2018 Midland Magazine

M I D Lmagazine AND

BOA RD O F DI RECTORS Randall Eikmeier, Chairman Steve Pribnow, Vice Chairman Jody Horner, University President Daniel Currell Mark Fahleson Steven Feye Rev. Peggy Hall Michael Herre Roger Lambourn Bishop Brian Maas Kari Ridder Dr. Ryan Taliaferro

L EA DER S HI P TE AM Jody Horner, President Jodi Benjamin, Vice President for Finance and Administration Eliza Ferzely, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing David Gillespie, Athletic Director Jessica Janssen, Vice President for Institutional Advancement Dr. Susan Kruml, Vice President for Academic Affairs Merritt Nelson, Vice President for Student Affairs

E DITOR Brad Eberspacher

DESI GN BLK.59 Design Group

CONTR IBUTORS Tracy Buffington

MI D LA N D U N I V E RS IT Y Office of Development 900 N Clarkson Fremont, NE 68025 alumni@midlandu.edu

Rev. Dr. John Eggen Eric Taylor (‘92) McCoy Worthington (‘10/‘15) Tammy Real-McKeighan (‘81)

Letter from the President YOU MATTE R I once had a boss and mentor who taught me that for organizations to become high performing, everyone needs to know “how they fit and why they matter.” “How you fit and why you matter” became a commonly used phrase within the teams he led. Regardless of what area you worked in, you knew how your job impacted the organization as a whole and that what you did or didn’t do made a difference. For me, this clarity in my role and my contribution created a strong sense of belonging.

One day I asked him, “How will you know if I am making a difference if you do not see me every day?” He responded, “I can read your shadows.” This puzzled me at first but eventually I came to understand that he was referring to the impact I had on those I interacted with. My behaviors, attitudes, and actions, even the things I chose not to do, mattered to others and left shadows that could be observed.

This impressed me and still influences how I think about my impact on others, especially our students. What does my shadow look like today? What will it look like in the years to come? And this leads to the question that all of us as part of the Midland community should ask: where do I fit and what shadow will my actions cast? How can I ensure my shadow will help not only today’s students but future generations of Warriors as well. This is important to consider because each of us has a role to play in the Midland community and our actions matter. YOU MATTER to Midland University.

Enjoy this issue of the Midland Magazine and may your shadows here at Midland be lasting.

Warm Regards,

Jody Horner President, Midland University

Letter from the President

3

6

Alumni Brittany Garrelts

12

Women’s Hockey

16

Midland Arts

20

Alumni Amy Pinkall

O UR MI SS ION Midland University inspires people to learn and lead in the world with purpose.

O UR V I SI O N To provide relevant, innovative, and dynamic learning experiences for our students by working from the marketplace back to ensure their career readiness. We strive every day to be relentlessly relevant.

CORE VALUES Midland University is a liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We hold the following core values to be the foundation of our identity as a community:

Midland is an affirmative action, Title IX, equal opportunity institution.

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TABLE OF contents

24

Midland Gives Back

25

With Purpose

32

Admissions

36

Campus of Ministry

40

Study Away

44

Alumni Jerry Rinne

48

Midland Swimming

52

Center for Graduate & Professional Studies

56

Gene Nelson

FO R M OR E I NFOR M AT IO N, V I SIT OUR W EB S ITE : MID AN D U. EDU Table of LContents 5

Brittany Garrelts HOP E FLOATS A BOARD T H E AFRICA ME RCY Brittany Garrelts, ’12, stepped off the plane, after her first solo international flight, into an unfamiliar new land. As she rolled through town with her escort, darkness setting in, she began to wonder if her decision to uproot and live in Africa was a sound one. Then, in the dusk, she saw a bright white ship glowing and swaying with the waves. She says it gave her comfort to see her new work station, and for the years that have followed she has carried that feeling of hope, relief, and new beginnings to countless others by working as a healthcare provider aboard the largest non-governmental hospital ship in the world.

“As we drove into the port in the dark, you could just see this white ship glowing in the distance,” Garrelts said. “You go up this gangway into what seems to be a totally different world… It was a big adjustment, but once I made it, it’s hard to picture going back to the states to work again.”

Garrelts works as a nurse and the team leader for general surgery on the Africa Mercy – a floating hospital ship that brings healthcare to underserved port cities along the African coastline. Operating with more than 400 people from 40 different countries, she works and lives on the Mercy Ship. As the general surgery team leader, she helps provide vital healthcare to individuals stricken with illnesses and living in poverty.

Although she didn’t always know all the specifics surrounding Mercy Ships, Garrelts felt moved to help others from a young age. When it came time for her to seek out a college and career, she already knew she wanted to go into nursing. However, she says her college search also centered around her faith, the collegiate environment, and opportunities to grow within the classroom and beyond.

“YOU G O U P TO T HE GANGWAY I NTO WH AT SE EM S TO B E A TOTA L LY DI FFE R ENT WO R LD. . . I T WAS A BI G A DJ U ST ME N T, B U T ON CE I M A D E IT, I T ’S H AR D TO P ICTU RE G O I NG BACK TO T H E STAT ES TO WOR K AGA IN .”

Brittany Garrelts

7

“I started looking at Midland; I loved that it had that faith background and I was big into vocal music,” she said. “I interviewed with Jim Logue and knew I could come on a music scholarship.”

At Midland, in addition to taking on the rigorous studies of a nursing student, she seized the opportunity to interact, connect, and discover the benefits of a tight-knit community. In addition to singing in the choir and Clef Dwellers, she was a community advisor, tutored in the learning center, and was an Anderson Leader. She formed bonds and realized the value of community through both organized activities and less formal groups. She says her group of eight close friends jokingly called themselves the “Beegle East Girls” — a mock-sorority of sorts that still remains close. She also participated in leadership groups that she says have become valuable in her current position.

“I would definitely say that my leadership training at Midland helped,” she said. “I did student leadership team. I was also the Warrior Welcome Days student leader, so getting different management experience and leadership experience

with both of those things have really helped me transition this year into what I’m doing as the team leader for the ward.”

When looking back at her college experience, she quickly pinpoints one unique chance that solidified her decision to serve people in Africa. As part of a Midland interterm class with Professor Ann Larson, Garrelts traveled to Tanzania, Africa, where she explored the culture and medical conditions of the foreign area. She says the experience helped her understand both the need for her help as well as which areas best matched her personal strengths.

“We went to Tanzania, we did safari, we went up into hill country around Kilimanjaro, went to a hospital and saw a nursing school and how surgery was done, and saw what it was like to be hospitalized and receive medical care in that local system,” she said. “It’s actually one of the ways I decided I was interested in something like Mercy Ships because I looked at what it would be like to practice and work in a rural area …I wanted to be somewhere that had more resources and an even larger ability to help people with more modern medicine. It was part of where I fell in love with the idea of coming to work in Africa.”

“I WAN T ED TO B E SOMEWH ERE TH AT H A D M OR E RESOURCES AN D A N EVE N LA RG E R A B IL IT Y TO HE LP PEO PL E W IT H MO R E MOD E RN ME D IC IN E . IT WAS PA RT OF W H E R E I F E LL I N LOVE WI TH THE IDE A OF COMI N G TO WORK IN A FR ICA.” 8 Midland Magazine

Photos courtesy: © Mercy Ships

After graduating, she moved to her hometown of Wichita, Kansas, where she started practicing nursing and gathering the crucial experience needed to prepare her for work on Mercy Ships.

From there she signed on to a 9-month contract to be a pediatric ward nurse in Benin, West Africa. In her first Mercy Ship position, she worked in the Plastics and Reconstructive Ward, where she most commonly treated burn victims. Because open fires are common for heating and cooking in West Africa, people, and often children, sustain major burns from accidents with fires. As a pediatric nurse, she spent much of her first Mercy Ship experience treating patients and ultimately preventing the loss of limbs or death.

In her first-ever position on the ship, she directly contributed to significant positive change. During 10 months in Benin starting in 2016, nearly 2,000 surgeries were performed on-board, and more than 20,000 dental procedures took place. When considering the environment of the Sub-Saharan Africa, this impact is magnified. Serving several countries where people live on less than $2 a day, she is bringing healthcare to many people who simply would not have an option otherwise. With an estimated 85% of children in many of these impoverished areas needing surgical treatment prior to the age of 15, she helps save lives and brings lifechanging hope to people on a daily basis.

She considered her first experience as a nurse in Benin a positive one. In August of 2017, she decided to stay with the ship in Cameroon, where she currently serves as the ward team leader for general surgery. As the team leader, she spends much of the day coordinating surgeries, setting plans, and treating patients within her general surgery specialty. She says it is a high-paced environment that contrasts typical U.S. hospitals in a variety of ways, including work and life in close quarters and serving patients in a 20-bed open room.

Beyond being in a setting drastically different from a typical hospital, life on Mercy Ships includes another important distinction: all work is done on a purely volunteer basis. In fact, Garrelts, and all the hospital’s crew members actually pay to live onboard. By paying her own living expenses, as well as paying a monthly crew fee, she helps cover medical supplies, food, shelter, medications, and follow-up care for her patients. In order to serve these people in impoverished areas completely free of charge, Garrelts pays her own way and donates her services pro bono. For Garrelts, it means a personal financial sacrifice, and in the past she has either paid through fundraising or paid out of her own pocket, generally doing a combination of both.

It is just another challenge she meets willingly in order to serve those in need.

FOR MO RE I NFORMAT I O N, VI SI T OUR W EB S ITE : ALU MN I. MID L AN D U.E D U

Brittany Garrelts

9

Still, despite having to face the challenges of financial sacrifice, learning a different culture, living on a ship, and sharing a cabin room with 4 to 6 other people, she says seeing the positive change of her work is beyond rewarding. After surgery, she says patients are given a mirror. Often, Garrelts will show the patients the spot where they had grown used to seeing a large goiter, inflamed thyroid, bowed legs, or facial tumors. She says their reactions confirm the positive changes she makes on a daily basis.

After her Cameroon tour wraps up in June of 2018, she plans to continue with the ship when it sets sail once again in August. Although she will be serving people in Guinea in the fall of 2018, she will continue to bring purpose-driven leadership and lifechanging care to those around her on a ship glowing with hope.

For more information on Mercy Ships, visit www.MercyShips.org.

“It’s that first moment when the patient looks and sees what happened with their surgery, sees they’re healing,” she said. “They have the biggest smiles on their faces and you know what you’re doing is worthwhile because you know you have made a huge difference in a person’s life.”

“T H EY H AV E THE BI GG EST SM I LES ON T H EIR FACES A N D YOU K N OW WHAT YOU ’ R E DO I NG I S WO RTH WHI L E BECAUSE YO U KN OW YOU H AVE M A D E A H U GE DI FFE RE NC E I N A PE RSON ’S L IF E.”

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Michaela Millikan Scholarships Received: Newell & Lucille Baum Family Education Scholarship & Peter Kiewit Foundation Scholarship

Class & Major: Senior, Arts Management Hometown: Bennington, NE Campus Activities: Midland Arts

Department (Vocal and Theatre), Campus Ministries, Phi Omega Sorority

How has Midland changed you?

Midland has a way of making me feel unstoppable in my dreaming and completely capable in my actions. That mentality is something I hope never leaves me… whether I’ve been an alumna for 5 years or 50.

What do you think of Midland’s faculty and staff?

I have never met a group of people as passionate and driven to provide a high quality experience for their students.

Because of these people, Midland is a place I will forever proudly call my home.

Dream Job?

I want the ability to impact others. Any position that lets me love and develop others while exercising my skills of organization, communication, and strategic thinking, is the job for me!

Favorite Spot on Campus?

Oh boy… that has to be a tie between the center fountain and my work study desk. I love the center fountain because it is a beautiful place to sit back and reflect. I also love my work study desk. That desk is where my passions and dreams were able to become realities and I was able to learn from my amazing and inspiring mentors.

Student Spotlight 11

Women’s Hockey WA RRIOR WOMEN’S HOC KEY PASSES THE P UC K THROUGH COMMUNI T Y ME NTORI NG PROGRA MS Long before he started coaching, before he discovered his own love of hockey, Midland women’s hockey head coach Jason White says he had mentors showing him how to skate and hold a stick. He idolized these local leaders. Now, he and his team of student-athletes are helping pay it forward, working as volunteers with Fremont’s youth hockey program.

“The Midland players are working with our youngest age groups of hockey players within the Fremont Flyers program and giving them a great experience,” said White. “It’s allowing these kids to be mentored by the young women in our program, which I think is awesome. It’s not only good for the community, Fremont Flyers, and Midland, but really for women’s sports in general.”

Every Monday, Midland’s women’s hockey athletes strap up their skates and volunteer to teach hockey

beginners in Fremont’s Intro to Hockey program. The Intro to Hockey program, which White helped develop throughout the better part of the last decade, gives kids a chance to experience hockey, often for the first time. By minimizing the cost and providing hands-on interaction, White says his team is able to bring the sport they love to more area kids. And once these young people give hockey a try, they usually love it.

“We know that, with the game of hockey, usually once young kids try it they get hooked,” White says.

“Once they get hooked, they have a blast with it.”

White has spent the last several months calling on his players to become positive mentors and use their skills to strengthen the community. In addition to volunteering with the absolute beginners, the student-athletes also carve out time to teach the Fremont Flyers’ Mite group – local six, seven, and eight-year-olds. He says his student-athletes have stepped up and met the challenge to teach kids about hockey with open arms.

“IT ’S A L LOW IN G T HES E K I DS TO BE M E N TORE D BY T H E YOU N G WOM EN IN OU R P RO GRA M, WHI C H I TH IN K IS AWESOM E.”

Women’s Hockey 13

“Your character and how you handle situations and adversity, all of that stuff is tied into the sport,” White says. “I think what these women are learning is that they’re now passing this down onto the next young kids through the sport, and we’re teaching them the right things about the sport and sportsmanship and the way things should be done.”

He says, so far, the program has been a great success for both the youth in the community and the Midland University student-athletes who volunteer.

“The game is tied in with the community, and the community is tied into the university,” he says. “It’s all intertwined…It’s just that whole concept of trying to give back and shape and mold some of these young kids in the community.”

In addition to building opportunities for kids, the players’ commitment to the local community has

helped bolster support for Midland Hockey, raising attendance at local games. This support and energy is interlaced with the Warriors’ increased success in recent years. Since the program’s inception in 2014, the women’s hockey team has increased its win total every year. In 2017-18, the Warriors churned out 19 wins, more than doubling their win total from the previous season and securing the first playoff berth in program history.

This rapid rise to success for Warrior Women’s Hockey is no small feat. The men’s and women’s hockey teams began competition as a varsity sport at Midland just four years ago. As a part of a push by the university to maximize opportunities for individual growth through the activities students love, the women’s hockey program was added as Midland’s 27th varsity sport. The team first started competition in 2014, with high hopes and support from both the university and community.

“I F EE L LI KE HO CK EY CAN P REPARE YOU TO B E S U CCESSF U L IN L IFE .

T H E R E’S J U ST A G REAT TRANSI TI O N OF L EA R N IN G L IF E L ESSON S, T Y I N G I T TH ROU GH TH E SP ORT, AN D M A K IN G YO U A B ET T E R PE R SON .”

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“What makes this program so special is the support from the university,” says White. “Midland is giving us the opportunity to expand and continue to be successful.”

Adding to the team’s recent achievements will be the graduation of five senior hockey players this year – the first group of Midland women’s hockey graduates. As they prepare to branch out into their careers, White says the sport of hockey has set them up for success.

“I always feel that hockey can prepare you for life because of all these life lessons that you learn throughout, and it’s taught through the sport,” says White. “That’s what I love about the sport.”

White, his inaugural group of seniors, and the whole Warrior women’s hockey team plans to continue to

give back to the community through volunteer opportunities, in hopes of passing on successes and opening doors to big opportunities for young people.

“Leadership, character, these types of attributes are being passed down to the next kids coming through the game,” says White. “I feel like hockey can prepare you to be successful in life. There’s just a great transition of learning life lessons, tying it through the sport, and making you a better person.”

The Midland University women’s hockey team competes at Sidner Ice Arena in Fremont and is part of the Western Women College Hockey League (WWCHL). They finished the 2017-18 season with a program-best 19-14-1 record and an appearance in the WWCHL Conference Semifinals. More about Warrior Women’s Hockey can be found at MidlandAthletics.com.

Women’s Hockey 15

Midland Arts IMP ROVING THE WORL D THROUGH SIN GIN G The Arts at Midland University and Deke Sharon share a common goal: to improve the world through singing.

Kicking off the first A Cappella Day of Midland University’s Ninth Annual Festival of the Arts, the “father of contemporary a cappella,” known for his work as musical director and arranger of the “Pitch Perfect” movies, the NBC series, “The Sing Off,” and founder of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICAA), shared this goal with students in February.

“I want everybody to know that singing is powerful, that it’s fun, and that it’s something you should do through your entire life,” Sharon said moments before leading Midland’s a cappella choirs and students from three Nebraska high schools in a performance of one of his arrangements.

“For me, my life’s work is to spread harmony through harmony,” Sharon said. “I truly believe that our nation, and, in a lot of ways, our world is broken.

People feel alone; they feel isolated. There are these deep divisions in our country that are getting deeper. I feel like I have the fix. I feel like I have this tool - this incredible thing that people did throughout human history and from prehistoric times, and that is singing together.”

Festival of the Arts is a week-long event on the Midland campus that connects local high school performing arts programs with the university in an educational and positive way. During the week, over 900 students came to perform and be critiqued by nationally recognized clinicians in Jazz Band, Middle School and High School Show Choir, and now, for the first time, A Cappella. Sharon led a group of three judges who provided feedback and rated five local

“I F EE L LI KE I H AV E T HI S TO OL - TH IS IN CR ED IB L E T H IN G TH AT PEOP L E D I D T HROU GHOU T HUM A N H ISTO RY A N D F ROM P R EH ISTO R IC TI MES, AND T HAT I S SI N G IN G TOG E TH E R.”

Midland Arts 17

high school groups. He also held a public workshop that provided his insights into contemporary a cappella music.

Midland honored one performer from each group, awarding that student with a scholarship worth $15,000 per year.

Kat Sodawasser, Assistant Music Director at Midland and ‘15/’17 alumna, who organized the event, said, “this event filled a hole that has been missing in the Nebraska choral community for a long time. Show choir is big in this area, and that's what a lot of high schools are focused on, but a cappella is catching up! We wanted to create an event for schools who may not have a typical show choir, or for those who do but also wanted an event for their a cappella group to compete. Also, this event encompasses all types of a cappella (i.e. vocal jazz, pop, barbershop, chamber, etc.), and any type of group is welcome.”

Sharon sees the opportunity to participate in the performing arts as a way to build critical life skills.

“When you’re really creating great art – in any of the performing arts – you’re working on different aspects of your life,” Sharon said. “You can do math alone. You can create science alone in the lab. With the performing arts, you’re doing something collaboratively. You’re understanding your own and other people’s emotions. You’re learning how to listen. You’re learning how the sum of the parts is bigger than any one individual. These are lessons and messages that are so impactful on anyone’s education and what they go on to do with their life.”

“T HESE A R E LESSONS A ND MESSAG ES T H AT A RE SO IMPACT F U L ON AN YON E’S E D UCATI O N A ND WHAT T HEY G O ON TO DO W IT H T H E IR L IF E.”

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“Bringing exceptional educational experiences to our students is the pride of the performing arts,” said Assistant Director of Performing Arts, Kyle Thomas. “Just because we are a small school does not mean that the opportunities we provide to our students are small.” In fact, discussion is already underway for next year’s A Cappella Day at the Festival of the Arts, and Sharon would like to be included. “This is a great program. It’s a great school,” Sharon said. “I think this wonderful event is going to grow and grow to where they won’t even know what to do with it.”

Through events like Festival of the Arts, Midland University students are able to showcase their talents, enhance their college experience, and connect with the industry they are hoping to work in.

Midland’s student-centric Performing Arts program provides students from all academic programs opportunities to grow, learn, collaborate, and live out their passions. Sharon’s visit was made possible through the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment as well as through support from Midland University and the new Midland University Performing Arts Society.

The Midland University Performing Arts Society was established in 2017 to allow parents, community members and other supporters of the arts to have a direct impact in advancing the arts and arts programming at Midland University. For more information or to get directly involved, visit: www.midlandu.edu/pas.

Midland Arts 19

Amy Pinkall, MD L I FELON G L EA RN ING 20,000 FEE T A N D BEYO ND To say Amy Pinkall, M.D., ’93 is active would be a vast understatement. When she isn’t bouncing between three separate hospitals treating children, or serving as a chair on multiple committees, she is teaching Sunday School, leading Girl Scouts, or volunteering. What drives this juggling act? For Dr. Pinkall, the pursuit of new experiences and perspectives seems to have always played an intricate role. It brought her to Midland; it helped her get her medical degree and build a successful career in pediatrics, and it has taken her to literal heights seldom reached – to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, nearly 20,000 feet above the earth.

“Definitely having a lot of variety, seeing people from various backgrounds, and interacting with them is exciting for me,” says Dr. Pinkall.

It was this desire for a fresh range of views that drew Dr. Pinkall to an active, student-centered liberal arts education. She already knew, better than most, the Midland advantages. In fact, in her

family circle, going to Midland was a longstanding tradition. Among her family members who attended Midland are two brothers, her dad, an aunt and uncle, her grandpa, her great aunt, and her great uncle. Still, beyond the family bias, she saw Midland as a chance to maximize learning and get a complete college experience.

“I knew it had a broad-based education for me to figure out what I wanted to do because I really didn’t know what I wanted to do when I started college,” she says. “It’s a small enough campus that you can get involved in a lot of things and get to know a lot of people, get to know professors, and just really have a chance to be engaged.”

At Midland, she took advantage of this engagement, participating in Student Action Committee, in a sorority, and playing tennis. She used the environment to find her own direction without missing out on cross-curricular overlaps. When she looks back at her education now, she relishes the

“IT ’S A S MA LL ENO UG H CAMP US THAT YOU CA N G E T IN VOLVE D IN A LOT OF TH I NGS A ND G E T TO K NOW A LOT OF PEOP L E , G ET TO KN OW PROF ESSO RS, AND J U ST R E A LLY HAVE A C HANC E TO B E EN GAG E D.” Amy Pinkall 21

solid base in science she received, but she also appreciates getting to dive into courses outside of her specialty, like the Odyssey class, which helped shape her along the way.

“Having that solid foundation is incredibly useful,” she says. “They had the Odyssey program… I always felt like we learned a lot about things I wouldn’t have known about otherwise: reading, writing, and thinking…It taught me a lot about writing, and writing is a big part of being a doctor.”

After exploring her likes and dislikes at Midland, she honed in on a career path, and set her sights on a career in medicine. With a goal in mind, Dr. Pinkall ascended into her career with clear eyes. She graduated from Midland in 1993. From there, with a clear vision of her future and solid footing in science, she moved on to get her medical degree in pediatrics at Nebraska Medical Center and completed her residency at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. She moved on to Children’s Hospital in Omaha, and eventually developed a successful, but busy, career in pediatrics in Lincoln.

“I have the opportunity to go to three different

hospitals most days that I’m working and interact with a lot of different staff and a lot of different kinds of patients and families,” she says. “Then I also have the opportunity to sit on committees where I can sort of impact that change in the hospitals to make the hospitals function more smoothly.”

Even with a demanding career and a multitude of responsibilities, that longing for new experiences, perspectives, and learning opportunities remained vibrant in Dr. Pinkall.

A few years ago, she began forming yet another goal: to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. With little climbing experience, she decided to prepare by climbing Pikes Peak in Colorado. However, she says it turned out to be a discouraging endeavor. “It was kind of a terrible experience. I had altitude sickness. I got lost from my friends. It was really not very fun in the moment at all,” says Dr. Pinkall. “I wondered at that point in time like, ‘Oh my gosh, maybe I don’t want to go to Africa and do something this horrible.’ “ However, Dr. Pinkall didn’t let the negative experience sour her spirit. She climbed a few other mountains in

“W H E N YO U ’ RE UP O N TO P OF T HE M OU N TA IN , YO U A LM OST FEE L L I K E YO U ARE ON T H IS I SL A ND IN TH E MI DDL E OF T HE O CE A N .”

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Colorado and built her confidence. Still, as she began formulating plans for the main event – a climb nearly 5,000 feet higher than Pikes Peak and thousands of miles away – she remained a bit unsettled.

It was then that she found a comforting connection stemming from the relationships she had built at Midland. She discovered Brenda Kimaro ’93, who had been her classmate at Midland, owns and runs Tanzania Choice Safaris – a company that arranges Tanzanian travel experiences.

“That was really reassuring to have someone there that I had known for over 20 years,” says Dr. Pinkall.

“I definitely felt like that connection was reassuring in that whole process.”

The familiar face, and the relationship she had built years before, helped drive her to take on the mountain. So, she joined Kimaro’s team and traveled to Tanzania. As Pinkall traversed the rocky terrain, air thin and feet heavy, she says she knew to enjoy details of the climb. In a moment that seemed to echo her collegiate experience from years before, she pushed toward her goal at the peak, but she reminded herself to absorb the full opportunity along the way.

“There is a struggle of reaching the summit, being at the top, having accomplished that goal of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, but I really tried to enjoy the whole way too, from seeing the different sights, meeting different people, and having different experiences,” said Dr. Pinkall.

For Dr. Pinkall, the shear magnitude of her accomplishments came to a head near the end of her ascent. She laid down to sleep above 14,000 feet – the highest altitude she had ever been. Fittingly, she began the next day at a loftier point than she had ever stood: perhaps a metaphor for the patterns of her ambitious pursuits as a lifelong learner.

“To hang out there, sleep there, and have that be your starting spot was surreal,” says Dr. Pinkall.

When she reached the peak, she says she felt fulfillment and awe at the spectacle: an ocean of clouds surrounding her.

“When you’re up on top of the mountain, you almost feel like you are on this island in the middle of the ocean,” said Dr. Pinkall. “You can see the peak of Mount Meru, and it looks just like a little island off in the distance. It’s pretty amazing.”

In the time since the climb, Dr. Pinkall continues to seek out new chances to learn and grow. In addition to serving as the Pediatric Medical Director at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals, Chair of the Commission of Pediatrics at Bryan Health, and on the Medical Executive Committee at Madonna, she has started delivering meals on wheels in the last year.

And, as a true lifelong learner, she is always looking on to the next peak, remembering to breathe in the air and take in the scenery along the way.

FOR M OR E I NFO RMAT IO N, VIS IT OU R WEB S ITE : ALU M N I. MID L AN D U.E D U

Amy Pinkall 23

“ YOU MU ST B E T HE C HA NG E YO U WI S H TO S E E IN TH E WO RL D ”

A Midland education isn’t just about success in the classroom or in competition. It’s about learning how to become change makers within our families and communities. Each year, Midland students, faculty, and staff spend thousands of hours volunteering at organizations throughout Fremont and surrounding communities.

With a wide variety of projects from Habitat for Humanity and the United Way, Omaha City Mission, and even teaching kids throughout the community, Midland strives to be a part of change in our communities.

44 4,4621

1,383

# OF VOLUNTEERS # OF VOLUNTEER HOURS # OF VOLUNTEERS

24 Midland Magazine

4 # OF PROJECTS # OF PROJECTS PER MONTH P (AVERAGE)

$

$85,403 $

$ IMPACT $ IMPACT IN COMMUNITY IN COMMUNITY

WITH

purpose

With Purpose 25

WI T H P U R P OS E

M I D L A ND A N NO UNCES THE PUBLIC PH ASE OF A $5 0 MILLION CAM PA IGN Engage friends, alumni, community, and Midland’s network of supporters. Increase sustainability support through the annual fund and planned giving. Raise funds for key capital and programmatic areas. Share the vision for Midland University’s future.

These were the four objectives that we set out to accomplish as we began the largest comprehensive campaign in Midland’s history. In 2016, inspired by the vision of new programmatic investments and a new Omaha location to establish a second footprint in the market, we began blazing a trail of engagement and support to uplift funding and accomplish the goals set before us.

As President Horner and I met with alumni, community members, and friends of the University, we intentionally chose to make “engagement” a cornerstone objective of the comprehensive campaign. Humbly, we acknowledged that we had work to do to bring in our network of supporters through meaningful engagement beyond financial support alone. And thus a comprehensive – not capital – campaign was launched with intentionality, “With Purpose”, to bring along a myriad of stakeholders as we set out a new vision for Midland University.

We also acknowledged that without the ongoing sustainability support of alumni and donors through the annual fund and planned giving, we could not ensure the future sustainability of the University, nor could we continue to provide scholarships to meet the increasing need of our student population. “With Purpose” we chose increased focus on sustainability support as our next key objective.

The framing of a comprehensive campaign also led us to discussions about priority investments for our students. And while Midland University does strive to have modern facilities to meet the changing needs of the places where our students convene, a campaign that only met capital needs did not match our vision. Through this comprehensive campaign we have raised funds for investments in core academic areas, student experience and models of enhanced learning outcomes, scholarship support for current and future generations of students, and enhanced student spaces where they make the greatest impact.

As we now celebrate the launch of the “public phase” of this comprehensive campaign, we are excited to share with you our vision for the future, “to provide relevant, innovative, and dynamic learning experiences for our students by working from the marketplace back to ensure their career readiness.” Rooted in our Lutheran heritage and the liberal arts, this vision for the future inspires us to reach for a future that is centered around students’ success and meaningful pathways that are “relentlessly relevant” to address the changing landscape our students will experience.

We are thankful for our campaign leadership committee for their advice, advocacy, and championing of this campaign, and we are humbled by the thousands of men and women who have come together to raise more than $27 million to-date and set us on a path to achieving these goals. We know that with your continued support, future generations of students will be inspired to learn and lead in the world WITH PURPOSE! Thank you,

Jessica Janssen Vice President for Institutional Advancement

27

C O M M I T T E D

million

$

54

%

TO campaign goal

ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY & SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NAMED SCHOLARSHIPS ACADEMIC PROGRAM INVESTMENT SUSTAINABILITY SUPPORT PLANNED GIFTS

12

thousand

E N G A G E D

A L U M N I

660+ FIRST TIME DONORS With Purpose 27

WI T H P U R P OS E

28 Midland Magazine

Midland is investing heavily in creating modern and comfortable spaces for students on campus. With renovations to the Warrior Grille, Dining Hall, and construction underway on the Eikmeier Commons, our focus turns to new construction possibilities.

NE W H A L L With more than 600 students living on-campus each year, the need for renovated and modern living space is higher than ever. Men’s Memorial Hall, built more than 70 years ago, is unable to be renovated in its current state. A replacement hall, providing students a safe and comfortable place to live, is our next highest priority.

ATH LE T I C DE PA RT M E NT Midland is also home to Nebraska’s largest athletic department. Thirty one sports and more than 850 student athletes put a strain on coaches, student athletes and facilities. With practice spaces being used from 5am to 1am every day, a major expansion to our practice facilities is necessary.

With Purpose 29

WI T H P U R P OS E

We’re not done yet!

Although nearly 54% to our goal, Midland now needs your help to finish strong.

PL E AS E CO NS I D ER M A K I NG A G I FT TO DAY: Make a scholarship or building fund gift online at youmatter.midlandu.edu To start a scholarship or to discuss a planned gift to Midland in the future, please contact Jessica Janssen at janssen@midlandu.edu or 402-941-6523

A SPECIA L TH A N KS TO T H E

WITH PURPOSE campaign committee 30 Midland Magazine

GA RY ( ’ 70 ) A ND CAROL ( ’72 ) P ERK I NS

JJ (’95) AND JEN NIFER (’97) BI XBY

RA NDY ( ’ 82 ) A ND SH EL LY (’ 83) EI K M E IE R

E RIC (’9 9 ) A ND JA MIE (’ 99 ) HEE DUM

TOM ( ’81 ) A N D LAURA WAL K ER

STE VE (’77 ) A ND JU LIE NAVARRE TTE

With Purpose 31

32 Midland Magazine

Admissions ALUMNI MEMORIES TURN INTO ADMISSIONS VICTORIES On the surface, most people may think that Admissions and Alumni Relations don’t have a lot in common. But if you dig a bit deeper, both departments are dedicated to sharing the Midland story and what Midland stands for. But what’s the most important part of the story?

Kyle Peacock, Midland University’s Assistant Director of Admissions, wanted to know if the message he shared with prospective students was similar to the one John Eggen, Major Gifts Officer, presented to alumni and donors. Peacock and Eggen met for lunch and “we found we were sharing the same narrative,” Peacock says. “We thought, if we’re sharing the same information, there has to be a way we could connect and make this better and more rewarding for both groups.”

Since that initial conversation, Midland’s Office of Institutional Advancement and Office of Admissions has hosted four events in 2017 and 2018 that have offered alumni and prospective students a chance to meet each other, share memories of the Midland experience, and answer questions about life on the Fremont campus.

“There are no expectations. There are no presentations,” Peacock says. “It’s ‘just come have dinner on us so you can get to know us and we can get to know you.’ Our alumni loved it because they were coming to help us recruit students to a place they obviously love so much. It was really cool to see them share their stories.”

“OU R A LUM N I LOVE D I T BECAUSE THEY W E RE COMI N G TO H E LP US REC RUI T ST UDE N TS TO A PLACE T HEY O BV IO US LY LOV E SO MU CH.”

Admissions 33

The first event was held in Denver where 14 alumni met with 14 prospective students.“It was great. The alumni and students all sat and mingled with each other,” Peacock says. “Every student who came to that dinner later came for a campus visit in the fall, and half of the students who attended the event will be students at Midland this fall.”

Eggen shared, “Our alumni are great at sharing Midland’s story. At the end of the event, Kyle and I felt like we needed to tell the students, ‘We didn’t pay any of them to say anything!’ They [alumni] were just there to share their experience at Midland with another generation of Warriors.”

That success led to additional events in Kansas City, Anaheim, and Dallas.“We didn’t think we were going to do more than one,” Peacock says. “We were going to try it out, but they proved to be so successful in connecting students with alumni that we knew this was something special.”

Each of the events have offered a casual way for alumni to share their memories. Additionally, prospective students and their parents can ask questions about what kind of experiences Midland offers and about academic programs, alumni support, and general life in a city with a population of 26,000.

“Our alumni have been incredible. They want to tell people about their Midland story,” Peacock says.

“Everyone wants to share their experiences from their time on campus. At every event, we’ve stayed an hour or two past the closing time because our alumni have so many cool memories. It’s mindblowing how passionate they have been.”

The final event of the year was hosted in Dallas, where Midland’s choir was completing their spring tour, and Midland Dance, Golf, and Powerlifting teams were competing. This event was unique in bringing together prospective and current students along with President Horner and a performance from the Clef Dwellers.

“E V ERYON E WA NTS TO SHARE T HEI R E XP E RI E N CES FROM T H E I R T I ME ON CA MP U S. AT E VE RY EVE NT, WE ’VE STAY E D A N H OU R OR T WO PAST TH E CLOSIN G T IME B ECAUSE OUR ALUM NI H AVE SO M AN Y COOL ME MORI ES.” 34 Midland Magazine

“We ended up having the biggest event yet,” Peacock says. “This event was different because we had current students, alumni, and committed students there. It was more of a celebration of the Midland experience and welcoming new students into the family.”

Coaches and members of the Performing Arts staff have provided many of the names of the prospective students who have been invited. “When we decided on doing this, we asked coaches and Performing Arts to supply names,” Peacock says. “We wanted it to be highly selective. We wanted to give these students the best experience possible.”

With the success of this year’s alumni-student events, plans already are being made to hold more in the future. Eggen shared, “At our first event, we said, ‘You Matter at Midland. At Midland, people will get to know who you are and spend time with you.

Kyle and I are only a part of Midland. Our alumni, and our students, they are Midland.’ ” So what’s the most important part of the Midland story that we share with students and alumni? You. Our alumni, our students, our faculty, our staff, and the entire Midland family they form. You Matter.

Alumni, prospective students, and Midland staff in Dallas

Admissions 35

Campus of Ministry GOI NG BEYOND TH E CHA PEL In the middle of Midland’s campus stands a symbol of why our University is different. The Cross at the Center is a powerful reminder of God’s promised presence in and through the work of Midland’s faculty and staff, and is one of the many reminders that Midland is a different kind of campus where God is not simply found at the edges, but in part of everything we do. Midland is different because it is a campus of ministry, where God’s calling and presence extends into the classrooms, residential halls, dining hall, and the times and places which comprise the life of students at Midland University.

The way the faculty and staff of Midland see their role is one of these differences. The Lutheran theme of vocation reminds us that we are all called and this calling is expressed when serving God and each other honestly and in mutual love. We each have a vocation expressed through a station in life; whether as a

student, faculty, coach, or staff member. Being a part of Midland is a calling for many, not just a job. Merritt Nelson, Vice President for Student Affairs, shares his own experience of coming to Midland. “My faith is the core of why I'm here. I felt God calling me to be here, because of the faith component at Midland, not only for me, but for others.” This shared sense of calling contributes to a different experience of ministry, where it goes beyond the formal times and spaces of campus and finds its way into the daily life.

A campus of ministry provides an academic environment where faculty and staff are free to have natural faith conversations with students. These conversations meet students where they are at in life within meaningful dialog. Dr. Jamie Simpson, Dean of the Luther College of Arts and Sciences, shared her experience coming from a large public university, saying, “I was completely not expecting how much

“M Y FA IT H IS T H E CORE O F WHY I ’M H E R E . I FE LT G OD CA L L IN G M E TO BE HE R E , BECAU SE O F THE FAITH CO MPON E N T AT M ID L A ND, N OT O NLY FO R ME, BUT FOR OT H E RS.” Campus of Ministry 37

people cared about their students. We don’t just hope for our students to pass, we want our students to be successful.” Seeing their role at Midland as a calling goes beyond teaching to reflecting on how to serve students beyond the classroom experience.

President Jody Horner describes this partnership with students as, “helping students through the walk of life, to show support, to be there for them, and to pick them up when they fall down, while also helping them learn to be accountable.”

This partnership with students means that conversations are often more reflective of seeing each other as spiritual peers, rather than a teacherstudent relationship. Dr. Simpson shares what this often means when she is talking to a student, “I feel very comfortable saying, ‘I’ll pray for you. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do.’” A mentality of seeking to serve students in their faith journey results in the organic, natural conversations of faith across campus beyond the formal activities of “Campus Ministry.” Jessica Janssen, Vice

President for Institutional Advancement, shared how she has witnessed this sense of calling in creating a unique environment for the students, “I think a lot of our coaches, faculty, and staff who are in student facing leadership positions have chosen Midland in part because of our faith identity, which naturally provides an openness for students to be able to explore their faith with people that they trust.”

Being a campus of ministry doesn’t just involve informal conversations of faith between teacher and student. It also includes many formal opportunities that aren’t always easily found on other campuses.

For example, athletic teams at Midland are able to share together in prayer, devotions, and openly talk about issues of faith together as a team. Students in the Walker School of Education are able to use either a public school or parochial school for their field experience, based on the student’s own discernment of their educational calling. Similarly, nursing students at Midland learn to explore their own faith background and how faith conversations are a part of holistic patient care.

“FAI TH IS CO RE TO PEO PL E , AND I TH IN K PA RT OF TH E G OA L OF A L IB E RA L A RTS E D U CAT IO N I S TO UNDE RSTAND T H E WOR L D IN A B ROA DE R S EN SE , A ND IN O R D ER TO UNDE RSTA ND TH E WO RL D, YOU H AVE TO U N DE RSTA N D PEO PL E .”

38 Midland Magazine

In this environment, Campus Ministry becomes a sacred space where students can grow in their faith as they continue to explore the world around them. Rev. Brandon VanMarel, director of Campus Ministry, shares how many students learn about this through serving in the community. He says, “Students learn and grow as they interact with others and love others in response to God’s love for them.” This last year, Midland student Michaela Millikan shared her own journey of losing her mother and the support system she found through Campus Ministry and across campus. She shared how this community is, “absolutely irreplaceable.”

You can see Michaela’s full story in her own words at: alumni.midlandu.edu/michaelas-story.

This is what it means to be a campus of ministry that God’s work extends well beyond the time and space of chapel and permeates the day-to-day work of the campus. We are called, faculty, staff, our community, and alumni, to work together to help

students explore their sense of calling and the one who calls. Dr. Simpson shared, “Faith is core to people, and I think part of the goal of a liberal arts education is to understand the world in a broader sense, and in order to understand the world, you have to understand people.”

Ultimately, Midland University is part of the larger ministry of the Church. President Horner describes it best saying, “I see God’s work every day. We all do when we’re working with this important constituency of young adults and students just trying to navigate their way through life, through their faith journey, and through college. We, meaning Midland and our community, have a role to play in that. We can't solve it all, but it’s our responsibility and our privilege to help students through that journey. To me, that's a manifestation of ‘God’s work, our hands.’”

“ST U D EN TS LEA RN AN D GROW AS T HEY I N T E RACT W I T H OTHERS AN D LOVE OTH E R S I N R ESPO N S E TO GOD ’S LOV E FOR THE M.”

FOR M O RE I NFOR MAT I O N, VI SI T OU R WE B SITE : M IDL A ND U. ED U

Campus of Ministry 39

Midland students and faculty in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Dr. Lueninghoener and students in the Grand Canyon.

Study Away MI D LA ND ESTA BLI SHES STUDY AWAY PROGRA M Midland University has a long history of working with students to learn and lead in the world with purpose.

The earliest history dates back to the 1950s when Dr. Gilbert Lueninghoener would take students to learn and explore regions of the United States, including trips to the Grand Canyon, Glacier National Park, and Yellowstone. During the 1960’s, Gene Nelson would take the Midland Choir on USO travel tours and international trips, including a trip in the late 1960s to perform at Notre Dame. Alumni from this era reflect on how these trips taught them a new perspective as a global citizen in a diverse world. These were not vacation trips for students, rather a full immersion learning experience where the classroom was the world.

This tradition continues as Midland grows both its domestic and international studies experiences where students continue to learn through firsthand experiences. This past year, Midland has mourned the loss of two individuals who have made great contributions to the international studies program at Midland University. In January, Midland mourned the loss of Dr. Martin Trautrimas, who was

instrumental in Midland’s earliest international studies interterm trips. These trips began in 1972 as Dr. Trautrimas, and his wife Pat, led Midland’s first international studies trip to Mexico along with eighteen students. Martin and Pat would lead more than 30 such trips to Mexico, Europe, Guatemala, the Holy Land, and Asia. The Trautrimases, along with Dr. Alcyone Scott, Dr. Darlene Ritter, and many other Midland faculty, would continue these trips that engaged students in a global learning experience.

Midland also mourned the loss of Dr. Leo Kirchhoff.

Dr. Kirchhoff was a former Dana College professor and professor Emeritus of Chico University in California. Leo was a unique individual who helped both guide and support the further development of international studies courses. Leo believed that students of all economic backgrounds should be able to participate in these courses and provided substantial support to make that possible. Midland Professor Henry Krusiewicz shared, “Leo held a conviction about the world and about the opportunity for our students to travel to new cultures

“T H ESE W ER E NOT VACATI O N T RI P S FOR ST U DE N TS, RAT HER A F U LL IM ME RSI O N LE ARNI N G E X PE RI EN CE WHE RE TH E CL ASSRO OM WAS TH E WO RL D”

Study Away 41

and experience new societies. The world, he would say, is the best teacher of tolerance and peace. The most important first step, according to Leo, was to take a first step and plunge into lands unknown.”

Midland University is proud to announce the naming of the “Dr. Leo H Kirchhoff Study Away Program” in honor of the vision, support, and passion of Dr. Kirchhoff that has driven the formation of a robust international and domestic Study Away program at Midland University. This past January, students experienced learning first-hand in Guatemala and Europe, and will be visiting Australia’s outback this summer. Students often learn much about themselves as their worldview expands. For example, 10 nursing and biology students interested in healthcare traveled throughout Guatemala this past interterm, installing safe cooking stoves and conducting health checks.

Through this experience, these students were exposed to a vastly different paradigm of health care, where care involves tending to the safety of the home, working through language barriers, and witnessing health care challenges not typically found in the United States.

In 1909 C.K. Chesterton famously wrote, “The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.” Midland University is proud to provide our students with an opportunity for global engagement enabling full-immersion learning experiences, teaching them not only about the world, but providing a new perspective on how they see the world. Midland believes this experience should be open to students of all economic backgrounds and many students would not be able to travel without the support of our alumni and friends. We are grateful for the vision of Mr. Nelson, the Trautrimases, and Drs. Lueninghoener and Kirchhoff, who were formative of the program and for the Midland professors who continue the calling of teaching students in, and throughout, the world.

In the next year Midland University students will continue this tradition with both domestic and international studies trips.

For more information on how you can support the Dr. Leo H Kirchhoff Study Away Program please contact John Eggen at eggen@midlandu.edu or 402-941-6032.

“T H E W H OL E O BJ ECT OF T RAVEL I S N OT TO SE T FOOT ON FOR EI G N L AN D ; I T I S AT L AST TO SET FOOT ON O NE’S OWN COUN T RY AS A FO RE IG N L A N D.”

42 Midland Magazine

Anttenh Zia

Scholarships Received: Marion Hudson Memorial Scholarship, Luther Heritage Scholarship & John R. Prauner Scholarship

Class & Major: Junior, Human

Performance Management

Hometown: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Campus Activity: Men’s Soccer Team

What is your favorite thing about your major?

Being able to help people with the knowledge I have achieved and working with athletes.

How has your experience at Midland changed you?

My experience at Midland has changed me to become very mature and to get through tough times in life.

Dream Job? My dream job is to work for a professional soccer club team.

Favorite spot on campus?

My favorite spot on campus is the sand volleyball court.

Student Spotlight 43

Jerry Rinne MI D LA ND HE LP ED MOL D RINNE INTO COMMUNITY LEA D ER When Jerry Rinne graduated from Beatrice High School in 1983, he was planning on his career path to lead him to Manhattan, Kansas, not Fremont, Nebraska. But Rinne found out that life takes you in many different directions. Sometimes, hundreds of miles from where you thought you might be.

Looking back 35 years later, he’s glad it took him to Midland Lutheran College and eventually, the Fremont Family YMCA. Rinne, the Executive Director of the Fremont Family YMCA, was a football and track standout at Beatrice and his prowess on the gridiron earned him a chance to play football at Kansas State. But the coaching staff underwent changes prior to his arrival in the fall. He had connections to Midland and after a couple of phone calls, he found himself a Warrior. “I made a visit there and thought Coach (Don) Watchorn was a great guy,” Rinne said.

He would play four seasons on the gridiron for the Warriors and was also a member of the track team.

But after his playing days were over, Rinne found his true calling as a leader. “I was a graduate assistant coach my final year at Midland,” he said.

“I was actually the scout team quarterback. I told guys they can hit me, but I was also going to try to run them over.”

During his year as an assistant coach, the team proved to be one of the most successful teams in Warrior history. The 1987 team finished with a 7-3 record and captured the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference crown on its way to the playoffs.

The team was inducted into the Midland University Athletic Hall of Fame last fall and many of the members came back to celebrate the 30th anniversary of a milestone season.

“ I WAS ACT UALLY T HE SCO UT TE AM QUA RT E R BACK . I TOL D GU YS T H EY CA N H I T ME, BU T I WAS ALSO G OI NG TO TRY A N D RU N T H E M OVE R.” Jerry Rinne 45

“I met so many great people both coaching and playing,” Rinne said. “It was great seeing a lot of those guys again. I think playing football helped them be successful in life. For a lot of those guys, the first time they ever saw Midland was the first day they walked on campus as football players. Many of those kids came from the inner-city and Midland provided an opportunity to get away from that environment. A lot of them needed that culture change.”

Rinne said getting a chance to play for a legendary coach like Don Watchorn changed not only his life, but the lives of many of his teammates. Watchorn passed away in October. “Coach Watchorn was a fair guy who did a lot for the players,” he said. “He did a lot of it without fanfare. He was in the military, but never said a word about it. Sometimes he would never say a word, but it was the way he presented himself that made him great. It didn’t matter if you were rich or poor, he talked to you the same way. That always resonated with me.”

It was those skills he learned as a coach that would help him in his role as a director at the YMCA. He understood the value of being a leader, whether on the football field, in the classroom or in the halls of the YMCA. “Coaching is all about dedication,” he said. “I loved putting a schedule together, learning about an opponent and going to practice. I really liked the strategy part of sports. It was great to see a child’s eyes light up when he figured out how something works.”

46 Midland Magazine

Rinne would learn valuable life lessons in the classroom as well, preparing him for the next phase of his life as a leader of young men and women. “College was a whole new experience for me and I loved the smaller school and the teacher to student ratio was fantastic,” he said.

“I had teachers and coaches like (Dr. William) Christensen, (Dr. Alcyone) Scott, (Art) Ronhovde and (Jim) McMahon that really cared about you.”

Thousands of people walk through the doors of the YMCA each year, from toddlers to senior citizens. Being a part of keeping people healthy and happy is something that takes Rinne back to his youth. “I grew up going to the YMCA in Beatrice and it was a big thing that you never had to sneak in there,” he said. “We don’t want any youth denied. If you can’t afford it, we’re still going to find a way to get you in here. We want everyone to be a part of this.”

Rinne began his career as an intern at the YMCA shortly after graduation. He became a program director not long after and would eventually become Executive Director in 2003. Under his guidance, the Fremont Family YMCA has become the largest YMCA in the world under one roof. With the new Dillon Family Aquatics Center now operational, those numbers are expected to grow as thousands are expected to flock to one of the few Olympic-sized pools in the state.

As he was 30 years ago at Midland, Rinne is forever a coach. With a staff of about 500 full-time and parttime employees, he often finds himself mentoring new employees as they learn the same leadership skills he did three decades ago. Coming from a sports background of his own, he understands and appreciates the lifelong lessons activities can provide. “Anytime you look back at sports, or being in the band or choir, you understand how it relates to the real world,” he said. “It’s all about getting them prepared and helping them along.”

Grateful for his time at the YMCA, Rinne’s journey has taken him from an athlete, to a coach, to a mentor, playing a major role in the lives of many young people. “It’s very gratifying work because you know you’re having a huge impact on the youth of Fremont,” he said. “You know you’re making a difference. It’s a great way to give back.”

“ I R E ALLY LI KED THE STRAT EGY PA RT OF SP ORTS. IT WAS G REAT TO SE E A KI DS EY ES LI G H T U P W HE N HE FI G URED OUT H OW SO ME THI N G WORKS.”

Photo © Brad Higgins

Jerry Rinne 47

Midland Swimming MID LA ND SWI M TE A M P L ANS TO MAKE WAVES AT N E W AQUATIC C ENTE R Pardon the pun, but Midland University swimming coach Ryan Bubb says his program is ready to make waves. And they’ve got the perfect facility to make those waves in.

Celebrating its inaugural season in 2017-18, the Midland swim squad is ready to make an even bigger splash next season when they will begin competing in the brand new Dillon Family YMCA Aquatics Center. The center, featuring an Olympic-sized pool, opened in February and the Warriors are ready to dive headlong into their brand new facility. “We’re ready to be the next big thing in swimming,” Bubb said. “We plan on being a contender at the conference and national level in a short time. We’re ready to make waves.”

Midland removed its own pool several years ago.

Fremont Family YMCA Executive Director Jerry Rinne, a 1983 Midland graduate, said the pools at the YMCA were about 50 years old and in need of repairs. “You have issues with an old pool,” he said.

“Midland got rid of its pool because of those same issues. We started looking at repair costs and it was going to be $2 million just to redo all the piping. We then started looking around at new pools. To replace two pools, it was going to be close to $20 million and we were able to do one competition-sized pool for $15 million.”

The promise of a brand new state-of-the-art facility was a driving force behind Bubb taking over as Midland coach in 2016. He knew one of the best tools he could use to recruit potential swimmers was a pool like no other in the state. “A lot of kids came here because of the promise of a new pool,” he said.

“Hands down, this is one of the nicest facilities around. No question it’s the top pool in Nebraska.”

Bubb is seeing the dividends the new facility has made on the program, not just for its current swimmers, but for those high school swimmers who are looking at continuing their careers at the next level. “I really can’t even put into words the importance this has on recruiting, but it’s one of the biggest tools we have,” Bubb says. “We recruit students from schools where they don’t even have their own pool, or they have to practice in a smaller pool, so when they come here, and the pool is just massive. It takes them a moment to let that sink in.”

Bubb has started to build a strong recruiting base, filled with swimmers from Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado, New Hampshire and Florida. He says drawing local swimmers is especially important. “We want to build a program and a way to do that is by putting on emphasis on Nebraska swimmers,” he said.

“I know what the culture in Nebraska is like. These

“W E’ R E R E A DY TO B E THE N EXT BI G TH I N G IN SW IMM IN G. W E P L A N ON B E I N G A CO NTE NDER AT THE CO N FE R E N CE A N D N AT IO N A L L E VE L IN A S H O RT TI ME . WE ’RE RE ADY TO MA K E WAVES.”

Midland Swimming 49

students want to be somewhere that mom and dad and grandpa and grandma can watch their meets.”

The pool has seating for about 400 people, leaving plenty of room for mom and dad, grandpa and grandma and maybe even a few distant cousins.

The new aquatic center has not only helped Bubb draw in some of the top swimmers around, he’s also had no problem filling out a schedule of willing competitors. “We’ve got teams knocking at our door that want to come here and compete,” Bubb said.

The facility is also giving Bubb and his team an opportunity to continue their work in the off-season.

Bubb said the Warriors have already planned summer workouts at the YMCA in an effort to strengthen the squad both in and out of the pool.

“We’ve got a summer program in place and I’m not sure many other NAIA programs can offer that,” he said. “It’s not only great for the consistency of training, but it also offers us a chance for some great team bonding activities.”

Bubb realizes the center will not only play a role in the immediate future of Midland swimming, but will help shape swimmers down the road.

“Fremont used to be a powerhouse in swimming and with the new pool, you’re going to see those youth

numbers pick up again,” he said. “There are a lot of great coaches in the area and it’s great to see this community embracing swimming once again.”

Rinne, believes the facility is for swimmers of all ages, including those who compete at the highest levels and those who just want to stop by for an early-morning dip. “We’ve already got five teams (Midland, Fremont High School, two YMCA teams and a Special Olympics squad) lined up to swim here,” Rinne said. “It’s great to have a relationship with Midland because those are swimmers we could utilize as instructors.”

After seven years of hard work, Rinne is now excited about the future of the facility. “It takes a lot of planning for a project of this magnitude and we’re very thankful for our donors and everyone who played a role in this. It’s going to have a huge economic impact for the Fremont community,” he said.

Bubb said his first glance at the finished pool in February made him realize what a truly unique experience this will be for his program. “I was awestruck,” he said. “I got a little emotional when I saw everything. At that moment, I realized this was our home.”

“W E R ECRU I T STU DENTS FRO M SC HOOL S WH E R E T H EY D ON ’T EVE N H AV E T HE IR OW N PO O L, O R T HEY H AV E TO PRACTI C E IN A SMA L L E R POOL , SO W H EN T H EY COM E HERE , A N D T HE P O O L I S J UST MASS I VE . I T TA K ES T H E M A MOM E N T TO L E T TH AT SI NK IN .”

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Natoya Brown Scholarship Received: Dr. William

Zimmerman Scholarship

Class & Major: Senior, Human Services Hometown: Fremont, NE

What is unique about your experience at Midland?

While enrolled as a full time student at Midland, I also maintained my full-time job at the Masonic Home, where I am a houseparent to six teenage boys. I’m also a soon-to-be wife and a mother to a wonderful little boy.

What’s the best part of Midland?

The professors. If I hadn’t been blessed with the professors I got for my classes, I really don’t know how I would have made it. The professors here are willing to lend you their times and work one-on-one with you, which was very important to me.

How has your time at Midland changed you?

Dream Job?

It would be to continue to work with people and to be a positive influence on their lives.

Midland has given me a more positive outlook on education. I am a returning student and had been out of school for seven years before I decided to come back. It was a scary thought but Midland made my transition easy and I was able to accomplish things I didn’t think were possible. I’m looking forward to continuing my education with a master’s degree down the road.

Student Spotlight 51

Center for Graduate and Professional Studies MI D LA ND RESP ONDS TO MARKET NE EDS WITH UNI QUE OFFE RINGS I N OMA HA Midland University offers working professionals opportunities to advance their careers in their new, centrally-located Omaha location.

“We want to be responsive to the marketplace, both in program design and teaching methodology,” says Dr. Susan Kruml, Midland’s Vice President for Academic Affairs. “The majority of our Center for Graduate and Professional Studies students are busy, working professionals. They have families and other activities. We've designed our programs to fit into their schedules and allow them to advance their careers without disrupting their lives.”

Classes for the Midland MBA, Master of Education, Master of Science in Adult and Organizational Learning, Project Management Certification, Para to Teacher Program, and Code Academy are held at the

center, located near 114th Street and Dodge Road in the heart of the Omaha’s Old Mill business district. All of the programs were developed to meet the needs of the Omaha community while offering students the flexibility of online and in-person courses.

“One of our priorities was our focus on the flexibility for the learner,” Dr. Kruml says. “We have been innovative and creative in how we have offered these programs. Most of the programs at the Omaha location are hybrid programs, meaning students meet in-person approximately once a month. The rest of the coursework is online. Hybrid courses offer students the opportunity to build their professional network with classmates as well as professors. These are key benefits students seek when choosing to enhance their careers.”

“W E WANT TO B E RES PO NSI V E TO T HE M A R KE T PL ACE , BOT H IN P RO G RA M D ES I GN AND TE ACHI NG ME T H ODOLOGY,” CGPS 53

The hybrid approach has been popular, especially with students in the Midland MBA Program. As the only hybrid MBA program in the region, it quickly outgrew its original home at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center. That prompted Midland to seek a larger, more permanent location to meet the growing demand for the Midland MBA and other programs. The Omaha center has smart classrooms with the latest technology as well as communal and break-out spaces for students to meet.

Once the Omaha location opened, Midland began offering the Para to Teacher Program, an innovative partnership with Omaha Public Schools to develop talented para-educators into classroom teachers. The program allows the para-educators to earn a teaching degree with specialized endorsements without disrupting their important work in local schools.

“What is unique about that program versus some other Para to Teacher programs is the flexibility,” Dr. Kruml says. “We also spend a lot of time outside the classroom mentoring the para-educators.”

The Center for Graduate and Professional Studies is also home to the Midland Master of Education, which features two tracks, one for teachers who want to prepare for National Board Certification, and one for those who want to become principals or administrators.

“There are no other programs like our National Board Certification in the region,” Dr. Kruml says. “This is one of those hands-on programs in which we excel. A hallmark of this program is our faculty who are themselves all National Board Certified teachers.”

Dr. Kruml explains that teachers who earn National Board Certification can move to another state and not have to go through that state’s certification process.

That process can take up to a year – a period in which they would not be able to teach. With the national certification, teachers have the flexibility to move anywhere and instantly return to the classroom and their profession.

“A H A LLMA R K O F THI S P RO GRAM I S O UR FACULT Y W H O A RE T H EM SE LV ES ALL N ATI O NAL BOARD CE RTIF IE D T E ACH ER S.”

54 Midland Magazine

“This is such a difficult and rigorous journey that districts are thrilled to have these teachers,” Dr. Kruml says. “Research shows National Board Certified teachers have a positive impact on students, improve their practice to showcase their talent in the classroom, and demonstrate a commitment to excellence.”

Midland’s Omaha center shows the university’s commitment to investing in the Omaha community and building external partnerships, such as found in the Midland MBA Program where students’ global capstone projects take them into Omaha area businesses and organizations.

“Partnerships benefit both our students and these organizations. The students work on real projects for these organizations, receiving invaluable experiences and mentorship along the way,” Dr. Kruml says.

Midland continues to build on its partnership with Omaha Public Schools with the second cohort of the Para to Teacher Program, which begins this winter.

Midland also is exploring options with the district for the Master of Education’s National Board Certification concentration.

The growth of partnerships and the programs offered at Midland’s Center for Graduate and Professional Studies are in response to the demands of businesses and busy professionals throughout the region, such as Des Moines, Iowa, and Kansas City.

“These are programs that are needed in Omaha, and the hybrid programs make it convenient for students from Omaha and the entire region,” Dr. Kruml explains.

“We recognize these students do have different needs [than undergraduate students],” Dr. Kruml says. “We continue to focus on the needs of these busy, working professionals and the needs of the ever-evolving marketplace in order to provide the most relevant educational opportunities in the region.”

“ TH E STU DEN TS WORK ON REA L P ROJ ECTS FOR T HES E ORGA N I ZATI ON S, REC EI VI NG IN VA LUA B L E EX P ER IEN C ES AN D M ENTORSHI P S A LON G TH E WAY.”

FOR M O RE I NFOR MAT I O N, VI SI T OU R WE B SITE : M IDL A ND U. ED U

CGPS 55

Gene Nelson POPULA R D IRECTOR HITS AN OTHER HIGH NOTE Back in the 1940s, Gene Nelson was getting ready to become a photographer who would fly in reconnaissance missions over Germany. Instead, he ended up in a Broadway musical promoting war bonds and, later, in a movie called “Winged Victory.”

It was a development that might have set a future flight pattern for the young man.

In April, Nelson returned one more time to direct the Midland Reunion Choir, comprised of more than 150 voices of both current students and alumni from all across the country at the celebration of 90 years of music at Midland University.

During his time at Midland, Nelson was an associate professor of music. But long before that, he had a host of other experiences. Nelson, 95, grew up in Kearney, where his dad was principal of the junior high school. He graduated from Kearney High School and attended Luther College in Wahoo for a semester before joining the Army Air Corps, said his son, Jorge.

During World War II, Nelson prepared to become a photographer for the U.S. Army Air Corps and go to Germany for reconnaissance work. But the elder Nelson’s mission would change after he and another GI were walking down 42nd Street and asked by an agent if they’d try out for a Broadway musical “Winged Victory,” promoting war bonds. “They were two, tall, handsome GIs who just happened to sing,” Jorge Nelson said. “So instead of him flying over Germany, he spent World War II promoting the war effort on Broadway and in Hollywood.”

In Hollywood, Nelson had the part of a chorus member in the movie “Winged Victory” about men who join the Army Air Force in hopes of becoming pilots. The 1944 film was produced by Darryl Zanuck, who was born in Wahoo, and included actors Red Buttons (who would become an Academy Award-winning actor) and Karl Malden (later known for playing a detective on TV’s “The Streets of San Francisco”—and one of Nelson’s favorites of the actors.)

“T H EY W ER E TWO, TALL H ANDSO ME GI’S WHO J U ST H A PPE N ED TO SIN G,” JO RGE N ELSO N SAI D. “SO I NSTE A D OF H I M F LYIN G OVE R GER M ANY, HE SP ENT WO RL D WAR I I PRO MOT IN G T H E WA R E F FORT ON BROADWAY A ND IN HO L LYWOO D.“

Gene Nelson 57

After the war, Nelson went to St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., on the GI Bill. He got into the choir, where he met his future wife, Doris “Dorie” Thorpe.

He graduated in 1950 with Doris and they married on graduation day in the St. Olaf chapel.

Nelson went on to teach high school music in Houston, Tex., Medford, Ore., Vancouver and Tacoma, Wash., before applying for – and receiving – the position at Midland. So the Nelsons came to Fremont with their children: Jan, Jorge, Laurie and Mari.

Midland’s vocal music program grew during Nelson’s tenure from 1962 to 1976. As an associate professor, he led the Midland choir and founded the Clef Dwellers. A 2008 Fremont Tribune article tells how the Clef Dwellers group came about. “When he arrived, there were madrigal singers and they morphed into Clef Dwellers,” Dorie Nelson said.

The musical ensemble’s name had its own unique origin. “They were dwelling on the treble and the bass clef of the music they were singing,” Jorge Nelson said. “It mixed the musical clef with dwellers.

They lived on the musical notes.” The name also came from Nelson’s residential dwelling. He and his family lived in the Riverview housing development overlooking the Platte River. “We happened to live on the cliff in Saunders County,” his son said.

Nelson also created the Twilight Dinner Theater. “He would do musicals outside on the grass at Midland,” Jorge Nelson said. “It was like a dinner theater. You could have dinner and watch a Broadway musical put on by the Midland students.”

During his tenure at Midland, Nelson would take the Clef Dwellers on four USO tours to various locations around the world. He took the Midland choir to

“[ BE AU TI F U L SAVI O R] I S A SWE ET SON G.” J ORGE SA I D. “ W E D ID IT 1 0 YE AR S AG O AND T HE RE WERE SO MA N Y PEO PL E C RYI N G. I T’S R E AL LY H ARD TO S I NG WHE N YOU ’R E CRYIN G.”

58 Midland Magazine

Europe and they toured the United States, Jorge said. He also taught students who would become noteworthy musicians, such as international opera star Greg Ryerson and Leonard Piggee, who later played the character of Tiny Joe Dixon in the Broadway production of “Dreamgirls.”

After Nelson left Midland, he moved to Gig Harbor, Washington, and taught music at Tacoma Community College until he retired in 1985. That year, he and his wife and Jorge went to the International School of Bangkok, where for the next two years, Gene taught music in the high school, Dorie taught music in the elementary school and Jorge taught sixth grade.

At the reunion in April Gene was approaching his 96th birthday. Jorge said his dad was excited to return to Midland, where he also served as a guest director for the choir’s reunion concert in 2008.

Standing tall in his bowtie and tails, Nelson directed “Beautiful Savior” – the song that he and Dorie sang at St. Olaf when they were dating.

“It’s a sweet song,” Jorge said. “We did it 10 years ago and there were so many people crying. It’s really hard to sing that when you’re crying. It was cool.”

This story was written by Tammy Real-McKeighan (’81) for the Fremont Tribune.

Gene Nelson 59

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