2020 Midland Magazine

M I D L MAGAZINE AND

SPRING 2020

L E A D E RS H I P T EAM

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jody Horner, President

Randy Eikmeier, Chair

Roger Lambourn

Jodi Benjamin, Vice President for Finance and Administration

Mark Fahleson, Vice Chair

Bishop Brian Maas, Ex-Officio

Steve Feye

Rico Munn

Dr. Lawrence Chatters, Vice President for Student Affairs

Rev. Peggy Hall, Secretary

Ryan Taliaferro*

Dr. Ryan Hendrickson

Tom Walker

David Gillespie, Athletic Director

Mike Herre*

Dr. Jamie Williams

Jessica Janssen Wolford, Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Jody Horner

*Retiring

Dr. Susan Kruml, Vice President for Academic Affairs Merritt Nelson, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing

ED I TOR Eric Taylor Ryan Griesinger

DES I GN BLK.59 Design Group

CON TRI B U TORS Brody Hilgenkamp Kelsey Stewart Brent Wasenius (‘86)

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

NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rico Munn ‘93, is a new member of the Midland University Board of Directors. Munn currently serves as the Superintendent for Aurora Public Schools in Colorado. Prior to joining APS, he served in a variety of leadership roles in Colorado’s legal and business communities. Munn has also been a successful attorney and practiced commercial litigation with a national law firm for over a decade. As a litigator, Munn dealt with a wide variety of people and situations, including financing, construction, education, refugee populations and crisis management.

Munn is active in the metro area’s non-profit community. He served on the Denver Foundation Board and was a founder of the Denver Urban Debate League.

Currently he sits on the board of Early Milestones Colorado, an early childhood education organization. Munn graduated from Midland with a B.A. in secondary education and was named Student Teacher of the Year in 1993. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law. Munn and his wife, Kay, have two sons.

Dr. Jamie Williams is a new member of the Midland University Board of Directors. Williams is a frequent lecturer at universities and C-Suite events. Williams graduated with a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln before embarking on a 12-year career as a tight end in the NFL that included stints with four different teams and a Super Bowl championship with the San Francisco 49ers following the 1989 season. After football, Williams worked in the film industry as a writer, director, screenwriter, and actor. Williams would later earn a Masters Degree in Mass Communication and a Doctorate Degree in Education and Leadership. Williams started Y Motion Media which produces commercials, graphic design projects, music videos, illustrations/animations and also provides web development and social media management. He was a collaborator in the creation of the Bulgarian Entrepreneurial Center, where he currently serves as a business consultant.

Williams and his wife, Charlotte, have two children.

Letter

F RO M TH E PRESIDEN T

Strategic Visionary. Superb Prognosticator. Clairvoyant Psychic. While I might fancy one of these titles, none of them come remotely close to describing my anticipation of COVID-19’s disruption to higher education. I had no crystal ball, no supernatural powers, nor special intuition that gave me that ominous “something is about to happen” feeling. I flat out did not see this coming. I am a mere mortal leader who, along with her team, has been working hard to do the best I can during this unprecedented time in world history.

Superpowers aside, as a result of strategic planning, leaders typically have an inkling of what is just over the horizon, and while we can’t predict the future, we do usually have a sense of the types of situations we will encounter. Not this time. The situation higher education faces today as a result of the COVID-19 crisis is daunting, to say the least. As uncertain as the future may seem, I believe Midland University’s culture of embracing change has allowed us to pivot effectively to this stage of our new reality.

As I think about our ability to pivot during this crisis, our vision to be “Relentlessly Relevant” may have had something to do with that. It is especially applicable to this new reality. Being Relentlessly Relevant means that regardless of the circumstances, the onus is on us as leaders of the institution to adapt to changing times. It’s not the other way around. Relevance is all about existing in the present while looking to the future, being on point and ready to move forward at any time.

We (faculty, staff, and students) are the ones who must be willing to change. This requires that we think creatively and stay nimble. A perfect example of this was our shift to 100% online classes in less than 48 hours, on March 9, 2020. On March 7, 2020, we learned of the first positive case of COVID-19 in the state of Nebraska, and that 65 of our student-athletes might have unexpectedly been in contact through exposure at a volunteer event. Midland was one of the first universities in the country to transition online as a result of the virus. That is relevance at its core.

This move was possible for two reasons – first and foremost because faculty, staff, and students responded in true Warrior fashion by demonstrating a “can do” attitude and finding ways to make it work. We truly have extraordinary people here at Midland, and it is the people that make us who we are. They are the heart and soul of this special place. Faculty and staff continue to engage, albeit from a distance, with an extra dose of empathy for our students knowing that many are experiencing a sense of loss. We continue to adapt by coming up with new ways to connect online through virtual campus tours, online student advising, virtual library assistance, and even virtual auditions for performing arts. Also, our students have responded as only Warriors can. While they miss their friends and extracurricular activities, they are finding new ways to participate, including utilizing their iPads to take classes, create videos, work out, practice music, and stay in touch.

Secondly, in the fall of 2019, we had made a significant and bold investment in resources to support digital teaching and learning, providing all of our traditional undergraduate students and faculty the devices and support needed to shift our learning environment. This investment provided equity and access to our undergraduate students as they moved to instruction online, and has given us a distinct advantage relative to other schools. We couldn’t have anticipated the need for this technology, but it is truly paying dividends today and we look forward to using it as an opportunity to push forward in an ever-changing environment.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I feel confident that this 137-year old university is ready like never before to embrace the future. We are prepared to pivot to the next chapter and it’s going to be an exciting one for Midland University. We are ready, we are relevant, and we are excited to shape our future from a position of strength, utilizing our core competencies of flexibility, innovation, and creativity. Our mission to inspire people to learn and lead in the world with purpose will guide our journey as we find new ways to inspire, new ways to learn, and new ways to lead, all while being guided by the foundation of “purpose.” I am energized to lead this next chapter of Midland’s journey and invite you to come along for the ride.

Warm Regards,

Jody Horner President, Midland University

Letter from the President

3

6

Warrior Strong

10

Alumni: Laurie Larsen

12

Midland 1:1

13

Student Spotlight

14

Code Academy

18

Covid-19

20

Alumni: Sean McMahon

Table

24

Student Spotlight

25

Miller Hall

26

Diversity

28

Performing Arts

30

Warrior Skills

32

Scott Johnson

34

Alumni: Tyler Ripperger

O F CON TEN TS

FOR M ORE INFO RMATI O N, VI SI T O U R WEBSIT E: MID L AND U. ED U

Table of Contents

4

Warrior Strong P OWER LIFTI NG ESTABL I SHES ITSE L F AS ON E OF N ATION ’S B EST Tim Anderson had an ambitious vision when he was hired as coach to start the Midland University powerlifting program in 2016. The Wisconsin native saw an opportunity to quickly build the Warriors into a national powerhouse. “My goal when I took the position was not to just create an NAIAlevel type of small program," he said. “In collegiate

6 Midland Magazine

powerlifting, you compete against all schools -- NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA. It doesn't matter what school you are from so I knew that going into it. I knew I wanted to build a team and a program that could contend for national titles."

Anderson and the Warriors have made that vision a reality.

The Midland University men won the USA Powerlifting Men's

“ I TH I NK NOW WE HAVE A REPU TAT I ON OF B E I NG ONE OF T HE TOP P OWE R LI FT I NG SCHOOLS.” - Tim Anderson

Raw Collegiate National Title in 2018 and 2019. The women's program won the Raw championship in 2019 and finished as the runner-up to Texas A&M in the Equipped Division.

While the Midland University rosters do include Nebraska natives, Anderson recruits nationally to piece together a championship roster. “I go where the best talent is,” Anderson said. “I would say 90 percent of our team is from out of state.”

Anderson said when the program started, it was more of a challenge to convince athletes from warm-weather climates like Texas or Mississippi to come to Nebraska, but that has changed. “I think now we have a reputation for being one of the top powerlifting schools so (recruits) are more eager to come here,” he said.

Benjamin Cooney, a junior and a graduate of Omaha Burke, said powerlifting has made a positive impact in his life. “In

high school, I was a pretty scrawny kid,” he said. “I was short and no sport was really my forte, so I went to the gym one day with a teammate of mine here (Henry Diers) and I fell in love with lifting. I found powerlifting was my sport.”

As a senior at Burke, Cooney asked Diers where he planned to attend college. “Henry told me he was going to Midland and that they offer powerlifting scholarships,” Cooney said.

“I texted Tim and asked if they had any openings. He said they did and I was put on scholarship.”

His first season with the Warriors was a humbling experience, however. Cooney had experienced a successful prep career, but it was just like starting over in college. “It was definitely an eye-opening experience," he said. "It was like going from the little leagues into the major leagues. At your first collegiate nationals you are in awe.”

Cooney is the type of athlete that has helped the Warriors experience success. "I think I've created a culture here of everyone buying in and not just doing it for individual awards,” Anderson said. "I think the kids are much more interested in winning a team title and being part of a national championship team.”

Success often is the best recruiter. The program basically outgrew its original powerlifting facility that was on campus.

In February of 2019, Anderson said officials green-lit a project that allowed the Warriors to move into a larger facility at the Fremont Mall, with the support of donors.

Powerlifting

7

“I WANT O UR PROGRAM TO EVOLVE FROM A NATIONAL CHAMPION SHIP TEAM TO A DYNASTY.” - Tim Anderson Anderson helped oversee a lot of the planning for the Warriors' new home. It was operational in early September of 2019. “I would say compared to other schools in the country this is probably the largest and definitely the most well-equipped collegiate powerlifting facility in the nation,” Anderson said. “There are many schools that have huge weight rooms for multiple sports, but I don't think there is a college that I'm aware of that has anything like we have dedicated to powerlifting.”

The facility helps the Warriors prepare for competing at a high level against NCAA Division I schools. “Texas A&M is one of our big rivals,” said Anderson, who also lists LSU, Louisiana Tech, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers and Pittsburgh among the other powerhouses. “At nationals, there were 117 schools and probably of the top 30 programs there are only four or five that aren't Division I,” he said.

8 Midland Magazine

Midland has also excelled at the international level. The men won the World University Cup last July in Tartua, Estonia. The women, who were short-handed, placed fifth. The Warriors competed against squads from various places, including the United States, United Kingdom, Poland, Russia and India.

Anderson points to Louisiana Tech as a program to emulate.

Tech won 10-straight national titles with the string ending only after their head coach left the school. “They were the dynasty no one could beat,” he said. “Teams measure themselves historically against the best -- like Alabama in college football or the New England Patriots in the NFL. I want our program to evolve from a national championship team to a dynasty.”

Powerlifting

9

Teaching THE WO RL D

More than 20 years after graduation, memories of her freshman year came flooding back to Laurie Larsen. While she wandered the streets of Italy, she felt like she was living out the Odyssey course she took at Midland University. “It’s just amazing to be able to see all that and have the background from the past,” Larsen says.

Larsen’s time at Midland did more than prepare her for European vacations. It’s stuck with her through a 25-year career of teaching abroad. Larsen graduated from Midland in 1993 with a degree in education. Since then, she’s taught in Guam, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico and Malaysia. “All of my courses at Midland opened my eyes to different perspectives of the world,” Larsen says. “That’s definitely helped in coming overseas and just looking at people as people. We might be Christian or Muslim or Buddhist, but we’re just people.

Everybody wants the same things.”

The 49-year-old always knew she wanted to teach and was curious about teaching abroad. Shortly after graduation, her baptismal sponsor told her about teaching jobs in Guam. Nearly two weeks later, Larsen was on a plane to the U.S. territory and landed a teaching gig. She’s been overseas ever since, with the exception of substitute teaching one year in Nebraska.

Now Larsen is in her 10th year of teaching middle-school math at the International School of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

She’s always taught at English-speaking schools.

Larsen, who has also taught science, started out teaching fifth grade, but says teaching seventh-graders is her “sweet spot.” “Seventh grade, for me, is the best age in middle school,” Larsen says. “They’re a little more independent than sixth-graders, but they’re very open and not too cool for school. They’re really starting to think and have their own opinions and understand what’s going on in the world.”

“THE F RIENDS THAT I’VE MADE IN THES E DIF F ERENT PLACES HAVE VERY MUCH BECOME FA MILY.” - Laurie Larsen

Teaching in other countries has allowed Larsen to experience new cultures. She tries to brush up on each place before she moves. Larsen says she likes to know some of the customs and some basic language skills. “When I’m here, I’m here and I’m immersed,” Larsen says. “When I go home, it’s about being with my family.”

The job also allows her to travel often. She’s close to exotic locations that she wouldn’t have easy access to in the United States. “It’s an amazing way to see the world,” she says.

Larsen says she’s always learning on the job. Her time at Midland, especially the hands-on experience, prepared her to adapt in the classroom. Larsen spent time in the classroom every semester, observing and helping teachers.

Being around different teachers taught Larsen that there were multiple ways to teach the same topic. She says Midland started her off with a solid foundation. “Midland gave me that opportunity to start getting early experience in the classroom and recognizing the importance of talking to your colleagues and learning from them,” Larsen says.

Larsen has stayed in touch with friends from Midland. Larsen — a Cordova, Nebraska, native — meets up with sorority friends when she’s home for the summer. (She also tries to squeeze in a visit to Runza.)

Teaching abroad comes with its hurdles, like moving away from your tight-knit teaching community. But at each new school, Larsen says, you bond with the people you’re starting the school year with. “You’re experiencing this newness all together and trying to figure out how things work and seeing new places,” she says. “You need those people to rely on, to fall back on. The friends that I’ve made in these different places have very much become family.” She’s been able to stay in touch with friends from previous schools. In her travels, she’s able to visit with several of them and they pick up right where they left off.

Teaching in other countries has given Larsen a new perspective. Growing up in a small town, Larsen says she didn’t experience much diversity. "It gave me insight into other cultures and different ways of doing things," Larsen says. "There wasn't a lot of diversity. I didn't have to be challenged by people who think or live differently."

Larsen has always wanted to be a teacher. In her career, she’s enjoyed seeing the moment when kids finally understand a science topic or math problem. “There are some people who just hate math. My goal is to get them to understand that they can do it. It’s not magic. It’s not unachievable for them. It’s something they can do,” Larsen says. “When they understand something for the first time, that’s so exciting to see.”

Alumni: Laurie Larsen 11

An Innovative Approach Since the unveiling of the 1:1 Apple iPad initiative last fall, Midland University students and faculty members have experienced new opportunities for enhanced educational outcomes, both in and out of the classroom. In support of its mission to inspire people to learn and lead in the world with purpose, Midland provided each undergraduate student and full-time faculty member on the Fremont campus with new iPads and Apple Pencils, free of charge.

This innovative approach to instruction has provided students with the technology to help them succeed, and instructors with the ability to become more creative in their teaching methods. Dr. Henry Krusiewicz, Professor of English, is one of many instructors across campus who is impressed by the efficiency the iPads provide. “I use a computer every day and think it’s wonderful, but I was skeptical the 1:1 initiative would make a huge change in what I taught and how I taught,” Dr. Henry Krusiewicz said. “I was wrong. It has improved my performance as an instructor and has allowed me to streamline content and make them more effective. I am a believer in the iPad as a teaching tool.”

Utilizing iPads in the classroom has been a new concept for many instructors. James Miller, Director of Innovative Teaching at Midland, said the University’s patience in putting everything in place has paid off this semester. “We did a good job in taking the appropriate amount of time with the rollout,” Miller said. “Our faculty has been embracing this for the better part of a year, even before the initiative was deployed, which I believe has been the right way to do it. It’s been a very exciting first semester and I think it’s because we did our due diligence in setting this up the right way.”

Instructors have found the value of the iPads as a learning tool outside the classroom. Rex Barker, Director of Instrumental Music, utilized the iPads for his marching band students by

12 Midland Magazine

having them go through their formations on the field, with the iPads guiding the way. “Rex came to me and said they have apps that would really benefit his musicians,” Miller said. “Our hope was to get faculty using these beyond the classroom.

That’s the rewarding part of the process.”

Dr. Adam Knowlton, Associate Professor of Communications/ Director of Forensics, emphasizes that an iPad in the hands of every student has opened doors previously closed to students and has provided each of them with the tools to be successful in their daily preparation. He’s also helping students save money as he replaced one of his current textbooks with a free Etextbook.

“It’s a really awesome tool, but more importantly it has helped break down some of the barriers,” Knowlton said. “Before, not every student had access to the same technology. Now, I feel better equipped teaching a class where I know every student will have access to the same technology.”

Having that technology at their fingertips was critical for students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Midland was one of the first institutions in the United States to transition to online instruction on March 9 and the iPads were a key component in aiding in the shift. “The main reason for the iPad rollout was to level the playing field and give all students accessibility to the same technology,” Dr. Susan Kruml, Vice President for Academic Affairs, said. “We had to have this device to be able to make this work.”

Miller believes there is much more on the horizon in iPad utilization. “I think we’re in an awesome spot, but there’s more work to be done and so much more potential to explore,” Miller said. “The more comfortable our faculty becomes with the devices, the more versatile they become. We’re encouraging faculty to start thinking of ways in which they become less reliant on textbooks and more reliant on self-developed content. We will continue down this road of innovation.”

Krista

HINRICHS

Class & Major: Senior, Psychology, Sociology Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska Campus Activities: Dance team, Warrior Wildfire competition team dancer, Game Day squad dancer, President of PI Gamma Mu Honor Society, Cardinal Key Honor Society member, Psi Chi Honor Society member, Vice President of Student Senate, Pi Epsilon sorority member, Admissions Ambassador.

What will you remember most about your experience at Midland?

I will always remember all of the love, encouragement and support that was constantly circling around campus.

Whether you needed help on an assignment, or you needed volunteers to help put together an event, there was always someone there to assist you, encourage you, and push you to do everything to your fullest potential.

What are your plans after graduation?

How has your experience at Midland changed you?

Attending Midland has been an experience I will never forget. One of my favorite aspects of Midland is that there are endless possibilities and so many opportunities to be involved on campus. Being involved in various groups and organizations has shown me how to enhance my skills in planning, leading, organizing, listening, communicating, and much more. These skills, along with other memorable experiences, have changed the way I approach new tasks and situations which will benefit me as I continue to learn and lead in the world with purpose.

This fall I will be attending the University of NebraskaOmaha. I am looking forward to continuing my education and earning my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Why did you choose to attend Midland?

When I was invited to my first dance class on campus I immediately felt at home. Everyone was always so warm and welcoming and every time I came back to campus before committing and I already felt as if I were already part of the Warrior family, which made my decision of choosing Midland very Student Spotlight 13 easy to make.

Code Academy P RO G RAM OPENING NE W DOORS FO R STUDENTS

Justin Blobaum was ready for a change. “I had been working in the restaurant business for nine years. I have two kids, and I wasn’t making enough money to support my family as much as I wanted to,” Blobaum said. “I always had an interest in computers and what makes them do what they do. Everything fell in place for me to get here. This has been a way to change my life in a relatively short amount of time.”

What changed Blobaum’s life was his entrance into the Midland University Code Academy. Blobaum is one of many Code Academy attendees who have been able to alter the course of their careers during the 12-week program at Midland’s Center for Graduate and Professional Studies location in Omaha.

The Code Academy completed its third cohort this past spring since switching to the 12-week format. Classes meet each day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in what is referred to as a “bootcamp” format. Prior to that, the class would meet three times a week, three hours per night, for 10 months. Mike Truax, the Director of the Code Academy, has embraced the new format as he believes it is beneficial for both himself, and his students.

“One issue we found meeting three nights a week was that if people didn’t keep up over the weekend, we were spending half of the class on Tuesday reviewing,” Truax said. “The change in format has allowed a couple of things. Everyone is here every day, so they have become much more invested.

These people have had to leave jobs to be here, so we know

14 Midland Magazine

they are here because they want to succeed and get the most out of the program. Also, because we’re here for longer periods of time, we can have more time dedicated to in-class work. We dedicate our morning to new topics and spend the afternoon on project work. It allows them to get their hands dirty and have a teacher here to assist them.”

Each cohort has featured a wide range of diversity when it comes to students. There are some who have little to no previous college experience, as well as those have earned four-year degrees, but are looking for a fresh start in their careers.

At 53, Shelly Wonder had finished her degree 30 years ago.

But as the demands in the workforce continue to change, she wasn’t about to be left behind. “We live in an informational society and coding is the most effective way of getting messages out and utilizing my creativity,” she said. “The job market in code is so good, I was ready to leapfrog and make some changes. I wanted to get more financial stability underneath me.”

As opposed to having her eye on retirement, Wonder said she wants to continue to push herself. “We have to constantly challenge ourselves,” she said. “Being in a wheelchair, I’ve

FO R MOR E INFOR M AT ION, V ISIT OU R W EBSIT E: M ID L ANDU. E DU

always encountered that. Everything in my life has an extra degree of difficulty and if I’ve handled those challenges, I can handle this. With coding, my disability does not offer as many barriers as opposed to other jobs.”

Like Blobaum, Jackie Mezick is a young parent. She got her degree in communications from UNO and began working as a development specialist. She then transitioned into work as a database administrator, which is where she developed an interest in coding. It was also where she realized she wanted to expand her career opportunities. “I was responsible for fixing the website, but I had no experience with the back end of the website,” Mezick said. “I had an issue where I was not able to receive gifts and it was affecting my work. Throughout the process of getting it fixed, I felt helpless. I was having to rely on other people to resolve this problem and it was frustrating. When I saw an ad for the Code Academy, it seemed

interesting to me, especially after I had just gone through a situation where I didn’t have the knowledge or the expertise to figure it out for myself.”

Truax says it doesn’t matter if you have an extensive coding background, or no experience at all. The Code Academy can be a fit for students of all ages, talents, and experience. “It’s actually somewhat beneficial to have little to no experience in coding because you haven’t learned any bad habits,” Truax said. “Even for people who have some initial coding experience, by the second week, they’re not bored because we’re into new topics. They’re all in this together, which has helped because if a student is not picking something up quickly, they can look around and realize they’re in the same boat as someone else. That’s huge when you’re learning something new because it can be scary.”

Code Academy 15

Wonder says the challenges are real, but through the support of Truax, and her classmates, she has felt more confident in the process each day. “There’s a reason it’s referred to as a bootcamp, so I knew it would be tough,” she said. “But each day I’m finding that things are starting to connect, and I think that’s because of the immersion. This is the only thing I have to concentrate on. I have a fantastic group of people around me and the staff has been so supportive.”

Blobaum describes the academy as a “firehose of information,” but he, like many others in the class, has been amazed at the amount of knowledge they have gleaned every day. “Everyday you’re learning new topics and it’s up to you to solidify those topics,” he said. “You’re immersed in it each day and there’s no distraction from other classes. It’s challenging, but it’s been a while since I used my brain. It’s great to get back in that school mindset. There’s an instant gratification in being able to see that what’s on that computer came from you.”

In his work as a part-time consultant for local businesses, Truax has a good gauge on what employers are looking for. He has been able to incorporate that knowledge into his students in order to help fill the void that is needed in a variety of professions. “You hear employers say they want someone with 20 years of coding experience, but there aren’t many who have been doing it that long, so you’re seeing that number drop to 10 years or five years,” he said. “That’s where the benefit for our students comes in. Employers are seeing the time our students are willing to put in. While skill and aptitude are important, they are seeing these students who have the attitude of wanting to learn and are willing to put the time in.”

Completion of the Code Academy can open up a myriad of possibilities to employers. “The main focus will be web development, both front end and back end,” Truax said. “From a cross section, you will see students in database administrative work, students in automated testing where they are bug fixing, and students doing internationalization of applications. You will also have people working behind the scenes to make sure websites keep running.”

Truax also knows that once these students complete the code academy, they won’t have to wait long to find employment. He said that of the students who have successfully completed the academy, nearly 90 percent have already found jobs in a code-related field.

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“ WHIL E S KI LL A N D A PT IT U DE A R E IMPORTANT, THEY ARE SEEING THESE STUDE N TS WHO H AVE T H E AT T I T U DE O F WANTI NG TO LEA R N A N D A R E W I L L I N G TO PUT T HE TI M E IN .” - Mike Truax

“The fact we have those kinds of numbers speaks for itself,” he said. “I’ve spoken with graduates from previous cohorts and they are already in line for promotions. From a financial standpoint, it makes sense for a company to be hiring these people. Senior developers are making between $120,000 and $140,000 a year, while junior developers are making around $55,000 to $60,000.

So you can basically hire two of these people for the price of one senior developer. That’s a big reason we are starting to see more traction with the bigger companies.”

Mezick said the opportunity to be financially stable for both herself, and her daughter, was a driving force to enroll in the academy. “I had a health scare a few years ago, and that added to my decision to make this leap,” she said. “If it becomes an issue again, or I pass it to my daughter, I want to be able to financially support both of us and have great benefits, which tech companies do.”

Along with the benefits of being financially secure, Mezick wants fulfillment in her job, something she knows she would be attaining in a career in web development. “With web

development, you can do a little bit of everything,” she said.

“I want to do more than just put in data. I want to be able to create a framework for it, design it, and have more say in how it looks and operates. I like being involved in all aspects and that’s been a driving force for me.”

Truax says the real reward in teaching comes after graduation, when his students find fulfillment in a career field they might never have envisioned. Teaching the technical aspects of code is critical, but teaching them to be productive employees is of equal importance. “We want to help them be more hireable,” he said. “We have recruiters come in and talk to them, we tour local businesses, have them do networking, and we do mock interviews. Our focus is to give them a good cross section of the skills they need. One of my favorite things about teaching this is seeing students go into all different fields. We’re basically teaching them to be wizards and they are learning how everything works.”

To learn more about the Midland Code Academy, visit code.midlandu.edu or email code@midlandu.edu.

Code Academy 17

Changing Midland University’s plans for the spring semester took a dramatic turn on March 6, 2020.

That evening, Midland officials received word from Three Rivers Public Health that a participant in a Special Olympics basketball tournament the previous weekend at the Fremont YMCA had tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. Sixtyfive Midland University student-athletes and one coach had worked at the tournament as volunteers.

The next day, Midland officials met to determine the next course of action. It was quickly determined that all 66 of the volunteers would go into quarantine and that classes would be shifted online beginning that Monday. While the university may not have been prepared for a pandemic, their swift actions confirmed they were ready for the challenge that lay ahead.

“Certainly, we did not expect this,” Midland President Jody Horner said. “But the fact that our team is very flexible and is able to pivot on a dime worked in our favor.”

Along with that flexibility, Horner added there were two key factors that enabled Midland to make a quick transition. “We have great community partnerships with the mayor, superintendents of schools, and our local health departments.

We all know each other and get along and share in the interest of the community,” she said. “We also have a cohesive, aligned leadership team, and that extends to our students. I met with the football team that afternoon and they were all professional and listened well and asked good questions. It’s a testament to the students we have that they were able to pivot so quickly.”

18 Midland Magazine

Course

MI D LA N D SHI F TS TO O NL I NE LEA RN I N G I N R ES PO NS E TO COV I D-1 9

That ability to pivot was evidenced in the classroom as instructors had less than 48 hours to shift from classroom instruction to online instruction. “The strength of our team is amazing,” Susan Kruml, Vice President for Academic Affairs, said. “We knew what we needed to do, and we worked to get faculty there. James Miller (Director of Innovative Teaching) was incredibly instrumental in helping us get there. Our faculty already had a mindset of using technology in the classroom, so that worked in our favor.”

Classes began virtual meetings on Monday, March 9.

Although the hope was that classrooms would eventually open back up for students, COVID-19 forced classes to remain online for the remainder of the semester. The transition didn’t always provide smooth sailing for instructors or students, but Kruml said all parties involved worked hard to provide the best outcome. “I know the biggest transition was the lack of face-to-face interactions, which was a huge adjustment for faculty and students,” she said. “They had to utilize a lot of resources quickly and our IT department got us everything we needed. To have effective online teaching, you have to do things differently and make adjustments. I think we all learned a ton.”

Kruml said she appreciated that faculty and students worked hard to make the best of a challenging situation, even though no one envisioned online instruction being the norm for the final two months of the semester. “This was a unique situation for everyone,” she said. “But they all just said ‘let’s go do it.’ Faculty were learners right along with the students and they shared whatever knowledge they had with each other. I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud as an instructor. We will all learn from this and it will make us better and stronger.”

The Warrior spirit was on full display during the transition as students, faculty, and staff worked hard to make sure the remainder of the semester went as smoothly as possible.

“We had the mentality of rolling up our sleeves and doing what we needed to do,” Horner said. “I was most proud of our people - our students, coaches, faculty, and the community who supported us. I am so blessed to work with all of them.

“I think that’s part of the spirit of Midland University. We’re ready for whatever happens and confident we will find a way to get through it. I think that’s what makes us special.”

“ WE WIL L A LL LEAR N F RO M T H IS A N D I T WIL L M A KE US B E T T E R A N D ST RO N G E R ” - Susan Kruml Covid-19 19

Family Tradition

RU N N I N G A WAY OF L IF E FOR M C M AH ON S

SEAN MCMAHON’S COACHING EDUCATION BEGAN WITH CASUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH HIS DAD. As a legendary track and cross country coach at Midland University, Jim McMahon spent a lot of time working the phones recruiting, planning practices, and attending other Warrior events, and that’s where many of Sean’s early memories are. So when Jim and Sean started running together one summer when Sean was in middle school, it gave the pair opportunities to talk.

Karen McMahon, Jim’s wife and Sean’s mother, had a better perspective about Jim than anyone. She married him and also worked in the Midland athletic department, helping athletes with their eligibility for 26 years. During that time she saw Jim’s dedication and how he expected his athletes do likewise.

“He didn’t consider coaching and teaching a job,” she says.

“It was his love. It was his passion and he just lived it.”

Conversations usually weren’t about anything profound and the pace was always conversational, but over the years the junior McMahon developed an affinity for running and saw another window into Jim’s passion for developing athletes. “I know that left an impression on me. I could tell that he really loved his job and it became something I could see myself doing as well.” Sean says. Even though Jim demanded a lot of his athletes, Jim’s relaxed side came out on those runs. “He was very good at not having me do anything I couldn’t handle and letting me learn to grow into the sport.”

Sean spent a year helping Jim coach after his eligibility ran out and he wrapped up his degree. It was a needed time of maturation, Sean says, because a little over a year after he graduated he took over as head coach for another coaching icon in town, Fremont High’s Jon Appleget, who retired. It was a fit Karen approved of because she didn’t have to watch her son undergo the grueling recruiting process.

And grow into it Sean did. He would go on to run for Jim at Midland and qualify for nationals in the marathon. He would also inherit a knack for coaching the sport, and he has led the Fremont High School boys cross country teams to six state championships and won multiple coach of the year awards. That innate understanding of how to cultivate the most out of athletes can be traced to those offseason runs, where inevitably the conversations turned into dialogues about training regimens. By the time Sean, a 1996 Midland graduate, ran for Jim, he understood why the team was training the way it was.

Jim McMahon coached 24 individual NAIA national champions, earned 50 conference titles between track and cross country, won a women’s indoor national title in 1989 and was elected to multiple halls of fame, including Midland’s and the NAIA’s.

He understood the technical aspect of training, but he also connected well with his athletes. “I know the true person of him, he loved to continue following his athletes as they graduated and started their families,” Sean says. “He could tell me their kids’ names, he could tell me if they were running and what their (personal records) were.”

He was confident, but he quickly realized how much he needed to learn, especially since he was only a few years older than the athletes he was coaching. “I thought I knew a lot,” Sean says. “Granted, I did have quite a few advantages, but you can’t ever coach exactly how you were trained, you can’t ever coach exactly how someone else coaches. It’s not you, it’s not natural.” Tutelage under two experienced running coaches with whom he had easy access to seek advice was an asset. “I probably made a lot less mistakes than I would have had I not had my dad and Appleget back to back.”

Beth McMahon has coached with Jim and Sean, her husband.

She was a student assistant on Jim’s staff and coaches at Fremont High with Sean, including a three-year stint as the head girls cross country coach. She saw how both men enjoy the process of training and how they got the best out of their athletes. “You always knew where Jim was on the track,” she says. “Just like everybody always knows where Sean is on the track. They have a way of motivating their athletes.” Both of them care for their athletes, but Jim was quiet while Sean is more openly verbal with his affection.

When Beth bumps into former athletes they always tell her, “Jim didn’t have a lot to say, but when he did have something Alumni: Sean McMahon 21

“ TH I S IS FINA L LY A CHANCE FOR TH E M TO BE AN ATHL ETE AND B E A SOCIAL CREATURE THAT THEY DO N ’T T RU LY G ET TO BE AL MOST AN Y OT HER TI ME OF THE DAY.” - Sean McMahon to say it was important,” she says. Karen McMahon says she sees how well her son bonds with the Tiger families. “Sean is great with his athletes,” she says. “Those young guys love him, the parents love him.”

Sean and Beth say they’ve improved as coaches together over the years. They’ve attended clinics, read about training methods and, perhaps most importantly, challenged each other to re-examine the way they coach. “The fact that we can have a close relationship is why we can always question each other in what we’re doing and why we’re doing it,” Beth says.

That group also helped Fremont win the state track and field title the next spring.

Connections like that are central to McMahon’s success, because they foster a sense of teamwork in what is often considered an individual sport. “You don’t have to be best friends, but you’ve got to be willing to cross through a lot of pain barriers for each other,” Sean says. “You can’t flip the switch and have kids want to do something for someone else more than they want to do for themselves.”

There are plenty to choose from, but two highlights in particular stand out to the couple. One is the 2002 state cross country title, Fremont’s first with Sean as head coach. Two years prior, a freshman- and sophomore-laden team seeded to finish 12th at the state meet surprised everyone by placing seventh. Seizing the title two years later solidified the McMahons’ devotion to the process and showed what can happen when athletes put their whole mind into their training.

“That whole career of those kids set the tone really for the last 18 years,” Sean says.

Those connections are not as easy to make as they once were.

Social media and smartphones are easy to blame, but other social dynamics like family structure also play a role. Sean likes to go on runs with his team when he can because he gets a sense of the team dynamic. On those runs he sees how running impacts the athletes like it did when he ran with his dad. “The beauty of going out on the runs is they’ve got to leave their phones behind,” McMahon says. “This is finally a chance for them to be an athlete and be a social creature that they don’t truly get to be in almost any other time of the day.

It’s probably more important now than it was 30 years ago.”

The other was the most recent championship, in 2018. Their son Ross was a senior on the team, and the group had started running together during recess in elementary school with their sights on a state title once they put on a Tiger jersey.

Beth McMahon adds, “One of the things that runners do when they are on a run is they talk. That’s one of the ways that I have been able to have connections with my own son and I know that Sean has too.”

22 Midland Magazine

Alumni: Sean McMahon 23

Jaden FOX

Class & Major: Senior, Biology Hometown: Lakeside, California Campus Activities: Honors Program, Psi Chi, Pi Gamma Mu, 2020 Outstanding Student in Biology, Luther College Honors Program Scholarship recipient.

What will you remember most about your experience at Midland?

The lifelong friends I made along the way and the good times, but also several of my professors that have had a major impact on my life and career aspirations.

What are your plans after graduation?

Applying for medical school, and in the meantime working in a hospital while earning my EMT certification.

How has your experience at Midland changed you?

I feel my four years at Midland has matured me, and most importantly I have a focused direction with which I will continue the rest of my life with.

24 Midland Magazine

Why did you choose Midland?

Initially I was recruited for baseball, but shortly after applying, I was informed about the newly established Honors Program. Getting to be part of the inaugural class was an amazing opportunity and I'm glad I chose Midland to be a part of it.

Working Together S U MMI T A N D S P E A KER SERIES Midland University is doing its part to make sure every student plays an integral role in making the Midland University campus an inclusive place. That’s why events like the Equity and Inclusion Summit and the Midland University Speaker Series are critical steps in that process.

About 500 people, 400 of them Midland students, attended the inaugural “Together We are Warriors” Equity and Inclusion Summit at the Wikert Event Center in February. Through keynote speakers, small groups, and general fellowship, students learned that though they come from different backgrounds and may not all look the same, they can work together toward breaking down some of the barriers that exist.

Dr. Lawrence Chatters, Vice President of Student Affairs at Midland, was pleased not only with the turnout for the event but with the response he got from students. “We conducted a student survey and came away very impressed by the

26 Midland Magazine

numbers,” he said. “We had over 80% say they thought the event was beneficial, almost 90% say they feel Midland is an inclusive campus, and over 97% say they are open to accepting people despite their differences. If you think about all the challenges we’re facing in society right now, and the separation you see politically, 97% is an amazing number.”

Chatters said one of the main outreaches of the Summit was to have interaction between students who might not know each other or have as much in common. By design, students were put into discussion groups where they were placed with fellow students from varying interests and backgrounds. “We know over 80% of our students are on an athletic team, or in performing arts, and they hang out with those groups,” Chatters said. “We wanted to introduce them to other people on campus.

One of the first steps in creating a more inclusive space is broadening the number of people we have exposure to. They may have been paired up with a person they have seen on

campus, but never talked to. It gave them a chance to connect with that person and when they see them again, they could build something that could start a potential friendship. The groups ended up being very diverse and dynamic.”

Along with group discussions, students got to hear inspirational stories from Deja Young and DeMoine Adams.

Young, a current U.S. Paralympic track athlete, emphasized how she hasn’t let her disabilities define her and that she’s been able to accomplish everything she’s strived for. Adams, a former University of Nebraska and National Football League player, talked about the importance of being a leader and becoming stronger through failures.

For Chatters, the challenges that lie ahead are putting what was learned from the students into motion. Current numbers show that 29% of students at Midland come from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and as that number continues to climb, making each student feel like they are part of an inclusive campus will be vital.

“We want to create a campus where civil discourse is just part of what we do,” Chatters said. “If an issue comes up, we want to be able to sit down and talk through it. We want our students to tell us what they see and what they need on campus. As administrators, we may come up with something we think will be well-received, and then it isn’t because we’re a generation, or two, away from the students we’re serving.

We want this to be student-focused.”

The “Together: Bridges Into the Future” Speaker Series featured five speakers from diverse backgrounds that shared their stories with students and faculty. Todd Conkright, Dean of the Dunklau School of Business, and the organizer of the speaker series, said the idea originated from a conference he attended over the summer.

“A group from Midland went to the Vocation of a Lutheran College Conference in Minneapolis and there was a great focus on diversity, which made us change the direction of where we wanted to go with our speaker series,” he said. “We wanted to educate our students and faculty about the real issues in equity and inclusion. What can we do about it, and how can we expand on the issues and get involved? I know from an administrator's perspective, we want everyone to feel included and have that sense of equity, but we never talked about how we could make that happen. By starting the conversation, this gave us a foundation.”

Conkright agrees with Chatters in that the next step for Midland is implementing what they learned from the speaker series.

“We are the most diverse campus in Nebraska, yet you talk to some of these groups and they don’t feel included,” he said. “It got us thinking that as a school, we need to look at policies and practices and move in a direction where we become more intentional about having everyone feel involved.”

Chatters is hopeful both the summit and speaker series will pave the way for future events that will continue to bring the Midland community closer. “We know we have more work to do in creating more opportunities where students can meet and interact with one another,” he said. “Beyond the summit, and beyond the speaker series, we will continue to look at ourselves and make sure we are involving everybody.”

Diversity 27

Staying in P ER FO R M I N G A RTS I NST RU CTO R S, ST U D E N TS A DA PT TO O N L I N E L EA R N I N G The COVID-19 pandemic forced Midland University performing arts professors to adjust their methods of teaching and evaluation. Since mid-March, educators have adapted classes to online instruction. While professors said the Midland community has pulled together, there have still been some challenges. “I think we've looked at it from the perspective of how we can give the students a quality education with such a short amount of time to re-engineer the course for online learning, particularly in the arts,” said David Mayfield, collaborative pianist. “There are certain courses that are easier to do and others you have to get a little more creative with.”

Mayfield said courses such as Music Theory I or II just needed

28 Midland Magazine

Tune a few adjustments to move to online. Other classes, such as piano proficiency, have added challenges. “Fortunately, the students are in their second term and they have attained a certain level and background,” he said. “It is project based.

They are given something to work on and then we'll meet and discuss it. If there are difficulties, I explain it and demonstrate through Zoom so they can watch me.”

While the technology has made online teaching feasible, it isn't foolproof. “If I'm working with students in a woodwind pedagogy class and if they are holding the instrument wrong or the second finger on their right hand is a little off, those

type of things are certainly easier to correct in person than virtually,” said Rex Barker, the director of instrumental music.

“It is rare that students have great cameras and microphones on their iPads or laptops to get a really good video.

Sometimes being able to focus in on what you need to see in the moment can be a challenge.”

Barker believes the students, though, have adapted to the virtual learning. “I think some have handled it quite well,” he said. “There are people in any generation that are happy to watch a video and learn.

These days you can go on YouTube and learn how to fix your refrigerator. A lot of people like this because they can control it. They can go back and see a part again and skip the parts they don't need. All of that is convenient for a lot of folks. For students that like hands-on experience and maybe require more reminders about small errors, that inspirational presence is limited a little bit.”

Barker has also provided his students some creative and unique collaborative projects during the pandemic. Midland is one of about 25 schools that is participating in two compositional projects. The first is “Mandatory Social Distancing,” written by Ryan J. Williams. The other is “Fanfare con Spirito” by Brian Querry.

Students received the music and had the opportunity to listen to it, practice, and then prepare it. “They will record their performance and download it to a central site where somebody else will compile it into a unified ensemble,” Barker said. “I'm not sure how they will blend it together, but to have Midland University join in the mix with schools like the University of Arkansas and Cal State University Northridge is a unique thing.”

Both pieces were scheduled to premiere on the Internet in early May. Barker said that is just another example of how music has provided a diversion from the pandemic. “The Berlin Symphony has offered free performances for people that

normally couldn't afford to see them,” he said. “The New York Philharmonic isn't rehearsing or having concerts right now, but their musicians are offering up something in lieu of what were regular performances. Both TV and the Internet are offering up tons of performances that are wonderful to watch.”

Mayfield said when he was in graduate school, online teaching was something that wasn't the norm, but was talked about for the future. That gave him a foundation for what he has faced during the 2019-20 academic year.

“I've been fortunate that all of my teachers were detailoriented in (instructing) me,” he said. “You have to know how to explain one concept in a number of ways because every person learns differently. You draw upon that in teaching so when we went to the online version, I was somewhat prepared. In talking with colleagues, I think you have to look at the situation and not only be positive about it, but take what you are going through now and develop it as a skill to be used in the future whenever things return to normal.”

Both instructors said communication with students was crucial this spring. “You really have to talk to the students,” Mayfield said. “I don't mind asking them what they need from me or what is going to help them learn. All students learn differently and with this new dynamic, if it works then I'll put it into my teaching.”

Barker agrees. “I think any good teacher wants to find the best way to reach their students,” Barker said. “Students shouldn't hesitate to reach out and let us know what we can do to help them.”

No one at the beginning of the academic year could've predicted what colleges and universities would face in the spring, but Mayfield said Midland has handled it with aplomb.

“In looking at other schools ... I think Midland had a really smooth transition,” he said. “I wouldn't say it was perfect because that isn't real, but Midland should be proud, the alumni should be proud and the students should be proud because things were carried out and done in a matter that everyone worked together to make it the best possible experience. I think we had great, clear communication from our administration. President Jody Horner has been phenomenal with the handling of this situation.”

Performing Arts 29

Warrior Skills NEW PROGRAM HELPING STUDENTS ADJUST TO COLLEGE LIFE College students are presented with many different challenges on a daily basis. Whether it’s working hard to keep their grades up, striving to be their best performer on the stage or the field, or working a job to help pay their way through school, students encounter many obstacles in their college career.

Working through those challenges and handling adversity is what students strive to do each day. That’s where Warrior Skills come in. A new program at Midland University this year, Sidney Hirsch, Director of Student Development and Warrior Skills, views Warrior Skills as an opportunity for students to develop leadership and communication skills as they navigate through the various obstacles life can place in their way.

“Students will come to us who have had struggles and our goal is to have them see that you can overcome any challenges you may be facing,” Hirsch says.

Warrior Skills aims to assist students by focusing on four pillar core areas - Personal Enhancement, Social Responsibility, Leadership, and Career Development. A variety of workshops take place throughout the year that can guide students through everything from time management to handling stress. “The goal of these workshops is to teach life skills so

30 Midland Magazine

that students feel ready to face whatever challenges they may encounter in their college career, or afterward in professional life,” Hirsch said. ”We want them to have the skills that can allow them to be successful.”

Hirsch was a cross country/track & field athlete at Wichita State University and went through a life skills program at WSU that helped her thrive while wearing many different hats. It also gave her a perspective that allows her to advise Midland students who may be facing some of those same challenges.

“It’s helped me in this position because I know what athletes may need at this point in their lives,” she said. “I can help them balance school, athletics, a job, family, and friends.

Through my own experiences, I know what workshops might be the most beneficial to them.”

Warrior Skills brings flexibility and variety to its workshops and Hirsch said the opportunity exists for expansion and development within the program. “We send out surveys after each workshop to see what the students like, or don’t like, about each of them. I enjoy hearing how they might have helped them,” Hirsch said. “Our goal is to eventually get all students to these workshops. We want to get to the point where freshmen are getting personal enhancement skills,

FO R MOR E INFOR M AT ION, V ISIT OU R W EBSIT E: M ID L ANDU. E DU

sophomores are doing more social responsibility workshops, juniors are doing leadership workshops and seniors are doing career development. We want our students hitting each pillar in their career at Midland.”

Hirsch, and students involved in Warrior Skills, learned firsthand about facing adversity in March. As a result of the COVID19 pandemic, online learning became the norm for students over the final three months of the semester. That also meant Warrior Skills would have to become a virtual organization as well. “Going virtual went well for us,” Hirsch said. “I think the biggest thing it allowed was a way for teams to stay engaged.

They weren’t having practices anymore, so this was a way for them to stay connected. It was a really difficult time for the spring sport athletes because their seasons had just started and they basically lost a whole season.”

So teams began meeting through Google Meet and were able to share their stories of how they were working through COVID-19 in their own way. “We would start each session by just talking about what has been challenging for them,” Hirsch said. “They would share how online classes were hard, they had to be babysitters at home, they were sharing a computer with other family members, and there was a time difference for many of them. But they were seeing that we were all in this together.”

Hirsch said Warrior Skills hosted about two teams per week virtually. “We would meet for about an hour,” she said. “We would talk about trying to keep a routine, which is something I think a lot of them struggled with when they weren’t going to class. Basically, we talked about controlling what you can control, which is your attitude and effort.”

Warrior Skills presents opportunities for Midland students that are unique to smaller universities. Hirsch said student skill programs are much more prominent at larger institutions and are specifically geared for athletes. She is excited that Midland is providing those connections for its entire student population.

“It’s unique in that we have the opportunity to be able to work with all students,” she said. “It has been fun to work with a smaller group of students and see this program build.”

Hirsch is excited by the growth she saw from Warrior Skills during its inaugural year and is optimistic even more lies ahead. “I feel like a lot of coaches have bought into Warrior Skills and are seeing it benefit their athletes,” she said. “With continued support from the faculty, we will work to get more students involved who might not be in athletics.”

“ W E WA N T TH EM TO H AV E T H E S K I L L S T HAT CAN A LLOW TH EM TO B E S U CC ESS FU L .”

- Sidney Hirsch Warrior Skills 31

Answering God’s Call PASTOR SCOTT JOHNSON JOINED MIDLAND IN NOVEMBER OF 20 1 9 AS I TS N E W D I RECTO R O F CA M P U S M I N I ST R I ES. Johnson had previously served as a pastor at churches in Iowa and Minnesota and was also the pastor of Lutheran Campus Ministry at Iowa State University. Johnson and his wife, Kristin, met as students at Lutheran Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota and have been married since 2004. Kristin serves as a Deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She specializes in Youth and Family Ministry and is on the staff at First Lutheran Church in Fremont. The Johnsons have two daughters, Ainsley (13) and Alanna (11).

32 Midland Magazine

What drew you back to wanting to be involved in campus ministry again?

The thing that has always drawn me to campus ministry is the pursuit of meaning and identity that is such an essential aspect of academic settings. When (Midland University) President Jody Horner invited me to consider the position of Director of Campus Ministries, I felt like I was being asked to see if my gifts and skills would be a good match for the Midland community. In the church we often say that there’s a “discernment” process rather than an interview - what I discerned was that God was calling me to go on a new adventure. I could return to my home state and work in campus ministry, both of which were possibilities I’d thought were no longer possible.

What have been your early impressions about Midland University and its students?

I’m really enjoying the smaller size of the Midland community and how that impacts the way staff and faculty interact with students. I sat in on a department meeting where professors and staff discussed students by name, particularly a few who were struggling to meet expectations. I thought back to my own experience at a large university and how there’s just no way you could have the same experience at a university of that size.

Different doesn’t necessarily mean better or worse - it just means there are different strengths to each and we have an opportunity to play to those strengths at Midland in ways you couldn’t at a larger institution.

You have family ties to Midland University.

Tell us about those.

My paternal grandparents met at Luther College in Wahoo, which merged with Midland in 1962. They had six children, and of those six children, three attended Midland and one is a graduate. I knew all of that prior to coming to Fremont, but something I’ve discovered since then is that my grandfather was a classmate of Dr. Dale Lund.

They grew up in Wakefield, Nebraska, together and were even in the same confirmation class at Salem Lutheran in Wakefield. I imagine their acquaintance was a factor that led to my grandfather being on the Board of Directors for Midland in the 1980s.

How rewarding has it been to be back in your home state?

That’s been wonderful, for sure. My family is still here: one brother and his family live in Columbus, my parents are in Wakefield, and my other brother and his family live in the farmhouse where we all grew up. Even though the coronavirus means we haven’t gotten together as often as we’d like, it’s still

great being just an hour away instead of a much longer trip.

Proximity to Omaha is a plus as well; my in-laws live in the Twin Cities and in Eugene, Oregon, so being close to the airport will be good when my wife’s family is able to travel here for visits.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, campus life had a different feel in the spring semester. How were you able to adapt?

Sometime back in March, a pastor colleague of mine said, “Well, it looks like we’re all televangelists now.” That’s a lot more true than any of us probably care to admit. After Spring Break, we changed our Chapel services from one weekly, longer service at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesdays to a Daily Online Chapel service, posted at 11:00 a.m. every weekday on the Campus Ministries YouTube channel. Like all of us, I’ve learned a lot about basic video production in these weeks! Aside from this, I’ve tried to stay in touch with students I’ve gotten to know on campus. Working remotely isn’t ideal, but I’m proud of the way Midland students, faculty, and staff have transitioned so quickly and with such good will.

What is your vision moving forward? What would you like to accomplish in your role as Director of Campus Ministries?

One of the key aspects of Lutheran theology is our understanding of vocation. The Latin word that vocation comes from can also mean “calling,” and we believe that everyone has several different callings in their own lives. My vision for Campus Ministries is to be a force for identifying and strengthening this sense of vocation for everyone in the Midland University community. Frederick Buechner once wrote that vocation is “the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” I hope to build the sense that all the engagements into which we enter at Midland are filled with holy purpose, to help us all discover our deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger and where they can meet.

What do you enjoy doing in your off-time?

I’m a musician. I actually started college as a music major before I decided to follow my calling into the ministry. I play trombone, euphonium, and guitar, and I’ve been known to sing a little. I’ve also been active off and on in community theater over the years.

I’m an avid reader and a big fan of Stephen King, James S.A. Corey, Neil Gaiman, and J.R.R. Tolkien. We’ve bought a house in Fremont and I’m looking forward to working on it inside and out as I enjoy woodworking, gardening, and landscaping. I’m also a runner and hoping to run my fourth marathon this fall in Omaha (if we’re able to be doing such things again).

Scott Johnson 33

‘17

Ripperger

PROVIDI N G H E LP IN G HAND IN COV I D-19 RESEARCH

“ T H I S I S A N OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO SOME WORK T H AT CAN B E RE L E VA NT IM MED I ATE LY.” In one way or another, nearly every person in the United States has been impacted by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Midland University alum Tyler Ripperger is discovering ways he can have his own impact on the virus.

Ripperger, ‘17, is one of several researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine working on tests to detect COVID-19 antibodies in people without symptoms. Antibodies are proteins created by the immune system to fight infections and viruses. In his third year in the Department of Immunobiology, Ripperger is one of nearly a dozen researchers who have ramped up efforts to track new ways to potentially attack the virus.

“My perspective has probably been different from others in that this is an opportunity for us to do some work that can be relevant immediately,” Ripperger said. “That has been very motivating and exciting.”

The research groups are headed by UA immunologists Deepta Bhattacharya and Janko Nikolich. Their goal is to determine which antibodies are useful, then have those mass-produced and injected into patients fighting COVID-19. Those antibodies could potentially boost their immune system. Long-term, those antibodies could also be turned into some form of a vaccine.

Doing research on a variety of viruses has been common practice for Ripperger and his lab mates, but it wasn’t until March, when COVID-19 began to gain momentum, that the group shifted their efforts. “We started to commit our research efforts to COVID-19.” Ripperger said. “When we were talking about the work we had been doing, we thought we might be able to apply it to COVID-19. What this allows us to do is take serum samples over time and see how people are responding. We are working to figure out why this virus has strong effects on some, particularly the elderly, while others who have tested positive are showing mild to no symptoms.”

As work continues to find a potential vaccine, Ripperger is hopeful the work they are conducting will present them with some positive outcomes. “We can take the antibodies from someone who has fought off the virus and introduce that to someone else,” he said. “In the absence of a vaccine, this is a strategy you can use.”

Each test requires the lab to grow cells, a process that can take about a week, so as of now, they are limited in how many people they can test. Currently, they are able to test about a dozen samples each week. “We’re at a small sample size right now as we continue to iron out the conditions for screening,” he said. “Once we nail that down, we’ll be able to pass these on to more clinical labs.”

Ripperger, a native of Hastings, Nebraska, graduated from Midland with a B.S. in Biology and was also a member of the Warriors basketball team. His path to working in a research lab wasn’t in his original plans when he arrived at Midland. “I started in pre-veterinarian work, with the idea to be a vet for large animals,” he said. “Then I worked a couple of summers doing cancer research at the (Nebraska) Medical Center and became interested in the immune system, which seemed pretty awesome to me. I started to learn more about viruses and I came to grad school knowing this is what I wanted to work on.”

In his third year of the program, Ripperger estimates he has another “two-and-a-half to three years” left before earning his Ph.D. in biology research. “Right now, I envision myself earning my Ph.D. and finding a position working for a government or academic research lab,” he said. “I want to be somewhere that would be globally relevant.”

Like many others across the country, Ripperger has seen his daily routine upended because of COVID-19. Campus shut down and classes transitioned to online. As team members continue to practice their own form of social distancing, while still getting work done, Ripperger said the focus has shifted to attacking the virus. “We’ve been told by the government they don’t want us working on anything that isn’t related to COVID19, so it’s been all hands on deck,” he said. “The weirdest thing to me is driving around and seeing almost everything shut down. But without a vaccine, we just don’t have a good way to attack this right now. The only reasonable thing we can do is work on keeping people apart from each other.”

Alumni: Tyler Ripperger 35

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