Lakeland Magazine Spring 2014

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The Blasters Classic Golf Tournament JUNE 20, 2014 For nearly three decades, The Blasters

Classic Golf Tournament has brought together civic-minded business leaders and proud Lakeland College alumni for a fun-filled day of top-notch golf and warm, genuine camaraderie. Join us on June 20 for the 28th annual Blasters and make a real difference in the lives of Lakeland College students. Funds raised directly support student scholarships and Muskies athletics. The Blasters has become a local tradition, known as much for friendships forged and casual atmosphere as for spectacular golf shots. Become a part of the tradition and discover just how much fun The Blasters is!

Cover Story: Learn how Lakeland’s strategic plan is helping bring the college’s future into focus. [ Page 2 ] spring-summer 2014 Volume 8. Number 2. Lakeland, the magazine of Lakeland College, is published twice a year and is distributed to alumni and friends of Lakeland by the Communications Department. We welcome feedback and letters to the editor via email to: gallianettidd@lakeland.edu Lakeland College Mission Statement

Lakeland College, a liberal arts college related to the United Church of Christ, is committed to educating men and women of diverse backgrounds, enabling them to earn a living, to make ethical decisions, and to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives distinguished by intellectual, moral and spiritual growth. president: Daniel Eck editor: David Gallianetti, Director of Communications graphic design: Huber Creative, LLC - www.HuberCreative.com photography: Blue Moon Studio, Sheboygan, WI

Jeff Kernen Photography, Pete Barth, Robby Frias Change of address:

Clip the mailing label from the cover and send it with changes to: Alumni Office, Lakeland College. P.O. Box 359, Sheboygan, WI 53082 or fax to: 920.565.1556 or email to: gallianettidd@lakeland.edu attention postmaster:

Please return any pieces that cannot be forwarded that include a new address. If you are unable to forward a piece and there is no new address available, please discard the magazine. Thank you! Copyright © 2014 Lakeland College. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

For event details and registration, visit Lakeland.edu/Blasters

Features

Questions? Contact Kym Leibham at 920-565-1014 or leibhamk@Lakeland.edu

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Meet Lakeland’s 16th President Lakeland Magazine recently caught up with Dan Eck to discuss leadership style and falling in love with Lakeland.

Meeting Malawi’s Needs The college will launch an exciting new chapter in its relationship with Malawi, Africa, this year, thanks to a significant federal grant.

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Alma Matters

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Scene on Campus

Your classmates have been busy getting promoted, getting married and starting families. Get caught up with your fellow Muskies.

Haven’t been to Lakeland recently? Here is a recap of some of the exciting events and headlines from another very successful year at the college.


cov e r In February, Lakeland College’s Board of Trustees approved five institutional goals that make up the college’s new comprehensive strategic plan. The goals, as well as the plan, are the results of an inclusive and iterative process involving faculty, staff, alumni, community members and trustees. It started in October 2013 and, when fully implemented, will see the college evolve into an institution that meets the cost/value proposition that is facing all colleges and universities. The college’s first 150 years have included plenty of innovation and calculated risk taking, including the split of the seminary and college in the 1950s, the creation of the adult learning program in the 1970s and the establishment of a Tokyo campus in the 1990s. These changes have allowed the school to evolve and prepare thousands of students for post-graduate success. The framework of the strategic plan and the discussions happening on campus this year will lay the foundation for Lakeland’s next several decades. “This is a challenging but exciting time to be in higher education,” said Lakeland President Dan Eck. “During these very early discussions, it’s clear that many faculty and staff members are rethinking how their departments have been operating and considering new ideas and approaches.” The plan comes at an important time, when federal and private student loan debt exceeds $1.2 trillion. The 2012 Project on Student Debt report from the Institute for College Access and Success reported that the average college graduate left with $29,400 in debt, up from $18,750 less than a decade before. In addition, the percentage of today’s college students who graduate with debt is now more than 71 percent, according to the report. Understandably, students and families increasingly want a measurable return on their college investment. “The biggest issue (for colleges and universities) is proving their value in a day and age when higher education is increasingly seen as a transaction to get any job or a better job,” said Jeffrey Selingo, author of “College (Un)bound: The Future of Higher Education and What It Means for Students.” “The idea that students are going to attend a liberal arts institution to get a broad education and some education in a particular field and really be broadly learned is an increasingly tough sell for students and parents.” Nate Dehne, Lakeland vice president for student development and athletics, confirms this. “We talk to families and prospective students every day, and they want to know outcomes. Will they be able to make a living with their degree?” Making sure students see value in their Lakeland experience and the degree they’re earning is crucial, Eck said. “A meaningful, challenging education has value in and of itself. But we also have an obligation to position our students for success after graduation.” These types of discussions will drive the implementation of Lakeland’s strategic plan over the next several months. There are plenty of questions that will need answers, including: the magazine

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c ov e r for students who need more resources to pay for college. “We can work with the major employers in the area – world-class companies like Kohler, Bemis, Johnsonville and Acuity – to create employment opportunities for students willing to work somewhere in the immediate area to earn income to help pay for their education instead of taking on more student loans,” Eck said. “These experiences will look great on our students’ resumes, and they will create connections that could lead to post-graduation jobs.” Cost control is another major focus. As a member of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Lakeland has benefited financially from WAICU’s nationallyrecognized consortiums, which help its 23 members save thousands of dollars on major expenditures like healthcare and technology by pooling resources for purchasing power. But, this is just the start of the potential to share resources and services with other colleges, and Lakeland is committed to exploring all options. While Lakeland has been a leader in offering students online access to classrooms, the college remains committed to providing vibrant residential campus and in-person experiences. “Students need the growth that comes from learning in a physical community,”

The Five Institutional Goals I. Provide a Quality Educational Experience that Reflects 21st Century Teaching & Learning Practices II. Improve Financial Performance Through Increased Enrollment and Innovations in Cost Control III. Improve Student Preparation for Post-Graduate Success IV. Provide Opportunities for Students, Faculty and Staff to More Fully Understand and Achieve Wellness Across Multiple Dimensions V. Be an Institution that is Recognized as a Vital Resource to the Communities It Serves You can read the complete Lakeland strategic plan online at http://lakeland.edu/pdfs/insidelakeland/Lakeland_Strategic_Plan.pdf Eck said. “Not all 18 year olds, or adults for that matter, can sit online and take a class and get the full benefit of the learning experience. Online learning will never completely replace the benefits for many students of living and/or learning together, but providing that experience costs more money.” For example, Old Main is in need of a new roof, which is estimated at $1.5 million. The Suites continue to age, but until viable housing 4

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credit for prior learning Increasingly, higher education institutions recognize that education occurs in many different ways. As a result, more colleges and universities are looking at ways for new students who have typically been in the workforce to receive academic credit for the things they have learned on the job through training, certificate and workplace programs. Lakeland registrar Erin Kohl said the biggest challenge in this area is to achieve a balance between granting credit for prior learning and maintaining the academic integrity of a college degree. “If we award credit for experiences people are bringing to Lakeland, we’re saying learning has taken place,” Kohl said. “How do you assess that learning? How do students show that what they have learned on the job is worthy of college credit? Do students take a test, or a class, or make a portfolio? Who evaluates the results? Those are some of the questions we’re discussing.” Lakeland is working with a consultant who has helped other schools create credit for prior learning programs. “There is no ‘one size fits all’ model for this,” Kohl said. “Some of our majors, like computer science and accounting, lend themselves to this model better than others.” Lakeland is also evaluating the College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP), which offers a number of standardized exams developed by the College Board that allow students to earn college credit at thousands of colleges and universities. Kohl expects that Lakeland will start relatively small with a handful of programs and expand as the college develops a process for assessing and granting credit that matches the needs of students and maintains the college’s academic standards.

is constructed, those rooms are needed for current residents. The Evening, Weekend and Online centers are also being upgraded with facilities that incorporate the use of new learning technology. Such costs are hardly unique to Lakeland, but other challenges compound the issue. Many schools use income from their endowment funds – along with tuition – to pay for upkeep and day-to-day operations. Lakeland’s endowment, which, at the end of the 2012-13 school year, was $13.4 million, is modest. By comparison, a 2013 survey by U.S. News & World Report reported the average endowment for a college was $329.9 million. Closer to home, Lakeland’s endowment ranks 17th out of the 22 WAICU-member schools. The challenges are clear, but, as Eck has said repeatedly, they present Lakeland with many opportunities. “We’re asking ourselves some tough questions, and I’ve been very happy with how people are contributing ideas to this process,” Eck said. “We have a tradition of understanding the needs of our students and creating programs and services that match those needs. I’m confident that Lakeland’s best days are ahead.” Y lakeland college

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One way to reduce college costs is to reduce the time it takes to earn a degree. Lakeland’s Concurrent Academic Progress Program (CAPP) is doing just that by allowing qualified high school students to earn college credit while still in high school. Since 2008, 57 students have enrolled at Lakeland after taking

Scholarship which allows students to turn their initial investment

CAPP classes. Paula Gaumer ’73, who serves as Lakeland’s CAPP

into a four-year financial award. CAPP students who attend

coordinator, said it’s not unusual for students to enroll having

Lakeland will receive a $300 scholarship renewable for four years

earned 12-15 college credits. That’s the equivalent of a semester

for each CAPP class completed. For example, a student who took

before setting foot on campus.

three CAPP classes in high school could earn a $3,600 scholarship

Classes are typically developed by high school teachers (they must

over his or her four years at Lakeland.

have at least a master’s degree), and they need to mirror a comparable

course offered at Lakeland. A Lakeland faculty member reviews the

are pleasantly surprised to learn more about the program. “For

course to make sure it meets Lakeland’s academic criteria, and, in

local students who want to attend a college near home, they can

some cases, Lakeland faculty assist in designing the course.

enroll at Lakeland, live at home and start college with several

CAPP classes are $300 each, but Lakeland offers a CAPP

credits already completed,” Gaumer said.

Gaumer said she often talks with students and parents who

Today’s college students increasingly expect access to classes not limited by geography, time or modality. Lakeland’s Evening, Weekend and Online program continues to evolve to meet those student demands. During the past 18 months, Lakeland has expanded its popular BlendEd® format and added seven-week courses. Lakeland launched the original BlendEd® concept in 2005, but the

live class without having to leave home,” Voelz said.

new version has created four more ways for students to take classes:

Students also like getting live, online access to classes that,

• Via live, streaming video through a laptop at home, or via live

in the past, might have been only offered at a center in another

audio through a smart phone or tablet. This option puts students

part of the state. “We are removing those geographic barriers for

an Internet connection away from being part of the live classroom.

students, which is also saving them time and money,” Voelz said.

• Watching a recording of the weekly classroom session. Weekly

class lectures and the ensuing discussion are recorded and available

with 219 student registrations in 10 courses. This spring, it grew

for students to watch online when their schedules allow.

to 485 registrations in 25 courses.

• Via two-way video at the Lakeland center closest to the student.

Classes are streamed live via video from the originating classroom

from start to finish, and then move on to another course,” Voelz

to various Lakeland centers around Wisconsin, giving students

said. “For example, instead of taking two courses simultaneously

the opportunity to interact with the instructor and other

for 12 weeks, some students would rather take one, intensive,

students. For example, a class being taught at Lakeland’s

seven-week course, followed by another seven-week course, which

Milwaukee Center might also be available via live video at any of

still allows them to complete two courses in a semester.”

the other six centers.

Lakeland initially offered seven-week courses in summer 2013

“We have students who like to focus more intensely on one course

Lakeland offers back-to-back, seven-week course periods during

Lakeland piloted the expanded BlendEd in the spring of

the fall and spring semesters, giving students increased flexibility

®

2013, and Zach Voelz, vice president for Lakeland’s Kellett

in planning their course schedule around their lives. “If a student

School, said feedback from students has been overwhelmingly

isn’t ready to begin a fall course in September, for example, he or

positive. “Many students really love the opportunity to attend a

she may be ready to begin in October,” Voelz said.

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a vision for

succe ss Shortly

L akeland C ollege’s 16th president this past February, Dan E ck shared with the college’s employees his version of a common approach to organizational success: after being named

q Drive the success of each individual student. Act now. Do it today. Get results. Set targets. K eep tr ack . M ake progress. R espect one another . These words to work by give a glimpse of the style of Lakeland’s newly-named president, a people-centric leader who, after years of managing many of the college’s behind-the-scenes operations, now finds himself as the primary face of the college. He embraces the fact that the buck stops at his desk, but he’s already putting in place ways to make sure people from throughout the college are engaged in decision-making. “This place is far too important for one person or one small group to think they have all the answers,” said Eck, who came to Lakeland in February 2008 as a special assistant to now-retired President Stephen Gould. “Ultimately, decisions have to be made by those in leadership roles. But those decisions should be informed by the people who have the day-to-day responsibility for enacting our policies and procedures. “Lakeland’s presidency is a very important job, and it’s so much bigger than one person. I know that the people who work here and who have supported Lakeland love this place, and I’m enjoying tapping into their knowledge and their passion. It’s making me a better leader.” Eck will draw from an eclectic professional background that includes working at a major law firm in Chicago, the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan and Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. He also co-founded M12, a nonprofit that designs and implements public art projects. As a young lawyer, he learned to think on his feet and have his positions challenged by smart people with opposing views who firmly believed in their position. “The difference in what I do now is that

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you want to get individuals who have passions and differing opinions to come to consensus, if possible, so everyone feels like you’re moving forward together,” Eck said. “I’ve worked in colleges and law firms and museums, and they have all succeeded or failed based on the quality and integrity of the people associated with those institutions. I prefer discussions that are open and honest where we all have our cards on the table and we are working toward a common goal.” While serving as Lakeland’s senior vice president, a position he was named to in September 2008, he regularly solicited advice from employees on how the college could operate with greater efficiency. It resulted in dozens of suggestions that saved the college hundreds of thousands of dollars. “If you’re working on a difficult issue and you limit your input to the supporters of one idea, how do you know you’re getting the best idea?” Eck said. “That doesn’t mean every idea works or that every idea will be incorporated. But if you’re not rejecting ideas, you’re not getting enough of them. When you come to a final decision, everyone might not agree, but if they feel like their opinion has been heard, they at least will understand how the decision was reached.” Eck came to the college not realizing that the longer you stay, the more deeply ingrained you become in the Lakeland experience. “I started seeing the affect the college had on people and understanding the importance of a place like Lakeland,” he said. “Like so many people before me, I fell in love with this place. And then, to be asked to help the college by taking this role, it was very humbling, and I’m going to do everything I can to aid this cause. What’s more important than educating people to benefit the communities in which we live?” d

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Daniel Eck Lakeland College: • 2008-13 – Senior vice president, Lakeland College • As senior VP, he led virtually all administrative facets of the college, including finance, strategic planning, institutional research, human resources, information technology, facilities/ grounds and international programs. He also managed completion of Lakeland’s $3.5 million front entrance project

Prior work history: • 2007-08 – Co-founder and principle operations director, of M12, a nonprofit that designs and implements public art projects • 2006-07 – Director of development and external relations, Savannah College of Art and Design, Georgia • 2004-06 – Deputy director of administration, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan • 2001-04 – Associate general counsel, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago • 1993-98 and 1999-2001 – Associate attorney with Lord, Bissell & Brook, Chicago

Education: • Law degree from the Indiana University School of Law

Advice I always give to students:

I can’t live without:

Ask questions, take care of each other and study abroad if you can.

Coffee and Diet Coke.

• Bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Beloit College

If I were not a college president, I would be:

• Also studied at American University in Cairo, Egypt

Working in a small museum in a scenic location.

My one unbreakable rule is: Tell the truth.

The hardest thing about being a college president is:

When I read for me, I read:

Personal: • He lives in Sheboygan with his two children, Gaby, 16, and Sam, 14, and his wife, Christine

Science fiction.

Trying to attend as many college and student events as possible, while still being an attentive father and husband.

Right now, I’m reading:

The most beneficial class I took was:

“A Storm of Swords” by George R.R. Martin.

Legal research and writing. I learned to make a case concisely.

The best book I have ever read:

I’m up and at ’em by:

Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy.

5 a.m., 6 a.m. on weekends.

Web browser bookmarks:

My favorite meal:

boingboing.net, Huffington Post, N.Y. Times, Slate.com.

Conch fritters.

Magazines I subscribe to:

My students don’t know how much:

Wired (but I read others online).

I want to see them have happy and successful lives and careers.

My favorite music groups:

The thing I love most about my job is:

The Avett Brothers, Arctic Monkeys.

When students drop by my office just to say “Hi.”

The worst job I ever had was:

Lakeland colleagues who really inspire me:

Cleaning out chicken coops. Turned out to be similar to being a lawyer.

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This spring, Lakeland College was awarded an $880,000 grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to help fund a $1.2 million program to train 20 teachers from the African nation of Malawi at the master’s degree level. Participants will be current language arts instructors at Malawi’s six teacher training colleges and will study at Lakeland’s main campus for the master of education (M.Ed.) degree with a focus on early grade reading instruction. “Lakeland has a proud history of responding to the needs of communities it serves, and we are honored to be given the chance to improve literacy in Malawi through our graduate programs,” said Lakeland College President Dan Eck. “We are delighted that USAID has entrusted us to partner with them to serve the people of Malawi.”

education reform has taken place in Malawi during the past decade, an inadequate number of qualified teachers and budget constraints have hampered additional progress. “Malawi’s current education system emphasizes reading instruction, but most teachers have no specific training in reading pedagogy, and that makes this program even more significant,” Khodavandi said. “This teacher inadequacy is particularly noticeable in the area of reading teachers and reading specialists from the elementary school level through their teacher training colleges. “This program addresses those deficiencies by incorporating the cooperation of Lakeland College, USAID and the Malawian government to provide a significant impact to Malawi’s education system, as well as its cultural, literacy and social development.”

meeting a critical need in malawi The first cohort of 10 teachers will arrive in Wisconsin this June. A second cohort of 10 will arrive in June 2015. Coursework in Wisconsin will last 13 months, followed by research activities in Malawi for an additional five months. After receiving the M.Ed. degree, the graduates will lead efforts in teacher training to improve early grade reading instruction in Malawi’s primary schools. Raising early grade literacy rates in developing nations is one of USAID’s main educational goals worldwide. The Lakeland program will complement a $24 million USAID-sponsored program, the Early Grade Reading Activity (EGRA), already underway in Malawi and coordinated by RTI International from the Durham-RaleighChapel Hill area of North Carolina. RTI International is one of the largest nonprofit organizations providing research and technical services around the world. The primary goal of EGRA and RTI International is to assist the government of Malawi to improve and sustain reading performance in students in grades 1 to 3. EGRA involves school-based activities, community and parent activities and policy development to improve long-term literacy rates. Malawi is a country of 17 million people in southeastern Africa. It is the size of Pennsylvania. Nearly 45 percent of the population is under the age of 15. Malawi ranks 221 out of 229 countries in the world for per capita GDP/purchasing power at $900 per year, according to the CIA’s World Factbook. Lakeland professors Jeff Elzinga and Mehraban Khodavandi will lead the Malawi program. Khodavandi, a professor of education and chair of the college’s education division, noted that while significant 10

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Lakeland College has a long association with enhancing educational efforts in Malawi. From 1999-2012, in another partnership with USAID, Lakeland provided full education scholarships for 55 students from Malawi, permitting those students the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree at the Sheboygan campus. Those Lakeland graduates returned to Malawi and assumed positions as lecturers at the country’s teacher training colleges, instructing thousands of Malawi’s future primary school teachers over the past several years. Many of the Lakeland graduates also went on to receive master’s degrees from universities in Malawi, the U.S., the U.K. and other countries. A few are currently completing doctorate degrees. Courses in the Lakeland M.Ed. program will be taught by full-time Lakeland faculty members, as well as by adjunct faculty, including certified reading specialists and school administrators from area public school systems. “Training teachers and assisting in areas where there are critical needs are two of the things Lakeland does best,” said Elzinga, a professor of writing at Lakeland, and chair of its general studies division. “I’m thrilled the college will have another opportunity to do both, and assisting with early grade literacy efforts is particularly important.” This program is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development. The contents of this story are the responsibility of Lakeland College and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. U lakeland college

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Vashia Gordon was hesitant. The Lakeland College freshman knew she should seek help from the tutors at Lakeland’s Hayssen Academic Resource Center, but her pride gnawed at her. “I kept wondering, ‘What if they think I’m dumb?’” recalls Vashia, now 22. “I didn’t want anyone to look down on me, especially because I was an athlete. I didn’t want to reinforce that stereotype.” Vashia had been, in her words, “not that good academically” at Green Bay East High School, where most of her focus was on basketball and track and field as she coasted to a “C” average. When she arrived at Lakeland, she knew it was time to buckle down. Buckle down she did, and now Vashia, a confident, accomplished senior, is carrying a 3.3 grade point average while honing in on a career as a middle school math teacher.

a doorway to

achievement “The tutoring is so beneficial, especially for a student like me who initially struggled,” says Vashia. “The best tutors for me were the math tutors because that was my worst subject. I knew it would be a challenge for me, but I met it. Working with the tutors was probably the best thing I ever did because it gave me a lot of confidence. Once I got over that fear, so many doors opened for me.” Now Vashia is opening doors for others. The same young woman who was once reticent to visit tutors is one herself. And the subject that once intimidated her most – math – is what she tutors. Yes, after she took off academically, Vashia was asked to come full circle and work at the ARC. “It was scary when I was asked to tutor,” she says. “I was really happy to do it, but I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to help students the way I was helped. What if I failed?” Again, Vashia overcame her initial hesitance, and while tutoring, she was hit hard by the realization that teaching is her calling in life. “I love it,” she says of tutoring. “It’s amazing to me when I’m able to just give students that little spark they need to be successful.” Vashia is a shining example of the American college success story. Her love of sports hasn’t waned, as evidenced by her three conference championships in track and field and her decision to play basketball again this past winter (after not playing the past two seasons so she could focus on academics). “I had help from so many people,” she says. “People who supported me academically rather than just athletically.” Vashia thinks there’s tremendous value in having students tutor other students. “It’s not just the age similarity,” she says. “We remember our struggles, and we can suggest different ways of learning. Sometimes they’ll say, ‘Oh, I never thought about it like that.’ The one-on-one aspect is so valuable.” T

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Vashia Gordon tutors a student in the Academic Resource Center

Paul White loves his job. As director of Lakeland’s Hayssen Academic Resource Center, he beams with pride whenever a once-bewildered freshman overcomes shaky beginnings and blossoms into a confident, successful graduate. “I have the best job on campus,” White says. “It’s a real treat for me to attend graduation each year and watch students, filled with justifiable pride, take part in commencement. They’re grateful and often say ‘Thank you.’ That’s worth more than any paycheck.” The Hayssen Academic Resource Center, known on campus as the “Arc,” is a tutoring lab that’s free of charge and available for all students.

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This academic year, there have been nearly 1,400 interactions between students and the 56 tutors — who offer help in every subject. Particularly satisfying to White is that of those 56 “peer tutors,” many once came to the center for help themselves as young students. The “ARC” is a doorway to success for those who use it. White reports that the average grade point average of students who regularly visit is “just under 3.0.” Lakeland’s tutors work an average of about six hours a week for 14 weeks, and it costs the college about $700 per tutor, per semester. “It’s certainly not cheap,” White says. “But it’s important. And we know it works.”

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A L MA MATTERS 1960

other community organizations and efforts.

Mary Ann Johansen-Van Leur, of Appleton, Wis., received the President’s Volunteer Service Award, presented by the President’s Council on Service and Civil Participation. Email: mvanleur@aol.com

1980

Michael Roberts, of McHenry, Ill., was appointed superintendent of schools in McHenry High School District #156. He previously served four years as principal of the McHenry West Campus. Email: robertsmike@dist156.org

1961

Charles Strub, M.D., of Monroe, Wash., was recently appointed to the Board of Commissioners of Valley General Hospital of Monroe, Wash.

1986

Deb (Hartmann) Sixel, of Kiel, Wis., graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Ph.D. in urban education in May 2013. Email: dsixel@kiel.k12.wi.us

1973

Joyce (Semasko) Leginski of Wadwsorth, Ill., a retired fourth-grade teacher, is working on completing her bucket list with some world travel, including the Market Day Cruise on the Rhine River.

1989

Dorie (Horwatich) Maahs, of Oconomowoc, recently completed a master’s degree in financial accounting from Kaplan University. She was also invited to join Kaplan’s chapter of the Golden Key International Honor Society based on her academic performance. She was featured in the Alumni Member Spotlight in the March issue of the newsletter of Kaplan’s Golden Key Society. She plans to publish a children’s book that she has written and illustrated, and plans to become an accounting professor.

William Hoagland, of Hartford, Wis., was inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame on March 29 in Madison. A number of his Lakeland classmates and teammates attended the ceremony, including Mike Brunmeier ’73, Don Crouch ’71, Mark Distin ’75, Richard Gibbs ’72, Walt Sinisi ’72, Terry Tinkle ’74, Walter Williams ’73 and Jim Woltzen ’74. Lakeland head football coach Kevin Doherty and vice president for student development and athletics Nate Dehne also attended.

1992

David Morell, of Oregon, Wis., is semi-retired and working part-time with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in its advancement department in Madison. He previously worked as an IT professional and supervisor with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Email: morell@charter.net

1979

Heidi (Leonhard) Hill, of Jackson, Wis., retired after 33 years with the Internal Revenue Service in Milwaukee. Rev. Mark Schowalter, of Burlington, Iowa, was installed as pastor and teacher of St. Luke United Church of Christ in Burlington, Iowa, in early 2013. Email: mschowalter1956@gmail.com

1978

Mark J. Miller, of Sheboygan, Wis., won the Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce Chamber SuperStar Award at its Champions Gala in February. He was recognized with this special award for his countless hours of service to the chamber and a number of 14

Jill Wagner MBA ’05 was named president of Integrity Insurance in Appleton, Wis., in January. She previously held the role of vice president of commercial lines for the property and casualty insurer. Wagner has worked in the insurance industry for 22 years, including positions with Rural Mutual Insurance and ACUITY.

1993

Rev. John McVicker MAT ’02, pastor of

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Christ the King Baptist Church, was quoted in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article. McVicker was part of a group of AfricanAmerican pastors that decided to launch a gun buyback program intended to get illegal guns off the streets.

1995

Janeen Kuczero, of Lafayette, Ind., passed her HDI Desktop Support Technician Certification. Email: jkuczero10@gmail.com

1996

Mark and Amy Schwinn, of Black Creek, Wis., welcomed their third child, Rosemary Marie, on Sept. 5, 2013.

1997

Sara (Rabe) Thiessen recently graduated from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago with a doctorate in ministry with a focus on parish revitalization. Her husband, Matt ’97, manages a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Middleton, Wis.

1998

Michael Manske, of Milwaukee, Wis., started as an associate scientist at UWMilwaukee in January. He is working in the Leonard E. Parker Center for Gravitation, Cosmology and Astrophysics on a grant from the National Science Foundation.

2000

Melissa (Saeger) Anderson was named 2013 Elementary School Teacher of the Year by the Sheboygan Area School District as part of its annual employee awards. She is a fourth-grade teacher at Jackson Elementary and has worked in the district for 13 years. She was recognized for numerous accomplishments and service, including spearheading Daily 5 and Café instructional models at both Jackson and Longfellow Elementary. Jacob and Samantha (Marr) Tonn ’00, of Shawano, Wis, welcomed daughter Tatum on April 17, 2013. She joins big sister Talia. Samantha is vice president of quality, risk and compliance with Prevea Health and

lakeland college

Jacob is a steamfitter with Great Lakes Mechanical. Email: samandjaketonn@yahoo.com

2001

Jennifer (Weston) Weber is food safety manager at Sargento Foods in Plymouth, Wis. Laiya (Edwards) Thomas MAC ’08, of Milwaukee, Wis., is assistant director of The Educational Opportunity Program at Marquette University.

2002

Keri (Raether) Cavitt and her family relocated to Duluth, Minn. She is working as director of community philanthropy at Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation and her husband works at Cirrus Aircraft. They are enjoying country living with their son, Leif. Email: kerisue@gmail.com

2003

Pamela Mantone, of Hillsboro, Tenn., a senior manager and forensic specialist with the Decosimo Advisory Services practice of the regional accounting firm Decosimo, has authored a technical book on forensic accounting: “Using Analytics to Detect Possible Fraud: Tools and Techniques.”

2004

Rev. Jed Manders, of Green Bay, Wis., recently joined Hope Community Church in Manitowoc as pastor of adult ministries. He received a Master of Divinity degree in pastoral ministries and a Master of Arts and religion in pastoral counseling from Liberty Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, Va.

Educator of the Year award at an Appleton School District assembly. She works with students at Jefferson Elementary, Fox River Academy and Classical School.

Elisa is high school relations and recruitment coordinator at the University of WisconsinSheboygan. Casey is head men’s and women’s tennis coach at Lakeland.

Kimberly (Jacobson) Hoover married Kenneth Hoover Jr. on Jan. 4, 2013. They reside in Racine, Wis. Email: kmjacobson1@aol.com.

2009

Amanda Smith is teaching English as a second language for Shabaka Training in Saudi Arabia. She provides four hours of instruction daily to 23 students in reading, listening, grammar, writing and speaking, and she gives weekly assessments. She previously taught English as a second language in South Korea.

2006

Beth (Porter) Kraft MBA ’08 married James Kraft on June 29, 2013, in Eau Claire. The couple resides in Mondovi, Wis. Email: porterb43@gmail.com.

2007

Heather Wilsing, of Sheboygan, Wis., graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine on May 12, 2013. She is now practicing veterinary medicine at the Sheboygan Animal Hospital.

2008

Shane Hansen ’09 MBA and his family recently moved to Colorado where he is serving as athletic director with Green Valley Ranch High School — which is a part of the Denver School of Science and Technology (a public charter school). He has been involved with creating the school’s first athletics department. Jean Herron MAC ’05, of Appleton, Wis., received the Mielke Family Foundation

Peter Worth and Kristine Raeder ’10 are engaged and planning a wedding for this fall. They both work at ACUITY in Sheboygan.

2010

Chris Lindeke MAC, of Columbus, Ohio, is engaged to Anna Havivah. They are planning a wedding for this summer. He is sports information director at Capital University in Columbus. Kim Linger and Blaine Hornes ’10, of Neenah, Wis., are engaged and planning a September wedding. Kim is an LPN/endoscopy technician in the GI lab at St. Agnes Hospital and is closing in on becoming an RN. Blaine is a pre-press lead in the pre-print group at Menasha Corporation. Maria Santelli ’12 MBA, of Kenosha, Wis., was promoted to marketing communications manager at scil animal care company. She had been working as an event coordinator at the Gurnee-based company for nearly two years.

2011

Sarah Neuman, of Madison, Wis., published her first paper as first author in the science journal “Developmental Biology.” Sarah is currently a Ph.D. student in the cellular and molecular biology graduate program at UW-Madison.

Joe Steffensmeier, of Sheboygan Falls, Wis., recently took a new job at Sargento Foods as a capital project analyst.

2005

Whitney Helbach, of Appleton, Wis., is engaged to Ryan Leuder. They are planning a wedding for this summer. Whitney was recently hired as a business systems architect at Navitus Health Solutions.

Jared Petrie and Rachel (Young) Petrie ’08, of West Bend, welcomed their first child, Finley Ray, on March 25. She was 19 inches long and weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces. Rachel works for Baker Tilly in the Milwaukee office. Jared works for Orion Energy Systems and is part owner of 2point4ward, LLC, a creative freelance business. Elisa Waltz ’12 MBA and Casey Carr, of Howards Grove, Wis., are engaged and planning a wedding for later this summer. the magazine

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Jillian Sauer MBA, of Fond du Lac, Wis., has been named head women’s soccer coach at Marian University. She had served as a full-time assistant for the past two seasons, and was a graduate assistant coach at Lakeland while she earned her graduate degree.

2012

Jerry Voight, of Eau Claire, Wis., was promoted in December to the rank of captain in the Wisconsin State Patrol. He said one factor that led to his promotion

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was completion of his college degree. He serves as commander of the Wisconsin State Patrol Academy.

Becca (Littlefield) VandenLangenberg married Evan VandenLangenberg in Neenah, Wis., on Oct. 19, 2013. Anna Schumacher ’11 and Emily Bass ’12 were bridesmaids in the wedding. Dan Sheets-Poling, of Plainfield, Ill., was accepted into Illinois State University’s Stevenson Center Graduate Program where he studies economics in community development. He also plays on the ISU men’s volleyball team, and in March was a key player in the ISU Redbirds B Team triumph at Purdue University’s Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Conference Championships. Kari Dehart, of Howards Grove, Wis., and husband, Brent, welcomed their second child, William Edward, on Dec. 27, 2012. They also have a daughter, Katelyn.

2013

Ger Vang, of Oshkosh, Wis., created a game called Flopy Bird (a remake of the wildly popular game Flappy Bird) for Android. To access the game, visit the following link on an Android phone: http://tinyurl.com/flopyBird.

This past February, Lakeland welcomed back to campus: • Caitlin Brotz ’05, the founder and owner of Olivu 426, a Sheboygan-based manufacturer and distributor of natural cosmetics and health and beauty products. She started the business in 2006 and has quickly gained local, regional and increasingly international notoriety for product quality and usefulness. • Admira Ibisevic ’09, director of internal operations at Orion Energy Systems in Manitowoc. Her most recent assignment was starting up Organizational Development and reorganizing the company to a matrix organization. • Luke Pfeifer ’03, an employee at Agilysys, a software company specializing in the hospitality industry with offices worldwide. He is based in the Bellevue, Wash., office where he oversees the program management team that drives the innovation, development and delivery of applications that run hundreds of hotels and resorts. • Jill Wagner ’92 MBA ’05, a 22-year veteran of the insurance industry who was recently promoted to president of Appleton-based Integrity Insurance. She previously held the role of vice president of commercial lines for the property and casualty insurer. • Karl Ulrich ’83, a partner and shareholder at the law firm of Sebaly Shillito and Dyer in Dayton, Ohio. He is the founder and head of the Labor and Employment Practice Group. Last October, Lakeland welcomed back to campus: • Pratikshya Bhandari ’11, an investment risk management specialist at Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee. She works with investment risk professionals to produce and validate weekly and monthly portfolio and benchmark analytics for portfolios. • Janeth Diaz ’09, senior market analyst for the Mexico division at Kohler Co. Her responsibilities include compiling statistics on economic conditions and buying patterns, understanding competitors’ products and researching marketing strategies that affect Kohler’s market position in Mexico. • SarahAnn Eskridge ’12, executive team leader for guest experience and sales floor at Target in Racine, Wis. Her role at Target entails hiring and managing team members and contributing to business decisions that lead to an excellent shopping experience. • Markus Savaglio ’10, general manager for Paloma Management Group. He is responsible for guest satisfaction, financial success and employee well-being at The Inns of Geneva National Golf Club at Lake Geneva. • Shawn Voelz ’08 MBA ’10, a professional recruiter with QPS Employment Group in Hartland, Wis. At QPS, Voelz performs searches to fill positions for clients, interviews candidates, helps polish resumes and conducts necessary background checks before referring these potential employees.

Katie Britton joined Lakeland’s advancement team as alumni engagement officer this winter. She plays an integral role in the college’s alumni relations and fundraising efforts. Britton is responsible for the college’s Annual Fund, the Alumni Ambassador Program, class and affinity reunions, senior giving, Gratitude Week and alumni special events. Since fall 2012, Britton has been a graduate assistant coach for Lakeland’s women’s volleyball team. She came to Lakeland from Valparaiso University, where she was a three-year starter for the NCAA Division I Crusaders. An Indiana native, she has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Valparaiso and is pursuing a master’s degree in counseling from Lakeland. Alumni can contact Britton at brittonkm@lakeland.edu. 16

three honored by alumni association

Lakeland College continued its successful Business Colloquium series this school year. The college hosted five alumni each in the fall and spring, giving current students and selected visiting high school prospects a chance to hear from and network with these alumni.

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Senty also served on the college’s church relations board for a number of years. She established an endowed scholarship at Lakeland in 2004, and visits campus each year to meet her scholarship recipient. She was a member of the college’s Sesquicentennial Planning Committee, and is a member of the Founders’ Society and an annual member of the 1862 Society. Denison had a distinguished career in the financial services industry. A graduate of Lawrence University and a Vietnam War veteran, Denison followed in the footsteps of his father, Frank “Homer” Denison, who founded H.C. Denison in Sheboygan. In 1985, Hugh Denison joined Heartland Advisors in Milwaukee in its first year of operation, and has held a number of key roles, retiring as a senior vice president-portfolio manager. Denison first visited Lakeland as a teen with his father and Lucius P. Chase, a former chairman and member of the Lakeland Board of Trustees. Over the years, Denison has served the college in many capacities including guest lecturer, member of the college’s Foundation

From left, Hugh Denison, Alice Senty, Terry Thiessen ‘70 Lakeland College honored three significant contributors to the college during Homecoming weekend. Alice Senty and Hugh Denison, both of Sheboygan, Wis., received Honorary Alumni Awards, and Terry Thiessen’70, of New Holstein, Wis., received the Service to the College Award. Senty served as a member of the board of trustees from 1994-2006, and was awarded trustee emeritus status in 2013. In 2007, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Lakeland to recognize her lifetime of civic engagement and service to her community.

Committee and an advisor to presidents. Denison has been engaged in numerous charitable organizations throughout his career. Thiessen’s family has deep roots at Lakeland. His father, Edgar Thiessen, served as a music faculty member and director of bands for many years, and his wife, Karen, is also a Lakeland graduate. Terry has served countless volunteer hours on numerous boards and committees. He has served for seven years on the Alumni Board, leading the development task force and then becoming vice president. He has served on the Movers & Shakers Gala Committee since its inception, and was event coordinator in the early years. He played a major role as chair of the On-Campus Events Committee for the Sesquicentennial, and helped shape and implement the successful All-College Reunion in the summer of 2012. Thiessen rarely misses a Homecoming or other local alumni event, and he often volunteers to work. He has also been a longtime donor to the college, further sharing his resources with his alma mater.

much to celebrate at homecoming Lakeland College celebrated a new facility and a significant coach and two student-athletes from its past during several ceremonies as part of Homecoming last October. The college dedicated a new wrestling room, and renamed the football practice field for the late John Thome, the winningest football coach in Lakeland history. Lakeland also inducted Alex Bitto ’87 and Sarah (Lesinski) DeGoey ’94 into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Thome, who died in 2011, compiled a 78-53-2 record with seven conference championships in 14 seasons from 1967-80. He was a six-time conference coach of the year, three-time NAIA coach of the year nominee and was inducted into the Lakeland Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997 and into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2001. The college erected a monumental stone bearing a plaque with Thome’s likeness beside the practice field, located behind the Wehr Athletic Center. Money raised also completed the John Thome Endowed Scholarship Fund. Thome’s wife, Darlene, and their three children, sons Craig and Jon and daughter Trecia Shane, and their families attended the event, along with several former Lakeland football players who were coached by Thome.

The other major dedication of the day was a wrestling facility located in a building on the southwest portion of the campus. Lakeland renovated the space to accommodate the needs of the growing wrestling program. Members of the current team were joined by several former Lakeland wrestlers, as well

Guests read the plaque at the new Thome Practice Field as former head coach Pete Rogers, now an assistant wrestling coach at Purdue University. The facility has wall-to-wall mats, kettlebells, pull-up bars, Bulgarian training bags, ropes and other training equipment. “This takes the possibilities for our program and our student-athletes to much higher levels,” said Lakeland head wrestling coach Mike DeRoehn. “The facility provides a safe, clean, motivating environment for our athletes to train in on a year-round basis, if they

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choose. It will increase our practice efficiency and team training opportunities exponentially, as well as greatly enhance our recruiting.” Bitto graduated as one of the top wide receivers in Lakeland football history. He finished No. 2 on the career list in receiving yards (1,612) and receptions (113), and helped lead the 1985 and 1986 teams to conference championships. A three-year captain, he led the Muskies in receiving and in catches three of his four years. “Lakeland gave me a foundation for a full life of great friends and unforgettable experiences,” said Bitto, the director of deans at Hinsdale South School in suburban Chicago. DeGoey was one of the most dominating pitchers in Lakeland softball history. Her career 1.48 earned run average is a Lakeland record, and two of her single-season ERAs rank among the top five in school history. She is No. 3 in career pitching wins (44), No. 4 in innings pitched (311.1) and her 129 strikeouts was second best all-time when she ended her career. “Life is about choices, and attending Lakeland was one of my best,” said DeGoey, a district sales representative with McKee Foods Corporation, the producers of Little Debbie snack cakes. “It was a privilege to be a Muskie. Those are times I’ll never forget.”

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B ob K eebler

Several Lakeland graduates spent time on the main campus this academic year, sharing life and professional lessons with current Lakeland students. Bonita Graff ’84, a personal wealth planner for almost three decades, Bob Keebler ’82, a nationally recognized tax advisor and family wealth planner, and Mercury Marine Vice President of Marketing Ben Duke ’08 MBA ’10 all spoke to business classes this year. “It’s always great when successful Lakeland alumni come back and share their expertise and experiences with our current students,” said Brett Killion, Lakeland assistant professor of accounting. “We often bring the real world into the classroom, and our alumni guest speakers do a fantastic job relating our textbook material to the students’ lives and what we are teaching.”

Graff, a founding partner at Provident Financial Consultants in Oshkosh, shared investment and retirement savings strategies with students in an intermediate accounting class. She discussed the differences between stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Keebler, senior partner at Keebler & Associates, LLP, in Green Bay, gave students in an intermediate accounting class great advice about the industry and how to embark upon a rewarding, successful career. Duke spoke to a senior-level marketing management class about how social media has been incorporated into Mercury Marine’s strategy and the importance of measuring results as part of marketing decisions. Duke was joined by Mercury Director of Public Relations Lee Gordon.

I n M emoriam Lakeland College has been notified of the following deaths of alumni and friends of the college: Myrtle (Muetzelburg) Knipping ’42,

Wanda (Kurtz) Beemer ’57

Richard Perman ’86

of Madison, Wis., on March 6, 2014

of Appleton, Wis., on July 27, 2013

of Plymouth, Wis., on Feb. 12, 2014

Rev. John Wild ’42

Rev. Terence McCreedy ’60

of Washington, Ill., on June 16, 2012

Rev. Paul H. Olm-Stoelting ’43 of Nokomis, Fla., on Aug. 15, 2013

Rev. William Jorris Beckmann ’45 of Frederick, Md., on Oct. 14, 2013

Rev. Charles Koch ’48

of St. Petersburg, Fla., on Apr. 25, 2013

Donald Schneider ’62 of Wausau, Wis., on Sept. 23, 2013

Karl Stielow ’62 of Hartland, Wis., on July 1, 2013

Chris (Engebrecht) Klossner ’86 of Punta Gorda, Fla., on Apr. 5, 2014

Christine Bronk ’91 of Stevens Point, Wis., on Jan. 26, 2014

Stephen Bouche ’93 of Green Bay, Wis., on Aug. 1, 2013

Jayne Shiley ’95

of Sheboygan, Wis., on Oct. 22, 2013

Ramona (Stuber) Kruse ’62

Rev. Harry Reiners ’48

of Washington, Mo., on July 23, 2013

Jacqueline (O’Connell) Smuhl ’96

of Berne, Ind., on Jan. 25, 2014

Richard Boockmeier ’64

of Jim Falls, Wis., on Sept. 27, 2012

Rev. William Huenemann ’48

of Portage, Wis., on Mar. 6, 2014

Adam Reiss ’01

Leeann Zoeller ’65

of Sheboygan, Wis., on Jan. 8, 2014

of Fort Wayne, Ind., on Aug. 17, 2013

Roger Lieding ’49

of Houston, Texas, on July 6, 2013

of Sheboygan, Wis., on Dec. 15, 2013

Rev. Calvin Ley ’50 of Bluffton, Ind., on Sept. 21, 2013

Ruth (Reinhard) Lind ’50 of Brookings, Ore., on Sept. 13, 2013

Allison (Al) Gebhard ’52 of New Holstein, Wis., on Aug. 18, 2013

Mary (Boeke) Fricke ’52 of Evansville, Ind., on Dec. 24, 2013

Oris Hill ’70 of Cape Girardeau, Mo., on July 29, 2013

Robert Edwards ’70 of Dallas, Texas, on Nov. 10, 2013

Lucille (Rohde) Korb ’74 of Elkhart Lake, Wis., on Nov. 5, 2013

Bruce Berlowski ’83 of Sheboygan Falls, Wis., on Nov. 7, 2013

Teri Revels ’02 of Milwaukee, Wis., on Dec. 6, 2013

Xay Vue Lor ’04 MAC ’10 Marshall Melchert ’08 of Green Bay, Wis., on Dec. 23, 2013

Mary Salzwedel ’10 of Elkhart Lake, Wis., on Jan. 10, 2014

Peter Bemis, former Lakeland Trustee of Elkhart Lake, Wis., on Oct. 10, 2013

John Hanson ’86

Lucille Fessler H’99 ’03, Trustee Emeritus

of Howards Grove, Wis., on Sept. 5, 2013

of Sheboygan, Wis., on Oct. 18, 2013

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The Rev. Harvey Kandler, of Kaukauna, a passionate supporter of Lakeland College and its mission for nearly six decades, passed away on Jan. 7, 2014. He was 80. The Chilton, Wis., native graduated from Lakeland in 1955 and from Mission House Seminary in 1958. On June 1, 1957, he married Nancy Lee Hummitzsch in Sheboygan. She survives, along with their four children, who were all Lakeland graduates: Craig and Cindy (1983), Kim (1989) and Kris (1992). Kandler was a tireless supporter of his alma mater, and always looked for opportunities to share stories about his time in college and to sing the college’s alma mater. He served on the Church Relations Board for seven years and the Alumni Association Board for six years, with stints as president and vice president of both groups. He was a member of the college’s Sesquicentennial Committee, and in 1988 he was awarded the Alumni Silver Bowl. He was a member of the 1862 Society and frequently made contributions in the form of memorials for Lakeland graduates or colleagues as a way of remembering them.

Rev. Dr. Eugene Jaberg, of New Brighton, Minn., a founding faculty member of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, died on Oct. 25, 2013. He was 86. The Indiana native studied at Mission House and was the 1947 recipient of the Hauser-Kuplik Athletic Award. He graduated from Mission House Seminary in 1954 and joined the faculty as professor of homiletics in 1958. With the merger of Mission House and Yankton College, he became a founding faculty member of United Seminary, where he served as a theological professor from 1958-91. He was managing director of the Interfaith Players for eight years, produced dozens of films and videotapes and authored works published by Pilgrim Press and the University Press of America. He earned a master’s and doctoral degree in speech communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was a staff announcer and writer at several Midwestern radio and television stations. After his retirement from teaching, Jaberg was coordinator of special projects at CTV-15, the public access cable station which serves the north St. Paul suburbs. He won several honors in the cable industry and is a member of the CTV-15 Hall of Fame.

David Strom of Green Bay, Wis., and a former Lakeland College Trustee, passed away on Nov. 24, 2013, from complications of an extended illness. He was 83. Strom was named a Lakeland trustee in 1985 and served until 2000. He was a prominent Green Bay businessman who worked a decade for IBM before acquiring Valley Engraving and later developing Valley Microforms. He was a long-time member of the Union Congregational United Church of Christ, which has been a strong supporter of Lakeland for many years. “David was instrumental in helping the college develop new relationships in the Green Bay community,” said Robert Melzer, chairman of the Lakeland Board of Trustees. “His willingness to share his connections, along with his business insight and his devotion to education, were valuable assets for the college during his years of service.”

of Green Bay, Wis., on Oct. 21, 2013

Lois Guenther ’57

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Calvin Ley, a member of a family with a rich history with the college and the church, died on Sept. 21, 2013. He was 84. His family moved to Mission House College when he was 8 after his father, Herman, a 1911 Mission House graduate, was hired as Dean of Men. Calvin received a bachelor’s degree from Mission House in 1950 and a divinity degree from the seminary in 1953. Calvin was ordained in 1953 by his three older brothers, Ralph ’36, Raymond ’39 and Harold ’41, all of whom preceded him in death. Ralph also served the college as a trustee of both Mission House and Lakeland. He served in the ministry for 60 years, including 25 years as pastor of the First United Church of Christ in Bluffton, Ind. Memorial contributions may be made to Lakeland’s Ley Chapel, which is named for the family.

of Campbellsport, Wis., on Dec. 8, 2013

of Linden, Mich., on Jan. 18, 2014

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I n M e m o r ia m

Richard “Dick” Preuhs ’65, a fixture in Lakeland’s campus center for nearly 20 years, passed away on Feb. 14, 2014. He was 71. The Minnesota native received his bachelor’s degree in history from Lakeland, and had plans to enroll in seminary the following fall. But when Lakeland opened its new Campus Center in 1965, Preuhs was hired to manage it by then-President John Morland. His role allowed him to work with and mentor hundreds of Lakeland students, many of whom recalled him fondly via social media when they learned of his passing. the magazine

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After leaving the college, Preuhs opened a supper club near Kiel and taught at Lakeshore Technical College. He married the former Debra Duchow ’74 in 1981 and the couple moved to Land O’ Lakes in 1983. They owned and operated the County Store in downtown Eagle River, Wis., for more than 30 years. Known as “The Sweetest Place in Town,” the store’s candy won several awards at the Wisconsin State Fair. In 2007, Lakeland established an award in his name to honor longtime employees who are also Lakeland graduates. lakeland college

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Four Lakeland faculty members promoted Lakeland announced this spring the promotion of four faculty members. Associate Professors Brian Frink (chemistry and physics), Karl Kuhn (religion) and Elizabeth Stroot (psychology) have been promoted to full professor. All three joined Lakeland’s faculty in 1999. Assistant Professor of General Studies Signe Jorgenson has been tenured and promoted to associate professor. Frink, the 2013 winner of the Underkofler Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award, has established partnerships with local manufacturers to create internships that open doors to brian frin k future careers. He has provided significant service to the college, working on numerous committees and task forces. Highlights include chairing the on-campus curriculum committee and the assessment committee and serving on task forces that worked on the college’s core curriculum. He has directed several student research experiences and published and presented his own work several times. Frink has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and a doctorate in physical organic chemistry from Ohio State University. Kuhn has taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses. He is the college’s senior religion faculty member, and has served as the director of the college’s Mission House Center for the past two years. He is a prolific author, having written “Having Words with God: The Bible as 20

Conversation” (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2008), “The Heart of Biblical Narrative: Rediscovering Biblical Appeal to the Emotions” (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2009) a nd “Lu ke: The Elite Evangelist” (Paul’s Social Network Series; Collegeville, Liturgical, 2010). He ha s a lso written numerous scholarly papers and his works have been published karl kuh n in several religion publications, and he served as associate New Testament editor for the “Catholic Biblical Quarterly,” one of the leading journals in the field of biblical studies. Kuhn has a bachelor’s degree in English literature and composition from U WMilwaukee, a Master of Divinity degree from Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis and a doctorate degree in theology and biblical studies from Marquette University. Stroot, the 2010 winner of the Underkofler Award, has been a driving force behind the significant growth of the college’s psychology program. She has led efforts to update the psychology curriculum and the elizabeth stroot college’s master of arts in counseling program. She has been involved in developing Lakeland’s psychology lab, which has allowed her to engage undergraduates in psychology research which they have presented at professional conferences throughout the Midwest. She has served as the division chair for the

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Social Sciences Division since 2010, and was instrumental in the creation of Lakeland’s institutional review board, a college committee that reviews and approves research proposals. Stroot has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Florida Atlantic University and a master’s and a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Delaware. Jorgenson joined Lakeland’s staff in 2008. She has served on several committees, and was part of a group that helped significantly redesign the interdisciplinary curriculum for firstyear students. She signe jorgenson currently supervises writing tutors within the Hayssen Academic Resource Center. She is an associate editor of “Stoneboat,” a literary journal that she helped create in 2010. Jorgenson has an MFA in nonfiction creative writing from the University of Alaska Anchorage and a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and religious studies from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Lakeland donates record gift to local food bank Lakeland College donated 13,442 nonperishable food items to the Sheboygan County Food Bank in November. The collection drive, which united students and their parents, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the college, was part of the annual Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference Cans Across the Conference competition. Liz Kroll, Sheboygan County Food Bank coordinator, said Lakeland’s contribution was the biggest private donation the bank has

lakeland college

ever received. There are 2,500 families in the county that regularly depend on the Sheboygan County Food Bank, which distributes food to 10 local outlets around the county. “I think it’s amazing how the Lakeland community rallied to help us,” said Kroll. “Our shelves were nearly empty, then the Lakeland gift arrived – it helped us so much!”

Lakeland students hear from Pulitzer Prize winner Lakeland turned into a mecca for the comics world in November when the college hosted Pulitzer Prize-winning artist/illustrator Art Spiegelman (pictured below, center) and an exhibit of comic art and cartooning by seven nationally recognized comic artists.

Spiegelman, the author of “Maus” and “In the Shadow of No Towers” and an influential artist for The New Yorker, gave a talk entitled “What the %@&*! Happened to Comics?” In 1992, Spiegelman won the Pulitzer Prize for his masterful Holocaust narrative “Maus,” which portrayed Nazi cats exterminating Jewish mice. “Maus II” continued the remarkable story of his parents’ survival of the Nazi regime and their lives later in America. The lecture and exhibit culminated a focus on comics that was part of several Lakeland classes during the fall semester. All Lakeland freshmen read Spiegelman’s “Maus” in their first-year Core I class, and Professor of American Literature Peter Sattler taught a class on “The Art of Comics.” The day after the lecture, approximately 50 Lakeland students participated in a questionand-answer session with Spiegelman, who, in 2005, was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.

Lakeland community pauses to celebrate King’s legacy The college celebrated Martin Luther King Day in January with a Peace Walk from campus to Immanuel United Church of Christ. Nearly 200 students, faculty, staff and friends walked up County Highway M and gathered at the church to hear from the Rev. Frederick Trost, who marched with Dr. King in the early 1960s in Chicago. The Rev. Rob Sizemore, Lakeland’s chaplain, challenged all Lakeland family members to be kind to each other and to give everyone “an extravagant welcome” when they cross paths on campus.

Lakeland, China schools renew agreements Lakeland expanded its relationship with two sister schools in China this year. Lakeland signed new agreements with East China Institute of Technology (ECIT) and Shanghai Finance Institute (SFI) during a multi-day visit to China by Lakeland President Dan Eck, Director of International Programs Jen Siebert and Instructor of General Studies and Chinese David Lynch. Lakeland and SFI initially signed a sister school agreement in 2006. Lynch has taken students to SFI for May Term classes twice, and a third group is going this May. Lakeland has hosted eight visiting SFI professors since 2005 and 25 one-term students since 2007, in addition to several other faculty/staff delegations. Lakeland and ECIT also signed an initial sister school agreement in 2006. Since the summer of 2007, ECIT has sent between seven and 22 faculty and staff members to Lakeland’s Summer Professional Development Program. A total of 58 ECIT members have participated in the program.

Lakeland strengthens commitment to study abroad Lakeland has committed to doubling the number of its undergraduate students who study abroad over the next five years. The college made the pledge when it joined the

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Institute of International Education (IIE)’s Generation Study Abroad initiative. Lakeland is among the lead partners that committed to specific, measureable actions to help reach this ambitious goal. Lakeland will create a scholarship fund for study abroad, seek out new relationships with international institutions and develop an internship program at the college’s Tokyo campus. “Lakeland recognizes that, regardless of your career path, a study abroad, intern abroad or other international exchange experience will better prepare you for the global economy,” said Jen Siebert, director of international programs. “The college is committed to providing our students with ways to diversify their resumes and make them stand out to future employers by encouraging study abroad.” Over the past few years, more than 80 Lakeland students have gone abroad to more than seven countries. Lakeland offers both semester-long study abroad opportunities as well as short-term, faculty-led courses conducted during the college’s three-week May Term. In addition to its two-year campus in Tokyo, Lakeland has sister schools in China, Korea, Germany, Luxembourg and Colombia.

Kiel classrooms will benefit from Lakeland agreement Kiel kindergarten classrooms will welcome student teachers from South Korea in the fall, thanks to an agreement with Lakeland. Lakeland and its sister school, Koje College in Geoje, South Korea, signed an agreement earlier this month creating a Global Internship Program. Students from Koje’s Early Education Department will come to Lakeland in August 2014 to take English classes and have opportunities to interact with local children. Koje students will volunteer in Lakeland’s daycare in August and September. Then, in October and November, they will volunteer half-days in kindergarten classrooms at Zielanis Elementary School in Kiel. The program is expected to continue on a yearly basis.

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Lakeland biology students assist local environment Last fall, representatives from Lakeland’s biology major worked several hours to rid one of the ponds at Sheboygan’s Ellwood H. May Environmental Park of an aggressive invasive plant species. Lakeland biology students Ricardo Rosas, Lindsay Biter and John Breaux and Associate Professor of Biology Paul Pickhardt joined Maywood’s naturalist, Rebecca Clarke; Sheboygan County’s aquatic invasive species coordinator, Steve Klock; and several other volunteers to clear the pond of Eurasian water milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum). The goal was to remove as much of the milfoil as possible to prevent a winter kill that would threaten the diverse group of amphibians, reptiles, fish and macroinvertebrates living in the pond.

Nine UCC choirs featured in Lakeland music festival The Lakeland College Singers and choirs from nine Wisconsin United Church of Christ churches joined forces for a free Sacred Choral Music Festival in February at Lakeland. The Lakeland Singers and church choirs performed individually and the concert concluded with all of the singers performing “When the Morning Stars Together” by John Ferguson and “Rejoice and Sing!” by

Rollo Dilworth. Visiting choirs included Ebenezer UCC, Sheboygan; Immanuel UCC, Plymouth; Peace UCC, Kewaskum; Bethlehem UCC and St. Peter’s UCC, Kiel; Brown Deer UCC, Brown Deer; Our Savior’s UCC, Ripon; Hope UCC, Sturgeon Bay and Our Savior’s UCC, Germantown.

FBI agents visit as part of forensic accounting competition A presentation by a pair of FBI agents who helped solve the infamous Koss embezzlement scandal in Milwaukee highlighted the second annual Lakeland College Forensic Accounting Competition held in March. A team from Plymouth High School topped a field of more than 75 students from 16 Wisconsin high schools. FBI agents Jennifer Walkowski and Brian Due discussed the case and showed the students slides of merchandise former Vice President of Finance Sujata Sachdeva purchased with some of the $34 million she embezzled from Koss. The panel of judges included high-level employees from Acuity, Community Bank & Trust, Johnsonville, Kohler Co. and the Internal Revenue Service. Bob Martin, Lakeland instructor of accounting and one of the event’s organizers, said the competition shows students the

variety of career paths for accountants. “Being a good accountant means being able to communicate information,” he said. “Tell me the story. That’s exactly what these students did very well today.”

Lakeland welcomes new academic leadership Julia Rodemeier and Jim Begotka were hired as associate deans for academic affairs. R o d e me ie r w i l l support the delivery of the general education curriculum i n t h e c o l l e g e ’s Evening, Weekend and Online (EWO) program, in addition to overseeing academic julia rodemeier support services at the main campus. Begotka will support the delivery of the undergraduate major and minor programs in the EWO program. “Jim and Julia bring to Lakeland a wealth of valuable academic experience, and I am very excited about their capacity to build relationships between the faculty at the main campus and faculty in our EWO program,” noted Meg Albrinck, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college. “Their commitment to academic integrity, effective teaching and student learning will

Lakeland Spanish teacher wins 2014 Underkofler Teaching Award Lakeland College’s Katie Shumway, an instructor of Spanish, is the 2014 winner of the annual Underkofler Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award. Shumway, who is in her 12th year as a Lakeland faculty member, is the college’s 23rd winner of the Underkofler. Shumway’s accomplishments include the development of valuable study abroad opportunities and supporting students learning the Spanish language and culture by creating an engaging and comfortable classroom setting. “Learning a foreign language can be intimidating,” said Jessica Korrison, a senior majoring in resort management, in a letter nominating Shumway for the award. “Professor Shumway knows how to take that feeling away. Taking Spanish in high school was far from a pleasant experience for me. I can never thank Professor Shumway enough for changing my view on learning a foreign language.” Shumway has led a number of study abroad experiences that allow Lakeland students to gain immersion into Spanish-speaking cultures. She has partnered with faculty in the hospitality management program to take students to Mexico and Costa Rica and has worked to expand the relationship between Lakeland and its sister school in Colombia, Universidad Reformada. Shumway has provided innovative opportunities for Lakeland students throughout her career. She has created an environment where upper-level Spanish students gain experience teaching within the introductory Spanish sequence and has coordinated language learning exchanges through Skype. She has also served as lead English instructor for Lakeland’s English Language Institute summer program and engaged students through the interdisciplinary Core. Shumway has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Spanish from Marquette University. The Underkofler Award is presented through the Alliant Energy Foundation and the Wisconsin Foundation for Independent Colleges, Inc. 22

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Lakeland College students supported numerous causes throughout the academic year. The Lakeland women’s basketball team (pictured) helped spread the word about the importance of heart health and risks associated with heart disease in December during its second annual Red Out, an evening of information and fundraising for the American Heart Association. Students sold T-shirts, prizes were available throughout the night and staff members from Coulis Cardiology gave free blood pressure checks and shared information about preventing heart disease and maintaining heart health.

provide important support for fulfilling Lakeland’s mission of educating students of diverse backgrounds.” Rodemeier moved into higher education after a decade in the corporate world, and she has served institutions in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. She brings expertise in curriculum and faculty development. She holds a Ph.D. in Leadership from Cardinal Stritch University, a master’s degree in art history from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a bachelor’s degree from Lawrence University, where she majored in German and studio arts. Begotka has spent most of his career in the Wisconsin Technical College System, where he has developed expertise and insight into adjunct faculty development and meeting the needs of adult learners. He holds an Ed.D. in orga niz ationa l l e a d e r s h ip f r o m NorthCentral University, Prescott Valley, Ariz., a master’s degree in instructional design from Capella University, Minneapolis, Minn., j im begotk a a nd a bac helor’s

degree in social change and development from UW-Green Bay.

Names in the News In February, Lakeland College Chaplain Rob Sizemore successfully defended his major project entitled, “Calling, Affinity, and Personal Growth: Key Factors to Long Term Ministry,” to earn a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) from the Evangelical Divinity School at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Ill. In December, Joshua Kutney earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As a result, he was promoted to assistant professor of general studies. Erin Kohl has been named senior director of student support and retention, a new position in Lakeland’s Evening, Weekend and Online Program. The position will provide leadership for academic advising and coordination of student support services for the more than 2,800 students enrolled in the Evening, Weekend and Online Program at Lakeland’s seven centers. Kohl has worked at Lakeland for nearly a decade in a number of leadership roles, most recently as college registrar. Nhia Yang was named the college’s director of marketing. She served as the general manager/executive editor of Sheboygan Press Media, overseeing the operational, strategic and financial aspects of the Sheboygan Press and the Herald Times Reporter of Manitowoc. She also has significant experience in transitioning from traditional to digital media. Gina Covelli ’06 has been named the college’s first community relations manager. Covelli will spend much of her time in the community managing existing relationships between the college and the community and identifying new opportunities for partnership and ways the college can increase its role as a resource. The Illinois native worked in journalism since graduation, and she came to Lakeland from Cottage Grove, Wis., where for the past two-plus years she was managing editor for The Herald-Independent, a weekly paper serving the Monona and Cottage

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Grove communities. Brian Frink, professor of chemistry/ physics, was nominated for the Golden Apple Award as part of the 2014 Sheboygan ounty Chamber Champions Gala. Frink was nominated for preparing students for post-graduation success with innovative classroom content and opportunities for students in the community. Frink has created partnerships with SACO Polymers, Curt G. Joa, Plymouth Foam and other companies that provide students with internships. Debra Hagen-Foley, director of institutional research and assessment, had two proposals accepted for the international Association for Institutional Research Annual Forum, which will be held in Orlando on May 2730. She will be giving a presentation at the forum titled, “Disseminating Actionable Results Through Survey Research: Tips and Techniques to Design, Implement, and Interpret Meaningful Surveys.” She will also lead a discussion group that she suggested on the topic of “Outcomes Assessment in On-ground, Online, and Multi-Site Environments.” Hagen-Foley was also invited to conduct a half-day workshop expanding on the survey presentation.

Associate Professor of Art Denise Presnell-Weidner had her work featured in two Midwest shows this spring. Her mixed media piece, “Pigeon River Ripple,” (pictured) was one of the works in “Forward 2014: A Survey of Wisconsin Art Now” at the Charles Allis Museum of Art in Milwaukee. Six of her pieces were part of a three-person show that opened in March at the Groveland Gallery in Minneapolis, Minn., in an exhibition titled, “World Enough and Time.”

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Last fall, Lakeland Associate Professor of History Rick Dodgson saw the release of his biography of Ken Kesey, one of the most significant figures in the 1960s counterculture revolution. Dodgson’s “It’s All a Kind of Magic: The Young Ken Kesey” is the first biography of Ken Kesey, counterculture icon and best-selling author of the anti-authoritarian novels “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Sometimes a Great Notion.” Dodgson’s book, his first, was published by The University of Wisconsin Press and is available in hardback and electronic form. It can be purchased online or in many bookstores. Dodgson had a multimedia presentation at several venues to celebrate the book’s release. His 256-page work reveals a youthful life of brilliance and eccentricity, CIA-funded experiments with hallucinogenic drugs and a notable cast of characters that would come to include Wallace Stegner, Larry McMurtry, Tom Wolfe, Neal Cassady, Timothy Leary, the Grateful Dead and Hunter S. Thompson. “This time and these people are still relevant today, because the events of the 60s continue to shape modern American culture in fundamental ways,” said Dodgson, a member of Lakeland’s faculty since 2007. “Much of our culture, our music, our ideas and lifestyles are products of the decade. As a teacher, I find my students are fascinated by the counterculture – partly because of the sex, drugs and rock ’n roll – but also because they see the movement was important. Students recognize it as a period where young people had a significant role to play in shaping history and acting on the historical stage.” Dodgson was a graduate student at Ohio University in 1999 when he first traveled to Oregon to meet Kesey and ask him if he would agree to be the subject of his dissertation. With Kesey’s approval, Dodgson spent the next few years researching in archives and libraries up and down the West Coast.

Lakeland Professor of Biology Kathy Rath Marr ’76 spent the spring 2013 semester working as visiting scientist in the Comparative Veterinary Pathology Lab at the Harvard Medical School – New England’s Primate Research Center in Southborough, Mass. For more than three months, Rath Marr conducted research in the primate center’s lab, and she spent time outside the lab meeting with several key researchers in the fields of HIV and Alzheimer’s disease. She’s sharing what she has learned with her students, giving them opportunities to understand how a trained researcher works with cutting-edge technology. Rath Marr analyzed tissue from the brains of healthy rhesus monkeys, and those that had been infected with SIV (Simian Immunodeficiency Virus) and HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). Previous research has documented that SIV- and HIV-infected monkeys in the later stages of HIV/SIV also exhibit Alzheimer’s disease. The presence of insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) are markers that show cognitive impairment changes. Rath Marr was identifying a way to find those markers in various regions of the brain so researchers can learn more about changing insulin levels with the goal of slowing down Alzheimer’s. For Rath Marr, who’s in her 27th year at Lakeland, it was inspiring work. “It never occurred to me that I would get the chance to do cutting-edge research this late in my career,” she said. “These monkeys are so similar to humans in showing the same symptoms and progression of these diseases. This research opportunity has brought me a new and renewed sense of laboratory biology and an insightful look at state-of-the-art research that is broadening my teaching in my human anatomy/physiology and neurobiology classes.”

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In April, Lakeland hosted Wisconsin native Chad Harbach, author of the New York Times bestselling novel “The Art of Fielding,� for the inaugural Lakeland College Community Book Read. Harbach met with students during the day, and reading enthusiasts at two events in the evening. See video and photos from the event at Lakeland.edu/Harbach.


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