Northwest Alumni Magazine Summer 2022

NORTHWEST THE MAGAZINE FOR NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI AND FRIENDS

ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

PERFORMANCE

AND

EXCELLENCE The Jasinskis depart Northwest this summer after 13 years as president and first lady

RECORD ENROLLMENT Northwest tops 8,000 students | p. 5

KAREN L. DANIEL LEGACY FUND Inaugural recipients announced | p. 15

HOMECOMING

Bearcats got game | p. 20

PEOPLE JUST LIKE

YOU

It’s because of the volunteer support of countless alumni and friends – spirited people like Melissa Mincy – that Northwest continues to thrive.

“

From the moment I stepped onto the Northwest campus to attend a music camp during the summer of 1997, I knew I wanted to be a Bearcat. My dream became reality when I moved onto the campus in August 1998.

Today, over 20 years later, I am so grateful I made the choice to attend Northwest Missouri State University. After moving to Des Moines, Iowa, in 2017, I was introduced to the Central Iowa Alumni and Friends Chapter while visiting the Northwest booth at the Iowa State Fair. Thanks to the wonderful members of the group, I have had the opportunity to meet with many other Bearcats around the state and country. I enjoy meeting with the group every month during our socials and coordinating events in the local area. I enjoy meeting incoming freshmen and current students and seeing their eyes light up with excitement when they talk about Northwest because, at one time, I was that student.

As a member of the Northwest Alumni Association Board of Directors, I enjoy collaborating with other Bearcat alumni on how we can not only better support our current alumni but our future alumni.

Melissa Mincy ’03

”

Member of the Northwest Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Central Iowa Alumni and Friends Chapter

If you are interested in volunteer opportunities at Northwest, contact the Office of University Advancement at alumni@nwmissouri.edu or 660.562.1248.

2

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE Vol. 55 | Issue 2

Editor Dr. Mark Hornickel ’01, ’13 mhorn@nwmissouri.edu Designer Kim Surprise ’16 kimz@nwmissouri.edu Photographer Todd Weddle ’96 tweddle@nwmissouri.edu Photography assistant Lauren Adams ’21 Abigayle Rush Editorial assistants Jill Brown Jana White Hanson ’02 Carma Greene Kinman ’85 Edidiong Idong-Bassey Laurie Drummond Long ’92 Patrick Glenn ’22 Duane Havard ’90 Mitzi Craft Marchant ’91, ’09 Sam Mason ’88 Colin McDonough ’98 Brandon Stanley ’01, ’16 Lori McLemore Steiner ’85 Brenda Untiedt ’00, ’09

8

PERFORMANCE AND EXCELLENCE The Jasinskis depart Northwest

Denise and John Jasinski were celebrated with retiring faculty members in April.

The Northwest Alumni Magazine is published two times a year by the Office of University Marketing and Communication, the Office of University Advancement, Northwest Missouri State University and the Northwest Foundation Inc., 800 University Dr., Maryville, MO 64468-6001.

The mission of the Northwest Alumni Magazine is to foster connections between alumni, friends and Northwest Missouri State University. The University strives to inform readers of the accomplishments of Northwest’s alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students and to positively position the University in the hearts of its many constituents to increase public and private support.

contents 22

34

TRADITIONS FOUR-MIDABLE The Bearcat men’s basketball team won its fourth national championship since 2017.

ACTIVE LEARNING

Dr. Mike Wilson ’75, ’22, returned to Northwest as a student after 27 years of teaching.

4

Dear Friends

5

Northwest News

14 Advancing Northwest 18 Alumni Connections 22 Bearcat Sports 30 Class Notes 36 In Memoriam 39 Northwest Postcard

Northwest Missouri State University is an equal-oppor tunity, co-educational university and does not discriminate based on race, sex, disability, age, national origin or religion. Printed in the USA.

DEAR

FRIENDS I call it the “California Test.” A whimsical evaluation of someone I meet for the first time: Would I want to get in a car and drive to California with this person? After spending the entire day with John Jasinski during his interview in 1986 for a faculty position in Northwest’s Department of Mass Communication, I knew he would pass the test. Emphatically.

Bright, engaging and humble. Good qualities to begin with, then layer an extraordinary work ethic and a genuine humanistic ethos, and you’ve got Dr. John Jasinski.

I’m not given to gratuitous compliments. If a student received a high score, they earned it, and they knew it. Similarly, John deserves all the accolades that have come his way.

There are those who work as hard as John, but I don’t know anyone that works harder.

His accomplishments as a young faculty member are head spinning. As faculty advisor to KZLX, it won first place as the best student radio station in the nation. He helped develop and served as a director of the Freshman Seminar program. Of course, John was a key driver in Northwest’s success in the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award program. He did all of this and much more while raising a beautiful family and being a positive force in community betterment.

Flash forward to his 13-year tenure as Northwest’s president, and you’ll see a continuation of the success derived from vision, drive and dedication – only on a much larger scale. Enrollment growth, check. Fundraising success, check. National institutional recognition, check. Building and infrastructure repair, new programs and, of course, successfully navigating of the University through the COVID-19 pandemic – check, check, check.

As impressive as Dr. Jasinki’s professional résumé might be — and I’ve only skimmed the surface here — it is the quality of the person that burns brightest. Yeah, I’d get in the car tomorrow with this guy.

Fred Lamer Assistant Professor of Mass Media, 1982-2022 4

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

NORTHWEST FOUNDATION INC. ’22–’23 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Leisha Beckemeyer Barry ’84, Liberty, Mo. Vice President Ted Place ’99, Kansas City, Mo. Immediate Past President Dr. Robert Burrell ’70, Denver, Colo.

Board Members Dr. Allison Kahre Atkinson ’06, ’11, ’19, St. Joseph, Mo. Robert Barmann ’84, Platte City, Mo. Rex Brod ’82, Maryville Bilal Clarance ’05, Berkeley, Calif.

John Cline ’75, Overland Park, Kan. Dell Epperson ’75, Columbia, Mo. Kelly Ferguson ’98, Urbandale, Iowa Terry French ’75, Austin, Texas Emily Wormsley Greene ’71, Riverside, Mo. Derrick Griffin ’01, St. Paul, Minn.

Ryan Hamilton ’93, Liberty, Mo.

Brian Hesse ’95, Mamaroneck, N.Y. Carl Hughes ’76, Kansas City, Mo. Gary Hultquist ’64, Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Dr. Marilou Joyner ’75, ’78, ’82, Kansas City, Mo. Abe Kaoud ’09, St. Paul, Mo. Tondee Voortman Lutterman ’98, Kansas City, Mo. Lisa McDermott Miller ’93, Kansas City, Mo. Angela Moskow, Gladstone, N.J. Seann O’Riley ’93, St. Joseph, Mo. Daniel Peterson ’88, Neola, Iowa Brock Pfost, Maryville Pat Pijanowski ’84, Greenwood, Mo. Dr. Joyce Wake Piveral ’70, ’74, ’82, Pickering, Mo. Deryk Powell ’93, Lake Quivira, Kan. Tyler Seals ’13, Omaha, Neb. Gina Smith, Maryville Corey Strider ’96, Lathrop, Mo. Rich Tokheim ’82, ’84 Omaha, Neb.

Susan Gladstone Tucker ’76, Worth, Mo. Dr. Gary Tunell ’67, Dallas, Texas Dr. Tom Vansaghi ’91, Kansas City, Mo.

Ex-Officio Directors Dr. Clarence Green ’94, ’10, Interim University President, Maryville Dr. Dean L. Hubbard, President Emeritus, Kansas City, Mo. Dr. John Jasinski, President Emeritus Springfield, Mo. Dr. B.D. Owens ’59, President Emeritus, West Des Moines, Iowa University Advancement Mitzi Craft Marchant ’91, ’09, Vice President of University Advancement and Executive Director of the Northwest Foundation Inc. mitzi@nwmissouri.edu Lori McLemore Steiner ’85, Assistant Vice President of University Advancement and Chief Finance Officer of the Northwest Foundation Inc. steiner@nwmissouri.edu

Brooke Weldon Bowles ’02, Accounting Clerk and Scholarship Coordinator bbowles@nwmissouri.edu Jill Brown, Director of Corporate Relations and Major Gift Officer jillb@nwmissouri.edu Jana White Hanson ’02, Senior Major Gift Officer jhanson@nwmissouri.edu Duane Havard ’90, Director of Alumni Relations dhavard@nwmissouri.edu Paul Kessler, Accountant pkessler@nwmissouri.edu Carma Greene Kinman ’85, Constituent and Alumni Relations Specialist ckinman@nwmissouri.edu Laurie Drummond Long ’92, Senior Gift Planning Officer laurie@nwmissouri.edu Tess Lovig ’20, Annual Giving and Alumni Relations Specialist tlovig@nwmissouri.edu Sam Mason ’88, Major Gift Officer smason@nwmissouri.edu Brenda Untiedt ’00, ’09, Advancement Database, Research and Communications Specialist brenda@nwmissouri.edu

NORTHWEST NEWS

NORTHWEST EARNS HIGH MARKS IN NATIONAL SATISFACTION SURVEY

Eighty percent of freshmen and juniors at Northwest say they are satisfied with their experience at the University and would choose it again if they could repeat their college careers. The figures were among the findings of the 2021 Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, which is distributed to freshmen and juniors every two years.

On all scales and all but two questions, Northwest achieved higher student satisfaction rates than national and regional RANKINGS, RESEARCH PLACE NORTHWEST AMONG MOST AFFORDABLE A recent affordability analysis conducted by the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) – a nonprofit organization whose mission commits to closing equity gaps in postsecondary attainment for all students – listed Northwest as one of only five four-year institutions in Missouri that are classified as affordable. In fact, while NCAN reports that only 23 percent of 490 public four-year institutions nationally are considered affordable, it lists Northwest as affordable in each of the years reviewed since 2014-15.

peer comparison groups. In comparison to Northwest, 78 percent of students at regional peers and 77 percent of students surveyed nationally said they would choose to attend their respective institutions again.

Dr. Allison Strong Hoffmann ’01, ’03, Northwest’s assistant vice president of admissions and student success, said the report provides a snapshot of the comprehensive educational experience the University offers to students advancing their education.

“The Ruffalo Noel Levitz student satisfaction survey provides an excellent opportunity for Northwest to learn about what is important to our students and how satisfied they are with the instruction and services we offer,” Hoffmann said. “The results confirm what we see day in and day out – Northwest students feel supported both in and out of the classroom, leading to our enrollment growth, high retention and persistence.”

CHEMISTRY PROGRAM EARNS CERTIFICATION FROM INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY The American Chemical Society Committee on Professional Training has added Northwest to its listing of approved institutions, and students who complete the course curriculum now receive certification in conjunction with their degree.

Northwest’s ACS-certified major in chemistry prepares up-and-coming professional chemists for careers in research institutions, industry or the pursuit of graduate studies.

MILITARY FRIENDLY FOR 11TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR Victory Media, a media entity for military personnel transitioning into civilian life, named Northwest a Military Friendly School for 2022-2023 in recognition of its commitment to embracing military service members, veterans and their family members and delivering the best experience for military students.

ONLINE MBA PROGRAM RANKS HIGH ON GLOBAL LIST Northwest’s online Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree ranks among the best in the Midwest, according to CEO Magazine’s 2022 Global MBA Rankings. The magazine, which has showcased top business schools since 2012, ranks Northwest at No. 87 in the world. It is the only Missouri institution to appear in the magazine’s Global Online MBA ranking.

Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, Northwest’s online MBA programs help students complete a general degree or specializations in business analytics, human resource management, management and marketing. Starting in the fall, Northwest will begin offering specializations in accounting, finance, geographic information systems (GIS) and healthcare administration.

NORTHWEST RECORDS HIGHEST SPRING ENROLLMENT IN INSTITUTION’S HISTORY Coming off a fall semester during which Northwest recorded its highest-ever enrollment, the University also reported the highest spring enrollment in its history.

The University’s spring census showed overall enrollment increased by 5 percent from a year ago to a headcount of 7,218.

In the undergraduate sector, first-time freshman enrollment was up 28.6 percent, and the number of first-time transfer students was up by 27.8 percent.

Additionally, the University’s graduate student enrollment increased by 27.7 percent to 2,602 students, breaking an institutional record set last spring.

Further, Northwest recorded an overall fall-to-spring retention rate of 91.6 percent, setting a new institutional high for that mark.

The spring semester enrollment counts followed a semester during which Northwest reported an overall headcount of 7,870 students at its fall census, making that total the highest overall enrollment in the institution’s 116-year history. When factoring students enrolled in Online Professional courses, which offer multiple starts each semester, Northwest ended the fall 2021 semester with an all-time record enrollment of 8,022.

5,735 6,336 6,431 6,877 7,129 2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

SPRING HEADCOUNT, 2018-2022 NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

5

NORTHWEST NEWS

2021 Tower yearbook cover

REGENTS APPROVE MARTINDALE HALL RENOVATION One of Northwest’s oldest buildings is undergoing changes this summer after the Board of Regents approved a $1.3 million plan to renovate the third floor of the building.

The project targets a 4,260-square-foot section that includes multipurpose space and storage areas. The upgrades will provide academic laboratory spaces to support human services and school counseling programs as well as faculty and staff offices.

The project is the first phase of plans to update the building, which was last renovated during the mid-1970s and now serves as the home of Northwest’s School of Health Science and Wellness. Martindale Hall opened in 1926 and includes Martindale Gymnasium. This spring, the Missouri General Assembly approved an additional $8.5 million for the project.

7 FACULTY MEMBERS RETIRE Seven faculty members with a combined 190 years of service to Northwest retired after the spring semester and were honored April 29 during the University’s annual faculty retirement ceremony. Pictured left to right are Tom Hardee, a senior instructor of English with 21 years of service; Fred Lamer, an assistant professor of mass media with 40 years of service; Jacquie Lamer, a senior instructor of mass media with 21 years of service; Dr. Theo Ross, a professor of theatre with 44 years of service; Dr. Stephen Town, a professor of music with 36 years of service; and Dr. Pamela Shannon, a professor of music with 20 years of service. Not pictured is Dr. Vicki Seeger, an associate professor of professional education with eight years of service.

6

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

2021 TOWER AMONG BEST COLLEGIATE YEARBOOKS IN NATION Northwest’s Tower yearbook was recognized in the spring by Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) as one of four Pacemaker Award recipients, crowning it as one of last year’s best college yearbooks in the country.

“This just reaffirms to me that we have one of the strongest media programs in the country, and when you are beating schools with two, three or even four times our enrollment and money, it means even more,” said Steven Chappell, the director of student publications at Northwest. “These students work hard to produce quality journalism week after week and year after year.

It’s so gratifying to see their hard work rewarded at the national level.”

The 2021 Tower was the publication’s 100th edition. The yearbook commemorated its centennial edition through historic photos mixed with photos and stories recapping the 2020-2021 academic year and campus life.

Both the Tower yearbook, now an 11-time Pacemaker recipient, and The Northwest Missourian newspaper, a two-time Pacemaker recipient, are members of the ACP Hall of Fame.

NORTHWEST NEWS

ADANIN RELATES RESEARCH OF DISAPPEARING TROPICAL GLACIERS TO SPORT, RECREATION Dr. Nina Adanin, an assistant professor of recreation, is the co-creator of an ongoing research project documenting disappearing glaciers in tropical regions – and she is helping students better understand the impacts on the environment and the sport and recreation field in the process.

In cooperation with a French glaciologist at the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) and a team of scientists, Adanin examines the disappearance of tropical glaciers in Colombia and Uganda. She became involved with the expedition after recognizing the effect of climate change on all aspects of people’s lives.

“Sport facilities need to adapt to new changes,” Adanin said. “It’s hard to have seasons outside like before with a temperature rise. It’s essential to recognize these changes in sports and recreation, find a way to handle the uncertainty and be prepared.”

Dr. Nina Adanin, an assistant professor of recreation, displays a Bearcat flag while conducting research of disappearing tropical glaciers in Colombia and Uganda.

OFFUTT PUBLISHES 16TH BOOK

Dr. Karen Britt supervises the conservation of mosaics in a 6th-century Byzantine church at Petra, Jordan.

BRITT’S WORK WITH MOSAICS EARNS RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Dr. Karen Britt, an assistant professor of art history at Northwest, recently was featured in an issue of National Geographic’s “100 Wonders of the World” for her work with rare Huqoq mosaics in Israel synagogues.

Her work as a mosaics specialist with the Huqoq Excavation Project has taken her to Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Egypt.

“This recognition, for us as a team, underscores the rare quality of the mosaics and broader importance of the project,” Britt said.

Jason Offutt, a senior instructor of mass media, in January published his 16th book and his first horror fiction, “The Girl in the Corn.”

The book features a young man who must work alongside a fairy to distinguish good from evil to save the world.

While the novel communicates an unsettling message that evil may be found where you least expect it, the Orrick, Missouri, native drew upon his farmhand upbringing to construct an eerie setting for his characters.

Publishing books has earned Offutt credibility that he uses in the classroom to keep students engaged, and he has a collection of works to back up his instruction. He uses his summer and winter breaks to write as he prioritizes teaching during the academic year.

“I’ve got my characters firmly in my head, and I just let my characters do what they do, and the story unfolds for me as I’m writing it, just as it unfolds for the reader,” he said.

“It’s really cool not to know what’s gonna happen next until it happens.”

STUDENT BECOMES PUBLISHED ILLUSTRATOR FOR BOOK ABOUT ‘HARD THINGS’ Hannah Cline, who completed her bachelor’s degree in graphic design during the spring, is a published illustrator after collaborating with an author on her personal story about battling cancer.

Cline collaborated with Maryville author Vera Holder by creating the illustrations for the short story, “I Can Do Hard Things,” which was published in January. The book, based on Holder’s life, depicts a high-school-aged son with special needs and how he and his mother navigate the challenges they face after she is diagnosed with cancer.

Cline became aware of the opportunity to illustrate the book after Holder sought help from Northwest’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts. Soon they began meeting and Cline received Holder’s manuscript in exchange for a few preliminary sketches. Holder identified 15 illustrations she wanted Cline to complete. After starting the process last November, the author and illustrator met in January, and Cline presented Holder with all of her illustrations.

Cline was unsure when the book would be published and waited for communication from Holder with news.

Unfortunately, Cline would not receive that message as Holder died Feb. 5.

“The experience with Vera was incredible,” Cline said. “I actually did not think it was going to be published. One day I was just like ‘Let’s check,’ because I knew it was going to be published on Amazon, and it was there. I really hope she got the chance to see her book published.”

The finished book includes 12 illustrations – all drawn by Cline.

As a third-generation Bearcat, Cline was drawn to Northwest through her family ties. Cline’s maternal grandparents, Richard Partlow ’68 and Judith Clark Partlow ’69; parents, Christopher Cline ’97 and Sarah Partlow Cline ’98; and numerous aunts and uncles attended Northwest.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

7

PERFORMANCE AND

EXCELLENCE

With “a heavy, yet lightened Bearcat heart,” Dr. John Jasinski announced his departure this spring from Northwest after 13 years as its president and a total of 28 years of dedicated service to the University.

After starting his career in 1986 at Northwest as a faculty member in what was then the Department of Mass Communication, Dr. J – as he is widely known – became a department chair and then an associate provost. He left Northwest in 2001 but found his way back in 2009 when he was named Northwest’s 10th president after the retirement of Dr. Dean L. Hubbard.

Denise Jasinski ’90, John’s wife of 38 years, meanwhile worked for eight years as a tutor and academic coordinator with Northwest’s Upward Bound program and actively volunteered in the Maryville community before becoming the University’s first lady.

Now, the Jasinskis leave the University having helmed it through an era of unparalleled success, despite the challenges of dwindling state funding, changing demographics and societal views that threaten traditional higher education, and a global pandemic.

This summer, the Jasinskis are transitioning to new roles in Springfield, Missouri, where John is becoming interim provost at Missouri State University. Additionally, John is joining the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) as a senior consultant.

8

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

John and Denise Jasinski stand in front of the Gaunt House with one of their dogs, Ruby.

CELEBRATED SUCCESS During his inauguration remarks in October 2009, John spoke of his drive to celebrate Northwest’s successes while also looking to the future – and not just surviving but thriving.

“That’s been kind of a theme all along,” John said. “I said if we perform – it doesn’t matter what our peers and competitors are doing – if we just take care of ourselves and perform, we’re going to be OK. And I think we’ve proven that.”

Without question, Northwest has performed – and thrived – during the Jasinski presidency.

With an eye on fiscal responsibility, the University generated $87.7 million in cost containment and efficiencies while increasing alternative revenues and completing more than $106.7 million in renovations, infrastructure improvements and new construction on the campus through innovative thinking and partnerships. Today, Northwest is the most efficient among state universities for state appropriations per degree and certificate granted, according to a 2021 report released by the Missouri Department

of Higher Education and Workforce Development.

Northwest has experienced enrollment growth, including record marks during the last two years and surpassed more than 8,000 students for the first time in the institution’s history at the conclusion of the fall 2021 semester.

Northwest is the only public institution in the state with enrollment growth during the last five years.

The University has achieved record retention rates – reaching a high of 78 percent in 2018 – and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile of peers. It stands among the top 23 percent of the most affordable colleges and universities in the nation. It’s also rated the best university in Missouri when it comes to graduates securing jobs within six months of completing a degree.

Northwest has earned the national Excellence and Innovation Award from AASCU during five of the last seven years in the categories of sustainability and sustainable development, international education, teacher education, student success and college completion, and, most recently last fall, campus pandemic response. During the pandemic, Northwest maintained operations with minimal disruption and kept a focus not just on student success but on employment, refusing to invoke layoffs, furloughs or reductions.

Top right: In September 2012, President Jasinski flew with the Blue Angels as one of three “key influencers” while representing the higher education sector.

Clockwise from top center, President Jasinski congratulated Bearcat quarterback Brady Bolles after the football program won its 2015 NCAA Division II national championship. Whether giving high-fives at a convocation welcoming new students or handing out donuts as students traveled across the campus to classes, Dr. J focused on helping students feel welcomed and valued at Northwest.

INNOVATION, PERFORMANCE, ACCOLADES AND MOMENTS during the Jasinski presidency MAY 21, 2009 The Board of Regents selected Dr. John Jasinski, executive vice president and chief academic and operating officer of Northwood University in Midland, Michigan, to be Northwest’s 10th president.

SEPT. 30, 2009 President Jasinski and and then-women’s head basketball coach Gene Steinmeyer competed with other local personalities for the “Hottest Guy in Maryville” title, a hot-wings-eating contest sponsored by Maryville radio station.

DEC. 3, 2009 More than 150 people gathered on the lawn of the Thomas Gaunt House for the first holiday tree lighting ceremony hosted by the Jasinski family.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

9

FEB. 16, 2010 Thirty-five students joined President Jasinski on a trip to the state capitol in Jefferson City to speak with legislators and gain support for Northwest. Jasinski testified to the Missouri House Appropriations Committee, “Make no mistake, we will continue to mine every dollar that is not productive and question every process, program and person that is not serving our purpose. But we want you to know that our mission is to deliver on our heritage of innovation to address the uncertain economic times before us.”

APR. 18, 2011 Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes, appeared at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts as part of the Student Activities Council’s lecture series. Ten lucky Northwest students received a free pair of TOMS shoes through a social media contest that challenged students to capture photos with President Jasinski and first lady Denise Jasinski wearing their TOMS shoes.

OCT. 11, 2011 Northwest announced its fall enrollment as 7,225 students, setting a school record for the fourth consecutive year.

SEPT. 25, 2012 The City of Maryville and Northwest announced a joint partnership to begin engineering design on the Fourth Street Improvement Project, which sought to improve the corridor along West Fourth Street from Main Street west to the University entrance near North Dunn Street.

FEB. 28, 2013 President Jasinski appeared as the “Delivery Man” in Northwest’s production of “Barefoot in the Park.”

MAY 1, 2015 Northwest announced the findings of a third-party economic impact study that showed the University generated $617.5 million in added regional income – the equivalent of creating 9,465 new jobs – in fiscal year 2014.

10

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

Moreover, the University saw the successful conclusion of its Forever Green comprehensive campaign last year with more than $55 million raised against a $45 million goal. The seven-year fundraising campaign produced the $21 million Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse and the $11.4 million Agricultural Learning Center. Beyond that, of the $130 million raised by Northwest since its founding in 1905, more than $73 million has come to the University since Jasinski’s presidency began in 2009.

Then, there are the more than 60 national championships claimed by Northwest in academics and athletics during Jasinski’s term.

“It’s what you’re supposed to do as an organization,” John said. “We have challenges and opportunities. We have blind spots. But at the end of the day you’re supposed to mature and improve.”

The Jasinskis also are quick to point out that Northwest’s success during the last decade-plus is a result of teamwork.

“It’s really about a group of people, a community of people, who have allowed the University and the community to grow and flourish,” John said. “Our mission was to better the University and the community. Mission accomplished. I’m so proud of that.”

WELCOMING TO ALL From the start of the presidency, the Jasinskis focused on building relationships and instilling an environment at Northwest that is welcoming to all. For Denise, that started with overseeing the restoration and updates to the Thomas Gaunt House – the 152-year-old president’s residence on the campus grounds in Maryville. One of the finishing touches ahead of John’s inauguration in the fall of 2009 was a concrete staircase and sidewalk leading directly from Fourth Street to the porch and door facing the thoroughfare fronting the Northwest campus.

Throughout the Jasinskis’ tenure at the University, they invited University groups

AUG. 31, 2015 The Robert and Virginia Foster Fitness Center, the result of a complete renovation of the former Foster Aquatic Center, opened to students and employees in conjunction with the start of the fall trimester.

SEPT. 1, 2015 Northwest celebrated the grand opening of its School of Health Science and Wellness at Martindale Hall.

The multi-disciplinary structure of the new school was designed to help the University strengthen health and wellness programming by consolidating existing programs and adding new and innovative programming that mapped to regional and national needs.

and community members inside the home.

“People would say to us, ‘You just opened up your house to everybody,’” Denise said, sitting at the dining table with John during an April afternoon. “This house, the history of this place, is so cool. I’m glad and humbled and honored that I was able to have a small fingerprint in this house and bringing it back to life.”

When Denise introduced herself at meetings and community functions, she liked to say, “I’m Denise Jasinski, and I’m a full-time volunteer for Northwest Missouri State University.” But beyond the Northwest campus, she served as volunteer executive director of the Maryville Downtown Improvement Organization, helping with the development of an organizational structure, fundraising and project coordination for a downtown park. She also helped restore an iconic fountain that was relocated to the park after it had stood for decades on the east side of the Administration Building.

Denise also volunteered with North Star Advocacy Center, a resource for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and at St. Gregory Barbarigo Parish in Maryville.

“I have a lot of energy to give,” she said. “There are always places that can use that extra support. So volunteerism has been something that’s probably my biggest legacy. I appreciate that I’ve had the opportunity throughout my life to fill that volunteer role.”

Opposite page, top: John and Denise Jasinski toured the campus’s underground tunnel system as part of the University’s ongoing work to evaluate and upgrade its infrastructure.

Opposite page, bottom: President Jasinski and Northwest began a partnership in 2012 with the city of Maryville, represented by thenMayor Glenn Jonagan ’87 and City Manager Greg McDanel ’02, to transform Fourth Street into an inviting link from downtown to the campus entrance.

Top: President Jasinski often stepped off the stage during Northwest commencement ceremonies to ask questions of graduating students and invite them to share stories about their experiences at the University.

DEC. 2, 2015 Gov. Jay Nixon visited Northwest to announce more than $6.8 million in improvements made possible through the state’s Building Affordability initiative to support public colleges and universities. The University invested the funds in electrical system repairs at the B.D. Owens Library, Everett Brown Education Hall, Martindale Hall, the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building and the Jon T. Rickman Electronic Campus Support Center in addition to the replacement of all windows at the Administration Building, Brown Hall, Colden Hall and the Thomas Gaunt House.

JAN. 29, 2016 Northwest and the Missouri Army National Guard signed an agreement to establish the Guard Officer Leadership Development (GOLD) Program, a partnership that develops commissioned officers and provides a pathway to degree completion.

APRIL 29, 2016 With the Board of Regents’ approval, Northwest created an Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and a vice president position to facilitate a University-wide responsibility and accountability for enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

AUG. 18, 2016 Northwest celebrated the grand-opening of its new NorthwestKansas City location at the Northland Innovation Campus in collaboration with the city of Gladstone.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

11

SHOWING CARE In addition to their attendance at numerous University activities, it was not uncommon to spot the Jasinskis walking their dogs, Ruby and Daisy, on the campus and engaging in conversation with others.

John regularly chatted with students during his walks between the Gaunt House and his office in the Administration Building. He sometimes distributed donuts to students as they crossed the campus between classes or pizza during evenings at the B.D. Owens Library. Students regularly sought him for selfies at convocations, graduations and other campus events.

For John – who grew up in Flint, Michigan, as the youngest of four children – and Denise, who was the third of 12 kids in her family, their commitment to showing care for others is an extension of the way they were raised. They took pride in serving as caretakers of Northwest.

“We both come from backgrounds where family is very important and family has never been just blood,” Denise said.

Reminiscing about the couple’s transition from their native Michigan to Maryville when John began his faculty career, she added, “There has been something that has continued to keep us drawn and planted right here. There are other people who kind of take you in as family, and that’s huge. I think we experienced that firsthand, so we

SEPT. 15, 2016 Northwest commemorated the opening of five professional schools with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open houses. The result of an academic restructuring, Northwest introduced the School of Computer Science and Information Systems, the Melvin D. and Valorie G. Booth School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Communication and Mass Media, and the School of Agricultural Sciences.

JAN. 4, 2017 Northwest announced its firstever endowed professorship, the Dennis C. Dau Endowed Professorship in Instrumental Music, through a $500,000 cash gift honoring Dennis Dau, a 1970 and 1971 graduate, to support a faculty member in instrumental music.

12

wanted to make sure we advanced that to other people, students, even if they’re not planning to make their lifetime here.”

That sentiment was quickly evident to Dr. Katy Strickland, an associate professor of music and the director of athletic bands at Northwest, when she met John and Denise during the summer of 2013. Strickland was settling into her office at the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building and preparing to begin her first fall with the Bearcat Marching Band. The Jasinskis were walking Ruby on the campus when they decided to stop inside the building and introduce themselves to the new band director.

Strickland was surprised by the gesture and had no idea who the couple were when they appeared at her door, but the encounter was typical of the Jasinskis’ eager-to-welcome demeanors, and Strickland appreciated it.

“It was just so warm and friendly; it wasn’t artificial,” she said. “He, honestly, was just wanting to come in and say hi and meet the new person and be welcoming, and then off he went with his dog. And it was just kind of an opening to what ended up to be a really, truly great professional relationship with somebody who was an unbelievable supporter of the arts.”

Similarly, Dr. Rick Toomey, an associate professor of chemistry, and Dr. Deb Johnson Toomey ’94, ’96, an associate

AUG. 1, 2017 Northwest completed a remodel of the Dean L. Hubbard Center for Innovation, allowing the School of Agricultural Sciences to move into the space from its previous headquarters on the top floor of Valk Center.

SEPT. 12, 2017 U.S. News and World Report released its list of “2018 Best Colleges,” which ranked Northwest No. 21 among top public regional universities in the Midwest and placed it as the top moderately selective regional university in Missouri for the third time in four years.

OCT. 20, 2017 Northwest dedicated the completed expansion of its alumni center and its renaming as the Michael L. Faust Center for Alumni and Friends as the result of a $1 million gift from the Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation of Omaha, Nebraska, in honor of 1974 alumnus and longtime Northwest Foundation Board Member Michael Faust.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

professor of marketing, said their recollections of John will always be centered on the graciousness he showed to others.

“From our first meeting until now, John has always made us feel like we were important, that he valued our perspectives and that we mattered as both faculty and people,” Rick said. “John was concerned with our well-being, greeting us with a smile, a handshake or a hug, treating us as peers and colleagues. He was always aware of our efforts and excited to celebrate our accomplishments, be it in a crowd or oneon-one.”

The caring relationships he and Denise formed with the Bearcat family are one of the things John says he is most proud of when he reflects on his time at Northwest.

“Without that, I don’t know that you can accomplish anything,” he said. “Life is about relationships, and if the world would just take time to get to know each other, we might be in a little bit better spot than we are today.”

Each of Northwest’s nine previous presidents have left their marks on the University in unique ways. For John Jasinski – when alumni, employees, future students and others look back at his presidency decades from now – they’ll see a 13-year span of consistent, high performance.

OCT. 12, 2018 Hundreds gathered to step inside the finished Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse for the first time as Northwest hosted a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility. Northwest donors committed nearly $14 million to build the $21 million facility.

OCT. 24, 2019 Northwest launched the public phase of the Forever Green campaign with a $45 million fundraising goal.

JAN. 9, 2020 Northwest was one of five institutions in the nation selected to join the AASCU’s pilot cohort focused on student success strategies and supported by a grant funded through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“There has been something that has continued to keep us drawn and planted right here. There are other people who kind of take you in as family, and that’s huge. I think we experienced that firsthand, so we wanted to make sure we advanced that to other people, students, even if they’re not planning to make their lifetime here.”

– Denise Jasinski

Almost daily, President Jasinski walked across the Northwest campus to his office in the Administration Building from the Thomas Gaunt House, the 152-yearold home that has served as the residence for all 10 of the University’s presidents and their families.

During their tenure at Northwest, John and Denise have raised four children, pictured when John began his presidency in 2009 and more recently. They are Matt ’10, Joe, Leah and Lucas.

MARCH 18, 2020 One day after gathering faculty and staff leaders in the J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom to discuss the institution’s response and direction during the COVID-19 pandemic, Northwest announced it was moving courses online for the remainder of the semester to help minimize the spread of the virus and limit academic disruptions.

AUG. 19, 2020 After four days of move-in and Advantage activities, the fall semester officially began and Northwest resumed in-person classes on the campus for the first time since the previous spring, while the COVID-19 pandemic continued.

SEPT. 17, 2020 Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Northwest’s fall census showed a total headcount of 7,267 students, making it the highest enrollment in the institution’s 115-year history.

NOV. 2, 2020 Northwest celebrated the successful launch of its esports program and a new gaming space with a ribbon-cutting in the Student Union.

NOV. 11, 2020 Gov. Mike Parson, Maj. Gen. Levon Cumpton, the adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard, and Missouri Rep. Allen Andrews attended as Northwest celebrated the remodeled top floor of Valk Center and rededicated it as Veterans Commons.

JULY 30, 2021 Northwest celebrated the opening of the Agricultural Learning Center, a 29,500-square-foot multipurpose facility at the R.T. Wright Farm. That night, alumni, donors and friends gathered in the Hughes Fieldhouse to celebrate the conclusion of the Forever Green comprehensive campaign, just the second in the University’s history, which exceeded its $45 million goal by raising $55,026,782.

SEPT. 15, 2021 The University’s fall census showed Northwest with a headcount of 7,870 students, the most in the institution’s 116-year history. It represented an 8 percent increase from a year prior and the fourth consecutive fall that Northwest recorded an increased headcount.

Northwest was the only Missouri public 4-year institution to show increased enrollment from 2016 to 2021. Further, Northwest maintained a high retention rate with 76 percent of the previous year’s freshman class – the secondhighest rate in the institution’s history – choosing to return to the University.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

13

ADVANCING NORTHWEST

GREEN APPOINTED INTERIM PRESIDENT Northwest’s Board of Regents selected Dr. Clarence Green ’94, ’10, to serve as the institution’s interim president, effective July 1.

Green has been employed at Northwest since 1996 and has served as its vice president of culture since 2019, having oversight of the Office of Human Resources, the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, and the University Police Department.

While leading Northwest teams responsible for strategic planning and crisis management, he also has served on implementation teams for student success, inclusive excellence and behavioral intervention, in addition to leading efforts to establish a multidisciplinary team focused on intervention strategies for students in crisis. He previously served at Northwest as interim vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, and as the interim vice president of human resources.

He has a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in higher education leadership, both from Northwest, as well as a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

“I look forward to serving Northwest as its interim president during this time of transition,” Green said. “Northwest is in a position of strength to continue its successful path due to its great students, faculty, staff and alumni.”

The Board plans to work with the Northwest community to launch its search for Northwest’s next president when the fall semester begins.

ALUMNA ESTABLISHES SCHOLARSHIP TO HONOR LONGTIME EDUCATOR, FORMER BOARD OF REGENTS CHAIR A Northwest alumna has created an annual scholarship as a tribute to the leadership exhibited by another alumna as a woman in education, business and service roles traditionally held by males.

Hayley Hanson ’97, who serves as outside general counsel for the University Dr. Marilou Joyner as an attorney with Husch Blackwell, established the endowed Marilou Joyner Women in Leadership Scholarship.

“I had the privilege to work with her and see that she is a leader in every sense of the word,” Hanson said.

“She has the unique ability to make sure that everyone feels supported and, specifically, to promote women and persons of color who are looking at going into fields where they have been underrepresented.”

In addition to her volunteer service and gifts to Northwest, Joyner ’75, ’78, ’82, is a longtime educator in northwest Missouri public schools and a former assistant commissioner with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. She also owned Cameron Group Care Inc., which included an intermediate care facility for developmentally disabled adults, individualized supported living units and vocational supported employment services.

IOWA COUPLE’S INTEREST IN AGRICULTURE INSPIRES SUPPORT OF AG LEARNING CENTER With a shared love of agriculture and appreciation for the education they received at Northwest, Jim ’62 and Miriam Wood ’64 Meadows joined the University’s Homesteader society in support of the Agricultural Learning Center (ALC).

Opened last year, the 29,500-squarefoot ALC enhances the School of Agricultural Sciences and its curriculum.

While more than 60 public and private donors have joined the Homesteaders by providing leading support of $25,000 or greater toward the Agricultural Learning Center, the Meadowses say their contribution is a tribute to their farming heritage as well as a demonstration of appreciation for Northwest.

“We feel very grateful for Northwest,”

14

Jim said. “We feel that the education that we got was very good. It’s been a big contributor to our success in life.”

The couple, who met at Northwest and have been married for 19 years, maintain two farms – one in Kellerton and another in Gravity that Miriam operates with her son.

After completing his degree, Jim worked in the insurance field for a couple years in southwest Iowa. He also learned to fly airplanes and eventually joined the Air National Guard. He joined United Airlines as a pilot and flew passengers around the world for 32 years until retiring in 1996.

Miriam taught at Ar-We-Va Community School in northern Iowa before moving to Missouri. She then worked as a

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

Jim and Miriam Meadows

bookkeeper for 20 years with the American Chianina Association, a cattle organization in Platte City, and eventually returned to Iowa, joining Barker Implement in Indianola as a bookkeeper.

ADVANCING NORTHWEST

ALUMNA ESTABLISHES SCHOLARSHIP TO ASSIST EDUCATION MAJORS Students studying education-related majors at Northwest have a new opportunity to receive financial support toward their degree program through the generosity of a University alumna.

Cindy Wolfe ’88, recently established an endowed scholarship, the Cindy Wolfe Education Scholarship, which is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors who are enrolled full-time at Northwest and have declared a major in education. Recipients also must be from Iowa, Kansas or Nebraska and have a GPA between 2.75 and 3.5.

“This scholarship is so vital because it provides much-needed support for students nearing graduation while they likely have numerous important clinical field experiences to practice their craft,” Dr. Tim Wall ’01, the dean of Northwest’s School of Education, said. “Teaching, while a well-respected profession, is not the most lucrative field. The Wolfe scholarship will offset costs and possibly reduce loan debt for many students. We are so grateful for this generous gift.”

Wolfe said she hopes the scholarship assists students who have a passion for entering the education field and may not benefit from the financial assistance awarded to first-year students, particularly those who come from surrounding states.

THREE STUDENTS NAMED INAUGURAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS THROUGH KAREN L. DANIEL LEGACY FUND Karen Daniel ’80, in conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities at Northwest in January, announced the inaugural recipients of three scholarships she established, each valued at $250,000, to support Black students in the pursuit of their college degrees.

The Karen L. Daniel Legacy Fund, established by Daniel in 2020 through the Northwest Foundation, awarded the Alyce L. Cummins Future Educator Scholarship to Carlyn Carpenter, a junior early childhood education major from Kansas City, Missouri; the Dr. Leslie K Doyle Leadership Scholarship to Mayowa Omolade, a junior international business major from Lagos, Nigeria; and the Claudean V. Daniel Trailblazer Scholarship to Darren Ross, a sophomore computer science major from St. Louis.

The scholarships are named for Daniel’s grandmother, niece and mother, respectively.

“If I do nothing else in this life, the ability to honor the three people who these scholarships are named after will be my

“I wanted to give back to Northwest because I felt like I got an excellent education there and, being from a small town in Kansas, I wanted to find something for students in states around Missouri to encourage them,” Wolfe said.

A native of Hiawatha, Northwest alumna Cindy Wolfe resides in Kansas, Wolfe was Arizona and enjoys traveling the country. attracted to Northwest for its education programming. In addition to playing with the Bearcat softball team for three years, she focused on preparing herself to become a secondary education teacher with specializations in physical education and mathematics.

During a career of nearly 20 years in Missouri and Texas, Wolfe taught a variety of ages from elementary physical education to senior citizens while coordinating a college intramural program.

greatest honor, because my journey has always been about honor, opportunity and giving back,” Daniel said as she presented a keynote address at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Peace Lunch.

During her address, Daniel reflected on her motivation to assist students with their higher education journeys and encouraged them to be intentional in leading changes that align with King’s dream. Daniel Left to right are Karen Daniel and scholarship recipients, Darren Ross, Carlyn Carpenter and Mayowa Omolade. recounted King’s assassination and the inspiration she gathered from and Technology Solutions Division. her mother’s words on that fateful day.

Additionally, she serves on numerous “She said this man gave his very life for you, public and philanthropic boards in Kansas and when opportunities come your way, City, Missouri, and beyond. In 2016, she you must seize those opportunities from an was unanimously elected the first Africaneducational perspective, from community American chairwoman of the Greater involvement perspective, and ultimately Kansas City Chamber of Commerce by its create opportunities for those who follow,” Board of Directors. She also is a member Daniel said. “I’ve always been committed to of the Board of Directors of Snap-on Tools, try to fulfill that dream.”

Teladoc Health, Giant Eagle and Commerce Daniel retired in 2018 as the chief Bancshares and the Kansas City Royals financial officer at Black & Veatch, a global ownership group, and she was vice chair of engineering and construction company based former President Barack Obama’s Advisory in Overland Park, Kansas. She was named Council on Doing Business in Africa. She also to the role in 1999, joined the company’s served on Northwest’s Board of Regents Board of Directors in 2006 and served as and the Northwest Foundation Board of president of the company’s Global Finance Directors.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

15

ADVANCING NORTHWEST

“The farm was dear to him, so he wanted to do something that was a memory to the farm, his grandparents, his mom, his dad and himself when he passed. He was perpetual about education, and his passion was to help others.”

– Roger Durant, cousin of Bob Durant

Minnie Huffman

Bob Durant with his mother, Marjorie

LASTING L E G A C I ES

The education Dr. Robert “Bob” Durant received at Northwest left a lasting impact on him so that when he died in 2016 his estate plans included a provision that his farm near Savannah, Missouri, be sold and the proceeds be distributed to the Northwest Foundation for the establishment of the HuffmanDurant Scholarship.

As a result of his wishes, the non-renewable scholarship – named for Bob as well as his mother, Marjorie Durant, and maternal grandmother, Minnie Huffman – will benefit deserving students attending Northwest from Andrew or Buchanan counties in Missouri, based on criteria of the Office of Financial Assistance.

After completing a bachelor’s degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Bob furthered his education at Northwest and later obtained a doctorate degree from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville before returning to Northwest in the early 1970s to teach graduate-level psychology courses.

Bob established a private practice in the mountain region of Frisco, Colorado, where he worked as a clinical psychologist and served on the Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners. While living in Colorado, he also enjoyed snow skiing and mountain biking, and he formed the Summit County Water Rescue Team, which remains active today.

Eventually, Bob moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, where he worked for several years with at-risk high school students and set up grants to support their schooling. After retiring, he spent a few years traveling the country with a private car racing team and then returned to his deep roots in Savannah, where he cared for his grandmother and mother at the family farm purchased in 1919 and passed on to Marjorie.

One of easiest planned gifts to create and implement is a bequest in your will or living trust. It allows you to give any percentage of your estate as a charitable gift when a current gift of real estate or cash might not otherwise be feasible.

CONSIDER THESE ADVANTAGES: n

It’s simple to set up.

n

It provides an estate tax deduction.

n

You maintain control of your assets.

n

It provides for a cause you deem worthy at Northwest.

n

It provides a gift to Northwest in an amount you believe is appropriate, and you can still provide for your loved ones.

n

It includes membership in the Northwest Foundation’s James H. Lemon Heritage Society.

n

It leaves a lasting legacy at Northwest.

Contact the Office of University Advancement at 660.562.1248 or advance@nwmissouri.edu to learn about the many advantages of providing an estate provision.

16

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

ADVANCING NORTHWEST

COUPLE’S DESIRE TO PROMOTE AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION LEADS TO SUPPORT OF ALC

Seon and Soo Ahn have established a scholarship at Northwest in honor of their twin children, Sole and Hui.

INTERNATIONAL ALUMNUS ESTABLISHES SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS Seon M. Ahn ’05 is fulfilling his wish to give back to Northwest through a monetary gift to establish the Sole and Hui Ahn Scholarship in support of international students studying businessrelated subjects at the University. Seon and his wife, Soo, established the scholarship, which is named for their twin children born in 2014, Sole and Hui. A native of the Republic of Korea, Seon began attending Northwest during the aftermath of the Asian Financial Crisis.

Despite financial difficulties, he found a home at Northwest and developed appreciation for the campus culture while working in the Office of Human Resources and the Office of Students Affairs.

“I really enjoyed the school life in Missouri, not only from the educational aspect but various other factors,” he said. “I built my finance and accounting backbone so that I can apply the framework of the business in the financial institutions. Moreover, President Dr. Dean L. Hubbard was one of my mentors, and I really enjoyed the interaction with the president.”

By receiving his Master of Business Administration degree at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business in 2018, Seon expanded his banking knowledge to the insurance industry, focusing on digital capability based in Hong Kong. Today, he is employed with FWD Group in Hong Kong where he works on the life insurance company’s digital platforms.

JOIN THE

DREAM TEAM!

SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT By donating $15,000 or more, you become part of the

NORTHWEST SCHOLARSHIP DREAM TEAM and help

students like Hailie achieve academic success.

DOUBLE THE IMPACT!

For a limited time, the Northwest Foundation is providing a $15,000 match for the first 35 gifts to support the Dream Team Endowment.

Growing up on farms in northwest Missouri, Terry and Susan Ecker have long had an affinity for agriculture.

Their connections inspired them to further support Northwest and its future ag programming by contributing to the University’s Agricultural Learning Center (ALC). The Eckers joined the University’s Homesteaders society of alumni and friends providing leading support with gifts of $25,000 or greater toward the ALC. Terry, a fifth-generation farmer, and Susan operate Ecker Farms Inc., raising row crops, including grass and hay, for their Salercrossed cattle operation.

“I’ve been very familiar with Northwest and always thought it was a good school,” Terry said. “Since I came back to the farm, I’ve tried to stay involved with what was going on with the ag department.”

In addition to serving with state and national soybean boards, Terry is a member of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission and past-president of the Nodaway County Farm Bureau, for which he coordinated its centennial celebration in 2018. Susan, a licensed clinical social worker and mental health counselor, serves on the St. Francis Hospital Foundation board in Maryville.

As proponents for ag advocacy and education, they believe the ALC will advance Northwest’s ag sciences programming for youth while assisting Nodaway County, regional and national producers. With that in mind, Terry was quick to help ensure the Nodaway County Farm Bureau had its annual meeting at the ALC soon after the facility opened in 2021.

“There’s nothing like that in the area,” Terry said. “I have high hopes for it to really promote the area, whether it’s through livestock shows or ag events. Having the classrooms and the facilities that the students can use right on the farm, I just think it’s fantastic.”

“No one in my family has ever graduated from a four-year university. When I got to Northwest, I made it my mission to make the most of my time there and pursue every opportunity possible. Thanks to the help of scholarships, that’s just what I got to do!”

-Hailie Mentz, Maysville, Missouri, International business and marketing major

For more information about the Dream Team Scholarship Endowment, contact 660.562.1248 or visit www.nwmissouri.edu/DreamTeam.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

17

ALUMNI CHAPTER

NEWS

Get involved today! For more information about getting involved in a Northwest Alumni Association chapter, call 660.562.1248 or email alumni@nwmissouri.edu. Twenty-four alumni chapters comprise the Alumni Association, and more are being formed.

Northwest alumni, friends and families of Bearcat men’s basketball players visited the Blue Rock Bar and Grill in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, during the Bearcats run to the Central Region championship.

BEARCATS GATHER TO CHEER MEN’S BASKETBALL Northwest alumni and friends gathered in multiple locations during the basketball season to show their support of the Bearcat men and cheer them on to their fourth NCAA Division II national championship.

Northwest Alumni Association chapters sponsored watch parties in eastern Iowa and western Nebraska, Kansas City, Washington, D.C., and St. Louis, among other locations.

Above: Members of the Alumni Association’s Central Iowa Chapter gathered to watch the Bearcats in March as they defeated Bentley, 61-43, in the opening round of the Elite Eight tournament. Left to right are Paul Nielson ’75, Ben Taylor ’72, Tom Follet ’74 and George Warford.

Left: Bearcat alumni in the Kansas City area convened in March at The Landing in Liberty, Missouri. Left to right are Brian Stewart, Jennifer Hewitt ’86, Damian Valline Bridges ’84 and Neil Neumeyer ’98.

18

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

ADVANCING NORTHWEST

BLACK ALUMNI AND FRIENDS CHAPTER ESTABLISHES SCHOLARSHIP The Northwest Alumni Association’s Black Alumni and Friends Chapter recently established the Joe Bell Black Alumni and Friends Scholarship in honor of Joe Bell ’63, the first African American graduate of Northwest.

Bell completed a bachelor’s degree in health and secondary physical education while minoring in industrial arts. In addition to playing with the Bearcat football team, Bell’s degree paved his way to a teaching career that spanned 37 years and a coaching career that lasted 26 years.

Recipients of the scholarship shall be of the African diaspora and enrolled full-time with a minimum 2.0 GPA. Recipients also must demonstrate active involvement in a University-affiliated organization. Financial need will be leading criteria.

“We felt it necessary to honor the contribution and legacy Mr. Joe Bell has had not only to Black and Brown students on campus but to the Northwest community at large,” Abdul Kaba Abdullah ’02, the president of the Black Alumni and Friends Chapter, said. “This scholarship connects past students to future students and will serve as a reminder of the many sacrifices and debts paid by Mr. Bell to allow African American students access to higher education on the campus of Northwest Missouri State.”

Established in 2017, the Black Alumni and Friends Chapter is dedicated to promoting interests, needs and relationships of African American alumni and students at the University in addition to serving as a source of ideas, recommendations and information relative to the well-being and progress of Northwest’s African American alumni and students.

For information about giving to the Joe Bell Black Alumni and Friends Scholarship, contact the Office of University Advancement at 660.562.1248 or advance@nwmissouri.edu.

2023

Alumni Awards Banquet SAVE THE DATE!

Northwest Alumni Association ALUMNI AWARDS BANQUET Saturday, April 22, 2023 The Alumni Awards Banquet honors individuals who have given their time, talent and service to the University. The event, which traditionally occurred in the fall, is moving to the spring.

Make plans to join us for a celebration of the 2023 award recipients.

For more information about the Alumni Awards Banquet and other upcoming events, visit nwmissouri.edu/alumni/events/. Details will be published online as they become available.

NORTHWEST

ALUMNI

NO RT H WE S T MI S S O U R I S TAT E UN IVERSITY

NORTHWEST

A LUMNI

N O RT H W E S T MIS S OURI S TATE UNIVE RSI T Y

ALUMNI CHAPTERS For more information about a chapter or to get involved, contact the Northwest Alumni Association at 660.562.1248 or alumni@nwmissouri.edu.

SCAN THE QR CODE TO FIND A CHAPTER NEAR YOU.

MISSION: The Northwest Alumni Association fosters lifelong relationships through the giving of time, talent and funds to initiatives and opportunities that advance the University, its alumni, future alumni and friends.

2022-2023 NORTHWEST ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT Dr. Allison Kahre Atkinson ’06, ’11, ’19, St. Joseph, Mo. VICE PRESIDENT Matt Gaarder ’97, Maryville PAST PRESIDENT Dustin Wasson ’03, Perry, Mo. MEMBERS Brandon Benitz ’00, ’08, Kearney, Neb. Damian Valline Bridges ’84, Kansas City, Mo. Janice Erickson Corley ’70, Maryville Sean Gundersen ’10, ’13, Boone, Iowa Cherine Heckman ’77, ’83. Columbia, Mo. Kimberly Massey Heslop ’93, Overland Park, Kan. Sue Johnson Hockensmith ’72, Manchester, Mo. Kurt Jackson ’88, Maryville Debra Parsons James ’82, Kearney, Mo. Terrance Logan ’07, ’10, Blue Springs, Mo. Melissa Moody Mincy ’06, West Des Moines, Iowa D’Vante Mosby ’18, Kansas City, Mo.

Elizabeth Motazedi, Joplin, Mo. Suzanne Schuckman ’06, Lee’s Summit, Mo. Dave Teeter ’86, Montgomery City, Mo. Sheila Yoder Wogomon ’95, Blue Springs, Mo. EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS Duane Havard ’90, Director of Alumni Relations Carma Greene Kinman ’85, Constituent and Alumni Relations Specialist Tess Lovig ’20, Annual Giving and Alumni Relations Specialist Dr. Joyce Piveral ’70, ’74, ’82, Membership Chair, Northwest Foundation Inc. Mitzi Craft Marchant ’91, ’09, Vice President of University Advancement and Executive Director of the Northwest Foundation Inc. Lori McLemore Steiner ’85, Assistant Vice President of University Advancement and Chief Finance Officer of the Northwest Foundation Inc.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

19

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

50 1972 Reunion

NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY

Class of

th

Save these dates October 21-22, 2022 and join us for your 50th-year reunion during Homecoming weekend

YEAR

Invitations for the reunion will be mailed Registration begins July 11, 2022 For more information:

Visit www.nwmissouri.edu/50th-Reunion or contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 660.562.1248 or alumni@nwmissouri.edu.

HOMECOMING OCTOBER 16-22 TS GOT GAME 2022 | BEARCA

VARIETY SHOW • Friday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m.

• Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts • Tickets are $5; purchase at www.nwmissouri.edu/ getinvolved/homecoming/ FLAG-RAISING CEREMONY • Friday, Oct. 21, 2 p.m.

• Joyce and Harvey White International Flag Plaza M-CLUB HALL OF FAME BANQUET AND INDUCTION CEREMONY • Friday, Oct. 21, 6:30 p.m.

• J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom • COST: $35 + online processing fees, tickets may be purchased online at bearcatsports.com/tickets, or by calling Kiersten Orton at 660.562.1977 HOMECOMING WELCOME • Saturday, Oct. 22, 8 a.m.

• Michael L. Faust Center for Alumni and Friends • Free refreshments • Homecoming buttons and reunion ribbon will

20

be available to graduates from 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017.

HOMECOMING PARADE • Saturday, Oct. 22, 9 a.m.

• The parade begins at the corner of Ray and College Avenue. It will proceed east to Northwest’s main entrance at Fourth Street and conclude at Fourth and Main streets.

BEARCAT ZONE PREGAME FESTIVITIES • Saturday, Oct. 22, at the conclusion of the parade • Raymond J. Courter College Park Pavilion • COST: Admission to College Park and pregame activities is free. A tailgate meal is $12 and includes a main entree with two sides, a dessert and non-alcoholic beverage. Indoor seating with TVs and full bar available inside Pavilion.

FOOTBALL VS. NORTHEASTERN STATE • Saturday, Oct. 22, 2 p.m.

• Bearcat Stadium • COST: $25 reserved, $14 adult general admission (standing room only), $10 K-12 standing room only or visiting students; Homecoming football tickets are available to the general public beginning Oct. 1, and may be

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

purchased online at bearcatsports.com/tickets. All ticket prices will have additional processing fees.

PLACES TO STAY MARYVILLE • America’s Best Value Inn: 660.562.3111 • Bearcat Inn & Suites: 660.562.2002 • Cobblestone Inn & Suites: 660.224.2222 • Holiday Inn Express: 660.562.9949 ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI • America’s Best Value Inn: 816.279.1671 • Drury Inn & Suites: 816.364.4700 • Hampton Inn: 816.390.9300 • Holiday Inn Express & Suites: 816.232.2500 • Stoney Creek Inn: 816.901.9600 CLARINDA, IOWA • Cobblestone Inn & Suites: 712.850.1471 • Super 8: 712.542.6333

Events are subject to change or cancellation.Visit www.nwmissouri. edu/getinvolved/homecoming/ for more information.

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

TOURIN’ BEARCATS VISIT ICELAND

The trip, which gathered 35 alumni and friends, included tours of the capital city Reykjavik, the Golden Circle, Lava Centre interactive volcano exhibit, the village of Vík, numerous waterfalls, black sand beaches, the Museum of Transport and Communication, and the Blue Lagoon.

Northwest alumni and friends traveled to Iceland last November with the Tourin’ Bearcats, the Northwest Alumni Association travel program.

For more information about upcoming trips, contact Duane Havard, director of alumni relations, at dhavard@nwmissouri.edu or 660.562.1112.

The Tourin’ Bearcats visited the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon during their exploration of Iceland last fall.

Pictured in the front row, left to right are Raga (bus driver), Luciana Velviso (tour manager), Carol Sutton, Barb Mullock, Michael Rogers ’76, Pat Dawson, Todd Davison, Jack Davison, Faith Spark, Denise Schuler Reynolds ’87, ’89, and Gerry Comer Rogers ’79.

In the middle row, left to right, are Erika Lees ’15, Eric Shumate ’04, Rachael Mowbray, Vic Kretzschmar ’70, ’71, Denise Bower Kretzschmar ’71, Karie Untiedt, Karen Schuler Craig ’72, Carma Greene Kinman ’85, Doug Sutton, Margaret

UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT ADDS LOVIG TO TEAM Tess Lovig ’20 has joined the staff of Northwest’s Office of University Advancement as its annual giving and alumni relations specialist.

In her role, Lovig is responsible for helping to build and grow Northwest’s annual giving program by administering communication pieces as well as the University Advancement call center, which makes connections with prospective donors about giving opportunities and activities happening at Northwest. She works with the University Advancement team as well as Northwest’s numerous volunteers to develop, plan and execute alumni engagement opportunities, including special events, regional chapter events, events for major donors and prospects, dedications and stewardship events.

Lovig is a native of Columbia, Missouri, and completed a bachelor’s degree in marketing and business management at Northwest, where she also was a four-year member of the Bearcat women’s tennis team.

Easter, Rita Meyer Wallinga ’93, Jane Dawson, Phillis Nelson Davison ’60, Franz Nelson ’65, and Dennis Spark ’73.

In the back row, left to right, are Brenda Untiedt ’00, ’09, Mike Kinman ’81, Linda Raney Girard ’64, Laura Girard-Munroe ’96, ’02, Shirley Campbell Barnett ’84, ’93, Dave Barnett, Doug Brown, Vickie Brown, Linda Yates Leese ’63, Jim Leese ’63, and Don Mullock.

FIND NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE AT THE

IOWA AND MISSOURI STATE FAIRS AUGUST 11-21 Iowa State Fair (Des Moines) Missouri State Fair (Sedalia)

Sign up to win Bearcat memorabilia. Sign up when you visit the Northwest booth at both fairs for a chance to win .

Are you an educator? Stop by our booth to register for a chance to win a scholarship to give to a student from your school who is attending Northwest.

Want to help? We are looking for alumni and friends interested in volunteering to staff the booths. In appreciation for your time, you will receive free admission to the fair and a parking pass.

For more information or to sign up to volunteer, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 660.562.1248 or alumni @nwmissouri.edu.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

21

BEARCAT SPORTS

Bearcat men’s basketball has cemented its place claiming its third consecutive national championship

2017 2019

Four-m

Northwest became the first NCAA Division II men’s basketball program to capture three straight titles when it defeated No. 5-ranked Augusta University, 67-58, March 26 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, in front of a national television audience.

“Until you win one, you don’t understand that there are so many things that can go wrong,” Head Coach Ben McCollum ’03, ’05, 22

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

said. “We were good enough and tough enough that we didn’t allow anything to go wrong for three straight seasons. We are in the history books forever. It’s so crazy, I can’t even wrap my mind around it.”

The dynamic backcourt duo of Trevor Hudgins and Diego Bernard continued their perfect run through NCAA Tournament play with six more postseason wins in 2022. The Hudgins-Bernard combo put together an NCAA Division II record 17 consecutive postseason victories and combined to produce a four-year record of 131-8.

BEARCAT SPORTS

as an NCAA Division II dynasty and juggernaut by p and fourth crown in five postseason tournaments.

midable Augusta used the post play of its 7-foot, 1-inch Tyshaun Crawford to build an 18-12 lead eight minutes into the national title game.

But the Bearcats hit the Jaguars with an 11-2 run that included a pair of triples from Hudgins and gave Northwest a 23-20 lead with 6:40 remaining in the first half. Hudgins continued his scoring assault in the final five minutes of the half as he accounted for 12 of Northwest’s final 14 points on his way to tallying 22 first-half points, including four three-pointers. The Bearcats closed the half on a 2710 scoring run to take a 39-28 lead to the locker room.

Northwest looked to put away Augusta in the first six minutes

2021 2022

of the second half as the Bearcats opened an 18-point cushion.

Hudgins buried his fifth three-pointer of the game with 13:47 to play to give Northwest a 52-34 advantage.

But the Jaguars refused to wilt and trimmed the Bearcat lead to a single point at 57-56 with 2:36 to play. After Hudgins sank a pair of free throws and sophomore forward Luke Waters corralled a rebound and scored on the ensuing possession, the Bearcats opened up a five-point lead at 61-56 with 1:42 to play. Wes Dreamer made one of two free throws with 12 seconds left to close out the scoring and send the Bearcats into celebration.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

23

BEARCAT SPORTS

It wasn’t the easiest road the Bearcats have had to navigate for a national title, but it was certainly memorable.

The Bearcats won their first two games of the season over ranked foes in No. 15 Northern State and No. 21 Seattle Pacific, at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in St. Joseph, Missouri. However, Northwest stumbled against unranked Sioux Falls on Nov. 13 for its first non-conference regular season loss since Nov. 19, 2015.

Then, No. 18-ranked Central Oklahoma came away with a 76-75 overtime victory over Northwest on Jan. 20 in Edmond, Oklahoma, to give the Bearcats their first MIAA loss of the season.

Northwest came back with five straight wins by an average of 27.2 points per game, which included an 89-49 thrashing of Central Missouri in Bearcat Arena. In that victory, Hudgins became Northwest’s all-time leading scorer and surpassed the mark of 2,459 points set by Justin Pitts from 2014 to 2018.

Emporia State handed Northwest a pair of losses on Feb. 8 and Feb. 21 to leave Bearcat fans wondering if the men had enough for another championship run. After the second loss, a one-point letdown at home, Northwest was 23-5 overall and 16-4 in MIAA play – one game out of first in the 24

MIAA standings behind Central Oklahoma.

However, a Central Missouri win at Central Oklahoma on Feb. 23 paved the way for the Bearcats to earn a share of their ninth consecutive MIAA regular season title and 22nd overall crown.

Taking back the MIAA Tournament crown

The No. 2 seeded Bearcats blew away Rogers State, 72-50, in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Tournament title and then barely got past No. 21-ranked Fort Hays State in the semifinals, winning 53-50 after trailing by eight points with 8:01 to play in that contest.

Northwest claimed the program’s 10th MIAA Tournament title with an 84-76 win against Washburn. The victory gave McCollum his sixth MIAA Tournament crown – the most by any coach in league history.

Hudgins poured in a championship-game record 35 points – becoming the first to have three 30-point scoring games in MIAA Tournament history – and was named the MIAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

Player. He was joined on the all-tourney team by Dreamer and Bernard.

Central Region Tournament title defended Northwest earned a bid to the NCAA Central Region tourney in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as the No. 3 seed. It was Northwest’s 22nd NCAA Tournament appearance and ninth straight under McCollum.

The Bearcats handled Minnesota State University Moorhead in the first round, 69-54, with a balanced scoring effort as four Bearcats reached double-figure scoring.

Then, Northwest met Washburn for the eighth time in two seasons in the NCAA Central Region semifinal and ended the Ichabods’ season with a 70-55 win.

All that remained for Northwest to reach the Elite Eight for the third straight tournament was a matchup against No. 6-ranked Augustana on the Vikings’ home floor in Sioux Falls. Hudgins scored a gamehigh 27 points as the Bearcats clinched their sixth Elite Eight trip overall with a 70-56 triumph.

BEARCAT SPORTS

HAWKINS SHINES FOR CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS

Postseason accolades TREVOR HUDGINS • Recipient of Bevo Francis Award, given to the nation’s best small college basketball player • NABC’s NCAA Division II National Player of the Year for the second straight season • D2CCA First-Team All-America for third consecutive season • D2CCA Central Region Player of the Year for second time • Central Region Tournament MVP • MIAA Player of the Year for third consecutive season

DIEGO BERNARD • Central Region All-Tournament Team • First player named to MIAA All-Defensive Team for four straight seasons • Second-team all-MIAA selection

WES DREAMER • Central Region All-Tournament Team • Third-team all-MIAA selection

BEN MCCOLLUM • NABC NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year for fourth consecutive season and fifth time overall • Clarence “Big House” Gaines National Coach of the Year Award, given by CollegeInsider.com

While the Northwest men chugged toward their fourth NCAA Division II national championship this past year, Bearcat Nation also found itself rooting for Ryan Hawkins ’20 and the Creighton Bluejays as they made a run of their own on the Division I stage.

Hawkins transferred after five highly successful seasons at Northwest to Creighton for the extra year of eligibility granted to Photo courtesy of Creighton University him as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. He started every game for the Bluejays, which finished their season with a 23-12 record.

Highlights of the Creighton regular season included a 20-point win over then-No. 9 Villanova and two victories against perennial power Connecticut. Among Hawkins’ individual achievements, he tied his career-high with eight three-pointers and scored a season-high 30 points to go with 12 rebounds and six assists in a win at Georgetown on Feb. 12.

In the Big East Tournament at New York’s famous Madison Square Garden, the Bluejays were the runner-up to Villanova and earned a bid to the national tournament. There, Hawkins was part of Creighton’s epic first-round overtime victory against San Diego State, in which he played all 45 minutes, finishing with 10 points, eight rebounds and three steals. The Bluejays bowed out of the tournament, however, during a hard-fought, secondround 79-72 loss to the eventual Division I national champion Kansas Jayhawks.

Hawkins led Creighton with 13.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while leading the Big East conference with 11 doubledoubles and earning Second Team All-Big East and USBWA All-District 6 accolades. At the end of the season, he ranked first among active Division I players with 1,220 career rebounds and 927 field goals made. He was second with 2,580 points, fifth with 41 double-doubles, seventh with 363 three-point field goals and 11th with 257 steals.

Hawkins also was named by the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association as a member of the 20th Annual Scholar-Athlete Team, which honors student-athletes who maintained a minimum GPA of 3.20 in undergraduate studies as a starter or important reserve with their team. He was the first representative of Creighton men’s basketball named to the team since 2014.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

25

BEARCAT SPORTS

SPRING

SPORTS RECAP OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD The Bearcats combined to secure seven school records, 38 new spots on the top-10 performance lists in school history and a new national champion.

Sophomore Reece Smith won the steeplechase at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in a meetrecord time of 8:33.64 and was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s Central Region Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. Additionally, junior Dakota Schmidt secured second-team All-America honors in the men’s javelin at the national meet for the second consecutive year, and sophomore Kaylee Harp earned her first All-America nod in the women’s 800-meter.

Smith was the lone Bearcat to capture an MIAA individual crown at this year’s conference meet, where he broke a 38-yearold MIAA outdoor championship record in the steeplechase. He clocked in at 8:42.50 to eclipse the MIAA mark of 8:44.34 set in 1984.

The women set four school records with junior Caroline Cunningham putting her name at the top of three events (1,500-meter; 5,000-meter; 3,000-meter steeplechase), and sophomore Sarah Prickett set the new mark in the 100-meter hurdles. The men tallied three school records, including Smith setting the 3,000-meter steeple chase and the 5,000-meter marks. Junior Dakota Schmidt beat his own record in the javelin.

Sarah Prickett

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

The team had 38 student-athletes selected to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, and eight were named to MIAA ScholarAthlete status. Six Bearcats produced 4.0 GPAs to earn Academic Excellence accolades.

GOLF The Bearcats produced the second-best four-player team scoring average in program history at 321 during the 2021-22 campaign.

Senior Morgan Thiele capped her career as the school’s all-time leader in stroke average at 80.14 during 83 career rounds, which is the second-most in school history. She also posted the top three single-season stroke averages in program history and tallied a team-best 79.5 stroke average this season, which ranks third-best in program history.

The Bearcats earned fifth-place finishes at the SMSU Spring Invite at the Wigwam Golf Course in Litchfield Park, Arizona, and the Wildcat Classic at the Wayne Country Club in Wayne, Nebraska.

Six golfers earned MIAA Academic Honor Roll recognition, including sophomore Elly Speece garnering a spot on the Academic Excellence list with a 4.0 GPA.

Max Spitzmiller

Reece Smith

26

Morgan Thiele

BEARCAT SPORTS

Julia Aliseda

Franco Oliva

TENNIS The men made their 22nd all-time NCAA tournament appearance while capturing the program’s 32nd MIAA regular season crown.

The Bearcats rose as high as No. 18 in the ITA national rankings, finishing 14-6 in dual action with a season-ending loss May 9 in the NCAA Central Region final in Magnolia, Arkansas.

Sophomore Andrea Zamurri went 21-5 in singles play with a 16-2 mark in dual matches and was named MIAA Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Nationally-ranked Franco Oliva completed his collegiate career with 67 singles wins, which tied for 10th-most in program history, and 57 doubles wins. Fabien Calloud concluded his Bearcat career with 58 singles and 58 doubles victories, which are tied for the ninth-most in Northwest history. The duo of Oliva and Calloud captured first-team allMIAA honors at No. 3 doubles.

Altogether, seven men earned all-MIAA accolades, and five were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Calloud, senior Martin Sanchez and Zamurri were honored as MIAA ScholarAthlete selections.

The women finished with a record of 16-9 overall and 5-3 in MIAA play during the spring, including a pair of wins over ranked foes in No. 25 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 30 Southeastern Oklahoma State. The women also scored an MIAA tournament quarterfinal win over UNK before bowing to eventual champion Central Oklahoma in the semifinals.

Julia Aliseda had a team-best 18 singles wins and 17 doubles victories in 2021-22, capping her career with 65 singles wins and 52 doubles triumphs.

Seven women earned all-MIAA honors with sophomore Tessa Kwakernaak garnering first-team status at No. 6 singles. Six were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, including sophomore Vera Alenicheva and Kwakernaak with 4.0 GPAs.

in strikeouts (93). He led the MIAA in innings pitched (93) and WHIP (1.02), going 6-7 while holding batters to a .220 batting average and walking only 19. He was a two-time MIAA Pitcher of the Week.

Sophomore relief pitcher Jacob Gajic, junior outfielder Ryan Koski, senior shortstop Jacob Pinkerton and junior starting pitcher Alex Slocum were all-MIAA honorable mentions.

Twenty-four players were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, and Koski, Pinkerton and Spitzmiller were MIAA Scholar-Athlete selections.

Head coach Darin Loe collected his 700th career coaching victory March 5 in a 6-3 win over Missouri Southern. He has recorded 558 wins in 23 years at the helm of the Bearcat program.

SOFTBALL The Bearcats won seven of their last nine games, including a pair of doubleheader sweeps of Pittsburg State and Lincoln to finish in a tie for ninth place in the MIAA standings with firstyear head coach Naomi Tellez.

Junior Olivia Daugherty led the team with 27 runs scored and ranked second on the squad in hits (45) with a .313 batting average. She hit eight home runs and has a career total of 30 home runs, which ranks third in school history. Sophomore Abby Nolte hit a team-best 12 home runs, which ranks as the seventh-best single-season total in Bearcat history.

Freshman Skylar Pieper, batting leadoff and starting 42 games, led the Bearcats in batting average at .322. Junior Jacee Winn recorded a team-best 48 hits and batted .312 as she started all 50 games.

The Bearcat pitching staff was led by sophomore Breck Dickey, who went 9-12 with a team-best 128 strikeouts, the seventh-best season in program history.

The Bearcats had 11 players earn a spot on the MIAA’s Academic Honor Roll, including Daugherty, Nolte and Winn as Scholar-Athlete selections. Daugherty, Nolte, Pieper and Winn were honorable mentions on the All-MIAA softball teams.

BASEBALL The Bearcats began the spring with only six wins through their first 24 games but regrouped midway through the MIAA season and finished with 13 wins in their final 22 contests. The Bearcats won four of their last six MIAA games to finish in a three-way tie for eighth place in the league standings with Emporia State and Newman.

Junior starting pitcher Max Spitzmiller became the 16th Bearcat pitcher to earn first-team all-MIAA honors. He ranked No. 2 in the nation with seven complete games and No. 2 in the MIAA

Breck Dickey

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

27

BEARCAT SPORTS

WINTER

SPORTS RECAP INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD The Bearcats sent seven women and one man to the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships March 11-12 at the Robert W. Plaster Center in Pittsburg, Kansas, where those eight representatives secured six NCAA Division II All-America honors.

Redshirt freshman Bailey Blake, redshirt freshman Jaedy Commins, sophomore Tiffany Hughey and freshman Chloe Saenz notched first-team All-America status in the women’s 4x400 relay with a sixth-place finish. Blake, in the 800m, and Hughey, in the 400m, also secured second-team All-America accolades.

Sophomore Jada Shanklin secured first-team All-America honors in the women’s high jump.

Representing the Bearcat men, sophomore Blake Morgan secured second-team All-America status in the high jump.

Junior Caroline Cunningham collected the Women’s High Point Scorer Award at the MIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Northwest’s Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse. Cunningham netted a meet-best 23 team points and defended her MIAA indoor title in the mile to earn 10 points. She added eight points with a second-place finish in the 5,000-meter and five points with a fourth-place finish in the 3,000-meter race.

Luisarys Toledo

Northwest also captured MIAA indoor titles from freshman Luisarys Toledo (pentathlon), Shanklin (high jump) and the men’s distance medley relay squad (junior Jake Norris, redshirt freshman Prince Griffin, senior Tucker Dahle and redshirt freshman Reece Smith). The Bearcat women placed second at the MIAA meet, while the men placed sixth.

The Bearcat indoor track and field teams had 26 women and 12 men earn MIAA academic recognition. The coaching staff also was voted the MIAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coaching Staff of the Year.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The reconstruction of the Bearcat women’s basketball team took another positive step as the Bearcats posted a mark of 17-12 overall and 12-10 in MIAA play.

Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Austin Meyer ’06, ’08, Northwest tied for sixth in the MIAA final standings, which marked its highest finish in the league since the 201011 season. Northwest’s 12 MIAA victories, 11 home wins and seven-game win streak in November and December also were the most for the program since 2010-11.

Northwest ranked No. 1 in the nation in fewest three-pointers allowed by its opponents (87) and No. 3 in the country in fewest 3-pointers attempted by the opposition (323).

The Bearcats ranked No. 5 in the nation and No. 2 in the MIAA in fewest turnovers per game at 11.8 per contest. They ranked second in the MIAA in scoring defense by limiting opponents to 56.7 points per game.

Senior Mallory McConkey earned third28

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

Peyton Kelderman

Mallory McConkey

team All-MIAA status while redshirt freshman Molly Hartnett and freshman Peyton Kelderman were honorable mention All-MIAA selections. The Bearcats also had 10 student-athletes earn MIAA academic recognition, which tied for the second-highest number of recipients in the league.

BEARCAT SPORTS

Whether you’re in Omaha, Dallas, Kansas City, Phoenix or beyond... Tune in to

the Bearcat Radio Network Don’t miss a single play!

KXCV 90.5 FM, the 100,000-watt FM public radio station that broadcasts from the Northwest campus, is entering its 24th season as the flagship for Bearcat sports broadcasts.

An anchor of Bearcat athletics broadcasts since 1985, John Coffey ’82 returns as the “Voice of the Bearcats” with Matt Tritten ’11, who is entering his seventh year with the broadcast.

In addition to Bearcat football games, tune in for the Bearcat Coaches Show at noon on Tuesdays and “In the Trenches with Rich Wright” at 6 p.m. on Thursdays.

2022 Bearcat Football Schedule

SEPT. 1 (THU.) / 7 P.M. VS. FORT HAYS STATE SEPT. 10 (SAT.) / 2 P.M. AT LINCOLN SEPT. 17 (SAT.) / 1:30 P.M. VS. CENTRAL MISSOURI

Listen on the radio • KXCV, 90.5 FM Maryville • KRNW, 88.9 FM Chillicothe • KKWK, 100.1 FM Cameron

SEPT. 24 (SAT.) / 2 P.M. OCT. 1 (SAT.) / 1:30 P.M. OCT. 8 (SAT.) / 2 P.M. OCT. 15 (SAT.) / 1:30 P.M. OCT. 22 (SAT.) / 2 P.M.

Listen on the web or your mobile device Go to KXCV.org and click “Listen Live,” or download the Bearcat Public Media app.

OCT. 29 (SAT.) / 2 P.M. NOV. 5 (SAT.) / 1:30 P.M. NOV. 12 (SAT.) / 1 P.M.

(FAMILY WEEKEND)

AT CENTRAL OKLAHOMA VS. MISSOURI WESTERN AT PITTSBURG STATE VS. WASHBURN VS. NORTHEASTERN STATE

(HOMECOMING)

AT NEBRASKA-KEARNEY VS. MISSOURI SOUTHERN

(AG DAY/SENIOR DAY)

AT EMPORIA STATE HOME GAMES IN GREEN

BURNSIDES, SPURGEON SELECTED FOR MIAA HALL OF FAME Northwest was represented by a pair of former student-athletes when the MIAA inducted its 2022 Hall of Fame class June 6 in the Music Hall at the Kansas City Convention Center.

SCOTT SPURGEON

Spurgeon, a member of the Bearcat baseball team from 1986 to 1988, is Northwest baseball’s only first-team AllAmerican, receiving the honor in 1988.

He earned first-team All-MIAA honors both years, claiming the conference’s MVP award in 1987 as a catcher and Hitter of the Year in 1988 as a third baseman.

Spurgeon ranks in Northwest’s top-10 in four categories. He owns Northwest’s all-time slugging percentage record (.872) and ranks second in career batting average (.432). He ranks fifth in Bearcat baseball with 30 career home runs and seventh with 35 career doubles. His 1.007 slugging percentage and 22 doubles in 1988 rank first in Northwest’s single-season records. Spurgeon was drafted by the Houston Astros in 1988 and went on to earn his doctorate degree in educational leadership at St. Louis University.

MYLES BURNSIDES

Burnsides, a member of the Bearcat football team from 2006 through 2009, was a two-time first-team All-American and All-MIAA defensive back. The Bearcats went 37-0 in MIAA contests and appeared in the NCAA Division II National Championship game each year, winning the title in 2009. He led the team in interceptions all four seasons and ranks third in Northwest record books with 16 career interceptions. He also notched 100 career playoff tackles, which ranks second all-time at Northwest.

Among numerous honors, he was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American, Burnsides was the MIAA’s Ken B. Jones Award Winner and the NCAA Division II’s National Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2009-10.

ROBERTS DRAFTED BY NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Sam Roberts became the seventh Bearcat football player to be selected in the NFL Draft after the New England Patriots selected him in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft in April in Las Vegas.

He led a dominant Bearcat defense and recorded 6.5 sacks in 13 games in 2021. His 18 tackles-for-loss tied for the eighth-best single-season mark in Bearcat history, helping to guide Northwest to a No. 2 national ranking in scoring defense and No. 4 in the country in total defense.

In addition to several other postseason honors, Roberts was named the 2021 Cliff Harris Award winner, which is given to the nation’s best small college defensive player.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

29

CLASS NOTES

CLASS NOTES ACTIVE LEARNING Retired faculty member returns to earn theatre degree at Northwest

Dr. Mike Wilson ’75, ’22, set a new example for lifelong learners when he graduated this spring from Northwest – nearly 50 years after receiving his first degree from the University and a decade after he retired from it as a faculty member.

A teacher of accounting, economics and finance at Northwest for 27 years, Wilson retired in 2011 but returned in 2019 to be a student again and – at age 70 on May 7 – completed a bachelor’s degree in theatre performance.

He became interested in acting a few years ago as a way to share an activity with his granddaughter, who was taking a class offered by the Rubidoux Resident Theater in St. Joseph, Missouri. Wilson enrolled in a class for older adults and caught the acting bug while performing in a Rubidoux production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”

His interest in theatre was enough that he decided to pursue a degree in it at Northwest.

“It was one of those things where I was getting in some plays in St. Joseph and I didn’t feel like I was really that good,” he said. “I wanted to try to get better.”

Although, Wilson had the unique perspective of being a retired faculty member when he returned to the classroom – and in some

STAY CONNECTED

cases having former colleagues as his instructors – he wanted no favors and asked to be treated the same as his classmates.

“I said I wouldn’t give up my faculty parking place,” he joked, before adding, “I was a student. I did everything that the students did. I said from day one that I was going to be a student.”

Joining the long-standing tradition at Northwest, Wilson participated with other first-year theatre students in the Freshman/Transfer Showcase to open the 2019-20 academic year. Among other productions, he appeared in “A Memory of Spoon River: A Tribute to Edgar Lee Masters,” a film the Department of Fine and Performing Arts produced last year when the COVID-19 pandemic limited live theatre. For it, Wilson filled three roles, wrote two monologues and was a location scout.

Now with his newly earned degree in hand, Wilson says he intends to not only continue acting at the Rubidoux Resident Theater but wants to try his hand at more directing.

“Northwest has taken good care of me and my family,” Wilson said. “The theatre department was a revelation to me. All of the faculty there are just superb. You won’t find a department anywhere that cares for the students like they do. What a dedicated group of people they are. I learned so much about theatre and life from them.”

To read more of this story, visit nwmissouri.edu/alumni/magazine.

DISCOVER THE MANY BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF YOUR ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.

Contact the Alumni Relations Office at Northwest Missouri State University for more information.

30

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

Dr. Mike Wilson stood to be recognized at one of Northwest’s spring commencement ceremonies in May after completing his bachelor’s degree in theatre performance..

660.562.1248 alumni@nwmissouri.edu

CLASS NOTES

Marcus Johnson recently retired after a 47-year career in facilities management and energy conservation. He worked with numerous universities and cities throughout the country as well as the U.S. Navy and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He resides in Dallas-Fort Worth area with his wife of 37 years, Pat.

’74

’59

Dr. Allen Reavis was honored in April by the Kansas Dental Association as its Dentist of the Year.

He has practiced dentistry for 38 years in Atchison, Kansas, and recently retired from Atchison Dental Associates after 37 years of ownership. He has been active in numerous dental organizations, including a term as president of the Kansas Dental Board. He now works parttime at the Atchison Community Health Clinic FQHC as dental director and provides care to underserved people.

’79

’70 Jerry and Beverly Myers Wetzel will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary Aug. 24. The couple was employed with Bedford and Wayne high schools in Iowa where Jerry was a teacher and girls basketball coach for 36 years, and Beverly taught home economics.

They now reside in Kansas City, Missouri.

1960s Roger Schlegel ’67 was honored last October as a 2020 inductee into the athletic hall of fame at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He spent nearly 10 years as a baseball, football, and track and field coach. As head baseball coach from 1972-1977, he compiled a record of 98-53, led the program to two NCAA regional appearances and was named NCAA District Coach of the Year in 1975. As head coach of the track and field team from 1980 to 1982, he led the program to three consecutive Midwest Conference outdoor championships and two indoor championships.

1970s Deborah Goodwin Menke ’72 was inducted into Iowa’s Quad-City Sports Hall of Fame in June in recognition of her success as an educator and coach.

She began her career as a teacher in the North Scott School District, where she spent 25 years serving as a physical education teacher, girls volleyball and basketball coach, and athletics director. She then was associate principal and later principal at Pleasant Valley High School until 2009.

Viola Hoffman ’74 was honored last year by the Western Slope Veterans Coalition in Colorado for her military service. She served in numerous roles with the U.S. Army from 1975 until 1996 with duty assignments that included Augsburg, Germany; Fort Gordon, Georgia; Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas; Okinawa and Hawaii. She later worked as a contractor for General Dynamics for 17 years and then for Leidos and Criterion Systems until retiring to Colorado.

Brent Harmon ’75 retired from broadcasting in December after 44 years in radio with KTNC in Falls City, Nebraska, and KFEQ and Q-Country in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Brian Heath ’79 retired in December with 40-plus years in leadership roles with LA-CO Industries, Dixon Ticonderoga and General Motors, for which he developed sales teams and served on several advisory boards.

’91

Jeffrey Cook ’80 married Susan Penn Aug. 19, 2021, in Boonville, Missouri. He is employed with Alorica as a senior project manager for its infrastructure telecom and unified communications sector. The couple resides in Gladstone, Missouri.

Kevin Rosenbohm ’80 was reappointed by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson to the Air Conservation Commission. He has owned and operated Rosenbohm Farms, a diversified agriculture operation, since 1978. He also has owned and operated Graham Seed Cleaning and Graham Seed, LLC since 1994.

Chris Johnson has accepted a position as the senior aerospace instructor for the Air Force Junior ROTC program at Cheyenne East High School. He and his wife, Nicky, and children, Aleksia, Heath and Gage, have lived in Wyoming since he retired from the active duty as a lieutenant colonel with the Air Force in 2019. Most recently, he was police academy director at Aims Community College in Windsor, Colorado.

’92

Dr. Kim Osborn Jones ’83 retired in June after 27 years with Lewis Central Community Schools in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Most recently, she was director of curriculum and instruction and had served as a teacher and assistant principal in the district.

Margaret Harriman Haynes ’89 recently was named president and chief executive officer of RiseMark and Right at Home, an in-home senior care brand. She has more than 25 years of senior management experience, including a decade on the

’88

Dr. William Nunez began work in January as vice chancellor for finance and administration at Texas Christian University. Previously, he was vice chancellor for business and finance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he had served in various leadership roles since 2003. He has worked more than 30 years in postsecondary education leadership, finance and administration roles.

1980s

Virginia Broyles Craig ’86 was appointed in January as vice president of individual underwriting at Mutual of Omaha. She had served previously as vice president and chief underwriter at Pacific Life Insurance, senior vice president of life operations at Aviva/Global Atlantic Life Insurance Company, and vice president of new business and underwriting at Transamerica.

Lisa Wiseman Kannapel and her husband, Chris, recently took ownership of The Bake Shoppe in Windsor Heights, Iowa. She spent the previous 32 years as an elementary school teacher.

leadership team at Right at Home, eight of which as chief operating officer.

1990s Paul Kuehneman ’93, was appointed in January as vice president and controller for Hormel Foods. He

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

31

CLASS NOTES

“AT NORTHWEST, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONSIDERING ALL THE THINGS THAT GO IN TO MAKING DECISIONS AS A JOURNALIST AND DOING QUALITY WORK. I THINK NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY REALLY LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR THAT GROWTH MINDSET.” – Tiffany Grunert

STRATEGY TITAN

Grunert achieves success as president, CEO of animal foundation Fulfilling a lifelong passion for animals, Tiffany Grunert ’97 is spearheading one of the world’s largest nonprofit animal health research organizations and has been recognized as one of Colorado’s Top 100 CEOs. Grunert was named the president and chief executive officer of Denver-based Morris Animal Foundation in 2018 after stints as its vice president of brand strategy and interim CEO. She is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the organization, which operates with a $90 million endowment and $18 million annual budget, while managing more than 50 employees and ensuring the majority of funds raised by the Foundation are directed to support animal health.

“Everything I’ve done has been more of a servant leader role and making sure that my team has what they need to succeed, and we’ve really been able to push a lot of initiatives forward,” she said.

The Titan 100 title recognizing Colorado’s Top 100 CEOs and C-level executives in 32

private and public sectors for exceptional leadership, vision and passion, has enabled Grunert to learn from other leaders and grow her knowledge.

“It’s really created a network of people who have differing expertise and are looking out for each other,” Grunert said. “I also feel like the core tenant of being a Titan is that everyone has a relentless pursuit of achieving their goals.”

Grunert has maintained a firm belief in continued education since graduating from Northwest with her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. A transfer student, she played with the Bearcat volleyball team and gained profession-based experiences as a member of Bearcat Productions and the Student Broadcast Association.

“Fred (Lamer, an assistant professor of mass media) was amazing,” Grunert said.

“He taught a lot of different courses but also really gave us the hands-on experience that we needed in terms of having a production company. Those were experiences that you just can’t get anywhere else.”

Grunert began her career as a broadcast journalist with stints in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Casper and Cheyenne, Wyoming, before transitioning to advertising and public relations with the Wyoming Division of Tourism.

She then secured a position in the

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

Westminster, Colorado, city manager’s office, where she handled communication for four years and earned a master’s degree in political science from the University of Colorado Denver as well as certifications in business, economics and governance.

Eventually, Grunert found her in niche at the Denver Zoo, where she led marketing and communication from 2004 through 2017.

Her desire to lead an animal-focused nonprofit organization landed her with Morris Animal Foundation. Founded in 1948, it works to bridge science and resources to advance the health of animals.

“I championed the development of core values for Morris Animal Foundation, and those are very important to me in terms of ensuring that everyone is on the same page for expectations of how we do our work and how we treat each other, and that has made a big difference at Morris Animal Foundation in terms of improving morale,” Grunert said.

Grunert credits her successes, in part, to the problem-solving skills she developed at Northwest.

“At Northwest, there was a lot of considering all the things that go in to making decisions as a journalist and doing quality work,” Grunert said. “I think Northwest Missouri State University really laid the groundwork for that growth mindset.”

CLASS NOTES

’98 Kerry Ann Wells Masoner was appointed last year as the head of lower school at Charleston Collegiate School in Charleston, South Carolina.

has more than 25 years of finance, accounting and audit experience with the company, which he joined in 1993.

Marcos Garcia ’94 retired after 27 years in a variety of executive roles at Cerner Corporation and resides in Weston, Florida, with his wife, Florencia, and daughters, Sofia and Lucia.

Dr. Marlie Saxton Williams ’97, ’03, ’06, is retiring this summer from the St. Joseph (Missouri) School District after serving as its assistant superintendent of academic services since 2016. She previously worked in the district as a high school principal and in Liberty Public Schools.

2000s Mark Anderson ’01, ’04, has been appointed assistant principal at Spring Garden Middle School in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Dr. Kara Anderson ’01, ’07, was named assistant director of special programs in the St. Joseph (Missouri) School District, where she previously was principal at Bessie Ellison Elementary School.

DeAnn Davison ’03, ’20, began work in April as the city of Maryville’s first director of tourism.

Her previous work included marketing roles with Mosaic Medical Center-Maryville, Northwest and Northwest Campus Dining.

Erin Fent ’03 has been hired as the elementary principal for the Nodaway-Holt (Missouri) R-VII School District. She was an elementary school teacher for 19 years.

Megan Kroll ’03 has been named the principal of North Star High School in Lincoln, Nebraska. She has worked the last 19 years at North Star, most recently as an associate principal. Previously, she was an instructional coordinator and taught math.

’99

’01

Angie Bayne was named assistant director of public services at the Missouri River Regional Library, which serves Cole and Osage counties.

She has worked with the library for 13 years and received the 2014 Missouri Library Association Show Me Youth Services Award.

Sara Kaden Brunsvold completed her debut novel, “The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip,” which was released July 5. She resides in Mission, Kansas.

Dr. Logan Lightfoot ’03, ’06, began work July 1 as superintendent of the Maryville R-II School District. He spent the last four years as superintendent of Anselmo-Merna (Nebraska) Public Schools and previously served as a high school assistant principal in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, and a high school principal in Weston, Missouri.

policy advocacy, labor relations support, safety and leadership training, and professional networking to the construction industry in eastern Missouri.

She also is co-founder of The Art of Adaption, a consulting firm that trains and advises organizations on diversity, equity, inclusion, company culture and psychological safety. She spent the previous 11 years working in various higher education roles.

Dr. Jason McDowell ’03, ’10, ’18, has been named principal at Minnie Cline Elementary in the Savannah (Missouri) R-III School District.

He previously was an elementary principal, high school principal and interim superintendent in the Northeast Nodaway R-V School District.

Dr. Larry Linthacum ’04, ’09, retired from his education career June 30 and is beginning work as president and chief executive officer of Special Olympics Missouri. He worked 27 years in education, including the last seven as superintendent of the Jefferson City (Missouri) School District. Previously, he was superintendent of the Maryville R-II School District and the South Harrison R-II School District in Bethany, director of the North Central Career Center at South Harrison, and he taught and coached, beginning his career as a business teacher at Jefferson City High School.

Troy Steensen ’03 recently was promoted to vice president of marketing with Sioux City, Iowabased Security National Bank. He joined the bank as its marketing director in 2016 and previously worked with e-commerce platforms and multimedia advertising sales in print and television.

Dr. Jessica Gibbons ’04, ’05, graduated from Drake University in December with her Ph.D. in educational leadership. She is employed as a dual credit English instructor with the Winterset (Iowa) Community School District and resides in Winterset with her husband, Warren, and sons, Miles and Max.

Daren Roberts ’05, ’07, was named plant manager for Kendall Packaging in Pittsburg, Kansas. He worked previously for 10 years with Johnson Controls, most recently as plant superintendent in Parsons, Kansas.

Bart Hardy ’04, ’13, has been appointed principal at Lafayette High School in St. Joseph, Missouri. He previously was an assistant principal.

Josh Kleinlein ’04 was named in February as chief financial officer of Triumph Foods in St. Joseph, Missouri. He joined the company in 2016 as vice president of finance and accounting. Previously, he was as an auditor.

Burnea Lester ’04 was named director of communication and community relations at SITE Improvement Association, which offers public

Joey Salomone ’06 recently published his second book of poems, “Drop of Atom,” a follow-up to his first collection, “Zero Percent of Something,” released in 2020. A former high school English teacher, he now practices as a nurse in Kansas City, Missouri.

Heidi Beatty ’07, ’08, has been named principal for the Northeast Nodaway (Missouri) R-V School District. She was assistant principal during the past year and previously taught at Northeast Nodaway, in Savannah and at Northwest’s Horace Mann Laboratory School.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

33

CLASS NOTES

Todd Shalz ’07 has been named principal of Belair Elementary in the Jefferson City (Missouri) School District, where he had been principal at Callaway Hills Elementary School. His previous work also includes teaching various grades and serving as an instructional coach and curriculum coordinator in St. Joseph.

Dr. Margaret Sebastian ’13 recently completed Ph.D. degrees in higher education and student affairs leadership and in applied statistics and research methods from the University of Northern Colorado. She is employed at Salisbury University as the TRIO program director in Salisbury, Maryland.

Dr. Heather Beaulieu ’08 was named deputy superintendent of the Jefferson City (Missouri) School District. Most recently, she was assistant superintendent of elementary education and has served as an elementary and middle school teacher, assistant elementary principal and elementary principal during her 26-year career.

Alisha Blake Wagner ’13 is a manager at Cass County Abstract Co. Inc. in Atlantic, Iowa, where she resides with her spouse, Tyler, and daughter, Spencer.

Nicholas Triche ’08 and his spouse, Brittany, welcomed a son, Ty David, on March 20. They reside in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where Nicholas is a major with the U.S. Army.

Erica Whittle ’08 has been named learning coordinator of secondary schools and PK-12 math supports for the Johnston (Iowa) Community School District. She has worked in the West Des Moines Community School District since 2015, most recently as principal of Stilwell Junior High and previously as associate principal of Valley High School. Prior to that, she was as an instructional coach in Dallas Center-Grimes and an eighth and ninth grade math and science teacher.

Brent Barnett ’15 recently joined Brownfield Ag News as an anchor and reporter, based in Pella, Iowa.

Sara Waggoner ’16 is employed as an office manager with Agri-Pulse Communications Inc. in its Camdenton, Missouri, office. Previously, she handled payroll and accounting for a kitchen cabinet manufacturer.

Christine Prussman ’17 has been named assistant principal at Lafayette High School in St. Joseph, Missouri, where she previously was an English teacher and department chair.

Haley Fitzpatrick ’18 joined Fox 44 KWKT in Waco, Texas, last year as a meteorologist. She began her career as a meteorologist with WCBI-TV in Columbus, Mississippi.

Christopher Hall ’09, ’10, ’11, recently became co-owner of the Dickinson County News, Spencer Daily Reporter and Le Mars Daily Sentinel newspapers in Iowa. He also is owner of the Charles City Press and New Hampton Tribune.

Mallory Stanton Arellano ’09 has completed her fourth year as an assistant professor with Newman University’s teacher education outreach program.

Previously, she was an elementary and early childhood teacher for eight years in Garden City, Kansas, where she resides.

2010s Jeffery Sullivan ’10 was appointed assistant principal at Central High School in St. Joseph, Missouri, where he previously was in the same role at Truman Middle School. He also has served as a principal of Bishop LeBlond High School.

Dr. Alex Tomes ’10 has been appointed assistant principal at Benton High School in St. Joseph, Missouri. Previously, he was a biology instructor at Central High School.

Jacob Kretzer ’13, ’19, has been appointed assistant principal at Hosea Elementary in St. Joseph, Missouri. He previous was a behavior interventionist in the school district.

’17 ’18

Hannah Bell ’19 began in January as the finance director for the city of Beatrice in Nebraska. She has worked for the city in various roles in 2014.

Amber Ohnmacht ’19 is stationed at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina, as a medical service corps officer with the U.S. Air Force. In April, she completed training for health services administration and was honored with the Air Education and Training Command Commander’s Award in recognition of superior academic achievement as well as high standards of character, leadership and teamwork.

2020s Toree Hamilton ’21 was a finalist for the 2022 Eisinger Teacher of the Year awarded by the Jefferson City (Missouri) School District. She is a school counselor at Belair Elementary School where she has worked in various roles for 22 years, including as a classroom teacher to paraprofessional.

Dean Streed ’21 has been appointed principal at Clopton High School in Clarksville, Missouri. He previously taught high school physical education and health in addition to coaching softball in Bowling Green, Wentzville and Winfield in Missouri.

Kody and Carrie Egnatowski Rawson welcomed their first child, Stella, on Sept. 12, 2021.

Kody is employed with Target Corporation, and Carrie is a stay-at-home mom while she pursues a master’s degree in psychology from Eastern Kentucky University. They reside in Coon Rapids, Minnesota.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS /nwmissourialumni

@NorthwestAlumni

For a complete listing of all Northwest social media networks, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/media/social.htm.

WHAT’S NEW WITH YOU? New job? New child? New spouse? New address? Send your news to the Northwest Alumni Association at alumni@nwmissouri.edu, use the enclosed envelope or complete the online class notes form at www.nwmissouri.edu/alumni/magazine/classnotes.htm.

You may also submit a photograph. Please include a self-addressed envelope for the photo to be returned, or email it, in high resolution, to alumni@nwmissouri.edu.

34

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

CLASS NOTES

Courtney Thomas, pictured in a microbial cell lab at Institut Pasteur as she extracted DNA from animal fecal samples, is a scientific writer. She completed a Ph.D. in microbiology at the Institut Pasteur in Paris.

SCIENCE WRITER Alumna advances education, career through doctorate program The foundational profession-based experiences she gained as an microbiology tutor at the Student Success Center. undergraduate student at Northwest have helped alumna Courtney Northwest’s Department of Natural Sciences also offers a summer Thomas ’15 advance her education and further her passion for program that allows marine biology majors to study at the University biological sciences. of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory. There, Thomas now is a scientific writer and recently completed a Ph.D. in Thomas took marine biology courses, networked with Southern microbiology at the Institut Pasteur in Paris.

Mississippi’s faculty and conducted field-based projects that provided “Courtney was always an outstanding student and a great person,” an invaluable professional experience.

Dr. James Campbell, a Northwest associate professor of biology, “The summer program that marine biology students do in said. “We were able to attract her to Northwest as one of our Mississippi is fantastic, and that was a transformative experience Distinguished Scholars in the marine biology program, and she for me because it was the first time that I was living and studying has certainly lived up to that title. We are all really proud of her very far away from home,” Thomas said. “It taught me about time accomplishments, and it is inspirational for management, organization and living as an current students to see a Bearcat go on to adult for the first time.”

“The summer program that marine do great things.”

In December, Thomas defended her In 2012, Thomas arrived at Northwest dissertation at the Institut Pasteur. She now biology students do in Mississippi to obtain a bachelor’s degree in marine works as a scientific writer for Integrated is fantastic, and that was a biology. As a student in Campbell’s general DNA Technologies, where she writes to microbiology course, she found an interest educate scientists and non-scientists about transformative experience for me.” in the science of microbes. the company’s tools and devices.

“I got more interested in marine microbes Thomas relocated to Paris at the end of Courtney Thomas and how the microbes interact with her master’s program at the University of larger eukaryotic organisms,” Thomas Georgia. She studied 250 animal species’ said. “Because of that I started working in Dr. Campbell’s lab for a fecal samples to investigate the lifestyle of methane-producing semester, and he encouraged me to apply for graduate school.” archaea living in the animal’s intestine, aiming to understand microbes’ Thomas, who went on to obtain a master’s degree in marine evolutionary trends and adaptive abilities to live in the animals. sciences from the University of Georgia, attributes her success to “The thing we overlook often is microbes rule the world,” Thomas the Northwest faculty and people with whom she collaborated in said. “They’re responsible for many things in our everyday life and the Department of Natural Sciences and Marine Biology Society. She play an important role in our health and states of disease. We have found a supportive community at Northwest. this human-centric approach to life when in reality there is so much, Additionally, she was president of the Marine Biology Society, biologically speaking, that we can’t see that are foundational blocks of taught as a general biology supplementary instructor and worked as a our lives. I think that’s fascinating.”

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

35

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

Northwest extends its condolences to the families and friends of these individuals.

Earl Adkins ’59, age 85, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, died Jan. 23. He taught industrial arts at the junior and senior high levels for 34 years.

Charlotte Spainhower Allen ’47, age 95, died April 5 in Blue Springs, Missouri. She began her career as a teacher in Farragut, Iowa, before serving as a minister of churches in Kansas and Missouri.

Joanne Anderson ’84, age 79, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Jan. 17. She was an honors English teacher and later the English department chair at Central High School in St. Joseph, where she taught from 1972 to 2001.

Victor Anderson ’61, age 82, of Urbandale, Iowa, died Oct. 31, 2021. He was a high school band director for eight years in Story City, Iowa, and then was director of The Greater Des Moines Community Band for two decades in addition to performing with Vic’s Big Band. He also directed The Highlands County Concert Band for 13 years in Sebring, Florida.

Luther Armfield ’60, age 83, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Jan. 18. He served in the U.S. Army from 1960 to 1963 and then worked with Phillips Petroleum for 40 years in its Bartlesville, Oklahoma, headquarters.

Vivian Gault Bowman ’77, age 90, of Huntsville, Alabama, died Dec. 16, 2021. She was a teacher for more than 40 years.

Patricia Ehlers Boysen ’68, age 75 of Urbandale, Iowa, died Feb. 6. She worked as an auditor for the Packers and Stockyards Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., and finished her 32-year career with the IRS, retiring in 2004.

Dr. Sharon Browning, age 81, of Maryville, died Feb. 6. After teaching business and English at the junior and senior high levels, she joined the Northwest faculty and taught marketing and management from 1964 to 1999.

36

Elaine Flint Bullock ’62, age 89, of Bethany, Missouri, died Feb. 7. She was a grade school teacher in Illinois and Iowa, retiring in 1989.

Edward Joseph Byron ’69, age 77, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, died June 16, 2021. He taught high school physical education, health and driver’s education in Jersey City, New Jersey, for 40 years.

Kristin Clark ’87, age 56, of Merriam, Kansas, died Nov. 24, 2021. She worked as a project manager, including at Broadcast Data Systems.

Norma Long Clark ’58, ’90, age 85, of Ruskin, Florida, died Dec. 15, 2021.

She taught first grade in Hopkins, Missouri, and then kindergarten at Eugene Field Elementary School in Maryville, retiring after 28 years. She also co-founded Jack and Jill Nursery School in Maryville.

Anna Corless ’55, age 95, of Kansas City, Missouri, died Sept. 10, 2021. She was a teacher in St. Joseph, Missouri, and in Hayward, California.

Gerald Cox ’50, age 92, died Aug. 30, 2021, in Overland Park, Kansas. After serving with the U.S. Army, he taught high school physics and coached girls basketball in Farragut, Iowa. He then worked as a claims adjuster and retired as an investigator for insurers and law firms in Colorado Springs in 2000.

Dorothy Bundy Crawford ’43, age 100, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Dec. 20, 2021. She taught for a few years prior before becoming a homemaker.

Mary Lee Nielsen Crowe ’69, age 73, of Burlington, Iowa, died Dec. 31, 2021. She taught in Burlington Community School District elementary schools.

Harry Crowell ’61, age 82, of Independence, Missouri, died Sept. 26, 2021. He began his career as a teacher before transitioning to developing vocational educational opportunities for students with special education needs and students identified as English as a Second Language Learners.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

Donald Davis ’73, age 70, of Malvern, Iowa, died Dec. 22, 2021. He was a teacher for 45 years.

Tiffany Fry Duis ’12, age 31, of Kansas City, Missouri, died Dec. 31, 2021. She was a fourth grade teacher at Lewis and Clark Elementary School in Liberty, Missouri.

Anthony Edelen ’01, age 44, of Vermillion, South Dakota, died Nov. 13, 2021. He operated carpet cleaning businesses in Aspen, Colorado, and then in Vermillion.

Ali Elzen ’01, age 73, of Maryville, died April 16.

He worked at Tippin’s Pies and the Park Plaza Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, before moving to northwest Missouri, where he owned and operated bakeries in Burlington Junction and Maryville.

Susan King Fay ’53, age 90, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Dec. 5, 2021. She was an artist and frequently exhibited her work in Kansas City galleries and at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum in St. Joseph.

Jerry Fry ’77, age 65, of Kansas City, Missouri, died Jan. 2. He worked for the Social Security Administration for 42 years.

Max Fuller, age 93, died Oct. 18, 2021, in Longmont, Colorado. After service in the U.S. Navy, he taught business education classes at Longmont High School. He served as director of student financial aid at Northwest from 1968 to 1972 before returning to Longmont, where he was principal of the Career Development Center for 20 years and taught post-secondary accounting classes, retiring in 1991.

Richard Glenn ’81, age 61, of Bethany, Missouri, died Jan. 12. He worked for several accounting firms before purchasing his own office in 1991 in Bethany, where he provided accounting and tax services.

Shirley Hamilton Goetz ’64, age 79, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Oct. 23, 2021. She taught in the St. Joseph School District.

Rodney Hall ’72, age 72, of Savannah, Missouri, died Jan. 4. He served in the Army National Guard and was owner and operator of Friendly Boys Lumber in Tarkio, Missouri.

IN MEMORIAM

Molly Hannas ’95, age 68, of Tybee Island, Georgia, died Feb. 18. She taught high school English in Jamesport, Missouri, and at Beach High School and Early College High School in Savannah, Georgia, where she also coached tennis and led her teams to state championships, before retiring in 2018.

Royal Harmon ’67, age 77, of Rock Port, Missouri, died Dec. 22, 2021. He served in the U.S. Army and then taught science in Rock Port and owned and operated Harmon Electronics until 1986.

He next taught avionics at the Spartan School of Aeronautics and at Tulsa Technology Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, until retiring in 2001.

Richard Harney ’69, age 74, of Maryville, died Feb. 18. He had a 29-year career with Hy-Vee, beginning at a Des Moines, Iowa, area store, advancing to assistant store director in Omaha, Nebraska, and then serving as a store director in Tarkio, Missouri, and Shenandoah, Iowa, retiring in 2007.

Darell Hawley ’74, ’77, ’86, age 73, of Maryville, died Oct. 25, 2021. He served in the U.S. Navy during Vietnam and then was a teacher and principal for many years before retiring as principal of Penney High School in Hamilton, Missouri, in 1998.

Vicki Yarmark Hedberg ’76, age 66, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, died Oct. 22, 2021.

She worked at Western Auto and Yellow Freight before starting her own business, The Travel Source/Honeymoon Hideaways, which she operated for more than 20 years.

Linda Chambers James ’67, age 77, of Olathe, Kansas, died April 24. She taught science and history for more than 30 years in the St. Joseph (Missouri) School District.

Kathleen McGinnis Jennings ’67, age 76, died Feb. 6 in Mahomet, Illinois. She was a teacher and artist.

Dorothy Carter Jones ’47, age 100, of Placerville, California, died Nov. 9, 2021. She was a teacher in northwest Missouri and served in the U.S. Navy as part of the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service during 1945 and 1946. In 1955,

she moved with her family to California, where she was an active volunteer in various scouting and church groups.

Larry Kallauner ’66, ’93, age 78, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Dec. 23, 2021. He taught in Fort Madison, Iowa, for eight years and then in Elwood, Kansas, later becoming principal until retiring in 2009.

Jerry Kimmel ’61, age 83, of Overland Park, Kansas, died Jan. 3. He worked for Rockwell International as an information systems department manager.

George Kruger ‘59, age 85, of Spencer, Iowa, died Nov. 23, 2021. He began his teaching career in Mallard, Iowa, before moving to Spencer, where he was an elementary principal and director of special education until his retirement in 1997.

Ed Kryselmire ’65, age 79, of Cassville, Missouri, died Feb. 25. He was employed by the states of Iowa and Wyoming as a social worker for more than two decades, and he owned and operated High Country Energy, a gas well testing service in southwest Wyoming.

Roger Larsen ’85, age 59, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, died Dec. 31, 2021. He taught second grade at Tri-Center Elementary School in Neola, Iowa, for 32 years.

Ruthanna Lentz ’38, age 103, of Laramie, Wyoming, died Dec. 3, 2021. She was a teacher and worked a ranch with her husband until retiring.

Johnnie Long ’72, age 75, of Wentzville, Missouri, died Dec. 21, 2021. He was a member of the U.S. Air Force for 23 years and served in Arizona, Germany, Minnesota, Missouri, California, Georgia and Illinois, where he retired in 1994. He then worked in federal civil service, retiring again in 2005.

Mary Flora Maupin ’58, age 85, of Savannah, Missouri, died Nov. 19, 2021. She taught home economics at King City High School.

Ray McClaran ’52, age 90, of Blue Springs, Missouri, died Sept. 18, 2021. He was a certified public accountant, financial vice president and comptroller for Hudson Oil Company and was a full-time minister for the Community of Christ, retiring in 1993. He also commanded Company B, 135th Signal Battalion of the Missouri Army National Guard, retiring as a captain.

Douglas McMahon ’86, age 59, of Rock Port, Missouri, died April 16. He was employed by Con Agra, where he worked as the production manager for more than 20 years.

Donna Auxier Miller ’67, age 76, of Bendena, Kansas, died April 22. She taught Spanish and coached tennis in St. Joseph, Missouri, public schools and later in Atchison, Wathena and Elwood in Kansas. In retirement, she taught Spanish parttime at Atchison Catholic Elementary School.

Dr. Kenneth Minter, age 93, of Olathe, Kansas, died Feb. 11. He began his naval career with the Navy Medical Corp in 1953 and served in the Naval Reserve from 1957 to 1981, retiring as commander.

He also taught biology and general science at Emporia (Kansas) High School for four years and then was a Northwest faculty member from 1963 to 1993, which included service as chair of the biology department.

Doni Fry Mollus ’79, ’92, ’94, age 64, of Maryville, died Feb. 11. She retired from Northwest in 2020 as a senior instructor of accounting after 20 years of service in the Melvin D. and Valorie G. Booth School of Business.

Emma Lee Vance Morgan ’39, age 103, died Aug. 28, 2021, in Houston. She worked at Northwest as a secretary for Dean J.C. Miller and later for Dean J.W. Jones until 1941. She became a full-time mother, raising three children in Jefferson City, Missouri, while husband June “J.P.” Morgan was a judge on the Missouri Supreme Court from 1969 until 1982 and a member of Northwest’s Board of Regents from 1961 to 1969.

Joy Brown Nielsen ’71, age 71, of Cleghorn, Iowa, died Jan. 4. She taught at Grand Valley and Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn schools in Iowa for 31 years and was a school librarian, retiring in 2007.

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

37

IN MEMORIAM

Steve Newhouse ’00, age 43, of Overland Park, Kansas, died July 19, 2021. He had worked for seven years at Burns and McDonnell as an electrical drafting technician.

Richard O’Halloran ’71, age 73, of Chillicothe, Missouri, died Nov. 18, 2021. He was a certified public accountant and was the finance director at Chillicothe Municipal Utilities for 25 years, retiring in 2016.

Billy Lee Pease ’52, age 94, of Lincoln, Nebraska, died Jan. 12. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1946 to 1948 and enjoyed a varied career that included managing a hardware store, farming, painting and wall papering, selling fertilizer and working as a supervisor at a meat packing plant. He also worked as a clown for the Sesostris Shrine Clown Unit and was named Clown of the Year in 1980.

Harold Ray ’98, age 63, of Belton, Missouri, died Nov. 12, 2021. He was a faculty member at the University of Central Missouri, where he taught Earth science and was a paleontology team member on numerous field studies.

Mary Lou Chappell Roberts ’65, age 77 of Brentwood, Tennessee, died Feb. 9. She was a kindergarten teacher for more than 35 years in Iowa, Kansas and Tennessee and co-authored a series of educational children’s books.

Lt. Col. Peter Rodda ’67, age 77, of in Cumming, Georgia, died Feb. 7. He served in the U.S. Army for 25 years in various command and staff assignments in the U.S., Germany and Vietnam before retiring in 1993. He also taught high school in Iowa, Illinois and Georgia. He held various executive management positions in the food, software and communication industries.

Alveda Baumann Russell ’80, age 92, of DeSoto, Kansas, died Nov. 30, 2021. She was a fifth grade teacher at Minnie Cline Elementary School in St. Joseph, Missouri, and later at Savannah (Missouri) Junior High School.

Capt. Richard Scharff ’61, age 82, of St. Augustine, Florida, died June 29, 2021. He served in the U.S. Navy, retiring after 24 years in 1986, and then worked as the head of procurement at University of California San Diego, the University of Iowa and San Diego State University, retiring in 2014.

Arthur Schnuck Jr. ’73, age 71, of Boonville, Missouri, died Dec. 8, 2021. He was a member of the Missouri Army National Guard 175th Military Police in Moberly, Missouri, and operated a thirdgeneration diversified Century Farm.

Beverly Jo Holt Shelton ’46, age 96, of Maryville, died Dec. 11, 2021. She worked as a public school music teacher and private piano teacher. An active volunteer, she was the American Association of University Women’s Woman of the Year in 1981.

Daniel Smith, age 59, of Maryville, died May 2.

After practicing law in Washington, D.C., he joined the Northwest faculty in 1999. He served as the coach of Northwest’s Mock Trial Team and as an advisor for the pre-law program, PreLaw Society and Student Senate. He also oversaw Northwest’s legislative internship program that places students in the offices of Missouri lawmakers each spring.

Joyce Brown Smith ’55, age 87, of Bethany, Missouri, died Oct. 26, 2021. She taught in Savannah, Stanberry, King City, Westboro and Bethany.

Dr. Theodore Spessard ’71, age 78, of Belle, Missouri, died Dec. 1, 2021. He began his career teaching biology and coaching basketball in Martinsville, before moving into principal roles in Hopkins, Richmond and Odessa. He then was superintendent for the Community R-VI School District in Laddonia and for the Maries County R-2 School District in Belle, retiring in 2009 after 41 years in education.

Curtis Thomas ’57, age 86, of Las Vegas, died Nov. 24, 2021. He was a teacher, counselor and football coach before becoming a sales executive at Commerce Clearing House and then working at Skyway Freight until retiring in 1997. He worked as a golf course marshal in retirement.

Marvin Toft ’60, age 85, of Carroll, Iowa, died March 3. After serving in the U.S. Army, he taught in Maryville and Elk Horn, Iowa, and then became a high school principal at Ringsted, Iowa. He later launched a ServiceMaster franchise in Carroll, operating it successfully for 20 years and then pursued a career in sales, retiring in 2004.

Cindy Taylor Walker ’69, ’72, age 74, of Forest Lake, Minnesota, died Dec. 30, 2021. She taught English in Granville, Iowa, and St. Paul, Minnesota, before working as a guidance counselor in St. Paul schools during the last 20 years of her career.

Ryan Walker ’07, age 37, of Shanghai, China, died Oct. 12, 2021. He was director of curriculum at Chinon Oriental Private Foreign School in Shanghai.

LET US KNOW 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.

38

NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

Jim Wasem, age 86, of Patoka, Illinois, died April 2. He was head coach of the Northwest baseball team from 1972 to 1981, leading the Bearcats to the NCAA Division II College World Series in 1975 and four MIAA championships. His 23-year collegiate coaching career also included stops at Monmouth College in Illinois and Eastern Washington University. He began his career teaching and coaching at high schools in Kinmundy and Roxana, Illinois. He is a member of several halls of fame and authored two books and numerous publications about baseball and basketball.

Mildred “Maxine” Caldwell Watkins ’62, age 95, of Braymer, Missouri, died Feb. 21. She was a school teacher for 27 years in St. Louis.

Dale Weeks ’65, age 78, of Seymour, Iowa, died Nov. 28, 2021. He taught math and science at Southeast Warren Community School District, was principal at Collins, and served as superintendent of schools at Mingo, Woodward-Granger and Seymour, retiring in 2007.

Joyce Budine West ’66, age 79, of Kansas City, Missouri, died April 3. She taught elementary school in Kansas City.

John Wilcox ’74, ’76, age 77, of Kansas City, Missouri, died Dec. 12, 2021. He served in the U.S. Army as a helicopter pilot during two tours in Vietnam and continued his military career in the Army National Guard, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1988.

Harold Wilmarth ’69, age 81, died Jan. 27 in Mesa, Arizona. He began his career at Farmers Produce and Farmers Elevator in Hopkins, Missouri, which he eventually purchased and expanded to include Farmers Supply in Burlington Junction and Mo. Valley Agriservice in Rock Port, Missouri, before retiring in 1998.

Kenneth Winkelman ’75, age 71, of Maple Grove, Minnesota, died Dec. 14, 2021. He worked as a production and operations manager for the setup of tradeshow and museum displays, maintaining his own business, On-Site I & D Services.

Gary Wyatt ’72, age 85, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Feb. 14. He served in the U.S. Navy, before working in management consulting and later joined Sheridan-Clayton Paper Company in St. Joseph.

Irma Nicholson Zapf ’50, ’71, age 93, of Maryville, died March 29. She taught in Walnut, Iowa, and in Rosendale, Graham and Savannah in Missouri.

NORTHWEST

POSTCARD The hit-making pop trio AJR rocked the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse for an April 8 concert sponsored by Northwest’s Student Activities Council.

The SAC concert, which typically happens annually on the campus, was the first at Northwest since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was the first to occur in the Hughes Fieldhouse, further demonstrating the varied uses of the facility. Opened in the fall of 2018, the 137,250-square-foot recreation and multipurpose building – the largest publicprivate partnership in Northwest’s history and one of the largest-ever in the region – has played host to indoor track and field meets, career fairs, Bearcat volleyball, intramurals and academic courses, as well as last year’s COVID-19 vaccine clinics.

NORTHWEST THE MAGAZINE FOR NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI AND FRIENDS

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Maryville, MO Permit No. 215

ALUMNI MAGAZINE I SUMMER 2022

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 alumni@nwmissouri.edu

HELP US GROW THE BEARCAT FAMILY Northwest alumni and friends — help Northwest connect with future Bearcats by sharing the contact information of students who would benefit from the FULL UNIVERSITY

EXPERIENCE Northwest has to offer! Show your pride by sharing with others that

Northwest helps students with professionbased learning experiences to make them

CAREER READY, DAY ONE.

THE RIGHT SIZE

7,870 STUDENTS

89% OF FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS

RECEIVE AN INSTITUTIONAL SCHOLARSHIP OR GRANT

98% OF NORTHWEST GRADS

SECURE EMPLOYMENT OR CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF GRADUATING

Complete the online form at www.nwmissouri.edu/admissions/leads/refer.htm

nwmissouri.edu/admissions