The Morningsider, Vol. 70/No. 2 - Spring/Summer 2015

spring summer 2015

Technology to improve student experience PAGE 5 More students go on to graduate school PAGE 8 College kicks off Alumni Chapters Program PAGE 23

P R E S I D E N T T H E F R O M

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The best thing about Morningside College has always been the people. This applies not only to current students, faculty and staff, but also to the thousands of alumni that support the college and live out its mission in their daily lives. You are an important part of the college’s past, its present, as well as its future.

Last fall we sent out an alumni survey to get input on how we can strengthen our connection with you.

Almost 650 alumni took the time to respond and help us grow stronger as a college. Thank you.

The most gratifying message in the survey results was that alumni are very satisfied with the college.

Ninety-four percent said their overall opinion of the college was good or excellent, 95 percent said their student experience was good or excellent, and 93 percent said they promoted the college to others at least occasionally.

Looking specifically at alumni from our graduate education program, 98 percent said their student experience was good or excellent, and 61 percent said they promote the college regularly or all the time.

There is one area where we need to improve for graduate alumni, and that is the alumni experience. We noticed that and are looking at how we can better connect with you.

In the survey, alumni said they want to help identify jobs for graduates, serve as mentors for students, provide leadership on boards and committees, and serve as ambassadors for the college.

This is exciting, as our alumni Alumni and friends smile for a photo at an Alumni Chapter event in Kansas City. are a great resource of wide-ranging knowledge and expertise.

I would love for you to get even more involved with Morningside, whether that means hosting students for internships, visiting our campus as guest speakers, or serving on the board for the Morningside College Alumni Association.

The Alumni Association works to create opportunities for alumni to connect with the college. It recently helped launch the Alumni Chapters Program, where alumni in different parts of the country get together for different activities. Meetings have already been held in Chicago, Denver, Kansas City, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

I appreciate how alumni want to do whatever they can to help the college and our students. I also want the college to be there for alumni. From professional networking to cultural and entertainment opportunities, I want the college to be a lifelong resource for you.

Morningside College is a very special place. A transformation is occurring here that is enhancing the college experience for our students and has enabled us to become one of the fastest-growing colleges in the Midwest. Our graduates continue to get great jobs or enroll in prestigious graduate or professional programs. Robin and I hope that you can attend an alumni event this coming year or come back for homecoming and feel the energy on campus that just permeates the place. I guarantee that you’ll love it!

JOHN REYNDERS

contents spring summer 2015

Editor: Jenny Welp Thomas Art Director: Kevin Kjeldseth

volume 70 number 2

Vice President for Communications & Marketing: Rick Wollman Alumni Association Executive Committee: Adam Lloyd 2004, president Matt Campbell 1998, vice president Dick Stone 1968, treasurer & secretary Julie Negus Eickhoff 1989, college board representative & alumni chapter liaison Paul Johnson, student government president Paige McKern, student alumni association president Gene Ambroson, director of alumni relations

in this issue 4 Morningside opens new

Col. Bud Day Center for Civic Engagement.

Community news on and off campus

6 Mustang Minutes

Morningside sports highlights

7 M-Club Messenger

Reflecting on 40+ years of Morningside softball

10 Faculty and Staff Notes

Morningside College Operator: 712-274-5000 or 800-831-0806 The Morningsider is published twice a year under the auspices of the public relations office. It is distributed free of charge to alumni and friends of the college. © 2015 by Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa. All rights reserved.

4 Morningside Avenues

Faculty and staff awards, faculty news, new staff

14 Donor Recognition

Thank you for supporting the college

8 More students are going on to graduate school.

16 Class Notes

Alumni news and feature stories

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Morningsider Morningside College 1501 Morningside Ave. Sioux City, IA 51106 Morningside College does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, religion, creed, race, color, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information or national origin in its programs and activities.

30 College sweethearts share their stories.

The Morningside College experience cultivates a passion for life-long learning and a dedication to ethical leadership and civic responsibility.

ON THE COVER: Shelby Hawn enjoys the view from the second floor of the Hickman-Johnson-Furrow Learning Center at Morningside College.

Photo by Doug Burg, Burg Studios.

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MORNINGSIDE AVENUES

Notable “Most Efficient” College

Morningside was included in a U.S. News & World Report list of the country's "most efficient" colleges and universities. In the "Regional Colleges (Midwest)" category, Morningside scored second on operating efficiency and was one of only five Midwest regional colleges to make the list that compared spending and educational quality.

Top College for Counseling Degree

Morningside College was ranked No. 5 on a list of the “Top 25 Small Colleges for a Counseling Degree” that appears on the website Best Counseling Degrees, www.bestcounselingdegrees.net. Schools were evaluated on accreditation, retention rate and net price and ranked by overall graduation rate.

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Fundraising/Alumni Relations Awards

The college received awards for best practices in fundraising and alumni relations at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education District VI conference in Denver, Colo. Over 450 institutions applied, and Morningside was one of only 12 selected to receive awards at the platinum level.

Morningside College dedicates new Col. Bud Day Center for Civic Engagement This spring Morningside dedicated the new Col. Bud Day 1950 Center for Civic Engagement on the second floor of the Hickman-Johnson-Furrow Learning Center on the college’s campus.

Named in honor of one of America’s most highly decorated servicemen, the Col. Bud Day Center for Civic Engagement will focus on activities related to civic awareness and citizenship on campus and in the Sioux City area. The center is affiliated with the Morningside College Department of Economics, Political Science and Sociology.

“Our vision is for the center to become known nationally for its nonpartisan efforts to encourage civic involvement and interest in the political process,” said President John Reynders.

“We are grateful that Colonel Day’s family agreed to let us name the center after him and are pleased they joined us for the dedication ceremony.”

Morningside professor Sam Clovis will serve as the center’s director.

Day saw active military duty during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, which included more than five years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. He received nearly 70 medals and awards as well as the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest combat military award, and the Air Force Cross, the highest combat award for airmen. Day died in 2013.

Morningside hosts NAIA Softball World Series Ten teams from across the nation converged on the Elizabeth & Irving F. Jensen Softball Complex in May when Morningside hosted the 35th Annual National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Softball World Series with the City of Sioux City.

The event was presented by Morningside and Security National Bank. Morningside also will host the 2016 World Series with the city.

Honorary Doctorates

George Dehne, president and CEO of GDA Integrated Services, was recognized for his career in higher education as a consultant to some of the nation’s leading colleges and universities, including Morningside.

Bishop Deborah (Lieder) Kiesey 1973, a United Methodist Church bishop and former member of the college board of directors, was honored for her and her family’s long association with and service to Morningside.

Mark Nylen, president and CEO of Hepar BioScience LLC, was recognized for philanthropic endeavors that have supported numerous area organizations and programs, including Morningside.

Morningside grad named vice president for institutional advancement

Kari (Bull) Winklepleck 2003 recently was named vice president for institutional advancement at Morningside College. Winklepleck has 12 years of experience working in the advancement department and most recently was assistant vice president for the annual fund. “She has established and nurtured many important relationships with current and prospective donors,” said President John Reynders. “I am thrilled to have someone of Kari’s caliber already on staff to take this leadership role.” Ahmad Boura, the previous vice president for institutional advancement, accepted a position at California State University at Chico.

Join us for a show!

The Betty Ling Tsang Fine Arts Series is free and open to the public.

Summer performances take place at the college in the Buhler Outdoor Performance Center, weather permitting.

Holiday Pops Concert with the Sioux City Symphony 8:15 p.m. June 27 Hansel and Gretel and the Long Way Home 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. July 10, 10 a.m. July 11 Oklahoma Sing-A-Long 7 p.m. Aug. 7 and 8

MORNINGSIDE AVENUES

College uses technology to improve student experience Morningside recently found a new way to use technology to improve the student experience. It all started when faculty and staff members were discussing how to assess academic challenge.

John Pinto, associate vice president for graduate programs and institutional assessment, said students will tell you in a course survey whether a class was challenging, but it is difficult for them to pinpoint exactly why the class was challenging. Also, he said it is difficult for students to answer a question like, “How many hours do you study each week?”

Information technology staff suggested a free software program called mQlicker. It allows the college to send out short surveys that students can answer in real time using their phones.

“We will get a much better idea of what students are doing and when they do it so we can adapt our programs to fit students’ schedules instead of ours,” Pinto said.

Over a two-week period this spring, about 100 students were buzzed three or four times a day between 8 a.m. and midnight. Each time it took them less than 60 seconds to answer questions about what they were doing and whether they found it valuable.

The college is still analyzing survey results. However, Pinto said he was pleased to see that one-third of the time, students reported that they were studying. When studying, 72 percent agreed or strongly agreed that the work was challenging.

“You always worry that you’re assigning busy work,” he said.

“Students do not see what they’re doing as busy work.”

The mQlicker technology also can be used in class to conduct quizzes or to check for understanding. The college already has clicker technology, where professors distribute remote control-like devices to students to complete surveys. But Pinto said mQlicker surveys will be easier for faculty to use because students already have the technology in their phones.

“It really has significant implications in changing the pedagogy in the classroom and in changing how we collect information about our students,” he said.

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MUSTANG MINUTES

By Dave Rebstock

Morningside sports highlights

Men’s basketball team has banner season

The men’s basketball team had a 28-5 record this winter for the second highest victory total in school history.

The Mustangs posted a 17-3 record in Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) play to share the league’s regular season championship with Dakota Wesleyan. Along with winning their fourth conference title during the Jim Sykes coaching era, the Mustangs also made it to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Steve O’Neill Division II National Tournament for the fifth time in the last 10 years, where they posted an 86-79 opening round victory against Tabor before a season-ending 72-70 loss against Saint Francis in the round of 16.

Experience was key for a team that featured seven seniors among its top 12 scorers. Senior guard Steve O’Neill topped the Mustangs with an 18.3-point scoring average and became Morningside’s first-ever first-team NAIA men’s basketball All-American.

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Two wrestlers earn All-America honors

The Mustangs posted a 7-3 dual record in wrestling and finished second in the GPAC standings with a 6-1 league mark.

Senior 184-pounder Rulin Pederson was ranked among the top competitors in the nation throughout the campaign and placed eighth at the NAIA National Championships to earn NAIA All-America honors for the second time in his career.

Senior Garret Lambrecht also made a strong national tournament showing with a seventh-place finish in the 141-lb. division to earn All-America honors for the first time in his career.

Track & field athletes make their mark

Neeia Cooperwood was named the GPAC Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.

Cooperwood graduated as one of the most decorated athletes in Morningside history as an 18-time GPAC champion, a 13-time NAIA All-American, and the owner of six school records and part owner of two school relay records.

She won the long jump, 60-meters, 200-meters and 400-meters at this Neeia Cooperwood winter’s GPAC Indoor Track & Field Championships and then added four more titles at the GPAC Outdoor Championships with triumphs in the long jump, 100-meters,

200-meters and 400-meters.

Cooperwood also excelled on the national stage by earning All-America honors in three events at both the NAIA Indoor and Outdoor National Championships, including a second-place finish in the indoor 400-meters for the top national finish of her Morningside career. Cooperwood added a third-place finish in the 200-meters and a fifth-place finish in the long jump at the NAIA Indoor National Championships. She was fifth in the 400-meters and third in both the long jump and 200-meters at the NAIA Outdoor National Championships.

Jay Welp was one of the top performers at this year’s GPAC Indoor Championships when he won a distance triple with victories in the mile and 1000- and 3000-meter runs. The senior standout followed up with a fifth-place finish in the 1000-meters at the NAIA Indoor Championships to earn individual All-America honors for the first time in his career.

Mark Abrams joined Cooperwood as a conference champion at this year’s GPAC Outdoor Championships when he reigned in the 10,000meters for the second year in a row.

Mustang highlights in softball, baseball, tennis, golf, dance and volleyball

The softball team posted its 13th consecutive winning season with a 27-21 record. The Mustangs peaked at the finish when they went 13-4 over their final 17 games and just missed earning a seventh straight NAIA National Tournament appearance when they lost to Concordia in the GPAC Tournament Championship Series. Faith Schmidt pitched a no-hitter during the GPAC’s post-season tournament and was named to the All-GPAC First Team.

The baseball team also enjoyed a successful season with a 35-18 record for its fifth 30-win campaign in the last eight years. Freshman hurler Cody Selig had a 9-1 record to break a school record for pitching victories in a season and was joined on the All-GPAC First Team by Nate Clark and Jacob Lamoreux.

The women’s tennis team went 13-5 and finished as the GPAC runner-up with a 6-1 league record. Cassie Stanek led the Mustangs with a 19-3 singles record to set a school record for wins in a season.

She was joined on the All-GPAC team by Megan Carlson, Katie Hanson, Megan Solberg, and Audri Swisher. Alex Struck had a 13-6 singles record for the Mustang men to tie their record for wins in a season. Struck, Jordan Betts and Danny Graves were named to the All-GPAC Men’s Tennis Team.

The Mustangs had two All-GPAC performers on the links, where Caitlin Fieselman received the honor in women’s golf and Keegan Bak did so in men’s golf after he finished third in the conference individual standings.

Morningside’s dance team finished first at the NAIA Cheer & Dance North Qualifying Competition in Crete, Neb., and then finished fourth at the NAIA Cheer & Dance National Invitational in Fremont, Neb. The Mustangs’ cheer team also qualified for the national invitational, where they finished seventh. Erin Oliver became the Mustangs’ first-ever dance All-American, and her teammates Kara Bentz and Alli Martin were named honorable mention All-Americans.

This winter the Mustangs entered the world of varsity men’s volleyball competition. The Mustangs posted an 11-17 record in their debut season.

M-Club Messenger

A tradition of excellence Reflecting on 40+ years of Morningside softball By Dr. Sharon Ocker

Softball has been an important sport at Morningside for many 46 wins in a season, and set records with 75 home runs, a .335 batting years. How did the game of softball come into being? The variant of average and a 1.63 earned run average. baseball with a larger ball and a smaller field was invented in Chicago Here are a couple of interesting stories through the years, as told as an indoor sport in 1887. Back then, the ball was larger, spongy and by coaches and players. soft enough that gloves weren't needed. Not so today. The ball is very Morningside was playing games at Buena Vista. A tornado had its hard and about 12 inches in circumference, whereas a eye pointed at the field. Maureen (Kolar) Nussman 1975 baseball is about nine inches. A few years ago, the was shook and wanted out of there. Nita (Harris) color yellow was introduced, supposedly to make the Edlund 1959 asked Karen Taylor Burton 1974, who ball easier to see. was from that area, where the best place to go might I am sure that Morningside gals played softball for be. Taylor Burton spotted a culvert. Was there room fun way back when, but the first record of collegiate for the whole team? They all managed to get in - the competition was in 1973 when Mike Pomerenke 1973 storm hit - and when they came out afterward, there coached the team to a 2-3 record. The very next year, was lots of damage - trees, etc. The girls grew closer the Io-Kota Conference was formed, and Morningside than ever, and learned a valuable lesson - be prepared took third place. Morningside did well in that for anything when you're in a town with the name of conference, winning the conference four times, Storm Lake. including two years in a row in 1982 and 1983 with Now and again, there were practical jokes. One of Gary Gevik 1974 as coach. the best happened to coach Sandy Winter 1981. One Then the North Central Conference (NCC) made a of the girls joined a sorority, and some other team rule that Morningside had to compete in the NCC or members didn't like the idea. Winter got a call that the college would have to give up its league the players had gone to a formal sorority meeting and membership, so we began much stiffer competition Jessica Jones-Sitzmann removed the girl, chair and all. Winter talked to the playing an NCC schedule in 1990. We became quite team about this and said that they were out of line. competitive in the NCC, but never captured a championship over She thought that would take care of it, but the next day, Dean the 14 years.

Carolyn Rants called and said there had been a food fight in the The college joined the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) in commons between the sorority and the softball girls. She provided 2004, and we have held our own there over the years, winning five names of those involved. regular season championships and six post-season tournament At the next practice, coach pulled the players on the list into a titles. We also earned our way into the National Association of separate room and yelled at them for about 30 minutes. Finally, one Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national tourney six times. of the girls raised her hand and said, "April Fools’!" Winter said, "But Morningside has won 925 games and lost 567 for an all-time winning it's March 30." "We knew you would never fall for it on April 1st," they rate of 62 percent. said. Winter countered, "But Dr. Rants would never have helped you."

Coaches over the years were Pomerenke, 1973; Mary Kay "Yeah," said the player. "We had to talk to her for days." Winter sank Anderson, 1974; Connie Hauswirth 1976 and Joyce Stille 1985, 1975; into a chair and offered, "You did it. You got me." Then the players Rich Everett, 1976-1977; Jean Ellis, 1978-1980; Gevik, 1981-1985; said, "Coach, the rest of the team thinks it's for real, so could you Sandy Winter 1981, 1986-1990; Joan McDermott, 1991-1995; Ann make us run extra?" "No problem," said Winter, and they ran...

Halsne, 1996-1997; Lt. Gen. Ron Dardis 1965, 1998; and Jessica Jones-Sitzmann just completed her 17th year of coaching the Jones-Sitzmann, 1999 to present.

Mustangs, and she has had much success, with a record of 566-327 Morningside has produced a number of All-America softball for a .633 winning percentage. When recruiting, she of course is players and all-conference awardees. In Division II, five ladies interested in fielding, throwing ability, hitting, speed, versatility, garnered All-America honors: Mindi (Prince) Sauer 1998, stuff and control for pitchers, etc. But what she is most concerned Jeree (Carlson) Menning 1996, Melissa (McWilliams) Hansen 1999, about is finding team players who will get along with the others and Tia (Vitiritto) Stiles 1997 and Angie (Koll) Van Otterloo 1999. keep their heads up under pressure. We've had our share of those.

Eight players have been named For more, go online to www.morningside.edu/mclubmessenger.

NAIA All-Americans: Zena Beth (Junck) Olerich 1985, Mackenzie Neely 2013, Whitney (McElrath) Lloyd 2008, Kendra Klein 2009, Kelly (Baumert) Rutter 2010, Alisha Krieg 2008, Cara (DeStigter) Drew 2009 and Kati Steffen 2015.

The 2011 team set a school record with Jessica Jones-Sitzmann has been Morningside’s head coach since 1999.

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Austin Granatowicz (left), Alex Sjuts, Audri Swisher, Brittney Mozer and Jon Hoaglund give students tips on how to get into professional school during a Health Care Explorers panel at Morningside. Photo by Doug Burg, Burg Studios.

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Going Places More Morningside

students go on to graduate school

By Jenny Welp Thomas recommendation letters.”

Over the past 10 years, Morningside College has about doubled the Last year Quinton Behlers 2014 applied to eight pharmacy schools percent of students going on to graduate or professional school. and was accepted by every single one. At the end of his first year at The figure used to be about 10 percent of Morningside graduates, the University of Iowa, he has a 3.95 grade point average. and now that number is closer to 20 percent, said Stacie Hays, Behlers said Morningside definitely has given him an advantage.

Morningside’s career counselor.

He said he developed close relationships with “It’s exciting for us to see our students be admitted Morningside professors, and that makes him more into these competitive programs,” she said. “It shows we comfortable approaching professors in pharmacy school. are preparing our students academically, and we are He also did research at Morningside. He said that has making them aware of the experiences they need outside made him more analytical so he takes the time to of the classroom to be viable candidates.” understand course content, rather than just Hays said students have to start thinking about memorizing it. whether they would like to go to professional school as “That’s better because, as they’ve told us, some of early as their freshman year in college. these drugs aren’t going to be relevant in 15 years,” he The reason is that some schools start accepting said. “It’s actually more important for us to know the applications at the end of their junior year, with an concepts rather than just memorizing the drug name and application deadline early the fall of their senior year. As somewhat of what it does. That way down the road when a result, they only have three years to take most of the new drugs are coming out, I will be able to understand required courses, to do job shadowing in their field, and what systems they are affecting and just have more to take advantage of leadership, community service and Quinton Behlers knowledge about them.” research opportunities that will look good on their Students in the Class of 2015 have been accepted application. into graduate programs ranging from video game development to Faculty members approach students early to talk with them criminology and from healthcare ethics to choral conducting, and about their options. professional schools ranging from business to law and from physical “Because we have smaller class sizes and our students work so therapy to optometry. Here are just a few of their stories. closely with our faculty, they’re able to develop very personal types of relationships,” Hays said. “And that shows in their

Oswaldo Sanchez, engineering physics and math major, is going to Iowa State University in Ames for a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. He was awarded full tuition plus a living stipend. A first generation college student, Sanchez applied to Morningside at the last minute, and he was able to start classes just a couple of weeks later. His freshman adviser, Kitty Green, saw his test scores and sent him to the physics department to talk about a career in engineering. Later his physics professors let him know about an open house at Iowa State, which led to a summer research internship. Sanchez feels that got his foot in the door. He also said it helped that previous Morningside graduates have been successful in the mechanical engineering program.

Hope Forman, business and political science major, is going to law school at Chapman University in Orange, Calif.

Forman applied to nine law schools.

She was accepted by all nine and was offered full tuition from three of them.

Because she is not taking on a lot of debt, Forman feels she has more freedom to pursue a career as a human rights lawyer, which does not pay as much as some other specialties. This summer she is teaching English at an orphanage in Arusha, Tanzania. When asked what made her law school application stand out, Forman said she worked two years at Berenstein & Moore Law Firm in Sioux City.

Her pre-law adviser, Dr. Lillian Lopez, had encouraged her to apply for the job.

Michaela Ingalls, biopsychology major, is going to the University of Nebraska Omaha for a Ph.D. in neuroscience. She was awarded full tuition plus a living stipend. Ingalls originally wanted to go into art therapy. Then she took a biology course where Dr. Chad Leugers had students grow tau proteins to study their role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. She loved working on a research project where she understood the bigger picture. When applying to graduate school, Ingalls was told she had some of the best recommendation letters the professors had ever seen. She said it helped that Morningside is a small school because she had the same professors for several classes and was able to develop relationships with them.

Austin Granatowicz, biology and chemistry major, is going to medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. He decided to become a doctor after being diagnosed with leukemia at the beginning of his sophomore year at Morningside. His cancer was quickly controlled with medication, and he spent the spring semester of his sophomore year studying abroad in Italy. He feels studying abroad and playing football at Morningside set him apart when applying to medical school. He also volunteered at camps for little kids with cancer and worked with Morningside athletics to raise $15,000 to fight cancer. Granatowicz said professors were so great about helping him study for the medical school entrance exam that he felt like he had private tutors.

Kayla Schaefer (top) and Audri Swisher, biology and chemistry majors, are going to veterinary school at Iowa State University in Ames. Iowa State offers in-state tuition to six South Dakota residents each year through a contract with the state of South Dakota.

Schaefer and Swisher took two of those six spots. It will save each of them more than $90,000. They felt they had well-rounded applications that included strong test scores, research projects, campus activities and experience working in vet clinics.

Schaefer got a philosophy minor, which probably stood out. They both did research with sea turtles in Costa Rica, and Swisher worked at a vet clinic in Mexico. Career counselor Stacie Hays helped them prepare their personal statements and know what to expect during their interviews.

David Meisinger, general psychology major, is going to medical school at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. He plans to specialize in child and adolescent psychiatry.

Meisinger majored in psychology rather than biology or chemistry because he figured a psychology major would focus more on mental health issues. Also, he said psychologists take a slightly different approach than psychiatrists when treating patients, so majoring in psychology as an undergraduate will make him more well-rounded. With help from adviser Dr. Kim Christopherson, Meisinger completed his psychology major and the courses he needed for medical school. He also took other courses in the liberal arts curriculum, such as photography and philosophy.

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Walker Faculty Excellence Awards

Outside evaluators selected the recipients. Criteria for selection included teaching excellence, effective advising, scholarship and service to the college during the previous academic year.

Dr. Anthony Kern, associate professor of biology and academic chair of the Regina Roth Applied Agricultural and Food Studies Program, teaches with such passion and enthusiasm that students are captivated by new theories and topics and are engaged with course material and with learning. He integrates hands-on experiences and gives students opportunities to develop their own research projects, allowing for more advanced research at the undergraduate level.

Advising support for students ranges from helping plan semester schedules to guiding career choices. As a scholar, he co-authored a book chapter and had a peer-reviewed scholarly article published. He also served as chair of five faculty search committees, began an extensive program review, performed first-year faculty evaluations and served as a mentor to new faculty.

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Dr. Patrick McKinlay, professor of political science and chair of economics, political science and sociology, received high marks from students and peers alike on the quality of his teaching. One peer wrote that his “commitment, passion, and vocation for teaching are extraordinary.” Student evaluations consistently describe him as tough but fair and deeply dedicated to student learning. He works tirelessly in advising students and assisting them with their specific goals at Morningside, but he goes well beyond this to help students discern career and life paths that fit their gifts and talents. Scholarly achievements include authoring a chapter in a textbook.

He also has integrated his ongoing research into a new course he taught last year.

Colleagues use words like “hard work,” “integrity” and “conviction” to describe his commitment to service.

Dr. Chris Spicer, associate professor of mathematics, leads classes through logical, clear lessons, soliciting student input, making jokes and covering difficult content. He created a course to help students with weaker backgrounds in the field not only improve their skills and demonstrate competency, but also to experience some of the passion, creativity and breadth of the discipline. As an adviser, he consistently earns high praise from students. He helped guide development of Morningside’s advising program through review of best practices and innovative ideas from national advising organizations. He served on numerous committees, worked on curriculum development, and fostered interest in his discipline. He has contributed in countless ways with inspiration, diligence, compassion and good humor.

Thompson Staff Excellence Awards

Recipients were selected based upon their demonstration of outstanding dedication, service and commitment to Morningside and its students during the 2013-2014 academic year. Jen Dolphin also was named staff employee of the year.

Jen Dolphin, who was associate registrar when she received the award, provides numerous services to students, faculty and staff. She is always friendly and helpful and is extremely skilled at her job. Other staff members use the word “amazing” to describe her analytical and technical skills.

Within her department, she facilitates positive group dynamics and outcomes.

Jeanette (Strub) Frey 1995, assistant controller, pitches in to get projects completed. She was involved in the Higher Learning Commission accreditation self-study report and the successful conversion to the AIMS graphical user interface. She also developed billing and refund policies for the graduate education program and served on two planning task force committees – chairing one.

Mary Krejci 1999, enrollment data manager, has a positive impact on all students, faculty and staff who come in contact with her. She especially has an impact on international students by helping them deal with the complicated web of government regulations and procedures they face in order to study in this country.

Aaron Orndorff, technology services supervisor, is described by other staff members as devoted, personable and hard-working. He is dedicated to providing a high level of customer service as he assists almost every administrative and academic department on campus. Likewise, students rely on him and his team to make their technology experiences problem-free.

Sue Pyburn, associate director of admissions, plays a major role in ensuring that prospective students have the best possible experience when they inquire, apply or visit Morningside. From approving every piece of mail sent to prospective students to organizing visit days, everything she does has an impact on the success of our admissions process.

Kari (Bull) Winklepleck 2003, who was assistant vice president for the annual fund when she received the award, always has a smile and cheerful greeting to share. Every day it’s obvious that she takes great pride in her work and is willing to make that extra effort to do things right.

Her efforts have had a major impact on the success of our Annual Scholarship Fund campaign, which is critical to the college’s financial vitality.

Faculty Notes

Patrick Blaine, Ph.D., assistant professor of Spanish, presented a paper and moderated a panel at the Cine-Lit conference in Portland, Ore. He presented a paper titled “Gringos in Chilean Cinema: Nicolás López and Sebastián Silva.” He also moderated a panel on children and adolescents in Latin American film.

Aaron Bunker, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, and three students worked on a paper that was published in the March 2015 issue of BIOS, the quarterly journal of the Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society. The paper is “Effects of Arm and Body Position When Measuring Blood Pressure in Young Healthy Males and Females.” The students who helped conduct the 2.5-year study are Kaitlin Gerber 2013, Nick Haedt 2011 and Blake Schany 2013.

The study found body position – standing, sitting or lying down –significantly impacts the blood pressure of females but not males.

Kim Christopherson, Ph.D., associate professor, had an essay published with a compilation of essays written for the Society for the Teaching of Psychology. Her essay looks at how she assigns writing for both academic and general audiences. The idea is to give students experience writing in different styles, something they will have to do in their careers.

Stephen Coyne, Ph.D., professor of English, presented his short story “Smoke and Dew” at the North American Review Bicentennial Conference at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. The conference celebrated the 200th anniversary of the North American Review, the oldest literary magazine in the United States.

Lindsey Dutler, D.N.P., assistant professor of nursing education, completed a professional certificate program on Mental Health Care and the Older Adult through the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also had a paper published in a journal for health professionals working with American Indians and Alaska Natives. Her paper, “Hepatitis C Prevalence in a Native American Reservation Clinic: Impact of a Screening and Monitoring Program,” was published in The IHS Primary Care Provider.

David Elder, Ph.D., assistant professor of writing and rhetoric, presented at the International Writing Centers Association conference in Orlando, Fla., with students Hannah Hecht and Mallory Sea. They discussed how the college writing center staff has gone into Sioux City’s public high schools to work with specific classes or to

offer writing center services for an afternoon. High school students also have visited Morningside to work with the writing center and to do research with the librarian.

Elder and Hecht also led a professional development workshop for the Sioux City Community School District. They discussed ways college professors can change how they teach based on how high school writing is taught, and ways high school teachers can change how they teach based on how college writing is taught.

Kitty Green, M.A., assistant professor of history, was elected vice chair of the State Historical Society of Iowa Board of Trustees.

Geoff Harkness, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology, was named treasurer-designate of the Midwest Sociological Society, and he authored chapters in two books. He authored a chapter in the book “Soccer in the Middle East” that examines the relationship between athletic participation and political activism, and finds that female athletes who took part in the Arab spring protest in Iraq attributed these actions to their involvement in sports. He authored a chapter in the book “Intercultural Communication with Arabs: Studies in Educational, Professional and Societal Contexts” that examines the role of sports in both exacerbating and alleviating ethnic tensions among Kurds, Arabs and Turkmens playing together on a college basketball team in Iraq.

John Helms, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry, was elected to full membership in Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society.

More than 200 Nobel Prize winners have been members. To be eligible for full membership, an individual has to show noteworthy achievement as an original investigator in a field of pure or applied science. Helms conducts research in the areas of environmental chemistry, analytical chemistry and aquatic science.

Valerie Hennings 2001, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science, recently co-authored two publications. One examines the ways women provide leadership within the United Nations General Assembly through their floor speeches, and it appears as a chapter in “Global Women Leaders: Studies in Feminist Political Rhetoric.” The other analyzes the selection of women in elections from around the world, and it appears in the journal Political Behavior.

Hennings also gave the opening address for Ready to Run Iowa, a non-partisan candidate training program at Iowa State University in Ames, and she chaired a session on women and politics research at the 2015 Iowa Association of Political

Scientists annual meeting at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Jean (Peters) Hickman 1981, Ph.D., assistant professor of music education, gave two presentations at the Hawaii Music Educators Association In-Service Conference at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu. Her presentations were "Creative Assessment for Performing Ensembles" and "I Can Get It for You Wholesale: Free (or Nearly Free) Apps and Programs for Music Educators."

James M. Hopkins, C.P.A., professor of accounting, had two articles published in accounting journals. An article in TAXPRO Journal explains how the federal income tax law applies to head-of-household filing status when one spouse is a nonresident alien. An article in the Journal of Accountancy looks at a case where the court allowed a father to claim his child for a dependency exemption and earned income tax credit because he was the custodial parent, even though a divorce instrument had awarded custody of the child to her mother.

Anthony Kern, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and academic chair of the Regina Roth Applied Agricultural and Food Studies Program, was awarded a competitive grant subcontract to continue developing the wild American hazelnut into a viable perennial crop for the Upper Midwest. The interinstitution hazelnut breeding program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kern was awarded the competitive grant subcontract with the University of Minnesota. He is working on the genetics of the plant and was funded for $92,000.

11

Marty (Steele) Knepper 1972, Ph.D., professor of English and chair of English and modern languages, led a session at the Iowa Council of Teachers of English conference in Johnston, Iowa. Her presentation was on using recent Iowa films to teach English and interdisciplinary courses.

Mary Kovarna, Ed.D., professor and chair of nursing, was a keynote speaker at the Iowa Nurses Association Legislative Day in Des Moines. She also helped coordinate an interactive session on “Stating Your Case: The Nuts and Bolts of Your Message.” More than 250 Iowa nurses and nursing students attended the Legislative Day and then went to the state Capitol to lobby for healthrelated issues. There were 32 Morningside students at the event that met with senators and representatives and articulated positions on current bills and legislative action.

faculty and staff

notes

Jessica LaPaglia, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, presented research at the Psychonomic Society's annual meeting in Long Beach, Calif. She presented research on how testing and contextual detail impact new learning and false memories.

Lorna Leavitt 1995, Ed.D., associate professor of education, was hired by Pearson to score the spring edTPA assessment given to pre-service teachers.

She scored portfolios for special education.

EdTPA is an assessment designed to answer the question: “Is a new teacher ready for the job?” It includes a review of teaching materials that document and demonstrate each candidate's ability to effectively teach his or her subject matter to all students.

12

Susie Lubbers, M.S., assistant professor of education, helped complete an accreditation review of the education department at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Lubbers was appointed to the five-person accreditation review team by the Iowa Department of Education. Lubbers also presented at a Sioux City Community School District “We Teach Secondary” professional development day. She discussed how educators can motivate middle and high school students, and how they can engage students in their own learning.

Dick Owens, Ed.D., professor emeritus of education, received the Sam Kirk Educator of the Year Award at the 52nd Annual Learning Disabilities Association International Conference in Chicago.

Each year the Learning Disabilities Association recognizes an outstanding educator. Owens was recognized for his notable contributions to the education of persons with learning disabilities.

Anne Garreans Power, Ph.D., associate professor of business, presented at the National Education Finance Conference in St. Louis, Mo., and at a Phi Delta Kappa doctoral research poster session at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Her presentations looked at faculty and administrator perspectives on merit pay compensation systems in private higher education.

Heather Reid, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, presented research at the American Academy in Rome as part of her fellowship there, and she traveled to Cyprus to give the keynote address at a symposium on ethics and doping in sport. She presented papers at philosophy conferences in New York and Canada - one discusses how athletics are mimetic, yet Plato allowed them in education because they are virtuous, and the other discusses how

performance-enhancing technologies decrease the ethical value of the Olympic sport. Her chapter “Olympism: A Philosophy of Sport?” appeared in the book “Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Sport,” and her book review of “The Bloomsbury Companion to the Philosophy of Sport” was published in the journal Sport, Ethics and Philosophy. She performed article reviews for the Journal of the Philosophy of Sport and History of Philosophy Quarterly, and she reviewed a book manuscript on the subject of ancient philosophy for Routledge.

Jeremy Schnieder, Ph.D., assistant professor of writing and rhetoric, and Aaron Bunker, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, had a paper accepted for presentation at the Annual International Conference on Biology at the Athens Institute for Education and Research in Athens, Greece. The paper, “Once Upon a Time in a Biology Class,” centers on a biology writing project created

by Bunker that epitomizes the Writing Across the Curriculum program at Morningside, of which Schnieder is the director.

Chris Spicer, Ph.D., associate professor of mathematics, completed a paper with a colleague and a student that was published in the Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing. The paper finds solutions to all of the remaining cases of a problem in Combinatorics that was originally posed in 1933 by the mathematician Richard Rado. Amy (Baer) Whitsell 2013, B.S., started the project while a student at Morningside. After she graduated, Spicer worked with Brenda Mammenga, Ph.D., a former Morningside faculty member, to finish the problem.

Alden Stout, Ph.D., assistant professor of philosophy, and David Elder, Ph.D., assistant professor of writing and rhetoric, co-authored a paper that was presented at the Trends in Teaching College Composition Conference in Dallas, Texas. Their paper presented assessment research about the effectiveness of Morningside’s first-year seminar classes. Stout also presented a paper at the annual Conversation on the Liberal Arts conference in Santa Barbara, Calif., on “Integrating Ethics and Economics: Rationality and the Common Good.”

Leslie Werden, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of writing and rhetoric, taught at The University of Teacher Education in Lucerne, Switzerland, last fall as part of a faculty exchange program. She returned to the university this spring to do additional curriculum development and to develop a conference she will host there in 2016 on “The Status of English as a Global Language in Education.”

Heather Wilburn, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor of philosophy, had a paper published in the Southwest Philosophy Review, and she presented the paper at the Southwestern Philosophical Society’s annual meeting at The University of Kansas in Lawrence. The paper discusses beliefs of philosopher and social critic Theodor W. Adorno, a German philosopher who was prominent in the 1960s and 1970s.

Mary Zink, M.B.A., instructor of business, offered a workshop on “Doing Employee Discipline Right” for small business owners and people who have been promoted to management but may not be trained in this area.

New Staff Jonathan Blum 2001, director of planned giving and major gifts, holds primary responsibility for deferred and planned gifts such as trusts, charitable annuities, life insurance, wills and bequests. He serves as a fundraising liaison, preparing written materials and providing training and support for staff members working with donors on deferred and planned gifts.

Katy Burford, head athletic trainer, develops and implements an athletic training program for the care and prevention of injuries to student athletes.

Jesse Cole, system administrator, works as a member of the information services team to provide and maintain reliable, efficient and secure computing and network services for the Morningside College community.

Beth Donnelly, head women’s volleyball coach, directs and manages the intercollegiate volleyball program.

Mike Freeman, assistant director of the Annual Scholarship Fund, develops and implements strategies for securing financial support from a portfolio of donor prospects. He coordinates all direct mail and email appeals for support of the Annual Scholarship Fund, including all athletic fundraising.

Carla Rodawig 2010, administrative assistant for economics, political science and sociology, assists the economics, political science and sociology department, and associated programs and activities, with general office responsibilities.

Jeff Seagren, assistant track coach, assists with the management of the track and cross country programs at Morningside.

James Ewoldt, Dan Kennedy and Donna Willers, custodians, are responsible for the cleanliness of assigned areas and performance of other duties established by the director of physical plant and lead custodian.

New Appointments

Dr. Kim Christopherson, associate professor/educational technologist in the graduate education program, is responsible for educational technology for the entire campus. She also is a member of the graduate education teaching community and continues to have undergraduate teaching responsibilities. Christopherson has served on the psychology faculty since 2007.

Jen Dolphin, registrar, conducts registration and maintains academic records for the college. She facilitates and implements institutional policy, providing interpretation and enforcement of policy, and assists the provost by providing reports, analyses and recommendations for policy formulation and revision. She had served as associate registrar at Morningside since 2001.

Dr. Jackie (Brummond) Barber 1995, dean for graduate nursing, oversees all aspects of the graduate nursing program. Morningside offers a graduate certificate in nursing, and it has applied to offer a Master of Science in Nursing. Barber has served on the nursing faculty at Morningside since 1997.

13

AWARDS & HONORS Dr. William C. Yockey Assessment Awards Elizabeth Birdsell, Maria Andrade and India Palm, housekeepers, are responsible for the cleanliness of assigned areas and performance of other duties established by the director of physical plant and lead custodian.

Dr. Chris Spicer for Mathematical Understanding and Reasoning Dr. Patrick McKinlay for United States Government

Wert Award Kitty Green, assistant professor of history, received the Lucille and Charles Wert

Dr. J. Alden Stout for Introduction to Ethics

Faculty Award, which

The History Department

recognizes the faculty member judged by his or her peers to best exemplify the ideals of the teaching

Awards from ODK Honor Society

profession at Morningside.

Faculty Person of the Year

Dr. Chris Spicer, associate professor of mathematics

faculty and staff

First-Year Teaching/Advising Award Dr. Gail Dooley, professor of music Staff Member of the Year Donna Galati Huls, writing center consultant

notes no

President’s Society Members

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PRESIDENT’S SOCIETY Aalfs Manufacturing, Inc. Michael E. Abbott '70 Sterne Akin Dr. Clark '77 & Susi Albert Michael '72 & Linda '72 Alexander Bill '66 & Mary '65 Allen Alliant Energy Foundation Gene O. Ambroson American Pop Corn Co. Francis Y. Ames '41 Anonymous (3) Hobart & Charlotte Anderson Allan A. Arkfeld '70 Larry '65 & Joan '67 Arnold Barry & Sandra Backhaus Bacon Creek Construction & Design Dr. Craig '70 & Sandra '70 Bainbridge Dr. Jackie '95 & Scott Barber Robert E. Barks '51 Robert H. Bates '53 Adam '97 & Lynn '97 Baumgartner Merl & Alta Baxter Robert & Maureen Baxter Sherwin C. Beck '73 James E. Beermann '66 Michael '75 & Margie Bennett Chad W. Benson '90 Chris '94 & Karen '95 Benson Shari '82 & Marc Benson Birkhofer Family Jonathan '01 & Stacy Blum Wesley H. Boldt '55 Bomgaars Supply Larry & Jeanene Book Keith E. Bottorff '72 Ahmad & Jen Boura Dr. Zeddie P. Bowen Randy Bradley '91 & LaVone Sopher '79 William L. Brandt '65 Dr. Lucy Y. Buhler '56 Rev. Jeffrey L. Bullock '71 Jeremy K. Bullock '00 William H. Burke Dr. J. Robert '70 & Christine Burkhart Dr. Randall L. Burnight '72 Paul '80 & Colleen '82 Bush Cable One, Inc. Michael '69 & Linda '69 Cadwell Craig J. Cain * Cannon Moss Brygger Architects Cargill, Inc. of Sioux City Jim '74 & Mary Anne Carlson Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust

Chris '89 & Heidi '93 Cassaday Dennis A. Chapman '70 Chesterman Company Chesterman Family Foundation Cy '71 & Karen '71 Chesterman Dr. J. Greg '67 & Joan '68 Clark Brian M. Clarke '97 Joe E. Clausen '65 Jon G. Cleghorn '64 John T. Connor '66 Larry K. Corrington '77 Larry C. Countryman '70 Bob '87 & Sandra '73 Craig Crary Huff Inkster Sheehan P.C. Dave & Arlene Curry Kevin & Terri Curry W. Roger Curry '61 Lt. Gen. Ron Dardis '65 Dr. David '76 & Diane '76 Davidson J. Doug Davis Dr. Stephen & Kathleen Davis Dr. William Deeds & Pamla Hoadley Deloitte & Touche Foundation Lawrence L. Delperdang Dennis Supply Company Carter R. Dennis Col. Dwight L. Dinkla '74 Donald P. Ducommun '61 Dr. Richard L. Ducommun Estate* '68 Julie R. Eickhoff '89 Karen Einsidler Joshua & Anne Ellwanger Michael W. Ellwanger '72 Emerald Hills LLC Dick & Marilyn Engle Fred S. Erbes '62 Scott '75 & Brenda '74 Ernst Mick Everett '73 F & M Bank Beverly Tucker Fest '71 & Bruce Fest Mary A. Fiddick '50 Dr. Dan L. Flanagan '69 Laura L. Florio Harry Flowers Tom '68 & Kris '70 Flynn Foulk Bros. Plumbing & Heating Dr. Charles R. Franz '63 Kendra '10 & Trent Fredericksen Fred '59 & Floanne Frey Dan R. Friedlund '70 Karen K. Gagnon '97 James & Bobbi Gahlon Mark '82 & Robin '82 Gambaiana Randal S. Gaulke '85

Tom Gehl '75 GELITA North America Jan '77 & Ted George Gerkin Windows & Doors Dr. Jeanne M. Giddings '80 Franklin B. Gilbert '62 The Gilchrist Foundation John & Karen Gleeson Gleeson Family Foundation Rev. Ivan F. Gossoo Estate* '44 Great West Casualty Company Greenberg Found. of Sioux City Dr. Tyrone '65 & Janet Rayburn Greive Tom '81 & Gina '81 Grimsley Michael & Mary Gay Gunsch Gene '59 & Carla Hagen Mary L. Haindfield '60 Rev. James '69 & Miriam Hanke Michael D. Hanna '66 Randy '72 & Becky Hansen Steven Hansen '77 & Glenda Den Herder '79 Claris V. Hanson James '69 & Carol '72 Hanthorne Hard Rock Casino Kathleen Hare Estate* '53 Nathan J. Harris '08 Jan '99 & Daryl Harrison Connie J. Hawthorn Jo Kitterman Hayes '77 Stephen Haywood Timothy C. Held Dan '71 & Suzane '72 Henderson Henjes, Conner & Williams P.C. Rev. Alan A. Herbst Estate* '76 Dale '50 & Shirley Hewlett Jean A. Hickman '81 Donald D. Hill '63 Elta Hogan Estate* Kenneth A. Hoogensen '66 Doug Huitink '72 Interstate Mechanical Corp.

Iowa College Foundation Iowa Annual Conference Iowa Arts Council Milford E. Jacobson '40 Lee B. Jarvis '62 Jebro Inc. Linda L. Jennings '86 Dr. Irving F. & Carolyn Jensen Irving & Elizabeth Jensen Found.

Dr. Edward A. Johnson '73 Galen G. Johnson '68 Jeraldine S. Johnson '65 Mark R. Johnson '76

and Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Members Rev. Robert '63 & Mary Ann Johnson Wayne P. Johnson '68 Feldman Jones Estate* '48 Ron '79 & Kathy Jorgensen Mary D. Josten '64 Robert E. Josten '64 Roland '59 & Carol Junck Glen M. Kampa '76 Mina Karcher '42 Kay Dee Feed Company John P. Kilstrom '63 The Kind World Foundation King, Reinsch, Prosser & Co. Peter S. King '68 Jason '96 & Shelly '96 Kleis Dr. Frances S. Kline '95 Klinger Companies, Inc. Jim '79 & Darlene '77 Kloeppel Kneip Investments, LLC Knife River Midwest, LLC Robert G. Knowler Drs. Gene '71 & Debra '73 Knudsen Drs. Eileen '77 & Randy Kohlenberg Anne Packard Kotlik '76 Steve '79 & Mary Kovarna Clyde '61 & Marcia '64 Krause Wally A. Krone '55 Kvidera Company Inc Dr. Harold '44 & Marjorie '44 Ladwig Lance L. Larson '70 Rose Legler Morningside Trust Stan Lemkuil '64 Dale L. Lenderts '76 John & Cheryl Long Dr. Lillian J. Lopez & Brent Linn Verne Luther '47 Dr. Esther M. Mackintosh '69 Irene Madison Estate* '40 Mahoney-Hill Charit. Fund Trust Marco, Inc. Nick '03 & JJ '03 Marlow Raymond W. Martin '74 Patrick R. Martone '74 Dr. Charles '67 & Patricia Mason Larry Mason '73 Doris M. Mauer '58 Steven '84 & Julie '84 Mauer John & Juliana Mayne Gary '62 & Kathy '63 McConnell Dr. Patrick F. McKinlay Dr. Keith McLarnan James E. McMahon '73 Nancy '71 & Kim Meadows John & Janice Mechem

W.S. Lewis Society Michael '72 & Linda '72 Alexander Gene O. Ambroson Gary L. Anderson '61 Hobart & Charlotte Anderson Sally Bartlett David J. Blair Mary Bolton Muriel M. Briggs '48 Dr. Lucy Y. Buhler '56 Dr. J. Robert '70 & Christine Burkhart Charles W. Carlberg '69 Dr. J. Greg '67 & Joan '68 Clark Warren J. Conner '60 Carolyn W. Cox '47 Barbara L. Danger '67

Deane L. Davenport '72 Dr. David '76 & Diane '76 Davidson Stella J. Davis '50 Judith J. Dirks '59 Donald P. Ducommun '61 Dick & Marilyn Engle William '51 & Mary '51 Enockson Beverly Tucker Fest '71 & Bruce Fest Dr. Dan L. Flanagan '69 Carol M. Forbes '70 Jerry R. Foxhoven '74 Mark A. Freerks '79 James '54 & Janice '76 Galli Mark '82 & Robin '82 Gambaiana Laura L. Gerkin '55

Von Dell J. Glaser '53 David A. Gould '75 Janis W. Grant '65 Richard '53 & Evelyn Greenlee Dr. Mary A. Grefe '43 Dr. Tyrone '65 & Janet Rayburn Greive L. Lucille Hakala '41 Troy C. Hames III '81 James '53 & Mary '53 Hamilton Ruth M. Hamilton '47 Margaret Hancock '54 Rev. James '69 & Miriam Hanke Randy '72 & Becky Hansen Claris V. Hanson

James '69 & Carol '72 Hanthorne Dr. Gary G. Hargroves '62 Gary '64 & Linda '81 Harward Dan '71 & Suzane '72 Henderson Dale '50 & Shirley Hewlett Jerry & Carol Israel Timothy '71 & Betty Jackes Milford E. Jacobson '40 Lee B. Jarvis '62 Donna Johnson '58 Ron '79 & Kathy Jorgensen Richard '71 & Frances '71 Keith Donald D. Kelsey '49 DeWitt '59 & Phyllis '60 Killam

The President’s Society commends those who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to Morningside College by annually contributing $1,000 or more.

The college also wishes to acknowledge the Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) members who form the next generation of philanthropists through their gifts of $100 or more. This list recognizes President’s Society and GOLD members for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2015.

Jane B. Meginnis Dr. Ryan '95 & Tracy '96 Meis Mercy Medical Center Dixie J. Metcalf '58 Bill & Nancy Metz Meyer Brothers Funeral Homes Robert R. Meyer '50 Darlene M. Miller David '01 & Julie '01 Miriovsky Missouri River Hist. Develop.

Colin H. Mitchell James Mohatt Estate* Michael V. Montague '76 Dr. Earl & Joyce Moore Morningside College Alumni Association Marjorie A. Morrell '70 Scott A. Morton '61 Dan & Cindy Moser Dr. David W. Mulder '61 Terry M. Muldowney '68 Dr. Thomas '70 & Carol '71 Narak John '79 & Jeri '79 Nelson Muriel Burgess Nelson '51 Verne D. Nelson '75 Rev. Dr. Tony R. Nester New York Life Foundation Nicholas Tiedeman Charitable Trust Joan C. Nielsen Northwestern Mutual Foundation Novelty Machine & Supply Co. Mark A. Nylen Dr. Sharon & Donna Ocker Claris M. Olson '51 Russ '76 & Robyn '76 Olson Ronald '73 & Stephanie O'Neal Michael '59 & Patsy '59 Owen Asa '67 & Karen '69 Oye Pacific City Graphics Palmer Candy Co. Douglas E. Palmer Martin B. Palmer Robert '78 & Lori '78 Parks David W. Patch '82 David & Marta '72 Patee John '74 & Catherine '76 Paul Paul '67 & Carol Payne Dennis '72 & Cheryl '72 Pederson Skip & Cathy Perley Gary W. Peterson '63 Pinnacle Bank of Sioux City Dr. John N. Pinto Pioneer Bank Lloyd A. Pippett '47 Barbara B. Pitts '70

Ben '53 & Carol Ploof Thomas '72 & Patricia '75 Pohlman John J. Prast '65 Prestige Collision Repair Center LaDonna E. Preston '53 Prince Manufacturing Corp.

The Principal Fin. Group Foundation Scott & Kim Rager Khalid & Terrie Rasheed Charles M. Rexroat '56 Dennis L. Reyman '92 John & Robin Reynders Doug Rice '75 Tom & Paula Rice Randal '77 & Julie '81 Richardson Rick Collins Toyota Scion Michael '66 & Linda '67 Rickert Rev. Allen '73 & Donna '72 Ricks Dr. Cory A. Roberts '90 David M. Roederer Keith A. Roeper '58 Roger Rohlfs Estate* '51 Laura B. Roman '76 Tom Rosen '70 Regina S. Roth Rudolph's Shoe Mart Rush Werks, Inc. Daniel '00 & Anne '00 Ryan Richard J. Salem '65 E.R. Salty '49 & Betty '45 Saltwell Dr. Robert '73 & Marcelene Saylor Sam's Club/GECF Dr. Donald C. Schenk Michael C. Schmidt '72 Steven C. Schmidt '73 Greg '77 & Sandy '77 Schnirring Emil O. Schultz Estate* Security National Bank Kenneth W. Seiling '67 Thomas H. Selwold '63 Roy & Diana Semon Dr. Larry & Pauline '89 Sensenig Marilyn F. Setzler '66 Sioux City Journal Siouxland Community Foundation Siouxland Federal Credit Union Dr. Jerome '75 & Cheryl '75 Smith Garrett K. Smith Rett Smith '10 Lowry & Lella Smith Pamela '79 Miller-Smith & Doug Smith Sodexo, Inc. Affiliates John & Tonya Spies Lynn A. Splittorff '70

Standard Ready Mix Concrete Co. State Steel Supply Co. John J. Steele '79 David S. Sterling '50 Jay '85 & Rhonda '88 Stidham Drs. Alan '64 & Jonieta Stone Dick '68 & Carol Stone Muriel B. Stone '64 Mark D. Stuck '75 Craig '70 & Chris Struve H. Allan Sturgeon '79 Mia Sudo Don '61 & Diane '63 Taylor Tegra Corporation Rev. Dennis '69 & Dr. Glenna '70 Tevis Thompson Electric Company Don R. Thompson '65 Robert '74 & Patricia '74 Thompson Dr. Robert '57 & Patricia '57 Tiemens Dr. Mark '69 & Linda '69 Titus Michael T. Tramp '88 Paul '84 & Nancy '92 Treft Bishop Dr. Julius C. Trimble Cliff '70 & Jean '70 Tufty Union Pacific Foundation U.S. Bank Joseph & Sue Utley Peggy A. Vagts '76 Don '55 & Eunice Van Der Weide Rick Vander Berg '75 The Verdoorn Foundation Verizon Foundation Keith A. Vollstedt, M.D. '83 Lincoln Wacker Foundation Dr. Neil '62 & Lynne '61 Wainwright Andrea Waitt Carlton Family Foundation Norman W. Waitt '86 Jim '70 & Sharon '70 Walker Rich & Karleen Waller Wal-Mart Foundation Dr. Craig S. Wansink '84 Carol L. Warren '86 WC Development, Inc. Dick Weikert '53 Wells Fargo Iowa NA Wells Fargo Foundation Werner Enterprises Carol A. Pencook Werner '69 Marilyn A. Wheeler '66 JJ White '01 Curt White '76 Marty Wikert '62 Ray '62 & Kathleen '62 Willhoite Connie P. Horton Wimer '54

Mary R. Winkler Sherman & Susan Wollesen Rick & Vicki Wollman Ron '70 & Jeannette Yockey Robert '74 & Nancy '74 Youngren Christine K. Zarkos '86 Zimco Supply Company GOLD MEMBERS Jordan W. Aggen '12 Trent L. Allen '09 James '06 & Heidi '08 Braunschweig Nicholas A. Buth '11 Jeremiah J. Curry '13 Kirsten M. Dargy '13 Jacob A. Devine '08 Joel T. Dorsett '13 Miranda A. Galvin '08 Molli A. Ginger '04 Jonathan '07 & Emily '06 Goodin Russell '09 & Ashley '09 Heine Randi L. Hudson '05 Michael T. Huseman '13 Devon P. Kramer '06 Katie L. Lackey '12 Wyeth '09 & Breanne '09 Lynch Brett A. Lyon '04 Amanda L. Mayo '05 Dr. Roni R. Miller '10 Taera A. Mulder '05 Wade T. Planting '10 Andrew A. Poeckes '14 Kevin J. Pottebaum '11 Amy J. Renneke '07 Gerald R. Robbins Jr. '13 Reid T. Rosen '13 Staci D. Rourke '06 Dr. Holly A. Schenzel '05 Troy J. Schultz '05 Breanna M. Schwartz '13 Nathan E. Schwartz '11 Matthew '07 & Annie '06 Stachowitz Chuck Szitas '13 Jenny '11 & Chris Thomas Mallory A. Trudell '07 Sandra Van Drie-Yockey '12 Darija Vladisavljev '05 Spencer B. Walker '13 Dr. Adam '04 & Suzanne '03 Webb Michael '07 & Kari '03 Winklepleck Emily A. Winterwood '04 Jessica M. Yosten '11

* deceased

The W.S. Lewis Society pays tribute to individuals and families who have acknowledged Morningside College in their estate plans. With these gifts, W.S. Lewis Society members ensure the future of the college and provide wonderful educational opportunities for the Morningside students of tomorrow. The society is named in honor of Bishop Wilson Seeley Lewis, the second collegiate president, who established the endowment in 1903. Membership is conferred through written confirmation of deferred gift arrangements.

Dr. Frances S. Kline '95 Robert G. Knowler Robert G. Koshkarian '68 Wally A. Krone '55 Arthur D. Leiby '73 Barry Loughridge Dr. Charles '67 & Patricia Mason Larry Mason '73 Doris M. Mauer '58 Gary '62 & Kathy '63 McConnell John & Janice Mechem Drs. Bonnie '64 & Donald Messer Robert R. Meyer '50 Darlene M. Miller

Dr. Earl J. Moore Marjorie A. Morrell '70 Muriel Burgess Nelson '51 David J. Nielsen Dr. Sharon & Donna Ocker Russ '76 & Robyn '76 Olson Ronald '73 & Stephanie O'Neal David W. Patch '82 Charlotte L. Petty '55 Margaret E. Phelps '55 Robert & Thora Phelps '53 Barbara B. Pitts '70 Ben '53 & Carol Ploof Audrey M. Poppen '59

John J. Prast '65 O. Nelson Price '51 John & Robin Reynders Tom & Paula Rice Leo '59 & Joan Roepke Tom Rosen '70 Clarence & Harriet '45 Schlichting Ruth M. Schmalenberger '44 Kenneth W. Seiling '67 Lucille Shaffer Samuel N. Shapiro Edward '65 & Jane '70 Sibley Mary E. Sievert '60 Jules Smith '62

Pamela '79 Miller-Smith & Doug Smith Dr. Rosalee Sprout '60 Rod '74 & Ginger '74 Stemme Dick '68 & Carol Stone Drs. Alan '64 & Jonieta Stone Randall I. Stoneking '68 Milo '52 & Patricia '53 Thompson Carlton O. Tronvold '61 David G. Vail '68 Jim '70 & Sharon '70 Walker James '59 & Joyce '61 Weaver Philip J. Webb '81 Korey A. Willnauer '74 Ron '70 & Jeannette Yockey

15

By Vianna Miller Please send your news to: Jeanie Dolphin Morningside College 1501 Morningside Ave. Sioux City, IA 51106 alumni@morningside.edu 712-274-5363

1945

Dr. Gus Lease celebrated 70 years of teaching in higher education, spending one year at the University of Colorado, four years at the University of Oklahoma, and 65 years at San Jose State University.

1950

The Rev. Thomas McKeown and Irma (VanderVelde) McKeown 1951 celebrated 63 years of ordained ministry, which included being district superintendent of the Boston District of 83 Methodist churches.

1953

Photo by Katrin Talbot

Class Notes

Robert Bates received the Alumni of Distinction Award from Springfield High School in Springfield, Ohio.

1954

Connie (Horton) Wimer received the first National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Iowa Hall of Fame Legacy Award from NAWBO Iowa.

Wimer is a trustee at Morningside College and at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. She was the first woman to chair the Des Moines Chamber of Commerce and The Alliance of Area Business Publications, and the first woman to be inducted into the Greater Des Moines Committee’s Business Hall of Fame.

She also was inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame.

Dr. Tyrone Greive retired in May of 2013 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As part of a weekend celebration of his 34 years on the violin faculty and long-time Polish music research, he was the featured soloist in two UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra performances of Szymanowski’s Second Violin Concerto. Past students came from all over the county and from Canada to attend the concerts. Greive received the UW-Madison 2013 Joyce J. and Gerald A. Bartell Award in recognition of his many years as concertmaster of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. He continues to serve as a voting member on the Madison Symphony Board of Directors. In addition to traveling and other delayed nonprofessional pursuits, Greive plans to continue performing – much of the time with his cellist wife, Janet, who taught at Morningside in 1964-1965 – and pursuing research projects and related publications.

Jeraldine (Sloan) Johnson retired after teaching music for 26 years at Palo Alto Unified School District in California, and for four years in Iowa and Illinois.

1962

16

The Rev. Steve and Nancy (Tillotson) Pohlman 1964 of Dakota Dunes, S.D., had their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept. 5, 2014. They celebrated with a family vacation to Colorado. The couple has four children and 10 grandchildren.

Jane (Schreiner) Cloud is in her fourth year of retirement after 43 years of teaching math – the last 24 of them in Marion, Ark. She also taught in Wisconsin, Texas, Iowa and Massachusetts.

1951

The Rev. Darrell Mitchell participated in the Arizona Senior Olympics in Scottsdale in February. He won three gold medals in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes. He broke records in the 200- and 400-meter dashes and came within a fraction of a second of setting a new record in the 100-meter dash, all within the 85 to 89 age group. He will be running in the National Senior Games in Minneapolis, Minn., in July. He would love to hear from classmates. Send him an email at mitchdv-ea@mchsi.com.

1952

Vivian (Oleson) Leckband and her husband, Stanley, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in Boothbay, Maine, with their five children and spouses and six of their 12 grandchildren.

1967

Rick Cloud retired on Dec. 31, 2014, after working for Cargill and for the last 10 years in information technology for Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare in Memphis, Tenn.

1965

Ellen Carter of Ohio (left) and Janet (Goettsch) Pommrehn of Colorado were roommates at Morningside College back in 1961. They recently reconnected to go on a road trip to the Black Hills, Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park.

They said they got along so well, it was like they had never been apart. Both Carter and Pommrehn are retired – Carter from supervising the gifted and talented programs in Ohio schools and Pommrehn from teaching second grade in the Denver Public Schools.

Both are grandmothers and enjoying it.

1969

Esther Mackintosh is president of the Federation of State Humanities Councils, an association that supports state humanities councils and strives to create greater awareness of the humanities in public and private life. Mackintosh joined the staff in 1986 and has been president since 2004.

A match made in the heavens

Morningside gives observatory telescope to grad for restoration

By Laura L. Florio

Morningside telescope

Morningside was home to the largest telescope in Iowa during the 1950s when a telescope and observatory were donated to the college.

Jim 1979 and Darlene (Davidson) Kloeppel 1977 asked about the telescope when Mike Freeman, assistant director of the annual scholarship fund, visited them at their home in Urbana, Ill., in April of this year.

“We were reminiscing about their times at Morningside when the topic of the telescope came up,” Mike said. “Jim asked me if it was still on campus. I knew that its home, the observatory, had been torn down, so after I returned to campus, I did some digging. I found that the telescope was in storage and, needing some repair work, had been retired. Jim was thrilled when the college released it for him to adopt and restore.”

A renowned manufacturer called Tinsley Laboratories made the telescope in 1953. The company normally produced smaller telescopes for personal use or industry-grade telescopes for much larger observatories, so the Morningside telescope was a unique product. The telescope measures 12 inches in diameter, weighs about 80 pounds and is mounted on a stand that weighs an additional 270 pounds.

“They don’t build telescopes like this one anymore,” Jim confirmed. “It really is an antique.”

Jim’s connection to the telescope began in 1974 when he came to Morningside on the recommendation of a friend, Ron Thompson 1979.

Previously a student at the University of Iowa, Jim sought out a smaller, private, residential college that could offer a more flexible curriculum and in-depth study. “I needed more non-book, hands-on learning, and my professors at Morningside, like Dr. Robert Green 1943 and Jim Galli 1954, allowed me to design several independent studies and pursue my passion for astronomy. For example, I attached a camera to my telescope, drove out to the country and spent many nights photographing the skies. From the pictures, I produced a mural of the Milky Way that hung in the science department.”

Jim and Ron were entrusted with keys to the observatory and permitted to use the telescope whenever they wanted. In fact, they spent so much time studying the skies there that Jim affectionately

refers to it as his second home while at Morningside. He majored in physics and minored in math, graduating in 1979.

High school sweethearts from North High School in Sioux City, Jim and Darlene married in 1975 while students at Morningside. Darlene graduated in 1977 with a quadruple major in the social sciences and then earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Iowa while Jim completed his bachelor’s. Jim’s passion for astronomy took the couple to Tucson, Ariz.; Boulder, Colo.; and Atlanta, Ga., where Jim worked as a telescope operator and technician. While in Atlanta, the Kloeppels decided to start a family. “We knew it would be challenging to raise a family with all of Jim’s travels, so he decided to look for a new job,” Darlene said.

Jim and Darlene adopted four children – Christopher, Betty, Jonathan and Thomas – and Jim became a science writer for Georgia Tech. He wrote articles for the university’s magazine and press releases about important scientific research, essentially translating the university’s scientific scene for the rest of the world. While in Atlanta, Darlene went back to graduate school and received master’s degrees in architecture and city planning. Eventually, their careers took them to the University of Illinois, where Jim continued his science writing, and Darlene took a job with the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission.

Jim retired from the University of Illinois five years ago. Since then, he has resumed his passion for astronomy. He joined the ChampaignUrbana Astronomical Society and writes for its monthly newsletter. He also has restored six telescopes that he uses to gaze at the skies. “Each telescope has a different function that allows me to study various aspects of the sun and moon. I have the heavier ones on wheeled carts, so that I can maneuver them around the house.”

Jim has several other telescopes that he is in the process of restoring.

“It’s a challenge to find parts, so I have several works in progress going on at once. Fortunately, the Morningside telescope is not missing many parts — it needs a new motor, but I should be able to track one down without too much trouble. I’ve already dismantled it down to the last bolt, and I will spend the next year cleaning it piece by piece.”

17

class notes

1971

The Rev. Eleanor (Hickman) Foster retired recently after many years as a United Methodist pastor.

Dr. Marty (Steele) Knepper, professor of English and chair of the English and modern languages departments at Morningside College, recently led a session at the Iowa Council of Teachers of English conference in Johnston, Iowa. Her presentation focused on using Iowa films to teach English and interdisciplinary courses. Knepper co-wrote and published “The Book of Iowa Films” with Dr. John S. Lawrence, professor emeritus of philosophy at Morningside. The book is a history and discussion of over 400 Iowa movies from 1918 through 2013, including both Hollywood films and independent films.

She also was a contributing expert for the “Hollywood in the Heartland” exhibit on display at the State Historical Museum of Iowa in Des Moines through late 2016.

1973

Bill Russell had a number from the musical “Side Show,” for which he wrote the book and lyrics, performed during the 2014 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The photo shows the stars rehearsing in front of Macy’s prior to the parade.

18

Bishop Deborah (Lieder) Kiesey, former member of the Morningside College Board of Directors, received an honorary doctorate from Morningside College during the spring commencement ceremony in recognition of her and her family’s long association with and service to Morningside. She also was the featured speaker for commencement. Kiesey is the United Methodist Church bishop for the Michigan Area in Lansing, Mich.

1974

1972

Eugene Buccelli Jr. and his wife, Connie, celebrated 50 years of marriage by taking a trip to the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park in October 2014. Then they ended up in Las Vegas!

Deb (Hanson) Argast recently retired. Now she is able to spend more time exploring her creative side through henna art, nail art, music and dance.

1975

Rick Gustafson lives in Ogden, Iowa, with his wife, Vicki. Rick currently serves as interim principal at Trinity Lutheran School in Boone, Iowa.

Since taking early retirement from the Ogden Community Schools in 2010, Gustafson has been a substitute teacher in the Ogden schools. He serves on the Board of Elders at Grace Community Church in Boone, Drake University Head Start Education Advisory Board, and the Early Childhood Education Board for Character Counts In Iowa. He also is president of the Board of Trustees of the Leonard A. Good Community Library in Ogden.

Charles Leissler IV is the finance manager for Holzhauer Motors in Cherokee, Iowa, and writes and performs songs about Cherokee.

Ruth (Dorale) Moore is in her 14th year as a special education consultant for Heartland Area Education Agency in Newton, Iowa.

Heidi Pfeil is a real estate agent with Small Dog Realty in Bozeman, Mont.

1976

Charles Knudson is a supervisor at Wilson Trailer Company in Sioux City.

Sue (Hoversten) Vigstol celebrated 20 years as an interior decorator at Design By Sue in Minnesota in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

Jeff Moran is retiring as shift commander for the Woodbridge Fire Department in New Jersey after 29 years of service.

Trey K. Blackburn 2009 (left), Kirill Vaal, Mikaela Johnson Vaal 2006 and Nick Radu were all smiles after seeing “Side Show” on Broadway in New York City. The book and lyrics for the musical were written by Bill Russell 1971.

Peggy Vagts, a music professor at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, has spent the past school year teaching at Regent’s University in London, England. While there, she ran into current Morningside College student Nicole Loe, of Baltic, S.D. Loe spent a semester studying at Regent’s University.

Marriage of art and science

Cheryl Kruger teaches art, while Dan Kruger designs 3-D animation for court cases

By Laura L. Florio

Cheryl (Eichhorn) 1990 and Dr. Daniel Kruger 1989 form a happy Inc. as an intern in 1994 and was hired as soon as he graduated in marriage of the arts and sciences. They dated through college and 1995. The company went public in 1998 and was acquired by married on July 21, 1990. Currently, they reside in Slater, Iowa, and Germany-based Siemens in 2001. During the acquisition, the have three children: Joe, 19; Sam, 17; and Tim, 13. Dan and Cheryl met animation group spun off into its own company called Demonstraat Sears while Cheryl was still in high school. Cheryl designed signs tives Inc., of which Dan became a vice president. In 2004, the for the company, and Dan worked in hardware. “I had to get my paint president passed away, and the company named Dan president. for the signs from him, and our relationship took off from there,” During his tenure at Demonstratives Inc., the company developed Cheryl said with a smile. animation for cases like the BP oil spill in 2010. Dan At Morningside, Dan majored in physics and math, led the company until 2014, when Engineering and Cheryl transferred from Northwestern College to Systems Inc. acquired it.

Dan Kruger Morningside to pursue a degree in art education.

Both Dan and Cheryl were active on campus during headed a company “After studying with water colorist Jim Goff Sr. at their time at Morningside College. Cheryl was a that developed East High School in Sioux City, I wanted to become resident assistant and a member of Alpha Delta Pi an artist, but decided that I could impact more sorority, and she avidly pursued her passion for art.

3-D animation for people through education. Dr. Sharon Ocker, my Dan cheered for the football team and took part in the court case on professor at Morningside, was instrumental in Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and Sigma Pi Sigma, the BP oil spill. helping me become an effective educator. He was a Omicron Delta Kappa and Kappa Mu Epsilon honor wonderful mentor and very approachable whenever I societies. He also was treasurer for Student had questions,” Cheryl said. In fact, during Cheryl’s Government. They return to the college four or five first year of teaching, Ocker visited her classroom in Radcliffe, Iowa, times every year, especially now that their son Joe attends. “We and asked how Morningside could better equip teachers. always try to make it back for Homecoming to see old friends and Growing up on a farm in Northwest Iowa, Dan was recruited by watch the football game,” Dan said.

Morningside’s Dr. Robert Green 1943 to study physics. “Professor “Yes, and we also enjoy the tailgating,” Cheryl adds. “We both Green’s classes prepared me for graduate school’s challenging have good friends with whom we’ve remained in contact. curriculum, and he also hired me as a lab assistant.” After graduating Matt Carney 1989 was Dan’s roommate through college, and his from Morningside, Dan attended Iowa State University in Ames, wife, Rhonda (Cleveringa) 1990, and I are close, as our husbands where he earned a master’s degree in engineering mechanics and a went to Iowa State together and then worked for Engineering Ph.D. in aerospace engineering. One of the professors on his doctoral Animation for several years.” committee had recently founded a company that provided 3-D When asked what advice they had for current Morningside animation for court cases. students, Dan and Cheryl both agreed that forming relationships “Attorneys were tired of using toy cars during court cases, and with faculty was important. “That’s where you get your return on Engineering Animation offered a valuable tool that could capture your investment,” Dan said. “Also, being involved with campus exactly what happened during an accident and allow the jury to more organizations helps to build skills that will be useful once you land a accurately ascertain whether guilt lay with the driver or the car job, such as working with your peers, how to resolve conflict and how manufacturer,” Dan explained. Dan joined Engineering Animation to execute a plan.”

19

class notes

1977

Brent Huldeen is a human resources administrator/recruiter for Rafferty Construction in Franklin, Ind.

1978

Pete Hittle retired after 35 years of public and private school and college teaching in Iowa.

He and wife, Nancy, now live near New Orleans, La., and Pete is pursuing a life-long dream of playing jazz in the Big Easy. In addition to his itinerant gig schedule, he maintains a private trumpet studio and does some substitute teaching in the local schools, all while enjoying the fantastic cultural variety of South Louisiana.

Deb (Borchers) Juffer is an associate professor for the division of nursing education at St. Luke's College-UnityPoint Health in Sioux City. She is teaching courses for the associate’s degree program and the bachelor’s degree program.

20

Anne Rehnstrom was one of the first eight people inducted into the Iowa BBQ Society Hall of Fame. They were recognized for having contributed significantly to the Iowa BBQ Society’s mission - to promote, teach and have fun with BBQ, while focusing on random acts of kindness through charitable works focused on helping children, families, their communities and the state. Rehnstrom lives in Urbandale, Iowa, and is a marketing assistant for the National Pork Board.

Terry Alvarez is an advertising executive with Sun Media out of Minneapolis-St. Paul and general manager of La Jornada Latina (TSJ News) Pittsburgh.

Kimberly (Peters) Cale is a medical technologist at Mercy Dunes Medical Lab in Dakota Dunes, S.D.

1981

Scott Boyer is founder and president of OWP Pharmaceuticals and ROW Foundation based in Chicago.

Dr. Jean (Peters) Hickman, assistant professor of music education at Morningside College, recently gave two presentations at the Hawaii Music Educators Association In-Service Conference at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu. Her presentations were “Creative Assessment for Performing Ensembles” and “I Can Get It for You Wholesale: Free (or Nearly Free) Apps and Programs for Music Educators.” This was her second time presenting at the conference, which draws educators from around the country and from Asia.

1982

Sherri Levers is an accountant at Mutual of Omaha.

The Rev. Annette (Ruhs) Kruse is pastor of Gowrie United Methodist Church in Gowrie, Iowa. She and her husband, the Rev. David Kruse, are hosting an exchange student from Bangladesh.

1983

Willie Delfs is the 2014-2015 board president for Siouxland Habitat for Humanity. The photo shows him standing in front of a recent Siouxland Habitat for Humanity house.

1984

Carol (Wilkens) Blevins has been promoted to senior section manager at MRIGlobal in Kansas City, where she recently celebrated her 30th anniversary at MRIGlobal in June of 2014.

1986

Dennis Lauver and his family have returned to Iowa, having finished 25 years working for local chambers of commerce, most recently in Kansas. He has become a partner/owner of Howes and Jefferies, an 18-agent real estate firm in Clinton, Iowa. He also has joined the board of directors of Gateway State Bank in Clinton.

The Rev. Anna (Clock) Saxon is a chaplain for Unity Point Methodist Home Health in Peoria, Ill. She launched the program and is one of a small number of chaplains serving in a home health setting across the United States.

1980

Craig Brandt is a nurse case manager for Bunch CareSolutions, A Xerox Company. He lives in Bloomington, Minn. He is a registered nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Arts degree. He is also a certified case manager.

Shelley (Randall) Stallons is the fifththrough 12th-grade band director for the Charter Oak-Ute Community School District in Charter Oak, Iowa. She also received her master’s degree in music performance from the University of South Dakota in 2014.

Lori (Herzberg) and John Strohm 1981 welcomed their first grandchild, John Preston William Strohm, on Nov. 8, 2014.

Carol (Bear) Warren is vice president at Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa. She lives in Johnston, Iowa.

In search of Noah’s Ark Leah Winter helps produce documentary

By Laura L. Florio

How did a Morningside graduate find herself scaling Mount Ararat in Turkey with archeologists and a film crew? Leah Winter 2008 helped produce a documentary focused on finding Noah’s Ark. After graduating from Morningside College as a biology and chemistry double major, Winter moved to Dallas, Texas, to work as a project manager with a software engineering company. During an ordinary trip to the mall, an agent approached her about modeling.

Soon, she was gracing the pages of Italian Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar while working for companies like Neiman Marcus and JCPenney.

Winter would go on to be signed by agencies in New York and Los Angeles, often walking the runway during fashion season. Eventually she moved to Los Angeles to be closer to the action.

After several months, Winter met a producer with a unique project in mind – the quest for Noah’s Ark. Archeologists had strategized regarding the exact location of the ark and would travel to Eastern Turkey every year to search for missing ruins. The producer wanted to film their journey and thought Winter would be a perfect addition to the film team. Winter’s background in science complemented the religious overtones of the documentary, and the improbability of actually locating the ark piqued her curiosity. She joined the team.

Winter carefully researched internationally renowned experts and visited them to discuss their studies. She interviewed Jewish, Muslim and Christian scholars, as the story of the ark is common to all three faiths, along with archeologists, scientists, sociologists and historians. Her travels took her to Israel, Jordan, England, Ireland, Scotland, Peru, Chile, Argentina and finally to the glacier-capped Mount Ararat in Turkey, where the rest of the team was based. A film crew with experience filming on Mount Everest captured the team’s day-to-day living and its work on the mountain.

Mount Ararat is 17,000 feet high, with a base camp at about 10,000 feet that is accessible by sport utility vehicle. From there, provisions and equipment had to be carried up on horseback. Kurdish sherpas trekked up and down the mountain, acting as guides and shuttling supplies. The team climbed toward the peak, where they drilled 30 to 50 feet into the ice until they reached organic matter and, hopefully,

evidence of the ark’s presence.

Winter traveled with the team to the base camp but did not accompany the team and film crew to the final site because she acted as point person for logistics — of which there were many. For example, the team used a drone, called a hexacopter, to capture aerial views of the site. The drone was held up in Turkish customs, so Winter contacted the head of UPS in order for it to be released. She also made certain the team had adequate provisions while in Turkey.

Back in Los Angeles, Winter headed up the post-production processes of research, story direction, marketing and even composition involving a 60-piece orchestra recording at Warner Brothers studio.

Winter’s passion for the project, zeal for scientific truth and past project management experience led to a promotion to co-producer of the film. Over 200 hours of footage went into making the two-hour documentary, along with many more hours of editing. “There is a constant refinement process in producing a compelling documentary,” she said. “With scripted film, there is much less editing because everything revolves around prescribed dialogue.”

Winter faced challenges on her adventure: long days and navigating political situations, but, on the whole, she felt the situation reinvigorated her spirit and gave her the opportunity to synthesize the arts and sciences. “In college, I loved my philosophy and religion classes as much as those in my major. Morningside is truly a place that fosters the liberal arts. The goal of the movie was very much the same – we wanted to expose the audience to both the religious and scientific sides and let them make up their minds.”

The film, “Finding Noah,” is currently finished and securing distribution. She has several other opportunities for films and plans to stay in Los Angeles for the immediate future. However, this summer she has planned a two-month trip backpacking in Southeast Asia. She gave this advice to Morningside students: “Keep yourself open to opportunities, and don’t be afraid of risk. Shirk complacency and never settle.”

21

class notes

1988

Kyle Ellerbeck is a warehouse supervisor for McLane Company in Northfield, Minn. He is one of six warehouse supervisors in the upper Midwest division who service retail customer outlets in Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

1990

Joe Mlnarik works in the government reporting department at TD Ameritrade in Omaha, Neb. After working in several different positions over the years, he feels he has finally found a home, both in the job he does and the company where he works.

1991

Delaine (Thompson) Krager is a licensed massage therapist. She is spa director at The Loft, the Belle Touché location on Historic Fourth Street in Sioux City.

1993

Russ Frazier is president of Anawim Housing in Des Moines, Iowa. The organization focuses on affordable housing development and management.

Pete Laskie is art department manager at Revival Animal Health in Orange City, Iowa.

Aaron Lukken is a member of the Kansas City Symphony Chorus.

22

Chad V. Sorenson, president of Adaptive HR Solutions in Jacksonville, Fla., was recently installed as president of the Society for Human Resource Management’s Jacksonville chapter. With nearly 700 members in Northeast Florida, SHRM Jacksonville is the largest SHRM chapter in Florida. In February, he was also presented with Cubmaster’s Key, the Unit Leader Award of Merit and the God and Service Award for his six years of service as Cubmaster of Cub Scout Pack 268 in Jacksonville, Fla. He lives in Saint Johns, Fla., with his wife and their two sons.

Mindy (Hass) Russell celebrated 10 years with Mokse Marketing & Communications in Austin, Texas. She is the owner of the company.

in Omaha, Neb., as a trust and safety specialist, keeping LinkedIn members safe online.

Cynthia Mollet is vice president of human resources for 3B Group in Minneapolis, Minn.

1995

Dr. Jackie (Brummond) Barber has served on the nursing faculty at Morningside College since 1997. She moved into a new position this year and is now dean for graduate nursing.

Amy (Gruber) Bloch is the executive director of Catholic Charities in Sioux City.

Jeanette (Strub) Frey works in the business office at Morningside College as assistant controller. She received a Thompson Staff Excellence Award from the college in December. Recipients were selected based upon their demonstration of outstanding dedication, service and commitment to Morningside and its students during the previous academic year.

Dr. Lorna (Hulstein) Leavitt, associate professor of education at Morningside College, was hired by Pearson to score the spring edTPA assessment given to pre-service teachers.

She scored portfolios for special education.

EdTPA is an assessment designed to answer the question: “Is a new teacher ready for the job?” It includes a review of teaching materials that document and demonstrate each candidate's ability to effectively teach his or her subject matter to all students.

Pearson is a major publisher of educational products such as the edTPA assessment.

Lisa (Martensen) Mercer earned a Master of Arts in Management from Bellevue University in Bellevue, Neb. She now works for LinkedIn

1998

Matt Campbell is an internal auditor at Central Bank in Sioux City.

Carla (Richards) Kreegar is executive producer of 41 Action News in Kansas City, Mo. Jonathan Owens is a teacher, broadcaster and voice actor living in Southern California. As a broadcaster, Owens covers sports for NCAA Division II Point Loma University, as well as many other San Diego area sports. On camera, he collaborates with a video production company out of Los Angeles called Spygames Studios, most recently covering the Sundance Film Festival. He also operates a multi-media production company. Examples of his work can be seen at thejdowens.com. Jon and his wife, Lindsay, have two boys – 4 and 2 years of age – and were expecting a baby girl in late May 2015.

1999

Teresa Gronwoldt is the senior media planner at UnityWorks advertising agency in Minneapolis, Minn.

Mary Krejci works at Morningside College as the enrollment data manager. She received a Thompson Staff Excellence Award from the college in December. Recipients were selected based upon their demonstration of outstanding dedication, service and commitment to Morningside and its students during the previous academic year.

1994

Angela Dieckman completed a master’s degree in professional counseling in January of 2014. She is now working as an addictions counselor at Prelude Behavioral Services in Iowa City, Iowa, and is living in her hometown of Muscatine, Iowa.

Jeramiah Schrock 2007 (left), Jordan (Balfour) Edison 2009 and Andy Edison 2009 returned to Morningside College this spring to participate in the Sioux City Relays. All three are former members of the Morningside College Track and Field Team.

College kicks off Alumni Chapters Program

2000

Kimberly Fulfs was hired as an exchange teacher in Yamanashi City, Japan, beginning in March. Her responsibilities with the Yamanashi City public schools include assisting with English language instruction at a junior high school and assisting with English oral communication at primary/ elementary schools. Fulfs also is involved with seminars for English language teachers and local international exchange activities.

Yamanashi City is the Japanese sister city of Sioux City. Morningside College and the Sioux City Community School District cooperated with Yamanashi City public schools to hire someone for the exchange teacher position.

Denver

While the Morningside College campus remains firmly planted in Sioux City, the college considers itself a part of any community where our alumni are living.

Knowing it is difficult for some of our alumni to make it back to campus on a regular basis to engage with the institution, the Alumni Board recently started an Alumni Chapters Program, where alumni in different cities will be able to get together a couple of times a year for different activities.

Some events might be Morningside focused, such as a send-off for high school seniors in the area who are headed to Morningside or a question-and-answer session with faculty and staff.

Others might be social or cultural events, such as a picnic, a baseball game, a lecture or a community service project. Still another could be a networking event to help alumni reach their professional goals.

Each chapter relies on support from alumni in the area. These volunteers are assisted by Shiran Nathaniel, alumni chapter adviser, and Julie Negus Eickhoff 1989, who serves on the Alumni Board as alumni chapter liaison.

The college has already held initial meetings in several cities. If you would like to know more about the chapters program or would be interested in starting a chapter in your area, contact Shiran at nathaniel@morningside.edu.

“It’s all about staying connected beyond graduation,” he said. “This is about the institution giving alums opportunities to stay connected with each other and with us.”

2001

Jonathan Blum works at Morningside College as director of planned giving and major gifts.

Chicago

Dr. Valerie Hennings, assistant professor of political science at Morningside College, recently gave the opening address for Ready to Run Iowa, a non-partisan candidate training program for women at Iowa State University in Ames. She attended the 2015 Iowa Association of Political Scientists annual conference at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she chaired a panel on women and politics research. She also co-authored two publications that appeared in academic journals.

Los Angeles

23

Kelli (McGill) Britton is a sales representative for Eli Lilly and Company, a pharmaceutical company.

Cathy (Seebecker) Jochims accepted the position of elementary principal at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Elementary School in Hartley, Iowa. She has more than two decades of experience working as an elementary teacher at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Elementary School.

San Francisco

Jacob Bossman is Northwest Iowa regional director for U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa).

Kansas City

2002

class notes

2003

Dr. Adam Webb is a lecturer and professor of voice at Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb.

Paul Berger III is starting a neurocritical care fellowship at the University of Kansas Medical Center in July.

Jesus Pena is a mortgage loan originator at Northwest Bank in Sioux City.

Melissa (Koll) Soda is a project manager at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage in Des Moines, Iowa.

Kari (Bull) Winklepleck recently was named vice president for institutional advancement at Morningside College. Winklepleck has 12 years of experience working in the advancement department and most recently held the position of assistant vice president for the annual fund. She received a Thompson Staff Excellence Award from the college in December in recognition of her outstanding dedication, service and commitment to Morningside and its students during the previous academic year.

24

Lisa Crosby Wipperling of Sioux City was a guest artist for Morningside College’s fully staged production of the Stephen Sondheim musical “Into the Woods,” playing the role of The Witch. She also played Mrs. Cratchit in “A Christmas Carol” for the Midwest leg of the Nebraska Theatre Caravan's national tour.

This summer you can see her in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “She Loves Me” and “Shrek the Musical” at the Black Hills Playhouse in Custer, S.D. Keep in touch with her at lisawipperling.com.

2004

J.J. (Benson) Marlow works at Morningside College as assistant director of the Annual Scholarship Fund.

Daniel Herrstrom is an infrastructure management analyst for FIREHOUSE Software in Urbandale, Iowa, and director of information technology for the Iowa Weather Network in Madrid, Iowa.

Scott Wismont is an executive escalations specialist for PayPal in La Vista, Neb. He is enrolled in the clinical counseling program at Bellevue University.

2005

Dr. Holly (Varenhorst) Schenzel earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Creighton University in 2013. She is also serving as an acute care nurse practitioner at the Division of Hospital Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

2009

Carlos Hurtado Andrade is a banking representative at Security National Bank in Sioux City.

Jonalee Jackes is director of catering at Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center in Okoboji, Iowa.

2006

Dr. Jason Goergen is a family practice physician at Meritas Health near Parkville, Mo. Mikaela Johnson Vaal is a teacher in the Advanced Personal Training Department at the Swedish Institute: College of Health Sciences in New York. She is a production coordinator for Brookfield Properties, and she works as an actress at New Perspectives Theatre Company.

Daniel Krohn is program manager at the Global Food Security Consortium at Iowa State University in Ames. The consortium is an initiative to create food security for the world that involves looking at every step of the food value chain.

2008

Annie (McInnis) Chen was accepted by the Yamanashi Board of Education in Japan to be an assistant language teacher in English starting in April 2015.

Breanne (Evans) Lynch is a business teacher at Madrid Senior High School in Madrid, Iowa.

Wyeth Lynch recently earned a Master of Fine Arts in integrated visual arts from Iowa State University in Ames. He is now a temp-to-hire graphic design technician at American Packaging Corporation in Story City, Iowa.

Mark Martindale is a senior business performance analyst at Great Western Bank in Sioux Falls, S.D. Beau Sudtelgte is director of human resources at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City.

2010

Jared Noteboom is a personal banker at Security National Bank in Sioux City.

Alyxis Peery is a claim representative at State Farm Insurance in Lincoln, Neb.

class notes

Looks like a fun group at this young alumni event in Omaha, Neb. In the front row are Andrew Poeckes 2014 (left), Scott Wismont 2008, Josh Benson 2010, Emily (Greenlee) Parkhill 2014, Keisha Meyer 2013 and Jamison Parkhill 2013. In the back are Courtney (Lucart) Liester 2013 (left), Levi Liester 2011, Jeremiah Hughes 2010, Jeremiah Curry 2013, Katie Kotlik 2008, Emily Olsen 2008, Matt Muschall 2012 and Bryce Williamson 2012.

Carla Rodawig works at Morningside College as an administrative assistant for the economics, political science and sociology departments.

Danya Hangman is a registered nurse for Craig HomeCare, a nursing agency that provides a variety of services, with an emphasis in pediatric nursing care. She is also a full-time surgical nurse at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City.

2011

Shannon Greene-Hogan is a special education teacher at Remsen-Union High School in Remsen, Iowa. Previously she worked with students that have severe and profound disabilities at West Monona Elementary School in Onawa, Iowa.

Drake Johnson is an investment consultant at TD Ameritrade in Austin, Texas.

Daren Koehler is a master resiliency trainer-performance expert for Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness (CSF2) in Vilseck, Germany. CSF2 provides hands-on training and self-development tools so soldiers, their families and Army civilians are better able to cope with adversity, perform better in stressful situations and thrive in life. It is an integral part of the Army’s Ready and Resilient Campaign, which promotes physical and psychological fitness and encourages personal and professional growth.

Tiffany (Strand) Kesler is a special education teacher at Lake Mills High School in Lake Mills, Iowa.

Dr. Benjamin Knight is the owner/operator of Abundant Life Chiropractic in Chanhassen, Minn., and co-president of BREAKthrough chiropractic student coaching systems, a program to help students ease the transition from student to doctor to business owner.

Kelsey Martin is community manager at Chatterkick, a digital marketing company in Sioux City.

She also serves on the board of directors for the Mid America Museum of Aviation and Transportation.

2012

Jessica Boschen is a naturalist and outdoor educator at Ponca State Park in Ponca, Neb. Karena Danner is the director of human resources for the Good Samaritan Society in Syracuse, Neb.

Christine (Hassenfritz) Toft was one of 20 teachers in the Davenport Community School District selected to be a mentor in the Teacher Leadership Compensation System. Toft will mentor a new teacher through the Journey to Excellence program for two academic years, after which the new teacher will be prepared to apply for his or her standard teaching license.

2013

Brittany Buren is a third-grade teacher and junior high volleyball coach at Madrid Elementary School in Madrid, Iowa.

Cody Danko is a quality assurance technician at Den Hartog Industries in Hospers, Iowa.

Jesse Derrick is a real estate agent with Property Pros Group in Sioux City.

Kaitlin Gerber, Nick Haedt 2011 and Blake Schany 2013 worked on a research project with Dr. Aaron Bunker, assistant professor of biology, while they were students at Morningside. Their research determined that body position significantly impacts the blood pressure of females but not males. A paper reporting their results was published in the March 2015 issue of BIOS, the quarterly journal of the Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society.

25

AWARDS

Alumni Educator of the Year

HONORS

Siouxland Alumni Teachers of the Year

&

Dr. Timothy Orwig 1980,, who teaches courses in art and architectural history at Boston College and Northeastern University.

Jennifer Koch 2007,, a first-grade teacher at Clark Elementary School in Sioux City.

Kim Bentsen 2004,, a life skills teacher at West Harrison High School in Mondamin, Iowa.

OTHER NOMINEES: Sioux City – Deborah Ammons 1992, Spalding Park Elementary School; Elizabeth (Reynolds) Boetger 2007, West High School; Wendy Bryce 2005,, East High School; Katie (McElroy) Demers 2000, Bryant Elementary School; Lisa Frink 1995,, Lincoln Elementary School; Courtney Jungers 2009, Hunt Elementary School; Kris McCarthy,, Riverside Elementary School; Erin Nelson, Washington and Whittier elementary schools; Angela (Pottorff) Schneider 1978,, East Middle School; Jani (Waddell) Sparr 1978, West Middle School; Heidi (Christensen) Vondrak 2004, 2004 Loess Hills Elementary School; and Stephanie White 2005, Unity Elementary School. Iowa – Mary (Kottman) Benton 1987, 1987 Le Mars Middle School; Lindsay DeHaan 2011,, Ridge View Middle School, Early; John Held 1976, Denison High School; Amy (Johnson) Rolfes 1998,, Akron-Westfield High School, Akron; Vonda MacClure 2001, Dr. Vicki Schug 1978 of Westwood Elementary School, Sloan.

Bloomington, Minn., nursing

Nursing Alumna of the Year professor at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minn.

GRADUATE EDUCATION AWARDS Owens Award for Professional Service Joel Illian 2014 of West Des Moines, Iowa.

Tevis Award for Excellence in Action Research Ryan Austin 2014 of Carroll, Iowa.

Outstanding seniors recognized by alumni association

Maria Bohling of Loveland, Colo.

Drew Nolan of Hawarden, Iowa Hannah Hecht of Lansing, Kan. Sarah Sorenson of Sioux Falls, S.D. Lacey Ruth Martinez of Pomona, Calif. Audri Swisher of Spearfish, S.D. Kyle McGlade of Council Bluffs, Iowa

class notes

Mariah (Stauffer) Gesink is in graduate school, studying epidemiology at University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Erin Hedlund is a paraeducator in the Hinton Community Schools in Hinton, Iowa, and she is pursuing a degree in elementary education.

Jacy Jahn is an applied behavior analysis specialist at The Homestead in Davenport, Iowa.

Greg Kolpin is a social studies teacher at Woodbine High School in Woodbine, Iowa.

Cody Neddermeyer is a fleet manager at K&B Transportation in South Sioux City, Neb. Joseph O’Neill works in the sales department at Palmer Candy Company in Sioux City.

Rachel Penning is an enterprise analyst at Sports Authority Corporate Headquarters in Englewood, Colo.

26

Briana Schaeuble is pursuing a master’s degree in marital and family therapy at Sioux Falls Seminary. She is completing an internship at Children’s Inn, a private, nonprofit organization that provides 24-hour, free services for adults and children who are victims of family violence, elder abuse, child abuse, neglect or sexual assault. She helps facilitate a support group for kids who experienced domestic violence at the Child and Adolescent Therapy Clinic at Sioux Falls Psychological Services. She also helps facilitate EMPOWER, a group in the Sioux Falls schools that educates teen girls about dating violence.

Amy (Baer) Whitsell co-authored a paper recently published in the Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing. The paper finds solutions to all of the remaining cases of a problem in Combinatorics that was originally posed in 1933 by the mathematician Richard Rado. Whitsell started the project while a student at Morningside. After she graduated, Dr. Chris Spicer, associate professor of mathematics, worked with Dr. Brenda Mammenga, a former Morningside faculty member, to finish the problem.

2014

Jess Anderson is a web designer and developer for JD Gordon Creative Labs in Sioux City.

Cole Boger is a banker at Valley Bank and Trust of Mapleton and Danbury, Iowa.

In Loving Memory

Jenna Bowmaster is the fifth- through 12th-grade Spanish teacher for Remsen St. Mary’s Schools in Remsen, Iowa.

1934 Barbara (Van Uleck) Kruck, Sioux City, died Nov. 15, 2014.

Daltynn Brockman is pursuing a graduate degree in counseling psychology at The University of Kansas in Lawrence.

1936 Carol (Atkinson) Newton, Huntsville, Ala., died Aug. 30, 2014.

Jason Carlson is a mental health technician at Boys and Girls Home and Family Services in Sioux City.

1939 Dr. Robert Rohwer, Indianola, Iowa, died March 2, 2012.

Jenna Graves is a small business specialist at U.S. Bank in Sioux City.

1940 Vera (Farrington) Olson, Kansas City, Mo., died Nov. 4, 2014.

Megan Grooters is working full time at Sunnybrook Community Church in Sioux City as a missions and student ministries assistant.

1942 Muriel (Hiler) Moeller, Fort Dodge, Iowa, died Jan. 15, 2015.

1943 Evelyn Freeburg, Ames, Iowa, died March 6, 2008.

Mary Horton is a third-grade teacher at Bryant Elementary School in Sioux City.

Audrey (Luse) Georgesen, Moville, Iowa, died July 16, 2014.

Michael Lewis is a news reporter for the television station KCAU in Sioux City.

1944 Frances (Washburn) Dougherty, Whiting, Iowa, died May 23, 2014.

Aaron Lonneman is a social studies teacher and boys’ basketball coach at George-Little Rock Middle School in Little Rock, Iowa.

Roberta (Held) Hasek, Sac City, Iowa, died March 24, 2015.

Leann Osten is a special education teacher at Cardinal Elementary School in South Sioux City, Neb. David Riveros Garcia was hired as a consultant for the social development and citizen engagement department at the World Bank office in Paraguay. In his new position, he is assisting the bank’s senior development specialist in supervising the development of a social accountability mechanism that aims to promote transparency in the Paraguayan government's conditional cash transfer program.

Josh Schreiner is a math teacher at Remsen St. Mary's Middle School in Remsen, Iowa.

Emma (Mastalir) Thompson is a youth worker 2 at Children’s Square USA in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Ferne (Dunn) Obye, Sun City, Ariz., died Nov. 27, 2014.

1945 Lorraine (Iverson) Haviland, Phoenix, Ariz., died Oct. 16, 2014.

Evelyn (Madsen) Held, Hinton, Iowa, died Feb. 13, 2015.

1947 Veneta (DeWitt) Ewen, Le Claire, Iowa, died May 30, 2014.

Carol (Hansen) Miller, Costa Mesa, Calif., died Sept. 24, 2011.

1948 Edward Motz, Sioux City, died Dec. 21, 2014.

Arlene (Burow) Petersen, Pender, Neb., died Sept. 30, 2014.

1949 Dr. Vernon Helt, Dakota City, Neb., died March 22, 2015.

Dr. Calman Levich, Pentwater, Mich., died Dec. 25, 2014. He was a retired commander in the U.S. Navy.

Roy Moore Jr., Upland, Calif., died Nov. 26, 2014.

1950 Morgan Anderson, Buffalo, Minn., died Nov. 10, 2014.

1958 Dr. M. “Zab” Zabezensky, Mesa, Ariz., died Jan. 6, 2013.

1967 Helen Petersen, Anthon, Iowa, died Sept. 27, 2014.

Lucille Hansen, Spencer, Iowa, died Nov. 21, 2014.

1959 William Clemens, Beloit, Wis., died Feb. 16, 2015.

Mary (Thomsen) Tucker, Sioux City, died Feb. 8, 2015.

Joan (Buckwalter) Hoelscher, Estes Park, Colo., died May 27, 2013.

Fred Holtrop, Ireton, Iowa, died July 21, 2014.

Dr. Philip Loh, Honolulu, Hawaii, died Jan. 12, 2014.

Forest “Ted” Penn-Whitlow, Johnstown, Pa., died Dec. 18, 2014.

Karen (Johnson) Hyde, Albert City, Iowa, died Nov. 30, 2014.

1968 Gloria (Bosquez) Nassiff, Orlando, Fla., died Feb. 22, 2015.

1960 Donald Miller, Delavan, Wis., died Nov. 18, 2014.

Dennis Peavey, League City, Texas, died Aug. 18, 2014.

Stuart Oliver, Sioux City, died Jan. 24, 2015.

1969 Joyce (Emmeck) Muff, Dow City, Iowa, died Jan. 2, 2015.

Russell Rasmus, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died Nov. 6, 2014.

1961 John Braheny, Los Angeles, Calif., died Jan. 19, 2013.

James Winter, Marshalltown, Iowa, died March 14, 2015.

David Crumley, North Bend, Ore., died Dec. 12, 2013.

Donald R. Smith, Clermont, Fla., died Aug. 20, 2014.

1951 William Gates, Sioux City, died Jan. 11, 2015.

Gene Lehner, Arvada, Colo., died March 17, 2015.

1952 Milo Kirkegaard, Hastings, Neb., died Jan. 3, 2015.

1962 Blayne Johnson, Hartley, Iowa, died Dec. 2, 2014.

1970 Rick Kumerfield, San Antonio, Texas, died Oct. 29, 2014.

1953 Genevieve (Majorowicz) Wise, Northfield, Minn., died Oct. 11, 2014.

Carl Noltze Jr., Sioux City, died March 15, 2015.

The Rev. Bruce Zellmer, Sioux City, died Nov. 30, 2014.

1954 Don H. Christensen, Spirit Lake, Iowa, died Sept. 14, 2014.

Milton Madden, Portland, Ore., died Sept. 20, 2014.

Ben Storek, Tucson, Ariz., died July 19, 2014.

Jeanette “Delores” (Hughes) Swenson, Ocheyedan, Iowa, died Jan. 28, 2015.

Walter Wagner, Anaheim, Calif., died Sept. 11, 2014.

1956 Mary (Musselman) Boston, Sioux City, died Oct. 7, 2014.

Gerald “Jerry” Huldeen, Sioux City, died March 20, 2015.

Leo Juffer, San Diego, Calif., died March 3, 2015.

Adele (Kirkpatrick) Sorensen, Sioux City, died Dec. 22, 2014.

Jack Sweeney, Sioux City, died March 2, 2015.

1957 Shirley (Kemner) Spaulding, Sun City West, Ariz., died Oct. 11, 2014.

1963 Robert Gourley Sr., Statesville, N.C., died Feb. 17, 2015.

Sally (Ahlberg) Johnson, Lincoln, Neb., died Nov. 5, 2014.

Harold “Gene” Turner, Ocheyedan, Iowa, died March 19, 2015.

1964 Michael Moser, Dallas, Ore., died Sept. 21, 2014.

1965 Kelly Doonan, Harlan, Iowa, died June 9, 2014.

Charlene Hunt, Conrad, Mont., died Jan. 17, 2014.

Diane (Kemner) Johnson, Sioux City, died Feb. 27, 2015.

Roger Ralston, Lancaster, Wis., died Feb. 24, 2015.

1966 Max Brodersen, McCook, Neb., died Jan. 16, 2015.

Peter Koenig, West Liberty, Iowa, died Sept. 3, 2014.

Douglas Swanson, Sioux City, died Oct. 20, 2014.

Stephen Rohr, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died Aug. 23, 2014.

Louise (Schwartz) Smith, Atlantic, Iowa, died Sept. 17, 2014.

Gary Weiner, Yoder, Ind., died Oct. 20, 2014.

1971 James Martin, Sioux City, died Oct. 25, 2014.

Douglas Mortensen, Forsyth, Ill., died Nov. 24, 2014.

Thomas Thomsen, Sioux City, died March 3, 2015.

1972 Lorraine (Nugent) McDermott, Kingsley, Iowa, died Oct. 18, 2014.

1973 Mark Bigler, Des Moines, Iowa, died Dec. 7, 2014.

Thomas Holmes, Seal Beach, Calif., died May 26, 2014.

Daniel Washburn, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, died Oct. 25, 2014.

Robert Wilson, Sioux City, died Jan. 10, 2015.

1974 Dr. Debra Donahue Riehle, Cedar Falls, Iowa, died July 6, 2014.

Ronald Servine, Ponca, Neb., died Feb. 27, 2015.

1975 Mary Ann (Gaspar) Kriss, Boise, Idaho, died March 29, 2015.

27

1979 Royce McGuire Sr., Sloan, Iowa, died Feb. 16, 2015. He was a retired master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force.

Maya Jane (left) and Isobel Marie Bossman

Ethen Richard James De Clute

1980 Gary Funke, Sioux City, died Nov. 17, 2014.

Makenna Rae Barrett

Donald Holloway, Harlan, Iowa, died Sept. 20, 2014.

1981 Beverly (Battey) Smith, Sioux City, died Feb. 17, 2015.

1982 Anne-Marie (Yaneff) Black, Sioux City, died Dec. 20, 2014.

1983 Gary Lovik, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, died Jan. 21, 2015.

Joleen (Johnsen) Rich, Sioux City, died Aug. 14, 2014.

1985 Ronald Boren, Raeford, N.C., died Aug. 29, 2014.

1988 Robert Dowd, Olympia, Wash., died Dec. 28, 2014.

28

Quinn May Liberto Emma Paulsen

Evie Elizabeth Richard

1990 Rita Flynn, Coon Rapids, Iowa, died Nov. 11, 2014.

Thora Phelps, Northfield, Minn., died Aug. 7, 2014. She was a former staff member at Morningside, having served as head resident of Dimmitt Hall and as dean of women.

1996 Chad Coyne, Moville, Iowa, died Feb. 22, 2015.

Future Morningsiders

2010 Susan Perkins, Indianola, Iowa, died Feb. 22, 2015.

1997 Brian Clarke and his wife, Angela, a daughter, Angelyse Mei, Nov. 29, 2014.

Remembering Cherished Friends

1998 Chuck and Stacey (Jacobs) Baughman 1999, Surprise, Ariz., a son, Cash Jacobs, Nov. 28, 2012.

Mary Hilker, Vero Beach, Fla., died Nov. 8, 2014. She and her husband, the late Dr. Robert Hilker 1938, made the naming gift for the Hilker Campus Mall.

2002 Jacob Bossman and his wife, Carmen Evenson Bossman, Sioux City, twin daughters, Isobel Marie and Maya Jane, June 30, 2014.

Bishop Rueben Job, Brentwood, Tenn., died Jan. 3, 2015. He was a former member of the Morningside College Board of Directors.

Dr. Shannon (Schmidt) De Clute and her husband, Ryan, Sioux City, a son, Ethen Richard James, Aug. 3, 2014.

Irene Kucinski, Portland, Ore., died Feb. 6, 2015. She was the widow of Dr. Leo Kucinski, who was a music professor at Morningside.

Melissa (Grout) Levine and her husband, Matt, Creston, Iowa, a daughter, Rebecca, Dec. 13, 2012.

Dr. Raymond Nelson, Colorado Springs, Colo., died Oct. 24, 2014. He was a former faculty and staff member at Morningside, having served as chair of the English department, humanities chair, academic dean and vice president. He received an honorary doctorate from Morningside in 1979.

Jill (Zevenbergen) Paulsen and her husband, Jason, Harlan, Iowa, a daughter, Emma, Oct. 3, 2014.

2003 Marcy (Pudenz) Clark and her husband, Charlie, a son, Oscar Andrew, Aug. 18, 2013.

Angela (Turner) Ricklefs and her husband, Ben, a daughter, Ava Jo, May 2, 2014.

Amy (Skalisky) Vermeys, Bronson, Iowa, a daughter, Kadence, March 16, 2007.

2004 Mike and Janel (Gillies) Bennett, Aliso Viejo, Calif., a daughter, Brielle Rene, Nov. 28, 2014.

2005 Elizabeth (Jessen) Barrett and her husband, Tim, a daughter, Makenna Rae, Oct. 8, 2014.

2006 Jenna (Rehnstrom) Liberto and her husband, Chris, Sioux City, a daughter, Quinn May, June 25, 2014.

2009 Wyeth and Breanne (Evans) Lynch, Madrid, Iowa, a daughter, Evelynn Marie, Sept. 22, 2014.

Mark Martindale and his wife, Katie, Sioux Falls, S.D., two daughters, Alli, April 22, 2010, and Annabelle, July 24, 2013.

2010 Tim and Christina (Blomgren) Richard 2011, Persia, Iowa, a daughter, Evie Elizabeth, Jan. 2, 2014.

Newlyweds 1960 Donald Nieuwendorp and Lorae Wilson, Oct. 5, 2013. At home in Sioux City.

1988 Bill Hartwig and Karen Johnson, June 6, 2015, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Fremont, Neb. At home in Fremont.

1995 Lisa Martensen and Jason Mercer, June 22, 2013, Elkhorn, Neb. At home in Omaha, Neb. 1997 Joel Weyand and Tami Hoppmann, Aug. 17, 2014. At home in Crete, Neb. 1998 Dawn Swenson and John Kilby, May 2010. At home in Kansas City, Mo. 2001 Camie Shuff and Matthew Blundell, Aug. 9, 2014, St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church, Halsall, England. At home in Ormskirk, England.

2009 Kelsey Ploen and Jeffery Walter, Nov. 8, 2014, St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Kingsley, Iowa.

At home in Le Mars, Iowa.

Hollie Vaughan and Joshua Henrich, June 14, 2014, St. Michael Catholic Parish, Sioux Falls, S.D. At home in Sioux Falls.

Nicole Van Heek and Brian Block 2013, Oct. 4, 2014. St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Crofton, Neb. At home in Sibley, Iowa.

2010 Shannon Hettinger and Seth Jensen, Aug. 2, 2014, St John’s Lutheran Church, Le Mars, Iowa. At home in Hinton, Iowa.

2013 Clayton King and Katie Koenigs, Jan. 3, 2015, Church of the Nativity, Sioux City. At home in Lawton, Iowa.

2011 Heidi Lieber and Nathan Connelly 2013, July 26, 2014, Central Baptist Church, Sioux City. At home in McCook Lake, SD.

Sean Richardson and Sarah Dickinson, Oct. 24, 2014, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Sioux City. At home in Sioux City.

Lindsey Siepker and Brandon Mueller 2007, Sept. 20, 2014, St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Omaha, Neb. At home in Omaha.

2014 Amber McGreevy and Shane Schaaf, July 12, 2014, Wabash Trace, Mineola, Iowa. At home in Silver City, Iowa.

2012 Erin Downing and Matthew Gorman, Oct. 3, 2014, Grand River Center, Dubuque, Iowa.

At home in Marion, Iowa.

Kassie Hein and Alex Smith, Oct. 11, 2014, First Lutheran Church, West Okoboji, Iowa. At home in Sioux City.

Bob Seger and Mallory Lowe 2011, June 21, 2014, Panora United Methodist Church, Panora, Iowa. At home in Hickman, Neb.

Camie Shuff & Matthew Blundell

Alumni Office Update

I would like to highlight a group of 20 volunteers who work behind the scenes – quietly and without fanfare. That group is the Morningside College Alumni Board of Directors.

The Alumni Board’s main focus is to assist the Alumni Office in coordinating events at Morningside and around the country. What a phenomenal job these volunteers have done!

Let me give you an example of their dedication! Homecoming. It is perhaps the most complex and most fun event in which the board gets involved. On Friday evening of Homecoming, the Alumni Board helps in a myriad of ways, from decorating to working the event.

We’re excited to say that this year our Friday event will take place on campus! (We used to host this event at Emma’s Event Center.

However, the facility, owned by an alum, was recently sold.) Watch your snail mail, email and Facebook for further information!!

As I mentioned, Homecoming is about fun, but it’s also about connecting and reconnecting. The Alumni Board participates in all of the Saturday events, most particularly the Taste of Morningside.

The event, which got its start in 2007, has grown to be the largest single annual alumni event in the history of the college. Upwards

Heidi Lieber & Nathan Connelly

29

By Gene Ambroson

of 3,000 people attend . Of course, it helps to have the great football game that precedes it. Taste of Morningside would not happen without the assistance of the Alumni Board.

But they do much more! The board helps coordinate our newly formed Alumni Chapters Program, where alumni in different cities get together for a variety of activities. Chapters have been formed in Denver, San Francisco, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas, with more to come this year.

Last year the president of Morningside College, John Reynders, formed strategic planning task forces to set goals for different areas of the college between now and 2020. The Alumni Board stepped up and participated in a big way by recommending the direction the alumni program should take in the future. In October, the final strategic plan will be presented to the Morningside College Board of Directors. To be sure, there is much fun and excitement in store for the Alumni Office and the Alumni Board!

Stay tuned!

Members of the Morningside College Alumni Board, like so many before them, have done an outstanding job of helping the college continue to be one of the very best in the Midwest. We don’t say it often enough – a big THANK YOU! We couldn’t do it without you!

class notes

Morningside College sweethearts

Alumni share their stories

Photo by Catelin (Hoistad) Drey 2010

Tim 2010 and I met on my college visit. The volleyball girls took me to “The Football House.” After meeting, we stayed in touch on social media. Tim had no idea I decided to come to Morningside College because of him! We started dating in November 2007, and we were married in May 2011. We have an 18-month-old daughter, and we’re expecting our second child.

– Christina (Blomgren) Richard 2011

Andy 2009 and I met during the 2006-2007 school year. We were both members of the track team. After eight years together, five years married, and surviving our 2-year-old twins, we couldn’t be happier.

– Jordan (Balfour) Edison 2009

30

Tyler 2007 and I met my freshman year in college choir. We are celebrating our fifth year of marriage this year with our two little girls ages 3 and 1!

– Amanda (Flater) Schnuckel 2008

First time I noticed Marilyn (Horswell) 1976, she was working in the commons in the food service line. They say the best way to a man’s heart…Nope, it was the mini skirt! I asked her to join me at an ice cream social, and that was that. We have a daughter, Marissa, and a son, Charlie. Marissa is with us in the more recent photo.

– Charlie Leissler IV 1975

Chris 2008 and I met at Morningside in December of 2006. We got married Oct. 1, 2011. We now live in Des Moines with our 9-month-old baby girl.

– Katie Rae (Johnson) Lee 2010

I met Ashley (Danner) 2009 freshman year in Professor Heather Reid’s “The Examined Life.” Ash and I had many long, late-night conversations under the clock tower. We started dating at the Homecoming dance on Oct. 3, 2005, and got married Oct. 3, 2009, stopping by Taste of Morningside and the clock tower. After almost a decade together, we always celebrate our anniversary at Morningside.

When Homecoming falls on the weekend of Oct. 3rd, it’s an added bonus, like last year when our youngest daughter got to celebrate her first Homecoming on our anniversary.

– Russell Heine 2009

Morningside wins women’s basketball national championship Lexi Ackerman made two free throws with two seconds left in the game to lift Morningside to a 59-57 victory against Concordia in the title game of the 2015 NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball National Championship on March 17 in Sioux City.

The Mustangs’ two-point win against their Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) rival was the closest championship game victory margin in the history of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics II National Tournament.

It was Morningside’s fourth national championship of the Jamie Sale coaching era after previously winning national crowns in 2004, 2005 and 2009.

This year’s title run may have been the most impressive of them all as the Mustangs had to overcome adversity after their best player, senior first-team All-America forward Ashlynn Muhl, underwent season-ending surgery one day before the tournament began.

Muhl’s understudy, junior forward Jessica Tietz, stepped up admirably and was named the tournament’s MVP after she led the Mustangs with 17 points and a career-high 12 rebounds in the Lexi Ackerman title game. Tietz was joined on the all-tournament team by junior guard Allison Bachman, while junior forward Jordyn Wollenburg received the tourney’s Hustle Award.

Muhl was joined on this year’s NAIA II All-America selections by sophomore guard Taylor Bahensky, who was tabbed to the third team, and Ackerman, a sophomore guard who was named to the honorable mention list.

After a 79-45 opening round victory against California Merced, the Mustangs survived their biggest scare of the national tournament with a 74-66 triumph against Oklahoma Wesleyan after rallying from a 17-point first half deficit.

Morningside rolled to a 79-62 wire-to-wire win against defending champion Saint Francis in the quarterfinals before a 66-63 semifinal round win against Hastings in an all-GPAC Final Four set up its title game showdown with Concordia.

Jessica Tietz Dave Rebstock

Are you moving? Do you have an e-mail address?

Please let us know! Just send an e-mail to alumni@morningside.edu or write to the Alumni Office, Morningside College, 1501 Morningside Ave., Sioux City, IA 51106.

Sioux City, IA 51106 Change Service Requested

HOMECOMING 2015 OCTOBER 8-11 CLASS REUNIONS

1955, 1965, 1975, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2005, 2015

OTHER REUNION GROUPS Dimmitt Residents, Ag Business, 2005 GPAC Football Champs

ALL ALUMNI AND FRIENDS ARE INVITED!

For more information, call the alumni relations office at 712-274-5293, or visit www.morningside.edu/alumni.