The McKendrean - Summer 2023 | McKendree University Magazine

McKendree Celebrates its first Founders Week!

Read more on pg. 13

Cover: We’re rolling out the purple carpet and showing just how proud we are to be Bearcats! Come visit McKendree’s campus, and you’ll now see banners like this one— showcasing our students with an extra helping of Purple Pride!

Below: Mary Sue Schusky, left, and Astrid Stahnke, right, enjoyed a wonderful evening at the annual William McKendree Society gala. This year, members of the society attended the gala at the Olde Wicks Factory in Highland, Ill., on May 5.

What’s Inside 5

Feature | Strategic Plan Update

8

Feature | The True Hett Experience

12

Where Are They Now?

16 One McKendree 27 Bearcats Unleashed 31

Alumni News & Class Notes

Hats off to the Class of 2023!

Our commencement recap is on pg. 16.

Our Contributors Editorial content, writing and production: Matt Seniour, M.A.Ed. ’22 | Senior Manager of Creative Services Tina (Napper) Tebbe ’08 | Director of Institutional Communications

Photography/Writing: Maxwell Bennett Scott Billhartz ’85 Michael Embrich Nadia Ghahkenshah Lori Kuper ’20 Hailey Rose ’24 Holly Sallee ’13 Published twice a year, The McKendrean connects alumni and friends to the McKendree University community.

Please send address changes to:

Office of Development, Alumni and Parent Relations 701 College Road Lebanon, IL 62254 Keep in touch!

Call 1-800-BEARCAT, ext. 6826, or send e-mail updates to alumni@mckendree.edu.

Dear Campus Community, Alumni and Friends of McKendree, This past semester has proved to be an exciting time for the university. So far, we have celebrated our tenth-annual Academic Excellence Day, conferred 548 degrees to our graduating students, and started offering new programs to help paraprofessionals become full-fledged teachers in the state of Illinois. As we prepare to welcome our Bearcats home for another academic year, we have so much more to celebrate.

As alumni, we all recall the professors at McKendree who guided us along the path to success and made a difference in our lives.

It’s no secret that our faculty here continue to carry this torch by sharing their knowledge, passion, and guidance with their students.

These faculty members are helping us fulfill the third pillar of our U.N.I.T.E.D. strategic plan – Intellectual Experience – by teaching interesting and enriching courses to help prepare students for the real world, nourish their minds, and instill in them a continued desire for lifelong learning. We will highlight a few of these intriguing courses and showcase the amazing work that has already been achieved thus far in the first feature of this magazine.

In 2006, our campus was blessed with the addition of The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, thanks to the generous donation of Fern M. Hettenhausen in remembrance of her husband, Russel. Since then, the Hett has welcomed countless world-class acts, including extraordinary music, theatre and dance performances, inspiring lectures, and more. In our second feature, one of our students shares her unique experience in attending an immersive event at the Hett this past spring. Be sure to look for this next season’s upcoming shows, and consider joining us for a performance, becoming a season ticketholder, or sponsoring an event.

Finally, I wish to extend a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who supported our inaugural Founders Week this past February. Your involvement, encouragement, and donations helped us to make this weeklong celebration a true success, and we look forward to future celebrations as we approach our bicentennial. I eagerly anticipate what the future holds for McKendree and am continuously inspired by our faculty and staff who work hard to make this university the incredible institution that it is today. It is through the efforts and support of many that I remain proud to be a Bearcat!

Daniel C. Dobbins ’81 President | McKendree University

4

Strategic Plan Update

Feature by Tina (Napper) Tebbe ‘08

As McKendree continues carrying out its latest strategic plan, U.N.I.T.E.D., in anticipation of its bicentennial in 2028, the university is constantly empowering, educating, and nurturing its students, faculty, staff, and community. The six-pronged plan, which will allow the university to enter its third century united as One McKendree, focuses on six singular ideas and goals, each representing a letter in the word “united” – updates and modernization, name recognition and identity, intellectual experience, technology and training, engagement, and diversity and equity. In this edition of The McKendrean, we will spotlight how the university is making the strategic plan’s third pillar, Intellectual Experience, shine and enrich Bearcats in and outside of the classroom.

5

Learning About History Through Music History doesn’t have to be strictly learned about through textbooks.

Take, for instance, Dr. Shelly Lemons’s class, America By Ear: Modern America Through Song, a course for creative types who like to think outside the norm and for students who don’t think they really like history. This class, which covers American history from the 1880s through the early 21st century, came about when previous assistant professor of biology and music enthusiast, Dr. Ben Jellen, proposed team-teaching a course that would use music to look at major themes in American history. Shelly and Ben team-taught the course as a special topics in history in fall 2015, and now Shelly has been teaching the course solo, once as an Honors course and most recently as a regular offering.

“For students who like music, this course is really fun,” Shelly said.

“Students learn to work together and also see a variety of viewpoints from both their classmates and from the song selections. It feeds creativity while at the same time highlighting the most important and significant shifts in modern American history.”

A typical class looks much like a radio show with several moving parts, including Brightspace, YouTube, and Spotify, all running through a desktop, laptop, at least one cell phone, and a Bose speaker.

A weekly theme of historical context is set and students select songs they feel fit the theme. The class discusses the playlists, linking portions of the song lyrics to the larger narrative of modern American history. After doing this weekly for the majority of the semester, students complete a signature assignment for the course called “America by Ear Top 40,” in which they select the forty songs they believe to tell the story of modern American history.

6

“Everything from ‘Tin Pan Alley’ and wartime marches to rap, hiphop, ballads, and country blues is played here,” Shelly said. “It truly is everything my students can imagine.”

Students also take part in special research assignments, including a sound collage, in which they use only sound – no words – to tell a story in just a few minutes. They also select a topical research project in which they discuss a specific topic of interest in American history and use songs as the primary sources to support their interpretations, which ends in students creating their own topical podcasts.

Throughout this time, students learn to read historical sources critically, describe broad trends over time using both primary and secondary source materials, critically discuss historical topics and their significance, recognize and challenge assumptions that are often made about the past and how it impacts the present and future, and rectify diverging viewpoints through thoughtful and respectful discourse.

“We accomplish this by having a TON of really fun and interesting conversations about music, artists, styles of music, live versus recorded music performances, and more,” Shelly added. “We even spent some time considering the pros and cons of remaking music and how the impact of a song can change depending on the artist and style.”

Racing to Make a Difference Planning, coordinating, and running events can often seem insurmountable, even for the most seasoned of event planners and managers. Imagine putting together a 5K race while juggling classes, extracurricular activities, and internships. That’s what the students in McKendree’s sport event and facilities management class did this semester – and it was a smashing success.

“The sport event and facilities management course is an incredible way to teach our students through experiential learning and how to plan, coordinate, and run a sporting event, something that is obviously a huge part of working in the world of sports management,” said Dr. Robert Itri, assistant professor of sport management at McKendree.

“They learn lessons in this class that they couldn’t learn in any lecture hall.”

Giving Bearcats a Voice Through Podcasting When Dr. Rich Murphy, associate professor of public relations and communication, was asked to take over as the advisor to McK Radio, he thought about creating an entire class around podcasting to help students get experience recording their voices.

“Personally, I am a podcast enthusiast; I’d say I listen to three or so a day,” Rich said. “I love the sense of community and connection to a topic they create.”

While podcasting itself first appeared in the 1980s (known then as “audioblogs”), it began to catch hold in 2004 and started surging in popularity in recent years with no signs of stopping. Streaming and podcasts are still important elements of communication plans for many organizations, something that Rich believes is integral for students’ success in the real world.

“I find that any time students are pushed to communicate ideas over a public medium, they are being intellectually challenged,” he said.

The class often looks similar to a newsroom – podcast topics are brainstormed, assigned, researched, recorded, and shared. This spring, students researched and recorded a wide array of topics including artificial intelligence (AI), student-athlete mental health, and how COVID-19 has permanently affected the classroom. Afterward, they discussed their experiences and reflected on how they may improve. Classroom sessions also include students partaking in several improv

exercises, along with practicing interviewing, building conversation, and listening to one another.

“My goal is to get students to become better communicators, not just in the studio, but in life in general,” Rich said.

“I think so many podcasters and people outside of academia put pressure on themselves to ‘speak.’ The idea is that whoever speaks the most is the smartest.

I want my students leaving knowing this is not true; great communicators focus on listening and making the person we interact with feel like their ideas are being heard. My goal is for them to be able to create a podcast that gives voices to others.”

The podcasting class also set up in the Piper Academic Center (PAC) and livestreamed during the 2023 Academic Excellence Celebration. Each student took turns interviewing people and discussing the day’s events.

“I wanted to give the students some experience covering a live event. I think they – and I – learned a lot! I was proud to watch the students really get excited and start pushing out content. While there were some hiccups, I thought that it was overall a wonderful experience,” Rich remarked.

McKendree’s students certainly do learn the ins and outs of sports event planning. They are responsible for marketing the event, creating and maintaining a budget for the event, staffing volunteers, creating a sponsorship packet, handling all of the logistical operations of setting up, running, and breaking down the event, and creating a post-event participant survey and organizing those results. Afterward, the students present what they did during McKendree’s annual Academic Excellence Celebration and create a “handbook” of instructions to give to next year’s students to help them know what they need to do to succeed.

While seeing a major event from start to finish sounds challenging in itself, perhaps one of the biggest and most challenging things students are asked to do in this class is procuring sponsors for the race. To do this, Bearcats go out into the community and speak with businesses to ask for sponsorship donations to help pay for the event, whose profits benefit a local nonprofit. This year for the class’s Race for Love 5K run/walk, the class was able to donate more than $3,000 to Leaps of Love, a nonprofit organization from Highland, Ill., that has been helping families affected by childhood cancer since its establishment in 2010.

“Facility and event management is a huge aspect in sports management; it’s what I would call a fundamental building block of sports management,” Robert said. “Our students aren’t just learning the ‘academics’ or theory behind how to run an event in this class. They get to learn how to do so firsthand. They are responsible for doing everything. They learn by doing, they learn by failing, they learn by working together, and they learn how to be successful in this field.”

7

Hett Experience Feature by Hailey Rose ‘24

Located on McKendree’s magnificent campus, The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts serves as an amazing venue for performing arts from dance and drama to musical renditions. With a 488-seat auditorium, students, visitors and locals alike are all welcome to enjoy an array of encapsulating experiences. My own exciting experience with Ethereal Visions: A Sight and Sound Creative Journey began before even entering the Hett. I noticed an art installation—a spectacular sculpture—outside the front doors and knew right away it was going to be an unforgettable performance.

8

The

Astounding Auditorium

Entering the awe-inspiring auditorium, I heard beautiful musical arrangements echoing from the pit where the Belleville Philharmonic set the stage for an epic creative encounter. While the orchestra continued playing, I viewed the stage where a broad, blank canvas waited to be filled with vibrant, colorful paints prepared on carts located on each side.

As I opened the doors, a warm welcome radiated from inside by staff and student workers—familiar and friendly faces. Stopping by the box office, I grabbed a ticket, which is free to all students, and looked around to see the transformed lobby, decorated with shimmering silver streamers, which were attached with bells, and local artist and architect Gary Karasek’s intriguing art tucked inside. Gary’s work strives to form creative objects, spaces, and places using various mediums—paintings, sculptures, and even architecture.

Above the canvas, a quote was projected, “Enigma— something that is mysterious and seems impossible to understand completely.”

With anticipation building, music director and conductor Dr. Robert Hart Baker introduced The Philharmonic Society Orchestra of Belleville—a nonprofit organization—with interludes of their rich history. Dating back to 1866, the group was formed by local businessmen and soldiers, who sought out to restore civility and revive the culture of the community after the Civil War. By 1867, they took part in the very first of many performing seasons.

Performing ever since, they’ve been acclaimed to be the second oldest continuously performing orchestra in the country, just behind the New York Philharmonic. This year marks their 156th concert season transporting audiences to new places in each performance.

In this showcase, they planned to play “Enigma Variations,” a musical puzzle constructed by Edward Elgar, which added to the sensory stimulation of not only abstract sights but also intricate sounds. The extraordinary experience was brand new to the Hett because of its interactive design. Audience members could decide their path by staying in the auditorium, exploring the lobby, or venturing backstage.

9

Let

the Show Begin

As artist Gary Karasek first took in the melodies, he began his music-inspired masterpiece one color at a time. The melodies shifted as each piece represented one of Elgar’s thirteen friends, capturing their character through an arrangement of notes. Each variation played continuously changed in sound, tone, and feeling. I began my journey by taking in the original sounds played by the orchestra while watching Gary take his first paint strokes. I noticed, one-by-one, the crowd began to embark on an artistic exploration plotted from the auditorium to the lobby, through the Hett halls, and backstage.

Curious, I joined in beginning at the lobby. Finding my way through the shiny streamers tasseled with bells, art instillations of all mediums each had their own display. I found fascinating sculptures, which were similar to the one showcased just outside the front doors. Down the halls, framed mixed-media pieces and incredible paintings were showcased on my way to and from backstage.

Sneaking backstage, I was transported to an all-new world where Gary’s illuminating art lit the path.

The art was projected on nearly every surrounding surface and came alive through animation, painting a world of vibrant, moving landscapes. As these scenic landscapes developed behind the scenes, I knew a real-life painting was beginning to come to life just behind the curtain. A bench was set in the center of the stage for the crowd to sit and enjoy the artistic world created by Gary.

10

As I looped around and ended my invigorating exploration, a table with pieces of Gary’s art was available for the audience to take a piece from his practice painting the night before as a souvenir of this sensory experience. Situated next to the table of souvenirs, a board of his initial vision was set up, mapping out an idea of his real-time creation. Returning to my seat, I saw the resemblance on stage and was truly speechless by the development of both the musical composition and resulting abstract illustration. It was a Hett experience like never before.

Your Performance Awaits The Hett continues to put on one-of-a-kind performances year-round and are shows you won’t want to miss.

Exciting experiences are right around the corner. The best part? Students are free! Go to the next Hett event and enjoy the truly interactive and immersive experiences first-hand. Learn more or find tickets to your next favorite show at the Hett by calling (618) 537-6863 or visiting thehett.com.

11

29.0000° N // 34.0000° E

Dr. Phil Neale: Emeritus Professor of Philosophy (2006) Phil reports that the most important events in his life since retirement were the loss of his wife, Penny, to cancer in 2012, and secondly, a move to Colorado Springs around 2018. Phil’s son, Ben, had set up shop as a clinical psychologist there several years earlier. Phil visited several times a year and slowly realized that Ben and his family were living in a pretty good place.

The arrival to two terrific grandchildren and the welcome of Ben’s wife’s extended family did not hurt.

46.2276° N // 2.2137° E

Dr. Ron Black: Emeritus Professor of English (2004) Ron has always been an avid reader and he continues to read quite a bit. During his teaching days, he focused more on literature; while he continues enjoying literature, his reading has expanded to include history, political books, and eclectic reading. In fact, he recently finished “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens.

When he’s not busy reading, Ron enjoys being active and taking in the world around him. He and his wife have traveled throughout the United States, taken many cruises, and enjoyed the beauty of several countries including France, Scandinavia, Ireland, and Russia.

In his retirement, Ron enjoys keeping his intellectual curiosity alive, seeking new and challenging experiences, and also staying physically active. A member of three gyms, he played tennis until the pandemic happened and then began playing pickleball.

“I also do line dancing, and my wife and I do Western partner dancing. It’s not easy!” Ron said.

Ron spends considerable time with his two daughters’ families and is involved in his three grandchildren’s activities quite a bit. He also keeps busy by volunteering for political causes and donating to the cancer fund, among others.

12

“I live on the fifth floor of a 1960s ‘modern’ building full of many young people, a few old people, and many dogs of which I have one,” Phil said.

“The view looks across a green park with jogging and biking trails and a stream with a foot bridge, toward the frequently snow-topped 14er called Pike’s Peak. It’s the most prominent mountain on the front range. Beyond are hundreds of miles of gravel roads lacing through the forests, meadows, and the naked rock of the Rockies. With Forest Service maps and a four-wheel drive vehicle, I’ve ventured to ‘gold camps’ and ghost towns, lakes, and wide vistas seen from various passes.”

Phil adds that even closer to home is downtown Colorado Springs. He can walk to two libraries, the performances of two orchestras, an art museum, and church organ concerts, not to mention a small college. “Just as in Lebanon, I live five blocks from a college with good speakers, recitals, student theater, and lots of shops and restaurants,” Phil said.

Retirement has also provided for foreign travel. Phil’s first visit to Italy, the Balkans, and Greece 50 years ago now allows recognition of how much change has – and hasn’t – occurred since the dissolution of Yugoslavia. He’s also gotten in month-long trips to Egypt, and secondly Israel, the latter during a peaceful period allowing considerable time with Palestinians as well as Israelis, plus the regular sites.

His Egypt trip included the Sinai Peninsula. Phil reports, “I was able to take a nighttime hike to the top of Mt. Sinai, where there were Muslim and Christian groups of teenagers who had been teaching each other songs all night while they awaited the sunrise. Despite the dawn, I didn’t bring back new commandments, although maybe we could use some.”

Egypt in the middle of the Arab Spring was also pretty interesting. “We traveled to the archeological sites but stayed several times in a Cairo hotel two blocks from Tahir Square,” Phil said. “The Egyptians were a hopeful bunch of people whose hopes have gone largely unfulfilled.”

Phil also adds, “I feel very lucky that many of my retirement hopes have been fulfilled. I think of a number of McKendree students and colleagues frequently.”

McKendree Celebrates a Successful First-Ever Founders Week!

Founders Day? More like Founders Week! In anticipation of McKendree’s impending bicentennial in 2028, the campus community celebrated its 195th birthday like it’s never been celebrated before: with an entire week of fun, gratitude, philanthropy, and – of course – cake.

Energizing Traditions to Pave the Way for Our Bicentennial On Monday, February 20, what is recognized as McKendree’s true birthday, faculty, students, and staff gathered in Ames to kick off the University’s inaugural Founders Week Celebration, a week that celebrates the university and the philanthropy that has paved the way for Bearcats for nearly two centuries. Bedecked in colorful party hats, the campus community kicked off the week with the annual singing of “Happy Birthday” to McKendree, led by members of the McKendree University Chamber Choir.

Throughout the week, McKendree and the campus community shared quick facts and history of philanthropy with students, expressed why they love McKendree on a gratitude board in Holman Library, and banded together to give back to the University during our new giving day, One McKendree Giving Day, which lasted 1828 minutes to honor the university’s founding year. The giving day was an incredible success, with more than $128,000 raised. McKendreans near and far joined together to make this new tradition a major success by honoring their roots, celebrating all that the community has accomplished, and giving back to the institution they care dearly about so that future Bearcats can continue to learn and thrive.

13

With Eyes Set to the Horizon The university is delighted to present a spend plan for $15 million of capital projects over the next five years, made possible through the remarkable support and generosity of donors who championed FORWARD: The Campaign for McKendree University. This substantial investment will bring about significant improvements in various areas across campus, fostering an enhanced environment for both students and faculty.

The Lair Student Center, an integral hub of student life, is currently undergoing renovations to create a more modern and inviting space, encouraging community engagement and collaboration. Additionally, our on-campus fitness center is nearing the completion of a much-needed facelift, providing state-of-theart facilities to promote wellness and an active lifestyle among students, faculty, and staff.

Did you see President Dobbins’ Founders Week Address? Watch it right here!

Looking into the future, the university’s commitment to aesthetics will be further exemplified through numerous campus beautification projects, creating visually appealing spaces that inspire creativity and pride.

To ensure the safety and security of the campus community, significant enhancements will be made to campus security measures, employing technology and infrastructure to safeguard all members of the university.

The first phase of a $5 million renovation of the first floor of Voigt Science Hall will commence, setting the foundation for cutting-edge research and learning environments. The plan also includes renovations to residence halls, ensuring comfortable and contemporary living spaces for students. Athletics will receive necessary attention and upgrades to support and enhance the university’s competitive programs, fostering a culture of excellence and success. Finally, the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts will receive necessary enhancements to continue to showcase exceptional talent and cultural experiences, enriching the arts community within and beyond the university.

With this ambitious spend plan, the university is poised to transform its campus, embracing the future while maintaining a steadfast commitment to academic excellence and the true McKendree experience for its constituents.

Make a Difference in McKendree’s Future We hope that you will join us for the next McKendree University Founders Week, which is set for February 19-23, 2024, and continue to build momentum for the future of this great institution, and it’s students.

14

President Dobbins Signs New Contract Extension Ahead of Bicentennial The McKendree University Board of Trustees, under the direction of Chairman Dan Lett ’91, are pleased to announce a multi-year contract extension to President Daniel Dobbins ’81 through June 30, 2026.

“We are thrilled with the accomplishments at McKendree University over the past three years,” Dan said. “Despite the challenges facing higher education, McKendree University has made significant progress and continues to live out its mission. We are pleased that President Dan Dobbins will continue his successful leadership of the University, and we look forward to all McKendree University will accomplish in the coming years.”

President Dobbins became McKendree’s 33rd president on January 1, 2020; however, the coronavirus outbreak postponed his official inauguration until McKendree’s 193rd Founders Day in 2021. President Dobbins is married to fellow alumna, Mickey (Macaluso) Dobbins ’81.

After hearing of his extension, President Dobbins said, “It continues to be one of Mickey’s and my greatest honors to serve McKendree University in this capacity. While we couldn’t be prouder of what we have accomplished, we have much more to achieve together as One McKendree.”

Under President Dobbins’ direction, McKendree University has accomplished much, including developing and launching the U.N.I.T.E.D. strategic plan, launching the Clear Path admission strategy, attaining a successful Higher Learning Commission Year 4 Accreditation assurance review, providing a major transformation to Holman Library’s space with a learning and technology center, and much more.

The University also continues to garner local and national prestige, including nods from U.S. News & World Report, Nursing Schools Almanac and more. Throughout his presidency, President Dobbins has been active in numerous professional and civic organizations, including serving as Chair of the Education Committee of the Leadership Council of Southwest Illinois, Executive Committee Member of the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities (FIICU) and Treasurer of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).

15

CHEERS, CLAPS, WHISTLES & CHANTS ... and proud parents yelling, “That’s my daughter!” or, “That’s my son!” rang through the air as the McKendree community celebrated commencement on Friday, May 12. The Bearcat spirit was very much present on this cloudy yet temperate day as the university proudly conferred a total of 548 degrees with 103 students graduating with Latin honors.

“Graduates, you’ve maintained your commitment to your academic journey and you’ve continued your pursuit of your life’s dreams and visions. Your effort, your determination and your successes are great and deserving of our celebration today,” said President Daniel C. Dobbins ’81. “You fill us with pride for your accomplishments, you bring us joy for your successful achievement of this academic milestone, and you always bring us hope that the world will be made a better place by your contributions to society.

You’re ready to make your mark beyond McKendree.”

See more at: McKendree.edu/photos 16

Commencement by the Numbers

548 BEARCATS 30 STATES 20 COUNTRIES 351 Bachelor’s Degrees 155 Master’s Degrees 14 Specialist Degrees 31 Doctoral Degrees 4 Associate’s Degrees 18 Summa Cum Laude 46 Magna Cum Laude 39 Cum Laude 7 Honors Program Members 17

Dan Lett ’91 Presented with Doctor of Humane Letters Honorary Degree A Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree was conferred to Dan Lett ’91, outgoing Board of Trustees chairman, for his service, insight, leadership, philanthropic support and commitment to his alma mater. He was board chair for eight years and will continue to serve on the board as a member.

Dan succeeded President Daniel C. Dobbins ’81 in 2015 and now passes the torch of chair to George Obernagel ’78.

Dan earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from McKendree, his J.D. degree at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in 2004, and a master of international business degree at Saint Louis University in 2004. He is the executive vice president for corporate development and general counsel at Bunzl Distribution, a role he has been serving since 1998, and he has served as the Board of Governors’ president at the Missouri Athletic Club.

Dan has been an essential member of the Board of Trustees at McKendree University since 1999. A member of the William McKendree Society, Dan has also served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, having been its president from 1999 to 2003. Additionally, he was inducted into McKendree’s Academy of Excellence in 2010 and received its Loyal Service Award in 2003. Thank you and congratulations, Dan!

Peyton Osgood Wins Technos International Prize Peyton Osgood ’23 of Crest Hill, Ill., is this year’s recipient of the Technos International Prize. The award was presented on May 12 during the undergraduate commencement ceremony, where Peyton graduated with a degree in psychology with minors in history and clinical and counseling psychology.

Peyton accepted the award amid a wild round of applause from peers, faculty, staff, and family members alike.

At McKendree, Peyton was a member of the concert band and wind ensemble for all four years, a UNI 101 peer mentor, a student success mentor, a professional and engaging communicator, and an intellectual leader on campus.

During the summer of 2022, Peyton was chosen to receive a Fulbright-Mitacs internship to conduct research at Toronto Metropolitan University, formerly known as Ryerson University, in Toronto, Canada for 12 weeks.

In April, Peyton was recognized by the university for outstanding academic achievement in psychology. Peyton is also a member of several honor societies, including Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, Pi Gamma Mu Honor Society, Psi Chi Honor Society, Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

Following graduation, Peyton plans to move to California to pursue a master’s degree in school counseling.

Grandy Award Goes to Dr. Sara Frank ’05 Dr. Sara (Trask) Frank ’05, associate professor of communication, is the 2023 William Norman Grandy Faculty Award recipient.

Aside from the amazing work she does daily in the classroom, Sara is known to set aside time to meet with each student as they prepare speeches or work on other projects. Several of her recommenders could not say enough about her boundless enthusiasm, including one who wrote, “Many students have anxiety about public speaking, but she remains so patient and understanding that I often wonder if the students realize how lucky they are to have her as their instructor.”

18

“As a McKendree alumna, Sara has a heart made of purple pride,” said Dr. Alan Alewine, associate provost. “She wants her students to have the same pride that she has, but she also wants them to be proud of themselves – their abilities, their goals, and their accomplishments.” Read our all-exclusive interview with Sara on page 22.

Calvin Wertman Receives President’s Award for Professional Excellence

Two Associate Faculty Members Recognized for Excellence in Teaching

Calvin Wertman, the director of residence life and Greek affairs, was the recipient of this year’s President’s Award for Professional Excellence. The winner of this award shines as an ideal example of an ambassador of McKendree University and is respected by the entire campus community. They take on many roles outside of their primary duties and responsibilities and epitomize the One McKendree spirit through their leadership and outstanding service to the University.

Susan Winkeler ’07, MBA ’10, adjunct professor of business, received the 2023 McKendree University Associate Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award. Dr. Crystal Haselhorst, adjunct instructor of education, was the recipient of the 2023 McKendree University Associate Graduate Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching.

A native of Holland, Ind., Calvin began working at McKendree in 2018 and quickly began making his mark on the campus. He is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, an honorary member of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, and a member of the Sons of the American Legion. He is also the advisor of McKendree’s Green Team, a student organization that focuses on campus- and community-wide issues related to the environment and stability.

A resident of Carlyle, Ill., Susan has been teaching for McKendree’s School of Business since 2017, having taught classes on campus, online, and at Scott Air Force Base. Her recommenders have given her high praise, noting that she has helped the School of Business maintain high standards and has been a blessing to both faculty and students. Her students also give her glowing remarks about her teaching and how fun and interesting she makes her classes. She is very involved with her students outside of class, taking time to attend sporting events and events at the Hett to support her students.

“Receiving this award means everything to me,” Susan said. “One of my goals when I was very young was to attend McKendree University. I love teaching at McKendree. The students are fantastic, and the faculty and administration are very helpful and supportive.

I could not be prouder to be a part of the Bearcat family.”

Susan

Winkeler ’07

Calvin’s nominees have noted that he is an unsung hero who humbly takes on any role that may be asked of him. He serves in many roles within the university, is a go-to resource for many students and staff, and often goes above and beyond to help students succeed. A strong and passionate advocate for social justice and equity, Calvin has been described as caring, respectful, committed, dedicated, and fair, showing grace and strength in how he handles unprecedented times, crises, and emergencies.

“I am honored by the award; it feels great to be rewarded for the hard work that one does. I am grateful to everyone, from my family and friends to my team, supervisors, and colleagues. You have my heartfelt appreciation,” Calvin said.

Crystal

Haselhorst

A native of Alhambra, Ill., and resident of Highland, Ill., Crystal has been an adjunct faculty member in the School of Education since the fall of 2020. While she serves as an eighth-grade reading teacher at Triad Middle School in Troy, Ill., Crystal also teaches several advanced courses at McKendree and supervises many students in the field and during student teaching. Her recommenders have noted that she does an outstanding job as a mentor for both undergraduate and graduate schools and is so flexible and willing to take on anything.

“It is a huge honor to receive this award because there are so many excellent and deserving adjunct instructors at McKendree,” Crystal said. “Knowing that I am positively impacting future teachers’ lives and am able to make a difference in their educational journey is incredibly rewarding.”

19

Dr. George Fero Retires after 22 years with McKendree University Where were you in 2001? During the year iTunes and the first iPod arrived, Google Images launched, and audiences enjoyed “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” Dr. George Fero arrived at McKendree. A professor of education and previous chair of the Division of Education, Health and Human Performance, George was a key leader who helped launch the university’s graduate programs and oversaw a transformation period in education, including the creation of eight new educational programs and more. He taught graduate-level coursework and advocated for technology in the classroom. A talented musician, George is also a bike enthusiast and has been a fierce advocate for biking and pedaling safety, especially in our region.

“Having graduate studies really changed the mission, structure, growth, and prestige of the institution in ways that are still being realized,” he remarked.

On May 2, 2023, George was honored at a faculty retirement celebration in which he was awarded the rank of Professor Emeritus, becoming the newest lifetime member of the university community. Dr. Tim Richards, a professor of secondary education who retired last year, returned to speak and thank George for his years of dedication to the university, calling him “well-respected and a friend of many.”

Throughout his time at McKendree, George has experienced numerous proud moments, especially when he hears from graduates about their accomplishments. “I maintain contact with a number of graduates through social media, and it is great to see and hear from them about what they are doing now,” he said. He expects to miss his weekly morning coffee sessions with his colleagues, who often helped him solve problems, and the lunches with education faculty that followed their monthly school meetings.

George remembers when McKendree achieved national accreditation for the education programs, calling it a significant achievement.

“The process caused us to deeply consider who we were and what we wanted our graduates to look like,” he said. “I think this raised the quality of our programs about 10 notches, and we have not stopped moving forward.” He hopes the campus community will remember his contribution as a leader in the establishment of graduate studies for the university when it was McKendree College.

20

While George has been serving in higher education since 1988, he spent many of those years at McKendree because it is a place in which he immediately found himself as part of an extended family. “As I traveled around the region, state, and country, I would often cross paths with a McKendree graduate who was doing something good for themselves, their community, and essentially McKendree,” he said.

“McKendree instills in its graduates a strong sense of service, and that is always evident.”

George, however, is looking forward to traveling with his wife, Marie, and, of course, getting back to his daily bicycling routine – perhaps combining it with some of their travels. For now, George leaves these parting words of wisdom to his beloved campus community: get involved! “I gained great satisfaction helping others through my volunteer work, and it provides me an opportunity to meet a lot of others with the same commitment,” he said.

Celebrating Our Brightest Bearcats

McKendree celebrated its brightest graduates by holding a Summa Cum Laude reception at the Stevenson House on May 9. Pictured left to right (front): Dr. Darryn Diuguid, Madison Misner ’23, Emilie St. Clair ’23, Charlee Taylor ’23, Peyton Osgood ’23, Breanna Sampo ’23, Kayla Rutz ’23, Kennedy Fiscus ’23, Teryn Cross ’23, Hannah Schmitz ’23; (back): Dr. Guy Boysen, Dr. Michael Hahn, Dr. Janet Wicker, Dr. Sara (Trask) Frank ’05, President Daniel C. Dobbins ’81, Dr. Allie Helfrich, Viola Cipriani ’23, Naomi Leasck ’23, Jennifer Miller ’04, M.A.Ed.‘07, and Dr. Kim Joggerst.

Swinging into Spring

Happy Bearcats took time to enjoy zip-lining, rock climbing, petting and feeding friendly farm animals, challenging one another in team sports, and much more during McKendree University’s annual Spring Fling on April 28. Peals of laughter resonated throughout the Quad throughout the afternoon as light-hearted students donned disguises and used props together in the photo booth, raced each other on tricycles around campus, and spun each other as fast as they could on spinning carnival rides.

Picture Perfect Jane Rix, transfer and study abroad coordinator at McKendree University, is making her mark across campus – literally! She recently completed a beautiful painting of the university’s many doorways to the future. This commissioned piece now proudly resides in the office of the provost, Dr. Tami Eggleston, in Wildy Hall.

“Last year, Jane gave me a lovely holiday painting of Stevenson House, and I wanted more,” Tami said. “I plan to be the provost for more years, but I hope this print will stay for many more years.”

Jane’s office in Old Main is adorned with her artwork, which includes landscapes, buildings, people, and, of course, dogs. While she enjoys working in just about any art medium, oil paints are her favorite.

Take a moment out of your day to say hi to Jane and see her gorgeous works of art for yourself!

21

McKendree University has never been short of amazing professors; it’s one of the

reasons why so many choose to attend the university in the first place. Many times, the university finds a way into its students’ hearts and calls them back to serve future Bearcats as either faculty or staff. This is true of faculty members like Sara (Trask) Frank ’05, associate professor of communications, who joined McKendree as a faculty member in 2018. In addition to her role as professor, she serves as the Provost Fellow for Communication and is one of McKendree’s most fervent cheerleaders.

A native of Jerseyville, Ill., and resident of Carlyle, Ill., Sara recently became the first faculty member to receive all three prestigious awards – the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award, the United Methodist Exemplary Teacher of the Year Award, and the William Norman Grandy Faculty Award – in a single academic year. Read on to learn a little more about Sara and how she’s making her mark at McKendree!

What’s your favorite part of your day (or school year)?

My favorite part of the school year is the first day of classes and Commencement! As for my favorite part of the day, it’s running into former students around campus and getting to chat with them. I also love leaving a class where everyone was engaged – I leave the classroom feeling energized!

What’s the best part about being an alumna teaching at McKendree?

Knowing I was LITERALLY exactly where they were several years before.

What was your favorite class as a student, and as a professor?

I absolutely LOVED my Family Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Argumentative Com., and Freedom of Speech courses here at McK. I also loved my Women’s History class; I still have the paper I wrote about interviewing my grandma. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I now have such a great piece of history. I actually use part of that assignment in my Family Communication class now. As a professor, I would say whatever I am teaching that semester ends up being my favorite class. I have favorite parts about each of the classes I teach!

What makes McKendree special to you?

Hands down, the people! My colleagues, my students – every single human makes this place special. My experience as an undergrad was life changing, and while it is VERY different as a faculty member, the feeling of being home remains the same.

When did you know you wanted to be a teacher?

I don’t think I ever KNEW I wanted to be a teacher, but I really love being in the classroom and interacting with students.

What would your students be surprised to find out about you?

I cannot sing at all (they may be very aware of this), but I LOVE karaoke!

How do you like to share your Bearcat pride?

PURPLE FRIDAY – I love rocking my McK apparel! I also try to make it to as many of my students’ extracurricular events that I can!

Favorite thing to order from Ames or 1828?

Cheese quesadilla! I also LOVE the salad bar at Ames!

So many students admire you. How do you make those connections?

I listen. Life is so much better when you actually listen to people and find out who they are as humans. I try to learn at least one thing about each of my students that has NOTHING to do with the classroom and education. Doing that, I have learned some pretty amazing things about these fabulous students who sit in my class. But let’s be real, I also love to talk – I love to share stories and listen to other people’s stories, too!

If you could choose one song to play every time you walked into a room, what would it be and why?

“Can’t Stop” by Red Hot Chili Peppers. “This life is more than just a read-through!”

What song do you know all the lyrics to?

Put a song on, and I’ll bet I’d know it, because if not, I will make the lyrics up!

What are you reading right now (or listening to?) for fun?

I am listening to the podcast Wiser Than Me by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. It’s fabulous – I highly recommend it!

22

Sara (Trask) Frank ’05

Associate Professor of Communication

MLK Humanitarian Awards Honor McKendree Junior, Assistant Director of Office of Residential Life Junior Jamari Jackson, a business administration major from Belleville, Ill., and Millard Curtis, the assistant director of the Office of Residential Life from O’Fallon, Ill., were this year’s recipients of McKendree University’s 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Awards at a celebration held on January 19 at the Hettenhausen Center of the Arts.

Jamari is the president of McKendree’s Black Student Organization (BSO), a senator in Student Government Association (SGA), and a member of Pi Kappa Delta Forensics Honor Society. He has also been involved with the McKendree debate team, finishing his best season ranked 17th in the nation. He plans to pursue a Master of Business Administration degree at McKendree after graduation.

“This award means a lot to me, my family, and especially my mom,” Jamari said upon receiving the award. “It’s an honor to be able to inspire and encourage the students at McKendree to do more.”

Millard has been at the University for three years. A highlyinvolved member of Faith Family Church of Shiloh, he is also involved with Black Men of McKendree and Come to the Table, a young adult ministry at the university.

“I strive to do the best I can,” Millard said. “My passion is to promote change and inspire others. The work is never done.”

Congratulations to both of this year’s winners!

Breanna Sampo ’23 Named Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship Recipient Breanna Sampo ’23, a resident of Cedar Point, Ill., was recently awarded the Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship. The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi awards 54 Fellowships to members entering their first year of graduate or professional study.

Breanna, who was McKendree’s 2022-2023 Student Laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, graduated from McKendree with a degree in psychology. She will begin her first year as a doctoral student at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, Calif., this fall and will be a research assistant for Dr. Kendall Cotton Bronk’s Adolescent Moral Development Lab while she works toward earning her Ph.D. in Positive Developmental Psychology.

“Receiving this award fills my heart with such immense gratitude as these funds will make my dream of moving from rural Illinois to southern California possible,” Breanna said. “With this fellowship, my transition to graduate school will be a smooth cross-country trip while allowing me to start the semester off strong by having all the needed supplies to further establish my academia career.”

23

Say Hello to the Newest Members of the Bearcat Family!

McKendree University Chamber Choir ‘wows’ at Women's History Month Concert

Fifteen individuals were added to the Bearcat family this summer.

If you see these new Bearcats around campus, be sure to say hello!

Students in McKendree University’s Chamber Choir performed a concert featuring an array of works from female composers, arrangers and poets on Friday, March 24 at the Piper Academic Center. Dr. John McDonald, assistant professor of music education, served as conductor, and Melissa Ray, adjunct instructor and staff accompanist, served as accompanist on piano.

Hunni Able Accounts Payable Specialist Shawn Bibee ’21 Head Women’s Bowling Coach Larry Davis ’22 Student Success Mentor Dr. Michael Downton Chair of the School of Education and assistant professor of education Alex Figueras Assistant Men’s and Women’s Polo Coach Kari Frey Financial Aid Counselor Lenzell Green Assistant Football Coach Thomas Green Admission Counselor

Terra Helm Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach Jason Pompey Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance Brett Sauerwein ’15 Assistant Women’s Softball Coach Kaleigh Sauerwein ’15 Annual Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement Specialist Scott Schneider Vice President for Administration and Finance Brandon Wade Professor of Accounting and Finance Dr. Hui Wang Assistant Professor of Psychology

Joseph R. Mark ’12 Becomes McKendree’s Newest Trustee The Board of Trustees welcomed Joseph R. Mark, MBA ’12 as its newest member on Saturday, May 6.

Joseph is a resident of Shiloh, Ill., and the president and owner of Eco Constructors in Pacific, Mo. Joseph earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from Eastern Illinois University in 2004 and his master’s degree in business administration from McKendree in 2012.

He is also the founding chair of Enterprise Bank’s Black Heritage Employee Resource Group, a chair of Young Friends of the Arch Park Board, and a member of the St. Louis Sports Commission Board and the Jackie Joyner Kersee Foundation Board, among others. He was awarded St. Louis Business Journal 30 Under 30 Award in 2011 and The St. Louis American Young Leader Award in 2011.

24

Dr. Jenny Mueller, professor of English, read poetry by women including “Canary” by Rita Dove, “Why Do You Feel Differently” by Gertrude Stein, 269 (“Wild Nights”) by Emily Dickinson, “Things” by Lisel Mueller, and “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus.

McKendree Offering New Program to Help Paraprofessionals Become Teachers in Two Years Teacher’s aides and teacher’s assistants, also known as paraprofessionals, throughout the state of Illinois can now take advantage of McKendree University’s all-new program, Paraprofessional+ Pathway.

This new program is fully online for students’ convenience and is perfect for paraprofessionals looking to become full-fledged teachers at the elementary level. A special education add-on license will also be available. This program will begin in the fall 2023 semester.

Paraprofessionals enrolled in this program will be able to attain a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education degree and initial licensure in only two years. Additionally, students can expect to save up to $5,000 on program tuition. In order to be admitted, enrollees must be employed as a paraprofessional, obtain approval from their administrator and have 60-90 hours of bachelor coursework.

“The McKendree University School of Education faculty and staff worked closely with many area superintendents to create this unique online program in an effort to address the Illinois teacher shortage,” said Dr. Karee Nasser, professor of special education and chair of the School of Education at McKendree University. “Through the creative efforts of numerous stakeholders, we are excited to provide this convenient, cost-effective, high-quality program for many individuals desiring to become teachers in our region and state.”

Together, We Are One McKendree!

Faculty, staff, and students alike came together to celebrate the campus community and share their McKendree story during a special Brown Bag on Feb. 15. Participants shared special items they have that always make them think about their McKendree story during a one-of-a-kind pop-up museum in the Marion K. Piper Academic Center.

McKendree Community Celebrates 10 Years of Academic Excellence Purple and white balloons, an interactive photo booth, and an infectious sense of Bearcat pride greeted students, faculty, staff, and visitors alike as they came together to celebrate McKendree’s 10th annual Academic Excellence Celebration (AEC) on April 27. Throughout the day, 211 student presenters and participants from all disciplines, supported by 29 faculty and staff sponsors, presented their research, collaboration, and creative talent to the campus community. These sessions included honors theses, capstone projects and research posters, a student art exhibit, a choral performance at the Hett, and 12 honor society inductions.

25

Bearcats Visit Japan, Take Part in Technos International Week in Tokyo Juniors Anna Leitner and Aaron Brown, along with Joe Blasdel, director of speech and debate at McKendree University, explored contemporary and traditional Japanese life and connected with students from around the world in June as guests of Technos International College in Tokyo.

Technos International College partners with McKendree and other universities around the world to promote Japanese culture and to strengthen American-Japanese ties in an annual study program. This is the first time since students have met in person for the annual event since 2019, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

These Bearcats took cultural classes, saw the Imperial Palace, visited Mt. Fuji, and explored Shinjuku, Shibuya, and other parts of the surrounding region. Classes consisted of active learning activities, art classes, anime theater and dubbing, traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, and more.

“Wearing a kimono and taking part of a tea ceremony was a situation I never thought I would be in, but it was really fun!” Aaron said. “Seeing the traditional side was really neat, especially since we think of the technology side a lot when it comes to Japan.”

Anna’s favorite part was staying with her host family, whose father was a teacher in Technos, along with sightseeing in Tokyo and building connections with the Technos students.

“We also got to meet up with junior Runa Tsuzuki, a Japanese student who currently attends McKendree with us,” Anna said.

“Getting to step into her lifestyle and experience it from our side was really neat.”

Aaron enjoyed meeting and making friends with the Japanese students and participants from other schools in the United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand. “Seeing Mt. Fuji was also really great. We also took the Mt. Fuji 5th Station, the highest you can drive up on the mountain, and it was gorgeous,” Aaron said.

Joe found beauty in the country’s nature. Along with Aaron and Anna, he was fascinated with the language and enjoyed conversing with others.

“It was interesting and fun participating in conversations when you had to figure out what the other person is saying,” Joe said.

“Some people were more prepared and many were patient in the language. It was a challenge but really fascinating trying to figure those things out.”

The trio reports that there weren’t many language barriers and the Technos students spoke English very well.

“Even when we didn’t fully understand each other in language, we always found a way to communicate,” Anna said. Now that they’re back home from their adventures, the group wholeheartedly recommends students to apply and experience Technos for themselves.“As someone who’s never been out of the country, it really broadened my mind,” Anna said. “It makes me want to travel the world even more. It was such an amazing experience!”

“It’s hard to be immersed in the culture without living there,” Aaron added. “This experience is about as immersive as it can be, especially when you meet students and they show you around and invite you to places. There’s nothing like it!”

26

McKendree University’s men’s basketball team won its first-ever Great Lakes Valley Championship on Sunday, March 5, defeating the University of Missouri-St. Louis 62-51. The Bearcats were seeded sixth heading into the tournament and improved their record to 18-12 overall following the win.

last-minute efforts to claim the victory. Overall, the Bearcats shot 51.1 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Senior guard Bryson Bultman netted 20 points to lead McKendree, firing 7-for-18 from the field and 3-for-7 from the three-point range.

Junior forward Milos Vicentic tallied 18 points, hitting 7 of 13 field goals and 2 of 3 three-pointers while sophomore forward Caleb Zurliene added 13 points, including 11 in the second half. Bryson and Caleb each grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Milos was voted the tournament’s Most Valuable Player while Bryson and Caleb were voted to the All-Tournament team, along with UMSL’s Bowen Sandquist and Isaiah Fuller.

McKendree claimed control of the championship game from the beginning, climbing to an early 21-10 lead over the Tritons in nine minutes of play. At the end of 20 minutes, McKendree held a 38-24 advantage over UMSL. In the second half, UMSL would only come as close as five points to the Bearcats’ lead with a few short scoring runs, closing the gap to 54-49 with 2:35 left in the contest. McKendree scored on back-to-back turnovers from the Tritons and held off UMSL’s

“This was an incredible day for McKendree. I could not be prouder of our guys as they again made program history. They deserve so much credit for the last few weeks and all they’ve given our basketball community,” said McKendree head coach George Suggs. “The support we’ve felt this season has been incredible. These players are tremendous ambassadors for this university and represent our program with such pride. This team deserves to be called champions.”

Men’s Basketball

Women’s Bowling McKendree’s women’s bowling secured the USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships title on April 22 at the South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas to conclude its season. McKendree previously won the title in the 2016-2017 season. Graduate student Hope Gramly ’22 and junior Isabel Allen earned spots on the AllTournament team while Hope was named the Most Valuable Player.

McKendree concludes its historic season after holding a No. 1 national ranking for the entirety of the 2022-2023 season, 10 tournament titles including the GLVC Championships and NCAA Arlington Regional, an overall record of 108-19, and a fourth place finish at the NCAA Championships.

27

Women’s Wrestling McKendree University women’s wrestling claimed three individual national titles during its run to third place at the 2023 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championship as senior Emily Shilson, senior Sydnee Kimber, and junior Cameron Guerin each defended their individual championships.

McKendree grabbed seven All-American finishes in the tournament with eight individuals contributing to the team’s 147.5 total points. The eight

All-Americans for the Bearcats were Emily, Cameron, Sydnee, junior Lizette Bernardo, redshirt senior Payton Stroud, first-year Jennifer Soto, senior Pauline Granados, and junior Alexandra Castillo. Emily and Sydnee became four-time NCWWC national champions, while Cameron became a three-time NCWWC national champion.

Men’s Golf

Women’s Hockey

The GLVC match play final was decided by a tiebreaker after 18 holes between the Bearcats and Missouri-St. Louis Tritons. The tiebreaker was the cumulative score of the five scores from the match.

The Bearcats’ men’s golf team won its first Great Lakes Valley Conference title in program history with a team score of 367 to UMSL’s 375. In the championship match against the top-seeded Tritons, the Bearcats received a 2-shot victory by sophomore Fabian Wennerlof and a massive 10-stroke win by senior Phasin Vichitcharoenpaisarn. Sophomore Griffin St. Pierre played to a draw in the decisive fifth match.

No. 8 McKendree University women’s hockey closed out its season at the ACHA National Tournament after going 1-2 during the championship weekend.

The Bearcats earned their first-ever national tournament victory on March 17, defeating Michigan in overtime, 2-1.

The Bearcats recorded a sixth doubledigit win season with their 15 victories in the 2022-2023 season. It also marked the fourth winning season in the program’s seven-year history.

For the second time in his tenure, head men’s golf coach Mikal Guffey has been named the GLVC Coach of the Year. His peers bestowed the honor on him as he led the program to their first medal/match play appearance since 2014.

Mikal guided three to All-GLVC recognition, including Fabian, who finished fourth at the GLVC Championship (74-73-71-218), as well as junior Thomas Tollefsen and sophomore Rasmus Nilsson, who were voted onto the All-Conference team.

28

Track and Field The men’s and women’s track team traveled to Missouri S&T in May to compete in the GLVC Championships. The men’s team brought home sixth place while the women’s team placed 11th. Junior Malachi Carroll was named GLVC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year as he captured the 100-meter dash title, breaking a 22-year-old GLVC record. He also brought home the 200-meter race title.

Men’s Wrestling McKendree’s men’s wrestling team finished out its season with a pair of All-Americans in redshirt junior Christian Mejia and redshirt sophomore Logan Kvien at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. Christian, now a two-time All-American, finished fifth in the 125 class while Logan earned his first-ever All-American honor in his first nationals appearance with a sixth-place finish.

The Bearcats also had first-year Zeke Waltz and senior Joshua Jones compete in the national championship tournament, finishing 17th as a team. This season marks the Bearcats having multiple All-Americans in every NCAA season, beginning in 2014.

Women’s Softball Lauren Harris was named both Freshman and Player of the Year at the Great Lakes Valley Conference annual pre-tournament banquet this May. She also gave the Bearcats their second Freshman laurel, the first coming in 2018. Later in the month, she was named

a finalist for the 2023 National Fastpitch Coaches Association/Tucci Division II Freshman of the Year honors by the NFCA. Lauren was also a unanimous selection to the All-GLVC First Team. Joining her on the first team as a unanimous selection was junior pitcher Ellie Quaethem. The Bearcats had a third selection in senior first baseman Olivia Stansbury.

Bass Fishing McKendree’s bass fishing team earned fifth place in the annual Association of Collegiate Anglers (ACA) Bass Pro Shops School of the Year Race in May. McKendree finished with two boats in the top 50 and three in the top 120 to contribute to the School of the Year points.

The team’s fifth-place finish marks its eighth time placing in the top five in nine years. This season, McKendree fished with multiple pairs in 26 tournaments for the season, posting 42 top-15 performances, 27 top-ten finishes, 25 top-five appearances, and 16 top-three achievements.

The Bearcats were named the Major League Fishing (MLF) Central Conference Champions and took the title at the Wiley X Faceoff in LaCrosse, Wis. Additionally, in the Bassmaster National Championship, McKendree placed third as a team and sent one boat to the bracket round. Senior Tyler Christy placed third while fifth-year senior Trey Schroeder was seventh overall. In the Bassmaster Individual Team of the Year Race, six Bearcat teams reached the top 25 percent.McKendree also took home the title at the Illinois State Championship with four boats in the top-10 spots.

McKendree University’s head men’s and women’s swimming coach Jimmy Tierney was named the College Swimming Coaches Association of America’s (CSCAA) Men’s Swimming Co-Coach of the Year. Jimmy joined McKendree in 2015 and has coached the Bearcats for the last eight seasons. This season, he led the men’s swim team to an undefeated 9-0 dual season with four wins over nationally-ranked teams, including the No. 1-ranked University of Indianapolis.

“I am honored and humbled to be voted to such an award by my peers. It is truly a staff award as our accomplishments could not have happened without great coaches like Nathan Townsend and Jolynn Harris,” Jimmy said. “Of course, coaching awards are a product of the success of your athletes. I am blessed to have coached such a wonderful group of motivated and passionate men and women. They make me look good.”

29

Football

Swimming and Diving

The McKendree University football team had 14 players earn postseason accolades from the Great Lakes Valley Conference as the league unveiled the 2022 All-GLVC Teams and the conference’s major award winners.

McKendree University men’s swimming swam to its highest finish in program history at the NCAA Division II National Championships, placing third overall with 352.5 points. The Bearcats bested their finish from last season of fourth place in the championships and appeared in the top four for the third consecutive year.

Along with having 14 All-GLVC selections, redshirt junior quarterback Turner Pullen caps off his collegiate career by becoming the second-ever Bearcat football player to be named the GLVC Offensive Player of the Year.

Pullen is joined on the All-GLVC First Team by redshirt junior receiver Jacob Bachman, sophomore receiver Yogi Flager, Jr., and sophomore running back Narkel Leflore.

Second-Team All-GLVC honorees for McKendree are sophomore offensive lineman Andrew Johnson and redshirt sophomore defensive back Andrew Sherry.

McKendree claimed a national title in the 400 freestyle relay, which included sophomores Alireza Yavari and Arthur Souza, senior Caleb Law, and fifth-year senior Gregg Lichinsky. The Bearcats posted a school-record time of 2:52.69 in the victory. Last season, McKendree finished third for the relay event. Gregg added to his national accolades with a second-place finish in the 100 freestyle, recording a time of 42.37 for a McKendree program record. Junior Filipe Pinheiro represented McKendree in the 200 breaststroke, tabbing his second fourth-place finish of the meet with a time of 1:56.09. Sophomore Paytrk Rozenek competed in the consolation finals of the 200 backstroke, finishing 10th overall.

In the five-day competition, the Bearcats collected five national championship titles, including a win in the 200 butterfly and Division II record for sophomore Jackson Lustig, 100 butterfly win from Gregg, and relay wins in the 800 freestyle relay, 400 medley relay, and the 400 freestyle relay.

The Bearcats had eight players earn Honorable Mention All-GLVC honors: sophomore long snapper Wyatt Hall, junior defensive back Drew Crooks, redshirt junior linebacker Luca Gualdoni, sophomore defensive lineman Jacob Stoneburner, sophomore tight end Jordan Sprycha, sophomore receiver Diontay Griffin, redshirt senior offensive lineman Kenny Thomason, and redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Jake Rich.

Men’s Tennis

ICYMI

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced the Division II Men’s studentathletes who earned All-American honors for the 2022-2023 season. In order to qualify, the athletes must finish the season in the top 20 of the ITA singles rankings and top 10 in the final ITA doubles rankings.

Senior Leonardo Schmitz Frederico finished with a singles ranking of 14th in the country, making him the first Division II ITA AllAmerican in program history. He compiled a singles record of 15 wins and 6 losses.

The Bearcats finished the season with an overall record of 12-6 (4-1 GLVC), which saw them qualify for the NCAA Midwest Regional tournament.

Athletic Staff News Tim Gurnow Earns Elevation to Head Baseball Coach

FAN // ZONE Tune in to listen to live audio play-byplay on the GLVC Sports network at www.glvcsn.com/mckendree/.

“Follow us” on Twitter and Facebook.

https://mckbearcats.com/ news/2023/5/22/gurnow-earns-elevationto-head-baseball-coach.aspx Shawn Bibee ‘21 Named Bearcat Women’s Bowling Coach https://mckbearcats.com/ news/2023/7/10/returning-to-his-rootsshawn-bibee-named-bearcat-womens-

Check out McKBearcats.com for upcoming schedules, team news, and to purchase tickets.

Visit shopmckendree.com to buy official athletics gear!

30

From the Editor Dear alumni, friends, and readers, Thank you for taking the time to read this magazine and peruse its pages. I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed it and that it has both conjured up happy memories of your time at the university and filled you with pride about how the institution is continuing to better Bearcats’ lives. Helping to create this magazine each semester is one of my favorite parts about my job here at McKendree, and I look forward to hearing what you might have to say about it.

It’s been quite a while since I was a student, yet when I set foot on campus each day, it almost feels like yesterday since I graduated. I certainly made many happy memories as a student at McKendree, and now I’m making plenty of wonderful memories as a member of the staff. I’m very grateful to be here serving the university in this capacity.

October 20 - 22, 2023 mckendree.edu/homecoming

When I reflect on my time as a student, the biggest memories that fly back to me include time spent playing in the marching band, learning about Japanese culture in the A.C.M.E. group, proofreading the yearbook (the old McKendrean!), annoying everyone with my karaoke skills, helping out at events for the Campus Activities Board, and writing loads of papers and terrible poetry for class (I got better, Dr. Mueller, I swear!). It was a part of my life in which I was able to come out of my shell and find my true self: a writer, a musician, a person of faith, a lover of language and other cultures, and a generally happy-go-lucky person. I found my best friends at McKendree, took courses that changed the way I viewed the world around me, and even met my future husband, Brent ’08, here. The connections and friendships I made here shaped me into the person I am, and I deeply treasure all that McKendree has given to me.

When I speak with other alumni, I quickly find that McKendree has left a special, indelible mark on their hearts as well. So, I want to know: what has McKendree done for you? I would love to hear your stories. In fact, in this and my future letters, I want to pose a question to help evoke happy memories of the place we’ve all called home at one time or another. My hope is to share your stories here in The McKendrean in some capacity.

Here’s my question for you in this edition: What was your most memorable experience at McKendree? Email us at magazine@mckendree.edu and let us know!

I look forward to hearing from you soon and hope you will continue enjoying future editions of The McKendrean.

Tina (Napper) Tebbe ‘08 Director of Institutional Communications

31

Alumni 1976 Marilyn (Evans) Ellis was featured in a cooking article in “Illinois Farmer Today” on Dec. 22, 2022.

1989 Lisa (Sappington) Groennert recently retired from Albers Elementary School, Albers, Ill. after teaching 1st, 2nd and 5th grade for 34 years.

Josh Scott received the Bruce D. Whitehead Distinguished Service Award, presented annually to individuals from within the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) membership in recognition of their length of service, special accomplishments, and contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local, state and national levels.

Nominations are submitted by state athletic director associations, screened by the NIAAA Awards Committee, and selected by the NIAAA Board of Directors. He is the athletic director at Springfield Public Schools in Springfield, Mo.

1991 Jacqueline Connor was named employee of the month for February 2023 at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. She is the corporate relations officer and development manager for the Hylton Performing Arts Center and the Science and Technology Campus.

Dr. Sarah Vordtriede-Patton is the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Quincy University in Quincy, Ill.

1995 Gina James, M.A.Ed. ’09 was awarded a 2023 “Those Who Excel” Special Recognition Award from the Illinois State Board of Education. She teaches middle school social studies at Joseph Arthur Middle School in O’Fallon, Ill.

1998 Jason Mathenia, along with fellow Belleville West High School soccer coach Rob Thornberry, was honored by Abbott EMS on Feb. 7 for administering CPR and using an AED machine to save the life of a man who was walking on the high school track during the summer of 2022.

2001 Dustin Foutch was awarded a 2023 “Those Who Excel” Special Recognition Award from the Illinois State Board of Education. He is the superintendent of Central Community High School District in Breese, Ill.

2003 Amber (Connell) Choisser was promoted to signing director of CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) in St. Louis, Mo. She is an assurance leader in the Financial Service industry and has been with CLA for 10 years.

2006 Yasanne Garrett published a collection of poems ‘The Storm is Over Now,’ and is working on her second book. She is the secretary for the Board of Education at Lebanon District #9.

2007 Jonathan “Skip” Birdsong, M.A.Ed., Ed.S. ’16 coached the Althoff Catholic High School boys’ soccer team to the IHSA Class 1A State Championship title in November 2022.

David Deets, M.A.Ed., Ed.D. ’21 was named superintendent of Mascoutah School District in Mascoutah, Ill. Nick Knolhoff coached the O’Fallon Township High School girls’ basketball team to the IHSA Class 4A State Championship title in March 2023.

32

Tamara Tally was awarded a 2023 “Those Who Excel” Meritorious Service Award from the Illinois State Board of Education. She is a teacher at Annette Officer Elementary School in East St. Louis, Ill.

2008 Lacey Schmersahl, M.A.Ed., Ed.S. ’22 was awarded a 2023 “Those Who Excel” Excellence Award from the Illinois State Board of Education. She is the principal at Marissa Elementary School in Marissa, Ill.

2009 Julius Williams, MBA ’11 is employed by the United States Space Force and stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. in the Launch Program at Space Systems Command as the lead government mission integration manager for all Department of Defense National Security Space Launch missions. His team partnered with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and launched two government missions at Cape Canaveral, Fla. He will conclude his assignment in the summer of 2023 and attend Johns Hopkins University for the masters in international public policy program.

Craig Zurliene, MBA coached the Mater Dei Catholic High School girls’ basketball team to the IHSA Class 2A State Championship title in March 2023.

2010 Elizabeth Alvarez, MSN, DNP ’19 received the outstanding faculty award from Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Ill. She is an assistant professor of nursing education.

Nicole Weh, M.A.Ed., was named the 2023 “Teacher of the Year” by ISBE for the Southeastern Region. She is a special education teacher at Central Community High School in Breese, Ill.

2012 Kelsie Boldt is a third-grade teacher at Mount Vernon City Schools District 80 in Mt. Vernon, Ill. Reginald Cloyd was hired as an associate attorney at Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Indianapolis, Ind. Henry Siemer was promoted to vice president, secretary treasurer at Siemer Milling Co. in Teutopolis, Ill.

Renee Rhodes ’03 welcomed son Jacob Benjamin Rhodes on Dec. 30, 2022.

Erin (Killian) James ’11, husband Sam ’10, and big brothers Oliver and Owen welcomed Theo Kilian on Nov. 15, 2022.

Tierney (McKay) Moore, husband Tyson ’11, and big sister Mabry welcomed Maddux Jack in November 2022.

Keri (Scheibel) Hemker, MBA ’15, husband Jon, big brothers Ethan and Deacon, and big sister Emery welcomed Hallie Rose on Dec. 31, 2022.

Tegan (Clinton) Jarvis ’15, husband Steven ’15, and big sister Braelynn welcomed a new addition to the family in November 2022.

Brendan Kampwerth ’15 and Anna Csar welcomed daughter Avery Reid Kampwerth on Jan. 7, 2023.

Lasha (Baker) Rebmann ’15, and husband Richie ’14, welcomed a baby boy in February 2022.

Megan (Jackson) Schmidt ’16, husband Ryan, and big brother Jeremiah welcomed Elijah Allen on Nov. 16, 2022.

Evan Bosaw ’17, wife Allie, and big brother Emmett welcomed Reagan on Feb. 24, 2023.

Denise (Kennedy) Wells was elected to the Governing Board of Directors for the National Consumer Voice – the leading advocacy organization representing consumers in issues related to long-term care. Experience as a long-term care ombudsman and her current role as the Executive Director of the Nursing Home Ombudsman Agency of the Bluegrass in Lexington, Ky. led to her election.

2013 Holly Tarp currently serves as Vice President of Finance and Business at Monmouth College.

2014 Philip Chapman, MBA ’16 was awarded his Doctorate in Business Administration in finance from Liberty University on Dec. 15, 2022. In January 2023, he became a partner of Edward Jones, a financial firm headquartered in St. Louis, Mo. Michelle Dempsey, Ed.S., Ed.D. ’17 was awarded a 2023 “Those Who Excel” Excellence Award from the Illinois State Board of Education. She is a fifth-grade teacher at C.A. Henning Elementary School in Troy, Ill. Monica (Weilbacher) Mize, M.A.Ed. was awarded a 2023 “Those Who Excel” Meritorious Service Award from the Illinois State Board of Education. She is a librarian at Eagleview Elementary School in Columbia, Ill. Timothy Whitehead, MBA ’16 is the new Falcon project manager at West Star in East Alton, Ill.

2015 Taryn Butler will start her Ph.D. in political science this fall at Loyola University in Chicago, Ill.

2016 Valerie Ruebusch, M.A.Ed., is a fourth-grade teacher at Red Bud Elementary School in Red Bud, Ill. Julia (Surdyke) Hunt is the Assistant Director of the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts at McKendree University.

Megan Schmidt was appointed Rotary International Zone 31 Assistant Rotary Public Image Coordinator.

2017 Joseph A. Gebke ’16, wife Maryl, and big brother Conan welcomed Alexander Ryan on Jan. 18, 2023.

Brandi (Branka) Kordelewski ’13 and Andrew Kordelewski ’15 welcomed daughter Chloe Marie Kordelewski on May 7, 2023.

Dr. PJ Thompson, M.A.Ed. is the senior director of development at Benedictine University in Lisle, Ill.

33

Julia (Surdyke) Hunt ‘16 (right) was promoted to assistant director at the Hett this spring. She is joined by Michelle Magnussen (center), the new director of the Hett, and Doug Magnussen (left), the Hett’s new technical director.

A.

Lauren Richter ’12 and Mike Ratulowski were married on Nov. 19, 2022.

B.

Brandi Billingsley ’15 and Joseph Bruener ’21, MBA ’22 were married on Aug. 20, 2022. Alumni in the wedding included: Alec Berens ’22, Bailey Bleser ’22, Alyssa Bruggemann ’21, Abby Chapman ’21, Nate Doty ’21, Seth Hornsby ’21, Allison Stephens ’21 and Amanda Tippett ’22.

C.

Austin Stout ’19 and Paige Riley ’20 were married on May 20, 2023. Alumni in the wedding included Mackenzie Menn ’20, Jazmine Patton ’20, Bailey Forneris ’19, Emma Riley ’25 and Matthew Bergmann ’21.

Kendall Butler ’16 and Cameron Hiller were married on Jan. 20, 2023.

Riley Smith ’16 and Megan Sczepanski were married on June 17, 2023.

D.

Brandon Perjak ’15, M.A.Ed. ’17 and Jillian Brumbaugh were married on Nov. 5, 2022.

Shelby Brandmeyer ’19, M.A.Ed. ’22 and Hunter Schulte were married on Dec. 17, 2022.

Tickets av ailable fo

2023- 202

(618) 537-

6863

Beloved staff member and alum, Scott Billhartz ’85, senior director of advancement services and stewardship, celebrated a milestone 60th birthday on February 5. Scott has been working for McKendree University for 22 years.

34

r our

4 Season theHett.co

m

A.

B.

2018 Gabrielle Weyhrich, MBA ’20 was named the 2023 NAIA women’s wrestling coach of the year after guiding the Southern Oregon University Raiders to the national title in March.

2019 Shelby (Brandmeyer) Schulte, M.A.Ed. ’22 was awarded a 2023 “Those Who Excel” Special Recognition from the Illinois State Board of Education. She is a fourth-grade teacher at Bartelso Grade School in Bartelso, Ill.

2020 C.

Angela Coughlin, M.A.Ed. was promoted to the executive director, continuing education at Heartland Community College in Normal, Ill. Jennifer Herring, M.A.Ed. was awarded a 2023 “Those Who Excel” Meritorious Service Award from the Illinois State Board of Education. She is a fifth-grade teacher at East Elementary School in Alton, Ill.

2021 Kelly Damann was named an Illinois State Board of Education meritorious service award recipient in the early career educator category. He is a band and chorus teacher at Illini Central School District in Mason City, Ill. Terri Kraemer, Ed.S. was named the 2023 Principal of the Year for the Southwestern Region by the Illinois Principal Association.

She is the principal at Harmony Intermediate and Emge Junior High School in Belleville, Ill.

D.

Rylee Skachenko is the general manager at Aspen Transportation Co. in Glenwood Springs, Colo.

Chase Seal is a certified master trainer at EverstrongSF in San Francisco, CA. Paris Suzuki, MBA ’23, is working in the registrar’s office at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo.

2022 Madeline Kuper is the International Admissions Counselor at McKendree University.

Matt Seniour M.A.Ed. ’22 is now the Senior Manager of Creative Services for McKendree University.

35

Bearcats Serving Our Nation: Hayden Schaefer ‘21 Hayden Schaefer ’21 has always had a desire to make a positive impact on the country and help people, and going into public service seemed like the best way he could accomplish his goals.

Hayden set his sights on joining the United States Secret Service – a job that always greatly interested him and would allow him to easily see the difference he was making each day.

Hayden Schaefer (left) poses in front of East Executive Avenue on the White House grounds with Shane Flaar (right), his former teacher and coach from O’Fallon, Ill.

A native of O’Fallon, Ill., Hayden decided to stay close to home for his college career and became a Bearcat. While at McKendree, he was a member of the baseball team for all four years and participated in the Student Athlete Advisor Committee for two years. As a sociology major emphasizing in criminal justice, Hayden was able to apply the communication skills and discipline that he developed at McKendree to his everyday life as a member of the Secret Service.

“Managing a full class schedule and playing baseball took up a ton of time, especially when the motivation was to be successful at both,” Hayden said. “I was far from perfect at managing both at times; however, these experiences allowed me to learn from my mistakes.”

From the intensive training Hayden received before donning his uniform to the long working hours, Hayden has experienced many exciting things and has faced numerous challenges along the way. While working 60 hours a week is a regular occurrence in the Secret Service, he has had the chance to be a part of or witness history. Of course, traveling is always on the docket for people in the Secret Service; however, Hayden is still new to it. “I’d say the coolest place thus far has been the president’s residence in Wilmington, Del.,” he said.

Perhaps the most gratifying experience Hayden has had so far is the meaningful journey that the Service has allowed him to take.

“I lived in the St. Louis area all my life. Joining the Secret Service meant moving to Washington D.C. It was a new place, and I really had no connections,” Hayden said. “Ever since I joined, I have grown tremendously as a person, although I still have a long way to go, and I’ve made networks and friendships that I never expected and have seen places I never thought I would.

In all, the most gratifying part is the adventure it has allowed me to take.”

Hayden encourages students who want to join the Secret Service to apply – and to do it early, if possible. Just keep in mind, however, that what you might see in movies is often wrong.

“People think you have to have former military training or prior law enforcement experience to join – this is not the case,” he said. “Go in with the expectation that you will work a lot. In addition, every day won’t be like the movies. The job isn’t always the most glorious, but you’re helping protect our nation’s leaders. I would recommend the Service to anyone coming out of college. It’s a great first job and opens some incredible career opportunities in the future!”

Jackson Knolhoff threw out the first pitch and received an honorary jersey before the Bearcats’ baseball game on March 4. A sixth-grade student at Parkway Central Middle School in Chesterfield, Mo., Jackson applied the Heimlich maneuver this past fall to save a classmate from choking. He is the son of McKendree Sports Hall of Fame member Justin Knolhoff ’01 and Academy of Excellence member Jackie (Schubert) Knolhoff ’02.

36

Basketball Reunions The McKendree University men’s (A) and women’s basketball (B) reunions were held on February 4 at Harry M. Statham Sports Center.

From left to right: Logan Kohrmann ’20, Troy Pedtke ’20, Jon Kraus ’97, Barry Harris ’78, Oliver Stephen ’22, Andy Kassebaum ’82, Brad Weathers ’76, Kyle Yates ’17, RJ Crunk ’92, Darron Randle ’92, Eejaun Riddle ’95, Michael Schaulat ’77, President Daniel C. Dobbins ’81, Kevin Schwartz ’91, Ron Matikitis ’68, Dennis Korte ’70, Gary Haverman ’81, Kurt Klein ’79, Lou Hagenbruch ’68, David Nottrott ’64. Not pictured: Mark Collins ’93, Bro. Steve Davis ’92, Mark Derwort ’96, Paul Funkhouser ’70, Paul Kettwich ’72, Chad Mills ’97, and John Sanders ’72.

From left to right: Rebecca Rakers ’03, Madison Hart ’20, Kari (Crnkovich) Crask ’96, Emily (Hart) Meyer ’07, Sydney Diekhoff ’21, Brittany Willis ’14, Madison Parker ’20, and Jordan Morton ’19.

Men’s Hockey Reunion The men’s hockey reunion was held on February 3 at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex.

Pictured are (front row, left to right): Brett Maggio ’18, Derek Sallee ’13, Derek Hartung ’13, Nick Nelson ’21, Ryan Reader ’21, Daniel Nordlander ’21, Christian Blandina ’22, Michael Weedman ’21, Zach Loehr ’17, Jason Beilke ’18, Dmytro Golovko ’20, and Blakely Robinson ’22; (back row, left to right): Charlie Donze ’10, Nic Rolla ’14, Matthew Seelbach ’15, former athletic trainer Samantha Hochmuth ’20, Trevor Wolf ’22, Tyler Estermyer ’22, Alec Nichols ’20, Brooks Boeschen ’09, Shayne Pluto ’21, Zach Stenger ’21, Jacob Scrum ’21, Oliver Joensson ’21, Aleksejs Ivasenko ’21, and Nathan Gaterman ’22.

Men’s Volleyball Reunion The men’s volleyball reunion was held on March 3 at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.

Pictured are (left to right): Coach Jorge Collazo, Brendan Schmidt ’18, Michael Polizzi ’17, Maalik Walker ’17, Rob Watkins ’18, Coach Nickie Sanlin, Eric Abrolat ’17, Brendon Dunn ’21, Dustin Borenstein ’18, and Will Frank ’19.

Bearcats to Boardroom We had a fantastic 2023 Bearcats to Boardroom Career Conference on March 25 on McKendree’s campus! This event benefits our current students preparing for life after graduation. The event included mock interviews, a networking lunch, and guest speakers covering topics like job searching, business networking, social media, and money matters. Along with our Career Services team, Jennifer (Harris) Pickerell ’99 and Katie Schuetz ’12, these alumni volunteers helped to make the event a success: Clayton Thornhill ’95, Lauren Reeves ’17, Robert Pickerell III ’01, Erin Strausbaugh ’09, Jim Polarine ’93, and friends Wendy Symer and Nathan Marcus Smith. If you are interested in helping McKendree students in the future by volunteering your time and sharing your professional expertise, please reach out!

alumni@mckendree.edu

37

Pop quiz, Bearcats! Can you solve it?

The

1.

4.

5.

2.

3.

6.

8.

7.

9.

10.

11.

13.

12.

14.

15.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

25.

38

24.

16.

Across 2

Previously known as the dining hall; now it is home to the 1828 Cafe and the Hub.

In Memoriam

Deceased alumni and friends through August 1, 2023.

4

The acronym for the Student Government Association.

7

Acronym for McKendree’s current gymnasium.

Ruth (Summers) Storey ’59, 12/24/22

9

Carnegie Hall and Clark Hall used to serve in this

John David Wunderlich ’88, 12/31/22

capacity when they were constructed in 1911.

12

This lake used to be a hotspot where students and

staff gathered around to socialize.

14

What Holman serves as and also what Benson Wood

was initially constructed to be.

15

The last name of the winningest basketball coach

in McKendree history.

17

19

What first-year students were required to wear

25

Gregg M. Liedtke ’08, 1/7/23 Dr. Michael N. Smith ’23, 1/7/23 Flossie H. (Hortin) Henry ’47, 1/11/23 Rita J. Brockway ’78, 1/14/23

Constructed in 1868, this buidling was home to a

Christina M. Arico ’14, 1/17/23

Planted in the front lawn in honor of the students

Gail L. Derickson, 1/18/23

who served in wars.

23

Beverly J. Fossie ’78, 1/7/23

until Thanksgiving as part of their initiation. single-story gym and then a science hall.

20

Fern M. (Klopmeyer) Regensberger ’48, 1/6/23

Once a student hangout and rehearsal space

David B. Hoopes ’89, 1/18/23

for McKendree’s bands; now serves as a bookstore.

Rev. Walter G. Storey ’56, 1/22/23

Where students, faculty and staff go to enjoy meals.

Sgt. Harry M. Reno ’91, 2/11/23 Laureen R. Dalton ’07, 2/13/23

Down

Dr. Thomas O. Jewett, 2/14/23 Conrad G. Steinhoff, 3/2/23

1

What students formed in 2007 in the circle drive: the world’s largest human _________.

3

This is the oldest building on campus.

Warren W. Ittner ’62, 4/14/23

5

What Eisenmayer was when it was built in 1901.

6

Acronym of the building built in 2000; houses several classrooms, faculty offices and the IT department.

Tyler J. Verson ’17, 4/19/23

8

The war many of McKendree’s students served in.

10

The first name of the university’s founder.

11

Our mascot.

13

Where many of McKendree’s athletic teams, including football and soccer, take on the competition during game days.

16

Home to the university’s visual and performing arts since 2006; catch world-class shows here.

17

Our favorite mascot’s name.

Doyne E. Winterrowd ’38, 7/2/23

18

The science hall; stands on the west side of campus.

The name of the current student-run paper: The McKendree _________.

Donald L. Kording ’70, 7/19/23

21

22

The last name of McKendree’s very first president. Our most prestigious alumni award is named after him.

24

Part of the Bearcat statue that football players touch for good luck before a game.

Louis J. Harms ’66, 3/24/23

Marigem L. (Stevens) Emde ’52, 4/26/23 Elva Mae (Kelly) Johnson ’81, 5/27/23 Charles G. Marty, Jr., 5/28/23 Reverend Louis A. Youngs, 6/16/23 Dr. Ruth Y. Walker ’01, 6/21/23 Joseph E. Daylor, 6/24/23

Samuel M. Smith ’71, 7/26/23

39

Share your professional accomplishments, such as job changes, promotions and awards, or personal milestones, such as advanced degrees earned, marriages or births. There are two easy ways to submit your information.

1. Fill out the Class Notes Form: https://www.mckendree.edu/alumni 2. Email a class note to alumni@mckendree.edu and include your name (maiden name when applicable), class year, and relevant information.

Information submitted will be posted in The McKendrean (print and online editions) and news releases and information from published news clippings may also be used. Please note the information that is published may be subject to availability of space and editing.

Interested in Volunteering?

As an alumni volunteer, you can give of your time, talent and treasure in a variety of ways. You can help with a specific program, speak at a career workshop, work alongside students, provide leadership for alumni activities, serve on a committee or as a class agent, and/or serve on the Alumni Association Board of Directors. If you have a desire to serve your alma mater, please contact the Director of Alumni Relations.

Follow Us For the Latest News!

@mckendreeu

@mckendreeu

McKendree University

@mckendreeu @mckendreealumni

McKendree University

@mckendreeu @McKendreeAlumni