Shipherd's Record spring 2005

Still Connected After All These Years The Hon. Judge William Bledsoe ’52

From the

Board of Trustees

President

Officers David T. Hayhow, Chair, Okemos George F. Francis III, Vice Chair, Southfield Carol Eichert Franck, Vice Chair, Orleans, Mass.

David E. Hathaway, J.D., Secretary, Ada Kennard A. Kinzler, Treasurer, Bloomfield Hills

Olivet College has had another great year, as you can see from this issue of Shipherd’s Record. I look forward to an exciting summer as we continue raising expectations for our students, faculty and staff.

A number of facility improvements are scheduled to begin during the next few months. The college’s new food service company, Chartwells, is renovating the Kirk Center this summer.

We’ll also be breaking ground on a new on-campus, apartment-style residence hall, thanks to the support of J. Robert Gillette ’63. These are a few of the changes which reflect the excitement Don Tuski ’85, Ph.D. that’s been building at Olivet.

In addition to aesthetic improvements, the college’s faculty and staff have been working hard to improve student programming.

The Office of Student Life coordinated learning/living environments in the residence halls this past semester, giving students access to in-house tutors three nights a week. The Office of Academic Affairs is re-introducing the Advanced Learning Term for incoming freshmen; this program is used to help students adjust to life on campus.

We’re actively working to make Olivet College a great place to live, learn and work. Your support for these advancements is much needed and appreciated. For more information on how to support Olivet, see the article by Mark Veich, the college’s new director of development, on page 20.

If you are in the Olivet area this summer, please feel free to stop by my office. I always appreciate connecting with the college’s alumni and friends!

Members G. Asenath Andrews ’72, Detroit Christine Arvidson ’78, Traverse City C. Patrick Babcock, Lansing Charles A. Blackman ’46, Ph.D., Madison, Ind. The Hon. Judge William F. Bledsoe ’52, LL.B., Detroit Thomas Burke ’82, Carmel, Ind. James W. Butler III, East Lansing Priscilla Upton Byrns, St. Joseph Dennis Daugherty ’70, Mattawan Elizabeth G. Dole, Grand Rapids Henry H. Doss, Traverse City Robert Ewigleben, Albion Jamey T. Fitzpatrick ’86, Grand Ledge William N. Healy ’79, Brighton Sharon R. Hobbs, Ph.D., East Lansing Timothy Hodge ’83, D.O., DeWitt Thomas Hoisington, Lansing The Hon. Judge Denise Page Hood, Detroit The Rev. Mark P. Jensen, D.D., ’89, Farmington Hills Thomas E. Kolassa ’69, Battle Creek Robert M. Lawrence ’57, Grosse Ile Dean Lewis ’55, Kalamazoo Fritz Lewis, Middleville William Middlebrooks, West Bloomfield Martin L. Mitchell ’73, Ed.D., Coldwater George Pyne III ’65, Milford, Mass.

The Rev. Nancy Barto Rohde ’65, Petoskey The Hon. John J.H. Schwarz, M.D., Battle Creek Samuel H. Thomas, Ann Arbor

Don Tuski ’85, Ph.D.

Campus Administration Administrative Responsibility Team Donald L. Tuski ’85, Ph.D., President Barbara A. Spencer, Executive Assistant to the President Larry D. Colvin, Vice President for Administration Norma L. Curtis, Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs Lynn Ward Gray, Executive Director for Diversity and Service Learning Linda McWright, Ph.D., Vice President and Dean for Student Life Jerry T. Rashid, Assistant Vice President for College Relations Thomas N. Shaw ’88, Vice President for Enrollment Management Mark Veich, Director of Development

Table of

Contents Features 6

Shipherd’s Record is named after Father John J. Shipherd, who established Olivet College in 1844. The magazine is published twice annually for Olivet alumni and friends.

Still Connected The Hon. Judge William Bledsoe ’52 remains deeply committed to his alma mater.

8

Making a Difference For Professor John Homer, it’s all about the students.

Shipherd’s Record Staff Jerry Rashid Assistant Vice President for College Relations

10

Shannon Tiernan Coordinator of College Relations and Special Events

A Career to Relish

6

As president of a pickle packing company, Mike Hescott ’87 faces new challenges every day.

Jackie Bounds College Relations Specialist

11

Bruce Snyder Director of Publications and Web Services

Helping Others Karen (Fender) Gonser ’84 is reaching out to assist troubled youth.

Marty Mason Jennings ’67 Director of Alumni Relations Geoff Henson Sports Information Director Contributors Elizabeth Flanary, junior Lynn Ward Gray, executive director for diversity and service learning Molly Reed, senior Mark Veich, director of development Send comments or suggestions to: Office of College Relations Olivet College Olivet, MI 49076 (269) 749-7657 collegerelations@olivetcollege.edu Send change of address notices to: Olivet College Development Office Olivet, MI 49076 (269) 749-7625 pfrayer@olivetcollege.edu Olivet College Mission Statement The mission of Olivet College is to make available to a diverse campus community, an education which will enrich lives intellectually, morally and spiritually.

Having gained these qualities through the educational experiences at Olivet, our hope is that our graduates will embody the Divine art and science of doing good to others, as stated by the founding fathers of Olivet College in 1844.

10

8

11

Departments 2

Around the Square

20

Development

21

Comet Sports

24

Class Notes

OLIVET

COLLEGE

1

Around the

Square McWright named vice president and dean of student life Linda McWright, Ph.D., was named vice president and dean of student life at Olivet College in March 2005. McWright is responsible for resident life, student activities and organizations, Greek life and multicultural education. She also oversees orientation and community standards, in addition to housing and health services. Since December 2004, McWright served as acting vice president and dean for student life.

Linda McWright McWright has been with the college since 1997 and has served as chair of the Social Science Department and assistant professor of sociology/anthropology. She developed the college’s criminal justice program and has sponsored many programs on campus related to diversity, families and success.

McWright earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Saginaw Valley State University, master’s degree in education and counseling from Central Michigan University and doctorate in human ecology from Michigan State University. She is also a licensed counselor with private counseling experience and has published many articles on families, children and ethnicity.

Martin Luther King Jr., Day Long before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., pounded the streets advocating equal rights for all, regardless of race, gender or financial means, Olivet College was established in support of the same mission.

In celebration of this shared legacy, Olivet’s Office of Multicultural Education and Initiatives hosted a series of events on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day) Monday, Jan. 17 and throughout Black History Month. These included a multicultural enrichment weekend retreat, a Lecture and Symposium Series featuring Jim Petty, former curator of the Middle Passage and African-American History traveling museum, and the Black Student Think Tank. As part of the MLK Day luncheon, Austin Jackson, an adjunct instructor of interdisciplinary studies at Olivet, addressed King’s influence on the world and how his vision has yet to be met in its full capacity.

“The overall goal for this year’s MLK Day and Black History Month programming was to challenge our students to carry on the torch of civil and human rights,” said Richard Craig ’99, director of the Office of Multicultural Education and Initiatives. “Though there have been some achievements during the past few decades, we must challenge our student leaders to continue making the advancements that Dr. King and the college’s founding fathers believed in.”

Students donate books to local charity

College receives Reithmiller portrait

Sigma Tau Delta members (from left) Dayna Vickery, Tamara Calkins, Lisa Cook, Rachael Bohms and Stephanie Reed, showcase a few of the 127 books they donated to the SIREN/Eaton Shelter, Inc.

Peggy Riethmiller Blackman, Ph.D., presented a portrait of her late husband, M. Gorton Riethmiller ’28, Ph.D., to the Olivet College Board of Trustees at its quarterly meeting in January. Riethmiller, who served as Olivet’s president from 1957-70, was the author of Upon this Hill. The book details his views of the college as a student, alumnus and president.

2

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

The Olivet College chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the English international honor society, donated 127 books to the SIREN/Eaton Shelter, Inc., in Charlotte. The shelter provides emergency housing, crisis counseling and other support services to homeless families, battered women and their children.

Sigma Tau Delta held several pop can drives and raised $200 to purchase the books. The society bought toddler board books and young children and young adult titles, based on the shelter’s need. It also purchased books about opposites, numbers and letters. The students donated classics including Jane Eyre and a series of Disney Babies board books.

“The members of Sigma Tau Delta are ecstatic about the fact that we are reaching people through literature,” said Stephanie Reed, a junior from Dimondale and co-president of the society.

Sigma Tau Delta members must be enrolled as English majors or minors and have taken a minimum of two courses in English. Students must also have a grade point average of at least 3.0 in English courses, rank in the top 35 percent of their class and have completed at least three semesters of college coursework.

New direction for Garfield Lake Review What do J. Alfred Prufrock, Leonard Cohen and Elvis all have in common? They’re in the 2005 Garfield Lake Review, of course.

This year’s Garfield Lake Review, the college’s literary/arts magazine, marks a new direction for the publication that has seen 34 editions in its history at Olivet. At 124 pages, this edition is one of the largest ever produced. The magazine reflects editor Michael Mikalakis’s personal vision for the Garfield Lake Review. Mikalakis, a senior from Jeddo, had the goal of producing an edition with quality work, four-color covers and a spiral binding that would allow the magazine to lay flat when open.

“Mike has really worked to ensure a professional look that properly showcases the work Olivet College students have to offer,” said Katie Hudson, a sophomore from Charlotte and the 2005-06 editor.

“I think this year’s Garfield Lake Review has set a new standard that we will have to continue throughout the years to come.”

Hudson took on the task of designing the covers, which utilized a digitally-manipulated image of oak leaves against the sky. (The cover also appears on the front of a T-shirt with all of the contributors’ names appearing on the back.)

Would you like to be a part of next year’s Garfield Lake Review?

Alumni (along with faculty, staff and students) are encouraged to e-mail submissions of their poetry, fiction and art to Hudson (khudson@olivetcollege.edu) or Martha Perkins (mperkins@olivetcollege.edu), Humanities Department chair and advisor of the Garfield Lake Review, before Nov. 1, 2005.

According to Hudson, material submitted for publication is carefully read by a panel of English majors who critique each work on its own merits. Then the panel meets and discusses their opinions about each item in the publication.

Copies of this year’s edition are available at the Burrage Library reference desk or contact Perkins. The Garfield Lake Review may be viewed online at: www.olivetcollege.edu/departments/humanities/.

Around the

Square Donald A. Morris Award winners

Olivet’s Donald A. Morris Awards are presented each year to the top five graduating seniors with the highest grade point averages. The 2004-05 recipients are (from left) Michelle Simmon of DeWitt; Jodi Griffin of Charlotte; Rosa Beck of Bellevue and Justin Hemmer of Ludington. Fikile Mtshiya of Zimbabwe, is missing from the photo. Each recipient chose a faculty member who was most influential during his/her career at Olivet. The chosen faculty members were Carol Breed, Business Administration Department co-chair (Simmon); Don Walker, Social Science Department chair (Griffin); Maria Davis, Natural and Physical Science Department chair (Beck); John Wilterding, assistant professor of biochemistry and director of the chemistry program (Hemmer) and Leah Knapp, professor of biology (Mtshiya). The awards are named after Morris, who served as president of the college from 1977-92.

Fair tests the physical fitness of college community members Studies have shown that more and more Americans are overweight and do not get enough physical activity. In an effort to help Olivet College measure its physical fitness, Phi Epsilon Kappa (PEK), the Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport Department (HPERS) professional society, hosted a fitness assessment and health fair in MacKay Gymnasium March 23.

Twenty-three volunteers helped evaluate more than 100 participants.

PEK members, HPERS students and faculty performed free fitness assessments by measuring height, weight, pulse, blood pressure, body composition (BMI or skin folds), upper body strength (push-up test), lower body strength (sit-ups) and cardiovascular endurance (step test).

Professionals from Oaklawn Hospital and Life Improvement Center, the American Red Cross and a stress management specialist were available to answer questions and consult with participants about their health and making positive changes to their diet and exercise program.

Jessi Shaver, a senior from Battle Creek, served as chairperson for the event. Other students who helped coordinate the fitness fair included Todd Bramlet, a sophomore from Hillsdale; Karine Campbell, a senior from Ionia; Derek Cox, a senior from Niles; Brad McCormack, a senior from Marshall; Miranda Sharp, a senior from Portland; Isaiah Wiltshire, a sophomore from Mississaugo, Ontario and Heather Wolf, a sophomore from Marshall.

Janet Menconi (left), chair of the Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport Department, checks the blood pressure of sophomore Robert Horton.

Wendy Leow (background), assistant athletic trainer, works with sophomore Andrew Neilsen.

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

3

Around the

Square Students honored in Michigan Small Colleges Art Exhibition Olivet College recently hosted the 10th Annual Michigan Small Colleges Art Exhibition in the Barker-Cawood Art Gallery.

Olivet award winners included Jason Beam, a junior from Charlotte, who earned second-place for his bronze piece, “Crane Skull;” Tracey Fix, a sophomore from New Buffalo, received an honorable mention for her untitled lithography; and Shane Koehler, a sophomore from Battle Creek, received an honorable mention for his cast plaster “Foul Hooking.”

Other Olivet students with artwork selected for the exhibit included Heather Driscoll, a teacher certification student from Okemos; Ananta Fetters, a sophomore from Fennville; Erin Fredericks, a senior from Lansing; Dustin Meisner, a freshman from Temperance; Ryan Newberry, a junior from Grand Jason Beam, a sophomore Junction; Kelly Parker, a senior from from Charlotte, earned Olivet and Barb Spencer, a student from second-place honors in the Olivet.

Michigan Small Colleges The exhibition is an annual juried show Art Exhibition for his entry and includes students from Adrian, Albion, “Crane Skull.”

Alma, Hillsdale and Olivet colleges and Spring Arbor University.

Branden Czarnecki (left), ODK president and a senior from Mason; Therese Wood, human resources specialist; Dana Cole, ODK member and a senior from Chicago and Ponja Vahs, administrative assistant and co-advisor for ODK, showcase afghans they created for “Project Linus.”

Omicron Delta Kappa pieces together afghans for children Members of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), the national leadership honor society, have been collecting 12-inch crocheted or knitted squares to assemble into afghans for “Project Linus.” The mission of Project Linus is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans in hospitals throughout the United States.

ODK members have collected a total of 56 squares to make nearly six afghans.

“Clyde your Ryde” contest winners Olivet College has initiated its own version of MTV’s popular show that transforms people’s “rides” with paint, chrome, speaker systems and new rims. Developed to reward student attendance at college activities and events, Olivet’s “Clyde your Ryde” program has created a buzz of excitement among students interested in getting something back for their participation in curricular and co-curricular activities.

Prizes included a $1,000 gift certificate to have a student’s ride “Clydified” at Precision Collision in downtown Olivet; a $2,000 voucher toward a new or previously owned car at any Seelye/Wright affiliated dealership; a $250 gift certificate to Bed, Bath and Beyond, Best Buy or Target; a $100 gift certificate to the Olivet College Bookstore; or a $50 gift certificate to Schuler’s Restaurant.

With the establishment of “Clyde your Ryde,” attendance increased at many events.

“Clyde your Ryde” winners from the 2004 fall semester included (from left) Michele Michalek, a junior from Stanton; Alpha Sabbithi, a freshman from Oaklawn, Ill.; Katie Graebner, a senior from Olivet; Courtney Mich, a freshman from Bay City and Eleni Mitropoulos, a freshman from Bronson.

Contest winners from the 2005 spring semester included (from left) Courtney Mich,a freshman from Bay City; Kristin Dickinson, a sophomore from Cadillac; Stephanie Smith, a junior from Waldron; Eunice Oladele, a sophomore from Nigeria and Sarah Boyd, a freshman from Napolean, Ohio.

4

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

Students in the

Rachael Bohms, a senior from Marshall, presented a story at the national Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society convention in Kansas City, Mo. Her story, “Indiscretions,” was originally created for a fiction writing class at Olivet. Lisa Cook, a junior from Charlotte and Sigma Tau Delta member, also attended the convention.

News

Kara Brinker, a sophomore from North Branch; Samantha Dyke, a junior from Hudsonville and Brad McCormack, a senior from Marshall, attended a Sports Management Career Day at Comerica Park in Detroit.

Olivet’s Career Services Network sponsored the trip.

Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport Department education students Karine Campbell, a senior from Ionia; Catherine Connor, a senior from Battle Creek and Andrea Klotz, a senior from Comstock Park, attended the Michigan Department of Education Professional Development series, “Putting Together the Pieces,” in Lansing.

Stephen Kolomyjec, a senior from Charlotte, attended an international conference in London titled “From Darwin to Dawkins: the science and implications of animal sentience.” The keynote address was given by Jane Goodall, Ph.D., the world’s foremost leader on chimpanzee behavior.

Eric Martin, a senior from Detroit; Anabel Montalvo, a freshman from Detroit and Amy Jo Parish, a senior from Charlotte, traveled to Chicago for a News Media Job Fair. The students met with newspaper companies and career advisers.

Gabe Pringle, a junior from Grand Blanc, served as chair of a student committee that organized and hosted “The Extreme Risk Takers” insurance symposium in Chicago. The following Olivet insurance alumni served as panel members during the program: Dave Canu ’00, Jason Conkin ’97, Mike Hines ’03, Jeff Lamb ’92, Kevin Pollard ’95 and Jeff Sandy ’90.

A group of Business Administration Department students volunteered for the Eaton County Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Project, preparing taxes for county residents with income levels of $21,000 or less for individuals, or up to $31,000 for a family of four.

Participants included Brandi Britton, a senior from Charlotte; Willem Drogt, a junior from Kewadin; Stephanie Green, a junior from Leroy; Vialea Johnson, a senior from Jamaica; Deyan Kozhuharov, a freshman from Bulgaria; Hristo Kozhuharov, a sophomore from Bulgaria; Dekwan Morris, a junior from Battle Creek; Angela Nowling, a sophomore from Kalamazoo; Alexandru Otrezov, a sophomore from Moldova and Ahmad Zeaiter, a senior from Kalamazoo.

Gamma Iota Sigma, the college’s insurance and risk management professional society, gave a series of ethics presentations across the state in spring 2005. Members who participated include Dan Bonnell, a junior from Otsego; Craig Carpenter, a sophomore from Lowell; Stan Cieslak, a junior from Troy; Mike Daubenmeyer, a junior from Clinton Township; Josh Ewing, a junior from Dorr; Darren Hamman, a sophomore from South Africa; Holly Mitchell, a senior from East Leroy and Rudy Pulido, a junior from Holt.

The Echo, Olivet’s student newspaper, earned a first-place Scholastic Newspaper Award from the American Scholastic Press Association.

Editors for 2004-05 included Allison Choike, a senior from Twentynine Palms, Calif.; Tracey Fix, a sophomore from New Buffalo; Lindsay Janousek, a junior from Olivet and Greg Mason, a junior from Portage.

Math students Jessica Drullinger, a junior from Holt; Michael Durga, a freshman from Brown City; James Hall, a senior from Eaton Rapids; James Kruth, a senior from Eaton Rapids; Rachel Strelecki, a junior from Sanford and Benjamin Thomas, a senior from Kalamazoo, competed in the 29th annual Lower Michigan Mathematics Competition.

Representatives from the Olivet College men’s and women’s basketball teams joined members of the Lansing business community at a luncheon to hear Joe Dumars, former NBA All-Star and president of the Detroit Pistons, present “From Basketball to the Board Room.” The trip was sponsored by the college’s Career Services Network.

Pictured are (front row – from left) Kurt Soderberg, head men’s basketball coach; Robert Banks, a junior from Detroit; Antonio Higginbotham, a freshman from Detroit; Essence Porter, a senior from Battle Creek; Joe Dumars; Kari Searles, a senior from Marshall; Sheena West, a sophomore from Kalamazoo; Stephanie Smith, a junior from Waldron; and Deanna Richard, head women’s basketball coach; (back row – from left) Cody Garner, a sophomore from College Park, Ga.; Greg Ravy, a junior from New Orleans; Kendall Norfleet, a freshman from Detroit; McKinsey Golfin, a senior from Flint; De’Andre Pruitt, a junior from River Rouge; Cassie Monette, a sophomore from Holt and Gerald Dozie, a sophomore from Detroit.

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

5

Still Connected William and Wilma Ray Bledsoe

after all these years

by Jerry Rashid

W

illiam Bledsoe and his wife, Wilma, have settled into their new home on the 15th floor of a deluxe high-rise in downtown Detroit. They are enjoying their retirement after many years of service helping people from all walks of life. Bledsoe, a 1952 Olivet College graduate, had a long and distinguished law career, which included serving nearly 20 years as a judge in the 30th Michigan District Court. Wilma was a long-time employee at Oakland University, where she spent her last 13 years of service as vice president for student affairs.

Fifty-three years after graduating from Olivet, Bledsoe remains deeply connected to the college he nearly walked away from as an undergraduate.

Coming out of high school in the late 1940s, he was interested in attending the University of Michigan or Howard University, a historically black institution. But at the urging of a childhood friend, he also applied to Olivet. According to Bledsoe, he was intrigued by Olivet’s application for admission. He noted that nowhere on the application did it ask for the applicant’s race, religious affiliation or photo, which he says was the norm on most other applications.

“My friend kept telling me about how open and genuine the college was, about the quality of the student body and the nature of the history and traditions of the place,” said Bledsoe. “I decided I better come and see for myself.”

Bledsoe and his father drove to campus for a visit on the first day of school in the fall of 1947. When he arrived, he had the opportunity to look in on a few classes, talk with some of the students and tour campus.

“I was caught right away with how I was welcomed to campus and the genuineness of the people,” said Bledsoe. “I dropped any further consideration of Michigan and Howard and came to Olivet.”

Bledsoe was one of the 330-plus students on campus during his freshman year in 1947-48. He said the personal, intellectual and social

6

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

exchanges were pretty intense at the time and that relationships were really close.

“My sister had gone to the University of Michigan and often spoke with envy about the degree to which I knew my classmates,” said Bledsoe. “Here, I knew everybody. I found that to be an essential part of the learning at Olivet.”

According to Bledsoe, prior to the beginning of his sophomore year, one of the students’ favorite professors, as well as his wife, who worked as a librarian at the college, were dismissed from their positions on campus. As word of the firings spread, it created quite a student uprising. In an effort to find out more about what had happened, Bledsoe and about 85 students on campus formed the Student Action Committee (SAC).

To voice their concerns about the perceived wrongdoings by the administration, members of SAC and other students protested, picketed and withheld their tuition payments. Unhappy and faced with more questions than answers, many students, as well as some faculty members, eventually left campus at the end of the academic year.

Bledsoe seriously contemplated leaving Olivet. With the possibility of being drafted at the onset of the Korean War, he reluctantly returned but with a much different perspective of the college.

“The gross unfairness of it was what struck me at first and how much it contradicted what Olivet represented,” said Bledsoe. “We just didn’t act that way around here.”

Following graduation, Bledsoe went on to earn a law degree from Wayne State University. After being admitted to the Michigan Bar, he served in private practice, then joined the Michigan attorney general’s office as the assistant general in charge of the civil rights-civil liberties division. It was during that time he met Wilma, who was working for the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. They married June 1, 1970.

Bledsoe reconnected with Olivet by joining the college’s Board of Trustees in 1991.

Q and A with The Hon. Judge William Bledsoe ’52 What is one of your most memorable moments as a student at Olivet?

What are your thoughts on today’s civil rights and diversity initiatives?

It was at Olivet that I began to sing in any serious way in public. In As we often do on many things, we tire of it. I don’t know if we high school a few of us formed a group called the “Sloppy Six.” We used ever, in the course of the history of our nation, have dealt openly and to wear our jackets inside-out. During my first day on campus, a friend of fully with the issue to recognize that all of us have a part in it. You really mine from high school who was also don’t escape the responsibility. attending Olivet, invited me to the Sure, you can say that your family Commons in Dole Hall where a never owned slaves. But that fellow was going to be playing the doesn’t really make a whole hell of piano. She said I would have the a lot of difference. The nation opportunity to sing. The people at owned slaves. It permitted, as well Olivet were so warm and welcoming. as legally and economically One of the happy circumstances at supported the institution or was the time was that there were about indifferent to it at best. There are two women to every man on campus. consequences that go along with After I arrived at the Commons, that. If you are a member of this I got to singing and I looked around nation, you share those the room and noticed there were all consequences. And it is your these women. They were sitting on responsibility to do something the floor and were all over the about it. It is easy to say we have furniture. And they were all there made a great deal of progress. listening to Miss Bledsoe’s baby boy.

And certainly we have. But I don’t I remember saying to myself “My oh know if we approach the issue my.” That was my launching, which openly enough. Black people, led into a little bit of acting. Those Asian people and Hispanic people The Hon. Judge William Bledsoe ’52 (center) talks with fellow Board of two experiences really had a profound Trustee members Congressman Dr. John J.H. Schwarz (left) and all have reactions and perspectives effect on me. I had some serious Robert Lawrence ’57 following a recent board meeting. of their own. And so do white intentions of pursuing them as a people. It’s this variety of career. It was a lot of fun. While it was not part of the formal educational perspectives that tend to produce better results than those people who program, it was very much a part of the social and experiential parts of reach a decision without the variety. The energy, imagination, creativity participating in life on the campus. It helped us to see you could enjoy and perceptions of us, as people, are very, very powerful. success in a lot of different ways. That was a major part of my Olivet experience.

What was most enjoyable about being a judge?

It is utterly fascinating work - to watch and recognize that you What are your thoughts about the direction of Olivet under the played a role in maintaining people’s confidence and respect for the law. leadership of President Don Tuski?

Your responsibility is to preside over this process. The judge is probably Don is one of us. He has been around for quite some time, as a the least knowledgeable person in the room about any given case. It’s student, professor and administrator. He brings that spirit of the college your responsibility to guide people through the rules of evidence, which with him; it is very much a part of him in all of its best aspects. He has a for the most part, are a pretty good way for getting reliable information. capacity for his own honesty, which is fun to watch. He moved by stages We can’t promise the information is always true. For the most part, up the ladder in terms of his participation in the reorganization of the I don’t know what happened. I have to gather information, rattle it college. He knew what was going on and where things stood. As a leader, around in my head, or encourage jurors to do it in an appropriate way. you are put into a position to pick a course of action and be responsible Then a judgement is made. What began to be the measuring standard for it. You have to learn how to gather reliable information. At some for me was when people left the court room after a heated dispute and point, you have to be comfortable enough to run the risk of being wrong. were able to go on with their lives. Win or lose, they had the chance to Because every now and then, you’ll probably find you will be wrong. Your be fully heard, that what they had to offer had been considered. And conscience, intellect and sense of ethics are all in play. Don has developed even if they think the knucklehead judge got it wrong, they were that. He gets better and stronger, virtually week by week. His maturation satisfied he tried. That is what I found myself looking for. as president is pretty complete at this point. He is the president.

What is the biggest challenge facing Olivet right now?

We must get people to better understand what the college offers in order to encourage stronger support from students and alumni.

People need to understand the kind of opportunities that are available here. It would be nice to have a bigger endowment. Olivet has never pursued that. And that, too, has always been a custom of the college, it never wanted to give up its independence. I view that as a very strong and positive characteristic. You can sell your soul or sell control of the school to people who are not responsible for running the place. It is that independence that is ultimately the most important part. You can come to this place, say darn near anything, consider darn near anything without fear you are going to upset something. That is what you do at a place like Olivet. You explore. And you should be able to do that openly. That has been Olivet’s thing.

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

7

Prof. John Homer, shown with sophomores Ashurina Chamoun (center) and Venera Kurteshi, takes time to answer questions after class.

John Homer ...

making a difference

by Shannon Tiernan

John Homer has been a boat captain, a commercial fisherman, a chief surveyor/civil designer for an architectural firm, and served four years in the U.S. Air Force. From 1965-67, he worked out of Okinawa, Japan, living through one of the worst typhoons in memory before moving back to the states.

8

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

H

omer, a professor of economics at Olivet College, likes fishing, hunting, coaching and especially gardening. He’s also been known to tell a fascinating ghost story or two.

But what really gets him excited is teaching.

“To watch freshmen who are a little wet behind the ears go through four – or five – years of college, graduate and get a good job…” Homer said. “You know you were a part of building that person’s life. It makes the job worthwhile.”

For the better part of four decades, Homer has taught economics or management at various colleges, including the University of Hawaii, Western Michigan University and Olivet. As an educator, he likes the environment at Olivet because it encourages personal growth and development – especially in the classroom.

“At larger universities, faculty can get caught up in their research to the exclusion of students,” he added. “I guess it’s the measurable, observable ability to see yourself making a difference with students that I appreciate most about this campus.”

Homer has been “making a difference” at Olivet since 1979.

When reminiscing about his history with the college, one moment in particular sticks out.

“I wouldn’t call it a highlight, but the racial troubles we went through in 1992, though a painful experience, were a turning point for this institution,” he said. “Many times, change is not pretty; and that was not pretty.

But the college community took advantage of the opportunity to rediscover itself.”

While serving as faculty president during the mid-1990s, Homer played an integral role in the development of the college’s vision Education for Individual and Social Responsibility, as well as The Olivet Plan and The Olivet College Compact.

The three-year procedure involved compiling input from the entire campus community.

“Students, faculty, staff, board members, the community and all the administration were involved in the development process,” Homer said. “That was a real high point for the college. Though the process was long, it gave us direction.”

But it’s definitely not the bureaucracy and red tape that keeps Homer teaching, it’s the students.

“If you’re around young people, it keeps you young,” Homer said.

“It’s a symbiotic relationship – I give something to them, they give something to me.”

Homer appreciates the variety of students the college attracts those who are committed and understand why they are here, along with those who are still trying to figure out life. “This college is known for giving people a chance that otherwise wouldn’t have one,” he said.

“We do that pretty well.”

Olivet’s students appreciate Homer too, selecting him as the faculty speaker for the baccalaureate ceremony three times. Ashurina Chamoun, a sophomore from Warren who took one of Homer’s classes during the 2005 spring semester, understands why students appreciate his style.

“People have said Professor Homer is tough,” she said. “But I think it’s because he cares about his students’ learning. Though he won’t let you walk all over him, he’s really understanding about things if you just go talk to him; he’s different than some of the other professors I’ve had.”

Venera Kurteshi, a sophomore from Taylor, admires Homer’s personality.

“Professor Homer is motivational, fun, enjoyable, understanding and patient,” she said. “He is everything you look for in an instructor.

He actively seeks students’ participation in class and he expects his students to do their best work.”

Homer knows his style of teaching is fair but firm.

“Being the professor from hell is one thing, being a jerk is another,” Homer said in his typical tell-it-like-it-is style. “I love my students, but they have to do a tough course of study. When they get to the end, most of them appreciate it.”

Homer is unconditionally committed to student learning. He likes what he does, likes where he is and doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

“I guess as long as you like what you’re doing, you keep doing it,” he said.

“Some day they’ll lead me out to my car and say, ‘Go away,’” Homer added with a half smile. “But until then…”

Homer participates in the college’s annual Service Day by raking leaves near the Olivet Congregational Church.

Below: Homer (center) and members of his macroeconomics class celebrate the last day of spring semester.

“Professor Homer is motivational, fun, enjoyable, understanding and patient. He is everything you look for in an instructor. He actively seeks students’ participation in class and he expects his students to do their best work.”

Venera Kurteshi, sophomore

Homer was chosen by the Class of 2004 as faculty speaker for baccalaureate.

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

9

A Career to

by Jackie Bounds

Relish

ike Hescott began his business career at the bottom – of a pickle vat. He now serves as president of the Freestone Pickle Company, Inc., in Bangor.

Fed up with job relocations, Hescott and his wife, Jennifer, left Illinois in 1990 to help with her family’s pickle packing business.

Hescott, a 1987 Olivet College graduate, began learning how to run the family business from his father-in-law, Don Freestone. Freestone was born with pickle juice in his blood - everything he knew about managing the company was tradition, handed down from father to son for four generations. With that in mind, Hescott knew he had a huge learning curve to overcome.

“Jennifer was interested in keeping the family tradition alive, but really didn’t have much experience,” he said. “My only knowledge was working at a cherry packing facility while in college and Dr. Fred Gruen teaching us to be thinkers.”

Hescott was a biochemistry major at Olivet and remembers classes with just a handful of students – it was very personal.

“Dr. Gruen made us learn how to think,” said Hescott. “Under his tutelage, we had to communicate that we knew the subject manner verbally, not just with written exams.

“Gruen also got to know students on a personal level and knew what was going on in our lives,” he said. “It was that personal contact which made you feel special and what made me work harder as a student. That is what makes Olivet so unique.”

Taking from Gruen’s lessons on being a thinker, combined with his cherry packing experience, Hescott jumped head first into the pickle business.

The Hescotts now own the majority of Freestone Pickle Company, Inc. Jennifer handles the bookwork of invoicing customers, paying sales brokers and distributing samples.

M

Mike is involved in everything from production, to logistics and sales.

He says his work is exciting and brings new challenges every day. “Since 1990, the company has expanded from 20 customers in four states, to 250 customers in 30 states,” he said. “Much of that growth is due to independent brokers who help market the products.”

The company contracts with 15 growers in Adrian, Bangor, Dowagiac, Mendon, Sturgis and Vassar. Hescott says this way the production area is spread out, in case one part of the state has weather trouble.

After the cucumbers are delivered to the plant in Bangor, the pickling process begins. The cucumbers are soaked in a brine solution anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the desired product outcome. The salt and vinegar content is adjusted accordingly, and then they are rinsed with fresh water, using osmosis to draw out the salt.

The company processes more than 50,000 pounds of product per day to create 85 different pickle, pepper and cauliflower products for food services, institutions and convenience stores.

“Individually wrapped pickles are the biggest seller,” said Hescott, who sells pickles in four flavors: dill, hot, kosher and sour.

“They can be found at convenience stores and are really popular with kids who buy a cold pop, chips and a pickle on a hot summer day.

“We are constantly looking at new ways to market pickles and develop flavor profiles,” said Hescott, reminiscing of his chemistry days at Olivet. “Barbecue flavored pickles are an idea for the future.”

Freestone Pickle Company, Inc., celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2003.

The Hescotts are the fifth generation running the family business, trying to compete with big names like Heinz and Vlasic. According to Hescott, there are only six to eight family-owned pickle companies in Michigan, and most of them are only two or three generations old.

Besides managing the company, Hescott serves as treasurer of the Bangor school board, chairman of the Pickle and Pepper Research Committee at Michigan State University and president of the Michigan Food Processor Association. He also finds time to help coach his 8-year-old son Jared’s hockey team, and watch his 11-year-old daughter, Montana, at her dance recitals, drama classes and softball games.

Hescott keeps up on what’s going on at Olivet and occasionally stops by campus to visit the Kappa Sigma Alpha house during business trips to East Lansing. He still remains in contact with many of his fraternity brothers. Even though the Frankfort High School standout came to Olivet to play football, it was his fraternity connection that probably made him stay.

Four of Hescott’s fraternity brothers: Dr. Tim Hodge ’83, Lynn Johnson ’86, Rocky Johnson ’85 and Mark Maurer ’85, were all from Bangor. Hescott vaguely remembers a few of them talking about working in a pickle factory back in their hometown.

“You can imagine my surprise when I found out that Jennifer was from Bangor and her father owned the pickle business where they worked,” he said. “We had just met at the time and she couldn’t believe that I knew people from Bangor.”

The Bangor/Olivet connection continues as Hescott and his Bangor fraternity brothers sponsor an annual scholarship for a local student to attend Olivet College.

Above: Siblings Jared and Montana Hescott appear in an advertising display for their parents’ pickle packing company.

Left: Mike Hescott ’87, president of the Freestone Pickle Company, Inc., says individually wrapped pickles are the company’s biggest seller.

10

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

Helping Others do

Well

by Shannon Tiernan aren (Fender) Gonser works with a tough population. Since graduating from Olivet College in 1984, she’s made a living dealing with children and young adults who have truancy issues, are on probation, or those who have nowhere else to go but detention. But even so, she feels like she has one of the best jobs in the world.

“I’m in such a great position to help people,” said Gonser. “I’ve seen it all and nothing surprises me after 20 years in this business.”

Gonser is referring to a series of jobs that led to her position as director of the Eaton County Youth Facility in Charlotte. Prior to this position, Gonser worked with children exhibiting truancy issues; served as a youth probation officer; and worked in the aftercare program, monitoring those who had been through the detention or treatment programs the facility offers.

“We’re a 15-bed program; eight beds for residential treatment and seven for detention,” Gonser said. “I operate the building – programming, staffing, all of it. I don’t have as much contact with the kids as I’d like, but I’m training the staff to work with them.”

Gonser’s detention program houses youth who have committed serious offenses and can’t be placed back in the community, as well as youth who have violated probation and need short-term placement while the court determines appropriate action.

On the other hand, those in the residential treatment program have exhausted every opportunity to stay in their homes – including, in most cases, intensive probation. Based on an assessment which takes into consideration issues such as home life and substance abuse, participants in the program must successfully complete 30, 60, 90 or 120 days of treatment.

According to Gonser, the programs have a nearly 90 percent success rate. “I don’t blame it on the program when the kids return, though,” she said. “Let’s say we take a kid in at 16; so they’ve had nothing but 16 years of dysfunction and you think you’re going to fix every single one of them?

K

Student Spotlight: Tony Jackson

by Molly Reed Tony Jackson wasn’t able to attend Honors Convocation this year, even though he was recognized at the ceremony with the Office of Multicultural Education and Initiatives Award for Leadership. Jackson was busy working; fulfilling his position as assistant hall director for Shipherd Hall. Despite his absence, he was commended for being an integral part of campus life and displaying an outstanding capacity for leadership and devotion to the college.

“I was disappointed that I couldn’t go,” said Jackson, a junior from Lansing. As genuine leadership would have it, he was doing a favor for a co-worker.

“I covered a shift for somebody,” he smiled with slight regret.

“We had an issue with the intramural (IM) sports schedule.

He had to go somewhere and I had to cover his spot.”

“But you can accomplish so much if you just pay attention to them,” she added. “Usually, those who come here finally feel safe enough for the first time to talk about what is really happening in their lives.”

In the rare chance that a person returns to either program, Gonser asks herself if she did everything she could to help them. “If I can honestly say yes, than I’m not owning their mistakes. I don’t want to be in a situation where I have to answer that question the wrong way.”

Gonser knows the work she does with her staff directly affects how the program participants are treated. Her number one goal is to keep everyone in the building safe and secure.

“I want a nurturing environment for these kids,” she added. “I have low tolerance for staff that come on too firmly, because in this type of situation, you can escalate these kids quickly.”

She has a good eye for what does and doesn’t work with this population. Gonser says being more streetwise than the individuals she works with is key.

“I went into some horrible situations in my previous jobs; and I don’t know how many times I would get into my car and think, ‘If my husband knew what I was just doing…’” said Gonser, whose husband, Todd Gonser ’84, is principal of Maple Valley High School. “I was ready for most of the situations I went into, common sense makes up for the times you’re not.”

Feeling invested in her work, Gonser plans to continue helping others. “I love what I’m doing,” she said. “This whole thing is rewarding to me – every single piece of it.”

Karen (Fender) Gonser ’84, director of the Eaton County Youth Facility, enjoys reaching out to those in need.

Jackson made sure there weren’t any IM sports glitches after that.

With a passion for athletics and a major in sports management, he delved into them, involving himself mainly with football and basketball.

“I would get the residents on my floor involved with sports a lot,” he added. “That’s how I was able to get everyone to feel like a community. It made for good conversation and communication.”

Upon his graduation in spring 2006, Jackson plans to pursue a career in sports psychology. “I’m planning on earning my master’s degree from Michigan State University,” he said, “And hopefully ending up with a professional football, basketball or baseball team.”

But he doesn’t draw the line at athletics. Jackson said his main purpose for coming to Olivet was to better himself not only through education, but by helping others. Every Sunday he takes a van full of students to his church, Life Changers Christian Center in Lansing, where he is a youth counselor. “I like being with people and serving as a role model,” he said. “It’s just in my character.”

The cohesiveness of students at Olivet is exactly what attracted Jackson to the college. He said after his campus visit, he recognized Olivet as the place where he could make the most influence, not only with himself, but with others. “At Olivet, I consistently have a positive attitude and I’m always smiling,” he concluded. “I like the whole family atmosphere.”

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

11

Hitting the high notes

in New York City

by Elizabeth Flanary

E

arly in the fall, Professor Jeananne Nichols, director of instrumental studies at Olivet College, presented me with the opportunity to apply to the Small College Intercollegiate Band (SCIB), which is sponsored by the College Band Directors National Association at their biennial conference.

This year, the conference happened to be in New York City, which meant the venues for SCIB were quite prestigious places. I was selected from 181 nominations out of more than 60 small schools. In November, I found out that I would be one of eight horns in the SCIB. My family, being supportive of my musical endeavors, decided they would accompany

me on the trip. I would be rehearsing in a room at Carnegie Hall and performing at Alice Tully Hall of the Lincoln Center.

Finally, the time rolled around for me to board the plane. I had been practicing my seating audition piece for weeks and was quite nervous about my abilities in comparison to other collegiate horn players from across the nation. My family and I arrived in time to walk the 20 blocks from our hotel to my audition. I played my etude and met the other horn players, had a quick dinner and headed to our first four-hour rehearsal. At rehearsal, I found out that I was fourth-chair horn; playing second part...it was the perfect place to be sitting, right in the middle of the section, right in the middle of music education and performance majors. We rehearsed a total of eight-and-a-half hours the next day, and another two-and-a-halfhours before our performance on Friday, Feb. 25.

Our conductor was Larry Livingston, Ph.D., retired director of bands from the University of Southern California. Playing for him was an amazing, enlightening experience that transcended the realm of making music into being educated about life and philosophy. We played a rendition of the Beatles’ “Blackbird” with the Shelly Berg Trio, which is currently the number one selling jazz group in the nation. We also played “Fantasia in G Major” by Bach and the “Finale” from Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5.

The venues were amazing to play in, as were the rehearsals. The music already called for a huge brass sound, and we accomplished that with the eight horns, 10 trumpets and a section of a dozen euphoniums, trombones and tubas. The sounds we created were simply awesome and sitting on stage after so many hours of rehearsal, waiting for the director to raise his baton was exhilarating. Even more exciting, however, was getting to the last note, playing with all my energy, and finally letting the reality of where I was, who I was playing with, and what we were performing, hit me at the end of our performance. When we stood up to recognize our second standing ovation, I was certain I would never forget anything about that concert.

Thank you Olivet, for the opportunity I had to perform in the manner and in the venue that I did this winter. Having my family there was a great bonus and I will never forget my experience, the people I met and the notes we played together.

About the author: Elizabeth Flanary is a junior from Howell, majoring in elementary education and English, with a minor in music. She has performed as a soloist at many Olivet events including the President’s Opening Convocation, student recitals, charity talent shows and in the theatre pit band.

She is a member of the Olivet College Wind Ensemble and co-president of Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society. Flanary is also on the editing staff of Garfield Lake Review, the college’s annual literary/arts publication, and has been an assistant coach to Hartland High School’s equestrian team for the past three years.

Elizabeth Flanary recently traveled to New York City to play horn in the Small College Intercollegiate Band.

12

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

A semester in the city of

Brotherly Love

by Jackie Bounds nstead of earning class credits on campus the traditional way, Olivet College sophomore Travis Patterson spent spring semester out East, organizing activities at a minor league ballpark and encouraging kids to read. He also performed all the regular duties involved with an internship, such as answering phones, helping the sales staff, packaging promotional materials and handing out T-shirts.

Patterson lived in Philadelphia and was a marketing intern in the community relations department for the Camden Riversharks, a minor league baseball team in New Jersey.

One of his main responsibilities was coordinating the “Reading with the Riversharks” program.

Through this program, each student is given a bookmark which explains how the program works. The students are required to read five books outside of their assigned school reading. Once a student completes this task, he or she can take the bookmark to Campbell’s Field to receive a free ticket to a Riversharks game.

“I went to elementary schools and spent some time reading to students,” said Patterson. “I also encouraged them to read for the program. It was cool to get out and meet kids in the community and invite them to games.”

Patterson also invited area Little League teams to become Rivershark fans.

“I made flyers to invite Little League teams from three surrounding counties,” he said. “I invited more than 10,000 kids. If they showed up in their uniforms, they could get into a game for free.” According to Patterson, this was a big marketing push because it helped to bring parents to the ballpark with their kids.

Another activity Patterson was involved with was coordinating the Family Fan Fest at the ballpark Saturday, April 9. More than a thousand Rivershark fans came to the event, including Patterson’s parents, who were in town for the weekend visiting from Flint.

“I set up an Easter egg hunt, a variety of carnival games and face painting for the kids,” he said. “Fans had a chance to take batting practice on the field and an opportunity to meet the players.”

Besides his four-day a week internship, Patterson took courses in social science and marketing at the Philadelphia Center, which is managed by Hope College. He was the first Olivet student to

I

Student Spotlight: Stacey Willard

by Molly Reed Stacey Willard keeps a busy schedule. When she’s not monitoring Shipherd Hall as a resident advisor (RA) or tutoring students in art, biology and English, she’s taking pictures for the college’s student-run newspaper, The Echo, working on her art projects or honing her boxing skills.

“I’ll try anything once,” said Willard, a native of Charlotte who has acquired many pastimes in her two years at Olivet. “I was always involved in high school, and the RA job and tutoring keep me busy. It’s also a nice feeling to help people.”

After graduating from Olivet, Willard wants to help people with even bigger problems by becoming an art therapist. She has been

participate in an internship coordinated by the center.

The Philadelphia Center offers a 16-week program for students to earn a full semester’s worth of credit, as well as gain valuable hands-on experience in a wellsupervised unpaid position.

Travis Patterson spent spring semester living The center features more in Philadelphia and interning with the Camden than 800 internship Riversharks, a minor league baseball team in placements in a wide New Jersey. variety of agencies, organizations and institutions ranging from the Arden Theatre Company to the District Attorney’s Office.

The center provides opportunities for professional exploration, intellectual development and personal growth — all in the heart of one of America’s largest and most dynamic cities.

When Patterson arrived in Philadelphia this past January, he worked with his faculty advisor to select and interview for positions suited for his career objective – marketing. He completed three different sports management interviews to obtain a position with his number one choice – the Camden Riversharks.

According to Patterson, his internship experience helped him develop his time management skills and learn how to rely on public transportation.

He lived with seven other roommates at the corner of Broad and Federal in the City of Brotherly Love. Each morning he would catch the subway to take the high-speed train across the Ben Franklin Bridge to get to work.

“It was strange not to walk outside, get in a car and drive to work,” said Patterson, who had a 40-minute commute to the ballpark.

Patterson said his internship was a very valuable experience.

“It has really clarified what I want to do with my life,” he said.

“I want to work in marketing. My internship was hands-on. I made contacts with community members and was able to be in the classroom with students. It was a semester I’ll never forget.”

preparing herself academically with a double major in visual art and psychology, accompanied by a triple minor in criminal justice, English and communications. She plans to continue her education at Concordia University in Quebec, earning a master’s degree before attending George Washington University in Washington, D.C., for a Ph.D. But it isn’t all work and no play for Willard, who is an avid boxer.

“A friend of mine boxes and asked me to come along once, and I loved it,” she said. “I try to do it as much as possible.”

When she sheds her boxing gloves though, her hands go straight for charcoal pencils. Willard is a talented artist whose work has been featured in several exhibits at Olivet’s Barker-Cawood Art Gallery and in the Garfield Lake Review, the college’s annual literary/arts publication.

Willard received a scholarship from the visual arts program for her intricate pieces, assuring that her talent will carry her through college.

“Olivet offers enormous opportunities for students,” she concluded.

“This school fashioned me for the building blocks to impact the world.

I have two more years to repay Olivet for what it has already done for me. I plan to compensate by contributing what I can as a student, a tutor, as an RA, through my sorority and any other way I might find.”

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

13

Olivet College

Engels received the MCC Commitment to Service Award for her volunteer work at Hayes Green Beach Hospital in Charlotte.

Engels has volunteered in the hospital pharmacy once a week since September 2004. She learned how to make medical kits, repackage medicine and how to translate a generic name into a brand name product. Engels also volunteers at Maple Valley’s Maplewood Elementary School and helps with sixth-grade science labs.

Engels is no stranger to volunteering, the Pennfield High School valedictorian used to assist at the American Red Cross, Battle Creek Volunteer Society, and Humane Society. At Olivet, she is a member of Alpha Pi Upslion, the pre-medical honor society; Global Citizen Honors Program; science club; and plays the saxophone in the wind and jazz ensembles.

MCC is a state-level non-profit organization that promotes the education and commitment of Michigan college students to be civically engaged citizens, through creating and expanding academic, co-curricular and campus-wide opportunities for community service, service-learning and civic engagement.

Faculty/Staff Michigan Campus Compact awards Diane Joslin-Gould, Education Department chair, and Melanie Engels, a freshman from Battle Creek, were recently recognized by the Michigan Campus Compact (MCC).

Joslin-Gould received the Faculty/Staff Community ServiceLearning Award. She was designated by peers as the person who made the most outstanding contributions in the area of community servicelearning. This award recognizes the influence on, or engagement of students involved in community service or service-learning through modeling, instruction and/or special projects.

Joslin-Gould has made community service a part of her curriculum since she began at Olivet in 1997.

She consistently raised the awareness and participation level of students in servicelearning activities throughout Diane Joslin-Gould (left), chair of Olivet’s the year. She was recently Education Department, and freshman awarded the Learn and Serve Melanie Engels, were recently recognized Michigan Intermediate by the Michigan Campus Compact for School District-Higher their community service activities.

Education Partnership Grant through the Michigan Community Service Commission for the partnership formed between Olivet College and the tri-county (Eaton, Clinton and Ingham counties) intermediate school district. The goal of this partnership is to become a regional service-learning network.

Faculty and Staff News and Notes Walker Beverly, assistant professor of education, serves on the City of Lansing Mayor’s Initiative on Race and Diversity committee. He helped to coordinate the second annual Youth Race and Diversity Conference in March. More than 2,000 students attended the event.

Maria Davis, Ph.D., Natural and Physical Science Department chair, is the Michigan Envirothon competition state resource professional for sustainable agriculture. This is a high school level competition coordinated by the Michigan Department of Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Division.

Mike Fales, director of church relations and campus ministries, was appointed to the 50th anniversary committee for the national United Church of Christ (UCC). The UCC was founded in 1957 as the union of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church. Fales will help plan the anniversary celebration, which will culminate in June 2007 with their General Synod in Hartford, Conn.

Tim Flynn, Ph.D., music program director and assistant professor of music, presented a paper at the Répertoire International de Littérature ..

Musicale conference in New York. He presented “Camille Saint-Saens musicologist? Effects, influence, and traditions.”

14

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

Employees attend Racism Seminar

by Lynn Ward Gray During the 2004-05 academic year, approximately 140 Olivet College employees participated in a two-day Healing Racism Seminar conducted by the National Resource Center for the Healing of Racism, housed on the campus of Starr Commonwealth in Albion. It was the vision of President Don Tuski to send each employee to the seminar, and the results have been positive and even life changing in some cases. Student leaders and new employees will also participate in this two-day experience.

Understanding diversity at Olivet begins with the recognition that “out of many, we are one.” Our differences are strengths, as we all work together toward the same goal of providing Education for Individual and Social Responsibility. Olivet’s history of inclusiveness is the foundation that gives diversity initiatives and programming a solid ground on which to take root, grow and thrive.

The Olivet College Diversity Committee members have received facilitator training in order to begin dialogue sessions called “Cluster Groups.” The groups are made up of a small number of employees and students who have completed the two-day Healing Racism Seminar.

Employees and students will come together to dialogue on topics relative to the campus culture, and, in turn, design action plans that will continue to move the diversity initiatives of Olivet College forward.

Douglas Gilbertson, director of student administrative services, was appointed private sector representative for the Michigan Student Financial Aid Association (MSFAA) board.

Tim Flynn Leah Knapp Gilbertson’s responsibilities include coordinating information and announcements for private sectors, colleges and universities. He will also participate in summer and winter training conferences. The MSFAA is a state organization that brings together postsecondary schools and other public and private organizations involved with providing financial aid for students.

Gilbertson and Chad Lycos, associate director of financial aid, assisted with College Goal Sunday in February. The event focused on assisting students and their families in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). More than 150 student financial aid professionals from Michigan colleges and universities volunteered their time to assist students and families file the FAFSA. Susan Houston, associate professor of business, was recognized in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers because of her affiliation with Phi Beta Lambda, the college’s national professional business organization.

In order to enroll Hayli in school, the Wiremans had to become her legal guardians. Under the advice of their lawyer and social worker, they became licensed to provide foster care.

“If the guardianship is ever broken, Hayli might have to go into foster care,” Wireman explained. “Since we are licensed foster care providers, she could still stay with us. We have all our bases covered to protect her.”

Hayli is now in third-grade and the Wiremans are actively involved with taking her to Girl Scout meetings, guitar lessons, basketball practice in the winter and soccer practices in the fall and spring. Wireman says

by Shannon Tiernan Hayli helps to keep them young. “She’s been such an asset to our lives; she’s just such a joy,” she added with a smile. athi Wireman, head housekeeper for Olivet College’s Upton Not all children are as fortunate as Hayli.

Conservatory of Music, and her husband, Gary, were like “There are so many kids out there who need a stable life,” Wireman many people their age. With both their children out of the said. “It’s not that hard to be a foster parent. You have to take some classes house, they looked forward to a retirement where they could and have your home inspected, but most of it is common sense things like ride four-wheelers in northern Michigan, work on their farm on the having smoke alarms in your house and working doors and windows in the outskirts of Olivet, and spend time with their two grandchildren. child’s bedroom. It’s just important to show kids But in place of vacations up north, they find what a well-balanced home looks and feels like. themselves planning a trip to Disney World with It’s not a difficult process to go through, and it’s Hayli, an 8-year-old they became guardians of well worth it in the end.” three years ago – just six months after their Wireman added that she and her husband are youngest daughter left the home. guardians of Hayli first and foster parents second, Hayli, a very sweet little girl with an so the rules that apply in a foster care situation unfortunate past, came to live with the don’t necessarily apply in theirs. For example, Wiremans at the age of 5, but they knew her there are laws preventing children in foster care well by then. When she was just 13-months-old, from being in limbo between families for too the Wiremans began watching her on numerous long. But with the guardianship, the Wiremans’ occasions – often for weeks at a time. situation could go on like this until Hayli is 18.

“I don’t regret a minute of it,” said Though they would adopt her if they could, her Wireman, who has worked at the college since mother’s rights have not been terminated.

1998. “Hayli came from a very troubled home.

“Her mom tried to get her back at one If we hadn’t of taken her in, she’d be a very point,” Wireman said. “The judge gave her a few streetwise little girl instead of the angel she is. things to do, but she never followed through.

There wouldn’t be anyone who could give her the If Hayli ever went back to her mother, though, care and attention she needs.

Kathi Wireman with Hayli it would be devastating to us.

“The only thing I wish we’d have done is “I try not to think about that,” Wireman stepped in before we got the phone call from Hayli’s mom saying added with a nervous laugh.

‘Come to Niles and pick her up because I’m leaving the state and she’s In the meantime, the Wiremans enjoy being a part of Hayli’s active not going with me,’” added Wireman.

8-year-old life.

The Wiremans received this phone call on a Friday night. The very “We jumped into this responsibility with both feet and haven’t next morning, they met Hayli and her mom at a party store. In a matter looked back,” Wireman said. “We’re so fortunate to have her.” of 12 hours, their lives changed forever.

Guardians of an

Angel

K

Leah Knapp, D.V.M., professor of biology, is serving on the Advisory Board for the Pierce Cedar Creek Center for Ecological Education academic subcommittee. She is helping design courses and academic Janet Menconi Gary Wertheimer programs for undergraduate students. The programs will provide hands-on field courses for biology majors and pre-teachers to give them the skills and knowledge they can use in their future careers. Knapp is also completing research for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Frog and Toad Survey and the Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas II for the Michigan Natural Heritage Program of the DNR. Susanne Lewis, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry, successfully earned her doctorate in organic chemistry in December 2004 from the University of New Hampshire. Along with the Ph.D., Lewis earned a cognate in college teaching from her graduate school’s Preparing Future Faculty program.

Gary Wertheimer, Arts and Communication Department chair, and Don Rowe, professor of art, presented a painting and sculpture exhibit, “Olivet Comes to Blissfield,” at Flatlanders Art Galleries in Blissfield.

Joanne Williams, assistant professor of journalism and theatre, was named to the Michigan Collegiate Press Association’s (MCPA) Board of Directors as a representative of Division III schools; she will also serve on the workshop committee. The MCPA is an association of the academic advisers to Michigan’s college and university newspapers.

Charlie Wilson, Ph.D., associate dean for academic affairs, was elected to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Management Council. The NCAA is a voluntary organization through which more than 1,250 colleges and universities govern their athletics programs and the participation of student-athletes. Wilson’s appointment continues through 2009.

John Wilterding, Ph.D., director of the chemistry program and assistant professor of biochemistry, and John Travis, a teacher certification candidate, received a grant from the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings, to complete research for ecological education.

They will be working on a project to map locations of invasive plants using Global Positioning Satellite technology.

Janet Menconi, head athletic trainer and Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport Department chair, was named placement committee chair of the Michigan Athletic Trainers’ Society (MATS).

Menconi maintains position announcements for the MATS organization, as well as develops resources for potential employers.

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

15

1

2

7

8

1. Florida Social - Martie (Graham) Ports ’65 and Preston Ports ’65

4. Florida Social – J. Robert Gillette ’63 and Geri Pietrosante

2. Holiday Social at the Birmingham Athletic Club Lee Lerner ’64, Neal Ballheim ex ’58 and Bob Lawrence ’57

5. Holiday Social at the Birmingham Athletic Club – Marty Castellon ’94, Shelley White-Thomas, Eric Thomas ’94, Dan Shrewsberry ’92 and Dawn Shrewsberry

3. Traverse City Social - President Don Tuski ’85, Virginia (Harss) Garland ’48 and Howard Garland

16

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

9

6. Traverse City Social – Glenn ’80 and Ellyn (Heimforth) Tarrant ’78

3

4

10

5 6

11 12

7. Traverse City Social – Marty Mason Jennings ’67, Richard Crowe ’65, Patty (Roach) Lewallen ’69, Bob Lewallen ’67 and Tim Smith ’65

10. Holiday Social at the Birmingham Athletic Club Voysava Muca ’01 and Sophie Wilson ’01

8. Ft. Myers, Florida Social - James Benns and Winifred O’Donnell Jackson ’44

11. Holiday Social at the Birmingham Athletic Club – Bill Mountain ’61, Carol Mountain and Chris Beaudoin ’87

9. Mt. Dora, Florida Social – Sue Whitkopf ’65, Dawson Whitkopf ’64, Judy Whitkopf ’63, Owen Whitkopf ’60, Bob Troesch ’61 and Jane Troesch

12. Mt. Dora, Florida Social - Walt Parker ’58, Terry Parker, Al Nagy ’68, Pat Bernoudy and Ben Bernoudy ’58 SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

17

Ethicsin Today's Society

A

s a lead-in to the college’s Lecture and Symposium Series featuring Lynn Brewer, former Enron executive, several Michigan business and industry leaders were invited to Olivet College Wednesday, March 16 to participate in a panel discussion titled, “Ethics in Today’s Society.”

Participants included Jack Roberts, executive director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association; Michele Samuels, vice president and general auditor for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; Belinda Thurston, assistant managing editor of the Lansing State Journal and William Wagner, ethics professor and director of the Center for Ethics and Responsibility at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

Emphasizing the importance of institutional integrity, their words drove home the significance of the college’s vision Education for Individual and Social Responsibility.

“Competition in and of itself doesn’t make an ethical and responsible young adult,” said Roberts. “It’s the honesty, character

and respect that we as adults teach and exemplify that is key.”

Wagner, a former United States Magistrate Judge and American Diplomat for the American Embassy in Liberia, agreed with Roberts. “Ethics is less about following a code of conduct and more about exhibiting good character,” he said. Later in his presentation, Wagner added that The Olivet College Compact is an excellent blueprint for institutional integrity if adhered to by the college’s community.

The panel discussion drew a large crowd of students, faculty and staff. Carol Breed, Business Administration Department co-chair and associate professor of business and insurance, served as facilitator.

“The panel members complemented each other well, and it was an excellent addition to the Lecture and Symposium held later in the day,” she said. “I heard some very positive comments from my fellow faculty and the students; the college should pursue similar programs in the future as enhancement to the lecture series.”

President Don Tuski (second from right) welcomed ethics panel discussion participants (from left) Jack Roberts, executive director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association; Michele Samuels, vice president and general auditor for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; William Wagner, J.D., director of the Center for Ethics and Responsibility at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School and Belinda Thurston, assistant managing editor of the Lansing State Journal.

2005 Fall Lecture and Symposium Series speakers For more information on these events, call (269) 749-7164.

Wednesday, Sept. 14—Women at Ground Zero: Stories of Courage and Compassion In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, investigative social worker Mary Carouba and firefighter Susan Hagen recorded the experiences of 30 women public safety and rescue workers. Join Carouba and Hagen as they tell their moving story about those who lived through and vividly remember the events that unfolded that tragic day.

Wednesday, Oct. 5—No Excuses!

Kyle Maynard lives with a congenital defect that left him with arms that end at the elbows and legs that end near his knees. But this hasn’t stopped him from becoming a gifted student, winning wrestler and weightlifter. In his presentation, Maynard outlines how his “No Excuses” philosophy helps him meet life’s challenges and succeed. He has been featured on CNN’s “Larry King Live” and HBO. Kyle Maynard

18

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

Former

Enronshares execexperience

by Khristine Elliott, The Enquirer

O

LIVET — Former Enron executive Lynn Brewer said she lives with the guilt of knowing that her actions during nearly three years of working for the company hurt people around the country.

What she did in Enron’s Houston offices resulted in a teacher not being able to retire because her Enron stocks were worthless, she said.

Her actions and those of others who worked for the now bankrupt energy giant meant a man couldn’t pay for a prom dress for his daughter.

She said she offered to pay for his daughter’s wedding reception.

“Personally, it’s been sort of a long walk with myself,” she said, adding she thinks she is just as responsible for what happened at the company as its founder Ken Lay is alleged to have been.

Brewer gave an audience of about 350 Olivet College students and faculty an inside glimpse of what it was like for her to witness the vast corruption from within Enron. Her presentation was part of a day-long event Wednesday on “Ethics in Today’s Society” at the college. A panel of local leaders began the day discussing ethical and responsible behavior.

She is an Enron whistleblower and author of “Confessions of an Enron Executive.” Enron’s collapse in 2001 is one of the largest bankruptcies in U.S. history. It led to thousands of employees losing their life savings in 401(k) plans tied to the company’s stock.

“It’s scary. It’s really, really scary. I have friends that are going to prison (because of their illegal work for Enron),” she said. “Yes, I cashed in my stock. I lost my entire 401(k) like everyone else.”

Brewer, who has a background in accounting and law, was recruited

by Enron in March 1998. At the time, she said she thought her new job was like being recruited into the major leagues of baseball or basketball.

But within six months she discovered that her dream job was a daily nightmare with illegal practices including bank fraud, espionage, power price manipulation and gross overstatements to the media, public and financial world about the company’s earnings, she said.

During her time at Enron, she was responsible for risk management in energy operations, the e-commerce initiatives for its water subsidiary and competitive intelligence for its broadband services.

She told her supervisors several times about potentially illegal things that she had noticed, but they repeatedly told her to ignore the questionable tactics, she said. They also kept giving her stock options and kept promoting her, especially when she talked about resigning. They eventually asked her to help cover things up.

“I made $2,000 in stock options in (her first) six months,” she said.

“I was making more from my stock options than from my salary.”

She said the company often used stock options to keep employees loyal and quiet about its shady dealings. Secretaries were making $100,000 a year on stock options.

Her description of her dealings at Enron hit home to several students.

Molly Reed, 22, of Battle Creek, is an Olivet College senior majoring in journalism. She said she learned that people have to look at ethical issues in the business world and remember that corruption is everywhere.

At one point, Brewer spoke about widespread corruption in the corporate world while the large screen behind her rapidly filled with logos of companies who have run afoul of the law — including several that are household names.

“It’s mind-blowing. People really are ignorant to what is going on in the business world,” Reed said.

“So many corporations get away with this and society turns a blind eye,” said Brian Jaffee, 19, of Bowling Green, Ohio, a freshman majoring in math and history.

Former Enron executive, Lynn Brewer, spoke at Olivet as part of the college’s Lecture and Symposium Series.

Juan Aguirre, 20, of Queretaro, Mexico, is a sophomore majoring in computer science with a minor in psychology. Brewer’s speech made him question the capitalist system, corporate America and corporations around the world, Aguirre said.

Doing the right thing is not easy, especially when people, including herself, allow money to lure them into unethical situations, Brewer said.

“Everybody has a price. Mine’s a quarter of a million dollars in stock options,” she said. “Life is not always about black and white and right and wrong. It’s really about the lesser of two evils.”

She gave her letter of resignation 13 months before Enron collapsed and stopped working there nine months before its collapse, she said.

She said she hopes people heed her warning not to adjust their lifestyles to their incomes, not to live beyond their means like she did, because that motivates you to stay in an unethical situation.

“The more I made, the more I bought. I was addicted to it,” she said.

Khristine Elliott covers news and Neighbors features. She can be reached at (269) 966-0675 or kelliott@battlecr.gannett.com.

Reprinted with permission from the Battle Creek Enquirer.

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

19

Olivet College

Olivet awarded two grants

Development An investment in Olivet College

by Mark Veich

All higher education institutions rely heavily on donations from their alumni, employees, parents, friends, corporations, foundations and other supporters.

Colleges and universities such as Michigan State and Western Michigan are essentially subsidized by the State of Michigan and receive millions of dollars every year for campus improvements.

Because Olivet is a private, independent college, it does not receive any state funding, making fundraising critical.

In Olivet’s history, we have had many alumni make considerable contributions. However, the college’s alumni giving rate is only 15 percent; meaning only 930 of our approximately 6,200 solicitable alumni are giving to their alma mater.

The industry standard is approximately 38 percent.

Our goal for the 2005-06 fiscal year is to reach 40 percent alumni giving. That means 2,480 alumni need to give to Olivet in an effort to meet Mark Veich our goal.

Consistent annual donations are imperative to the continued growth and success of this institution. A part of The Olivet College Compact reads “I am responsible for the development and growth of Olivet College.” In order for this institution to advance, it must be able to rely heavily on the support of its alumni.

Most unrestricted gifts are applied toward the Olivet College Annual Scholarship Fund or capital projects, such as facility improvements and new buildings. Restricted gifts are typically used for specific college departments or programs. No matter where it is applied, your gift benefits our students by adding value to the campus.

Donations can come in many forms. Most alumni and friends of the college donate money, while others contribute in-kind gifts or property. Many want to leave a legacy behind by making estate and life planning arrangements with the college.

Giving to Olivet is an investment — an investment in the value of your diploma through the continued growth and success of your alma mater. Your support also helps offset rising financial aid costs so the college is better able to direct resources into campus improvements; keeping Olivet on the cutting edge of academic and athletic advancements.

Please use the enclosed envelope to send your investment to Olivet.

There is no amount too small or big. If you have questions about giving to Olivet, please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at (269) 749-6670.

About the author: Mark Veich began his duties as Olivet’s director of development April 1. He is responsible for managing the college’s fundraising activities, as well as alumni and college relations efforts.

Prior to coming to Olivet, he worked for eight years at Ann Taylor Stores Corporation, where he most recently served as the senior director of loss prevention.

Veich, who earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University in 1991, resides in Marshall with his wife, Lisa, and their two children.

20

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

Olivet College received $17,000 in grants from the Michigan Colleges Foundation (MCF) to implement a college partnership and minority retention program.

Bank One sponsored $10,000 for the “College Outreach Partnership” program grant. The program is designed to prepare students to successfully pursue a college education by allowing them to experience college life and gain a sense for the opportunities afforded through various careers.

Olivet also received a $7,000 DaimlerChrysler Minority Retention Award to implement an “Early Warning System” program for minority students who are considered at-risk based on high school GPAs and ACT scores.

The outreach program will engage Benton Harbor-area high school students in pre-college activities throughout the 2005-06 academic year.

Olivet will host four activities beginning with a five-day summer camp experience, mentorship program, fall semester career exploration day and a weekend spring fling.

“This is a way to assist Benton Harbor area juniors and seniors and their families as students begin preparing for college,” said Norma Curtis, vice president and dean for academic affairs. “The program will focus on career planning and highlight opportunities available at Olivet College.”

The minority retention program involves early identification of at-risk students to inform them about the support services available at the college’s Academic Resource Center. The early warning system also involves meeting with students every two weeks to review their academic progress with an academic counselor and sending progress reports to their course instructors.

“Initially, about 50 students will benefit from the program,” said Charlie Wilson, associate dean for academic affairs. “The goal is to increase minority retention and graduation rates by at least 10 percent and continue this program in future years.”

Both grants were coordinated by the MCF, which was incorporated in 1949 to solicit financial support from the private sector on behalf of independent, four-year, liberal arts colleges in Michigan.

Support needed for soccer benches Olivet alumni and friends are being asked to donate money toward weather resistant benches and a sound system at the soccer field in memory of Josh Bookwalter ’01 and Don Evans ’82.

A motorcycle accident in April 2004 tragically took the life of Bookwalter. Evans died unexpectedly from a brain aneurism a short time after graduating from Olivet. While at Olivet, Bookwalter and Evans were members of the men’s soccer team.

Bookwalter’s family and friends began the fundraising efforts last fall by donating money toward the purchase of the covered benches for the home and visiting teams. Mike Baker ’82, Evans’ college roommate, has asked others to join him in raising the remaining funds.

To make a donation, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at (269) 749-6670.

Share your legacy with Olivet College The Olivet College Legacy Society recognizes individuals who have included Olivet in their estate plans through a will, trust, life-income gift or other planned gift. Anyone who submits documentation of his or her estate gift to the college qualifies for membership.

Discuss the Legacy Society with your family, accountant or attorney. For more information, contact Ed Heator ’80, planned giving officer, at (269) 749-6691 or via e-mail at eheator@olivetcollege.edu.

Comet swimmers making a statement

by Geoff Henson For the second consecutive year, the Olivet College men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams proved to be a threat in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

“We have certainly made a statement that Comet swimming is here to stay,” said Head Coach Dave Stubbs. “We have risen to the occasion, met a challenge and succeeded.

“Last year, we won our first dual meet. This year, we had our first conference champ as well as had an athlete compete and score points at the national meet. These are defining moments for the growth of our program.”

Comet

Athletics

MEN’S TEAM The men’s team took the other MIAA teams by surprise with second-place finishes in the regular-season standings and 2005 MIAA Championships. Hope College finished 67.5 points ahead of the Comets at the championships and was the only team to beat them during the WOMEN’S TEAM regular season.

After finishing the dual meet portion of its schedule with a 3-3 “Going into Saturday’s competition (at the MIAA Championships), MIAA record, the women’s team was fourth at the 2005 MIAA I felt like we were pretty well locked into third-place,” Stubbs said.

Championships Feb. 10-12 with 287 points.

“However, we looked at it and said who knows what might happen if “Sometimes people get hung up on where the team finishes,” said everybody can move up a place or two in the finals.”

Stubbs. “I think that your goal should be to place as high as you’re Leading the Comets’ charge was freshman Dustin Meisner of humanly capable of. Whether Temperance, who became the college’s first-ever MIAA men’s champion it’s first- or fourth-place, you with a first-place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke. His time was an should not lose sight of what they accomplished as individuals. NCAA Championships provisional cut. During Friday’s competition, he finished in second-place in the 100-yard breaststroke with an NCAA You can be a champion and not Championships automatic qualifying time. For these efforts, Meisner come in first-place.”

The top women’s swimmer was named to the 2005 All-MIAA team, the first male swimmer in school history to earn all-league honors. was junior Jill Lingbeek of Freshman Brian Jaffe of Bowling Green, Ohio, joined Meisner on Plainwell, who was crowned the All-MIAA team. At the MIAA Championships, he was second in the MIAA champion in the the 1,650-yard freestyle, third in the 500-yard freestyle and fourth in the 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard 400-yard individual medley. butterfly and 100-yard Olivet junior Jill Lingbeek participated in Other men who had strong performances included Ananta Fetters backstroke. She broke the three events at the 2005 NCAA Division III of Fennville; Ben Guins of Lansing; Mitch Powers of Kalamazoo; school record in each event Swimming and Diving Championships.

Koji Takahashi of Etbicoke, Ontario and Andy Weiss of Fremont. and set a new MIAA record “Our breaststrokers were great,” Stubbs said. “Our butterflyers were in the 100 butterfly. The times in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke outstanding. Placing all five of our backstrokers was huge. Our relays did automatically qualified her for the NCAA Championships. well. You add them all together and that equals a tremendous team effort.”

“Jill had a great league meet,” Stubbs says. “She was able to win Meisner went on to represent Olivet at the NCAA Division III three events, which is pretty uncommon no matter what school you go to.

Swimming and Diving Championships March 17-19. He finished in The one thing that slipped under the radar is that she set an MIAA record, 16th-place in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke to earn honorable which is quite an accomplishment because of all the great swimmers the mention All-America honors. league has produced.”

Lingbeek competed in the three events at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships March 10-12. She placed 11th in the 100 backstroke and 16th in the 100 butterfly, to earn honorable mention All-America honors.

Olivet’s Board of Trustees announced the In addition to Lingbeek, sophomore Katherine Roesch of Lake reinstatement of the college’s intercollegiate Orion, earned All-MIAA honors with second-place finishes in the 100wrestling program at its January 2005 meeting. and 200-yard backstroke and fifth-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle.

Also swimming well were Sarah Boyd of Napoleon, Ohio; Laura Herzog In June 2004, the board voted to eliminate the program following the 2004-05 season. of St. Joseph; Katie Kilmartin of Wayland and Rachel Tunison of Erie.

Olivet President Don Tuski ’85, Ph.D. Divers were Kristin Bloomquist of Holt and Courtney Mich of Bay City. said the board reinstated the program in response to a reorganization instituted by first-year head wrestling coach, Todd Hibbs, and program mentoring by the college’s wrestling alumni.

Todd Hibbs “Coach Hibbs and our alumni have reinvigorated our wrestling program and established a team goal that The Olivet College women’s tennis team supports the college’s vision of Education for Individual and Social turned in another outstanding year as it set the Responsibility,” said Tuski. “The new wrestling mission statement may school record for most wins in a season with nine. serve as a model for other athletic programs to follow.”

The previous record was six, which was set by last The mission statement is as follows: The Olivet College wrestling year’s squad. As a team, Olivet tied for sixth-place team will evolve from an already proud and established winning tradition, in the 2005 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic into an exemplary program for other sports at Olivet College and Association (MIAA) seasonal standings. wrestling programs across the country to follow. Comet wrestlers will be One reason for the Comets’ success was the viewed as the most proactive and positive force in their community as play of sophomore Rachel Vilums of Hudsonville. they strive for excellence in athletics, academics and service to others.

Rachel Vilums As the team’s No. 1 singles player, she finished the “Olivet College has a great wrestling tradition,” said Tuski. “My season with a 13-9 record and fourth-place finish at goal is to see that tradition continue for a long time. I look forward to the MIAA Championships. For her efforts, Vilums became the first working closely with our wrestling alumni to help Olivet maintain one tennis player in school history to earn All-MIAA honors with her of the top wrestling programs in the nation.” second-team selection.

Wrestling program reinstated

Tennis team sets victory record

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

21

Comet

Athletics Football team has record season Olivet’s football team finished the 2004 season with an 8-2 overall record and 5-2 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) mark. The Fighting Comets ended the season in grand fashion with a 58-35 win over Albion College. The last time Olivet beat the Britons was in 1975. Furthermore, the eight wins tied the school record for victories in a season. Olivet also registered eight wins in 1901, 1961 and 1967.

For their efforts during the season, juniors Kyle Lackscheide of Vermontville, Mike Pfeister of Bellevue, Travis Sleight of Battle Creek and Andy Storey of Battle Creek as well as sophomore Josh VanLann of Grand Rapids, were named first-team All-MIAA. Josh Ewing of Hopkins and Mick Travis Sleight Faasen of Belding earned second-team honors.

During the Albion game, Sleight scored an MIAA and school single-game record seven touchdowns. He rushed for six touchdowns and caught an eight-yard touchdown pass.

Sleight was also selected to the 2004 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America© College Division second-team. He advanced to the national ballot after earning CoSIDA Academic All-District IV first-team honors. Sophomores Ryan Adams of Middleville and Jeff Iciek of Hopkins were also All-District IV choices.

VanLaan earned 2004 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-American third-team honors. Ewing, Pfeister and VanLann were named to the Football Gazette All-North Region teams. VanLaan was a first-team pick while Ewing and Pfeister were third-team choices.

Livedoti named head football coach Irv Sigler ’65 announced his retirement as the head football coach at Olivet College Dec. 7. He said that the decision to leave was based on health issues and a desire to spend more time with his family. Dominic Livedoti ’65, who served as the assistant head coach and Dominic Livedoti ’65 Irv Sigler ’65 defensive coordinator for the last three years under Sigler, was named the new head football coach.

Livedoti previously served as the Comets’ head coach from 1988-92.

During that time, Olivet had a 21-21-3 record. His background also includes coaching at Wayne State University and Battle Creek St. Philip, Burr Oak/Colon, West Bloomfield and Ypsilanti high schools.

“Irv and I had a fun three years together and I’m sad to see him leave,” said Livedoti. “But I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to serve as Olivet’s head football coach once again. When we started here three years ago, the goal was to bring a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship to Olivet. That goal still remains.”

Livedoti appointed Bob Kubiak ’82 as assistant head football coach.

Kubiak served as the Comets’ offensive coordinator during Livedoti’s first tenure as head coach.

“Olivet has always been a great place to me,” said Kubiak. “I am very excited to be a part of the Comet football program once again. There have been some great strides made recently regarding facilities and the success of the program.”

For the last 12 years, Kubiak taught and served as head of the physical education department at Kalamazoo Central High School (KCHS). He also served as the school’s head varsity football coach for 11 years. In 2000, he led KCHS to its first-ever Big 8 Championship and a spot in the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs. Kubiak was named the Big 8 Coach of the Year in 1994 and 2000.

Comet News and Notes • Bill Boyle joined the Comet coaching staff this spring as head men’s soccer coach. He comes to Olivet after spending the last four years as an assistant boys’ soccer coach at Okemos High School (OHS). The Chieftains won the 2004 Michigan High School Athletic Association Division I Boys’ Soccer title. He has also served as a coach for various premier soccer teams in Michigan and Colorado. In addition, Boyle has received an advanced national license from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Boyle, a resident of Haslett, is a 1998 graduate of Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., and was a four-year starter in soccer for the Hawks (1994-1997). He has also played semi-professionally for the Detroit Dynamite and Cincinnati (Ohio) Riverhawks. Boyle graduated from OHS and was a four-year letterwinner on the soccer team. He scored 32 goals during his senior year and was named the Mr. Michigan runner-up.

• Three women’s soccer players were tabbed to the 2004 All-MIAA teams. Sophomore Stacey Stickney of St. Joseph was named to the firstteam. Junior defender Samantha Dyke of Hudsonville and junior goalkeeper Gretchen Ford of Harbor Springs earned second-team honors.

The Comets also received the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas Team Academic Award for the second consecutive year.

• Junior Katie Schaum of Marshall was named to the 2004 All-MIAA second-team in volleyball.

• Seniors Emily Fix of New Buffalo and Ronnie Pearson of Holly earned 2005 All-MIAA second-team honors in women’s and men’s basketball, respectively.

22

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

Bill Boyle

Stacey Stickney

Ryan Newberry

Beth Shunkwiler

• Junior 184-pounder Ryan Newberry of South Haven represented Olivet at the 2005 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships March 5-6.

• Olivet senior catcher Beth Shunkwiler of Berrien Center was named the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Player of the Week for March 6-12. She led the Comets to a 5-1 record during their spring break trip to the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. For the trip, Shunkwiler had a .450 batting average with four home runs, a triple and three doubles for a 1.300 slugging percentage.

• Nick McIntosh of Petoskey broke an MIAA three-game series record with five home runs and 24 total bases against Tri-State (Ind.) University April 1-2.

• In a span of six days, the softball team recorded two no-hitters.

On April 12, Erica Anderson of Casnovia threw a no-hitter against Kalamazoo College and on April 18, Kim Green of Portland no-hit Rochester College. Those are the eighth and ninth no-hitters in school history.

Comet

Men’s Soccer SEPT.

OCT.

NOV.

Date 3 4 21 24 27 1 5 8 11 15 19 22 25 29 2 5

Opponent HEIDELBERG (Ohio) UNIV. OF WISC.- OSHKOSH @ Adrian * @ Tri-State (Ind.) * KALAMAZOO* HOPE * @ Calvin * @ Alma * ALBION * ADRIAN * TRI-STATE (Ind.) * @ Kalamazoo * @ Hope * CALVIN * ALMA * @ Albion *

Time 3 P.M. 1 P.M. 4 p.m.

2 p.m.

4 P.M. 2 P.M. 4 p.m.

2 p.m.

4 P.M. 2 P.M. 4 P.M. 2 p.m.

4 p.m.

11:30 A.M. 3 P.M. 2 p.m.

OCT.

NOV.

Date 1 3 7 10 14 17 20 24 28 1 8 12 15 18 22 26 29 1 5

Opponent @ Northwood BUFFALO STATE (N.Y.) @ Calvin * ADRIAN * @ Tri-State (Ind.) * KALAMAZOO* @ Saint Mary’s (Ind.) * HOPE * @ Albion * @ Alma * @ Adrian * TRI-STATE (Ind.) * @ Kalamazoo * SAINT MARY’S (Ind.) * @ Hope * ALBION * ALMA * DAVENPORT CALVIN *

Time 4 p.m.

NOON 4 p.m.

NOON 4 p.m.

NOON 4 p.m.

NOON 4 p.m. noon noon 4 P.M. noon 4 P.M. noon 4 P.M. 2 P.M. 3 P.M. NOON

Volleyball SEPT.

OCT.

NOV.

Date 2-3 9-10 13 15 17 21 24 27 1 5 8 11 19 22 25 28-29 1-5

Opponent @ Elmhurst (Ill.) Invitational @ Hanover (Ind.) Invitational @ Saint Mary’s (Ind.) * MADONNA @ Albion * CALVIN * Tri-Match @ Adrian with Hope * @ Kalamazoo * TRI-STATE (Ind.) * ALMA * TRI-MATCH with ALBION & SAINT MARY’S (Ind.) * HOPE * @ Tri-State (Ind.) * Tri-Match @ Alma with Kalamazoo * ADRIAN * @ Calvin Tournament MIAA Tournament (Site TBA)

Cross Country SEPT. OCT.

NOV.

Women’s Soccer SEPT.

Athletics

Time TBA TBA 6 p.m.

7 P.M. 11 a.m.

7 P.M. 1 p.m.

7 p.m.

NOON 7 P.M. 11 A.M. 7 P.M. 5 p.m.

10 a.m.

7 P.M. TBA TBA

Date 9 24 1 7 15 29 12

Opponent @ Aquinas Invitational MIAA Jamboree @ Calvin @ Lansing Community College Invitational @ Michigan Collegiate Championships @ Univ. of Wisc.-Parkside Invitational MIAA Championship Meet @ Kalamazoo NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Meet

Football SEPT.

OCT.

NOV.

Date 10 17 24 1 8 15 22 29 5 12

Opponent FRANKLIN (Ind.) @ Ohio Wesleyan @ Manchester (Ind.) @ Alma * HOPE * (Homecoming) @ Adrian * TRI-STATE (Ind.) * KALAMAZOO* @ Wisconsin Lutheran * ALBION *

Time 7 P.M. 1 p.m.

1:30 p.m.

1 p.m.

2 P.M. 1 p.m.

1 P.M. 1 P.M. 1 p.m.

1 P.M.

Football season kicks off in the dark On Sept. 10, the Olivet College football team will kick off the 2005 season in a way that has never been done in the history of the program. The game between the Comets and Franklin (Ind.) College will be played under the lights at the Cutler Athletic Complex.

Game time is 7 p.m.

“There has been a lot of excitement because it is something new,” said Head Football Coach Dominic Livedoti ’65.

“I believe that Franklin has played night games in the past, so Franklin’s coach and athletic director were open to playing a night game here.

“Our players were excited when they learned about playing a night game because it takes them back to their high school days when they played on Friday nights. A night game also generates a different type of excitement for the college.”

The game will also be Hall of Fame Night with this year’s honorees being recognized prior to the game. Current members of the Olivet College Athletic Hall of Fame are also invited back to campus for the festivities.

In addition to this game under the lights, the field will host at least three high school football games, including Olivet High School’s Homecoming game Oct. 14 against Dundee.

BOLD and CAPS denote home event. * denotes Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association contest

www.olivetcollege.edu/sports

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

23

Class

Notes 1920s Frances (Friend) Collins ’28 lives near Traverse City. She met her late husband, Stan Collins ’27, at Olivet. She recently visited her daughter, Nancy ’57, and son-in-law, Jack Fieldman ’56, in Florida.

Frances recently celebrated her 98th birthday.

Frances (Friend) Collins ’28

1940s Loel (Burket) Shuler ’43 wrote, Alaska in the Wake of the North Star. The book is about her Alaskan adventure more than 50 years ago. She recently retired from the Children’s Experimental Theatre in Carmel, Calif., where she was a costumer and instructor. She lives in Pacific Grove, Calif. E-mail Loel at loels@pacbell.com.

Marion “Peggy” Webster ’43 lives in Clearwater, Fla. She is one of the original 12 Sigma Betas who have been writing round-robin letters since 1943. E-mail Peggy at peggyf@ij.net.

Jack Fowler ’44 was recognized by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan as the 2004 Grand Angel Award recipient for his founding of The Fowler Center, a camp for people with disabilities.

Winifred (O’Donnell) Jackson ’44 attended the Ft. Myers, Fla., alumni gathering in February. E-mail “Winnie” at Winifredjackson@juno.com.

Jack Fowler ’44

24

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

1950s Robert Etzcorn ’51 is retired from the French Paper Company after 45 years of service and lives in Niles.

Al Knickerbocker ’58 has completed a year as moderator at the Ladera Community Church in Portola Valley, Calif. He recently met with Loel Shuler ’43 and June Simmons ’43, who was his thirdgrade music teacher in Chelsea. E-mail Al at alknick@comcast.net.

Doug Mitmesser ’59 retired after 33 years of teaching and coaching at Coldwater Schools. E-mail Doug at Mitmesscd@cbpu.com.

1960s Walt ’61 and Judy (Gee) Green ’62 are enjoying retirement after 35 years of teaching and administration work. They live in Florida and North Carolina. Walt was elected mayor of their community. E-mail them at wgreen1531@earthlink.net.

Roger ’61 and Gwen (Fett) Wood ’63 have 13 grandchildren. Gwen continues to teach kindergarten in Yale. Roger is an adjunct instructor at St. Clair County Community College. E-mail them at rogerw@greatlakes.net.

Johnston reconnects with college Virginia (Rose) Johnston ex’39 reconnected with Olivetians during the February alumni gathering in West Palm Beach, Fla. She brought a scrapbook filled with pictures, a homecoming football program, dance cards and society bids from her one year at Olivet College. She was recently honored by the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) National Alumni Association for her Virginia Rose Johnston ex ’39 contributions to the field of education and to the community. She earned a master’s degree from FAU’s College of Education in 1967.

In 1975, she went on sabbatical in Eastern Europe and Florence, Italy, and then went on to the Far East in 1977. She retired in 1979, and then went to Africa on a Peace Corps mission. She also participated in an educational junket to the former Soviet Union.

Virginia and seven other teachers went to China in 1984 to teach, while living in a guest house on the campus of Jilin College. She takes courses in a variety of disciplines, travels, belongs to a monthly book club and is a reader for the blind and dyslexic. Virginia is also a member of the U.S.-China Peoples Friendship Association. She has a son, two daughters and four grandchildren. E-mail Virginia at Ba8674@aol.com.

Class

Lou Flanigan ’62 lives in New Orleans and works part-time in tourism. E-mail Lou at lhtours@msn.com.

Tom Nesbitt ’63 is enjoying his retirement. During the winter months, he visited with many Olivetians including Dave Cutler ’65, Dominic Livedoti ’65, Dan Matevia ’66, Bernie McConnell ’82, Chuck McPhail ’64, George Pyne ’65, Larry ’64 and Ginny ’65 Spencer and President Don Tuski ’85. E-mail Tom at tomfoolerytoo@aol.com.

Bill Soper ’64 is semi-retired but performing ministerial and career management duties. He is starting an arts ministry at the church he attends with his wife, Nancy. They live in the Atlanta/Roswell, Ga., area and have two daughters and two grandchildren. E-mail Bill at soperwill@yahoo.com.

Bill Giles ’66 retired in June 2004 after teaching high school biology for 38 years. He taught in Northfield, Mass., for 27 years, followed by 11 years at North Yarmouth Academy in Maine. He was chair of the science department at both schools and coached cross country, track and boys’ volleyball. Their family includes a son, daughter and granddaughter. E-mail Bill at blgiles2@earthlink.net.

Bruce Penn ’66 is training for the Disney Marathon to be held New Year’s Day and a 10K run in Winter Park, Fla. E-mail Bruce at unreconstructed1@msn.com.

Reconnecting in New England were Olivetians from the Class of 1968 (from left) Owen DuVall, Moira (Prout) Keleher and Anne (Carlson) DuVall.

Ron Fazio ’68 recently retired after teaching history and economics for 36 years at Manalapan High School in New Jersey. He also coached the golf team for 20 years, winning two state championships. Ron has three sons.

Robert “Bob” Parrella ’68 is the president of Paramount Industries, Inc., in Medway, Mass. He and his wife, Diane, have a daughter, a son and two grandsons. E-mail Bob at rjp@paramountindustriesinc.com.

Woody Wiley ’68 was asked to submit his memoirs to his Massachusetts hometown newspaper, The Hamilton-Wenham Chronicle. His Olivet College years are prominent among the highlights. Woody has worked for 35 years with the Boy Scouts of America. He is the associate regional director for the Northwest Region, headquartered in Jamesburg, N.J. Woody and his wife, Sue, have been married 37 years and have four children and four grandchildren. E-mail Woody at lcwiley@prodigy.net.

Notes Jim Briney ’69 lives in Wisconsin with his wife, Sandy (Garlington) Briney ’70. In 1999, they established The Briney Ethical Trust to promote ethical considerations and personal integrity. Jim is a United Church of Christ pastor and teacher; Sandy is an artist.

E-mail Jim at briney2@tds.net.

Christine Laitner ’69 retired from Gladwin Community Schools in June 2001, after 32 years of teaching English, Latin and music.

In July 2004, Christine became the president of the Swedenborgian Church of North America, a small Christian denomination of a few thousand people. E-mail Christine at kiplingcat@juno.com.

1970s Marty (Crandall) Hagerty ’70 was elected judge of Fremont Town Court in Fremont, Ind., for 2004-07. Marty also owns a ceramic shop, where her college roommate, Barb (Allen) Keeler ’70, helps her once a week during the summers. E-mail Marty at mchagerty@dmci.net.

Nancy “Erin” Hurd ’70 retired in May 2003 after 24 years of full-time military service with the U.S. Army and Colorado Army National Guard. She recently moved back to Michigan and is building a home. E-mail Erin at erin53093@jackpine.net.

Tom Martinsen ’70 teaches English at the Milwaukee Area Technical College. He was listed in the “Who’s Who in Education” for 2004.

Tom and his wife, Karen, have three children: Jon (22), Tony (18), a freshman at Olivet College, and Emily (14). Tom serves on the board of directors for the Bill Buchanan Memorial Fund. Buchanan taught English at Olivet in the 1960s and 1970s. E-mail Tom at Martinsth@aol.com.

Ann (Bertram) Brindle ’71 retired in June 2004 after 31 years of teaching at Pinckney Schools. She has two children, Kate (25) and Andrew (20). E-mail Ann at annbdex@yahoo.com.

Dr. Alhasan Ceesay ’71 is the founder of a self-help village health organization, Manding Medical Centre, in Njawara, The Gambia. The center has given free treatment to more than 8,000 villagers. Alhasan is the author of The Legend Against All Odds. He was recently presented the 2005 Distinguished Graduate of Alpena Community College Award. E-mail Alhasan at alhasanceesay@hotmail.com.

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

25

Class

Notes Craig S. Noble ’71 has been promoted to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He is a psychologist with the 9019th Air Reserve Squadron, Air Reserve Personnel Center in Denver. He has served in the military for 13 years. Craig earned his doctorate from the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology in Palo Alto, Calif.

Loren Burzycki ’72 enjoyed watching his daughter Shelly (Burzycki) Phillips ’98, play basketball during Olivet’s 2004 Homecoming alumni/student game. His childhood friend and Olivet roommate, Marc Ptak ’74, was a referee for the game.

E-mail Loren at lburzycki@republicengineered.com.

Alan Bollers ’73 is a senior systems engineer in Alabama, providing services to the Ground-based Mid-course Defense System – the terminal defense element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System. E-mail Alan at alan.bollers@us.army.mil.

Becky Goodman ’73 is the downtown director for the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Liz Walker ’73, a longtime Boston, Mass., TV news anchor, recently went on a fact-finding trip to refugee camps in Darfur, Sudan, to film a documentary. She went with a Boston pediatrician active in Sudan and a member of the board of directors of Mercy Corps, an international humanitarian agency that has relief workers in the Darfur refugee camps.

Sylvia Hicks-Fox ’78 and daughter, Gabriella

Sylvia Hicks-Fox ’78, Ph.D., is a partner with Bright Futures Pediatrics in Kalamazoo. She earned a doctorate from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis.

Sylvia is board certified in pediatrics, a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the Michigan State Medical Society. Her family includes husband, Joseph, and daughter, Gabriella.

Lt. John Collins ’79 retired from the Albion Department of Public Safety after 25 years of service. He started out as a firefighter and later became a policeman when the two departments merged.

1980s Rod Hathaway ’81 was honored at an Olivet alumni basketball brunch Feb. 5, 2005. Kurt Soderberg, Olivet’s head men’s basketball coach, presented Rod with a framed basketball jersey and plaque in recognition of his support to the Comet basketball program. Rod purchased two pieces of practice equipment and 20 basketballs and also supported the “Adopt a Comet” program. E-mail Rod at Rod_n_Amy@yahoo.com.

Eric Henricks ’77 has been an anesthesiologist at the Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for 20 years. He enjoys flying, sailing and adventure racing. In November 2004, he competed in the United States Adventure Racing Association National Championship. Eric and his wife enjoy their combined family of six children, ranging in age from 11 to 20.

Kathy Ford ’78 performs in her own band, The Kathy Ford Band.

The last seven years, her band was voted The Best Band (Local Country Act) in the Lansing State Journal. Kathy’s band, which plays a wide variety of music, will perform during Olivet’s 2005 Homecoming activities. E-mail Kathy at kford47311@aol.com.

Rod Hathaway ’81 (center) with President Tuski and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Kurt Soderberg.

26

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

Class

SAVE THE DATE! 2005 Homecoming Saturday, Oct. 8 Comets vs. Hope Theme: “Welcome Back Comets!”

Jean Van Effen ’82 is a French horn player in the U.S. Army Europe Band and Chorus in Heidelberg, Germany. She is Chief of the Plans, Operations and Training Division, responsible for processing all performance requests, coordinating performances, scheduling all musical rehearsals for 10 performing groups and military training for a 105-member unit. E-mail Jean at Jean.Vaneffen@t-online.de.

Brian Hughes ’82 was the recipient of the 27th annual Elisha Darlin Arts Award Feb. 11, 2005. The award, presented by the Dubuque County Fine Arts Society, is given in recognition of outstanding service to the arts. Brian is an associate professor of music at Loras College in Iowa. E-mail Brian at Brian.Hughes@loras.edu.

Notes David ’91 and Jennifer (Jackson) Bush ’92 recently relocated to Ohio. E-mail them at Drparents@aol.com.

Rahszene Griffin ’91 is a police officer in Detroit. E-mail Rahszene at RGRIFFIN6969@go.com.

Kim (Hart) Taylor ’91 and her husband, John, reside in Georgia.

They have two children, Emily (14) and Grant (12). E-mail Kim at kimtaylor1@comcast.net Kevin Kenerly ’92 had the lead role in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s production of August Wilson’s award-winning Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Kevin is celebrating his 10th season with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Melody Askew ex’84 is the assistant director of finance at Harper Creek Schools. In May 2004, she earned a master’s degree in business administration from Spring Arbor University. E-mail Melody at ASKEWM@harpercreek.net.

Mike James ’84 was a sports writer for the Detroit News from 1987-93 and The New York Daily News from 1993-2001. He now works as a freelance writer, commuting between New York and Los Angeles. E-mail Mike at jamjourn@hotmail.com.

Kevin Kenerly ’92

Alumni Calendar June 16

Leadership for Individual and Social Responsibility Awards Dinner

June 18

Lansing Lugnuts Baseball Game Alumni Gathering

Jacquelynne “Jackie” (Neal) Smith ’87 is working in the Reserves and Interlibrary Loan Department for the Cobb County Public Library System in Marietta, Ga. She has a daughter, Angelique (11).

E-mail Jackie at dirteesouthgal@yahoo.com.

July 15

Olivet College Golf Classic – The Medalist Golf Club, Marshall

July 16

Kappa Sigma Alpha Golf Outing – site TBA

Thomas Carr ’88 is owner and vice president of Lakeland Asphalt Corp., in Battle Creek. E-mail Thomas at Tcarr1atlakeland@aol.com.

July 16

Phi Alpha Pi Golf Outing – Alwyn Downs Golf Club, Marshall

July 30

Comet Classic 5K Run

Sept. 9

Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner

Sept. 10

Athletic Hall of Fame Night First football game under the lights

Oct. 8

Olivet College Homecoming

Dec. 16

Holiday Social hosted by J. Robert Gillette ’63 – Birmingham Athletic Club, Bloomfield Hills

1990s Teresa (Bigelow) Sturrus ’90 is associate dean of instruction at Muskegon Community College. Teresa and her husband, Tom, are building a house near Fremont. E-mail Teresa at SturrusT@muskegoncc.edu.

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

27

Class

Notes

Sarah L. Knapp ’99 is the marketing and communication coordinator for the Northside Ministerial Alliance Southwest Michigan Faith and Community-Based Institute in Kalamazoo. E-mail Sarah at sknapp@nmati.org.

2000s

Amy Crane ’94 was recently a guest on Inspiration Network, a TV network located in Charlotte, N.C. Amy shared her story about living with seizures and overcoming epilepsy through brain surgery. Amy is a special education teacher at Swartz Creek High School. E-mail Amy at acrane@swcrk.org.

Jessica (Davenport) Creager ’00 is a special education teacher at the C.W. Otto Middle School and the varsity softball coach at Everett High School in Lansing. She is in the master’s program for special education at Grand Valley State University. E-mail Jessica at jessicadavenport22@yahoo.com.

Denny Frank ’94 earned a Ph.D. in counselor education from the College of William and Mary. He lives in Virginia and is doing clinical work. E-mail Denny at hedshrinkr@hotmail.com.

Audrey Haddock ’00 illustrated The Chilling Adventures of Marshall McCaw, by Charlet Faye. The book is about the adventures of a tricolored macaw and his friends in a rain forest in South America’s Amazon region. She has created murals at Olivet, Wattles Park Elementary School and Harper Creek’s three elementary schools.

She has three sons.

Brian Dartt ’95 coached the Olivet High School boys’ basketball team to the state Class C Championship. His team included Zane Gay, son of Linda McGuire ’04; Cam Bramer, son of college employee Chris Bramer; Geoff Britton, grandson of Richard Fleming, Ph.D., professor emeritus at the college; and Joe Post, son of Mike ’82 and Lori (Page) Post ’82 and grandson of former college employee, Beth Page.

Audrey McManus ’95 earned a master’s degree in human resource management from Central Michigan University in December 2004.

She works in the Corporate Benefits Department at the Detroit Diesel Corporation. E-mail Audrey at Audrey.mcmanus@detroitdiesel.com.

Saudia Santure ’98 is the public affairs specialist at Consumers Energy’s J.R. Whiting Generating Plant in Erie. She is also a member of the steering committee of Michigan Envirothon, a high school science competition oriented toward environmental issues.

She is married to Andrew Kneffel ’98. E-mail Saudia at saudster@hotmail.com.

Hector West ’98 is a teacher and head girls’ soccer coach at Bend High School in Bend, Ore. He had been the assistant coach for two seasons.

Pam Gleave ’99, director of academic advising at Olivet, had her artwork featured in an exhibit in the college’s Barker-Cawood Art Gallery this year. Her work included carbon dust, ceramic, gouache, oils, pastels, pencil, pen and ink, and photography, focusing on a wide-range of subject interests. Her work is in private collections in 18 states and Japan.

28

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

Moushumi Hossain-Gjukis ’00 works in the education administration department at the University of Notre Dame. Her husband, Peter John Gjukis ’00, is a chemist for Abbott Labs in Sturgis. E-mail Moushumi at mhossain77@yahoo.com.

Stay connected with Olivet E-newsletter You don’t have to wait for Shipherd’s Record to stay up-to-date on what’s happening at Olivet College.

Subscribe to Olivet’s free monthly E-newsletter.

Developed with alumni and friends in mind, the E-newsletter contains news and notes about Olivet’s students, faculty, staff and alumni. This service is only available to those alumni and friends who subscribe, so sign up today by sending an e-mail to collegerelations@olivetcollege.edu.

Class Notes Turn yourself in for Shipherd’s Record Class Notes.

Send your notes to the Office of Alumni Relations, 320 S. Main St., Olivet, MI 49076.

You may also e-mail your information to alumnirelations@olivetcollege.edu.

Web site Visit the Olivet College Alumni Association Web site at www.olivet.onlinecommunity.com Your I.D. number, located on this magazine’s address label, is required to register.

Class

Notes Amy (Hillis) Ouellette ’03 works in Lansing at the Accident Fund Insurance Company of America. Her husband, Jon Ouellette ’03, works at GEE Communications and Network Solutions.

The Olivet College Alumni Council Scholarships are given each year to students based on their grades, leadership roles on- and off-campus, service to the college and community, and social and extra-curricular activities. The 2005-06 recipients are (from left) Elizabeth Flanary, a junior from Howell; Gabe Pringle, a junior from Grand Blanc; Kyle Vanderlaan, a sophomore from Belding and Janet Stam, a sophomore from Holland. The scholarships are funded by members of the alumni council, with generous support from alumni and friends.

Branden Patrick ’03 joined the U.S. Army in June 2004. He graduated with honors in December, 2004, after training at Ft. Knox, Ky., and Ft. Bliss, Texas. In January, he was called to active duty for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Branden and his wife, Stacy, a sophomore at Olivet, are the parents of Jenna Kay, born Feb. 13, 2004.

E-mail Branden and Stacy at patrickbsj@hotmail.com.

Candice Wilson ’03 is attending Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

E-mail Candice at cdub_33@hotmail.com.

Melody Betts ’04 is working toward a professional singing career.

Since graduation, she has traveled to Europe and Japan and has been featured on five professionally released albums.

Elizabeth “Libby” Gibbons ’04 is an Olivet College admissions representative. She serves as a recruiter for new and international students.

Kathy Roche-Wallace ’00 became the first woman in North America to finish a triple triathlon when she placed fourth out of eight competitors in the Odyssey Triple Ironman Triathlon in Virginia. She finished in a time of 52:06. The race included a 7.2-mile lake swim, 336-mile bike and a 78.6-mile run in Lake Anna State Park.

Randy Lance ’04 is a customer service representative for National City Bank in Kalamazoo.

Elizabeth Gibbons ’04

Lorrie Crawford ’98 (MAT) teaches fifth-grade language arts and math at the Navigator School in Pinckney.

Lorin Granger ’01 is the owner/agent of the Granger Insurance & Financial Group. He also coaches varsity football at Battle Creek Central High School. Lorin and his wife, Audra, have a 3-year-old son, Kyler. E-mail Lorin at lgranger@allstate.com.

Jason Creager ’03 is teaching at Gunnisonville Elementary School and is the wrestling coach at Pattengill Middle School in Lansing. E-mail Jason at jasoncreager22@yahoo.com.

Michael Storer ’04 is working in New Jersey for NAPCO, LLC, a wholesale broker of commercial property and casualty insurance coverage. As a student, he earned the Spencer Foundation Scholarship, which allowed him to participate in educational field trips to Chicago, London, New Orleans, New York City and Toronto. E-mail Mike at mstorer@napcollc.com.

Michael Storer ’04

Jennifer (Sochor) Janetzke ’03 is a teacher in Ionia. Her husband, Kyle Janetzke ’03, teaches fourth-grade in Charlotte. E-mail the Janetzkes at globesessions@hotmail.com.

Michael Kahl ’03 is the store manager for Family Video in Marshall.

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

29

Class

Notes Comet Classic 5K Run All Olivet College students, alumni and friends are invited to participate in the college’s annual Comet Classic 5K Run. The event is Saturday, July 30, 2005 and begins at 8:30 a.m. next to Burrage Library. The scenic 5K run and 5K fitness walk course offers challenges to the beginner and veteran alike, while the 1-mile walk and family fun run course takes in the natural beauty that is the Olivet College campus.

Participants will receive an official long sleeve T-shirt and participant packet. Awards will be presented to the overall male and female winners, and the first-place male and female finishers in each age group for the 5K run event. All children age 12 and under receive certificates of participation. Registered participants are eligible for the raffle that will take place at the conclusion of all events.

Following the Comet Classic 5K Run, the city of Olivet will hold its annual Firemen’s Festival and Lion’s Classic Car Show.

For more information or to sign up to participate in the Comet Classic, call (269) 749-7631.

The runner-up foursome from the 2004 Olivet College Golf Classic was (from left) Bob Kubiak ’82, Rocky Johnson ’85, Ed Heator ’80 and Kevin Allard ’81.

Olivet College Golf Classic All Olivet alumni and friends are invited to the 2005 Olivet College Golf Classic, sponsored by the Comet athletic department. The event is scheduled for Friday, July 15, at The Medalist Golf Club in Marshall.

The $100 registration fee includes 18 holes of golf with a cart and cooler; lunch, beverages and dinner; in addition to door prizes and raffles. Contests include longest drive, longest putt and closest to the pin. Proceeds from this annual event benefit the college’s athletic programs. For more information, call (269) 749-7189.

Turn yourself in for Shipherd’s Record Class Notes Please detach (or copy) and send the completed form to the Office of Alumni Relations, 320 S. Main St., Olivet, MI 49076.

You may also e-mail your Class Note information to alumnirelations@olivetcollege.edu.

Your name: _________________________________________________________________________________ (first)

(middle)

(last)

(maiden name, if applicable)

Class, or years attended: __________________________________ Major: ____________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________ (street)

(city)

(state)

(zip code)

Check here if this is a new address.

Telephone: ___________________________________ E-mail address: _______________________________ Spouse: ___________________________________________________________________________________ (first)

(middle)

(last)

(maiden name, if applicable)

Class, or years attended: __________________________________ Major: ____________________________ Your occupation, job title: ____________________________________________________________________ Class Note: _________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ (job change, relocation, marriage, birth announcement, honor/award) Due to space limitations, please submit events that have occurred within the past year.

I certify that the above information is true and correct.

Signature: ________________________________________ Today’s date: _____________________________

30

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

Marriages

Class

Notes

Teresa Bigelow ’90 and Thomas Sturrus, March 25, 2004, in Fremont.

Eric Ostahowski ’99 and Sarah Radtke, Sept. 18, 2004.

Alan Albrecht ’00 and Kara VanHaaften, July 10, 2004.

Jason Creager ’03 and Jessica Davenport ’00, Dec. 11, 2004 in the Olivet Congregational Church. The wedding party included Olivetians: Mike Fales ’75 (officiate), David Sly ’70, Ph.D., (organist/soloist), Jessica Davenport ’00 and Jason Creager ’03 Emilee Bowers ex ’00, Cody Osborn ’02, Dustin Cichocki ’01, Erika Hinga ’01, Kristin Johnson ex’00, Jeena Bowers ’01 and Ponja (Davenport) Vahs ’03 (mother-of-the-bride).

Peter John Gjukis III ’00 and Moushumi Hossain ’00, fall 2004.

Kristopher M. Brown Jr. ex ’01 and Tiffany Roberts, Sept. 25, 2004, in Kalamazoo.

Ponja Davenport ’03 and Richard Vahs, Dec. 15, 2004 in the Olivet Congregational Church. Ponja is the administrative assistant in Olivet’s Office of Institutional Ponja Davenport ’03 and Richard Vahs with Advancement. Richard Mike Fales ’75 (center). is the son of Olivet College Trustee Emeritus Ralph Vahs. The couple’s children Jessica (Davenport) Creager ’00 and Bradley Vahs were their attendants. Mike Fales ’75 officiated.

Jon Ouellette ’03 and Amy Hillis ’03, March 20, 2004. Other Olivetians in the wedding party were Lori Heisler ’03, Stacey Dulinski ’04 and Travis Miller ’04.

Kyle Janetzke ’03 and Jenny Sochor ’03, July 10, 2004, in Lansing.

Drew Graham ’04 and Heather Walther ’04, June 19, 2004, in Essexville. The wedding party included Olivetians: senior Jeff Albrecht , junior Marie Gouba (singer), Erin Palmer ’04, senior Keegan Robbins, Wayne Roush ’03, David Sly ’70, Ph.D., (pianist), Dustin Slyvenski ’03 (hostess) and Lou Vasilion ’00.

Drew Graham ’04 and Heather Walther ’04

New Additions to Glenn ’80 and Ellyn (Heimforth) Tarrant ’78 , twins, son, Seville Liberty, and daughter, Savian Dominic, July 22, 2004. They now have 12 children. to Deb (Turner) DeHaan ’89 and husband Rick, a son, Ryan Derrick, Jan. 5, 2005. Ryan joins sister, Katelynn (3). to David ’91 and Jennifer (Jackson) Bush ’92, a daughter, Margaret Kathleen, adopted from Korea, Feb. 22, 2004. Margaret joins brother, Daniel (3). to Julie Foster ’92 a son, Drew Henry, March 18, 2005. to Dr. Paul Stoetzel ’94, and wife, Robyn, a son, Jacob Paul, Nov. 5, 2004. He joins sister, Tyller (6). to Chris ’96 and Angie (Swinford) Gumper ex ’97 , a son, Gavin Steven, April 29, 2004. He joins brother, Garrett (2). to Alex “Marty” Moore ’00 and wife, Sarah, a daughter, Avery Noelle, Jan. 17, 2005. to Heath ’98 and Melinda (Koviak) Otto ’01, twins, daughter, Payton Rae, and son, Cooper Edward, Feb. 18, 2005. to Clinton Harris ’03 and Melody Betts ’04, a daughter, Nya Aria, March 26, 2004. to Bethany (Poyer) Burpee ’04 and husband, Jeff, a son, Cavan Alexander, March 10, 2005.

SHIPHERD‘S

RECORD

31

Class

Notes In Memoriam Vaughn W. Floutz ’26, Ph.D., Dec. 18, 2004. He celebrated his 100th birthday Oct. 4, 2004 and was honored with greetings from the White House and NBC’s “Today” show. He was a founding member of Kappa Sigma Alpha. He is survived by wife, Martha, a son, two daughters and grandchildren.

Pauline Louise (Gould) Parker ’35, Jan. 29, 2005 at the age of 92.

She was the last surviving grandchild of Myram Augustus Hance and his wife, Myra. Myram built the Hance House, which serves as the college’s presidents’ house. He moved to Olivet so his three children could earn a college education. The Hance family also helped to found the Olivet Congregational Church.

Pauline was the daughter of Olivet graduates, Beatrice (Hance) Gould and Elna (Stillman) Gould. She is survived by daughter, Eleanor “Nan” Griffith, son-in-law, Richard Griffith, Ph.D., two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death in 2001 by her sister, Katherine Eleanor (Gould) Cox ’32. In January 2005 while Pauline was in the hospital, she was a patient of Kelly (Stevenson) Castellon ’95. Memorial gifts may be sent to Olivet College.

R. Barry Brugman ’37 died in January 2005.

Bobby Lou (Gomon) Dewey ’37, Jan. 5, 2005. She is survived by four children, grandchildren and a sister.

Earl C. Wilson ’38, Nov. 29, 2004. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Alice Wilson ’40.

Richard M. Curtis ’46, Sept. 11, 2004. He is survived by wife, Patricia, two daughters and two granddaughters.

Alice (Neilsen) Swainson ’49, Aug. 31, 2004. Her late husband was former Gov. John Swainson ’49. She is survived by a daughter, two sons, grandchildren and brothers.

Barbara Ann (Thompson) Thomson ex’51, June 21, 2004. She is survived by her husband, three sons, a daughter and grandchildren.

Duane Richardson ’58, March 29, 2005. He had been football coach and principal at Tekonsha High School. He is survived by a son, daughter and grandchildren.

Bill Aue ’68, March 23, 2005. In 2003, he retired from Owosso Public Schools after 31 years of teaching and administration. He is survived by his wife, Joni, three sons and two daughters. Memorial gifts may be sent to the Bill Aue Scholarship Fund at the college.

Thomas Graveline ’72, Sept. 20, 2003.

Roger Burris ’73, March 8, 2005. He worked on court transcripts and proofreading and lived in Virginia.

Madeline “Mindi” (Wearer) Sandborn ’74, Dec. 23, 2004 in Kentucky.

She is survived by husband Bruce, a daughter, grandson, father, sister and two brothers.

Michael Kesteloot ’87, on March 27, 2005.

Ernest Bates ex ’97, Feb. 11, 2005. He was instrumental in establishing the Black Student Union and Nu Gamma Xi. William Z. Zinke ex ’97, March 21, 2005. He is survived by his father, brother and sister.

Kyong Cha Pokrzywinski ex ’01, Dec. 3, 2004 in Dumaguete City, Philippines. She established a need-based scholarship at Olivet in memory of her husband, Julius Pokrzywinski, for underprivileged students from developing nations. She is survived by her daughter.

Former Faculty, Staff and Friends

Roberta (Mains) Whitbeck ’39, Dec. 16, 2004.

Marion Adell (Minard) Bolton, Sept. 18, 2004 at age 92. During the 1960s, Marion was a housemother at Olivet College. She is survived by two daughters and grandchildren.

Elizabeth (Ridley) Wreford ’41, Feb. 19, 2005. She is survived by three daughters and grandchildren. The family requests that memorial gifts be sent to Olivet College.

Martha “Marty” Cortright , March 23, 2005. She and her husband, Mayn, operated the Cortright Gulf Station in Olivet from 1958-72.

She went on to work in housekeeping for the college from 1973-92.

John Boies Cotton ’42, May 3, 2004. He spent almost 30 years doing engineering work on the Los Angeles freeway system. He is survived by four children and many grandchildren.

Fred Sampson, Nov. 5, 2004. Fred worked in the maintenance department at Olivet College before retiring in 1979. He is survived by wife, Mildred, a son and grandchildren.

Harriet (Chilson) Bronson ’43, Jan. 8, 2005. She was the 1943 Class Captain and was one of the original 12 Sigma Betas who have been writing round-robin letters since 1943.

Arlouene (Furu) Treadwell, Nov. 8, 2004. She was a longtime member of the Women’s Board of Olivet College.

Daisy Marie (Phillips) Pohrte ’44, Oct. 28, 2004. She was preceded in death by her husband, Theodore Pohrte ’44.

32

O L I V E T

C O L L E G E

Todd Trevorrow , Nov. 5, 2004. Todd was the director of Burrage Library from 1988-93.

by Jackie Bounds urrage Library is an integral part of academic life at Olivet College. Students utilize library resources for many reasons, from checking out books, to researching term papers. The library is also a meeting place for students to prepare group projects. Commuters use the space to work on homework between classes or check their e-mail.

A number of students can be found studying or researching topics on the Internet.

According to Mary Jo Blackport, Burrage Library director, the library contains approximately 90,000 books and subscribes to more than 400 print and online periodicals, and nearly 60 online databases. But what many people don’t know is that Burrage Library is also home to numerous historical documents and artifacts.

Olivet College has a rich history dating back to its founding in 1844.

Materials documenting this history as well as other valuable artifacts are kept safely in the archives on the top floor. The collection contains important historical documents such as photos, newspapers and yearbooks.

Various books, artwork and historical pieces donated to the college or collected by librarians are housed in the archives if they are deemed valuable or rare.

Here are some unique items found in the Burrage Library archives:

1

1. Two 19th century books published by AfricanAmerican authors: Life of a former slave, by Frederick Douglass, published in 1845 and a book of poems by Phillis Wheatley, published in 1838. Douglass was an African-American abolitionist who escaped from slavery and then risked his own freedom by becoming an outspoken antislavery lecturer, writer, and publisher.

Wheatley is considered America’s first black poet.

2

2. A rare edition of Marcus Tullius Cicero’s (106 B.C.43 B.C.) Opera Omnia, rebound by hand in fine pigskin.

Cicero was a Roman poet, philosopher, rhetorician and humorist. Opera Omnia contains all of Cicero’s work written in Latin.

3. A signed copy of the book, Pale Horse, Pale Rider by Katherine Anne Porter. Porter, shown with author Sherwood Anderson outside of Dole Hall, signed her book during the 1939 Writer’s Conference at Olivet College.

5

3

4. An original letter by Olivet College founder, Father John J. Shipherd, written in 1844. The letter outlines the college’s guiding principle to provide students with “the means of intellectual, moral and spiritual improvement and to teach them the divine art and science of doing good to others.” From its beginning, the college’s founders and leaders believed an education should be available to anyone regardless of gender, race or ability to pay.

5. Buddhist artifact from Hamilton King, a former U.S. Minister to Siam (now the country of Thailand). King was an 1878 Olivet College graduate. After graduation, he became the college’s principal of the preparatory department, taught Greek and history courses and later served as the registrar. He later worked as a consul general to Siam from 1898-1912.

4