy murpth@gmail.com

2018

Lucas and Jac Nardelli (Milligan) Sánchez are happy to be celebrating their second year of marriage this August. They are enjoying life with their two rescue pups, Elton and Reggie, and settling into being new homeowners. ❯ Libby Richmond reports, “I’m currently teaching 10th grade chemistry at Invictus Academy in Richmond, California. Sam Tatum and I live in Oakland with our four-year-old cattle dog, Penelope. I’m moving into the role of middle school head dean of students for next school year and Sam and I are headed to Maui for 10 days this summer!” ❯ Alyssa Stepanian-Anderson writes, “Currently I am living in Los Angeles working as a registered nurse in Labor and Delivery. Since October 2021, I have been at Cedars-Sinai on the labor & delivery unit, welcoming over 300 babies into the world. Last year, we were ranked as the second-best hospital in the United States, so it’s been an awesome opportunity to learn from and work with the best the world of medicine has to offer. This past May, my fiancé, Jordan Anderson ’19, and I were married in Champaign, Illinois. It was a beautiful day filled with plenty of Knox flavor. We danced

Class Knox the night away and celebrated with over 50 of our closest friends and fellow alums from Knox. As we start this new chapter of married life, we look forward to taking some time to adventure the world and enjoy each other’s company. We also look forward to making it back to Homecoming weekend each year, the place Jordan and I first got to know each other.” ❯ Yamila Tueros: “Life update: I’ve just started my third semester of nursing school and was accepted into the UIC AGMS master’s of nursing program. Nursing is my true calling, and my passion for healthcare grew while working closely with providers as a supervisor. It’s challenging but incredibly rewarding. Stay tuned for more updates.

Saludos!” ❯ My own update: Aside from being Class Correspondent: I’m currently living in downtown Denver with my lovely partner, Dani Nichols ’20, and we are enjoying the summer (despite the rain), getting outside and to the mountains as much as possible. I graduated with my MSN from UIC in 2020 and now I work on a wonderful labor and delivery floor in the Denver metro area. I’m currently working with a committee called MOMs (Maternal Overdose Matters). This program is focused on helping birthing hospitals statewide provide equitable access to treatment and recovery for perinatal patients with substance use disorders. We are one of the first 10 hospitals in Colorado to participate in this pilot program, which is exciting. I’m looking forward to coming back to Galesburg for Homecoming this fall!”

Class Correspondent: Dani Diaz ddiaz42@uic.edu

2019

Hello everyone! This is your class correspondent speaking. Our column currently has a trend of Knox alumni homeownership. How cool! My own most significant update was my time at home. After a long time of being unable to visit Greece, due to travel costs from the U.S. during my studies and then COVID-19 restrictions, I was finally able to spend a few weeks there. It was a much-needed vacation, but above and beyond that, a reconnection with my home. Warm Greek food, simple but pure ingredients, salty ocean water shimmering clearly and turquoise blue in the blasting golden sun, hugging my middle school friends, and making new friends that just radiate warmth like no other national citizen I’ve met. Being a visitor in my home country was strange, yet a great way to gain a new perspective and appreciation for the culture and landscape of Greece. Another change that happened in the last year was the closure of our Knox emails. Since a large part of our class has no current contact information on file now, my emails unfortunately don’t reach everyone. So it’s on all of us to reach out to our classmates as we meet each other personally or virtually. When you chat with anyone from our class, please go ahead and ask if they’d like to forward their most current contact

STEVE DAVIS

2024 Taylor Swift tickets.

Class of 2023 Gift Bridges the Gap The Class of 2023 Senior Challenge Committee challenged their peers to make a gift to honor their transition from students to alumni. More than 50% of the graduating class took part. Pictured are members of the committee presenting a check at the Senior during Commencement. helpToast them move forward in a more sustainable manner.shown I feel incredibly thankful that I get to Members of the Senior Challenge Committee are Omar Qureshi; make a meaningful contribution to my home Katherine Zhang, class president; Vanessa Jackson, vice president; and aJosie state and work diligently to establish balance Lopez, secretary/treasurer. Not pictured are committee members Kamille Sloane, Juan Ramirez, Mike Martinez, and Sarah Hoffmann-Weitsman.

information. So…what’s your twenty? You can write me an email about it, contact me on Facebook (Elena Bannat), or send a messenger pigeon! Thank you for your help. Over and out. ❯ Deja Jenkins became a homeowner in March 2022 and graduated from the University of North Texas in May 2023. She now holds a Master of Science degree in Library Science with a specialization in law librarianship and legal informatics. ❯ Jess Totten writes: “For the past three years, I have been working full-time with an art company and taking graduate courses at WIU when time and money allowed. Money can be tight as a single gal, but I’m doing it. In 2021, I purchased my first home all on my own!

However, what has been most exciting is my new job. This summer, I begin a new position with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Bureau of Land. I will become an environmental protection specialist in the Remedial Project Management Section. I am so excited to help small and large businesses keep their doors open while aiding them in cleaning up their soil and/or groundwater contamination. In addition, I get to

between human interests and environmental health. My Knox double minors in Spanish and studio art landed me my first full-time position with Blick Art Materials over three years ago.

My Knox biology degree opened the doors for graduate school and this exciting new position.

Words cannot express how many ways Knox has changed my life for the better.“ Class Correspondent: Elena Iatropoulou-Bannat elena.bannat@gmail.com

2020

Elizabeth “Eliza” Dehlin and Tyler Price ’19 were married on October 18, 2022. Also in attendance were Knox alums Edward “Eddy” Freeman ’19 and Aron Zheng. Tyler and Eliza currently live in small town Wisconsin with their tabby cat, Ella.

Class Correspondents: Courtney Pletcher Allen Irvine Natasha Caudill

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

73

In Memoriam

Cayne Randle knoxclassof2020@gmail.com

Richard P. Henke ’56, Honorary Trustee

2021

SUBMITTED

Knox College Honorary Trustee Richard P. Henke ‘56 passed away at his home Sunday, April 9, 2023, surrounded by family.

Richard P. Henke graduated from Knox College in 1956 with a degree in chemistry. He retired from the practice of pathology and from a position as a clinical professor at the University of California Irvine Medical School. Henke was an active volunteer in his community, in local city government, the library district, and in professional organizations.

While at Knox, he participated in intramural swimming and track, was treasurer of Campus Chest, and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta and served as its president. He graduated cum laude. He attended Stanford University Medical School and received an M.D. in 1960.

He had an internship and residencies in internal medicine and pathology at the University of Minnesota from 1960-1963, and the University of California School of Medicine from 1963-1966.

Henke was certified by the American Board of Pathology in 1966. He served in private practice as a pathologist in Daly City and Long Beach, California. He was involved in graduate and postgraduate education at the University of California, Irvine; California State University Dominguez Hills; and California State University of Long Beach.

Henke presented professional education for physicians, nurses, and laboratory technologists. He was affiliated with the American Society for Microbiology, the Association for Practitioners in Infection Control (serving on the Board), the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, and the California Society of Pathologists, where he served as president for two terms.

Henke’s devotion to his family and Knox were evident to all who knew him. He is survived by his loving family, including his son, William Henke ’87, and granddaughter, Sophia Elswick ’23.

Among the many contributions to the College by Henke and his late wife, Sophia Dimitriadis, are the Henke Distinguished Professorship, which supports a faculty member at the full professor or associate level who has demonstrated sustained excellence in undergraduate teaching.

They also established the Richard P. and Sophia D. Henke Music Fund, which supports various initiatives and capital needs of the music department, allowing for a more dynamic and student-centered performance program. The Richard P. and Sophia D. Henke Library Fellowship provides an immersive experience in academic librarianship for students interested in libraries and archives as a possible career.

74

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

Class Correspondent: Tina Jeon jse2053@gmail.com

2022

If you’re interested in serving as class correspondent for the Class of 2022, please contact Stephanie McMillan at sdmcmillan@knox.edu.

2023

If you’re interested in serving as class correspondent for the Class of 2023, please contact Stephanie McMillan at sdmcmillan@knox.edu.

Deaths

Edward A. Jurkens ’40 on 7/26/2023.

Joan Marie Blaeser Westerdahl ’47 on 11/12/2022.

Anna Sophia Johnson ’49 on 2/9/2023.

Estelene Canham Cook ’49 on 11/10/2022.

K. Lane Miller ’50 on 1/17/2023.

Peter “Pete” Spink Sr. ’50 on 12/11/2022.

Ann D. Carnahan ’52 on 5/8/2023.

June Snyder ’52 on 3/22/2023.

Harold “Hal” Pyke Jr. ’53 on 9/10/2022.

John Prickman ’53 on 2/19/2023.

Audrae Norris Gruber ’53 on 3/31/2023.

Mary Cheyne Mahar ’54 on 1/30/2023.

James Kellett ’55 on 1/20/2022.

Walter Bishop ’55 on 2/5/2023.

Arlene E. Saeger ’55 on 3/24/2023.

Robert E. Schwarzler ’55 on 4/30/2023.

Sachie Ozaki Ohata ’55 on 5/2/2023.

Jerome H. Long ’56 on 5/8/2023.

Jean Ann Taylor Johns ’57 on 3/15/2022.

Patricia Kehoe Overy ’57 on 3/7/2023.

Mary Ann Jalovec Gleason ’58 on 2/14/2022.

Robert O. Moore ’58 on 7/10/2022.

Donald “Don” L. Roberts ’58 on 7/13/2023.

Dale W. Jacobs ’59 on 5/31/2023.

Donald L. England ’60 on 2/28/2023.

Kenneth L. Townsend ’60 on 3/31/2023.

Daniel VanWinkle ’60 on 4/28/2023.

Allyn C. Rieke ’61 on 7/27/2022.

Phoebe Helen Lohmar ’61 on 1/6/2023.

Joseph Edward Power ’61 on 2/24/2023.

John A. MacDougall ’61 on 5/16/2023.

Richard R. Izzett ’65 on 2/8/2023.

Ann K. Peterson ’66 on 3/2/2020.

David G. George ’66 on 8/13/2022.

John C. Peden ’66 on 12/10/2022.

Robert P. Hanssen ’66 on 6/5/2023.

Karen Buczek ’68 on 3/20/2023.

John A. Gardner ’69 on 5/7/2023.

John N. Sherrick ’70 on 3/2/2023.

Marlene K. Jack ’70 on 3/9/2023.

Robert Krehbiel ’71 on 1/22/2023.

William R. Mau ’72 on 3/5/2023.

Jeffrey Frantz ’74 on 12/4/2022.

Class Knox

Deaths of Friends

Gene Poschman, spouse of Anne Mester ’65, on 9/8/2021.

Kathryn J. Jacobsmeyer, parent of the late Jamie P. Jacobsmeyer ’05, on 9/15/2022.

Donald C. Ekstrom, spouse of the late Catherine T. Ekstrom ’63, on 10/11/2022.

Russell “Russ” Henley, spouse of Fran Henley ’74, on 10/22/2022.

Leroy Henderson Feagin, spouse of Cathy Skinner Feagin ’63, on 12/3/2022.

Theodore Londos, spouse of Sandy Butler Londos ’70, on 1/15/2023.

Steve Benedict, spouse of retired Assistant Registrar Karen Benedict, on 1/23/23.

Gary Gene Wooley, spouse of Leta Bridges Wooley ’63, on 2/1/2023.

Heather Gilbert, sister of faculty member Greg Gilbert, on 2/22/2023.

Gerald J. Snyder, spouse of June Snyder ’52, on 2/26/2023.

James Barnicle, spouse of Judith Bence Barnicle ’73, on 3/4/2023.

Homer Thrall, father of faculty member James Thrall, on 3/10/2023.

Brian Krueger, spouse of Nancy M. Krueger ’61, on 4/5/2023.

Richard S. “Dick” Kowalski, parent of Sterling Kowalski ’14, on 4/10/2023.

Doris Marie Chadwick, spouse of Larry Chadwick ’53, on 4/13/2023.

Michael D. Bourscheidt, spouse of Jane Fuhlbruegge Bourscheidt ’72, on 4/16/2023.

Linda M. West, spouse of Thomas West ’74 and parent of Sarah M. West Alber ’09, on 5/3/2023.

Georgia A. Davis, parent of college photographer Steve Davis, on 5/4/2023.

Lee Ann Orendorff Farrar, retired staff member in biology, on 7/20/2023.

In Memoriam Ross Vander Meulen, Professor Emeritus of German One of Knox College’s longest serving faculty members, Ross Vander Meulen, Professor Emeritus of German, passed away on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at the age of 87. In a distinguished and multifaceted career spanning more than four decades at Knox, Vander Meulen taught three languages, served in the academic administration, and even briefly coached cross country.

Vander Meulen taught German from 1968 through 2000. He occasionally taught Latin and English, chaired the Modern Languages Department, and from 1979 to 1983 served as Associate Dean of the College. After his retirement, he continued teaching advanced courses in German.

He is survived by his wife, Kay, two children and their spouses, four grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

“Ross was a fixture on Knox’s campus for over 50 years,” said Todd Heidt, Professor of German, Director of the Stellyes Center for Global Studies, and Chair of the International Studies program at Knox. “For much of that half-century, Ross was the heart and soul of the German program. Even after retiring in 2000, he continued to teach a course or two a year into the 2010s and ate lunch regularly at German Table, right up to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. His ability to quote literature from memory was often on display at German Table—whether it was Goethe’s great insights into life or one-liners from Mark Twain’s essay, ‘The Awful German Language.’ As that anecdote suggests, he had a great sense of humor, too. His passion for all things German was absolutely infectious, and he thrived off of interacting with students and fellow faculty.

Ross touched every part of campus over his time at Knox, and Knox was all the better for it.”

Vander Meulen wrote scholarly articles on a wide range of topics from his specialty in 18th century German literature, to the Dutch philosopher Erasmus and Protestant theologian Martin Luther, and the application of mathematical logic to German and English vocabularies. He also wrote short stories, which he presented at public readings on the Knox campus.

An avid runner and cyclist, Vander Meulen briefly coached Knox’s cross-country team in the 1970s. In his honor, the team dubbed themselves “Vandy’s Dandies.”

A keen observer of campus life and national politics, Vander Meulen wrote an essay in 1972, “The College’s Role in Revolution,” which placed events of the 1960s into a perspective that stretched back more than 400 years to student riots that occurred in Germany during the Protestant Reformation.

“My first class with him was very challenging, Introduction to German Literature,” recalled Gary Schmidt ’89, Professor of German and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Wright State University in Ohio, and a visiting professor at Knox in 2001. “Without that experience and the push to expand my vocabulary and reading knowledge, I doubt I would have gone on to become a fluent German speaker and eventually a professor of German. During my senior year, Professor Vander Meulen agreed to do an independent study with me on Goethe; I fondly remember the hours sitting in his office talking about the poetry, drama, and fiction of Germany’s greatest writer.

It was such a pleasure returning to Knox in 2001 as a colleague of my former professor, and I marveled at how active he was even in retirement, coming to the weekly German Table lunch conversations in the cafeteria.”

Vander Meulen earned his bachelor’s degree in English at Northwestern University, master’s degrees in English and German, and a doctorate in German at the University of Michigan. In 1971, he was awarded the Philip Green Wright-Lombard College Award, which is Knox’s highest honor for teaching. In 1991-92, he coordinated the installation of a new computerized language learning center at Knox, supported by a grant from the Booth-Ferris Foundation.

KENT KRIEGSHAUSER

Katherine Ace ’75 on 4/17/2023.

Anne “Tootie Murphy” Carden ’76 on 4/27/2023.

Thomas E. Ganfield ’84 on 8/13/2022.

Robert Magnuson ’89 on 1/17/2023.

Jeong Park ’91 on 1/23/2023.

Jean Marie Riley ’94 on 4/23/2023.

Christopher R. Tuckey ’96 on 4/17/2023.

Quadril Lawal ’20 on 8/25/23.

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

75

Sharing a Meal An incredible five-course meal prepared by James Beard-nominated Chef Stefano Viglietti ’91 was one of the main events during the College’s recent Lifelong Learning Weekend focused on farm, field, and food.

Attendees also enjoyed presentations, a panel discussion, and a visit to Green Oaks. Stefano is the owner of Trattoria Stefano, Il Ritrovo, Field to Fork, and Slo Food Market.

Photo by Mitch Prentice ’17

76

KNOX MAGAZINE Fall 2023

Parting Shot

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Knox College

Knox College strives to conserve resources and reinforce our commitment to sustainability.

If you’d like to receive the Knox Magazine digitally, please visit knoxalumni.org/Subscribe.

MAGAZINE Knox College Galesburg, Illinois 61401-4999

If you choose to opt-out of the print edition, we’ll let you know by email each time a new issue becomes available online. You’ll never miss an issue, receive it sooner than the print magazine, and help reduce our carbon footprint.

SAVE THE DATE HOMECOMING and FAMILY AND FRIENDS WEEKEND

October 25–27, 2024 Watch knox.edu/homecoming for more information.