Show your Bearcat pride by displaying this complimentary paw decal on your vehicle … or in your office, in your classroom, on your refrigerator or anywhere else where others can clearly see your passion for the Green and White!
Download screensavers, wallpapers and social media covers at www.nwmissouri.edu/admissions/pride.
Beginning this fall, Northwest students have an array of new menu choices along with added conveniences such as smartphone and online ordering options and expanded hours to satisfy every student’s craving.
Construction crews were busy throughout the summer providing a complete transformation to the dining areas in the J.W. Jones Student Union as well as The Station and the B.D. Owens Library. The enhancements are part of a new five-year contract with Aramark.
“Our students are our focus, and these changes address feedback we’ve gained from them,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Matt Baker. “The enhancements will help create a more dynamic and energetic dining program that is aesthetically pleasing and meets student demand for nationally recognized brands.”
The new menu choices provide more variety and value as well as healthy options. Students benefit from a comprehensive health and wellness program that impacts menu development and recipes while being offered an array of fruits and vegetables, expert advice and nutritional information. Enhancing its emphasis on sustainability, Northwest Campus Dining also is maintaining its practices of recycling and composting and using local producers with the addition of an on-campus farmers market.
The first floor of the Student Union features
a new “residential” dining area with a Mediterranean kitchen offering hearth-baked pizza as well as pasta dishes, produce market and deli, an all-American grill, Tex Mex cuisine, fresh bakery and exhibition stations as well as a Mongolian grill. The dining area, which is open from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week, features digital menu boards, improved seating areas and laptop charging areas.
The Student Union’s second floor includes a remodeled retail dining area consisting of Einstein Bros, Red Mango, Chick-fil-A, Zen Asian Cuisine and Provisions on Demand (P.O.D.) convenience options. Papa John’s, previously in the Union, has moved to The Station and now offers on-campus delivery.
And sure to be a hit, the new Novel Grounds coffee shop in the library includes Starbucks, and enhanced vending areas are located in several academic buildings.
The remodeling project, funded by prepaid commissions from Aramark, is the most extensive at the Student Union since the building underwent a complete renovation during the 1998-1999 academic year. n
In early August and prior to the start of fall classes, construction crews were busy putting the finishing touches on the new and renovated campus dining venues, including Starbucks Coffee located in the library’s Novel Grounds coffee shop and a Mediterranean kitchen and Mongolian grill in the student union.
Last spring, men throughout campus voluntarily slipped on a pair of high
heels to help educate others about the effects of rape, sexual assault and gender violence while raising money for the Children and Family Center of Northwest Missouri, a domestic violence shelter in Maryville.
The Interfraternity Council sponsored the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event and watched as fraternity members stumbled their way through
campus holding signs and wearing shirts with the saying, “Put Yourself in Her Shoes.”
Spectators undoubtedly had fun watching the men stumble and fall, said James Ford, who helped organize the event, but the message was a serious one.
“This was a good way for our men on campus to get involved with showing that we care about the women in the community – those
who have been physically assaulted or verbally assaulted,” Ford said, “and that we can, and should, stand up for women.”
As part of the event, a court victim advocate for the Children and Family Center and a victim of domestic violence shared information about the cycle of domestic violence. More than 200 people were on hand to support the cause, raising nearly $1,600 for the center. n
Seventeen Northwest students began their summer by experiencing music history and gaining new perspectives outside of the classroom.
In May, Dr. Ernest Kramer, Northwest professor of music, took students on a 17-day tour that spanned six European countries. One Maryville middle school and one Maryville high school student also joined the group, totaling
20 travelers – the largest group Kramer has hosted. In the past, alumni have participated in tours and are welcome to do so for the next tour, scheduled for 2015. Kramer, who teaches music history at Northwest, has organized and led eight tours over the past 16 years. This year’s tour included stops in Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland and England. The group visited cities where
Northwest reached a milestone as students taking at least one online course comprised 70 percent of the University’s total enrollment this summer.
The enrollment totals support Northwest’s ongoing initiative to strategically convert select courses to online instruction in response to student demand, which gives students more flexibility during the summer months.
“This enables students to return home to work or engage in an internship and continue to take courses from Northwest faculty from any location,” Provost Dr. Doug Dunham said. “Ultimately, this means students will be able to complete their degree in a more timely fashion by providing them with an option they might not otherwise have.” n
major composers lived and worked, giving students the opportunity to see and experience these historic places.
“I see the tour as a culminating way to experience music history outside of the textbook,” Kramer said. “My goal is to make music history come alive for the students.”
Students visited Salzburg, Austria, where Mozart was born and raised; St. Mark’s Cathedral in Venice, Italy, where many composers visited during their careers; and the Sistine Chapel in Rome, Italy, where sacred works were performed by composers and musicians. Students also visited Paris, France, and London, England, which both hold rich music history.
“A lot of times in history classes it seems like the people and places you learn about are very distant, but to be able to go to some of these great composers’ houses and see where they worked and lived really brings them to life,” said Natalie Burgon, a senior music major. n
Brian Weaver ’95 (right), founder and CEO of Overland Park, Kan.based Anthem Media Group, was the keynote speaker at the second annual New Venture Pitch Competition sponsored by Northwest’s Department of Business. The event is designed to expose students to the process of building and presenting a business plan as well as to encourage them to consider entrepreneurship as a potential career. Participants explore a potential business idea and then receive valuable feedback from successful entrepreneurs and experienced professionals who fill the judging panel, many of whom are Northwest alumni. During Weaver’s address, he reviewed the challenges he faced on his way to building his company and urged students to embrace their creativity, research problems and solve them in order to become successful entrepreneurs. n
With a giving heart and desire to connect with people, Angela Wasko finds her place at TOMS
By
F or Angela Wasko ’12, life is meant for building relationships and connecting with people. The seeds of that philosophy were planted on an Iowa farm, sprouted on the Northwest Missouri State campus and are maturing in Los Angeles.
“I remember entering college with a narrow perspective of life and of the world, and I will probably say the same thing in four years after being in the workforce,” Wasko said. “But I think it’s really important to have incredible professors that believe in you and challenge you and want to see you be successful. I’ve had a lot of strong mentors in my life who have always given of themselves. So I’m a firm believer in when you surround yourself with people like that you become like that.”
Just a little more than one year removed from earning her bachelor’s degree at Northwest, Wasko is the U.S. digital merchandise coordinator at TOMS – a shoe and accessories company that has exploded over seven years with the help of a college-aged demographic that places a renewed emphasis on philanthropy and helping others.
For every pair of shoes someone purchases, the company donates a pair of shoes to a child in need under its trademark One for One model. Since Blake Mycoskie launched the company from his Venice, Calif., apartment in 2006, TOMS has given away more than 10 million pairs of shoes in 59 countries. In 2011, TOMS added sunglasses, using the same One for One model to provide eye care.
A couple years ago, it all seemed so foreign to Wasko. But the 23-year-old believes, right now, with her live-in-themoment personality, that she’s in the place she’s meant to be.
“I learned about how they were going to implement this other aspect of the giving model and began to understand why we give, how we give, where we give,” Wasko said. “My manager got me going right away and handed me tasks, and I remember just hitting the ground running, and it didn’t really stop.”
Naturally, Wasko focused again on building relationships and connecting with people. She committed herself to seeking advice from TOMS employees, whether over coffee or lunch, about working at the company and building a career.
Still, she wasn’t convinced Los Angeles was right for her. When she departed Los Angeles at the end of the summer of 2011 for her senior year at Northwest, she doubted she’d return to the city.
After graduating from Northwest in the spring of 2012, Wasko moved to Washington, D.C. Having completed two service-oriented summer internships there previously, D.C. appealed to her far more than L.A.
She jumped at an internship opportunity in D.C. with a young non-profit that plans birthday parties for homeless children. While the internship didn’t pay, Wasko worked as a tour guide on the side. She interviewed for a job with the United Nations, but that hit a dead end.
“It’s just what my heart wanted at that time,” Wasko said of returning to D.C. “I wasn’t about to just go back home and wait for an opportunity, so I seized an opportunity. I was able to grow and ground myself and tell myself, ‘This is the real world. There isn’t any college left. You don’t have a syllabus for the next four years of your life.’”
As her internship was ending, Wasko logged onto Facebook, unsure about her next move. Connections came into play again.
She noticed pictures her TOMS internship manager posted of his “giving trip” – a sort of company gift TOMS awards to employees in honor of their service. Wasko commented on the photos. They traded messages. Then, on the day she left D.C. to return to Iowa, he phoned her with a job offer she couldn’t refuse.
“He really challenged me, and I really appreciate that he believes in me and trusts in me,” Wasko said. “Sometimes I just sit and wonder, ‘how am I working at such an incredible company’ and ‘how is it that I was given this opportunity.’”
Now employed at TOMS for a year, Wasko can’t help but wonder what opportunities lie ahead for her. Her rocksolid faith keeps her grounded, along with her commitment
to giving and serving others.
She has watched TOMS’ growth firsthand since she was an intern there. In the last year, she has transitioned from being hired as an online merchandising coordinator to the U.S. digital merchandise coordinator, a reflection of TOMS’ global expansion.
Wasko and her team are charged with the strategic placement of products online. She is directly responsible for receiving product samples, arranging photography and working with TOMS’ creative department to generate promotional content. She oversees the creation of assets and determines ways to keep the TOMS homepage looking fresh, fun and clean so customers can easily find the shoes they want.
Iowa farm girl
She enjoys the challenge of promoting TOMS products, but more importantly its giving model.
“When we direct you to our site, we want you to purchase shoes or sunglasses, but we want you to understand the meaning behind those purchases,” Wasko said. “We want people to know they bought a pair of shoes, and TOMS will fulfill our mission and give a pair of shoes to a child in need.”
In June, TOMS rewarded Wasko with the opportunity to spend a week in Peru on her first giving trip. She traveled with a select few TOMS employees and contest winners and witnessed TOMS’ One for One model in action.
“The harder I work at my job, the more products we can sell, the more shoes and sight we can give,” Wasko said. “This was something I tried to think about each day as an intern, and it’s still something I strive for each day. … Giving is what fuels us, so that’s what keeps me going.”
And as she goes, Oludaja’s words continue to circulate in her ears.
“I can still hear him saying it,” Wasko says. “‘We are made for relationships. We are made to connect with people,’ and it’s so true. I think that anytime you find that you are connected with people, you have this sense of community and you’re happy.” n
To view video excerpts from Angela Wasko’s interview with the Northwest Alumni Magazine, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/magazine
n Thursday, Oct. 24, and Friday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m.
n Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts
n Free
n Tickets required; call 660.562.1212 to reserve a ticket; tickets may be acquired the night of the performance, if seats are available
Homecoming 5K Run
n Friday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. (9 a.m. registration)
n Raymond J. Courter College Park Pavilion
n Wear a light-colored shirt; participants will be “painted” throughout race
n Proceeds benefit Susan G. Komen Foundation and St. Francis Hospital and Health Services’ mammography program
COST: $20 (includes free T-shirt)
Homecoming Golf Classic
n Friday, Oct. 25, noon
n Two-person scramble
n Mozingo Lake Golf Course
COST: $45 per person
Flag-Raising Ceremony
n Friday, Oct. 25, 2 p.m.
n Joyce and Harvey White International Flag Plaza
n Free
M-Club Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony
n Friday, Oct. 25, 6:30 p.m.
n J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom COST: $20
Volleyball vs. Washburn
n Friday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m.
n Bearcat Arena COST: $5
Homecoming Welcome
n Saturday, Oct. 26, 8 a.m.
n Alumni House
n Free refreshments
Homecoming Parade
n Saturday, Oct. 26, 9 a.m.
n The parade starts at the corner of Ray and College Avenue, proceeds east to the main University entrance at Fourth Street, continues east on Fourth Street to Main, past the courthouse square and ends at the corner of Fourth and North Vine.
Hy-Vee Bearcat Zone
Pregame Festivities
n Saturday, Oct. 26, noon
n College Park
n Free
Homecoming Barbecue
n Saturday, Oct. 26, noon
n Raymond J. Courter College Park Pavilion
COST: $6.50
Bearcat Football vs. Missouri Southern
n Saturday, Oct. 26, 2 p.m.
n Bearcat Stadium
COST: $17 reserved, $12 adult general admission (standing room only), $10 reserved seating K-12 or visiting students (Homecoming football tickets available to the general public beginning Sept. 16)
Volleyball vs. Emporia State
n Saturday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m.
n Bearcat Arena
n Free
n Tickets will not be mailed; they must be picked up at the event.
n Football tickets may be purchased online at www. nwmissouri.edu/tickets or via check, made payable to Northwest Missouri State University and mailed to Student Services Center, 800 University Dr., Maryville, MO 64468. (Checks must be received by Oct. 19.)
n Contact Michele Steinmeyer at 660.562.1977 or msteinm@nwmissouri. edu to make reservations and purchase tickets to the M-Club Hall of Fame Banquet.
n Call 660.562.1248 or visit www.nwmissouri.edu/ alumni/events to register for the Homecoming Golf Classic.
n Contact Emma Clark at s507785@mail.nwmissouri. edu to register for the Homecoming 5K run. Register before Oct. 4 to receive a free T-shirt.
The barbershop quintet, including Ken Lucas, Maynard Potter, Dick Bateman, Jim Litsch and John Flora, entertained between skits during the 1962 Variety Show.
The Golden Years Society Reunion welcomes all classmates from 1963 and before to attend Homecoming. Mark your calendar for Oct. 25-26 and make plans to return to campus.
For more information, contact the Office of University Advancement at alumni@nwmissouri.edu or 660.562.1248.
FRIDAY, OCT. 25
9 a.m. Welcome reception, Alumni House
10 a.m. Campus bus tour
n Seats are assigned on a best-available basis.
n All ticket sales are final. n Ticket prices include Missouri sales tax. Places to Stay
SATURDAY, OCT. 26
8 a.m. Homecoming Welcome, Alumni House
9 a.m. Parade with VIP seating
11 a.m. Reunion photo, Kissing Bridge 11:30 a.m. Luncheon, J.W. Jones Student Union
2 p.m. Flag-raising ceremony, Joyce and Harvey White International Flag Plaza
5 p.m. Golden Years social, Alumni House
6:30 p.m. M-Club Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony, J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom*
Noon Hy-Vee Bearcat Zone pregame festivities, College Park
Noon Homecoming barbecue, College Park*
2 p.m. Football vs. Missouri Southern, Bearcat Stadium*
REUNION COST: $20
*additional cost
For information about getting involved in a Northwest Alumni Association chapter, call 660.562.1248 or email alumni@nwmissouri.edu. There are currently 19 alumni chapters, and more are being formed.
The St. Joseph Chapter started the New Year off by re-gifting those unwanted holiday gifts at a dinner at the Ground Round. In February, the chapter had its largest turnout at the annual Mardi Gras social at Boudreaux’s. St. Joseph Beverage hosted the March game night social and potluck, and the second annual “Minute to Win It” event was full of laughs as members competed in some ridiculous events! The chapter kicked off the summer with a luau at the home of Jerry and Susan McKnight ’74 Clevenger. The St. Joseph Chapter invites all area alumni and friends to join in the festivities and also follow the chapter on Facebook at Northwest Missouri State University Alumni and Friends St. Joseph Chapter. n
Members of the Mid-Missouri Chapter enjoyed a happy hour in March at Southside Pizza and Pub in Columbia. In April, the chapter cheered the Missouri Tigers to victory
during the MU vs. Auburn baseball game. There was plenty of sunshine and visiting as well as young future Bearcats playing together. Chapter members also enjoyed a social in May at Prison Brews in Jefferson City as well as the chapter’s annual event in July at D. Rowe’s in Columbia. For more information and event listings, visit the Mid-Missouri Bearcats on Facebook or on Twitter @MidMoBearcats. n
The Central Iowa Chapter has changed the location for its First Thursday socials to Overtime Neighborhood Hub, located at 4810 NW 86th St. in Urbandale. In April, chapter members sampled local beer at a new brewery in Des Moines, and in June, the chapter hosted its annual Iowa Cubs outing at Principal Park in Des Moines. In August, chapter members volunteered their time to assist with building a Habitat for Humanity home. For more information on upcoming events, email Iowabearcats@gmail.com. n
1. The St. Joseph Chapter gathered at Boudreaux’s in downtown St. Joseph to celebrate Mardi Gras.
2. Members of the Mid-Missouri Chapter hosted a happy hour at Prison Brews in Jefferson City in May. Pictured are (front row, from left) Chrissy Beck Jolley ’02, Gayla McKinnie ’71, (back row) Phil Capps ’96 and Sheryl Meiergerd Partise ’02.
3. The Mid-Missouri Chapter gathered in March for a social at Southside Pizza and Pub in Columbia. Enjoying the camaraderie were, from left, Jamie Webster ’09, Lydia Farmer Melton ’09, ’11, Cherine Heckman ’77, ’83, Kevin Heckman, Clint Prange ’04, ’05, Terry Barnes ’70, ’72, Steven Yaple ’04, Dave Teeter ’86, Steve Moss ’87 and Mark Partise ’02. Those in attendance who are not pictured are Sheryl Meiergerd Partise ’02, Michael Head ’02, ’03 and Phil Capps ’96.
4. Travis Lehman ’06, Navid Fahlapour, Laura Peterson ’07 and Tyler Martin ’06 of the Central Iowa Chapter toured the 515 Brewing Company in Des Moines.
1. The Southern Iowa Chapter presents a check to Laurie Long to endow the Southern Iowa Alumni and Friends Chapter Scholarship. Pictured are, from left, Joen Gross Brown ’69, Karen Mills Shawler ’65, Tiffany Gale ’05, Cindy Goins ’98, Darin Goins, Laurie Long ’92, Joan Lynch Jackson ’65, Larry Giles ’64, Dennis Bunch ’69, ’76 and Polly Parsons Howard ’00, ’09.
2. Susan Johnson Hockensmith ’72, Karen Irmer Coulson ’89, ’95 and Bob Coulson ’74 toast the St. Louis Chapter’s signature drink, the Bearcat Bomb.
3. Dennis Bunch ’69, ’76, Darin Goins, Larry Giles ’64 and Cindy Goodale Goins ’98 staff the raffle table at the Southern Iowa Chapter’s anniversary social.
4. Celebrating the fifth anniversary as a chapter were St. Louis alumni and friends, including (front row, from left) Anne Alexander Gross ’90, Barbara Bosch Alexander ’82, ’86, Joyce Seals Roddy ’75, Karen Irmer Coulson ’89, ’95, Jane Alexander ’87, (second row) Laura Hockensmith, Susan Johnson Hockensmith ’72, Barbara Meznarich, Pat Roddy ’75, Valerie Byrn ’01, Polly Parsons Howard ’00, ’09, director of alumni and donor relations, (third row) Dana Hockensmith, Jerry Meznarich ’62, Bob Coulson ’74 and Regent Joe Bosse ’72.
The Southern Iowa Chapter hosted its annual social in April at the Crestmoor Golf Club in Creston, Iowa. Special guests from Northwest included Polly Parsons Howard ’00, ’09, Brenda Untiedt ’00, ’09, Dr. Matt Baker, Jill Wood Baker ’87, ’01, Scott Nielson ’01 and Laurie Drummond Long ’92. Three incoming freshmen from Creston and Mount Ayr also attended with their parents. During the event, the chapter presented a check to officially endow the Southern Iowa Alumni and Friends Chapter Scholarship. The first scholarship will be awarded to a southern Iowa student for the 2014-2015 academic year. The chapter also concluded its Bearcat T-shirt quilt and autographed football raffle. All proceeds from the raffle went to the chapter scholarship fund. Chapter members assisted at the Northwest men’s and women’s basketball games during Northwest Alumni Association Day at Bearcat Arena. Watch for details about the chapter’s upcoming trips to Northwest’s Encore events. n
The fift h anniversary of the St. Louis Chapter featured a visit by Joe Bosse ’72 of the University’s Board of Regents as well as drawings for golf and St. Louis Cardinals tickets, Northwest trivia and the introduction of the Bearcat Bomb, the group’s new signature drink (alcoholic or nonalcoholic). In addition, chapter members gathered in April for the St. Louis Cardinals opening day watch party and in August for an afternoon of bocce ball. All St. Louis area alumni and friends are invited to join in the fall activities, including the Oct. 5 winery get-together and the Oct. 19 Northwest vs. Pitt State football game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. St. Louis alumni who would like to purchase chapter T-shirts should contact Jane Alexander ’87 at jalexchi@yahoo.com. For more information about the St. Louis Chapter, follow the NW Alumni St. Louis Facebook page or contact the Northwest Alumni Association at alumni@nwmissouri.edu or 660.562.1248. n
The Kansas City Chapter hosted the 11th Annual First Friday Happy Hour at The Landing in Liberty. The February event was organized by Steve Bierle ’86, ’92, Casey Goff ’88 and Kurt Jackson ’88. In March, the chapter assisted in hosting alumni events around the MIAA Basketball Tournament. Both men’s and women’s teams joined alumni at McFadden’s in Kansas City’s Power and Light District for postgame festivities. The Snake Saturday Parade was March 16. Even though the weather was chilly, the chapter participated in its annual barbecue not too far from the parade route and, through raffle items and donations, raised about $100 for the chapter scholarship fund. In May, the chapter hosted a “Welcome to Kansas City” happy hour at McFadden’s for recent Northwest graduates who moved to Kansas City. For more information on the Kansas City Chapter
and its fall/winter events, contact the chapter at nwalumnikc@gmail.com, visit blogs.nwmissouri.edu/kcalumni/ or connect on Facebook at NWMSU Alumni Association – Kansas City Alumni & Friends Chapter or on Twitter @NWKCAlumni. n
The Maryville Chapter assisted with the Northwest Alumni Association Day at Bearcat Arena in February. The chapter also hosted a social at Carson’s Sports Grill following the spring football game in April. In September, the chapter plans to host a welcome reception for the new Northwest faculty and staff. For more information or to find out how to get involved, contact the Northwest Alumni Association at alumni@nwmissouri.edu or 660.562.1248. n
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD
Dr. Al Cade
The Northwest Alumni Association honors individuals who have given of their time, talent and service to Northwest.
All Northwest alumni and friends are invited to attend the Alumni Awards Banquet. It’s a great way to start Family Weekend and salute these deserving individuals.
n Friday, Sept. 27
n J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom
n 6 p.m., social
n 6:45 p.m., dinner
n 8 p.m., awards presentation
n $30 per person
n $200 for a table of eight
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/ alumni/events/awards/ registration.htm or contact the Northwest Alumni Association at 660.562.1248 or alumni@nwmissouri.edu.
Dr. Al Cade ’83, ’85 is interim dean of the School of Education at Missouri Southern State University and previously served as assistant dean and chair of the Teacher Education Department. Cade has held positions in collegiate teaching, coaching and administration at Northwest, Missouri Southern and Minnesota State University-Mankato and spearheaded the development of a diversity committee at Missouri Southern. He lives in Joplin.
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY AWARD
Dr. Aaron Johnson
Dr. Aaron Johnson, who joined Northwest in 2007, is an associate professor in the Department of Natural Sciences. He also serves as the director of the Honors Program, chair of the Distinguished Lecture Series Committee and is the geology discipline coordinator. Johnson is national vice president of the Central Region of Sigma Gamma Epsilon, the national Earth science honorary society, and associate editor of the Journal of Geoscience Education. He lives in Maryville.
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY EMERITUS AWARD
Al Sergel
Al Sergel retired in 2004 after 37 years of fulltime teaching, serving the last 23 years as the director of bands at Northwest. During his tenure at Northwest, the band program grew in numbers and reputation, and he was the co-founder of the Four State Honor Music Festival that helped recruit students to Northwest’s music department. He came out of retirement in 2012 to return to Northwest to direct the Bearcat Marching Band. He lives in Kansas City.
HONORARY ALUMNI AWARD
Cindy Pickerel
Cindy Pickerel was active in the St. Joseph Alumni Chapter before recently moving to Colorado. Now, she and her husband, Mark, are involved with the Colorado Alumni Chapter. She retired in 2012 from the St. Joseph School District as a Spanish teacher and department chair and now spends her time hiking, snow-shoeing, cycling, baking and antiquing. She lives in Broomfield, Colo.
TURRET SERVICE AWARD
Dr. Wayne Woolsey
Dr. Wayne Woolsey ’70, ’71 spent 32 years in education as a teacher, coach, elementary, middle school and high school principal and assistant superintendent. Following retirement, he was a Northwest faculty member and served as a facilitator for the Missouri Leadership Academy where he assisted with training nearly 3,000 active and aspiring principals. He also is instrumental in organizing golf tournaments that raise scholarship dollars for Northwest students. He lives in Excelsior Springs.
YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD
Keaton Guess
Keaton Guess ’08 is a senior account manager at Yahoo! While at Northwest, he was president of Tau Kappa Epsilon, leading the fraternity to win the national organization’s Top Teke Award. He also was involved in Blue Key, Mortar Board, Cardinal Key and Order of Omega. He was an assistant coach for the Maryville High School soccer team, was a member of the X-106 executive staff and was a print ad designer for The Northwest Missourian. He lives in New York City. n
Thirty-six Northwest alumni and friends traveled to Europe in April to cruise the Danube River as part of the Tourin’ Bearcats, the Northwest Alumni Association’s travel program. The trip included a stop in Vienna with tours of the Hofburg Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Wachau Valley, home of many Austrian wines, and a visit to the Benedictine Abbey in Melk. Travelers also enjoyed sightseeing in Bratislava, Slovakia, including St. Martin’ Cathedral, and Budapest, Hungary’s capital.
Enjoying dinner on the riverboat cruise were (from left) Sam Hiner, JoAnn Bortner Hiner ’90, Bill Brown ’63, ’76, Jo Karen Brown, Anne Jones and Andy Jones ’65.
To learn about the next Tourin’ Bearcats trip, view the ad on the back of this publication.
The Northwest Alumni Association annually recognizes alumni, faculty, retired faculty and friends who have brought distinction upon themselves, their profession and Northwest, and nominations are currently being sought for the 2014 Alumni Association Awards.
Nominations must be submitted on the forms provided by the Northwest Alumni Association. Contact Brenda Untiedt for a nomination form at 660.562.1248 or alumni@nwmissouri.edu or complete the appropriate online form at www.nwmissouri.edu/alumni/events/awards/nominations.htm.
Distinguished Alumni Award
Recognizes Northwest alumni for exceptional professional and personal achievement and extraordinary distinction in their chosen field
Distinguished Faculty Emeritus Award
Recognizes former faculty members for their outstanding teaching, service and/or research contributions at Northwest
Distinguished Faculty Award
Recognizes present faculty members for their outstanding teaching, service and/or research contributions at Northwest
Nominations will not be considered unless the entire nomination form is complete. The Northwest Alumni Association Board of Directors’ Programs Team will make final selections at its 2014 spring meeting. “
Honorary Alumni Award
Honors Northwest friends who have served, promoted and loved the University in the tradition of a loyal graduate
Turret Service Award
Acknowledges graduates or former students whose significant contributions of time and talents benefit and promote the University and the Northwest Alumni Association
Young Alumni Award
Honors graduates of the last decade for their exceptional achievements in career, public service and/or volunteerism that bring honor to the University
As the 2008 Turret Service Award recipient, I know what an honor it is to be recognized by the Northwest Alumni Association. There are many people who have served and promoted this great institution, and the Northwest Alumni Association recognizes these well-deserving individuals who have given so much. I encourage you to nominate someone – it only takes a few minutes.
Joan Lynch Jackson ’65 Award nomination deadline: March 1, 2014
Michael Abildtrup ’68 and his wife, Linda, have committed $250,000 in current and deferred gifts to Northwest to assist with planned improvements at the University’s R.T. Wright Farm that include a proposed Agricultural Resource Center.
Michael and Linda, who attended Northwest, remember their time on campus fondly. Now retired, the couple lives in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Michael remains active and connected to Northwest as a member of the Northwest Foundation Board of Directors.
But it’s Michael’s agriculture and business experience, as well as the couple’s positive experiences at Northwest, that fueled their decision to provide monetary assistance for farm upgrades.
Operated by Northwest’s Department of Agricultural Sciences, students benefit from a number of hands-on experi-
ences at the 448-acre Wright Farm, which is home to beef, swine, dairy, poultry and sheep herds as well as row, silage and hay crops.
As proposed, the Agricultural Resource Center will serve as a multipurpose facility at the Wright Farm to provide hands-on field laboratory resources and research to supplement and enhance the academic curriculum. The space will allow for greater use of farm crop, soil and livestock resources for research and scholarly activities as well as for public and private functions such as agricultural producer meetings, workshops, shows and contests.
“We are experiencing a unique era in agriculture where Northwest has the opportunity to be a regional center for agriculture with the expertise and technology needed to be a leader,” Michael said.
At Northwest, Michael
earned a degree in business management with an accounting emphasis and was a member of Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity, homecoming committees and a professional business fraternity. Linda studied secondary education with a history emphasis.
With their gift, Michael and Linda
After graduating from Northwest, Michael joined the Air Force, and he and Linda married that winter. Michael served four years in the military and kick-started his business career by landing a job as the grain and feed department manager of a cooperative in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. During the next 40 years, he served as CEO of three Iowa-based farmer-owned cooperatives. n
will help ensure Northwest’s farm remains an important laboratory for agricultural students and improve the resources available at the facility.
Northwest celebrated the academic successes and achievements of its students during the inaugural Northwest Academic Celebration.
More than 250 Northwest students were recognized at the April ceremony alongside many of the donors who support them through scholarships. The celebration was a collaborative event that brought together students, faculty and staff representing each of the University’s three academic colleges, its graduate school and the academic departments within those colleges, scholarship donors as well as friends and families of students. It was the first of its kind in this format, a change from previous academic celebrations at the University that were organized and hosted by each of the academic colleges.
“Private giving and private support will become even more crucial to institutions like ours moving forward,” Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski said. “We have laid the groundwork and will continue developing a culture of ongoing philanthropy. I speak for all Bearcats when I say we are forever grateful to our donors for their continued contributions to Bearcat nation.”
The celebration also featured multiple presentations showcasing the talents of Northwest students, and select students offered reflections about the ways they have benefitted from scholarships and internship opportunities. n
The Northwest Academic Celebration gave Clara Swoboda (center), the recipient of the Jake Cavanaugh Memorial Scholarship, an opportunity to personally thank Jake’s parents, Curt and Jane Cavanaugh.
Every new incident, every new study, brings new concern about football and concussions and whether a rough and sometimes punishing sport is safe. Lawsuits have been filed. Youth participation has slipped. Even the nation’s president is wondering: Should parents think twice about letting their sons don a helmet and pads and head onto a field to play?
Nick Inzerello ’98 takes the question and issue to heart. An undersized but heady and sure-handed receiver, he played four years at Northwest and helped lay the foundation for what’s now one of the NCAA’s signature Division II programs.
As senior director of football development for USA Football, the national governing body of youth and amateur football, Inzerello is front and center in the development of appropriate player and team training programs, in the education and certification of coaches –in reinforcing and engraining safety at the sport’s grass-roots level. He and the Indianapolis-based organization work in partnership with the National Football League, its 32 teams and its players’ union.
“It’s an important time for our game at every level,” Inzerello said. “You have parents asking, ‘Why should I let my youngster play? Are the coaches certified? What type of practice plans do they
use?’ It’s our responsibility to make sure we’re setting standards in football to ensure a better, safer experience.”
Among those tracking his work: his former coach at Northwest and current athletics director, Mel Tjeerdsma.
“I’m really proud of Nick,” Tjeerdsma said. “He’s at a national level and sometimes a world level at what he’s doing. And he’s helping to make the game of football better.”
and former
with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and
to discuss player safety. Inzerello has applied the experiences he had at Northwest to his professional career and is now senior director of football development for USA Football. (submitted photo)
Inzerello, who graduated from Northwest with a degree in public relations, has long been special to the Hall of Fame coach. He was a part of Tjeerdsma’s first Bearcats recruiting class in 1994, a group that went from an 0-11 finish that fall to back-to-back Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association championships and D-II playoff berths when Inzerello was a junior and senior.
“It’s an important time for our game at every level. … It’s our responsibility to make sure we’re setting standards in football to ensure a better, safer experience.”
Nick Inzerello ’98
He started focusing on a career in athletics administration as a junior and landed an internship with the U.S. Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, Colo., a year later. The USOC hired him back after graduation, he moved on to a graduate assistantship in media and public affairs with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, and he went back
to the Olympic Committee for five years as coordinator of athlete marketing and digital media. The latter job took Inzerello to the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.
He joined USA Football in 2003, when he was one of just five staff members. Now, there are about 60.
The non-profit governing body, the official youth football development partner of the NFL, holds more than 80 training events annually, offers education for coaches and game officials and skill development for players and provides resources for leagues and administrators. Its membership spans all 50 states and 49 countries abroad.
Among other things, Inzerello helps oversee the Heads Up Football initiative that stages clinics and sets up local “safety coaches.” A pilot program that operated in three leagues in Virginia, California and Indiana a year ago is expanding this year to hundreds of leagues across the country.
His department also runs NFL Flag, the league’s flag football program for 5- to 17-year-olds, and the national Punt, Pass & Kick skills competition.
“What I’m doing now,” said Inzerello, the married father of three, “is giving back to a game that’s given me so much.” n
Five outstanding former student-athletes, a long-time faculty-athletics administrator and two MIAA championship teams have been chosen for induction into the M-Club Hall of Fame this fall. This year’s banquet and induction ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, in the J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by contacting Michele Steinmeyer at 660.562.1977 or msteinm@nwmissouri.edu by Friday, Oct. 11. Inductees will also be recognized during the Homecoming football game Saturday, Oct. 26.
Herb Dieterich
A fixture on the Northwest campus as faculty-athletics representative from 1928 to 1968; also served Northwest as principal of Horace Mann Laboratory School, as an education professor and chairman of secondary education; posthumously inducted
John Edmonds ’03, ’05 Football, 1999-2003; two-time All-MIAA linebacker; member of a national championship squad and four MIAA championship teams; named a National College Football Scholar-Athlete in 2003 (the only Bearcat to ever receive this award); finalist for the “Academic Heisman,” which recognizes the top college football player in any division with the best combination of academics, community service and on-field performance
Gena Lindsay ’06, ’08 Tennis, 2003-2006; two-time MIAA MVP; in the top five in
several categories including career singles wins, singles wins in one season and career doubles wins; earned first-team singles All-MIAA in 2005; twice received MIAA Sportsmanship Award
Clint Prange ’04, ’05 Track and field, 2002-2006; three-time NCAA discus champion; in 2005, was third in the NCAA indoor shot put and won the outdoor shot put title with a throw of 66-1, a mark that still stands in Division II track and field record books; one of the most decorated athletes in Bearcat track and field history; received the Ken B. Jones Award, recognizing the top allaround MIAA student-athlete
Steve Savard ’88 Football, 1982-1985; twice named first-team All-MIAA as a feared linebacker in the middle of the Bearcats defense; led the team in tackles three times during his career; ranks
second all-time in tackles with 441; spent time in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys; currently the radio voice of the St. Louis Rams
Diane Kloewer Sprick ’84 Basketball, 1981-1984; her 633 points and average of 21.1 points per game in 1984 are the best single-season marks in school history; fourth all-time in career points (1,489); one of only 16 players to accumulate 1,000+ points/500+ rebounds in her career; two-time firstteam All-MIAA selection; CoSIDA Academic AllAmerican
1992 Women’s Tennis Team Undefeated in the MIAA with a final team record of 22-5; team featured three MIAA singles champions and one doubles team champion; team combined for a school-record 144 singles victories and the fourth most dual wins in a single season
Captured the school’s first MIAA softball title; outscored opponents 158-57; held opponents to a .196 batting average; competed in the NCAA Division II regional n
If you’re looking for an example of the meaning behind the phrase “once a Bearcat, always a Bearcat,” look no further than Northwest’s new athletic director, Mel Tjeerdsma. Tjeerdsma, who received his master’s from Northwest in 1977, returned to campus this spring to oversee the athletic department after an outstanding tenure as the leader of the football program from 1994 to 2010.
“For 17 years, Northwest was our home, and we’re excited to return to Maryville,” said Tjeerdsma at his introductory press conference, referring to himself and his wife, Carol. “The Northwest athletics program has a rich and outstanding tradition, and it is my goal to see it continue to thrive and improve in the years to come.”
Since departing Northwest in February 2011, Tjeerdsma coached Team USA to a world championship at the 2011 International Federation of American Football World Cup in Austria. He also was a member of Austin College’s Institutional Advancement development team where he led athletics fundraising efforts. Most recently, he served the NCAA, piloting the Coaches Connection program that used prominent former coaches to create a more effective dialogue between coaches and the Division II governance structure and staff. Tjeerdsma succeeded Wren Baker, who resigned in February 2013 to become the deputy athletic director of external affairs at the University of Memphis. n
It was a historic spring season for the women’s golf team as sophomore Steph Charteris became the first Bearcat golfer in program history to compete in an NCAA postseason event, finishing 28th in the NCAA Central Region Championship. Junior Cassie Lowell, the defending MIAA champion, led the way at the MIAA Championships for Northwest, finishing in a tie for third in the snow-shortened event and helped her team to a third-place finish overall. By season’s end, the Bearcat golf team captured three first-place finishes and two second-place finishes.
The Bearcat softball team began the year in dominating fashion with a school record 7-0 start on its way to outscoring opponents 56-18 to open the season. Senior pitcher Jenna Creger completed a stellar career posting a 2.17 ERA and setting a school record by pitching 554 career strikeouts. Overall, the team posted a 27-19 record and qualified for the MIAA postseason tournament. Four seniors and one junior represented the Bearcats with AllMIAA honors, led by first-team selection Hailee Hendricks at second base.
The Bearcat baseball team closed the season by winning 13 of its final 18 games and a 22-27 overall record, just missing an opportunity to compete in the MIAA postseason tournament. Ryan Abernathy received his second All-MIAA selection,
this time as a second-team member after hitting .319 and finishing in the top 10 in the league in runs, triples, walks and stolen bases. He was joined on the All-MIAA second team by Eric McGlauflin, who posted a .454 slugging percentage.
The Bearcat men’s tennis team, with a 20-4 record, advanced to the NCAA tournament for the eighth straight season. The men advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2007 as freshman Sergio De Vilchez and junior Lluis Altimires paved the way to a fourth consecutive MIAA Championship. De Vilchez was named MIAA Freshman of the Year while head coach Mark Rosewell was named MIAA Coach of the Year and four Bearcats earned first-team honors. The Bearcat women came up just shy of advancing to a second straight MIAA Championship match and eventually fell in the third place match. Alexis Bartek combined with fellow Bearcat Guilherme Narducci on the men’s side to each claim the MIAA Sportsmanship Award.
Four Bearcats highlighted the track and field season earning a spot in the NCAA Championships in Pueblo, Colo. MIAA pole vault champion Will Haer joined junior John Petroff in the discus on the men’s side while Chloe Wichmann competed in the heptathlon and Ashton Nibert earned a spot in the 400-meter dash. The Bearcats also saw Anne Herbert win an MIAA title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase while Eli Smith earned All-MIAA honors in the 400-meters. n
The women’s basketball team, led by Coach Mark Kellogg, finished 15-13 and returned to the MIAA tournament where Northwest pulled off a 77-72 upset over Missouri Southern in the opening round before falling to No. 1 seed Washburn.
Head Coach Ben McCollum took his men’s basketball team to its second consecutive trip to the MIAA tournament after finishing the regular season at 18-9. The Bearcats defeated Missouri Western, Northeastern State and Fort Hays State on their way to the MIAA championship game in which they fell to Central Missouri in overtime. n
Northwest Director of Athletics Mel Tjeerdsma officially welcomed Michael Smith ’98 (master’s) back to Northwest at a May 13 news conference to introduce him as the new women’s basketball head coach. Smith, 39, returns to Northwest as the seventh head women’s basketball coach after five seasons as the head coach at Truman State. Smith spent two seasons, from 1996 to 1998, as a graduate assistant for the Bearcats under the late Wayne Winstead – Northwest’s all-time winningest women’s basketball coach.
During his tenure at Truman State, the Bulldogs increased their win total each season and advanced to the MIAA Tournament the last three seasons. He helped lead the Bulldogs from the bottom of the conference with an 8-19 record in his first season to a 20-6 record in 2012-13.
To view Smith’s introductory news conference, visit www. youtube.com/bearcatsports n
For nearly two decades, Northwest athletics teams have been represented by the Bearcat paw. On April 20, in front of nearly 1,000 fans in Bearcat Arena, an enhanced look – with the Bearcat paw remaining the primary athletics mark – was unveiled.
“The paw has been and will continue to be Northwest Missouri State athletics. I feel I have as much invested in the paw over the last 20 years as anyone, and this modern look will serve Bearcat athletics well into the future,” said Mel Tjeerdsma, former Northwest head football coach and current director of athletics. “The integrity of the paw is still intact and will continue to bring pride to all Bearcats.”
The design of the new look evolved through a multi-
step effort that included extensive design research and numerous focus groups with alumni, students, coaches, student-athletes, faculty, staff, community members and businesses.
The new logos – designed in a way to maintain a contemporary and consistent appearance in print and apparel – include a modernized paw, a new Bearcat head, a series of word marks and a font unique only to Northwest. In addition, a “kid-friendly” Bobby Bearcat was created to appeal specifically to children. Several secondary marks were created for use as well, including a set of
Bearcat eyes and claw marks.
The new look is in the process of being phased in throughout campus, and changes will be made over a period of time as the lifespan of existing marks expires and as budgets allow.
In addition to enhancing the athletics brand, the Department of Athletics has a new online store, www. ShopBearcats.com, that offers a large selection of Bearcat apparel. The store may also be accessed via northwestbearcats.com Bearcat fans can choose from a large variety of items including clothing, hats, collectibles, luggage, gifts, youth merchandise and much more. n
For the 12th consecutive year, two of Division II’s perennial football powers – Northwest and Pittsburg State – will meet in Kansas City for a crucial MIAA showdown. This year’s matchup will be extra special because the two teams will not meet during the 2014 regular season due to the expanded MIAA conference, marking at least a temporary end to the fall tradition fans from both schools look forward to each year. The Bearcats hold an 8-3 advantage over the Gorillas since the beginning of the neutral site clash in 2002.
Saturday, Oct. 19
Arrowhead Stadium
3 p.m. kickoff
Parking lots open at noon
Gates open at 1:30 p.m.
Field-level tickets: $25 for adults; $10, ages 3 to 18 and Northwest students with ID
Club level tickets: $37, all ages
Family package: $60, includes admission for two adults and two children (must be purchased in person at Northwest’s Student Services Center)
Children 2 and under sitting on an adult’s lap are admitted free
To order tickets, call 660.562.1212 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or purchase online anytime at www.nwmissouri.edu/tickets
Bearcat fans are encouraged to join the Northwest Alumni Association for a pregame gathering at the stadium. Details are forthcoming.
This spring, the MIAA honored 199 Northwest student-athletes for their hard work in the classroom as part of the league’s 2012-13 academic awards. Senior cross country standout Jordan Esry (above) was one of eight Bearcats to earn MIAA ScholarAthlete honors by posting a flawless 4.0 GPA. The Bearcats also had 177 student-athletes who had earned at least a 3.0 GPA. n
n Free pep rally for Bearcat fans of all ages
n KC Live outdoor courtyard in the Power and Light District
n 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 18
n Giveaways, spirit performances, guest speakers and more
Upon entering Northwest, Robyn Brinks Lockwood ’91, ’93 knew she wanted to be a writer. However, she never anticipated that her education would propel her to the heart of Silicon Valley in Palo Alto, Calif., to become a writer for well-known academic publications and teach at Stanford University.
After earning her bachelor’s in journalism and master’s in English from Northwest, Lockwood was a full-time editor for publisher McGraw-Hill and part-time faculty member for several years in St. Louis. She later worked for Elsevier, which publishes medical and science books. Then she earned an appointment as a lecturer in the graduate program at Stanford University and now also serves as coordinator for one of Stanford’s summer program: American Language and Culture.
“I feel very lucky – like I have the best of both worlds,” Lockwood said. “I get to teach and write. I’m a stronger teacher because I work on relevant materials, and I can use my teaching to help write materials for students everywhere.”
Lockwood recently finished a textbook titled “Skillful” for MacMillan
Janet Stuck Jelavich (master’s ’86) retired from teaching honors English IV/dual credit and English II at Maryville High School after 21 years. She also taught at Savannah, Bishop LeBlond, Northwest Community College, Missouri Western, Southwest Iowa Community College and Northwest, teaching a total of 33 years. She and her husband, Mark, will be relocating to the Kansas City area.
Education and has written ancillary products for textbooks, but the turning point in her career was when she was asked to be an author and editor of the six-volume Four Point textbook series. Its focus is on the four primary skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking in a realistic, integrated format as well as the two primary language bases of vocabulary and grammar. She said the basis of the series, written for University of Michigan Press, was driven by the need for her students and other college-bound students to succeed at the demanding level necessary at Englishspeaking universities.
The American Language and Culture Program that Lockwood manages is a four-week summertime program offered to students from China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong and Macau. Lockwood works to prepare students for academic writing and speaking. The program also doubles as a cultureimmersion program.
During the school year, Lockwood is a lecturer for the English for Foreign Students department, and she teaches graduate students advanced English,
Kevin Kelley (master’s ’91) was inducted into the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in April, five years after his induction into the Kansas Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.
He recently retired from coaching at Central High School in St. Joseph, where he finished his career with 514 wins.
He previously coached in Savannah and Troy, Kan., and had championship appearances with all three schools.
Jimalee O’Connor is case manager and shelter operations coordinator at the YWCA in St Joseph.
Mark Nusbaum announced his retirement from coaching after his basketball team at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City won its first state championship since 1989. He has coached for the last 14 years at Rockhurst, following stops at Liberty and O’Hara and two schools in Iowa, and in 2010 he became the sixth coach in Missouri
upper-level writing, listening and speaking courses. Beyond the classroom, Lockwood has a collection of stamps in her passport. She said she particularly enjoys experiences overseas, where she can witness language barriers, experience culture differences and share a mutual understanding with her students of what it is like to live and communicate in a different language and culture.
“Every place has something about it that I love,” Lockwood said. “Whenever I get the chance, I’m on a plane. I don’t want to forget what it’s like to not understand the language I’m immersed in. That way I can understand the challenges that my students face.” n
history to win 500 games. He will continue to teach math and keep his position as assistant golf coach at Rockhurst.
Charles Smith was elected president of the Missouri National Education Association in April. He is the organization’s first black president and began his duties Aug. 1.
He is a 27-year veteran of the public schools in Missouri, working most recently as a communications arts teacher in the Center School District in
south Kansas City. He also taught journalism and served as the high school newspaper advisor and communication arts department chair. On leave from the Center School District for the past six years, Charles worked full time for the 35,000-member state affiliate of the NEA, attending state board of education and Missouri Advisory Council of Certification for Educators meetings, chairing MNEA’s budget committee, working with the Future Educators Association and serving as the advisor to the MNEA Bylaws Committee.
a son, Payton. Carmen is a middle school principal, and Mike is a buyer for Ottawa Truck (Cargotec).
Thomas Cole is chief instructor and owner of Vaquera Defense LLC in the Kansas City area.
Chris Gegg is news director at WISN-TV Channel 12, the ABC affiliate in Milwaukee, Wis.
Tracy Bottoms completed his educational doctoral degree at William Woods University in May. He has been employed in the Keytesville R-III School District as superintendent since 2011 and lives in Huntsville.
Sandra Andes Cowherd is an underwriter for the Universal Group in St Joseph.
Teresa Foland is the customer service marketing manager at Syngenta in Kansas City.
Andy and Shelley O’Donnell Lancaster live in Olathe, Kan., and have two daughters, Abbie, 12, and Hailey, 8. Andy was promoted to accounting manager at Sprint where he is responsible for all of Sprint’s regulatory compliance. He has worked for
Sprint since 1997. Shelley is a preschool teacher’s assistant at College Church of the Nazarene in Olathe, working with 4-year-olds several days each week.
Scott Pummell is a law student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and is clerking at the Law Offices of Stephen A. Boush in Kansas City.
1. Dan Danford ’83
2. Kevin Corless ’85
3. Ronald ’90 and Lisa Spies (attd. ’85-’86) Wilson
4. Marc Vasquez ’97
5. Shannon Holaday ’02
6. Jason and Michaela Hand ’03 Soyland
7. Dale Sharp ’12
Harry Redman is GIS coordinator with Planning and Development District 3 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Doug and Jill Templin ’98 Ronk announce the birth of Julia Lee on Aug. 6, 2012. She joins Molly Annette, 4. They live in Kansas City, where Doug is an environmental geologist at Arrowhead Contracting, and Jill is a contract specialist at the Kansas City International Airport.
To be successful in this competitive and challenging environment, Northwest must have flexible dollars that can be used as needed to fulfill the mission and objectives of the University. The Northwest Fund provides extraordinary possibilities to support students, faculty and the entire University community for generations to come.
Unrestricted dollars are vital to Northwest’s success. With your support, the possibilities are endless. Support Northwest with a gift to the Northwest Fund at www.nwmissouri.edu/giveonline or contact Bob Machovsky, annual giving manager, at 660.562.1248 or rmachov@nwmissouri.edu.
Marc Vasquez joined UMB in Kansas City as an interactive marketing manager where he is responsible for leading UMB’s email marketing and social media efforts.
Kyle Elliott is a land transportation planner for the city of Kansas City.
Matt Marquez is a sales agent at White Glove Transportation in New York City.
Joel Splan is chief executive officer of Galen Healthcare Solutions, a professional and technical services company that helps physician groups transition to electronic health records. He previously served as the director of information services, chief security executive and director of technology and infrastructure management at Northwestern Memorial Healthcare.
Neal Young is a sales manager at GE Power & Water in Kansas City.
Jerry Nevins is the owner of Snow & Company, an
artful frozen cocktail bar in the Crossroads District of Kansas City.
Kyle Stewart is an account manager at Geographic Information Services in Birmingham, Ala.
Adam Horn is a lidar technologist for Incubation HNTB in Kansas City.
Jarrod James is a vice president at RIA Compliance Consultants in Omaha, Neb.
Jon Mitchell is managing director of Mobo Tours in Atlanta, Ga.
Tracy Stoehr is assistant dean of admissions at the University of Nebraska Law School.
Casey Symonds is an owner and partner of Kelly, Symonds & Reed LLC in Lee’s Summit.
Mitch Munson and his wife, Jenny, were married Sept. 30, 2011, in Bar Harbor, Maine. He received a master’s in managerial communication with a human resources concentration from Bellevue University in January.
For up-to-date campus events, visit www.nwmissouri.edu and click on the calendar icon.
For more information on alumni events, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/alumni or call 660.562.1248.
For complete sports schedules and the latest information on Bearcat athletics, visit www.northwestbearcats.com
Call the Student Services Center at 660.562.1212 for ticket information.
Brian Boone and his wife, Allisen, announce the arrival of their first child, Cadence Angel, on May 15. Brian is a physical education teacher at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School, and they live in Omaha, Neb.
Marilyn Walker Cotter retired after teaching second grade in the Jefferson C-123 School District for 10 years. She previously was an administrative assistant for St. Joseph Light & Power. She and her husband, Bob, have two grown sons and a new grandson.
Shannon Holaday was promoted to the rank of major with the Missouri Army National Guard on May 5. He serves as the 110th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade training officer and executive officer for the 110th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade headquartered in Kansas City. Both his wife, Kara, and daughter, Kendra, were on hand to pin on his new rank. Shannon has been with the Missouri Army National Guard for 19 years.
James Houchin is IT manager at ConAgra Foods in Omaha, Neb.
Quentin Kearney is co-owner of Results Real Estate Services LLC in Kansas City.
Matt Wilson is a visiting faculty member at Harvard University. He will maintain his tenure-track home in the Department of Geography at the University of Kentucky where he is an assistant professor and co-directs the New Mappings Collaboratory. He holds a Ph.D. in geography from the University of Washington, where he also earned a master’s degree.
DeAnn Huber Davison and her husband, Chris, welcomed a son, William Christopher, on Oct. 4, 2012. He joins a sister, Charlotte, 4. They live in Maryville, where DeAnn is a financial counselor at St. Francis Family Health Care and Chris is an HVAC technician at First Choice Heating and Cooling.
Kadi Willming Holmberg is a hospice social worker at Tabitha Health Care in Lincoln, Neb.
Brandon and Erin Polaski ’05 Schlake announce the birth of Ellianne Janel on Nov. 7, 2012. She joins Addyson, 6, and Charlotte, 3. Brandon is the Eastern U.S. merchandising manager at Horizon Milling, Cargill Inc., in Wayzata, Minn., and Erin is a stay-at-home mom. They live in Carver, Minn. Michaela Hand Soyland returned to Cerner Corporation as a senior documentation developer after working as the assistant director of Avila University’s Upward Bound program in Kansas City and completing her M.A.Ed. in teaching and learning. She married Jason Soyland on April 14, 2012, and they live in Kansas City.
Joseph Bainum is a millwright for Local Union 1529 in Cameron.
Jennifer Cooper Jensen and her husband, Brandon, announce the birth of Makenna Lynn on Jan. 30. She joins Kolton, 5. They live in Maryville, where Jennifer is a stay-at-home mom and Brandon is the owner of Jensen Construction.
Steven and Jennifer Van De Vyvere ’05 Yaple announce the birth of a son, Logan, in September 2012. They live in Columbia, where Steven works for Lincoln University and Jennifer is director of communications for the Missouri Senate.
Samantha Butler lives in Plattsburg and is a reimbursement officer for the Missouri Department of Mental Health. She was previously employed by the Missouri Department of Social Services.
Heather Lafon is owner of Heather Lafon Photography in Sugarland, Texas.
Benjamin Watts is a dispatcher for the Lenexa, Kan., Fire Department.
Ben Harness is a senior key account manager at RJ Reynolds in Philadelphia, Pa.
Sara Chamberlain is an associate in product liability at Thompson Coburn LLD in St. Louis.
Trevor Hayes is a researcher for the NFL Network in Los Angeles.
Abby Gartner is managing attorney at the Law Studio of Gartner & Sosa LLC in Omaha, Neb.
Clara Anderson is a hospice bereavement specialist at Northcare Hospice in Kansas City.
in Savannah, South Holt and Avenue City and was regional director for Carpenter School Coaches.
Gladene “Deanie” Sherard Collins ’59 75, died Jan. 10 in Wooster, Ohio. She was extremely active in the Kansas City North community and was instrumental in making Kansas City known as “The City of Fountains.”
Allan Coon ’85, ’87 49, of Shawnee, Kan., died May 23. He began his legal career in 1992 when he accepted a position as an associate at Morrison & Hecker in Kansas City. He worked with Watson & Marshall law firm in 1994, where he remained until accepting a position at Hubbard, Ruzicka, Kreamer & Kincaid in 1996. He became a member of the firm in 1999.
Charlene “Chuck” Welsh Cox ’52 83, of Genesee Village, Colo., and Grant City, died Jan. 21 in Golden, Colo. She was an artist and designer at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City and then became an award-winning jewelry designer and, with her husband, operated several antique stores in Colorado, Missouri and Kansas.
Edward Cox ’92 (master’s) 82, died Jan. 9. He worked for the Missouri State Highway Patrol for eight years and then was ordained in the Disciples of Christ Church. He taught English in the Rock Port School District, was dean of students at Tarkio College and taught English part time at Iowa Western Community College. He served the church in Rock Port and later became pastor of the Congregational United Church of Christ in Shenandoah, Iowa. He retired from the
church in 1995 and from teaching in 2003.
David Crites ’75 60, died May 18 in Tulsa, Okla. He was a Certified Public Accountant and an accounting software consultant.
Clifford Dahl ’58 81, of Rockford, Ill., died April 10. He was employed in the areas of education, engineering, sales, wood refinishing and home design.
Mary Winifred Caton Dempsey ’41 93, died Dec. 22, 2012, in Austin, Texas.
Robert “Ed” Duzenberry ’69 66, of Blue Springs, died June 10. He taught remedial reading and learning disabilities in Kearney and Blue Springs. He later held a variety of sales and management positions in the telecommunications, insurance and residential construction industries.
Richard Elliott ’50 84, of Kansas City, died Nov. 6, 2012. He was a research chemist.
Dorothy Neil Ellis ’39 94, of Lee’s Summit, died May 26. She taught in rural schools in DeKalb County for seven years, was a substitute teacher in Raytown for several years and was a library clerk at Fleetridge School in Raytown.
Joseph Fleming ’70 65, died March 21. He taught journalism, literature and writing at Shawnee Mission (Kan.)
South High School and sold yearbooks for Intercollegiate Press and printing for Spangler. He worked the last 17 years at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City.
James “Curt” Gaffney ’53
81, died May 30. He taught music in Rock Port
and served as principal of Maysville High School, Bloomer and Edison schools, Kirn Junior High School and Abraham Lincoln High School. He retired as director of special education in the Council Bluffs (Iowa) School System.
Bill Gamble ’49
90, of Gladstone, died June 20. He retired from the Kansas City School District in 1984, where he taught industrial arts for more than 25 years.
Belvidene Crain Garrett ’43
91, of Sun City West, Ariz., died Feb. 19. She was a teacher, clerical worker and homemaker.
Maurice “Maury” Geist ’49
87, of Ames, Iowa, died March 22. He taught and coached in Corning, Red Oak, Mount Ayr and Creston, Iowa, before joining the Iowa State University Department of Admissions.
Barbara LaMar Gromer ’57
77, died Nov. 19, 2012, in Phoenix. She taught in Sheridan and later became a veterinary laboratory technician, working at several labs in the Kansas City area for almost 20 years.
Georgia Kirwan Gummig ’51
86, died April 29 in Rancho Mirage, Calif. She was an elementary teacher in the St. Joseph and Arcadia, Calif., school systems.
James Hainey ’50 88, of Belton, died May 18 in Warrensburg. He taught at Union Star High School and then joined the Air Force for 18 years. He later worked at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Dental School as a conference coordinator for 20 years, retiring in 1989.
Karen Metting Harris ’65 69, died April 19. She retired in 2000 after working 35 years for the state of Missouri.
Donald Hepburn ’38 95, died April 14. He was a high school teacher in the Los Angeles (Calif.) Unified School District from 1945 to 1975.
Charles “Leo” Humphrey ’59 76, of Essex, Iowa, died Nov. 11, 2012, in Omaha, Neb. He was a teacher and administrator for several schools in southwest Iowa. His last position before retirement was with the IKM Community School District. He was also a school bus driver, a volunteer fireman in Farragut, Iowa, a carpenter, and a park caregiver for the city of Essex.
Barbara Anderson Hunt ’46 89, of Rock Port, died April 28 in Olathe, Kan. She was the vocation home economics teacher at Rock Port High School from 1946 to 1951, and from 1966 to 1987 was a social worker, serving as county director for the Division of Family Services and Atchison County Welfare offices.
Linda Leslie Hutchinson ’85 64, formerly of Des Moines, Iowa, and
Maryville, died Nov. 20, 2012. She was a nurse and care facilities manager.
Maurice Ingram ’54 80, died Jan. 28. He taught at El Paso (Texas) High School and Texas A&M University. He helped establish El Paso Community College, serving as an instructor, department head, division head and curriculum assistant to the vice president. He retired from his full-time position in 1991 and continued to work 10 more years in the curriculum area on a parttime basis.
Robert “Bob” James ’59 76, of Bryan, Texas, died Dec. 28, 2012, in Decatur, Ill. He taught high school science in Odessa and later, as a professor of science education at Kansas State and Texas A&M, he trained and mentored science educators and also directed the Texas Alliance for Science.
Brian Jobes ’72, ’75 63, of Grinnell, Iowa, died Oct. 2, 2012. He taught junior high industrial technology in the Topeka (Kan.) Public Schools and high school and junior high industrial technology in the Grinnell Public Schools. He then joined the United States Postal Service and worked in the Grinnell Post Office.
If you learn of the death of a Northwest graduate, please submit in writing or via news clipping the name of the deceased (and maiden name, if appropriate), year(s) of graduation from Northwest, date of death, age, city of death, city of residence and a brief listing of career accomplishments. In addition, submit your relationship to the deceased and your daytime telephone number to the Office of University Advancement, 800 University Dr., Maryville, MO 64468-6001, fax to 660.562.1990 or email alumni@nwmissouri.edu. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity. n
Northwest Missouri State University Office of University Advancement
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468-6001
Stay in touch with us: www.nwmissouri.edu/alumni
660.562.1248
Contact us by email:
Address changes: alumni@nwmissouri.edu
Class notes: alumni@nwmissouri.edu
Letter to the editor: mitzi@nwmissouri.edu
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