newsmakers

NEWSMAKERS

GALLOWAY ’90 NAMED TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Robin Ottenad Galloway ’90 has been named to the Monmouth College Board of Trustees. The president of the ice cream division of DFA Dairy Brands, a national milk marketing cooperative based in Kansas City, Mo., Galloway previously worked in finance for a variety of industries, including Amoco Oil Co., Johnson Controls and Dean Foods. She was also CFO of Restaurants Unlimited, Wells Enterprises and Schwan Foods, and CEO of Fieldbrook Foods. An accounting major at Monmouth, she is looking forward to taking an active role with her alma mater and creating “opportunities that will support the next generation of Monmouth students.”

DATLOF TAKES TOP PRIZES IN MOOT COURT COMPETITION

Matthew Datlof ’22, a four-year participant in Monmouth’s moot court competition, last fall won both the legal brief-writing competition—a component he helped institute in 2020—and Top Advocate in the oral argument competition. Datlof, who is also a pitcher for the Fighting Scots, is in the process of applying to law schools.

ACTOR AND SINGER MAKES HISTORY IN COMPETITION

Gabriela Madu ’23 a theatre and computer science major, made history in January by becoming the first Monmouth College student to become a semifinalist in the Region 3 Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. In addition, she placed second in the musical theater competition—also a Monmouth first. As one of 16 competitors in the Irene Ryan semifinals, she performed a monologue from the Nilo Cruz play Anna and the Topics. Her musical theatre performance was the song “You Must Love Me” from Evita. Due to pandemic restrictions, the annual competition has been held online the past two years.

GUSTAFSON TAPPED FOR LINCOLN LAUREATE AWARD

Elizabeth Gustafson ’22 has been named Monmouth College’s Student Laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, an honor given to an outstanding senior at each of Illinois’ four-year degree-granting institutions. A business administration and communication studies double major, she carries a 4.0 grade-point average and is a member of the prestigious Stockdale Fellows Program. She is active in Alpha Xi Delta, serving in two vice presidential positions, as well as academic achievement director. As Monmouth’s Student Laureate, she will also have the honor of addressing her fellow graduates at this year’s Commencement.

PETERSON PERFORMS INDEPENDENT RESEARCH

Gabriela Peterson ’23, a chemistry and political science major, spent eight weeks last summer researching propolis, a substance that bees produce. Working under chemistry professor Audra Goach, she PETERSON studied how propolis acts as an antibacterial agent. Because her senior research mentor had graduated, she decided to pursue the project under the Kieft Summer Research Program, in order to be better prepared for her senior year. A cross country/track athlete, she was a finalist in the 2021 moot court competition and is spending the spring semester in Washington, D.C., through The Fund For American Studies.

OTT ACCEPTS DEANSHIP

The Rev. Daniel Ott, associate professor and chair of the department of philosophy and religious studies, has been named dean of theology, humanities and performing arts at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Va. A member of the Monmouth faculty since 2011, he has also served as associate dean of academic initiatives and coordinator of the peace, ethics and social justice academic minor program.