Lawrence Magazine Spring/Summer 2025

LAWRENCE

Acclaimed choreographer

Robert Battle sets tone as inaugural Creator in Residence

Students: Neuroscience research puts focus on memory

Alumni: Frank Ralls ’04 pays it forward through mentorship

Students prepare for a spring dance performance led by Robert Battle.

LAWRENCE

EDITOR:Ed Berthiaume

ed.c.berthiaume@lawrence.edu

CONTRIBUTORS: Deanna Kolell, Joe Vanden Acker, A.J. Kaiser ’25, Alex Alden ’25, Taylor Hughes ’25

PHOTOGRAPHY: Danny Damiani, Juan Marin ’20, Paul Wilke, Jacob Hanekamp ’25, Aaron Lindeman ’27, Adrian Stancil-Martin ’28, Sarah Pedlar ’25, Nora Murphy ’22

CLASS NOTES: Shannan Hartel

West Campus, Fox Commons bring transformational change

Conservatory of Music welcomes new leader

Neuroscience students join professor in memory research

Robert Battle sets tone for Creator in Residence program

Mellon Grant funds partnership with Menominee

LU LIGHTS

Celebrating accomplishments of the Lawrence community

Lacrosse teams kick off inaugural seasons

Celebrating 165 years of fraternity and sorority life

Frank Ralls ’04 pays it forward as a thank you

FOR CHANGE OF ADDRESS: go.lawrence.edu/profile 920-832-6548 • alumni@lawrence.edu TO

Lawrence University Office of Communications 711 E. Boldt Way Appleton, WI 54911-5690 communications@lawrence.edu

Catch up with your fellow Lawrentians

PHOTO BY DANNY DAMIANI

Cover photo by Danny Damiani

Dear Lawrentians,

I am incredibly proud of the many ways this community continues to shine and excel. You will see that excellence reflected across the pages of this magazine—in faculty initiatives, student successes, athletic accomplishments, and alumni achievements.

The breadth and depth of intellect, commitment, and resilience at Lawrence is breathtaking. Thank you for being part of that.

We’ve just come through a season of joy on campus, highlighted by the Class of 2025 walking across the Commencement stage, each of the graduates completing a journey that prepares them for a lifetime of opportunities and adventures. That was followed by Reunion 2025, which brought hundreds of our alumni back to campus to reconnect with their Lawrence family in meaningful ways. Those back-to-back weekends, the culmination of so much hard work and collaboration, always make the close of the academic year a special time.

That joy, though, has been tempered by uncertainties in the world around us, uncertainties that are being felt across higher education. Lawrentians, as we always have, remain resolute and purposeful, committed to our mission.

We enter the summer season and a new academic year with much to be excited about. We will be cutting the ribbon later this summer on the next stage of the Fox Commons development in downtown Appleton. The opening of the Pre-Health Commons and student apartments on the development’s third level follows last fall’s opening of the Business and Entrepreneurship Center and student apartments on the second level. Fox Commons has already been a wonderful extension of the Lawrence campus, providing new academic programming, innovative student living options, and exciting collaborations with community partners. There is more to come.

We also will soon be celebrating the opening of the four-story West Campus, which includes about 30,000 square feet of academic space on the second floor, home to an interactive Humanities Center, a recording studio, and modern office and teaching spaces for faculty from the Conservatory

of Music and mathematics, computer science, and data science. We have watched this building rise at the corner of Drew Street and E. College Avenue over the past 16 months. It is a thrill to now see the final pieces being put in place as our faculty plan for innovative and collaborative teaching possibilities.

The Fox Commons and West Campus investments are key pieces of our long-term planning, embraced by our Board of Trustees, to grow Lawrence—in enrollment and academic opportunities—in the coming decade. We’ve added new academic avenues in recent years, including majors in business and entrepreneurship, international relations, creative writing, and environmental science and minors in data science, health and society, and dance, strengthened our first-year experience, and invested in retention efforts to help guide our students through to graduation. Those curricular and student life investments, with more to come and shepherded by a talented and committed faculty and staff, have Lawrence positioned to excel going forward. We could not do it without the commitment of the entire Lawrence community.

I am heartened that Robert Battle, our inaugural Creator in Residence, says in the cover story of this magazine that he found creativity and excellence already imbued in the campus culture when he arrived, weaved into classrooms, studios, and labs and across disciplines and programs. He offers a timely reminder of what a jewel we have here at Lawrence: “Sometimes,” he says, “you have to hear it from somebody from the outside.”

Be proud, Lawrentians. Let’s continue to celebrate our brilliant history while building for an even greater tomorrow.

Warm regards,

Laurie A. Carter President, Lawrence University

CAMPUS NEWS West Campus to bring new learning opportunities beginning this fall

The much-anticipated opening of West Campus is drawing near.

The four-story building at the corner of E. College Avenue and Drew Street on the western edge of Lawrence’s campus— housing the Trout Museum of Art on the first floor, Lawrence academic spaces on the second floor, and apartments on the upper two floors—is set to open in time for Fall Term. A celebration is being planned for later this summer.

President Laurie A. Carter said the opening will be a “signature moment” for Lawrence.

“It demonstrates our commitment to continued investment in academic and co-curricular programming and the student experience,” she said.

The teaching spaces and technologies on the second floor, she said, will elevate collaboration across campus and with the wider community and will strengthen the humanities curriculum, Conservatory programming, and the teaching in math, computer science, and data science.

“It will better prepare Lawrence and our students to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” Carter said.

Since the groundbreaking in March 2024, the Lawrence and Appleton

communities have watched the building rise, with Boldt leading the construction.

Lawrence’s second floor space—more than 25,000 square feet—will include the new Humanities Center, as well as modern offices, studios, and teaching spaces. With planning led by faculty, it will integrate academic disciplines in new and innovative ways and provide spaces to interact and collaborate with the community. A state-ofthe-art production studio and soundproof rehearsal and teaching spaces will further elevate teaching in the Conservatory of Music and provide new opportunities for interdisciplinary work. The Humanities Center, meanwhile, will create a dynamic space for students and faculty to explore new ideas, foster connections across disciplines, and infuse technology in ways that will enhance interactivity and collaboration on and off campus.

Monica Rico, a history professor who will lead the development of the Humanities Center in her role as an Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) Academic Leadership Fellow, said the new space will provide creative opportunities in not only the traditional fields of history, languages and literature, philosophy, and religious studies, but also in the areas of

“This underscores the value of a liberal arts education in so many ways, offering hands-on opportunities that prepare students to thrive, lead, and contribute to their communities in meaningful ways.”

— President Laurie A. Carter

The second floor of West Campus will house innovative academic spaces for Lawrence, with Trout Museum of Art on the ground floor and apartments on the upper two floors.

cultural anthropology, art history, musicology, and interdisciplinary programs such as film studies and gender studies.

“This center provides faculty and students working in all these areas with a hub where we can collaborate and share research,” she said. “I’m proud of Lawrence for affirming its commitment to humanistic study as one of the essentials of a liberal arts education by creating this center.”

The West Campus building is a partnership between Lawrence and Trout Museum of Art, with Lawrence owning and controlling the upper three floors and the art museum owning and operating its ground-floor space.

“We’re looking forward to collaborations with the Trout Museum of Art and others in the community, all providing our students with important connections as they prepare for life after Lawrence,” Carter said. “This underscores the value of a liberal arts education in so many ways, offering hands-on opportunities that prepare students to thrive, lead, and contribute to their communities in meaningful ways.”

Meanwhile, the apartments on the third and fourth floors will be available to rent beginning this fall. The apartments, with a separate entrance for tenants on the west end of the building, will offer an additional revenue stream for Lawrence while also providing future student housing options as the campus community continues to grow in the years ahead.

An anonymous gift of $10 million from a generous alum kickstarted funding for Lawrence’s share of the $38 million project. Transforming the 300 block of E. College Avenue, West Campus will strengthen connections between the College of Arts and Sciences, the Conservatory of Music, and the surrounding community. It is the first building on campus designed specifically for interdisciplinary programming.

Scan to see a timelapse video of West Campus construction.

Lawrence celebrated for its success in Fulbright program

Lawrence University has been recognized as one of the nation’s top producers of Fulbright recipients.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs named Lawrence as a Fulbright Student Top Producing Institution for 2024-25, the second time Lawrence has earned the prestigious honor in the past seven years. Lawrence is one of 84 institutions across the country recognized in the student category.

Four recent graduates of Lawrence—Jonathan Bass ’24, Gunner Bauer ’23, Miri Villerius ’23, and Ayla Walther ’23—were selected for Fulbright awards for academic year 2024-25. It is the 11th time in the past 17 years that Lawrence has had multiple Fulbright recipients.

“It is an honor that speaks to Lawrence’s rigorous education, the ability of our faculty and staff to prepare students to be competitive at the highest levels, and the commitment of our students to be engaged global citizens,” President Laurie A. Carter said. “Thank you to our fellowships team for their commitment to make this path possible for our students.”

Lawrence has produced 67 Fulbright scholars since the program was first introduced in 1946—studying, teaching or conducting research abroad.

See more on Fulbright honors on page 35

Boldt crews continue work on West Campus.

CAMPUS NEWS

Third floor of Fox Commons ready for its debut

The next step in Lawrence University’s investment in Fox Commons is about to go live—a key piece of Lawrence’s commitment to grow academic opportunities while enhancing the student experience.

The third floor of the downtown Appleton development, featuring a Pre-Health Commons and student apartments, will be open when students return for Fall Term 2025. The opening follows the unveiling last fall of the Business and Entrepreneurship Center and the first grouping of student apartments, all on the second level.

It is the culmination of a building project that began in the summer of 2023, when Lawrence announced plans to be a longterm tenant in Darkhorse Development’s reimagining of the former City Center Plaza. Lawrence joins gener8tor, a business startup accelerator, Mosaic Family Health, and Prevea Health in the redeveloped mixed-use space that is now a centerpiece of the city’s rapidly evolving downtown.

Like the Business and Entrepreneurship Center on the second floor, the Pre-Health Commons on the third floor will be an important addition to Lawrence’s academic

offerings, with a focus on connections beyond the classroom. It will give students eyeing health-related careers new paths to connect with health care professionals, take part in training sessions in everything from cooking to wellness, and find job-shadowing opportunities without leaving the building.

Beth De Stasio, the Raymond H. Herzog Professor of Science and professor of biology, has been leading the planning for the PreHealth Commons. Some of the programming got a jump start earlier this year in the B&E Center, including three evening networking events featuring physicians, allied health and public health professionals, and mental health care professionals, a talk by a dietician about healthy eating, and conversations about minding your own emotional well-being.

More will come with the opening of the Pre-Health Commons, which features a demonstration kitchen and a multipurpose room—space suitable for Q&As, cooking demos, yoga sessions, a soon-to-launch Future of Medicine and Health Care Lecture Series, and much more.

As she develops pre-health programming for Fox Commons, De Stasio said she is centered on four watchwords: exploration, self-reflection, wellness, and preparation. She wants students to reflect on how and why

they want to work in health care. That was the theme of two networking events held in Fox Commons during Winter Term, one featuring six allied health professionals and another with six physicians, almost all Lawrence alumni. Each session drew 20 students. The professionals talked with students about joys and challenges of their work, how they made career decisions, and what their area of health care might look like going forward.

“I was also pushing them to talk about values,” De Stasio said. “What values do they get to fulfill in their professional life? The students pretty quickly learn that those professionals who do get to fulfill more values love their jobs more. They are fed by it.”

Those sessions have De Stasio “super excited” about what awaits students as the third floor of Fox Commons opens. The opening builds on the excitement generated last year with the B&E Center, which is providing student programming in entrepreneurship and investments and building partnerships with the regional business community.

Meanwhile, the student apartments in Fox Commons have drawn rave reviews. The opening of the third floor will bring to 174 the number of Lawrence students living in the two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments.

Lawrence students meet with Emma Snyder, program manager with gener8tor, in the Business & Entrepreneurship Center in Fox Commons.

PHOTO BY DANNY DAMIANI

A year of celebration: Conservatory at 150

Music came from all directions as the Conservatory of Music and the Lawrence Community Music School celebrated 150 years and counting during the 2024-25 academic year.

From the Kaleidoscope performance at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, to the LU Flute and Trombone Ensembles’ ambitious premiering of nine new works, to the LU Wind Ensemble honoring the music of alumni and former faculty, the year was filled with innovation and celebration. That celebration included a trip to New York City over spring break for 11 students, who met with alumni and presented a concert at Manhattan School of Music (see more on page 13).

The Conservatory debuted in 1874, launched with a single faculty member. It has grown over the past century and a half into the celebrated music conservatory it is today. Banners marking the 150 years of history hung

Scan to see more on the Conservatory 150 celebration

proudly across campus. Concerts featured music commissioned to celebrate the moment.

When the Wind Ensemble, directed by Ceon Rumphs, instructor of music, presented “Homegrown: Celebrating the 150th,” it featured a commissioned piece by David Werfelmann ’06 and a work composed years ago by John Harmon ’57 that was inspired in part by Robert Levy, retired director of bands. Werfelmann, Harmon, and Levy all attended the performance, a celebration of the Conservatory’s rich history.

“The legacy we all enjoy now is because of the labor of those who came before us,” Rumphs said. “It’s our honor and privilege to present this concert as a small tribute to them.”

Other alumni composers, including Evan Williams ’10 and Nicolas Bizub ’16, returned to Memorial Chapel for premieres of their commissioned works.

Evan Williams ’10 conducts a piece he wrote in honor of the 150th celebration.

The Wind Ensemble concert featured, from left, Nadje Noordhuis, Ceon Rumphs, Theresa Martin, David Werfelmann ’06, John Harmon ’57, and Robert Levy.

Mark Dupere leads the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra during a rehearsal for the Kaleidoscope concert.

PHOTO BY KAI FRUEH ’25

PHOTOS BY BEN FRUEH ’27

CAMPUS NEWS

Christopher Jenkins ready to lead Conservatory into new era

Dr. Christopher Jenkins, a forward-thinking leader in music higher education, is the new dean of Lawrence University’s Conservatory of Music.

He begins his duties July 1, overseeing all aspects of Lawrence’s music degree programs and contributing significantly to the university’s academic mission. Reporting directly to the provost, Lawrence’s chief academic officer, Jenkins will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the institution. The accomplished violist brings a wealth of experience from his time at Oberlin College and Conservatory, where he served as associate dean for academic support since 2014. At Oberlin, he was instrumental in fostering the academic and artistic growth of conservatory students while leading efforts to expand the music curriculum. He also actively pursued his own academic and artistic development, earning a Doctor of Musical Arts in viola performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a Ph.D. in musicology from Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Christopher Jenkins

Jenkins succeeds Brian Pertl, whose leadership for 17 years has shaped the Conservatory and laid a strong foundation for its next era of growth and innovation. Pertl has begun a position as director at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music.

Jenkins talked about his excitement in joining Lawrence:

Q: What about Lawrence and the Conservatory of Music drew your attention?

Jenkins: Most of my work has focused on issues of equity and diversity in music performance and education, and as I did more research, it became clear that Lawrence Conservatory is a leader in this space. This is evident in a range of initiatives, from faculty’s openness to curricular change, especially in music theory and musicology, to the B.M.A. degree, which supports a genuine synthesis of diverse musical styles. It’s important for alumni to understand Lawrence has been engaging in conversations about diverse modes of excellence for years while other schools are just gingerly dipping their toes

in those waters today. Lawrence is just light years ahead of other places in its orientation toward diverse and creative music making. I wouldn’t be nearly as interested in working at a conservatory that didn’t share these values.

Beyond that, from the faculty I got a clear sense of authenticity, mutual respect, and genuine engagement with difficult questions, including what it means to be a successful young musician in the 21st century.

Q: What can students expect from your leadership?

Jenkins: I come from a student affairs background. So, I would love for students to understand that I want to know what you are thinking about, what your concerns are, and what you need, and that you should never hesitate to reach out to me. What types of courses are you looking for? How can the student experience be improved? What issues are out there that no one knows about except students? It is astounding how much happens on campus and no one has any idea except for students.

Most of all, I would emphasize to students that my entry point into academia was in student affairs and the student experience will always be my central concern. And students

“When we prioritize the educational and social environment for students, every other constituency benefits.” — Christopher Jenkins, dean of the Conservatory

should know that I’m still active as a performer, so I get where they’re coming from and where they’re going.

Q: As you lead a conservatory, what constitutes success?

Jenkins: The purpose of the academic project, to me, is to enhance the musical, academic, and social development of young people so that the next generation is empowered to do

better than this generation.

During the town hall that was part of my on-campus interview, I mentioned that there are so many direct stakeholders in higher education. There are faculty members who make sacrifices to dedicate themselves to a single institution; there are alumni whose relationship with the institution is lifelong just by its very nature; and there are staff members who are indispensable but whose hard work is often unacknowledged.

All those perspectives deserve respect. I would emphasize that the primary constituency of any school must be current and future students. When we prioritize the educational and social environment for students, every other constituency benefits. Faculty must receive career development support so they can do their best possible work and set the highest example for their students. The workplace culture must be rooted in respect and belonging so staff can maintain their institutional commitment and help students thrive. When students thrive, alumni have the gratification of seeing younger graduates elevate their alma mater. All of this flows organically out of placing students at the center of the academic mission.

This doesn’t mean giving students whatever they want, because sometimes they can find it challenging to accurately perceive what’s in their best interest. But I would define success in educational leadership as creating an environment that gives students the best possible chance for their own personal and professional success by keeping them at the center of the mission.

Q: What’s your message to the Conservatory’s faculty, staff, and students as you join them on this journey?

Jenkins: I just want to be sure it’s clear that I understand this work to be a joint venture, and that whatever we accomplish will be accomplished together. A few things are certain: I won’t be perfect, because no one is; our best-laid plans will have to change at times because no plan survives first contact with reality; and there is no limit to what we can accomplish in an environment of mutual trust, respect, creativity, and inspiration.

gets a technology and accessibility makeover

New creative possibilities are unfolding in Harper Hall, a key performance space in Lawrence University’s Music-Drama Center.

The electrical components of the hall received a thorough makeover—new state-of-the-art cameras and an 18-footwide projection screen, enhanced lighting, updated sound system, and refurbished control room. In addition, the surface of the stage was refinished.

With seating for nearly 250 people, Harper Hall is the site for most student and faculty recitals, as well as pre-concert talks and lectures.

The PA features a 7.1 surround system

designed by K-Array, which enables cinemaquality playback in immersive formats.

“To me this is the biggest added benefit to the hall because it provides a performance venue capable of supporting film composition students,” said Brent Hauer ’10, director of Conservatory productions.

“This also works cohesively with the West Campus production studio, which will also be 7.1 surround capable with the ability to upgrade to Dolby ATMOS in the future.”

The upgrades came as Lawrence celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Conservatory during the 2024-25 academic year.

STUDENTS

BRAIN POWER

Research in neuroscience lab explores attention, memory

BY ED BERTHIAUME

Four Lawrence University neuroscience majors have been immersed in cognitive research aimed at understanding how people in an information-rich world interact with visual stimuli and how that affects attention and memory.

Den Boakye, a junior from Ghana, Vivian Khan, a senior from Waukon, Iowa, Fanta Jatta, a senior from Madison, Wisconsin, and Khayla Santiago, a senior from Morton Grove, Illinois, worked in the lab of Professor Chunyue Teng on research that aims to shed light on how the brain juggles the new information we see with information we remember.

“We’re particularly interested in visual short-term memory—visual working memory—the mental sketchpad where we briefly hold visual details,” said Teng, the Dennis and Charlot Singleton Assistant Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience.

Imagine you’re driving in a new city; you glance at your GPS, remember the next turn, then focus back on the road. Or you are grocery shopping with a mental list, deciding what to grab based on which aisle you’re in. These scenarios highlight how

we constantly switch between what we see and what we remember.

“Interestingly, our brain uses the same areas for both seeing and remembering,” Teng said. “So, how does it manage both at once? That’s what we’re trying to figure out.”

The research led to student presentations at the Society for Neuroscience Conference in Chicago, the Midwest Regional Neuroscience Conference in Green Bay, and the Wisconsin Science Education and Research (WiSER) Conference in Milwaukee. In addition, Santiago presented findings at the Vision Sciences Society meeting in St. Petersburg, Florida, and the group presented their research at the Lawrence University Research Fellows (LURF) symposium on campus.

Boakye, Khan, Jatta, and Santiago gained deep knowledge while getting a taste for what graduate or medical school might look like. They helped build the infrastructure of Teng’s Vision, Memory, and Cognition (VMC) Lab in Briggs Hall, including Jatta using Lawrence’s Makerspace to create a 3-D model chin rest used in experiments. They worked with electroencephalogram (EEG) technology—

Chunyue Teng

utilizing a special cap with built-in sensors— to measure brain activity. They learned to process, analyze, and interpret data about how our brains support cognition, vision, and memory, which they then shared at the various conferences and symposiums.

Santiago called her experience at the Vision Sciences Society eye-opening.

“I was able to interact with vision neuroscientists from all over the world,” she said. “I had people from as far as the Netherlands and Japan to as close as Chicago and New York stop by my poster and listen to my research and findings.”

The Society for Neuroscience Conference drew 22,000 people. It is considered the world’s largest neuroscience conference for scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. Santiago presented a poster that was co-authored by Jatta.

“I saw a lot of interesting ways we could bring more awareness about brain sciences to our communities,” Santiago said.

The research in Teng’s VMC lab covers a wide swath of brain activity. To do this research at the undergraduate level is a huge win for the students.

In one study, they tested whether the human brain rapidly switches attention between what we see and what we remember, like a mental juggling act. In another study, they explored how we adapt our memories to different tasks.

“By understanding these processes better, we hope to gain insights that could help improve everything from education techniques to computer interfaces, and maybe even help people with attention or memory difficulties,” Teng said.

neuroscience research in Chunyue Teng’s lab.

Teng came to Lawrence in 2023 after four years as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree (psychology) from Fudan University in China. Lawrence’s endowed

“By understanding these processes better, we hope to gain insights that could help improve everything from education techniques to computer interfaces, and maybe even help people with attention or memory difficulties.” — Chunyue Teng

professorship in cognitive neuroscience was established in 2017 by a gift from Dennis and Charlot Nelson ’67 Singleton. It allowed for the addition of a tenure-line faculty position and established a neuroscience program that

offers a major and a minor in neuroscience, along with research opportunities and the deepening of interdisciplinary connections to biology, psychology, philosophy, linguistics, anthropology, and computer science. Santiago initially came to Lawrence because its pre-health programming is ideal preparation for medical school. She fell in love with neuroscience research along the way.

“It’s amazing we have a cognitive neuroscience professor now because it has always been my passion to understand the brain and how our brain allows us to do such complex things,” Santiago said. “Because of the resources I have by being part of her lab, I now can follow my passions beyond Lawrence, and I am eternally grateful.”

Seniors (from left) Vivian Khan, Khayla Santiago, and Fanta Jatta place an EEG cap on junior Den Boakye as part of

brain activity in the VMC Lab

PHOTOS BY DANNY DAMIANI

STUDENTS

Lawrence’s Model UN builds momentum, offers global insights

BY TAYLOR HUGHES ’25

Lawrence University’s Model United Nations team has come roaring back to life in recent years after losing steam during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Led by President Bruna Velez, a senior international relations major from New York City, and Vice President Jack Stuart, a senior international relations and computer science double major from Milwaukee, the team joined schools from 50 states and six continents at the National Model UN Conference in Washington, D.C, in the fall. The LU team, with 10 students, represented the Kingdom of Morocco and

had a formal briefing with their ambassador at the Moroccan Embassy. At the conference, they received multiple awards and were recognized for outstanding performance— Stuart and Adrian Stancil-Martin, a firstyear student from New York City, won the Position Paper Award. Lawrence’s team won Honorable Delegation.

“It felt grounding,” Velez said. “One of the delegates we talked to was involved in Model UN when she was in high school. If this is a career path you want to go down, it is beneficial in honing the path to success.”

Stuart helped reenergize the Model UN club along with Paola Saldana Galvan ’24 and Grace Smith ’23 a few years ago. Velez and others joined with enthusiasm.

“We live in a globalized community and a globalized world,” Velez said. “We are globalized citizens. We should get involved and get to know each other.”

Model UN simulations engage hundreds of thousands of students each year, helping them to learn more about the principles of the United Nations and how it functions. Students role-play as delegates from different countries, working together to solve global issues. The Model UN website notes that

many leaders in law, government, business, and the arts, including at the UN itself, participated in Model UN as students.

While coursework at Lawrence has helped Stuart understand international relations, he knows that his knowledge and connections would not be where they are today without his involvement in Model UN.

“Learning how the full structure works gives me an understanding of how international relations works and lets me practice it in a way coursework can’t,” he said.

Stuart said that much of the information gained while at conferences and trainings is both historical and localized, making all he learns relevant to his future pursuits.

“You also get to develop communication and public speaking skills,” he said. “It’s an exciting thing that I really love.”

Both Velez and Stuart said they plan to use what they have gained through Model UN in their future career pursuits. Velez, who plans to go into international law, has focused her attention on consulting for humanitarian organizations and working with federal agencies.

“Model UN allows you to get immersed in the culture,” she said.

Senior Jack Stuart leads a conversation during a Model UN meeting on campus.

Conservatory students get immersive arts experience in New York City

BY ED BERTHIAUME

Lawrence University took its celebration of 150 years of the Conservatory of Music to New York City over spring break.

Eleven students, accompanied by several faculty and staff, were part of the trip—seeing performances at iconic arts venues, taking part in individual lessons and masterclasses, and presenting a concert for Lawrence alumni and friends at Manhattan School of Music. The concert was followed by a reception, hosted by Manhattan School of Music President James Gandre ’81, a Lawrence alumnus and member of the Lawrence Board of Trustees.

The tour, initiated by President Laurie A. Carter, offered multiple opportunities for students to connect with New York area alumni, many of them working in music.

Isaac Epley, a sophomore piano student from Liberty, Missouri, said there were important connections made at almost every stop. The meeting with Gandre allowed students to ask questions about graduate school and other postLawrence opportunities in music. And Epley and Benjamin Keating, a senior piano student from Urbana, Illinois, got a masterclass with Robert McDonald ’73, an accomplished pianist and faculty member at The Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music who served as Lawrence’s Baccalaureate speaker during

Commencement weekend.

“I found my time with Robert McDonald to be the highlight of the trip,” Epley said. “His experience teaching at the piano was fascinating and inspiring, and his connection to Lawrence made his teaching and personality all the more meaningful to me.”

Sarah Pedlar, a senior flute student from Decorah, Iowa, called the gathering with alumni hugely helpful. It included a conversation with an alum about her upcoming recital, a connection made through their shared appreciation for electroacoustic music.

“The classical music community isn’t all that large as a whole, and the contemporary music community within is even more tightly connected,” Pedlar said. “Every opportunity I get to share my love for contemporary classical music and expand our community is amazing.”

Among the arts stops the students could choose from during the five-day tour: A recital presented by mezzo soprano Hannah Jones ’22, a performance by Billy Cobham’s Time Machine at the Blue Note Jazz Club, a viewing of the Broadway show Hadestown, Giacomo Puccini’s La bohème at The MET, the Manhattan School of Music Symphony Orchestra at Merkin Hall, and the Nnenna Freelon Trio at Dizzy’s.

There were lessons presented to the students on klezmer music at OPERA America, lessons in jazz and flute and a Women in Music panel at Manhattan School of Music, violin lessons and a piano masterclass at The Juilliard School, and cello lessons at Kaufman Music Center.

Taking that Conservatory celebration on the road to New York gave students another chance to flex their creative muscles.

“We were told to choose any music we wanted and were encouraged to work with one another and form small chamber groups, which led to a large diversity in programming,” Epley said of the concert planning. “For example, I played a movement from a clarinet trio on the piano and then sang in a Palestrina motet. This freedom created a very eclectic program of music, which, I think, brought out our individual personalities and served as an outlet for our unique musical interests.”

The response from alumni was uplifting, said David Smith, a junior from Radford, Virginia, double majoring in math and physics while immersing himself in the Conservatory.

“It’s amazing to see how strong the Lawrence network is and how alumni are eager to support and connect with current students, which really speaks to the lasting impact of our school,” he said.

Sophomore Ben Frueh on violin, sophomore Isaac Epley on piano, and junior Isabelle Olsen on clarinet perform during a concert at Manhattan School of Music.

PHOTO BY SARAH PEDLAR ’ 25

STUDENTS

Costume-design work puts graduate on

creative path

BY DEANNA KOLELL

Jordan Wallin-Swanson ’25 grew up in a family of creators. So, when she received her first sewing machine before the age of 10, it seemed inevitable she would explore her own creativity.

“I have a big world of people who sew in my life,” said Wallin-Swanson, who graduated from Lawrence University in June with a major in business and entrepreneurship and theatre arts. “My grandma does a lot of quilting. My

mom would make me costumes and pajamas and really likes to make curtains. I always have someone around me that’s crafting or creating.”

For the last 10 years, Wallin-Swanson, a native of Georgetown, Kentucky, honed her craft at her sewing machine. Her passion for sewing took a turn in high school when she got involved with theater productions. As a senior in high school, she designed costumes for their production of Beauty and the Beast JR.

“It was a lot of Googling,” Wallin-Swanson said.

and costume shop supervisor, who also helped Wallin-Swanson on her path to working in the Lawrence costume shop.

“I came in knowing how to sew, but she [Kopischke] will meet you where you’re at,” Wallin-Swanson said. “We have plenty of people who come into the costume shop and don’t know how to sew but want to learn. By the time they leave, they’re fluent and efficient in the costume shop, and it’s really fun to watch them learn.”

Wallin-Swanson’s involvement in the Theater Arts Department showed what life after college could look like. When she first arrived at Lawrence, she planned on becoming a high school librarian.

“I really enjoyed sewing, I really enjoyed theater, but I didn’t feel like there were job opportunities out there for it,” Wallin-Swanson said. “I got here, and I met Kärin and some of the other folks here in the Theater Arts Department, and I was like, this is something I could make work.”

Her senior project focused on creating a “bible of bibles” for costume shops. Every costume shop has a “bible” for each show, which includes the script, the cast’s measurements, the designs, and anything else the costume department might need for the show. She researched how those “bibles” look in different parts of the world.

Wallin-Swanson credits Kopischke with helping her get her first job in the wardrobe world, working last summer as the wardrobe supervisor at Northern Sky Theater in Door County.

“I realized I actually have all of the skills needed to do this.”

Coming to Lawrence offered Wallin-Swanson her first opportunity to receive formal training in costuming.

— Jordan Wallin-Swanson ’25

One of her first classes, Costume Crafts and Technology, allowed her to explore new sewing techniques. The course was taught by Kärin Kopischke, instructor of theatre arts

“It starts out as a professional relationship, and it turns into one that you really want to foster,” Wallin-Swanson said of her relationship with Kopischke.

At Northern Sky, Wallin-Swanson gained experience running her own department.

“I felt very underprepared going in, and when I got there, I realized I actually have all of the skills needed to do this,” she said. “I’ve been prepared for this.”

Jordan WallinSwanson ’25 is right at home in Lawrence’s costume shop.

PHOTO BY JACOB HANEKAMP ’25

Stancil-Martin embraces chance to lead on campus, in community

BY A.J. KAISER ’25

Adrian Stancil-Martin, a first-year Lawrence University student, has quickly made himself at home on campus and in the City of Appleton.

The government and philosophy double major from Washington Heights in New York City immediately jumped into Lawrence’s extracurriculars, joining the Model UN team, the Judicial Board, Lawrence Student Democrats, and Lawrence University Community Council (LUCC). And this spring, he ran for an open seat on the city’s Common Council. And won. He was elected April 1, less than seven months after arriving at Lawrence.

“I knew that something I wanted to do when I got to college was be involved with the student community,” Stancil-Martin said. “I enjoy keeping myself busy. I hate having a Saturday where I have nothing to do.”

Stancil-Martin joined Lawrence Student Democrats just before the 2024 election, so he was immediately involved with canvassing and door-knocking to rally voters, which he

said was a vital skill for his own campaign. Then, when Common Council member Kris Alfheim won a State Senate seat and vacated her position as alderperson, Stancil-Martin decided to run for the open seat in the district that includes the Lawrence campus.

“I used a lot of what I learned while doorknocking for the election in November,” he said. “I’d go around introducing myself, asking what concerns people have on the local level, and how I can advocate for them if elected on the council.”

Stancil-Martin’s goal in this seat is to use his position as a Lawrence student to bridge gaps between the university and the wider community. He’s committed to representing everyone’s interests, regardless of political position.

“I stuck to my passions,” he said. “Talking about where we can find common ground on issues. There’s plenty of residents who didn’t vote for me, but the election’s over,

and now my job is to represent everyone in the district as best as I can.”

Another of his most important goals is to be accessible to those he represents.

“I want students and other residents of the district to hold me accountable,” he said. “If you’re a student or a resident, you can always stop me and ask me questions or tell me what you want to see, and I’ll never shrug you off.”

Stancil-Martin came to Lawrence looking for a well-rounded, liberal arts education, which he said has been a blessing. He thanked Katie Van Zeeland, a Lawrence staff member, and Martyn Smith, associate professor of religious studies, for their guidance. Both are sitting members of the Common Council.

“I love it here,” Stancil-Martin said. “I love going to Cabaret, I love seeing how supportive students are. I committed in December, so really early, and I’ve never regretted my decision to come here. I don’t think I ever will.”

Adrian Stancil-Martin ’28

Commencement 2025: Celebrating ‘investment in yourself’

The Lawrence University Class of 2025 was celebrated in grand fashion at a Commencement held June 15 on Main Hall Green.

More than 350 graduates walked the Commencement stage to loud applause from family, friends, and the Lawrence community at a ceremony that included an inspiring message from Commencement speaker Campbell Scott ’83, an accomplished actor and director who first found his way to the stage while an undergraduate at Lawrence.

The graduates join an alumni community more than 22,000 strong.

“Sitting where you sit at this exact moment, getting a degree from this venerable institution, is not just an accomplishment, it’s not just the fruition of time and effort spent, but it’s also an irreplaceable marker of your investment in yourself,” Scott told the graduates.

Scott, who first rose to prominence as an actor in the 1990 film Longtime Companion, released seven years after he graduated, talked about his journey through Lawrence, from arriving a bit unfocused to being inspired and refocused by brilliant and committed professors. He would go on to a 40-year-plus career as an actor and director that included such films as Dying Young, Big Night, The Amazing Spider-Man, and the recently released Nonnas.

“Lawrence is where I learned how to learn, and what part of my education might be solely my responsibility,” Scott said. “That real knowledge wasn’t just memorizing or regurgitating what was factual or established, or measured positively by success and negatively by failure, but had more to do with recognizing strengths and weaknesses that were particular to me and having a safe place

to investigate them.”

Bruna Velez ’25, an international relations major from New York City, served as senior class speaker.

“I am an Ecuadorian American woman, an identity I wear with a badge of honor,” she said. “My family immigrated to the U.S. for this—to watch their daughter reach further and bigger than their biggest dreams. I stand here as a commemoration of their hard work, drive, compassion, and joy.”

Both Scott and Robert McDonald ’83, an accomplished concert pianist and music educator, were presented honorary degrees by President Laurie A. Carter—Scott receiving an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts and McDonald an honorary Doctor of Musical Arts. Scott’s honorary degree comes 53 years after his mother, Colleen Dewhurst, received the same honor from Lawrence.

In his address to graduates at the Baccalaureate service held the day before Commencement, McDonald talked of the need to keep learning.

“Attending to the education of ourselves requires a lifelong commitment and it is critical to living a responsibly informed existence, especially in a world that encourages us to read, hear, and accept others’ opinions often in place of achieving a sense of our own understanding,” he said. “Knowing oneself is key and it can take a long time to get good at it, to be honest about what we do know and believe, and particularly what we don’t know.”

A Commencement concert featuring the Class of 2025, the Baccalaureate service, and a cookout on Main Hall Green preceded the Commencement ceremony on a festive weekend.

At the close of Commencement,

the graduates were greeted with applause, high-fives, and hugs.

“In every classroom, in every late-night study session, we’ve supported one another and grown together,” Velez said. “It’s not just the knowledge we gained that will make us college graduates, it is the ability to problem-solve, seek help, and fail upwards together. What makes Lawrence so special is this, this community.”

PHOTOS BY DANNY DAMIANI

Campbell Scott ’83 delivers the Commencement address.

Senior class speaker Bruna Velez (front right) leads the graduates into Commencement on Main Hall Green.

Jose Otero gets a celebratory lift from supporters as he walks through the Lawrence Arch following Commencement.

Confetti flies and graduates celebrate as Commencement comes to a close.

Robert McDonald ’73 speaks at the Baccalaureate service in Memorial Chapel during Commencement weekend.

Robert Battle

PHOTO BY DANNY

CREATOR & Collaborator

Choreographer Robert Battle inspires, creates as Lawrence launches Creator in Residence program

BY ED BERTHIAUME

Trust your voice.

For Robert Battle, those three words speak to an artistic journey that has taken him to unanticipated heights in the dance world. Spoken in 2011 by the iconic Judith Jamison as she handed him the keys to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the advice would become a mantra for Battle for the next dozen years as he navigated the creative and cultural pressures that come with being the artistic director of one of the country’s most revered arts organizations.

“I think that’s one of the hardest things for artists, perhaps even people beyond artistic experiences—to trust their inner voice, to trust their instinct,” Battle said.

From 2011 through late 2023, he carried the New York-based Ailey to new levels of brilliance— hailed for introducing works by emerging artists and nurturing young talent while staying true to the dance company’s signature repertoire and cultural relevancy.

It was an exhilarating ride that lasted until he stepped away to explore new artistic endeavors.

And now Battle has delivered that same message—trust your voice—to students at Lawrence University in his role as the university’s 2024-25 Creator in Residence. The newly launched

gut feelings about things before that paint brush hits the canvas or before that dance step comes out of you. You feel that what you have to say needs to be heard. I think that’s what I took from it, and to trust that is the hardest thing to do because of so many outside voices.”

“These accomplished creators will come from across the academic disciplines, all creating in different ways, from performances and exhibitions to lectures and master classes.” — President Laurie A. Carter

residency will bring worldrenowned creators to Lawrence to collaborate with and inspire students and faculty.

“I think artmaking is so much about that,” Battle said of bringing the trust-your-voice lesson to students. “Yes, there’s technique involved but there’s mostly instinct, there’s mostly

Made possible through a gift from Harold ’72 and Mary Donn ’73 Jordan, the Creator in Residence program speaks to the university’s commitment to academic and artistic excellence. Future Creator in Residence programming is expected to span a range of disciplines, from sciences to humanities to arts.

“The program is built on a concept of collaboration—with students, faculty, and the community,” President Laurie A. Carter said. “These accomplished creators will come from across the academic disciplines, all creating in different ways, from performances and exhibitions to lectures and master classes. And many of them will bring with them a global following. We’re excited to see where it goes.”

“A lot to express” Battle set the tone for the new program over the past year, meeting with students and faculty across campus and leading dance and music students in the creation of an original dance performance presented on campus in May. Additional performances and workshops were presented to students from Appleton schools.

Battle said early talks with campus leaders about the vision for the Creator in Residence program drew him to Lawrence.

“To me, that’s my excitement, to always be learning, investigating, trying new things. I think this is a space where I felt safe to do that, very much supported by the faculty and by the dancers.”

— Robert Battle, Creator in Residence

PHOTOS BY DANNY DAMIANI

“We got to talking about this notion of infusing creativity and artistic dance into more parts of academia and how that might work,” he said.

The connection with students was immediate when Battle spent a week on campus in the fall.

“These students are multifaceted,” Battle said. “They’re really smart, and they value art, they value dance. They have a lot to express, a lot to say.”

When he returned to campus in February, Battle worked with students and faculty on a performance built on artistic expression. It evolved organically, collaboratively. Thirteen dance students, under the tutelage of Margaret Paek and Mauriah Donegan Kraker, both visiting assistant professors of dance, were selected for the performance.

Battle said he usually comes in with steps already set. But he wanted this to be a collaborative process, with creative ideas flowing both ways.

“To me, that’s my excitement, to always be learning, investigating, trying new things,” he said. “I think this is a space where I felt safe to do that, very much supported by the faculty and by the dancers.”

Battle then returned in Spring Term to finalize and present the performance, working in partnership with rehearsal director Donegan Kraker and Conservatory faculty Loren Kiyoshi Dempster and Jean Carlo Ureña Gonzalez. Held in the Esch Hurvis Studio in Warch Campus Center,

the performances featured the student dancers, Conservatory faculty, and student musicians, all collaborating with Battle on Gather Together, an original composition and choreography.

Ella Fajardo-Wilde, a sophomore from Brooklyn, New York, who grew up immersed in dance, called the experience “incredibly rewarding and boundary-pushing.” She had a solo in the dance performance where her input was not only sought but encouraged by Battle.

“He met me at my dance level while still challenging my choreography memory, endurance, and focus,”

Fajardo-Wilde said. “He ensured that this beautiful cast was seen and appreciated for the uniqueness, skill, and grace each individual brought.”

And it wasn’t all about dance. Fajardo-Wilde said Battle connected with the students and the instructors in ways that built trust. That’s not always a given when someone so accomplished is coming in from the outside.

“As a Brooklyn, New York, native, I grew up with Alvin Ailey all around me—seeing the posters, watching the company perform, and knowing about the prestigious program that thousands train and work for years to join,” Fajardo-Wilde said. “Initially, I felt intimidated and nervous to approach or even talk to him. However, the times we talked about different Brooklyn neighborhoods, our similarities and differences in food preferences, or how our

Carlo Ureña González provides percussion during a dress rehearsal for “Gather Together.”

days were going, I always found myself enjoying an amazing conversation.”

Donegan Kraker called Battle’s interactions with students and faculty genuine and his collaborations inspirational— deep conversation around process and interdisciplinary possibilities.

“This cross-pollination of idea, interest, training is what makes Lawrence unique, is what sets up our artists for post-Lawrence success,” she said.

Eye on collaboration

It was a thrilling kick-off to a Creator in Residence program that Lawrence leadership is excited to see grow. It comes as Lawrence is investing in collaboration among the academic disciplines. Fall 2025 will see the opening of West Campus, where the second floor of the new building at E. College Avenue and Drew Street will feature offices and studios for Conservatory

faculty, a Humanities Center, a recording studio, and offices and classrooms for math, computer science, and data science faculty— all equipped with innovative tools that will facilitate greater academic collaboration and creativity. On the building’s first floor will be the new home for the Trout Museum of Art, a nonprofit art gallery that will provide avenues to greater community partnership while adding another layer of creative energy to the Lawrence campus.

What Battle brought to campus via the Creator in Residence program builds on that momentum.

Alison Scott-Williams, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Lawrence, oversaw the inaugural collaborative program. She said she was incredibly moved by the knowledge, insight, and passion Battle added to the student experience.

“He has flourished at the highest

Jean

levels of the arts world,” she said. “He has been a creative juggernaut in dance, a trend setter, someone who has thrived amid incredible expectations. How exciting to have him here on our campus, sharing all his creative energy and genius with the Lawrence community. He has set the template for what the Creator in Residence program can be.”

“Everybody has a story” Battle sees the Creator in Residence role, no matter the discipline, as an opportunity to reinforce lessons already being taught at Lawrence. As he led classes and built a dance performance from scratch, students came prepared because they are already immersed daily in the creative process, he said. You can see it and feel it in the halls of the Conservatory, in the galleries of the Wriston Art Center, in research labs and

humanities classrooms.

“Sometimes you have to hear it from somebody from the outside,” Battle said. “You can be saying the same thing day after day and then someone comes in and sort of reinforces what is being offered and is being taught.”

That, he said, extends beyond the arts. Whether it’s Battle sharing his journey in dance or students hearing from a future Creator in Residence accomplished in another discipline, that fresh voice—coming from a place of accomplishment—is important.

“I feel everybody has a story,” Battle said. “And for the students to have access to those stories, to those people, whether it be a scientist or an artist or a philosopher or a poet— everything at its foundation is imbued with creativity. I think that’s the link in terms of the Creator in Residence. Creativity is

not just for artists. It really is for the world. We usually don’t see it that way. That term is relegated to artistic endeavors when, actually, creativity is all around us all the time and is an important component to progress.”

A new focus

Lawrence’s Creator in Residence was one of Battle’s first opportunities after stepping away from the Ailey company.

“It was hard to walk away,” he said of leaving Ailey. “It’s a dream job. I think of it as more than a job; it’s a calling. But I think any good performer knows when to leave the stage, when you’ve said what you wanted to say and it’s time for someone else to take the stage.”

Battle, now in his early 50s, said he embraced the building of a dance community and family with Ailey. That included being on tour for eight months of the year and all the experiences that come with it.

“Sometimes you have to sort of let something go in order to move to the next phase of your life,” Battle said.” Sometimes, because we’re afraid to let go, we hold on to things much longer than they need to be held and then you miss an opportunity to grow.”

The opportunities since stepping away have been plentiful. In addition to the one-year role at Lawrence, Battle has been named resident choreographer of the Paul Taylor Dance Company and has been invited to teach or speak at other colleges.

“It’s wonderful because I can now drop in and then move

forward,” Battle said. “I get to sort of be an independent artist again, which is exciting—to be in different spaces with different organizations that have different footprints and different modes of working. That’s what is happening now.”

At Lawrence and elsewhere, Battle said, it feels good to give back, to be that inspiration to others that his teachers and mentors were to him.

“I’ve done a lot in my career in dance,” he said. “I’ve climbed ladders and mountains that I didn’t even think possible, the pinnacle being artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. I feel I’m at this place in my career where I really want to give back in meaningful ways.”

That was evident as the year progressed and the Lawrence dance performance came into focus. Paek said the power of creative collaboration could be seen throughout the rehearsal process as the students leaned into the work, supported each other, and embraced Battle’s lessons—insights into choreography at the highest levels. While the rehearsals were exhausting, the interactions and teaching moments that emerged could only happen when all parties are deeply invested.

“This kind of hands-onexperience—creating art together as faculty, professional artists, and students—this is what Lawrence does so well and why the Creator in Residence program is so specifically well-suited to Lawrence,” Paek said.

PHOTOS BY DANNY DAMIANI

Robert Battle: “I feel everybody has a story.”

BY

Students perform during a dress rehearsal for Gather Together.

PHOTO

DANNY DAMIANI

On Main Hall Green With … Anne Ratnoff

Conversations require generous listening

On Main Hall Green With … is an ongoing series that features Lawrence faculty sharing insights in and out of the classroom. It’s the same six questions with wonderfully varied answers. We’ve showcased more than 75 faculty thus far in the series, found under Profiles on the News page at Lawrence.edu.

BY ED BERTHIAUME

Anne Ratnoff, the newest member of Lawrence University’s talented French and Francophone Studies faculty, is quickly putting her mark on the curriculum.

A specialist in 20th- and 21st-century French and Francophone literature, Ratnoff has introduced several new courses since joining the faculty in fall 2024, among them, Is It Utopia? Feminist Francophone Fictions and Nature and the New Novel. The former explores how contemporary French and Francophone feminist writers use fiction to sharpen utopic visions for the future—and the present. The latter, taught in French, looks at the settings of novels, focusing attention on the background and environment.

Ratnoff also taught First-Year Studies in the fall and is teaching in the Gender Studies program. Her research interests have focused on questions of identity, feminist writing, and narrative theory.

She came to Lawrence after a year as

a visiting assistant professor of French at Kenyon College. She holds a Ph.D. in French from Harvard University. She earned a master’s degree in French from Middlebury College in Paris and a bachelor’s degree with a double major in French and cognitive and linguistic sciences from Wellesley College. We caught up with Ratnoff to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info: What’s one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

I say this at the start of each term, but I really view our class discussions as a long, ongoing conversation. A good conversation is never one-sided, mixes humor with seriousness, and sometimes goes off on a tangent. Conversations require generous listening, which means engaging sincerely with other people and remembering that we all share the goal of communicating something. Thinking about the work we do together with this framework seems to me to support many

of the harder aspects of learning: admitting that we don’t know everything already, making the mistakes that force us to grow, situating our knowledge within the bigger picture of the world beyond ourselves.

Getting energized: What work have you done or will you be doing at Lawrence that gets you the most excited?

I recently experienced Björklunden for the first time during the annual Language Immersion Weekend in January, and I can’t believe how lucky we are to have this Door County campus. In Spring 2026, I’ll teach a class called Nature and the New Novel. This course includes a number of guided and independent local fieldtrips to help us concentrate on depictions of the background and the environment in experimental novels. And I’m working to make Björklunden one of the sites of our fieldtrips.

Going places: Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

First, a confession: I love mysteries.

And while I currently can’t stop listening to Agatha Christie audiobooks, which have very satisfying resolutions, I am even more excited to read a book where the mystery can’t be solved. This was the origin of Is It Utopia? Feminist Francophone Fictions (offered alternately in French and in translation). Each novel we read in this class involves mystery and murder(s), but the murder is not the mystery. Instead, it’s the protagonist who resists identification. As the story unfolds, the reader gets caught in a web of suspense, which is both frustrating and exhilarating. The ultimate focus of this course—the noplace of utopia—came out of discussions with students, who picked up on this keyword in the course description and ran with it. One of the things I love most about teaching is being surprised by what captures the attention of each group of students—it is always something new and different, which makes the mysterious texts we read together feel thrilling each and every time.

Out of the classroom

This or that: If you weren’t teaching for a living, what would you be doing?

When I was little, I wanted to be a paleontologist—Atlanta’s Fernbank Museum of Natural History made a big impression on me as a 3-year-old. But in this hypothetical world where I am not teaching or writing, I think I would like to make things with my hands. I recently started dabbling in ceramics, which has been strongly encouraged by my friend Meghan Sullivan (assistant professor of ceramics and expanded media). There is something incredibly therapeutic about building something out of clay: your mind stays focused on the task literally at hand, and you have to let go of the idea of making something “perfect.” There’s an obvious and tangible transformation from the beginning to the end. The process is unpredictable, and sometimes mistakes you made (like when you didn’t thin out the glaze properly…) turn into happy, beautiful accidents. I have to say, this description also maps onto how I feel about my scholarly writing and creative side projects. So, I guess I’m saying, if I weren’t doing what I am doing now, I would still seek out ways to channel my creativity and to constantly keep learning. Right at home: Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what’s your favorite spot on campus?

I really like the John G. Strange Commons on the first floor of Main Hall. It’s a quiet and serene counterpoint to the foot traffic between classes and has lovely natural light for reading. One book, one recording, one film: Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

Book: The Villain’s Dance, Fiston Mwanza Mujila, translated from the French by Roland Glasser (2020/2024). This was a 2024 finalist for the National Book Award for translation, and it follows a dizzying cast of characters from 1990s Zaire (present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) into the diamond mines of Angola. It’s raucous, it’s a labyrinth, and I couldn’t put it down.

Recording: Erykah Badu, “Window Seat” on New Amerykah Part 2. I’ve had this song on repeat since high school.

Film: India Song, Marguerite Duras (1975). This film made such an impression on me as an undergrad. My professor told us that every time she went back to Paris, she would go see this film at the same tiny cinema every Friday at noon. The story is sentimental and lyrical, strange and haunting. The visuals are stunning.

Portrait on Main Hall Green: Anne Ratnoff

PHOTO BY ADRIAN STANCIL-MARTIN 28

ACADEMICS

New business course offers avenue into sport management

BY ED BERTHIAUME

The business side of sports is getting new attention in the classroom at Lawrence University, and Lauren Moravchik, a fifthyear women’s hockey player, is thrilled as she explores career options.

“I can’t think of a better way to do that than by combining my passion for sports with my interest in business,” said Moravchik, a German, economics, and business and entrepreneurship triple major from Lonsdale, Minnesota.

The addition of a sport management course was among the draws that brought her back to Lawrence for a fifth year. She’s not alone in her enthusiasm. As the business and entrepreneurship major that was launched in Fall Term 2023 continues to evolve, new courses are being introduced. Among them is Sport Management, a course exploring the business aspects of college and professional sports—focused on leadership, facility management, sales, analytics, marketing, communications, and more. Taught by Karen Bussone, professor of practice in entrepreneurship, the inaugural course drew 35 students, 32 of them student-athletes.

Bussone lined up eight guest speakers to connect with the class either in person or virtually. Among them was Gabrielle Valdez Dow, vice president of marketing and fan engagement for the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, and Kalle Larsson ’07, senior director of player

development for the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.

The advice, wisdom, and real-world experience the guests bring is important, as are the personal connections that can potentially lead to internships and other opportunities.

“The sport industry is very, very competitive and tough to get into,” Bussone said. “I am very passionate about providing opportunities for my students to network with sport industry professionals.”

Dow, speaking to the class at Lawrence’s newly opened Business and Entrepreneurship

“As a student athlete interested in sports marketing and social media, I wanted to learn more about how teams are promoted, how they engage fans, and how they manage their brand.”

— Lauren Moravchik ’25

Center in Fox Commons, encouraged the students to start building connections now. That includes doing their homework— learning all they can about potential employers and internship opportunities.

“Regardless of what you are doing in life, whether you are going to talk to somebody who is going to employ you or someone you are meeting with for an informational meeting, go do your homework,” Dow said. “Get online and find out who they are and what makes them tick and what you have in common with them.”

Bringing that background into the conversation is the beginning of relationship building, said Dow, whose career before joining the Packers in 2014 included leadership in marketing and fan engagement with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, the NHL’s Florida Panthers, and the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers.

Larsson, who played hockey at Lawrence and then returned as an assistant coach from 2010 to 2013, told the students to embrace their passion for sports and be prepared to outwork those around them.

“A lot of people say they want to do something, but when they realize how hard it is, they don’t really want to do it,” said Larsson, who was hired by the Edmonton Oilers in 2024 after a decade in the front office with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League. “I got here with absolute dedication. … I’m just extremely obsessed with what I do.”

Bussone expects to teach the Sport

Management course once each year. She also has introduced courses in financial management, management and leadership, and customer engagement.

“Designing a course in sport management came about because many LU athletes aspire to work in the sport industry,” Bussone said. “I heard that from students in my classes last year.”

A path forward

For Moravchik, athletics are part of her identity. It’s been that way since she was a young child, when her father and uncles introduced her and her sister to hockey, volleyball, golf, and more.

“Athletics have been a constant in my life,” she said.

She committed to playing women’s hockey at Lawrence in the spring of 2020—just as the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning—and chose economics and German as her majors. When the business and entrepreneurship major was introduced in 2023, she jumped in immediately. The major, and the new courses that were introduced, dovetailed with her interests.

“The launch of the B&E program was pivotal for me to stay in school for a fifth year, and this major will be an important part of my postgraduation plans,” she said.

Moravchik’s hockey teammate, Taylor Halverson, a senior business and entrepreneurship and psychology double

major from Hudson, Wisconsin, is looking for a graduate assistant position in a college athletic department. She called the Sport Management course an important window into the skills and resources needed to make that happen.

“As a student athlete interested in sports marketing and social media, I wanted to learn more about how teams are promoted, how they engage fans, and how they manage their brand,” she said.

Larsson said he’s not surprised this course has drawn so much interest from students.

“If this course would have been around when I was at Lawrence, I would have been the first person to sign up,” he said.

Gabrielle Valdez Dow, vice president of marketing and fan engagement for the Green Bay Packers, speaks to students in the B&E Center in Fox Commons.

PHOTO

Kalle Larsson ’07 reflects on his journey to the NHL / Page 50

Mellon grant funds Fox-Wolf collaboration between Lawrence, College of Menominee Nation

BY ED BERTHIAUME

A $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation will allow Lawrence University faculty and students to explore environmental justice issues in the Fox-Wolf watershed in collaboration with the College of Menominee Nation (CMN).

The three-year grant agreement will facilitate an Indigenous-led residency program, community-engaged courses, faculty exchange and collaboration, and experiential learning opportunities for students, all focused on environmental justice and sustainability issues in a Fox-Wolf watershed that includes the Lawrence campus in Appleton and the tribal college 60 miles to the north.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to not only expand our knowledge and teaching about environmental justice issues in our community, but to also work to improve the health of our shared ecology,” said Sigma Colón, assistant professor of environmental studies and ethnic studies at Lawrence.

“Partnering with the College of Menominee

Nation and community to build a mutually beneficial relationship will help us make a lasting impact.”

Colón joined Lawrence colleagues Gregory Hitch, assistant professor of environmental studies, and Claire Kervin, assistant professor of English and director of fellowships advising, in leading the development of the project in partnership with Peter Blitstein, Lawrence’s provost and dean of faculty, and Jennifer Gauthier, director of the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) at CMN.

The grant comes as Lawrence has embraced water as the theme of its revamped First-Year Studies program, has grown its environmental studies curriculum, and has partnered with Indigenous tribes in celebration of Indigenous People’s Day.

In 2022, Hitch joined the Lawrence faculty as the Jill Beck NEH Postdoctoral Fellow in the Humanities, bringing with him over a decade of experience in partnering with the Menominee Nation. Among other courses,

Hitch introduced Indigenous Ecology: Ancestral Knowledges and Science in Action, giving Lawrence students an avenue to hands-on research and advocacy with Menominee organizations. In Fall 2024, Hitch was named an assistant professor of environmental studies, further bolstering Lawrence’s curricular focus on environmental humanities.

The Mellon grant now takes that work to another level.

“We are so excited to have this vital work recognized and supported by the Mellon

The Fox River runs through the Lawrence campus.

“This grant signifies just the beginning of a strong and reciprocal partnership between the College of Menominee Nation and Lawrence University.”

— Gregory Hitch, assistant professor of environmental studies

Foundation,” Hitch said. “This grant signifies just the beginning of a strong and reciprocal partnership between the College of Menominee Nation and Lawrence University as we collaborate on addressing environmental injustices while promoting innovative teaching and public understanding of our shared watershed.”

Kervin said the grant will fund activities that will cultivate an abiding partnership between Lawrence and CMN, centered on the health and interdependence of the Fox and

Wolf rivers.

“I am excited about the innovations that the grant will make possible, including collaboration between LU’s environmental studies program and CMN’s Sustainable Development Institute and experiential learning opportunities that allow students to see what humanistic thinking can offer to real communities,” Kervin said.

The work aims to guide new conversations about the history and future of the Fox and Wolf rivers, including Lawrence’s place

and voice in the watershed. Doing so in partnership with the Menominee improves the likelihood that the work will continue well beyond the three-year window of the grant.

The College of Menominee Nation, chartered by the Menominee people, recently marked its 30-year anniversary. As a 1994 Land Grant institution of higher education, it infuses learning with Indigenous culture and prepares students for leadership, careers, and advanced studies, with an emphasis on environmental sustainability.

Lewis, Rico named ACM Fellows, begin two-year leadership appointments

Two Lawrence University faculty members have been named Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) Academic Leadership Fellows, two-year appointments designed to provide immersive learning experiences in academic leadership.

Nora Lewis ’99, associate dean of faculty and associate professor of music, and Monica Rico, the Robert S. French Professor of American Studies and professor of history, will begin their terms as ACM Fellows on July 1.

Lewis will step into a full-time role as associate provost. Rico will take on the responsibilities of establishing the Humanities Center, a hub for creative, collaborative work being built into West Campus, the new fourstory building scheduled to open in time for Fall Term 2025.

As ACM fellows, they will be matched with mentors, participate in professional

ACADEMICS

development sessions on topics such as budgeting practices and leading through crisis, and will attend two immersive summer institutes with other emerging leaders.

Lewis returned to Lawrence in 2018 to teach oboe in the Conservatory of Music. In 2022, she took on the added responsibility of associate dean of faculty.

“My commitment to Lawrence’s mission and values was strengthened during my dual degree studies in music performance and philosophy, a perspective that helps inform my approach to the various facets of academic affairs,” Lewis said.

Rico joined the Lawrence faculty in 2001. She specializes in the history of early and nineteenth-century America. She’s been honored multiple times both on campus and in the Fox Cities community for her scholarship, teaching, and outreach. She said the Humanities Center has boundless possibilities in connecting faculty and students across campus and building bridges between Lawrence and the wider community, all focused on the humanistic disciplines.

“These disciplines endure because they benefit individuals and communities,” Rico said.

“I’m excited about bringing Lawrence faculty and staff together with Fox Cites residents to see how we can learn together in this beautiful new space.”

De Stasio, Kern honored as they retire from Lawrence faculty

Two Lawrence University faculty members who have drawn rave reviews for their teaching both on and off campus retired at the close of the 2024-25 academic year. Bart De Stasio ’82, Dennis and Charlot Nelson Singleton Professor of Biological Sciences and professor of biology, and Edmund Kern, associate professor of history, both joined the Lawrence faculty in 1992. They were honored at Lawrence’s 2025 Commencement.

De Stasio has pursued studies in freshwater ecology and marine biology, passions he first explored as a student at Lawrence. He has guided important research on invasive species in Wisconsin waterways and for 30 years has led the Lawrence University Marine Term (LUMP) program.

“One of the very first times I walked through the Biology Department in Youngchild Hall—as a first-year student in 1978—I met a faculty member

who knew my name and was familiar with my background and interests,” De Stasio said. “I felt so welcomed and valued that I decided right then that this was a very different place compared to many others. … My goal is to make sure students experience that sense of belonging, of always being part of this unique community.”

A specialist in early modern European history, Kern has been a mainstay in shaping the history curriculum over the past three-plus decades. In the process, he drew national attention when he twice connected history with modern pop culture in ways that resonated with large audiences. His research on the history of witchcraft and religious culture led to him teaching a course on Harry Potter, which then led to his 2003 book, The Wisdom of Harry Potter: What Our Favorite Hero Teaches Us About Moral Choices. And years later, a former student, Josh Sawyer ’98, reached out to Kern as a consultant in the building of Pentiment, a historical role-playing video game centered on life in 16thcentury Bavaria. The game won a 2024 Peabody Award.

“There’s a need for professional historians to write for each other in specialized studies that might not appeal to average readers, but there’s also a need to find ways to communicate with a larger audience,” Kern said.

De Stasio

Kern

Colón, Khor, Schlabach honored with faculty awards

Three Lawrence University professors were honored at Commencement with the college’s 2025 teaching awards. Sigma Colón, assistant professor of environmental studies and ethnic studies, received the Excellence in Teaching by an EarlyCareer Faculty Member Award; Lena Khor, associate professor of English, received the Excellence in Teaching Award; and Betsy Schlabach, associate professor of history, received the Excellence in Scholarship or Creative Activity Award.

In 2024, Colón was named one of 20 Career Enhancement Fellows by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars. She came to Lawrence in 2017 via postdoctoral National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) fellowships in geography and history, then worked as a visiting assistant professor of environmental and ethnic studies before earning a tenure-track appointment in 2021. She teaches in both ethnic studies and environmental studies, developing courses that address the geopolitics of inequality and linking racial and environmental justice.

Khor has been teaching literature at Lawrence since 2009. Her academic specialty is 20th and 21st century postcolonial and global anglophone literature and her research areas have focused on human rights, humanitarianism, and environmentalism. She has led interdisciplinary projects such as guiding Lawrence students in creating and showing documentaries on the intersections of literature and human rights. A member of the English faculty, she also teaches as part of the interdisciplinary ethnic studies program and global studies program.

A member of the history faculty since 2021, Schlabach teaches courses in 20th century American history, African American history, and urban history. Her second book, Dream Books and Gamblers: Black Women’s Work in Chicago’s Policy Game, was published in 2022 about the same time she received a travel grant that allowed her to take her research on the road to the John Hope Franklin Research Center at Duke University.

Eight faculty members granted tenure in 2025

President Laurie A. Carter and the college’s Board of Trustees, based on recommendations by the faculty Committee on Tenure, Promotion, Reappointment, and Equal Employment Opportunity, approved the granting of tenure to Hillary Caruthers, economics; Scott Dixon, philosophy; Estelí Gomez, music (voice); Anne Haydock, film studies; Relena Ribbons, geosciences; Elizabeth Sattler, mathematics; Austin Segrest, English; and Betsy Schlabach, history. All eight will be promoted to associate professor at the start of the 2025-26 academic year.

Hillary Caruthers: A member of the economics faculty since 2014, she has academic interests in economic development, labor migration, global nutrition and health, and Southeast Asian studies. She earned her Ph.D. and master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University.

Scott Dixon: He joined the philosophy faculty in 2021. He previously taught at Ashoka University. His research has focused on grounding, philosophical regresses, and the natures of properties, relations, propositions, facts, and states of affairs. He earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of California, Davis, his master’s degree from the University of Wyoming, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana.

Estelí Gomez: The celebrated soprano joined the Conservatory faculty in 2019. She teaches in the voice studio while continuing to perform on some of the world’s grandest stages. She has won two Grammy Awards with the contemporary octet Roomful of Teeth. She earned a master’s degree from McGill University and a bachelor’s degree from Yale University.

Anne Haydock: She has taught in film studies since 2014. Her areas of interest include documentary, animation, handmade cinema, and representational ethics, and she teaches a wide variety of film/video production classes. Haydock currently chairs the Film Studies Department. She earned an MFA in film and video production from the University of Iowa and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Relena Ribbons: A member of the faculty since 2016, Ribbons is a forest and soil ecologist and biogeochemist. She teaches in geosciences and environmental studies. Her interests span soil microbial ecology, geobiotic interactions, and ecosystem ecology. She holds Ph.D.s from the University of Copenhagen and Bangor University, a master’s from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College.

Liz Sattler: She joined the mathematics faculty in 2018. Her academic focus has centered on teaching and developing Lawrence’s foundational courses in precalculus, calculus, and discrete math. She previously taught for two years at Carleton College. In 2023, Sattler received Lawrence’s Early Career Teaching Award. She earned her Ph.D. in mathematics and her bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University.

Austin Segrest: An accomplished poet, Segrest joined the English faculty in 2014. He has taught classes in English and creative writing and has literary interests in contemporary and 17th-century poetry. He is the author of two poetry collections, Door to Remain and Groom. He has a Ph.D. in literature and creative writing (poetry) from University of Missouri, an MFA in poetry from Georgia State University, and a bachelor’s degree from Emory University.

Betsy Schlabach

A member of the history faculty since 2021, Schlabach teaches courses in 20th century American history, African American history, and urban history. She has a Ph.D. in American studies from Saint Louis University, a master’s from Lehigh University, and a bachelor’s degree from Valparaiso University.

Colón

Khor

Schlabach

Cello professor Kivie CahnLipman shines light on forgotten Scottish opera

ACADEMICS

PHOTO BY BEN FREUH ’27

BY ALEX ALDEN ’25

“There’s a lot of music out there that no one has recorded,” said Kivie Cahn-Lipman, a Lawrence University cello professor.

For Cahn-Lipman, forgotten music isn’t a dead end—it’s an invitation. Throughout his career, he has made it his mission to resurrect hidden gems, often giving them their first recordings.

To date, he has performed on more than 50 recordings, with a repertoire that stretches from early Celtic folk and the complete Bach cello suites to the works of contemporary composers such as Kaija Saariaho and George Crumb.

“There have been amazing women composers throughout music history,” CahnLipman said, naming three women whose works he has recently recorded: “From Caterina Giani in the seventeenth century,

to Emilie Mayer in the nineteenth century, to Daijana Wallace writing a piece for the Lawrence University Cello Ensemble right now.”

For Cahn-Lipman, who joined the Conservatory of Music faculty in the fall, his efforts to widen the canon also concern its bookends, both early and contemporary music. His latest project takes this commitment to early music a step further.

On March 7, Cahn-Lipman released the premiere recording of The Gentle Shepherd by Allan Ramsay, performed with Makaris, the Celtic classical/folk ensemble he founded.

First published in 1725, The Gentle Shepherd is considered the first Scottish opera and a prime contender for the first-ever ballad opera—an eighteenth-century “jukebox” compilation of popular tunes. Despite its

historical importance, the work remains obscure, largely overshadowed by John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera (1728), which went on to define the genre.

Cahn-Lipman first encountered The Gentle Shepherd by accident while researching for an earlier project.

“I randomly stumbled across The Gentle Shepherd,” he said. “It was being compared to The Beggar’s Opera by a bunch of sources in the same sentence—but I had never heard of it and I realized, ‘Wow, this is a really important piece from its time that is completely forgotten about.’”

The work’s obscurity isn’t just a matter of neglect—it’s a logistical challenge.

“There’s no score,” said Cahn-Lipman, “there’s a libretto, and what Allan Ramsay did is he wrote the song text, and indicated the tune, but then there’s no attachment of music to the actual words.”

Assembling the opera was no simple task. Although some songs fit neatly with their indicated tunes, others posed significant challenges, with multiple melodies sharing the same name or simply rhythmic patterns that didn’t align with the text.

“I had to create a new edition from scratch that would match the melody to the text and then orchestrate it and then syllabize everything,” Cahn-Lipman said.

The result is not just a performance but a reconstruction—one that required CahnLipman to step into the roles of composer, librettist, editor, and historian. As with many of his projects, he wrote extensive program notes to document the process and highlight the opera’s significance.

With a fresh score in hand, the next step was recording.

For that, Cahn-Lipman turned to Makaris, one of several ensembles whose inceptions he was crucial in—he was founder of the string band ACRONYM, founding cellist of International Contemporary Ensemble and co-founder of two viol consorts, LeStrange and Science Ficta.

Cahn-Lipman has not only championed forgotten works but also developed a deep respect for the process of rediscovery, an appreciation he hopes to instill in his students.

Kivie CahnLipman performs with Cantala at Memorial Chapel.

Fascination with Mars draws NASA grant to support research

BY A.J. KAISER ’25

Lawrence University continues to have success in drawing research funding through its work with the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC), an educational branch of NASA.

Junior Zachary Hogan is the latest, turning his fascination with Mars into research that has garnered a 2025 grant from WSGC. His research has been guided by Jeff Clark, professor and chair of the Geosciences Department.

Hogan was one of two Lawrence students to receive a WSGC grant this year. Sydney Closson ’25, a dual-degree senior from Rolesville, North Carolina, majoring in geosciences and music, also received the award for her research project, “A comprehensive review of the rheology and geophysics of icy moons in the outer solar system.” This marks the second time Closson has participated in research funded by the WSGC; she also received an earlier WSGC scholarship. (She was featured in the Spring/ Summer 2024 edition of Lawrence).

“WSGC has supported 16 student-faculty research collaborations in the past five years— nine in my lab alone—in addition to individual student scholarships and most recently directly supporting student-initiated research projects like Zach’s,” Clark said. “Support from WSGC has allowed me to train over a dozen students on acquiring and using sUAS (drone) imagery to answer questions about effects of controlled burns on plant populations, changes in wetland species composition, and bluff retreat along the western Lake Michigan shoreline. Many of these students have gone on to use these techniques in their jobs or graduate work and WSGC work on resume’s gets them noticed.” Hogan, a geosciences major from

Warrenville, Illinois, is using the $5,000 grant to fund research into the deterioration of ice cliffs on the poles of Mars. The end goal, Hogan said, is to determine an annual volume of material that’s shedding from the ice slopes, which could inform further research on the surface of Mars. In August, he’ll present his research to WSGC, and his write-up will be published in the WSGC’s student publication.

“The north pole of Mars has these really interesting spiral canyons we call spiral troughs—a spiral shape leading out from the north pole,” Hogan said. “We look at a ledge in 2005 and then in 2020 to see how much it’s collapsed. The idea is to understand the processes that are leading to this and what causes such a strange formation to exist.”

Hogan’s research is multifaceted. He needs to take into consideration the weather patterns on Mars. As the frozen formations deteriorate, dust is released from the ancient ice into the thin, carbon dioxide atmosphere.

Hogan’s interest in this research began in high school when he saw images of the cliffs on Mars. The geosciences faculty at Lawrence gave him the opportunity to dig

deeper into this interest. The research idea came together when he was participating in a research project with Clark and other students, tracking the progression of cliffs along Lake Michigan. He realized the drone imagery he and other students were taking of the cliffs resembled the images he had seen of the deterioration on Mars.

“I didn’t realize I would have the time or ability to work on something like this, but through different classes in the Geosciences Department, my interest in those questions grew,” Hogan said. “The approach to learning in the Geosciences Department is very commendable. We’re kind of all in it together, and you get to ask really interesting questions.”

Hogan said he’s gaining valuable skills via this research project, and he’ll take those into his next endeavors. After his time at Lawrence, Hogan plans to continue his education in space sciences with a postgraduate program, and then work toward earning a Ph.D.

“There’s a lot of skills I’ve gained from this in terms of structuring my research questions and planning, and thinking about how I use my funding,” he said.

PHOTO

Zachary Hogan ’26

• Congratulations to the six recipients of the annual Lawrence University Staff Awards: Juan Arguello (President’s Award of Excellence), Shannan Hartel (Kindness Award), Noemi Delgado and Mikey Zadroga (First-Year Impact Award), Jeff Miller (Leadership Award), and Dakota McKee (Collaboration Award).

• Congratulations to William J. Baer ’72 for being the recipient of the John Sherman Award from the United States Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. Baer, a member of Lawrence’s Board of Trustees, was honored for his lifetime contributions to the substantive development of antitrust law and the preservation of economic liberty. The John Sherman Award is the division’s highest honor.

• Kudos to Thomas Baer ’74 for being the 2025 recipient of Optica’s Stephen D. Fantone Distinguished Service Award. He was honored for his more than three decades of dedicated service and visionary leadership to Optica, including broadening Optica’s topical focus to include biomedical optics and expanding Optica’s global footprint and recognition through public policy programs such as the National Photonics Initiative and the Global Environmental Measurement and Monitoring Initiative.

• Congratulations to Marcia Bjornerud, Walter Schober Professor of Environmental Studies and professor of geosciences, for continuing to draw huge praise for her 2024 book, Turning to Stone: Discovering the Subtle Wisdom of Rocks. It was chosen by Science News as one of the best science books of 2024. And in April, it was honored with the 2025 John Burroughs Medal for distinguished natural history writing in book form.

• Kudos to Benjamin Keating ’25 for winning the Wisconsin Division of the Music Teachers National Association’s Young Artist Piano Performance Competition. A student in the piano studio of Catherine Kautsky, he advanced to the regional level of the national competition.

• Kudos to Alec Nguyen ’23 and Austin “Hung” Nguyen ’23, founders of Afforai (rebranded Logically), an AI-powered citation

LU LIGHTS

Celebrating the accomplishments of the Lawrence community

• Big applause to Caitlin Gollogly ’08 and Graycie Gardner ’14 for being selected to sing in the chorus in the big-screen adaptation of Wicked. The two Lawrentians were part of the 16-person chorus providing vocals on the film’s signature group numbers—“Defying Gravity,” “One Short Day,” “No One Mourns the Wicked,” and “Dancing Through Life,” among others. The film was among the biggest releases of 2024.

manager, for being named to the Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for 2024. Alec is CEO and Austin is chief technology officer for a startup that raised more than $1 million in funding and had 2024 revenue of $1.5 million.

• Kudos to Jerald Podair as his City of Dreams: Dodger Stadium and the Birth of Modern Los Angeles (2019, Princeton University Press) was selected as the No. 5

commercial real estate book of all time in a list released by Propmodo.com. Podair, professor of history emeritus, comes in just behind Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead and ahead of Tom Wolfe’s A Man in Full.

• Cheers to Spencer Tweedy ’19 for his drumming on Waxahatchee’s Tigers Blood, an album that drew a 2025 Grammy Award nomination for Best Americana Album.

• Congratulations to Joe Vanden Acker, director of athletic media relations, for being honored by the Midwest Conference. He is the recipient of the conference’s Meritorious Service Award, given in recognition of his “significant contributions and outstanding service to the MWC and its member institutions” over the past 25 years.

• Congratulations to Ethan Waugh ’97, a former Lawrence football player, for being named interim general manager of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. He has been the assistant general manager since 2022. He was a history major at Lawrence.

• Congratulations to Rula Zaki ’95, a renowned singer in Egypt, for winning the Dr. Aly Al Samman Award for Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation.

• Congratulations to Susan Crawford ’87 for her election in April 2025 to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She became the second Lawrentian to serve on the state’s highest court (Louis Butler ’73 served 2004-08).

William J. Baer ’72

Judge Susan Crawford ’87

Graduates going abroad with Fulbright, USTA fellowships

One Lawrence University graduate will be going abroad as the recipient of a 2025 U.S. Fulbright Program fellowship while two others will be heading to Austria as part of a fellowship program administered by Fulbright Austria.

After advancing nine Lawrentians to the semifinalist round of the prestigious U.S. Fulbright Program, Lawrence saw two 2025 graduates named finalists: Alex Stanger, a film studies and German double major from East Calais, Vermont, and Samuel Schuler, a dual degree student in history and music performance (voice) from Columbia, Maryland. Stanger will accept the award and spend the coming academic year teaching in Germany. Schuler, meanwhile, will not accept the Fulbright, instead accepting a fellowship with the U.S. Teaching Assistantship (USTA) program for Austria.

Schuler will be joined in Austria by another 2025 graduate, Mia Kraker, a music performance (violin) major from Duluth, Minnesota, who also was awarded a teaching fellowship in the USTA Austria program.

Aria Djamali ’25 and Dylan Coble ’24 were named Fulbright alternates, meaning they are now on a waiting list for Fulbright grants to Peru and Morocco, respectively.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program.

“These Lawrentians persevered through long and challenging application processes, and they have so much to be proud of,” said Claire Kervin, assistant professor of English and director of fellowships advising.

Stanger said a wide range of experiences as an undergraduate, including studying abroad and taking part in summer internships, led to the Fulbright.

“I pursued the Fulbright to further develop my skills as an educator and improve my ability to be a community member who can make a positive impact in my local community,” Stanger said.

Stanger said it was Lawrence alumna Anja Pfeffer ’02, an eighth-grade teacher for a world languages course in Vermont, who first got them interested in the German language.

She also told Stanger about Lawrence.

“In this class, we learned about a few different languages and how important languages are to how we interact with each other,” Stanger said.

Schuler, meanwhile, will be working as a teaching assistant for English at two schools in Styria, located in southern Austria. The grade levels are equivalent to middle school through high school in the U.S.

“My basic goal will be to build my skills and experience as a prospective teacher through this opportunity,” Schuler said.

His interest in the USTA fellowship stemmed from a summer experience in 2022.

“I took part in a seven-week summer immersion program for German at Middlebury University in Vermont, with no prior knowledge of the language other than a little experience from studying German lieder for my vocal performance degree,” he said. “There, I fell in love with the language.”

He called the choice between USTA and Fulbright a difficult one. The USTA acceptance came first, and Schuler was intrigued by the location and opportunity, so he made that commitment.

“One of the most magical experiences that

helped prepare me for this moment was getting to do a semester abroad in Vienna in the fall of 2024, thanks to the study abroad program at Lawrence,” Schuler said.

Kraker will be working with mentors to teach English at two schools in Innsbruck, located in western Austria in the heart of the Alps. One of the schools is an upper-level secondary school with a focus on economics, business, and technical skills, and the other is an evening school similar in grade level to a high school in the U.S.

“As a German studies minor, I wanted to experience immersion in the language and culture of a German-speaking country,” Kraker said. “I was interested in studying abroad during college but ultimately decided it wasn’t the best fit for me, so when thinking about what I wanted to do post-graduation, this seemed like a great opportunity to fulfill the desire to live in Europe.”

Kraker said her experiences as an undergraduate at Lawrence gave her a passion for teaching.

“The German studies program has given me a critical foundation in the German language and in understanding the culture of Germanspeaking countries,” she said.

From left: Alex Stanger ’25, Samuel Schuler ’25, and Mia Kraker ’25.

The Gallery

1 The stage of Memorial Chapel was filled as the Lawrence University Symphony Orchestra joined with LU choirs to present the annual Major Works Concert.

PHOTO BY KAI FRUEH ’25

2 Sophomores Jane Partsch (left) and Mari Rummel share a laugh after declaring their majors at the annual Major Declaration Day, held in Warch Campus Center.

PHOTO BY ADRIAN STANCIL-MARTIN ’28

3 Senior David Jachimiak discusses his research at the annual BioFest, a spring showcase of senior experiences and research projects from biology students.

PHOTO BY M.C. KINNEY PHOTOGRAPHY

4 Senior Miranda Lawson and friends dance at President’s Ball.

PHOTO BY JUAN MARIN ’20.

5 The Vikings baseball team celebrates winning the Midwest Conference regular season championship after defeating Cornell at Whiting Field.

PHOTO BY PAUL WILKE

BOOKS & WORKS

-FROM FACULTY AND ALUMNI-

Never

Givin’ Up: The Life and Music of Al

Jarreau

Kurt Dietrich ’73

Dietrich shares the inspiring life story of legendary singer Al Jarreau in the first authorized biography of the Grammy-winning star. The music-centered biography traces Jarreau’s singing career from humble beginnings in his hometown of Milwaukee to international fame. Featuring 54 photos, Never Givin’ Up follows Jarreau from his studies at Ripon College and the University of Iowa to his start in nightspots in Milwaukee, the Twin Cities, San Francisco, and Los Angeles and on through the ups and downs of his career as a celebrated recording artist. Dietrich is professor emeritus of music at Ripon College. From Wisconsin Historical Society Press

Radically Responsive Music Schools: Leading Change through CultureBuilding

Brian Pertl ’86

Radically Responsive Music Schools is a philosophical reimagining of music higher education culture from the ground up, arguing that holistic cultural change is the key factor needed for music schools to prepare 21st-century graduates for contemporary challenges. Pertl, dean of the Lawrence Conservatory from 2008 to 2025 and now director of the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, discusses how university and conservatory music programs can incorporate traits they seek to foster in their students—creativity, innovation, improvisation, and entrepreneurial thinking—into the institutions themselves.

Through Deep Listening exercises, thought experiments, and other activities, Pertl provides detailed scaffolding for creating music school cultures of belonging and collaboration, wellbeing and intention, curiosity and wonder, creativity and improvisation, and playfulness and joy. From Routledge

Groom

Austin Segrest

Segrest, assistant professor of English at Lawrence, released his latest book of poetry in April. Groom confronts the intricate architecture of memory and power, examining how formative relationships shape and alter us. Through a masterful sequence that moves between past and present, these poems map the complicated territory where mentorship blurs into manipulation, where desire tangles with control. With striking clarity and remarkable formal precision, Segrest explores how we process and survive what shapes us, transforming a difficult personal history into art that reveals that “someone has heard.” Segrest has been on the Lawrence faculty since 2014. He released Door to Remain in 2022. From Unbound Edition Press

She returns to the seventeenth-century origins of modern biblical scholarship and charts a new course, not through Julius Wellhausen and the Documentary Hypothesis but through Herrman Gunkel. Erisman reimagines Gunkel’s vision of a literary history grounded in communal experience as a history of responses to political threat before, during, and after the demise of Judah in 586 BCE. She explores creative transformations of genre and offers groundbreaking new readings of key episodes in the wilderness narratives. From Cambridge University Press

Anthology Journal

Cynthia Drake Morrow ’09 and Sarah K. Drake

Anthology Journal, released in January 2025, is designed to inspire your journaling through thoughtful prompts. To tell your story, in any order, first find a prompt that inspires you and then fill the pages with the anthology of you. Write for your nonlinear life. Drake Morrow graduated from Lawrence with a major in anthropology. She went on to earn a master’s in biomedical ethics from Emory University and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Colorado Denver. She teaches at Michigan State University. She wrote Anthology Journal in collaboration with her sister, Sarah. From Winding Pathway Books

The Wilderness Narratives in the Hebrew Bible: Religion, Politics, and Biblical Interpretation

Angela Roskop Erisman ’94 Erisman offers a new way to think about the Pentateuch/Torah and its relationship to history.

The Frescoed Façade in Renaissance Roman Visual Culture

Alexis Culotta ’05

In her second book, Culotta examines Roman façades decorated with fresco and sgraffito between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries that once enveloped the central rioni of Rome within a web of symbolic social, political, and familial allegiances that transformed a street-side stroll into a visually engaging experience. Today, many of these faces are lost, and our understanding of what they comprised is incomplete. This book offers a refreshed look at this oftenforgotten facet of Renaissance visual culture to reignite interest in the tradition before its last remnants disappear. From Amsterdam University Press

Making History

Debut of lacrosse programs brings new energy

BY TAYLOR HUGHES ’25

Lawrence University men’s and women’s lacrosse athletes soaked up every moment as they launched new programs in the spring.

“I have been playing lacrosse since my sophomore year of high school,” said Dejah Phillips, a junior from Atlanta who joined the women’s team as they competed in their inaugural season. “I fell in love with the

ATHLETICS

sport and even tried to create a club here at Lawrence my first year. I was super excited when they teased that they were going to be starting the new program, and I quickly wanted to know everything about it.”

You’ll find similar energy with the men’s team.

“What’s exciting about launching a new program is that we get to build a new culture and start something new within the Lawrence environment,” said Zak Sokolowski, a firstyear student from Wales, Wisconsin.

As it is with all new programs, there were growing pains. But building something from scratch and setting the table for a new generation of Lawrence student-athletes is exciting.

The sport, exploding in popularity in the Midwest, provides additional opportunities for Lawrentians to compete. In the two years since the programs were announced, coaches have been hired—Michael “Mikey” Zadroga for the men and Ben Morhac for the women— and the teams joined the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC).

Phillips has loved seeing it all come together.

She was one of 20 student-athletes on the women’s roster.

“I am hoping to just have fun with the sport and for it to be a reminder as to why I’ve fallen in love with playing in the first place,” she said.

For the men’s team, Zadroga had 28 student-athletes on his initial roster, 23 of them first-year students.

“Building culture, battling through adversity, and experiencing firsts builds relationships and a legacy that lasts a lifetime,” Zadroga said.

Morhac said his women’s team embraced the newness of it all, even if that meant struggles on the field.

“I would say that anytime you can be a first in anything, it is special,” Morhac said. “This year is really about getting our name out there, being competitive within our conference, and getting a lay of the land to see how we stack up in our region.”

Junior Emma Perry of Beverly, Massachusetts, said it’s all about setting the tone, then building on it in years to come.

“It’s exciting being part of launching a new program because we are making history in everything we do.”

First-year Emmett Eischens makes a play at Banta Bowl.

Junior Emma Perry moves the ball at Banta Bowl.

PHOTOS BY DANNY DAMIANI

Oliver wins title as Lawrence hosts MWC Championships

In her final Midwest Conference Championships, Cristyn Oliver left no doubt about who was going to win her final event. And she did it on her home turf.

The senior dominated the field in the women’s 5,000 meters at Whiting Field to win her second career outdoor title in the event. Oliver, who has six conference track titles to her credit, grabbed the title in the 5,000 with a time of 17:51 18 to win by more than 12 seconds.

The meet, held May 9-10 under beautiful blue skies, was a showcase for Lawrence’s new track complex. Lawrence hosted the MWC Championships for the first time since the track debuted to rave reviews a year ago.

Meanwhile, the Lawrence track and field teams toppled multiple school records during the indoor season and one relay claimed a league title at the MWC Championships at Monmouth. The men’s sprint medley relay team of Brendan Cross, Henry Buehrer, Alex Luckett and Zach Meyer won the title in 3:36.18 to break the record set in 2005. Meyer also broke the 23-year-old indoor record in the 800 meters with a time of 1:55.79. Lawrence’s 4x400-meter relay team of Buehrer, Luckett, Meyer and Tristan Zook also broke the record set a season ago with a time of 3:28.36. Mila Westra took down the women’s indoor record in the 800 meters with a time of 2:16.73. The previous mark had stood since 2002.

ATHLETICS

Vikings win another MWC baseball title

The Lawrence University baseball team kept on rolling in 2025, winning the Midwest Conference regular season championship and earning the right to host the MWC Tournament. It marked Lawrence’s third regular-season championship in the last four seasons.

“Every game was a grind,” said first-year coach Trent Whitcomb. “Our guys pushed through every day to put us in a position to win a championship. It’s sweet, that’s for sure.”

Taylor Freeman was named the MWC Player of the Year and was named to the D3 baseball.com All-America team.

Lawrence finished the season 21-19 overall and 14-7 in the MWC.

Softball team notches MWC berth; throws twin no-hitters

The Lawrence University softball team had a season to remember. The Vikings clinched their first berth in the Midwest Conference Tournament in a decade as they posted a 10-6 conference record.

They also made school history on April 17 by throwing a pair of no-hitters in a nonconference doubleheader sweep of Marantha Baptist University. In the opener, two pitchers, Avery Chilson and Kylan Arndt, combined for a perfect game in Lawrence’s 18-0 victory. In the second game, the Vikings allowed only one baserunner with Georgia Sedlack and Kourtney Mercer combining on

Cristyn Oliver wins the 5,000 meters at the MWC Championships at Whiting Field.

PHOTO

the no-hitter in another 18-0 victory. Both games ended in five innings due to the run rule.

Lawrence has never thrown no-hitters in consecutive games, and this marks the first no-hitters for the Vikings since a combined no-hitter in 2013.

Momberg earns national Coach of Year honors

Lawrence University fencing coach Eric Momberg was named the United States Fencing Coaches Association Division III Men’s Team Coach of the Year. He also was chosen as the Central Collegiate Fencing Conference Men’s Team Coach of the Year, the second time in three years he has earned the honor.

Momberg’s squad finished third overall at the Central Collegiate Fencing Conference

Championships in February. Both the men’s saber team and the men’s foil team finished second. Lawrence also placed two men’s fencers in the top eight during the individual competition. Rookie Jack Kropp grabbed sixth place in foil, and Eli Freyre de Andrade was eighth in saber.

Lawrence also qualified 12 men’s fencers for the NCAA Midwest Regional, and that ranks as the most regional qualifiers in program history.

Bertman named Diver of the Year for third time

Lawrence University diving standout Jackson Bertman was named the Diver of the Year at the conclusion of the Midwest Conference Championships, held at Grinnell. He earned the honor for the third consecutive year.

Bertman swept the 3-meter and 1-meter diving titles at the championships, breaking both Lawrence records along the way.

“I couldn’t stop smiling,” Bertman said. “I was having so much fun that when I got out of the water and I broke the record, I thought, ‘I just want to keep going’.”

Also, Will Phillips broke his own school record in the 100-yard freestyle. He broke his record of 47.24 seconds in the preliminaries and then lowered it to 45.86 seconds on his way to placing fifth in the 100 freestyle finals.

Phillips also was part of the 400-freestyle relay team at the conference championships that broke the school record. He joined Wiley Curtis, Keegan Mencke, and Sebastian Stacey to finish fourth with a time of 3:10.47. That broke the record of 3:11.81 set in 2011.

Eric Momberg coaches the Lawrence fencing team.

Jackson Bertman was named Diver of the Year.

PHOTO BY DANNY DAMIANI

PHOTO BY PAUL WILKE

USHERING IN a new era

Celebrating big success in winter/spring seasons

Fencing

Lawrence’s fencing teams continue to shine, drawing national honors for the coach and student-athletes. Eric Momberg was named the United States Fencing Coaches Association Division III Men’s Team Coach of the Year and Cristobal Perez Fourcade and Jack Kropp were named to the DIII All America team.

Women’s Basketball

The women’s basketball team shoots its way to the Midwest Conference Tournament for the second consecutive year. It marks the first time the Vikings qualified in back-toback seasons in almost 20 years.

PHOTO BY PAUL WILKE

PHOTO BY DANNY DAMIANI

The Lawrence softball team celebrates a big moment on its way to securing a spot in the Midwest Conference Tournament for the first time in a decade.

Track and Field

The rebuilt track and field complex at Whiting Field hosted the Midwest Conference Championships in mid-May, including the steeplechase. It marked the first time Lawrence could host the championships in nearly two decades.

PHOTO BY DANNY DAMIANI PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

Softball

PHOTO BY PAUL WILKE

Baseball

The Lawrence baseball team shows off the Midwest Conference regular season championship banner after a dramatic victory over Cornell at Whiting Field.

PHOTO BY PAUL WILKE

Fraternity and Sorority Life at Lawrence brings lifelong bonds

GREEK&CONNECTED

BY ED BERTHIAUME

Lawrence University junior Allie Obringer Illera found something wonderfully unexpected when she looked into joining a sorority after arriving on campus from San Jose, California, three years ago.

She was initially wary, as she had heard the well-documented tales of fraternity and sorority recruitment blitzes at other campuses. What she found at Lawrence was something altogether different. By Winter Term of her first year, Obringer Illera, an English/literature and philosophy double major, had joined Kappa Alpha Theta, one of five active sororities at Lawrence.

“Sorority life at Lawrence is made up of Lawrentians—the obsessive nerds, passionate student athletes, and kind, funny people,” she said. “We aren’t in sororities because it’s the only way to have a social life or because it puts us in high esteem on campus—it really doesn’t—or because we’re ‘legacies.’ Most of

my sorority sisters, including me, are the first in their families to be in a sorority. We chose it, wholeheartedly, after seeing the community as it exists at Lawrence.”

That sentiment rings true across campus as Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) marks 165 years at Lawrence. The five sororities—Delta Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Beta Psi Nu, and Sigma Alpha Iota— and three fraternities—Beta Theta Pi, Delta Tau Delta, and Sigma Phi Epsilon—celebrated that history during Greek Week in May.

For alumni who built strong bonds through their fraternity or sorority experiences, that history is filled with fond memories and enduring relationships.

Jeffrey Riester ’70 said he was 17 and “very unworldly” when he arrived on campus in the mid-1960s. Lawrence provided a home that helped him grow academically and in a supportive environment, and he credits his

brothers at Beta Theta Pi for being a big part of that.

“Part way through freshman year a bunch of us from Plantz Hall began to gravitate toward the Beta house,” Riester said. “We recognized the upperclassmen there as guys we admired and could imagine as our ‘big brothers.’ They were active, fun-loving, and successful Lawrentians.”

Riester remembers bonding over watching the Packers on TV on Sunday afternoons and washing pots and pans—his assigned chore— in the big kitchen at the E. John Street house.

“Over time, I became a ‘big brother,’ too,” he said.

Riester went on to be a successful attorney and community leader in the Fox Cities and served on Lawrence’s Board of Trustees. The relationships built in that fraternity house carry on today.

“Even as we have scattered afar, and almost

Fraternity and sorority students gather outside the Wriston Art Center for a 2024 Greek Week lip sync contest.

campus. It took more than a decade and a half to come to fruition, but in 1941—four years after Wriston left to assume the presidency of Brown University—chapters of five national fraternities moved into newly built fraternity houses that make up the part of campus now known as The Quad.

STILL THRIVING

Numbers at Lawrence are far lower now than they once were, but they have been trending upwards in recent years. Membership was at 143 entering Spring Term 2025, up from 113 a year ago and 94 two years ago, McKee said.

Through the years, McKee said, Fraternity and Sorority Life has been a cornerstone of student engagement at Lawrence. The chapters on campus have fostered personal growth and lifelong connections, often focused on philanthropic work.

CONNECTED

60 years later, the Betas are some of my closest allies in life,” he said.

165 YEARS AND COUNTING

Greek-lettered organizations at Lawrence began in 1859 with the founding of the Wisconsin Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta. Since that historic moment, 38 chapters, both national and local, have contributed to the vibrancy of the Lawrence community. There have been highs and lows along the way. Involvement in fraternities and sororities at Lawrence has grown and then waned at multiple times through the years. Chapters have come and gone. National controversies surrounding fraternities and sororities have impacted participation.

The five-year period between 1924 and

1929 saw the most chapters on campus, maxing out at 18, according to Dakota McKee, director of Student Engagement, Activities, and Leadership (SEAL), which works with Lawrence’s fraternity and sorority chapters.

It was in 1925 that Henry Wriston arrived as Lawence’s eighth president, bringing with him a commitment to fraternities. He set in motion efforts to build five fraternity houses on

“While the faces and structures of these organizations have evolved to reflect the times, the core values of leadership, scholarship, service, and brotherhood and sisterhood remain steadfast,” she said.

The current Greek-letter organizations include three Interfraternity chapters (Beta Theta Pi, Delta Tau Delta, and Sigma Phi Epsilon), three Panhellenic chapters (Delta Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Kappa Kappa Gamma), one multicultural chapter (Beta Psi Nu), and one music chapter (Sigma Alpha Iota).

Throughout Greek Week, chapters hosted a variety of events highlighting their philanthropic efforts and social initiatives. The efforts spoke to the value the organizations bring to campus and the wider community.

“Every club meets with a shared purpose, and usually it’s a shared hobby,” Obringer Illera said.

Flashback to 1977: Phi Taus (from left) Joe McLean ’78, John Jolly ’77, John Kwasny ’79, and Dean Kwasny ’77 take part in an annual chapter retreat.

PHOTO BY JUAN MARIN ’20

Connor Myatt, a junior from Royal Oak, Michigan, studying business analytics, joined Sigma Phi Epsilon because he was drawn to its approach to leadership, scholarship, and service.

“I wanted to be part of a group that emphasized values-based leadership and personal development,” he said.

Fanta Jatta is a senior from Madison, Wisconsin, studying neuroscience with a premed track. She is a leader within Beta Psi Nu.

“Greek Life has given me a strong sense of belonging and helped me grow as a leader,” she said.

Bailey Griffis, a junior from Frankfort, Illinois, is double majoring in government and business and entrepreneurship, plays on the women’s basketball team, and is a leader of Delta Gamma.

“As a first-year student, I had difficulty navigating a new environment and finding an atmosphere that would allow me to grow separate from the athletic community,” she said. “When I met the women of Delta Gamma, I knew that the environment that the chapter created would be one that supported me no matter what challenges I faced throughout my collegiate experience.”

Minnie Keene, a junior from Brooklyn, New York, is a dual degree student studying flute performance and psychology. She hadn’t expected to join a sorority but is now president of the Zeta Epsilon Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma.

“Joining Kappa was the best decision I have made at college,” Keene said. “By joining Kappa, I have met so many beautiful personalities. We have student-athletes, STEM majors, humanities disciplines, as well as other Conservatory students. Not only have I met my best friends and found an incredible community of supportive women, I also have gained so much leadership experience.”

ALUMNI STAY CONNECTED

Lawrence alumni who took part in fraternities and sororities during their time as students say the relationships today’s students are building will stay with them, as will the lessons in philanthropy and leadership.

Sarah Schott ’97 joined Kappa Alpha Theta her first year on campus, along with a couple of her soccer teammates. While it wasn’t her primary focus as a student, it added to her Lawrence experience in positive ways, she said.

“Probably the best thing it did for me was give me the opportunity to really deepen those relationships with friends I already knew and then expand to a broader range of women who were having lots of different experiences across campus,” said Schott, now a member of Lawrence’s Board of Trustees.

Riester called his fraternity experience life changing.

“If I could choose one word to describe what being a Beta meant for me, it would be ‘growth,’” he said. “Without it, I would not have left Lawrence carrying so many gifts.”

Jeffrey Fox ’72, who was awarded Lawrence’s 2022 Gertrude Breithaupt Jupp M-D’18 Outstanding Service Alumni Award, recalls fraternities and sororities being the “social lifeblood” during his time on campus. He joined Delta Tau Delta part way through his first year.

“I remained a member all four years, living in the house for two of those years,” he said. “Each house seemed to have its own personality and differing operating methods. I felt at home with the Delts.”

The bonds, Fox said, have endured: “My circle of closest friends began with the fraternity, but in the true LU tradition, that circle has expanded well beyond that group over time.”

R. William Edminster ’77, a member of Phi Kappa Tau, said he lost touch with the chapter until reconnecting at a 2010 reunion.

“I felt like I’d come home,” he said.

He went on to become an alumni advisor and has developed relationships with Phi Tau alums from across the generations. He now actively connects those alumni at Lawrence’s Reunion weekends.

Janet (Aronberg) Hersh ’78 joined Delta Gamma her first year on campus. She points to the sorority experience as helping to harness her leadership skills and development of a

Fraternity and Sorority Life is celebrated annually during Greek Week

lifelong commitment to philanthropy.

“The Delta Gamma Foundation’s Service for Sight led us to learn about vision impairment and opportunities to help raise money for and do service projects to benefit the visually impaired,” she said. “My favorite annual DG event was the Apple Polisher’s Dinner—we hosted our favorite faculty member and honored their importance to us as students. As a result of my positive experience with Delta Gamma, I give back by volunteering with Delta Gamma to ensure it can continue to be a vibrant part of today’s college students’ lives.”

Jerry Kerkman ’79 joined Delta Tau Delta his freshman year. He said he quickly learned the Delts and the fraternity system at Lawrence were much more than a good time.

“I came from rural Wisconsin and was raised in a lower middle-income family and the first one on either side of the family to attend

college,” Kerkman said. “I was intimidated by students from big cities and far wealthier families. The fraternity experience developed my leadership and people skills.” He was eventually voted president of the chapter.

“I was judged on me, not my background,” he said.

Kerkman went on to be a chapter consultant for the national fraternity. And while in law school in Madison, he served as resident advisor for the local Delt chapter. He said he has continued to feel the Delt influence throughout his life, from success as an attorney to a commitment to give back to his community. He became a board member of the Delt National Educational Foundation and received the Distinguished Service Chapter citation.

“I still receive more than I give,” he said.

PHOTO BY JUAN MARIN ’20

TIMELINE:

Fraternities and Sororities at Lawrence

1859: Phi Delta Theta chapter officially recognized as part of the Lawrence community.

1861: Phi Delta Theta’s presence on campus comes to an end as the Civil War begins.

1897: Sophomore Robert Boyd, son of an original member of the Phi Delta Theta chapter, begins work to restore the old chapter. It would be active from 1899 to 2010, first as Theta Phi and then again as Phi Delta Theta.

1902: Beta Theta Pi fraternity (started as Beta Sigma Phi) welcomed to Lawrence. Still active today.

1903: Delta Tau Delta fraternity (started as Delta Iota) welcomed to Lawrence. Still active today.

1903: Lawrence welcomes its first three sororities. Delta Gamma (started as Theta Gamma Delta) and Kappa Alpha Theta (started as Kappa Upsilon) are both still active today. Alpha Chi Omega (formerly Alpha Gamma Phi) disbanded in 1980.

1904: Zeta Alpha Phi sorority (formerly Zeta Omega Phi and Alpha Delta Pi) welcomed. Chapter closes in 1973.

1909: Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity (started as Sigma Tau Nu) welcomed to Lawrence. Still active today.

1912: Mu Phi Epsilon sorority welcomed. Chapter closed in 1937.

1914: Phi Mu sorority welcomed. Chapter closed in 1935.

1916: Phi Kappa Alpha fraternity welcomed. Chapter closed in 1929.

1916: Kappa Delta sorority (started as Delta Delta Sigma) welcomed. Chapter closed in 1968.

1917: Sigma Alpha Iota sorority welcomed. Still active today.

1919: Phi Kappa Tau fraternity (started as Tau Alpha Sigma) welcomed. Chapter closed in 2019. Also, Beta Phi Alpha sorority (started as Epsilon Alpha Phi) is welcomed. Chapter closed in 1933.

1921: Delta Sigma Tau fraternity and Zeta Omega/Zeta Tau Alpha sorority welcomed. Both chapters closed in 1939.

1924: Psi Chi Omega fraternity welcomed. Chapter closed in 1935.

1938: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity welcomed. Chapter closed in 2022.

1939: Pi Beta Phi sorority (started as Pi Phi Gamma) welcomed. Chapter closed in 1983.

1941: Five fraternities move into five newly built fraternity houses, marking the first time the fraternities are housed on campus.

1958: Phi Gamma Delta fraternity welcomed. Chapter closed in 2009.

1969: Gamma Psi sorority welcomed. Chapter closed in 1971.

Timeline information courtesy of Office of Student Engagement, Activities, and Leadership (SEAL) and Lawrence Archives.

1981: Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority welcomed. Still active today.

2009: Beta Psi Nu sorority welcomed. Still active today.

2025: Three fraternities and five sororities remain active on campus.

Finding the Light

Ralls pays it forward after Lawrence inspires his musical path

BY ED BERTHIAUME

Francis “Frank” James Ralls ’04 didn’t come through Lawrence University in any sort of usual way.

A music producer and composer whose work includes scoring original music for television and film and Disney theme parks, Ralls likens his time at Lawrence to a life raft. It’s a connection that continues to resonate as he pays it forward, mentoring young Lawrentians as they forge their own paths in the music industry.

“I would not have been able to do anything I’ve done career-wise, and I would say even personally, without Lawrence because my world view has been so impacted by Lawrence, past and present,” he said in an interview from his Red Sector A studio near St. Augustine, Florida.

Getting to where he is now has been a testament to resiliency. Ralls spent the late 1990s recalibrating a life that was teetering on the rails. He had spent his teen and early adult years in Madison, Wisconsin, being, as he described it, too easily distracted. He never finished high school. In need of a reset, he began work toward his GED at Fox Valley Technical College.

“I was coming out of a rough season of life,” he said.

Refocused, Ralls then enrolled in UWFox Valley’s two-year program, with dreams of one day studying music in Lawrence’s Conservatory of Music.

“Music had always been my passion,” he said. “It’s been my calling in life.”

By the time he landed on the Lawrence campus in 1999 as a non-traditional transfer student, Ralls was 24 years old and married with two children. By the time he’d complete his Bachelor of Arts in music five years later, he and his wife, Tara, had five kids.

Understandably, Ralls’ path through Lawrence was not linear. He started and stopped. Took a leave. Came back. Worked parttime jobs. All while parenting a growing family. He was 29 when he finally walked across the Commencement stage in the spring of 2005.

The late Fred Sturm, who was leading the jazz program at the time, became an advisor, guiding Ralls through some difficult days. He became Ralls’ biggest fan.

Sturm remained a mentor long after Ralls graduated, a relationship that continued until Sturm’s death in 2014. Conservatory professors Jose Encarnación, Catherine Kautsky, and Matthew Turner, and later Dean Brian Pertl, also provided inspiration and guidance that Ralls said continues to elevate his work to this day.

“They literally blew my mind when I was studying with them,” Ralls said. “They just introduced me to so much that I never even knew was possible.”

Now Ralls is paying it forward, mentoring young Lawrentians. He works in an unofficial capacity with two recent Lawrence graduates, Nathan Glaser ’21 and Aaron Montreal

’22, and one current student, junior Joey O’Connor, subcontracting work to them and providing guidance.

“It’s an opportunity for them to gain some experience, develop some skills, build a portfolio so you have a little street cred when you start entering into your own circles and living your own story,” Ralls said.

O’Connor, a music education and music performance major, composes tracks based on specs shared by Ralls. He calls the work a “boots-on-the-ground” experience.

“I send over tracks, and he will respond with feedback,” O’Connor said. “We keep going back and forth, tweaking until we have the product. It’s such a gift to be able to experience what industry-standard routine is.”

Glaser, who graduated with a dual degree in music composition and economics, has made music under Ralls’ guidance for multiple Disney Parks projects and reality TV shows, including Fox’s MasterChef and NBC’s The Voice. Ralls leaves him detailed and helpful notes as he guides him through various elements of music creation.

“He’s given input on track revisions where his perspective shows me something I would’ve never thought to do on my own,” Glaser said.

Francis James Ralls ’04

Scan to read extended story on Francis James Ralls ’04

Björklunden

DISCOVER STAY LEARN

BJÖRKLUNDEN WEEKLY ACTIVITIES

Discover the beauty of Björklunden on your own or take part in our weekly guided activities available in summer and fall.

BJÖRKLUNDEN FACILITY RENTALS

Björklunden offers its facilities for rent year round to private, public, and corporate groups and is ideal for seminars, meetings, special events, and weddings.

Björklunden, Lawrence University’s 441-acre North Campus is located along the shore of Lake Michigan one mile south from Baileys Harbor. 7590 Boynton Lane, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 920-839-2216

BJÖRKLUNDEN SEMINARS

Often called a “Vacation with a Purpose,” these seminars offer a unique blend of learning and exploration.

‘Trust and believe’

Hannah Jones’s star is rising with Met Opera’s Young Artist Program, stage debuts

BY ED BERTHIAUME

Hannah Jones ’22 has to catch her breath as she considers where her budding opera career has taken her in the three years since walking the Commencement stage at Lawrence University.

She ticks off one major moment after another—graduating from the master’s program at Manhattan School of Music; being selected for The Metropolitan Opera’s prestigious Lindemann Young Artist Development Program; and making recent debuts with both The Met and Seattle Opera. To top off an amazing 2024, she got an invite from legendary Broadway star Norm Lewis to join him for a duet in a December holiday concert at New York’s 54 Below.

Take a bow, Hannah Jones.

“This all feels so unreal,” she said.

Jones, a mezzo-soprano, came to Lawrence from Houston to study voice (initially drawn by then-professor John Holiday) and immerse herself in the Opera Theatre program. She excelled from the start, twice winning a National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition while tackling significant

roles in multiple Lawrence operas.

“Because Lawrence is an undergrad-only university, I got so much stage time, and I was able to learn different roles during my time there,” Jones said of how Lawrence prepared her to meet these moments. “I feel like that gave me a leg up over my colleagues in grad school because I already had that experience of being on stage and learning full roles.”

The momentum that began on the stages and in the classrooms of Lawrence carried over to grad school, where, among other achievements, Jones was selected for the inaugural cohort of The Denyce Graves Foundation’s Shared Voices program and was invited to join the non-profit artist intensive Opera for Peace Academy.

AN INVITE FROM THE MET

Then came her selection to The Met’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, which continues to open doors.

“This is the program to be in if you are a young artist,” Jones said.

The program pours resources into the young performers who have been selected, and, because it’s The Metropolitan Opera,

access to many of today’s leading opera performers is readily available.

“All the stars in opera come through The Met, and if they’re available, all we have to do is request to work with them,” Jones said. “The resources here are virtually endless.”

It’s an opportunity that circumvents many of the challenges young artists face, including the expenses associated with coaching, website development, video recording, and more.

“In this program, we really don’t have to do

PHOTO BY SUNNY MARTINI

“They tell us all the time, ‘You are here for a reason. Trust and believe in that’.”

Hannah Jones ’22 performs in Seattle Opera’s Jubilee and at The Metropolitan Opera (right).

conductors in the world. Having him and others at The Met pushing her to grow as an artist has taken her confidence to new levels.

“My toxic trait is that I compare myself to the great opera singers who are in their 40s and 50s,” Jones said. “I have to remind myself, ‘OK, Hannah, you are 24 years old, calm down.’ They tell us all the time, ‘You are here for a reason. Trust and believe in that.’”

Jones made her Met debut in Die Frau ohne Schatten, playing one of the unborn voices in the Richard Strauss opera. It’s a role that had her singing from the domes near the ceiling and in the orchestra pit.

That debut followed her performance in October in Seattle Opera’s Jubilee, where she played Jennie Jackson, one of the original Fisk Jubilee Singers—groundbreaking African American singers who performed across the U.S. and in Europe in the early 1870s to raise

anything but focus on becoming a world-class artist,” Jones said. “That’s what they tell us: ‘If you are here, that means we see the potential for you becoming a world-class artist.’ This is our job.”

The 24-year-old Jones was approached about auditioning for the Lindemann program while competing in The Met’s Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition. (Another Lawrence graduate, Emily Richter ’20, was among the 2024 Laffont Competition winners.)

“I didn’t think I was ready initially,” Jones said. She had two auditions before getting the invite to join the program.

“I feel extremely blessed and very humbled to be in this place,” she said. “Very grateful. Every time I walk through the halls, I see the pictures and paintings of the legendary opera singers I’ve always looked up to. I don’t take any of it for granted.”

Jones is working with music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, one of the foremost

funds to save their college, Fisk University. It was the production’s world premiere.

“As an African American opera singer, I would not be here without them,” she said of the Fisk singers. “It was very humbling to share their story.”

Through it all, Jones said she is embracing each moment, often reflecting on a journey that got its start in Lawrence’s Conservatory of Music.

“I’m grateful for my time at Lawrence,” she said.

PHOTO BY YA GAO

ALUMNI

Lawrence brought Kalle Larsson back to hockey; now he’s thriving with NHL’s Oilers

BY ED BERTHIAUME

Kalle Larsson ’07 fits the bill when there’s talk of following your passion.

The former Lawrence University hockey player is a self-described “hockey obsessive”—he was traveling the Midwest to watch games, taking in practices, and talking hockey with whomever would listen while working for a management consulting company in Chicago in the years following his 2007 graduation. He didn’t plan for a career in the game, until a coach at his alma mater suggested he interview for an open assistant coaching position. That four-year coaching gig at Lawrence set Larsson on a career path that has led him to the highest levels of professional hockey.

In May 2024, after 10 years with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League—first as director of player personnel, then as general manager and president of hockey operations— Larsson was named senior director of player development for the Edmonton Oilers, one of the most storied franchises in the

National Hockey League.

“I never set out to do this job,” Larsson said by phone as he traveled to Flint, Michigan, to check in with recent draft picks. “I didn’t necessarily have a strategic plan to get to where I am right now. It was just by following the passion that I have and being obsessed with the game of hockey; I trusted that I would get to where I aspired to go, and that kind of led me here.”

A native of Gothenburg, Sweden, Larsson majored in government and minored in history with an interdisciplinary in international studies at Lawrence. His management skills grew along the way.

“I’m passionate about player development, but my skill set is not necessarily getting on the ice and teaching them how to play the game,” Larsson said. “I’m good at finding the people who can and giving them the resources to do it and making sure they have the support from the organization to do their jobs well.”

It was the connections Larsson built while at Lawrence and then Dubuque that led to the initial interest from the Oilers. They liked his work ethic, management skills, and big-picture thinking.

“I’ve become pretty good at bringing in the right people, making sure the department is aligned, the reporting upwards and downwards works,” Larsson said.

A PATH THROUGH LAWRENCE

As a student-athlete at Lawrence, Larsson was named to the Academic All-Midwest Collegiate

Kalle Larsson ’07 visits an ice rink in Bakersfield, California, as part of his work with the Edmonton Oilers.

Hockey Association team.

Former Vikings head coach Mike Szkodzinski brought him back to Lawrence in 2010 to serve as an assistant coach. Larsson was happy with his job in Chicago—he was gaining valuable business experience—but the pull of hockey was always there.

“On my own dime, I traveled around and watched hockey,” Larsson said. “I went to watch games and practices. When Lawrence was at tournaments, I was always there. Just on my own time. It’s what I liked to do. Then

one day I got a call from the head coach at Lawrence, and he asked if I’d be interested in coming up here and interviewing for a job to be an assistant coach. It got my foot in the door to work in hockey.”

Larsson was promoted to Lawrence’s associate head coach in 2013. He left a year later to join the staff of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers before eventually jumping to the front office in Dubuque.

“That’s how I got my start in hockey,” he said. “It was being out at the rinks, it was

being obsessed with the game, and it was doing what I love.”

Relationship-building and a commitment to the grind, which started during his undergraduate days at Lawrence, has led to the big opportunity Larsson now has with the Oilers. Edmonton is a tradition-rich franchise that has seen a resurgence of late led by superstar Connor McDavid. The Oilers came up just short of a sixth championship when they lost in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals before making another Stanley Cup run this year. The franchise’s history is dominated by some of the greatest players in league history—Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Grant Fuhr, among them.

Larsson’s job is to develop the next generation of Oilers. Much of that work goes unseen by the public.

“A lot of things I see in my current position are

“When I was there, when I didn’t care about school, Lawrence cared about school for me and got me back on the right path. I’m very grateful for that.”

— Kalle Larsson ’07

things that I learned at Lawrence,” Larsson said.

“When you go to college, you are at an age where you get informed by your environment,” he said. “You go in and you think you know everything, and you realize pretty quickly that you don’t know anything. I really learned how to use my resources. I understood that if you ask the right questions, there is help you can get. When I was there, when I didn’t care about school, Lawrence cared about school for me and got me back on the right path. I’m very grateful for that.”

Seven amazing Lawrentians honored during Reunion 2025 ALUMNI

Seven Lawrentians were honored with 2025 Lawrence University Alumni Awards at Reunion 2025, held June 19-22. The achievements and service of Katherine (Wroblewski) Diop ’00, Rebecca Doyle-Morin ’00, Michael Johnson ’75, Marjorie Liu ’00, Steven Wereley ’89, and Charles ’75 and Janice ’75 Woodward were celebrated in an awards ceremony and again during the Reunion Convocation in Memorial Chapel.

A new award was introduced: the Joseph F. Patterson Jr. ’69 Service to Society Award. It will be presented annually to a Lawrentian who best exemplifies the ideals of a liberal education and the principles of inclusivity through local, national, or international service to society. The award honors the late Joseph F. Patterson Jr. ’69, whose leadership and advocacy led to the establishment of the LU Black Alumni Network (LUBAN). Patterson’s legacy at Lawrence runs deep—football exploits as a dominant lineman; leadership among Black students that led to the establishment of Lawrence’s first diversity center in the late 1960s; unrelenting advocacy for cultural improvements and opportunities for students of color on campus; decades of mentoring students; and a history of philanthropy and service to his alma mater.

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT

Steven Wereley ’89, Lucia Russell Briggs Distinguished Achievement Award: A professor of mechanical engineering at Ohio University (formerly a longtime member of the faculty at Purdue University), Wereley has spent a career teaching, creating, and writing.

“My main research contributions have come in fluid mechanics of microscopic systems, many with biomedical or healthcare applications,” he said.

He has started two businesses, Microfluidics Innovations, LLC, and OmniVis, Inc., and he contributed to assessing the size of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 as well as other oil spills around the world. He was awarded the U.S. Geological Survey Director’s Award in 2010 for his “exemplary service to the nation.”

Wereley was a 3-2 graduate in physics at Lawrence and mechanical engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. He went on to earn MS and Ph.D. degrees from Northwestern University.

Marjorie Liu ’00, Nathan M. Pusey

Distinguished Achievement Award: Liu has crafted an impressive career as a best-selling author, writing comic book titles for Marvel, creating the popular Monstress series of graphic novels for Image Comics, and launching The Night Eaters horror series for Abrams Books.

A former attorney, her work at Marvel includes X-23, Black Widow, Han Solo, Dark Wolverine, and Astonishing X-Men. She has won multiple Hugo Awards, British Fantasy Awards, the Harvey Award, the World Fantasy Award, and seven Eisner Awards.

Her latest work is The Wingbearer Saga for middle-grade readers, as well as the Night Eaters series, an Asian American horrorcomedy trilogy.

Her Lawrence experience set the foundation for a career that has taken her to unexpected

heights as a writer. “I thrived in Lawrence’s small classes, thrived under the mentorship of my professors, expanded my ideas of what life could look like and what mattered to me,” Liu said.

SERVICE TO SOCIETY

Michael Johnson ’75, George B. Walter ’36 Service to Society Award: Johnson, a boardcertified general surgeon and ordained deacon, has lived a life of service. He and his wife’s first overseas mission trip was to Zaire (the Congo) in 1984.

“We returned after seven weeks and opened a private practice in general surgery for three years, and then a second trip to Kenya East Africa in 1987 led us to our long-term commitment to that nation,” Johnson said.

Over the next 23 years, the Johnsons worked full-time in Kenya and short-term in several other African nations. In addition, they led short-term trips to Haiti and mission exploratory teams to Honduras and El Salvador. When they returned to Philadelphia in 2010, they began the Miriam Medical Clinics, offering hope and healing to the underserved of the city.

Johnson graduated from Lawrence as a premed student and then attended medical school at the University of Michigan.

Katherine (Wroblewski)

Diop ’00, Joseph F. Patterson Jr. ’69 Service to Society Award: A career member of the Foreign Service (Diplomatic Service), Diop has served at U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh, Cambodia, as counselor for public affairs since August 2023. It is the latest stop in a career that has included more than two decades of work with the U.S. Department of State.

“I credit study abroad opportunities at Lawrence, specifically the 1998 Francophone Seminar in Dakar, Senegal, and 1999 Washington Semester Program to American University in Washington, D.C., and Harare, Zimbabwe, with instilling a love for international relations, travel, and cultural experiences that charted the course for my career,” Diop said.

She served at U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 2019 to 2023, at U.S. Embassy Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, from 2016 to 2019, and at U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 2013 to 2016.

Diop majored in international development at Lawrence and earned an MBA in organizational management from University of Phoenix.

SERVICE TO LAWRENCE

Charles and Janice Woodward, both Class of 1975, Gertrude Breithaupt Jupp M-D’18 Outstanding Service Award: Since graduating from Lawrence—Chuck with a major in history with a focus on medieval history and Janice with a major in German and a Wisconsin teaching certificate—the Woodwards have remained committed to Lawrence.

“Lawrence has always remained dear to us,” they said. “We have attended alumni events in many cities and often marvel about the fact that ‘once a Lawrentian, always a Lawrentian’ and that we can always find something meaningful to talk about with grads of all ages.”

Janice represented Lawrence at college fairs and has served as a class agent for many years. They both have served on two reunion committees—one for their 45th and now for this year’s 50th. They have been regular donors to Lawrence and recently joined the Legacy Circle.

Chuck built a career in marketing and senior management, mostly in the food and

food service business sector. His work took them to locations across the United States and abroad. Janice built a successful teaching career, earning teaching certificates in many states. She discovered a passion for teaching in underserved communities in the U.S. and England.

Rebecca DoyleMorin ’00, Marshall B. Hulbert ’26 Outstanding Service Award: DoyleMorin’s career as a professor of biology at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville has its roots in the biology program at Lawrence. As an undergraduate, she worked with Bart DeStasio, the Dennis and Charlot Nelson Singleton Professor of Biological Sciences and professor of biology, to complete an honors thesis on the freshwater zooplankton ecology of Lake Winnebago. That led her to Cornell University’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, where she completed her Ph.D.

Doyle-Morin was hired as a visiting assistant professor of biology at Lawrence. She would stay on for an additional year before securing her full-time professorship at Platteville in 2010.

“I thoroughly enjoyed getting to experience my alma mater from ‘the other side’ while teaching the courses that inspired me to pursue my current path,” she said.

Doyle-Morin has stayed connected with Lawrence ever since, serving as class secretary for many years and actively engaging in Reunion and fundraising efforts. “My experiences on ‘both sides of the desk’ have really made the value of a Lawrence University education clear to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to give back,” she said. Scan for more on

Skala, Sullivan join Board of Trustees

Two Lawrence University alumnae have joined the university’s Board of Trustees. Ann Skala ’84 and Rebecca Sullivan ’82 were welcomed in January 2025. They are term trustees serving three-year terms and eligible for re-election for three consecutive terms.

“It is an honor to welcome Ann and Rebecca back to Lawrence as members of the Board of Trustees,” President Laurie A. Carter said. “Their commitment to Lawrence and the knowledge and expertise they have developed through their impressive careers will serve them well as they join other trustees in advancing our mission.”

Skala is the owner of AT Skala Designs LLC, an interior decoration and renovation company that she started in 2010. Prior to this, she worked as a financial analyst for Frank Russell in London. Earlier, she was an associate research analyst with the investment research firm Sanford C. Bernstein in New York. She earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Lawrence, an MBA in finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business, and a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the New York School of Interior Design. Sullivan, now retired, previously served as senior vice president and director of human resources at Ingalls Advertising. During her time there, she worked on multiple high-level accounts including Converse, Ocean Spray, and TJ Maxx before moving into HR management. Previously, she held positions on the McDonald’s advertising account at Arnold Worldwide and at Major Market Radio. Sullivan earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Lawrence.

Ann Skala ’84

Rebecca Sullivan ’82

“I love being at a school where everyone is connected, and where I can link what I learned in a class on political cinema to a class on post-colonial literature. Soon I will be studying at the London Centre and will have the opportunity to see places of historical significance that I have only read about.”

—Ellie Fiorini ’26

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Majors: Creative Writing and History

920-832-6548 • lawrence.edu/giving

CLASS NOTES

CLASS NOTES IN LAWRENCE MAGAZINE!

Lawrence magazine features individual classes once each year, alternating even and odd years, plus Milwaukee-Downer, to allow adequate space for the rich details of your lives. Submit your Class Note using our directory. Learn more at lawrence.edu/profile.

(Class Notes key: M-D=Milwaukee-Downer graduate; P=parent of a graduate.)

MILWAUKEE-DOWNER

Kikue Kikuchi Rich M-D’49: I’m glad I made the sudden decision to move back to Bend, Oregon. Visiting family, with no intention to move from my comfortable apartment in Portland, I now live in a resident care setting with three meals daily surrounded by 75–100 year-olds using wheelchairs and walkers and many of us walking about independently.

Betty Heistad Barrett M-D’55: After 25 years as a “snowbird” for four months in winter in Naples, Florida, I have sold my condo and will be a full-timer in West Virginia. I will miss the warm days, but it has become harder to pack and move. My health is good. My family grows with some of the 12 grandchildren’s weddings and two great-grandchildren.

Elizabeth Sharpe Steinhilber M-D’56: This past year members of the Atlanta Writers Club visited St. George Village to offer guidelines on writing our stories. Early September, family members gathered on St. Simons Island to help my twin sister Peggy and I celebrate a delightful early 90th birthday. The last such gathering before Peg’s death the end of January 2025

Sheila Rosenthal Decter M-D’60: After 10 years teaching and almost 40 years running social justice agencies, I retired. Still active on local affordable housing and public-school issues, I get more time to enjoy the significant social contributions of my two children, their spouses, and four amazing grandchildren. Wishing we could guarantee our offspring a more just future.

Nancy Van Schelven Solon M-D’61: Hanging in there. Trying to mentally get through this cold winter. We have not gone south this year as Jim has not been well and our daughter Liz has moved from Savannah to Cincinnati. Between Jim and me, we have supported the medical profession. We still get out to breakfast or dinner with friends, learning of everyone’s health!

Bonnie Maas McClellan M-D’62: Always a pleasure to connect with new and long-time Downer and Lawrence friends. Lots of birthdays on life’s calendar but doing well. Mike and I continue to enjoy our home, children and grandchildren, friends, and community. We loved our visit to Appleton last June to celebrate 60 years of Downer at Lawrence.

Judith I. Kronmeyer M-D’65: Sally Schleinz Millman ’65 and I have visited between countries for 50+ years. The last couple of visits were made to NJ by Sally from Nova Scotia. Last year she brought a few members of her family. Sally has five children, numerous grands and now a great grand baby. We both are retired teachers, as was her husband, Greg. Each visit has been a treasure.

1953

Judith Pfefferle Carr: I feel blessed to have lived these 93 years and be as healthy as I am. I live in a life plan community as an independent resident and get to go on many little trips and have a lot of fun. Many of those trips were places I would never have gone on my own or thought of, like the pigeon museum.

1955

Beverly Hart Branson: Life in Creative Door County continues and is very positive for me. I was so pleased to show my artwork last July at The Meadows Gallery in Sister Bay. I will exhibit my watercolor paintings and ink drawings at The Meadows Gallery again this summer. Forward we go on.

Dwight A. Peterson: It’s been 30 years since I retired as an officer at 3M. Since then, I have been actively involved in the performing arts community of the Twin Cities, especially the Minnesota Opera and the Ordway Theater. Margie and I also have a home on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Sadly, Margie passed on recently.

Kathryn Ellis Price: Kathryn Price is living the good life with husband of 67 years Val Price at Plymouth Place, a fine retirement community in La Grange Park, Il., close to where I came out of Lawrence to teach music. Leading Memory Writing groups, enjoying performances of fine Chicago area musicians, good times with friends and family keeps us happily fulfilled.

1957

Anne Blanchard Gascoigne: Hi all. Alive and kicking—literally—in the pool in AZ. Here for a month and back to warmer MI (I hope). Life goes on with some creaks and groans but family all great. 4 children, 5 grands, and 6 greats. Such fun! In Adrian, MI. Give a shout out. Love to hear from you.

Graham Gustave Olson: Phyllis ’57 and I are still on our farm in Walworth County. Crops were good again and our family is all around us and doing well. And we now have gained two greatgrandchildren, and they are beauties! We are very lucky! Regards, Gustave.

1959

Judith Pedersen Brandle: In July, Kurt and I went to Seabrook, a new resort community in Washington state with our son and family for a week. Enjoyed our grandchildren, all teenagers involved with school and sports in Portland, Oregon. Christmas was spent with our daughter in Berlin, going to a few concerts.

The enigma of existence Does not trouble the frog Who leaps to live. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY

Carol Ann Schleger Ostrom ’58: Due to our ELCA Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Rockford, Ill. closing Jan. 14, 2024, I am no longer employed as organist after 60+ years. Our partner church, St. Anskar’s Episcopal and Gloria Dei, is visiting other churches hoping to be invited in service/mission. I volunteer as pianist every Monday at a retirement center.

Shirley Spangler Steiner P’82: We enjoy streaming the concerts and recitals from LU. Grandson Paul Stevens ’10, and his wife Elizabeth ’10 live in Appleton and keep us updated on LU happenings. I volunteer at the Red Door Art Gallery several times a month and still do watercolor painting. I also play organ for church occasionally.

1961

Edward L. Boehm P’96: I lost my wife of 40 years in January of 2022 to COVID, but my daughter and her family live with me so there’s plenty of activity. I retired from Peshtigo Schools (Vocal Music) in 1998 and began my second 27-year career as a school bus driver. I still direct two Barbershop choruses, ladies in Menominee, MI and men in Escanaba MI., and sing in a quartet.

Judith Schroeder Grimes: Ken and I have enjoyed this glorious winter in our Boyne City/Deer Lake, MI home. Notice “in” our home; not outside. Family next door including former spouse, Scott Sherman. Going well, but most unusual. I still lead Sunday services in both Traverse City and Boyne. Have the joy of officiating weddings in the summer. Ministers never truly retire!

Dr. Ashley T. Haase: I write to share the sad news of the passing of my beloved Ann Delong Haase ’61. Actually, passing on to memories of 65 years that started with long conversations over hot sundaes in the Union to dating, pinning, engagement and a marriage of 63 years this June. She was a remarkable wife and mother of three fine children, Elizabeth, Stephanie, and Harris.

Dr. G. Eric Hansen: Very happy to report that I am still active, living in San Francisco. I have some of the usual complaints of age (joints), which have slowed me down some, but feel pretty good at 86 years. I still spend my summer months living on Cape Cod at an inn, where I have resided for more than 25 years. Same owners and staff with lots of familiar visitors.

Dr. William R. Levis: Life is great in NYC. I am the NYC Leprologist at Bellevue Hospital and run three clinics a week. The Big Apple is great once you adjust to its speed. Keeps you on your toes. Love it.

William E. Mack: Judy Anderson Mack ’64 and I have been married for over 60 years and still having fun. So far, no continuing care community for us. We still spend a portion of the summer at our farm in NH on Squam Lake. Visitors are welcome. My cell is 978-857-8281. Judy is teaching ESL. To keep me out of trouble, I am sharpening kitchen knives and make handle repairs to Wusthof cutlery. We have two sons, three grandchildren and two wonderful daughtersin-laws.

MaryLou Lloyd Opgenorth: I celebrated my 85th birthday last June 8th with my one-year-old greatgrandson. And, attended Terry Moran’s seminar at Björklunden in late July. November found my daughter and me on the Denison University campus watching my granddaughter, Drue, compete in the swim meet between Oberlin and Denison. Denison won, of course!!

Nancy M. Stowe P’87: A new hip and good health allow me to enjoy Conservatory events and church choir, and many friends of all ages. Travel has been to family weddings in Lincoln, NE and Seattle, WA—I enjoy being the matriarch of the Marsh, Stowe, and Koopman clans! Dick Stowe would have been 100 on 1/2/25!

1963

Allen R. Bjornson: My wife, Marti Bjornson, and I have become the oldest people on our block in Evanston, Illinois. We continue to enjoy attending lectures, concerts and theater at Northwestern University. We are still bicoastal parents. Andrew is in Orange County. Alicia is in South New Jersey. We enjoy staying in touch with classmates.

Elizabeth Cole: Still out here in the NW corner at the edge of the Pacific. Still doing some solo performing, both local and on the road. Still healthy and loving being outdoors. And, primarily, still counting my many lifelong blessings.

Rosalie Delaney Neuwirth: I continue to write poetry...

Closure

We are the leaves Falling in our season Letting go In a final act Of courage And completion.

Earthly machinations

Shift to thaw, Awakening roots For another round Of arousing display— Days of daffodils To come.

Jean Ebling Stokes M-D’47 celebrated her 100th birthday on March 16, 2025, in Naples, Florida. Jean is wearing an original Class of ’47 green blazer while friends and family are attired in more modern Downer spirit wear.

Dr. Donald E. Kersemeier: On June 20, wife Mary and I celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary. Immediate family: three married children, 11 grandchildren, two greats. Two families close by; third family: Charleston. We are beginning year four at Luther Village, Arlington Heights, IL and year 23 for Door County lake home. I’m editing journals begun 1955 and book of poems. On LCF!

Dr. Robert B. Petters: I’m still conducting the “Really Terrible Orchestra of the Triangle,” although it’s not so terrible anymore, and teaching an online class, Introduction to Musical Experiences, at NC State University. I’m also creating an orchestration of a choral work by Professor James Ming (Missa Brevis) that we sang as freshmen.

Herbert G. Weber: Joan and I have been full-time San Diego residents for 13 years. We live near our daughter and her family. Our son and his family live in Bali, Indonesia. In total we have five grandchildren. We try to see them annually, but the trip seems to be getting longer each year. I’ve been able to stay in touch with John Alton ’63 and Hap Sumner ’63

1965

Lee (Dodds) Shallat Chemel: After a decade or so in theatre as a director and then 41 years directing TV comedy, I am now an adjunct professor at USC teaching Acting Shakespeare and having a great ol’ time.

Susan Gilman Ferguson P’89: I live in Oro Valley, a community near Tucson, Arizona. I work part-time at the University of Arizona as a Standardized Patient. I am still playing pickleball, hiking and biking. My girls and their families are thriving in California and Kentucky. I see Bonnie Mastin Crawford ’65, who also lives here.

Theodore M. Katzoff: Hip surgery was a success! Moving down the road to Redondo Beach. Claudette is working in nurse education at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica. Coming out of retirement in April to conduct stage combat workshops at Collage, a performance space in San Pedro. Still involved with The Western Flyer Foundation, marine science, and ecology.

Judy Kronmeyer: Sally Schleinz Millman ’65 and I managed a mini reunion in 2023 where we shared our 80th birthday celebration. Held in Nova Scotia at her oldest son Paul’s son’s house where her other four children plus grands and one great grand helped us celebrate.

Louisa Loveridge-Gallas: After my career as a therapist, I retired to my other profession as a writer, currently Poet in Residence for a newspaper Freshwater Reporter in Michigan where my husband and I now live. After diagnosis with advanced ovarian cancer, remarkably I am in remission. I welcome any connection with others on this journey, riverlakelou@gmail.com.

Todd J. Mitchell: Marcia and I spend 8 months in Phoenix and 4 months in our Greenfield condo. Marcia plays a lot of pickle ball and bridge while I enjoy playing in a bocce ball league, golfing, and taking long walks with our dog, Summer. We still travel, primarily to visit with our six sons and 13 grandchildren. We both work on maintaining good health.

Gary A. Pines: Gary and Vicki Pines married 55 years. Reside in Palm Beach Gardens, FL and South Haven, MI. Gary—still training/coaching consultants, accountants, lawyers to be “Rainmakers.” Vicki— still selling long term care insurance. Boards in Chicago/Florida: American Jewish Committee— Global Advocacy against antisemitism and for relationships with Israel.

Judy Kronmeyer ’65 and Sally Millman ’65

Culbertson ’67

We are still traveling: we took a cruise to Alaska in 2023 and a cruise on the Great Lakes last August. All is well here.

Dr. Richard L. Rapport II: After I retired from the UW School of Medicine in 2020, I began to teach at Washington State University med school. I don’t see patients anymore but I still enjoy teaching medical students. I have published three books and hope to sell a fourth. Our son and daughterin-law live nearby. Life has been very good to us. Bobby Schoenwetter and I stay in touch, and we hope the LU football team wins a couple more games this fall.

John E. Thomas: Shari and I are still in Hudson for most of the year. We recently completed the painful process of downsizing, moving off the lake to a one-floor, two bedroom, two bath town home in Red Cedar Canyon, a pleasant development with miles of walking trails. We are blessed to be able to spend at least five months (guess which ones) a year at our condo in Naples.

Benjamin C. Tilghman, Jr. P’99: Retired 20 years now, but remain happily busy. Four children, 10 grandchildren, member of the County Planning Commission, Clerk of our Quaker meeting, no longer fly, volunteer at the Maritime Museum, still mowing grass and grading driveways, plowing snow, and still fishing. Have all the usual ailments, and remain an active friend of Bill W. Blessed.

Marilyn Hobby Wescott: I spent my 81st birthday on the south shore of Crete where I lived for two months in 1971. Ross and I sat under an arbor eating and toasting with several European travelers and locals in one of the few rustic places left in Greece. Then we reunited with our shepherd friends. A wonderful two months practicing Greek and eating, eating, eating.

Jean Sydow West: In 2012, Mac (Robert West ’63) and I moved to Denver to be closer to our son and his family. I retired as a travel consultant. I began researching our family histories, and joining several local and national genealogical societies.

Jean Lampert Woy ’65: J. Richard Woy ’64 and I are still living in Brookline MA, and spending time in Vermont, skiing and snowshoeing, or riding our bikes. I volunteer with the Brookline Historical Society, on archaeological digs for the City of Boston, on projects for the 250th anniversary of the battle of Bunker Hill, and for Lawrence. Dick is still doing some consulting work. In October we were in Albania, an interesting and beautiful place. We did a very difficult walk—only four days but not a flat kilometer.

1967

Richard C. Agness: I’m a lucky guy. I live in Appleton, near Lawrence and the Y. My two kids and grandchildren live within minutes. I advise the Delts; they teach me stuff and, I believe, that keeps me younger than I am. Still doing my artwork (clay) pretty much full-time (orders, commissions and a Door County gallery keep me busy and challenged). Thankful.

Sidney K. Ayabe: I continue to serve as a mediator/ arbitrator, serve on nonprofit boards, play golf, and travel with Cookie. In April, we take a cruise that commences in Tokyo and ends in Vancouver. Our three grandchildren, Liv, Sid, and Olivia, keep us busy serving as babysitters and providing chauffeur services. I will attend my 55th reunion at Iowa Law.

Roy E. Brouwer: Recently settled in Delafield, WI with my wife, Lois, to be closer to our clan of five kids and twelve grandchildren and follow the Lake Country Dockhounds.

Dr. Richard A. Culbertson, Ph.D.: Became Emeritus Prof at LSU in July. Now splitting time between NOLA and SF as Clinical Prof of Family Medicine at UCSF. Back now in NOLA for Super Bowl and Mardi Gras. Honored to join Board of Trustees of Marian University in WI. Rejoined Medical School admissions committee at LSU. Took workshops at Esalen on life renewal, wonderful! Back to SF in May.

Richard

Marcia Rogers Hunter: I’m healthy and busy— reading to our granddaughter (age 6) by iPad every evening (and visiting her in LA often), working out at the Y, facilitating PEO women’s scholarships, doing church projects—and worrying about the state of our country. In July we are hosting 20+ family members for a few days to celebrate our 50th anniversary. Cheers to all!

Dr. Lee Galda Pellegrini: My husband and I have a new grandson, whom we met while visiting our son and daughter-in-law in London for Christmas. We are eagerly looking forward to them moving back to the states in August. Our daughter’s two kids are thriving. We are healthy and happy and still love living in Minnesota. Retirement is more fun than I thought it would be!

David R. Pfleger: The death of Minoo, my lifelong teacher, mentor, advisor and friend, is indeed a major loss. Traveling domestically and to Europe often. Doing a bit of pro bono consulting for a non-profit trying to prevent veteran suicides and helped a professor at NY City Colleges design a new course in policy. Always like to hear from old Lawrence friends.

Charlot Nelson Singleton: Travel is high on our list! New Zealand in January to golf and fly fish. Shall celebrate my 80th birthday in April in the Canary Islands. Still stayed tied to Lawrence through the Board of Trustees and remain convinced that our academics are strong and prepare our students for “life after Lawrence” as lifelong learners and involved citizens.

Dr. Rolf H. Swensen: This coming May, Taylor & Francis/Routledge, UK, will publish my book, And O’er Earth’s Troubled, Angry Sea: The History of Christian Science in the United States. This pathbreaking study is the product of 57 years of work. During my time at Lawrence from 1963–67, History Prof. Walter F. Peterson encouraged me to proceed with this work.

John W. Whipple: Mostly retired from architecture and fully recovered from a heart operation, I play squash, sail, and take care of two houses. My passion is painting, which Tish and I do together. We travel with friends. I try to ignore politics and the inevitability of global warming, but can’t. As we try to do some good for the future, we are enjoying the present.

1969

Patricia A. Dew: I published a book in January 2025. Out of Focus: A Caregiver’s Search for Clarity is a collection of 39 pieces, each a page or less in length, that I wrote during the last decade of Tom Pender’s life. Each piece is paired with one of my photographs. Tom and I met on Lawrence’s first program abroad. My website: www.patsydewpix.com

Dr. Stephen Graham: I will be hosting a reunion of the 1968 Swim Team at Björklunden, Sept 8–11. If you are in the area, stop by to see House, Sanders, Melnick, Mitchell, Wilmot, Liebich, Fease, Steenrod, and Cogswell.

Gar E. Kellom: Kolleen Egan Kellom ’71 and Gar Kellom ’69 enjoyed a safari, with Delt brothers Tocher Mitchell ’69 and Jeff Leach ’70, to South Africa and Botswana recently as well as trips to Cambodia and Bali with family last year. This year calls for a 50th Wedding Anniversary party at Lake Tahoe. Gar has retired after 30 years with the Higher Learning Commission.

Laurie A. Magee: Tom and I continue to enjoy our retirement in Laguna Vista, TX . We are minutes from Elon Musk’s Starbase and South Padre Island. My charity quilt group just ended our quilting season and we made 97 quilts that were donated to local community groups. Surf fishing is improving and Tom is much happier. In fact, he is cleaning fish as I write.

Tocher Mitchell: Finished my last financial consulting gig in August 2024. Brenda & I are traveling as much as we can while we are still fit and physically able to. Went to Hong Kong in Jan 2025 to visit Brenda’s sister & other relatives. Planning on trips to South Africa & Taiwan this year as well, partly so I can compete in Masters swimming events & sightseeing.

Susan Voss Pappas: Dean ’69 and I are well. A few new knees, hips, etc., make the difference! Our one and only grandchild, Noah, age 5, is the light of our lives. Our primary connection to Lawrence is through Björklunden. We both take a few seminars each summer and would enjoy seeing you there. Fabulous presenters on a wide variety of topics for lifelong learners.

Dr. Frederik E. Schuetze: I’m enjoying retirement after over 40 years of teaching and performing but still playing cello in my wife’s local community orchestra. I have now been cancer free for about 18 months and doing well with regular checkups with my oncologist and took up the hobby of adult-level paint-by-number kits for serenity and beauty.

Thomas A. Wendorf: Tom Wendorf ’69 and Mickey Domoe Wendorf ’71 celebrated 54 years of marriage cruising around the world. I retired in 2010, then founded the DuPage Work Based Learning Consortium, serve on Illinois Innovation Workforce Board, the Commission on Equity, Access and Inclusion and Equity Task Force for state of Illinois. I have a great life and wife.

1971

Rev. Scott W. Alexander: I am still working, 55 years after graduating from Lawrence...having just begun my 51st year of continuous ministry within the Unitarian Universalist movement. I am presently serving as the minister of Unitarian Church North in Mequon, Wisconsin.

Stephen C. Allen: I am still running my six-year-old business in downtown Sturgeon Bay, Door County, Wisconsin. It is Bay Vinyl Records, and we carry new and pre-owned vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, and turntables. Having a business is a great way to help people and make new friends!

Dr. Andrew N. Binns: I retired from University of Pennsylvania and we moved to Santa Fe, NM in 2019—love it! Susan still works as a clinical psychologist and I am a Visiting Scientist at the National Center for Genome Resources—I just can’t stay out of the lab. We hike, golf, workout, and enjoy new friends. And deal with aging and political reality—which is worse?

Betty Lynn Brown P’98: Music continues to be foremost in my life. I am the band director and piano instructor for two Lutheran schools, teach privately and play organ, piano, and flute for two churches. In February I played piano as I joined my daughter Susie Patch ’98 (clarinet) and granddaughter Aimee Patch ’26 (horn) for her Junior Recital.

Jane E. Dickerson: I’ll have a second book of poetry published this June titled, Phoenixbirds. I’ve lived in the Minneapolis/St. Paul MN with my husband for the past 30 years. Our children are grown, a son in Portland OR and a daughter who lives not far from us. My best to all my distant college friends, whom I think of often. Looking forward to one more reunion!

Dr. Jan M. Frodesen: Since 2021, retirement after thirty years as a professor at UC Santa Barbara, I’ve appreciated having more time for cultural events, exercise, visits to family and friends, and travel internationally: to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Egypt, as well as teaching for the U.S. Dept of State in the Philippines. Hoping to attend the cluster reunion in 2026

David A. Jones P’10: In the midst of this dark night our nation is now entered into, my wife Rochelle and I have adopted a dear little 4 -year-old Pomeranian pup named Miz Kitty. She vivifies and brightens our lives enormously. Such a ball of pep and fun. Beats every drug in my medical formulary. That’s it, from this 71er.

Dave Jones ’71

Dr. Janice M. Juraska: I retired last summer as professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. It is actually only semi-retirement because my lab is still running with students finishing. Given the federal situation, I seem to have gotten out in time. Although my husband still has a business in Champaign, we have purchased a condo in Chicago and expect to spend time there and do more traveling.

Ann Niebling Laughlin: I’m still happily living next to Lake Champlain in northern VT and still baking bagels and bread for my son’s bagel and deli shop. Haven’t quite figured out how to retire, so I’m in my fourth semester of a meteorology certificate program through Penn State. Who knew?

Rick Rothschild: All in our family are healthy and enjoying life. Our twins (Arin and Eli) will graduate this spring from The Cooper Union and WPI respectively. I am currently working on delivering a new flying ride experience at Niagara Parks, ON, Canada. In March, I will be recognized by Themed Entertainment Association with their lifetime achievement award.

Robert J. Stastny: Having decided that life’s too short to have clean fingernails, I’ve become a University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener— working in community gardens, farmer’s markets, and writing for a monthly newsletter. It’s also my 6th year volunteering for a Golden Retriever rescue—fostering, evaluating adoption applicants, and sweeping up dog hair.

Patricia Suhrcke: I find it very difficult to share my personal news as I am so overwhelmed by our national news. To misquote Humphrey Bogart, my little hill of beans doesn’t amount to much in the face of our collective reality. Nevertheless, I’ve replaced both knees, renewed my passport and am ready for a first trans Pacific trip since COVID.

Dr. Marilyn A. Thompson: Retired for just over 10 years, I have been fortunate to remain physically active, bicycling to raise money for an MS cure. This past April, I met fellow classmates from our Ormsby section in Palm Springs which included a hike at Joshua Tree: Judy Reeves Brown ’71, Sara Hawley ’71, Liz Griffin ’71, Jeanie Brown ’71, Susan Folsom ’71, and Mark Berman ’71

John C. Woodruff: With husband Jeff, I Ieft northern CA on 02 Jan 2020. Settled into a wonderful, little coastal village outside of Porto on the Caminho de Santiago de Compostela. We’re the only residents who speak English as a first language—Haven’t been back to U.S. since we left—Applying for Portuguese citizenship now. Woo Hoo. A vida é boa—Life is good.

1973

Annette Archambeau Brower: This year I have had mini reunions with friends from Lawrence in Wisconsin and here at my home in BC. My health is good and adjusting to retirement and navigating

solo. I love travelling and this past year I went to Hawaii, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Looking forward to the reunion next year.

Louis B. Butler Jr.: The most significant note for me to share is that my granddaughter, Aliana ButlerGray ’25, will be graduating this June. She’s been a starter on the Vikings volleyball team and has continued the Lawrence tradition. I’m extremely proud of her, as well as our other grandkids. We are looking forward to attending her graduation.

Kingsley Day: Stan Kingsley Day played the Old Man in Prelude to a Kiss at Theatre Above the Law last spring and directed Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe for the Savoyaires last fall. City Lit Theater premiered his one-act musical Text Me last March. In July, he and his husband attended Robert McDonald’s piano recital in Taos.

Anne Sturgeon Frenchick: Trips in 2025: New Zealand/Australia and Egypt/Jordan. We are grateful that our health and resources allow us the privilege of travel. I enjoy theater, pickleball, water aerobics, and participate in research studies, hoping to help move science forward! Last year I was recognized for 29 years of fundraising (over $100,000) for Animal Humane Society.

Karen Kirhofer Hansen: We are currently in St. George for a few days, enjoying the warmer weather and the desert trails. Utah has a huge variety of environments and landscapes! Our daughter Kelly married Will in Moab in September! I will be going to northeastern India this June on another service trip. Take care everyone.

Susan E. Harman: We traveled to England and France in our first time to Europe at our advanced age. It was great but there’s so much to see and do, it leaves you wanting more. Should have started at an earlier age! I survived the Caitlin Clark era at the University of Iowa, covering the team for a website. An extraordinary experience.

William O. Humleker: Thanks to everyone who checked on us following Hurricane Helene. If you saw the news reports of what happened to Asheville, we live about 20 miles south of there, so Helene smacked us first with incredible force. We’re fine and managed thanks to everyone’s prayers, and a nice big natural gas-powered generator!

Laura Mueller Just: After living in North Carolina for twelve years, I relocated to southern Wisconsin (Stoughton) after my husband passed away in 2020. I live just a couple blocks from my sister and college roommate, Nancy Freeman Wallace ’73, and her husband, Jim. Looking forward to attending a Björklunden seminar in August!

Kristen Olson Lahner: We’ve had a wonderful second year as Michigan residents. We look forward to our June 2025 trip to the Cotswolds with other LU alums, curated by Kimberly Peterson ’82, Kristen’s sister. Hopeful of finding meaningful ways to keep our nation safe and democratic. Grateful for all our LU connections. Looking forward to Reunion ’26!

Cynthia Percakz: I am serving as volunteer office administrator for St. Bartholomew Lutheran Church in Trenton, New Jersey, which actively engages in local social ministries and interfaith initiatives. My free time is spent enjoying the hiking trails in Burlington and Mercer counties as well as the beaches of the Jersey Shore.

Dr. Sara A. Quandt: Life is good: I retired two years ago. Tom and I travel internationally about three months a year. 2024 found us spending a month each in Spain and Italy, and two weeks in Romania. When home, we work in a community garden. I get to Lawrence several times a year for Trustees meetings and to visit friends. Looking forward to our cluster reunion Summer 2026!

Constance B. Roop: On January 7, 2025, Connie and Peter Roop’s book Maya Angelou Finds Her Voice was published by Simon and Schuster. Their book was illustrated by Noa Denmon, a Caldecott Honor Winner. Noa joined Peter and Connie for the official book launch at the Clinton Presidental Library in Little Rock in April.

Susan Conkey Running: Tom and I have three dogs that keep us busy; two labs and a cute little King Charles. Very sweet! Last fall Betsy Comstock ’73, Anne Brouwer ’73, and I did some serious relaxing at a spa in western Pennsylvania. In several weeks I’m heading to Key West, and in May my daughter Katie and I are going to visit Ireland. I’ve wanted to see Ireland for a long time!

Rev. Nancy Johnson Russell P’01: My husband and I love to travel and two of our trips were through Lawrence: Danube River cruise in fall 2023 and South Africa trip in summer 2024. I encourage you to check out upcoming trips. Any time with our children and grands is a highlight. We also keep busy with local volunteer/learning activities here in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

Steve A. Swets: Diana ’75 and I recently moved from Sarasota to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, to live a few miles away from daughter Caroline and her family, including granddaughters 2 and 4 years old. Another advantage has been seeing red and yellow leaves in the fall, something we haven’t witnessed since leaving the Boston area eight years ago.

Louis Butler ’73 and Irene Butler

Nancy Freeman Wallace: Jim and I lead quiet lives. I spend time on Zoom for meetings & seminars and trying out Lawrence at Night. I’m trying to stay active mentally and physically. Hoping to do a Björklunden seminar this summer. No travel plans this winter but hope to visit family in Kansas and the PNW this spring. Amazed at many changes at LU!

Marcia Beale Will-Clifton: 2024 was a challenging year with health issues but so grateful for support of LU classmates! Highlights were Carrie Underwood concert in Las Vegas, Shen Yun in Cheyenne, and KC Chiefs exciting season! Hope to see y’all at our cluster reunion in 2026

Dr. Richard N. Zimman: Our trip to Antarctica in December marked my seventh continent, a journey that began with my first trip to Europe in 1971 to attend the newly established LU London Center. Inspiring me to learn about life outside my own bubble has been the most profound and enduring gift from LU.

1974

Kathy Newlin Pedersen: We made a major move! We sold our home of 32 years in Sheboygan and moved to a condo in Sun Prairie, WI. in September. Now we are near our youngest son Eric and his young family. He and Brittany have six children between 1 ½ and 10. Next summer we will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.

1977

Jean M. Capper: My retirement is filled with activity. I teach skiing at Crystal Mountain in Michigan and participate in many volunteer activities. I enjoy online scrabble games with Mark Fonder ’77. Looking forward to being 70 years young in June.

Dr. Crystal D. Cash: I’m happily retired and traveling the world. This included completing 250 miles on the El Camino De Santiago trail, hiking the mountains of Bolivia and snorkeling in Belize. I’m continuing to do International Service as a physician with students from Stritch School of Medicine. Kids and grands are grown. BIG 70 bash in Belize with friends.

Tom G. Hughes: I had a wonderful Zoom call meeting with Rob Simon, Barb Butler, Susan Osborn and Cyd Einck. All of us from the class of 1977. The purpose of our meeting was to reminisce about our London experience almost 50 years ago. Barb and Susan shared some pictures and we tried to remember other Lawrentians who were there. Some great memories were shared!

Loretta Kalnow Kaplan: My husband and I have lost our minds! In 2021 we purchased an old supper club on Lake Delavan in Wisconsin. We feared that someone would tear it down and the restaurant would be lost forever. We are accidental restaurateurs! If you are ever in the Lake Geneva/ Delavan area, please come visit us at the Village Supper Club.

Dr. Karen S. Kinsell: I married my long-time boyfriend three years ago, and he is finally retiring but I hope to work another five years. I am still a primary care internist in my own rural practice. I had long COVID last year, took quite a toll. I’m in a documentary, The Only Doctor, shown on PBS and Al Jazeera. Realize how fortunate I was to have a liberal arts education!

Rev. James M. Rand P’06: 2024 was highlighted by: completion of my first guitar build, hiking on the French side of the Pyrenees, and a week at Björklunden with Jim and Leslie Peterson ’77, Karen Sweet ’77, and Robin Fondow ’76. In March 2025, Sarah and I will go with family to Vietnam where her niece was born. Retirement in Raleigh is good. Jonquils are ready to bloom—in early February!

Anne Macleod Weeks: My partner Jim and I are still loving life in Nova Scotia. Jim published a novel, Nodding’s People, a year ago, which has had good sales. I have a novel making the rounds of agents. I am still showing my photography in various shows and galleries. Otherwise, we spend our days enjoying retirement in this beautiful province.

Andrea Williamson: I’m probably more active than ever since retiring last year, between volunteering at local Red Cross blood drives, doing ’food rescues’ (taking food from area markets and restaurants to pantries and shelters), dog/house sitting, running/hiking/cycling and traveling -- most recently to the Ladakh area of India near Tibet for a three-week mountain trek.

1979

Carol Rees Ables: Carol Rees leads Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University classes. She is a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, the League of Women Voters and the Presbyterian Church (USA). She lives in Summerville, SC, with her husband, author Alan Ables.

Karl P. Albrecht: I continue to enjoy serving as the president of the board for the local library and on a municipal committee. Barbara and I went to Spain in October (Majorca and Barcelona)—a great trip and no targeting by water pistols. Two trips to Europe planned for this year: one, to Germany and Austria—a chance to use my rusty German.

Lina Beth Barber: We are still enjoying life in our small hill town in Umbria where the pace of life is slower. We continue to attend presentations by artists and writers in residence at a nearby American arts foundation, housed in a 15th century castle. In my free time I’m painting, reading, gardening and doing my daily DuoLingo lessons in Italian.

John T. Boyle: I retired at the end of 2023 and have enjoyed it very much. My wife and I became grandparents in March of 2024; Chloe Boyle born in NYC—most amazing, incredible, wonderful thing ever. Saw Barb Fee Miller ’79 in NYC in September of 2023—great time and great memories. Still living at the Jersey Shore. Stop by if in the area. Peace and best wishes to all.

Stephen J. Brown: I retired last year after 49 years at WAPL Radio / Woodward Communications Appleton, ending with a few decades as Director of Broadcast Engineering at Woodward Radio Group. In 2024, I was honored to be inducted into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame and to be elevated as a Fellow of the Society of Broadcast Engineers. Now enjoying retirement!

Susan K. Davies: After 15 years in TV news and 15 years leading a Trails Non-Profit, I have finally retired. It was not an easy decision. I loved my job as E.D. of the Trails and Open Space Coalition and am proud of the impact we had as a team. But it’s time and I have an excellent successor. We plan to travel, camp and do more hiking. Let the fun begin!

David W. Ehrich: Lots of personally momentous occasions in the last couple years. To begin with, both my daughters had children about the same time so I have two grandchildren, which makes for exciting times. In the last three years, I’ve played guitar for a local Seattle band called Student Nurse, which dates back to 1979. We play a high IQ punk called Zolo.

Jeffrey R. Hawley: Last year I hiked two major multi-day trails: Kumano Kodo in Japan and Mont Blanc in France, Switzerland, and Italy. I feel grateful that I have the health and time to do these kind of activities.

Richard F. Herndon: My marital status has changed within the past year to “widowed.” My lovely wife of almost 41 years, Carol, died on June 16 of cardiac arrest, after living with mild dementia for about three years. The lyric from Joni Mitchell’s 1970 hit song Big Yellow Taxi is apt in this situation: “... you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone.”

Andrea Williamson ’77: Khardung Pass, 17,582’, Ladakh, India, August 2024

Grace E. E. Jones: 45th Reunion was great—loved reconnecting with friends from classes of ’78, ’79, and ’80. I am now in my fourth year of living on eastern shore of Mobile Bay. It’s great to see family members so frequently though I miss the opportunities I had in D.C. area. And who would have thought that I would have 7–8" of SNOW in January while there was 0" in WI?

Dr. Kathryn A. Krohn-Gill: I enjoyed seeing so many old friends at the LU reunion in June. The committee did an amazing job! I’m easing into retirement with only a Family Medicine teaching gig remaining. This allows lots of time to spend with grandchildren who are not only a great joy, but a reason to learn what virus is circulating!

Astrid Strasburger Manoli: Being married to a pensioner seemed to imply having time to get rid of some stuff in the attic. Not with my husband Yiannos ’78 who is still busy with projects in China as well as his home country, Cyprus. Thus, my life is a mixture of dealing with chop sticks and teaching old-fashioned German table manners to our six grandchildren.

Mary Thome Marshall P’09: Mary Thome and Doug Marshall ’79 P’09 are retired and spending their time volunteering, traveling, visiting grandchildren, and hiking and skiing in the Adirondack mountains. We live in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. We attend Milwaukee Bucks and Brewers game with Mary’s freshman roommate, Susan Heymann, and her husband. If you’re in the area, look us up!

Scott D. Myers: This past year, my wife and I enjoyed traveling to Portugal and France. I’m also gearing up to run the 9th annual Winnetka Music Festival on June 20–21. If you’re around Chicago check it out at winnetkamusicfestival.com for a fantastic experience! I’m also busy enjoying our four grandchildren and continue to participate on the Lawrence Board.

William H. Pearce: Shared ups and downs of the Bills and Packers season with Marrick Wells and David Bomier … three guys from the two smallest NFL markets!!!

Jose Luis Romero Hicks: Life is great! Our children are growing. María José was married in France and Luis Felipe continues working at UNESCO. I remain active in law and finance consulting, and commute with wife Chiemi between Mexico City and Guanajuato. Our 1976 ACM India Studies group, shaped by Prof Minoo Adenwalla, meets regularly on Zoom, honoring his legacy.

Dona Vander Schaaf Wininsky: Thinking about the next phase of my life and what it holds. Probably some major changes. In the meantime, I’m helping my son and future DIL plan their September wedding. As George Bailey said, “She’s a peach” and I couldn’t love her more if she were my own flesh and blood. I’m finally getting a daughter! Yay!

1981

Lisa Marie Brady: I still live in South Bend, IN, working as a high school librarian. I could retire but am not ready. For fun I day hike and backpack at many of Indiana’s northern state parks. Maybe I will get into Michigan again or go to southern Indiana. Unfortunately, bicycling and open swimming are not wise endeavors with my vision limitations.

Dawn Baumann Brunke: With great sadness I share that my husband, my love, the caring father of our beloved daughter, passed away on September 11, 2024, of an apparent heart attack. He was such a generous soul, so funny and frustrating, so wonderful and unique. He is deeply, heartfully, soulfully missed.

Ann S. Derse: Just back from 10 days of birding in Nicaragua as part of a small group. Lots of beautiful birds and adventures. Lucky to see a three-toed sloth mom and cute baby moving around and not sleeping. In fall 2023, I took 10 friends to Greece: Athens, then an island for a week of kayaking, hiking, biking, eating, cooking, and enjoying the ambience.

Julie Folz Erkilla: Jack and I are now retired and enjoying life on our own schedule. We recently moved to Dublin, Ohio (near Columbus) from southern Indiana to be near our daughter and her family, which now includes our first grandchild. Being a grandparent is a wonderful experience!

Karen Lutz Hallacy: Retired life is wonderful! My husband and I are enjoying traveling around the world and in the U.S. along with spending time with our children and grandchildren. One of my trips was to MN to spend a weekend with Liz Rammer ’84. I’m still volunteering extensively with a theater group, Kiwanis, a local civic group, and the community safety village.

Dr. David A. Heller: After four terms as department chair at Trinity University, David returned to fulltime teaching in the fall of 2024. In June 2024, he toured the UK and France with the Trinity Chamber Singers and the San Antonio Choral Society, performing in London, Winchester, and Paris. He is Artist in Residence at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in San Antonio.

Alyson M. Hu: I’m still in Chicago, having just transitioned into a fulfilling LCSW role. At present, I’ve no interest in retirement. My 23-year-old (wayward scholar) appears to be nearing the end of his 6-year undergraduate journey, and I look forward (with pride) to watching his future (beyond college) unfold. Emerging adulthood is our shared status, it seems.

Dorothy Webber Price: Dorothy Webber Price is enjoying retirement. Activities include Spanish language study, bilingual book club, songwriting, voice lessons, nature walks, and workouts at the Y. I am grateful to Lawrence, especially for professors Anne Schutte, Alice Case, Ken Sager ’39, and Illene Noppe; and for the opportunity to student teach with Andy Horan.

Patrick H. Short: My wife, Ruth Jenkins, and I “retired” on 12/31/24 —Ruth from 30+ years in Speech Pathology, me from 37 years running and then owning our improv theater, CSz Portland. Ruth immediately picked up an adjunct position at Portland State University, and I will spend at least two years producing, teaching, facilitating and performing with the new owner.

Helen C. Snook: In the last two years, I have had the fun of connecting with classmates Phil Brick (solar eclipse in Texas), Al Gunn (Chicago visit), and Barb Lee, who visited Steve and me here in Alpine, Texas. I still work part-time with Sul Ross University’s West Texas Native Seeds project and enjoy the high desert life in our small town.

Brian K. Tse: Having worked for decades, I finally retired from the formal job market late ’24. While I got injured a couple months before retirement with acute pains in my lower back, I was lucky to be able to recover gradually since then and be back to my daily activities. Two of my three sons have got married, with a granddaughter recently. Very happy life!

1983

Charles F. Hunter: Divorced (happily) as of 8/24 and traveling frequently from Chicago to see my new partner in D.C. Still editing human rights reports for the State Department but unsure whether that will continue under the new administration. Have enjoyed seeing George Smith ’84 and David Heller ’81 in recent months and staying in touch with classmates.

James R. Kowald: Finding life since retiring. I have joined the Appleton Historical Society here in good old Appleton, doing volunteer work, especially as a researcher. Tracy is also involved helping write grants. I am also on Board of Directors for Fox Valleyaires Barbershop choir, helping write show scripts and arranging music. Me singing is an OMG moment!

Paul McComas: All dialogue’s been recorded for my animated feature Unplugged by Christina Ricci, Jeri Ryan, John Doe, Sheryl Lee and, in their last roles, the late Ed Asner and Lou Gossett Jr. Books to be published in ’26 are Edgar G. Ulmer’s Strange

Jeff Hawley ’79, pictured in the middle with members of his hiking group. Last summer they spent 15 days hiking around Mt Blanc.

Four Lawrentians from the Class of 1981 met in October in the Cape Cod area to reminisce about their days at Lawrence. Pictured from left to right are: Emily (Hawkes) Bland; Coralee (Ferk) Ott; Susan (McGrath) Mielenhausen; and Cynthia (Boeye) McGinnis.

Sarah Fallt Merten ’97, Rachel Bass ’98, Adam Kintopf ’97, Justin Madel ’98 (along with his husband, Jordan), and Michelle Speiser ’95 traveled to NYC for Paul Speiser ’98s 50th birthday party. (Photo from Michelle Speiser ’95)

He volunteers instructing mountaineering and back country travel skills.

Seth Lindenfelser: I am a licensed CNA, TMA and EMT, but haven’t quite parlayed those skills and many classes into grad school yet. While at a semipro hockey game with my son in WI this winter, I ran into an LU assistant hockey coach. I bent his ear for much of the game. I clearly could not play college hockey at today’s LU! Be well all.

Victoria L. Paupore: In June I retired from teaching after 31 years in the classroom. It was a difficult decision, but my son and his wife had a baby in March, so becoming a grandma made the decision much easier. Mark and I enjoy the outdoors, spending time with family, and traveling around the country to follow our daughter’s collegiate running career. Life is good!

Illusion (film studies) and the novel Logan’s Last Run, co-authored by Logan’s Run author William F. Nolan.

Victoria Mason Runnoe: Greetings! After 27 years with the Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game plus time at other natural resource agencies, I recently retired. Spending more time with family; training my border collies in obedience and herding; and volunteering at a songbird banding station have kept me busy, happy, and engaged. Travel and more volunteering are on the horizon!

1987

Joan Pfarr Anderson: We are still in Wisconsin as is our daughter. Our son is still in Nashville, TN, and will be getting married there in October of 2025. Jim and I are enjoying an empty house and doing more things that we did before having kids especially attending music events and concerts.

Lisa Kanitz Roskom: After 20 years as a state Laboratory Evaluation Officer, I have finally joined my husband Randy in retirement. During that time, I was blessed to work at my dream job with amazing coworkers. For 15 of those years, I sang with newVoices choir, under Rick Bjella and Phillip Swan, and enjoyed performing at the Lawrence Chapel again. God is Good!

Dr. Karin J. Sconzert: If you are a singer and you live in Chicagoland, you can sing with the Music Institute of Chicago Chorale along with Karin Sconzert ’87. We sing an amazing array of popular and sacred choral music with fantastic professional soloists and accompanying musicians. You can see past concerts on the Music Institute Youtube channel.

Eileen R. Sliwinski: Eileen Sliwinski ’87 and Fred Slater ’86 still live in Seattle, WA. Both are retired. Eileen is a mixed media and watercolor artist, substitute teaches and is working toward a dog trainer certification. Fred plays keyboard in two bands, one of which tours regionally and abroad.

James D. Wagner: Entering the final years of my teaching career at John Burroughs School. We are expecting our first granddaughter in June and plan to visit once a month in the summer. We are so excited.

Lewis E. Winkler: I just turned 60 and Barbara and I continue to serve at the East Asia School of Theology in Singapore and love working with a grand diversity of seminary students from all over Asia. Our biggest recent news is the safe arrival of our fifth grandchild, Luka. Life remains full and God is good!

Michael D. Youngblood: Four years now since we moved to Minneapolis to be closer to aging parents—and, even though we terribly miss our prior lives in NYC and San Francisco, it’s fun to be back in the Midwest. I’ve been staying busy in my work as a design anthropologist, writing articles and a third book, and making repairs on our 100-year-old home.

1992

David L. Peltier P’24: Dave Peltier ’92 married Laura Hartwell, moved to Richfield, MN, and attended graduation of Lucie ’24 in 2024.

1993

Dr. Brian C. Gray: I have lived in Durham, NC, for the past 20 years and it’s a great place to be! I work as a psychologist in the nearby federal prison, play a little music in a local cover band, and hit volleyballs at my daughter for hours each week. My oldest is a freshman at University of Illinois Chicago and on their swim team. I can’t tell him many of my LU stories, yet!

Eric N. Jurgens: 2025 marks 15 years for me as fulltime faculty at the College of Menominee Nation. I am currently serving as the chair of the Liberal Studies Department. These last few years have also been difficult, as my partner of nearly 30 years passed away in July of 2023. One of these days, I hope to actually make it to a Reunion.

Elizabeth Worzalla Riggs: Since our 30th reunion, I became energy and environment director for a nonpartisan public policy firm where I work with state agencies, nonprofits, utilities, and philanthropic orgs. Chris Riggs ’92 and I still live in Ann Arbor. Our son is an Economics/French major at U of Michigan ’26, and our oboe-playing HS junior is starting the college search.

Kurtiss G. Wolf: The big news is that we are beginning the transition into empty nesting as our eldest, Liam, went off to CU Boulder this past fall. I am pleased to report that he is living his best life, meeting people and making friends, diving into his civil engineering courses, and continuing his love of all mountain sports.

1994

Dr. Jason H. Christensen: Jason Heath Christensen has published through his Gabriel Maverick Publishing House a collection of his poems, short stories, opinion essays, and travel stories, entitled Baby Loves Magic. It is available on Amazon.

1995

Emilie Horman Coulon: For the last 10 years I have been an English teacher at Sciences Po Aix-enProvence, France. In addition to teaching, I am the academic coordinator for the international students. My son, Ethan, is a senior at Syracuse University, majoring in political science and international relations.

Korey Jonathon Krueger: My son, Tony, and I have been hired to coach the Lawrence University softball team.

Melisa Kotecki Schlote: Well, it is hard to believe that my kids are all grown up and my husband and I are officially empty nesters! Where does the time go? Inspired by LU’s motto “Light More Light” so may years ago... I have finally and officially launched my new chapter, which works directly with light in a very multidimensional way! Curious? Visit www.luminacia.com.

Jami Severson Severstad P’28: After pursuit by top institutions around the country, we were delighted and proud our Finn, 17, chose to be a legacy student at Lawrence last fall (and not be across the country)! He is pursuing a double-degree in computer science and the Bachelor of Arts in Music, class of 2028. He is the sixth member of the Severson clan to attend Lawrence.

Michelle M. Speiser: I work for Baker Tilly as a senior recruiter, specifically working on tax and audit roles for managers and directors in WI and in the San Francisco Bay area. Outside of that, I spend time with my family which includes three nieces and a nephew (ages 10–13); I also support a lot of music and arts events and endeavors in MKE to align with my passion.

1997

Renate Marie Fiora: Renate Fiora (Geib) is a physics teacher and Instruction Leadership Team member at Orono High School in Minnesota. She marries Tom Hyer in November 2025

Carole Clay McClintick: With both of our kids in college at the University of Nevada, Reno we decided it was time for a change. We moved from California to Idaho in July and we absolutely love it! I am still teaching (kindergarten) but we also opened a new business featuring local beers, pizza and mini golf. If you live in or are visiting the Boise area, stop by Pub & Putt.

Heather Beckett Oakes: We found our forever home, a cross between Narnia and the Secret Garden! Our oldest is sitting his Leaving Cert exam (a bit like APs crossed with SATs) and portfolios for university entrance. He would like to study Computer Engineering and Linguistics (Japanese). Middle fella plays cello in the Cross Border Orchestra and youngest is an actor!

1999

Kelley Stare Arau: I am currently working as a Dean of Students and Community Life at Montclair Kimberley Academy in Montclair, NJ. Our daughters, Juliet and Maya, will both be in college next year, so Javier and I are beginning to enter a new phase of life.

Melinda Bayne Bowman: My German program at Warren Central High School is going strong! In June 2024, I traveled to Berlin and Hannover with nine of my students. On the music front, I joined the Anderson Symphony viola section and continue to play in the Carmel Symphony. In June, my son Stephen and I will be backpacking at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.

Cassandra A. Martinz: Life in Seattle is full with my husband and our two kids (10 and 12), who keep us busy with their many sports—some of which I also coach. As the Executive Director of Special Education for Washington state, I’m passionate about transforming our education system to be truly inclusive, especially for students it wasn’t originally designed to serve.

Suzanne J. Murphy: I’m enjoying life in Minneapolis. I am a Community Relations Manager at Xcel Energy and get to be part of decarbonizing our energy system. In my spare time I run, coach Girls on the Run, and serve on a nonprofit board. My husband, second grade daughter, fourth grade son, and I had fun in Ireland this summer hanging out with my cousins on the West Coast.

Rachel Edie Warrick: Rachel Edie Warrick is living in Madison with her husband Jay ’02, children Clara (17) and Otis (13), and their dog and two cats. Rachel teaches kindergarten and first grade music, owns and maintains a busy private voice studio, and is a founding member the Madison Choral Project. The family loves to play tennis, hike, swim and cook!

Deborah Marie Watson: We welcomed Zachariah Huxley Alexander to the family last July. I took a promotion as an IACUC Administrator for a VA Research Program in January 2024.

Wendy S. Wegenke Berglund: Greetings! Robert and I are settling into our new home of Palm Harbor, Florida. I’m a soprano in the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, the official chorus for the Florida Orchestra. I’m currently taking a swimming class, a fiction writing class, and learning Norwegian ahead of a trip to Norway and Denmark this summer.

2001

Alison B. Hayes: Alison Hayes published her first book, Thriving While Disabled: Navigating Disability Finances, on April 12, 2025

Janine S.S. Larsen: I am loving my job as Head of Primary Music at UWCSEA (Singapore), where I also serve as a DEIJ lead, helping to educate our elementary school students and staff about bias, equity, and social justice. I’ve also been honored to present workshops for international educators on inquiry-based learning and responding to bias in schools.

Joshua E. Lavik: Still selling real estate in the Madison area after 20 years. I launched a new podcast for helping other agents. Winters you’ll find us out skiing/snowboarding a lot with our kids on the Cascade Ski team.

Zachary W. Walker: I made a slight career change and am now the pastor for mission at Village Church in the Kansas City area, where I coordinate service opportunities in the local community and guide the grants we give to organizations working toward education and solutions for hunger and housing issues. I love that I get more time at home with my wife and two kids!

2002

Dr. Joseph V. Nelson: I’m in my third year as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at the College of the Holy Cross. I just presented at my 29th conference in 10 years. Last November I had the privilege to present at the Handel Institute in London and I am working on my book on music, madness, and political violence in 17thcentury England.

Albert E. Reiser: In December, I completed my doctorate in education (EdD). My future goals include not being a student ever again. Seriously, if you hear me talking about law school in two years, I need you to intervene.

2003

David A. Chidsey: In 2024, I made the move to sunny Southern California after teaching high school music in New York State for nearly two decades. The time was right to sell my house and be closer to family. I’m in San Diego teaching with SDUSD and Guitars in the Classroom. I’m performing as a section leader with the Encinitas Guitar Orchestra.

Robin Griffeath: I am in my second year as an Associate Professor of Voice and Director of Opera at Concordia College, following 12 years as a Professor of Voice at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. I am married to Kristin Marie Griffeath, a 2023 graduate of Lawrence University, and we have two children: our son, Brendan (11), and our daughter, Nora (13).

Andrea L. Hackbarth: In February, my hybrid prosepoem chapbook, waveforms: a short course in piano tuning, was published by Harbor Editions. While I await literary stardom, I am continuing to run my piano tuning and repair business in Palmer, AK.

Miriam C. Lara-Mejia: After a year in production, my first audiobook is finally out! (Cómo ser una) Gorda Libre, an Audible Original limited series, covers the history, science, and impact of fatphobia, a first in Spanish media. It’s 18 episodes and over 8 hours of audio, ya’ll! And I continue to live in the Bay Area with my husband and son (now 7!).

Angela S. Meyers: In July 2022, I moved from NYC to Heilbronn, Germany, and have been living here ever since! I am the Primary Music teacher at Josef-Schwarz Schule, an English/German bilingual school. When I am not traveling around Europe on my school breaks, I enjoy snuggling at home with my new British Short hair cat, Ellen.

Ignacio Morande: After my tenure as Chile’s Trade Commissioner to France, my children and I moved to Valencia, Spain, to enjoy a sunnier life by the Mediterranean Sea. I recently founded my own business development firm—Connexos Consulting—specializing in international business development, in renewable energies, and innovation. Looking forward to a rewarding 2025

Abid Omar: I’m thrilled to share that my Pakistan Air Quality Initiative received the EPIC Air Quality Award from University of Chicago. Since founding it in 2016, we’ve transformed air pollution awareness in Pakistan, where AQI regularly exceeds 1,000. Also, my wife and I welcomed our son Zahid Omar on January 21, 2025

Erin M. Pryor Ackerman: This spring I’ll be celebrating Al’s doctorate, with which he will officially have more degrees than me. I continue to work as a grants manager and in my free time play with our two kids, knit (to stay off the internet),

unsuccessfully keep the neighborhood cats out of our garden beds, and donate to local abortion funds and immigrant rights groups.

Eric C. Seidel: I’m still in Menlo Park, CA, where my wife and I try to keep up with our 9-year-old kid. I spend my mornings swimming and my workdays running a small company (shorebird.dev). Many weekends I have the pleasure of seeing John Gale ’04 and his family. It was fun to go back to reunion this year and look forward to seeing you all again in five years.

2004

Christopher M. Hachfeld: Chris Hachfeld and his wife Bridget welcomed their daughter, Spencer Liliana, in Cincinnati, OH, where they reside. We’re excited to introduce her to Appleton and LU soon!

2005

William F. Bollow: After a long stint as the CFO of a real estate development company, I’ve been the CFO of an industrial parts company since late 2022. I’ve been married to my amazing wife Kim for coming up on 13 years—she is the director of nursing at a local retirement community. We live in Milwaukee with our dog, Frasier.

Peter J. Iversen: Leah Sinn Iversen ’05 opened a therapy practice at Maitri Counseling Collective with family members. Peter Iversen was elected president pro tempore of the Monroe County Council, working with departments including Health, where Lawrence alumna Sarah Ryterband ’72, M.D., serves as Health Officer.

Erik J. Schoster: I’ve been programming some small outdoor intermedia concerts on the Mississippi River. Past, current and future LU improvisors are welcome to join us for future events. Write to 117 ½ W 3rd St, Apt 4, Winona MN 55987 for more information.

2007

Susan A. Galasso: I received my MA in Applied English Linguistics at UW-Madison in 2013. After an internship at the Literacy Network and a year at Johnson Health Tech providing bilingual sales/ customer service, I started work as a software tester at Epic, where I now specialize in automated testing framework QA. I enjoy travel, theater, and singing with the Madison Symphony Chorus.

Dr. Ross T. Ipsen: I recently presented at the Texas Music Education Association (TMEA) Convention with the topic of “The Wonderful World of Bowings: The Ups and Downs of Strings.” This presentation was alongside String Department faculty members from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Megan L. Karls: Megan Karls and her husband, David Raba, recently relocated to Spokane, Washington, where she performs as a new member of the Spokane Symphony, and David is printing the local family-owned newspaper, the Spokesman-Review. She continues in her role as the Concertmaster of the Wyoming Symphony and as a member of the New Mexico Philharmonic.

Adam B. Meckler: Adam, Jana, Auggie (9), and Hobbes (7) are happy and healthy living in the Upper Peninsula. Adam runs the jazz program at Michigan Tech University, and Jana teaches band at Hancock HS. Jana has been winning ski races, and Adam will release ’Sampled’ on Ropeadope Records this year (with Jana featured!). Adam also runs their company Gig Boss.

David A. Olynyk: Honored to step into the role of managing director & chief media officer at Evolve Agency Group. Grateful for the incredible team I get to work with and excited for the challenges and opportunities ahead as we continue to grow and evolve together.

Joseph W. Pfender: Our national descent into fascism has been brightened by the arrival of our daughter, Francesca Beatrice, born one day before the election. Frankie is hilarious and strong of heart. Joe works for the Aspen Music Festival, builds synthesizers, and writes on music, theater and TV. Julia is writing a book on true crime, and co-hosts 1999, the podcast.

Amber B. Reynolds: 22 years ago, Nate ’07 and I met at Lawrence University and have been married 16 years now! We have three beautiful children. Elise is 10, Henry is 7, and William is 4. We are enjoying our lives in Madison, WI. Nate is VP at his family’s crane operating and rental company. I am working as PA in Plastic Surgery at SSM Health.

Joel P. Schneider: Hey Lawrence community, life and career keep rolling along. My wife and I are on the road to adopting our first child, and my career in television continues to grow. Working with NBC News Studios has been a dream. Together we earned an Emmy nomination and win for our feature documentary, To End All War: Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb. Be well!!

Jesse A. Weinberg: Since leaving my position at Hal Leonard, I have been staying home and raising my 7- and 4 -year-olds while continuing to perform on weekends and evenings. Most recent roles were Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd, Dewey Finn in School of Rock as well as singing with my wedding band, Platinum.

2013

David R. Cordie: I am marrying Anna, the love of my life, in May. We are living together in Fitchburg with our dog Chewbacca.

Olivia A. Donica: Drew Donica ’12 and I welcomed our second son, Rory, in September 2024. He and big brother, Devin, are doing well, and we’re loving being a family of four.

Gaelen Claire Dunn: My husband, Jason Dunn ’13, and I are overjoyed to announce the birth of our first child! Our daughter, Louisa, was born at the beginning of February. This will be our third year in New Mexico, and we’re looking forward to a fulfilling 2025

Kofi B. Fosu: After medical school (UWSMPH ’15) and general surgery residency (HCMC ’24), I moved to New Haven, CT, with my fiancé, Jamie.

Currently completing a trauma/surgical critical care fellowship at Yale. Excited to be moving back to Minnesota soon where I’ll be starting as a faculty trauma surgeon.

Zachary A. Kulig: After 11 years at McMasterCarr, I transitioned to a new role at MISUMI in January where I am now a senior member of their sales team. The role brings me closer to home, a 10-minute commute door-to-door, which is great for managing the busy schedules of a family of four with two very active and busy little girls (Addison, 4, and Peyton, 1).

Mike Kumbalek: Finding oil.

Karl H. Mayer: I live in Boulder Colorado and am employed as a physicist at Quantinuum. I got recruited to play sax in a jazz combo at our company party. Thus, I use my liberal arts skills. Please reach out if you are in the area!

Margaret Miller Ornelas: My husband, David, and I got married in a surprise wedding in March of 2024 and I started a new job as the International Program Manager at University of WisconsinOshkosh in December. I’m loving this new position and have loved the last two years being back in Appleton.

Micah J. Price: I’m still living in Boulder, CO, and loving it! I recently quit my job as a data scientist/machine learning engineer consultant and just got back from a few months solo hiking around Australia and New Zealand. I’m looking to transition into more direct AI Alignment/ Safety work, but currently enjoying working on personal projects.

Taylor G. Scott: Hani Shamat ’13 and I had our son Milo Townes Shamat on October 5, 2024. Milo is excelling at being a baby and we look forward to working with him for years to come. We can’t wait to be obnoxious parents during his campus tour of LU in 2042

Hannah Stein: I have been living my best life out in Minneapolis.

Marika C. Straw: I am nonbinary and use they/ them pronouns. I’m helping start a 2SLGBTQIA+ nonprofit called “People Like Us” in NE OR (wallowalgbtq.org). Last summer, I put on a “Rural Queer Open Mic Tour” with friends (Insta: @ruralqueeropenmic). This year I’ll release my album Love, the Heartache (marikastrawmusic. com). Still writing! (marikastraw.substack.com).

Andrew P. Stuart: Life is going great! Sebastian is nearly two years old and growing like a weed, and we are expecting our second child in July. I am currently acting as Interim CIO for my organization and have been asked to apply for the regular position. Even if I am ultimately not selected, it has been a great experience to further my professional development.

2017

Kristen Clark, M.D.: Philip Clark ’15 and I are enjoying our time in Midcoast Maine with our two boys (Ollie, 3, and Cal, 1) as I finish up my psychiatry residency program. We made it back to Wisconsin this year and our time at Björklunden was magical! Excited to finally start looking for a “real” job!

Megan N. DeCleene: When I graduated, I had many great plans, and almost none of them came to fruition in the way I expected! Some high points in my journey thus far have been completing my M.A. in Hispanic Linguistics at Indiana University, Bloomington, meeting my husband through our love for Latin dance, and moving to his home country of Brazil to start an exciting new life. Henry B. Dykstal: Henry Dykstal graduated in Spring 2025 with an MFA from Colorado State University in fiction.

Rachel Gregory Griffith: After working in various brand marketing roles since graduation, I’ve returned to school full-time at the University of Texas, Dallas, pursuing a dual MBA/MS marketing degree. I’ve also been working part-time as a swim coach. I’m looking forward to my internship with Toyota this summer, and I’ll graduate from my program next year.

Joli H. Hanlon: I officially crossed the two-year mark of living in NYC. I continue to work in youth development as a college counselor for a foster care agency. Outside of work, my partner and I enjoy exploring our diverse neighborhood in Brooklyn and everything else the city has to offer.

Kip A. Hathaway: Still kickin’! I moved to NYC in July 2024. Feels great. Currently studying with Seth Barrish and Lee Brock in the Barrow Group’s oneyear professional program, doing comedy around town, auditioning, and picking up the odd gig here and there. Say hi if you’re in NYC!

Suzanne J. Hones: Following my masters in France, I started working for Michelin. I’ve been back in the U.S. working for them in Greenville, SC, for the last 1.5 years. I’ve been enjoying this area a lot and staying busy in my free time. Natalie Ortega Wells ’17 and I had a great trip to Vienna, Austria last August, marred only by the canceled Taylor Swift concert!

Kelsie J. Kohlmeyer: I’m in my sixth year of teaching; this new adventure is at River View Middle School and teaching 8th/Adv. 8th ELA. My family is growing as I welcome more nieces and nephews into the fold. I am a happy dog mom of two: Wrinkles (Muggin, 15 years) and Opie (Peekapoo/Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, 10 months). My extracurricular life remains abundant.

Matthew J. Larson: Hung out with fellow geomajors Aaron Witter ’17 and Andy Geleske ’17 this past winter. Aaron and I stayed true to the rocks and are both working as geologists, but Andy is a

traitor and works for the State of Colorado doing some non-geology related stuff.

Gabriella R. Makuc: I’m currently living in Albany, NY, and in the midst of a year-long residency as a hospital chaplain. I love integrating my background in therapeutic musician (recently certified through the Music for Healing and Transition Program) into my chaplaincy. Don’t know what the next chapter will bring but grateful to be here now.

Abby W. Shea: Hello! I now work for the MN Dept. of Health as a Principal Planner in the Source Water Protection program. This past summer, I purchased my first home in South St. Paul and am learning the ins-and-outs of home ownership. I had surgery on my hand (if you remember my 2014 fall at SigEp ...) and it’s going well—hopefully back to playing hockey soon!

Allison E. Wray: I’ve been the Technical Services Manager at the Menomonee Falls Public Library for two years. I love it! My partner and I are still living in Cedarburg, WI, with our cat, and I skate with the Brewcity Bruisers Battlestars roller derby team.

2018

Jennifer M. Hanrahan: I am still in Brooklyn, though I’ve done my fair share of hopping and bopping through the various neighbs (currently Bushwick). Last year I signed with Firestarter Entertainment Agency, and am joyously exploring how representation works! Otherwise, I remain auditioning, crafting, snuggling kitties, and hitting up Maries Crisis with Oryan Brown ’21.

2019

Nicole M. Crashell: Hey everyone! I’m still working at the Twin Cities German Immersion School and have taken on a number of new responsibilities this year. I’ve also entered the graduate program at St. Catherine University here in St. Paul to get my Masters in Library and Information Science. It’ll take a while but it’s fun to be learning again.

Nicholas A. Felan: Lizzy Garcia ’19 and I will be getting married in Barcelona, Spain, in May 2025! We’re also in our final year of medical school at the University of Colorado, aiming to couples match in dermatology and orthopedics. Prayers and good vibes for our marriage and residencies are much appreciated!

Elizabeth A. Garcia Creighton: I got engaged to Nick Felan ’19 in Telluride, CO, in October 2023 We’re getting married May 2025 in Barcelona—my hometown! I’m so grateful for this journey and for meeting Nick at Andrew Commons our freshman year. Thanks Larry U! Can’t wait for 5-10-25. Hope all is well with everyone!

Trace I. Hybertson: I am living in Boulder, CO, working as a software engineer solving complex optimization problems, and in true Lawrence fashion, I continue to play music. In late 2024, my duo project, Trace & Baerd, released our debut album, Elevation, to critical acclaim.

Charles “Charlie” Burns-Bahurth ’21 on a research trip to the Ali Pasha Museum in Epirus Region, northern Greece, in November 2024

Craig D. Jordan: I am excited to be completing all the coursework for my DMA in Piano Performance and Pedagogy this spring. To celebrate, Joshua Janusiak ’19 and I will be headed to Barcelona to Molly Hopkins ’16 and Nathan Ley’s ’17 wedding! Then I will be attending the Tanglewood Music Center for piano for a second season and job searching.

Jennifer J. Nelson: Heyo! I’m still in Colorado, but planning a big move to Europe this fall with JOV and our dog—fingers crossed it all works out. Over the past couple of years, I’ve gotten really into ceramics, printmaking, sewing, and learning Spanish. Other than that, not much is new—just trying to be happy, support friends and community, and pay my bills.

Dinardo R. Rodriguez: Five years since graduation— time flies! I moved back from the Dominican Republic to NYC, quit an old job just to rejoin it, and have spent the last 4 years as a Senior Behavioral Designer. Loving life in NYC (again)! Considering going back to school but unsure.

Amanda C. Thomas: Spring 2024, I was laid off within weeks of my wedding. What to do? I spent a while bemoaning my situation, walked dogs for pocket change, and shared a gorgeous Norwegian honeymoon cruise with Paul. Then I pulled myself together, re-took the GRE (2019 score had expired), and applied to Iowa State’s MBA program. Best decision yet. Onward & upward!

Nina Wilson: Vibing in Chicago. Finishing my law degree in May 2025!

2021

Allison R. Boshell: The Chicago/NW Suburbs spring real estate market is already hot—if you’re buying, selling, or investing, I’m here to support you and your family/friends! Reach out anytime for advice or guidance. Also, I’ve been learning line dancing and would love to connect with anyone else into it! Let’s catch up and have some fun!

Charles C. Burns-Bahruth: I’m still living in the Balkans on the European side of Istanbul, Türkiye. I am currently doing research between Greece and Türkiye on Ali Pasha of Ioannina; who was the Albanian Muslim ruler of much of southern Albania and northern Greece in the early 19th century. This past December I enjoyed showing a fellow Lawrence alum around Istanbul.

Jamie M. Hammer: I am figuring things out! I’m taking ballet classes, voice lessons, singing in local choirs, and working on my physical and mental health. I’m living at home in New Hampshire with my mom, dad, and the two cats: Louis and Kate. I still post weekly updates on Facebook.

Johanna R. Kopecky: Nicholas Vaporciyan ’21 and I were married on 25 May 2024 and we are expecting our first child this April! We are currently living in Appleton and I am working as a statistician.

Ceara A. Larson: I have moved to Adelaide, Australia with my dog Tilly to pursue my Ph.D. in Skill Acquisition and Periodization. I am based out of the South Australian Sport Institute and am working with members of the Australian Olympic Team to help them develop skills that are keeping them from reaching the next level of their sport.

Alejandrina M. Medina: Hi! Still holding down the fort in San Diego with my home girl Kelly Vences ’21. Absolutely not missing the snow! Currently deep in the fourth-year Ph.D. trenches at UCSD, hoping to graduate by 2026. And I adopted a cat!

2023

Malcolm T. Davis, Jr.: Hi friends! Not a lot of new news to share. I’m finishing up my last rotation with UW-Madison Job Rotation Program. I am now working as an HR Generalist at the College of Letters & Science. If you’re in the Madison area, please feel free to reach out, I’d love to connect with you. Cheers!

Alexandra K. Freeman: Hey all! I got my Master’s in Media and Communications from the London School of Economics back in December. Now, I work in comms for a London-based charity, and I’m still adjacent to journalism through all the time I spend talking to reporters and pitching newspaper articles. Always happy to reconnect with anyone travelling through London.

Casey Joan Kollman: I’m still training my voice, but I’ve also been taking lessons in acting and dance (tap!). I’m auditioning for graduate programs as well as professional theatre companies, and I’m building up my on-camera skills as well. I’m currently in Milwaukee doing a lot of voice teaching, and I’m planning to move to Chicago, Boston or NYC!

Jacklyn K. Lockwood: I am now attending Columbia University’s School of Social Work in pursuit of my Master’s Degree in Social Work. As part of it I am volunteering at Crisis Text Line. I’m also working part-time at our local bookstore, Foxes and Fireflies.

Nolan D. Pudoff: Hi everyone! I am in Chicago working at a small nature center. If you are in Chicago and like to spend time in nature, play board games, play music, thrift, make art, visit museums, cook delicious food, or simply want to chat at a coffee shop let me know! You can reach out to me on insta: @n_pudoff

Tyler K. Scott: Upon graduation, I was employed as a geologist at a geotechnical engineering firm, where I contributed to several projects and visited ten states. Additionally, I have been officially accepted into the Ph.D. program in Geophysics at Boise State University.

LaDora P. Thomas: I recently relocated to Chattanooga, Tennessee. I am currently a 1L at Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

MARRIAGES

Amanda C. Thomas ’19 and Paul Kiel, Ames, IA, April 27, 2024

BIRTHS AND ADOPTIONS

Deborah Marie Watson ’ 99 and Brian Alexander, El Cajon, California, a son, Zachariah Huxley, July 21, 2024

Abid Omar ’ 03 and Maleeha Habib, Karachi, Pakistan, a son, Zahid, January 31, 2025

Taylor G. Scott ’ 13 and Hani M. Shamat ’ 13 , Chicago, Illinois, a son, Milo Townes, October 5, 2024

Dorothy Syriopoulos M- D’43 , Milwaukee, WI, August 19, 2023.

Bertha Smyrneos Marston ’ 44 , San Marcos, CA, June 27, 2024.

Marilyn Jelliffe Rothschild M- D’45 , Mount Pleasant, WI, November 14, 2024

Louise Quast Butterbaugh M-D’48 , Cambridge, WI, January 21, 2025

Janet Schaefer Hoffman M-D’48 , Racine, WI, October 29, 2024

June Jaeckel McQuilkin, Sr. ’ 48 , Cedar Park, TX, February 12, 2025.

Lawrence A. Schiedermayer ’ 49 , Appleton, WI, January 12, 2025.

Vivian Jones Auterman M- D’50 , Mason, MI, January 23, 2023.

Donald E. Jones, Jr. ’ 50 , Safety Harbor, FL, January 12, 2025

Arden Polzin Kuehmsted ’ 51 , Appleton, WI, September 21, 2024

Family includes Mary Lu Polzin De Witt ’53

Lois J. Larson ’ 51 , Eldridge, IA, October 13, 2024

Family includes Dawn Wilmer Larson ’47

John C. Savage ’ 51 , Lake Worth, FL, October 12, 2024

Nancy Gregg Shehi ’ 51 , San Rafael, CA, August 19, 2024.

Joan Hinze Sutton ’ 52 , Hardtner, KS, October 6, 2024.

Mary Lou Sell Anderson M- D’53 , Rogers, AR, October 19, 2024.

William H. Bradley ’ 53 , Wausau, WI, January 29, 2025.

Margaret Hill Meyer ’ 53 P’77 , Pierre, SD, August 24, 2024. Family includes Anne Lippl Meyer ’77; Dr. Kenneth J. Meyer ’53; Richard R. Meyer ’77

J. Russell Podzilni ’ 53 , Janesville, WI, January 31, 2025.

Barbara Huhn Brandtjen M- D’54 , Algoma, WI, April 3, 2023.

Judge Ralph H. Erickson ’ 54 , Englewood, CO, September 7, 2024

Kay Collipp Tornow ’ 54 , Hixson, TN, October 16, 2024

Diana Fox Ekedahl M- D’56 , Boise, ID, August 4, 2024.

Max D. Galler ’ 57 , Waupun, WI, February 10, 2025.

Gretchen Niedert Spickerman ’ 57 , Ashland, WI, November 29, 2024.

Family includes Dr. John A. Spickerman ’58.

Joseph K. Ziemann ’ 57 , Bessemer, MI, November 14, 2024.

Bishop Louis W. Falk ’58, Clive, IA, January 23, 2025. Family includes Julianne |Ruedt Borges M-D’58; Mary Falk Young ’64; Torrey Kipp Youngstrum ’61.

Jack DerHovsepian ’ 59 , South Milwaukee, WI, December 18, 2024

Family includes Patricia Miller DerHovsepian ’59

MINOO ADENWALLA

Minoo Adenwalla, among the longest serving and most revered professors in the long history of Lawrence, passed away January 5 at the age of 97. A dedicated educator of Lawrence students, Professor Adenwalla’s unwavering commitment and passion touched the hearts and minds of generations. His legacy of hard work, wisdom, and inspiration will forever be cherished in the community. A professor of government, he joined the Lawrence faculty in 1959. Following his retirement in 2002, he continued teaching courses for another 21 years, finally stepping away at the close of the 2022-23 academic year. In all, he taught Lawrentians for 64 years, doing so in eight different decades—an incredible achievement. He remained a source of wisdom, inspiration, and encouragement to current and former students throughout.

Barbara Adrian Karst ’ 59 P’89 , Madison, WI, November 23, 2024.

Family includes James E. Karst ’89

Karen Kobes Bowen ’ 60 , Algonquin, IL, November 25, 2024.

Margaret Nichols Carpenter ’ 60 , Florence, SC, July 28, 2024

Karen Schwantes Keele ’ 60 , Bainbridge Island, WA, May 10, 2024

Richard E. Cusic ’ 61 , Marblehead, MA, December 2, 2024

Family includes David D. Cusic ’66; Ian R. Stevenson ’87

Ann DeLong Haase ’ 61 , North Oaks, MN, February 20, 2025

Family includes Dr. Ashley T. Haase ’61

Jay F. Williams ’ 61 , Cave Creek, AZ, October 5, 2024.

Rev. Grethe Hallberg Barber ’ 64 , Vancouver, WA, December 31, 2024.

George L. Forman ’ 64 , Marshfield, WI, August 19, 2024

Richard R. Steitz ’ 64 , Eau Claire, WI, January 9, 2025.

Janet Cerull Muth ’ 65 P’87 , Sheboygan, WI, December 7, 2024

Family includes Lynn K. Muth ’87

Dr. Manfred E. Jaehnig ’66 , Decorah, IA, September 22, 2024.

Family includes Bjorn J. Gowdy-Jaehnig ’16

Carter J. Eckert ’ 67 , Cambridge, MA, December 13, 2024

Ann J. Biersteker ’68 P’ 89 , Shorewood, WI, February 11, 2025. Family includes Elisabeth Davis Duensing ’89

Bruce H. Seymour ’ 68 , September 18, 2024

Edward D. Tobias ’ 70 , Eau Claire, WI, November 18, 2024.

Edward W. Byers ’ 71 , Asheville, NC, October 22, 2024.

Mark E. Saunders ’ 71 , Madison, WI, January 2, 2025

Jean M. Buchanan ’ 74 , Appleton, WI, December 5, 2024.

Charles L. Ephraim ’ 74 , Chicago, IL, December 28, 2024

Family includes Caroline Hero Ephraim ’74

Stephen A. Johnson ’74 , Medford, MA, November 21, 2024.

Paul R. Donnelly, Jr. ’ 75 , New York, NY, December 22, 2024.

Elizabeth Folwell ’ 75 , Jay, NY, January 6, 2025. Family includes Thomas C. Warrington ’75.

Gerald J. Glass ’ 75 , Milwaukee, WI, February 1, 2025.

Judith N. Little ’ 75 , Minneapolis, MN, June 8, 2023.

Martha Hall Sigler ’ 75 , Dublin, OH, October 3, 2024

Family includes Dr. Matthew W. Sigler ’74

Robert W. Montgomery ’ 76 , Elk Grove Village, IL, August 26, 2024

Kevin P. Caraher ’ 78 , Deerfield, IL, February 15, 2025.

Stephen Rawlings ’ 80 , Thibodaux, LA, January 11, 2025

Joanne Martello ’ 82 , Oshkosh, WI, February 24, 2025.

Dr. Erik A. Ostenso ’ 83 , Ladysmith, WI, November 30, 2024

Family includes Chrysa Bayer Ostenso ’85

Amey Chapel Delugeau ’ 91 , Green Bay, WI, February 11, 2025.

Jonathan R. Mahony ’ 95 , Overland Park, KS, October 28, 2024. Family includes Elizabeth Alden Mahony ’95

Nicole Lehmann Johnson ’ 02 , Neenah, WI, November 8, 2024

Angela M. Parker ’ 05 , October 26, 2024.

David P. Meichle ’ 10 , Rochester, NY, January 31, 2025. Family includes Lois Schneeberger Barton ’54.

IN MEMORIAM (NON-ALUMNI)

Professor Minoo Adenwalla, Appleton, WI, January 5, 2025.

Steven A. Blodgett, Northfield, MN, December 12, 2024.

James R. Corrigan, Las Vegas, NV, October 26, 2024.

Michael Fosdal, London, April 29, 2025.

Elizabeth C. Perry, Neenah, WI, October 23, 2024.

Harold Wolfgram, Appleton, WI, October 21, 2024.

“Since the first day that we walked on campus, Lawrence has enriched and shaped our lives immeasurably. When we arrived in the Fall of 1971, we had no idea of the tremendous impact that Lawrence and all it offers would have on our lives. From the opportunities to be challenged and encouraged to think and question by talented and scholarly professors, to experiencing the wider world while attending off-campus programs, and then sharing experiences with lifetime friends has enriched our lives significantly, and continues to do so more than half a century later.

Our careers have taken many forms, but we always come back to saying that the liberal arts education we received at Lawrence has empowered us to be successful along the way. The challenges encountered by today’s students are different than those we faced 50 years ago, but we firmly believe the foundation that Lawrence provides for all its students withstands the test of time.

We have chosen to be members of the Lawrence-Downer Legacy Circle to help ensure that future students walking onto campus on their first day will be able to experience the lifelong benefits that we enjoy and treasure”

Join Chuck and Jan in the Lawrence-Downer

Visit legacygiving.lawrence.edu to learn more.

Did you know that 40%-60% of your retirement assets may be taxed if you leave them to your heirs at your death? Another option is to leave your heirs assets that receive a step up in basis, such as real estate and stock, and give the retirement assets to Lawrence University. As a charity, we are not taxed upon receiving an IRA or other retirement plan assets.

—Chuck Woodward ’75 and Jan Pfaller Woodward ’75

Legacy Circle.

A legacy of passion and innovation in the Conservatory of Music Brian Pertl Thank you,

After 17 years of leadership, Brian Pertl ’86 departs as dean of the Lawrence Conservatory of Music on June 30, 2025. His tenure has been marked by innovation, inclusivity, and a deep commitment to nurturing the next generation of musicians.

A Lawrence alumnus, Pertl earned a B.Mus. in trombone performance and a B.A. in English. His passion for music led him to a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, during which he studied Aboriginal didgeridoo and Tibetan sacred chanting across Australia, Tibet, Nepal, and India. He later pursued an M.A. in ethnomusicology at Wesleyan University and began doctoral studies at the University of Washington before joining Microsoft as an ethnomusicologist, where he led media acquisitions for 10 years.

Returning to Lawrence in 2008 as dean of the Conservatory, Pertl envisioned a conservatory that embraced both tradition and innovation. Under his leadership, the Conservatory introduced a Bachelor of Musical Arts degree and a reimagined B.A. in Music, broadening access and reflecting evolving musical landscapes. Lawrence also became the first Deep Listening Affiliate Institution globally, aligning with Pauline Oliveros’ philosophy of attentive and inclusive listening. Pertl championed civic engagement and community collaborations, positioning the

Conservatory as a national leader in these areas. Ensembles under his guidance received over 40 national recognitions from esteemed organizations, including DownBeat, the National Opera Association, The American Prize, and the American Choral Directors Association. He also secured funding for new faculty positions, developed the Presto touring program, and advocated for endowed funds to support student projects, travel, and research.

Beyond administrative achievements, Pertl fostered a culture of creativity, curiosity, and belonging. He believed in preparing students not just as musicians but as adaptable, worldchanging leaders. His approach emphasized collaboration and the importance of music in addressing contemporary challenges.

In July, Pertl will begin a new chapter as Director of the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. Reflecting on his upcoming role, he expressed admiration for Lamont’s culture of belonging, creativity, and civic engagement, stating, “I believe that Lamont is poised to lead the way in redefining a world-class music education across this country and around the globe.”

As Lawrence bids farewell to Pertl, the community acknowledges his significant contributions and the lasting impact of his leadership. His tenure has not only elevated the Conservatory’s stature but also

enriched the lives of countless students and faculty members. While he embarks on his new journey, Pertl’s legacy at Lawrence will continue to resonate, inspiring future generations to pursue music with passion, innovation, and a sense of purpose.

Brian Pertl fostered a culture of creativity, curiosity, and belonging. He believed in preparing students not just as musicians but as adaptable, worldchanging leaders.

PHOTO BY NORA MURPHY