Inside this issue Catalyst is published by the Communications & Alumni offices within the Institutional Advancement division. Letters to the editor, feedback and feature suggestions are welcome. Deadline for correspondence to be considered for the next issue of Catalyst is Oct. 6, 2017. Contact information: Office of Communications, 815.394.5041 or communications@rockford.edu. Cover: Celebrating 170 years! Rockford University formally recognized its founding at the Charter Day Convocation held on February 27, 2017. Special guest Dr. Scott Bierman, Beloit College president, provided remarks that payed homage to the rich heritage shared by Rockford and Beloit. Editor: Rita Elliott Designer: Paul Hecker
Greeting from President Eric W. Fulcomer, Ph.D. p3 Commencement 2017 p4 Retiree profiles p6 Reggie’s return p10 Faculty notes & student news p11 Summer abroad p16 Meet students Andie Bent & Zach Wallace p18 Philanthropy news p22 Class notes p25
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Greetings from President Fulcomer As I reflect back on the last academic year, the first of my presidency, several words come to mind—words that you will see woven throughout this issue of the Catalyst. Words such as longevity, service, opportunity, and success. I trust that you will be impressed, as I am, by the individuals, events, and programs that are highlighted in the following pages. Longevity and Service On the evening before Commencement, we gathered to recognize our employees who had reached service milestones. In all, we celebrated 38 employees who had contributed 445 years of collective service to Rockford University. Some President Eric W. Fulcomer, Ph.D. who reached significant milestones included Jeanne Grey, director of the center for learning strategies, with 35 years of service and Professor of Political Science Dr. Jules Gleicher with 40 years! We also took time to recognize our retirees, including the four retiring faculty who are featured in this edition of Catalyst. They have impacted generations of Rockford University alumni and prepared them well for the world beyond Rockford. These four retiring faculty, along with retiring staff member Sallyann Roberts, served a total of 160 years, 47 of which can be attributed to one person – Professor Emeritus Dr. Don Martin. We also bid farewell to two trustees who have served the university for many years, Don Patrick ’72 and Jim Whitehead. One anecdote about Jim Whitehead is the amazing record of Board service by his family, beginning with his greatgrandmother, Blanche Walker Burpee. Between Mrs. Burpee and her direct descendants, a member of that one family has served on the Board without interruption for 99 years. This is an astounding commitment to the life of our institution. Opportunity When I think about our students, I think about the opportunities that we provide to them for learning in and out of the classroom. You’ll read about students Andie Bent and Zach Wallace who have taken full advantage of the opportunities that were presented to them at Rockford University. You’ll also see the wonderful cultural opportunities that we will provide to our community in the coming year through our Forum Series and the Performing Arts Department. Success There are lots of references to success throughout this edition of Catalyst. Our Commencement ceremony is all about success—a day to celebrate the academic accomplishments of our students. We also have highlighted a number of our fundraising successes over the last several months, including a wonderful Gala event that will provide enhancements to the dance studio, a Day of Giving that raised more than $50,000 for scholarships, completion of the Starr Endowment fund, and great progress on our Rock Solid and Ready Campaign that includes renovations to Starr Science that are underway as I write. We could not do what we do without the wonderful support of our alumni and friends. The opportunities that we provide and the successes that have been achieved are due, in large measure, to you. Thank you.
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Commencement ’17 Rockford University awarded undergraduate and graduate degrees to more than 350 students from 18 states and six countries at its 163rd Commencement on Saturday, May 13, at the Coronado Performing Arts Center in downtown Rockford. Barbara Pierce Bush, CEO of Global Health Corps and daughter of former President George W. Bush, gave the keynote address to graduates.
Photo courtesy of Natalie Mork, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Cum Laude
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MBA graduate Josh Patterson.
History major Ariana Sanders shows off her special graduation message.
Drs. James Marshall, Sean Beckmann, Deb Breiter, Matthew Bork, Caleb Lewis and Troy Skwor take the opportunity to catch a special selfie.
Center above: Nursing graduates Peace Nayiga, Rachel Oppold and Brittney Phothiboupha are greeted after the ceremony by faculty, family and friends. Bottom row: Maria Aracely Perez helps fellow MBA graduate Chad Pickens with his tassel prior to the ceremony. At right, Barbara Pierce Bush addresses the graduates. See more photos at: rockford.edu/academics/commencement/
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etiree pro ee profiles Retiree profiles David Sytsma, Ph.D. Harry Truman is credited with saying, “There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know.” For the last 32 years, Dr. David Sytsma made sure that his students continued to expand their knowledge based on thorough studies of the past.
twenty different courses at Rockford University including all four sections of the Western Civilization sequence and upper level courses in British, French, Russian, German and Japanese history.
When David Sytsma first came to Rockford College in 1985, he was also finishing his doctoral studies from Northern Illinois University, where he had earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees. His areas of concentration were in modern European history, particularly German, Russian and British history. His primary interests are in the history of ideas, which is reflected in his undergraduate philosophy major and graduate work in that field.
This diversity of his background helps, he believes, to tie things together in ways that make sense for students, re-enforcing that history is neither stagnant nor dull. Nor is it based on memorization, but instead on interpretation and analysis. Students have historically responded in-kind to Dr. Sytsma’s informative style where he stressed that understanding history involves integrating ideas and narrative, as well as a consideration of the influence of individuals and social forces.
A small university and a small department demands a generalist, and Dr. Sytsma has taught almost
Beyond the classroom, Dr. Sytsma chaired the Academic Standards Committee and the Curriculum
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Committee and served on a wide range of other faculty committees. He organized the Rockford University chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the history honors society, and served as the department chair from 19982010. In addition to teaching, Dr. Sytsma worked for many years in book selling, is an excellent photographer and loves to read across a broad range of subjects and genres. He has traveled extensively, especially in Europe. He is married to a philosopher and has three daughters—an art historian, an M.D., and an artist. During the University’s 2017 Commencement ceremony, Dr. David Sytsma was conferred with the official designation of Professor Emeritus of History in recognition of his 32 years of meritorious service. The University wishes Dr. Sytsma the very best in his retirement.
ofiles s Don Martin, Ph.D.
Don Martin cannot tell you why he was first swept away by ancient Latin and Greek, the classics and antiquity—only that “there was some bug in me all along that got me going in this direction.” “It was always somewhere with me because even when I was very small, I was interested in languages,” Dr. Martin says. “I spent a lot of time by myself, and I would invent languages for the grasshoppers when I was walking across the field. I would go home and write out strange words.” He pauses for a laugh and adds, “This sounds absolutely insane … but I was probably no more sane then than I am now.”
The Loves Park, Ill., native bought a book and started teaching himself Latin in high school, something a less brave soul might call crazy. But the way he explains it—that Harlem High School suspended its Latin program the year before he attended, only to continue it a year after he graduated in 1953—is merely matter-of-fact. “Anybody can do it if they feel like it. It depends on what you want to do,” he posits. “And this is what I wanted to do, and so I did. Simple as that.” Today, even after a 47-year-career with Rockford University, Dr. Martin is far from done with his work. Though he retired in May, he has taken on the intensive project of translating an anthology of Greek poetry by Angelos Sikelianos.
“I got into this like everything else— by accident. It seemed like a fun thing to do, so I got into it, and then I discovered that it was all work and no play,” he jokes before insisting again, “Everything happens by accident, you know.”
stayed in touch with him via email or even old-fashioned letters after leaving Rockford University. Prof. Martin prefers to write to them with pencil and paper, and has a box stuffed with letters from past and present pen pals.
Prof. Martin had expected to teach high school Latin after earning his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois, but he went on to earn his master’s and Ph.D. in classics from the University of Cincinnati. He met the woman who would become his wife in the program and also spent extended residencies in Greece. It was here that he was first hit with an urge to translate texts into English after picking up George Theotokas’ novel “Leonis.”
“They all get very, very busy, and finally, the correspondence seems to dwindle,” he says with an understanding chuckle. “But that’s okay. That’s the normal process of things.”
He came to Rockford in 1975 and spent nearly a decade as a cataloguer at the Howard Colman Library before joining the Department of Languages, Literature and Cultures as a professor of classical languages and civilization. Ask him to recall his favorite memories and what he will miss the most, and you will get the same answer. “Oh, the students, always. I miss them already,” he says. “Not having my classes is probably going to be the toughest assignment as a retiree, but I’ll be all right.” He identifies one friendship after another after another, speaking of past pupils’ blossoming careers and families as though they are his own children. Dozens of students have
Aside from the translation project that has his own home life humming along, Prof. Martin hopes to read as much as he can, keep company with Cleo the cat and enjoy operas with his wife, Sherrilyn, who is still on the faculty as a Latin teacher at Keith Country Day School in Rockford. For an accomplished classicist who has learned multiple languages, helped expose the work of Greek authors to English speakers and touched countless lives in a nearly five-decade career in higher education, Prof. Martin is endlessly self-effacing—as though he is still the little boy creating insect dialects. “I had a congenital interest in languages, even though I have no talent for the thing,” he says. “I’m not a ready speaker, even in English. I don’t have a good ear either … But I’ve always been interested in languages. I’ve always been fascinated.” For that, Dr. Martin, we are grateful. 7
Jeff Fahrenwald, M.B.A. from the Rockford Park District. Formerly the chief operating officer and vice president of organizational development for SupplyCore in Rockford, today Prof. Fahrenwald performs similar work for Saudi-based Arwadh Trading. Although he has stepped back from his leadership post after 29 years with the University, he is not ready to say goodbye to higher education. He has remained with RU as an adjunct professor teaching business and management classes. His favorite business thinkers on leadership span about a century, from “father of scientific management” Frederick Taylor all the way to contemporary Tom Peters—whose book, “In Search of Excellence,” Prof. Fahrenwald recommends. As Jeff Fahrenwald puts it, “I have a weird family.” In a nearly three-decade career with Rockford University, the Puri School of Business’s outgoing MBA Program director estimates he and his wife, Linda Ballou, have hosted about a dozen college and high school students from Europe, Asia and the Americas in their home. “I have one son who’s adopted from Mexico, but then I’ve got all these other ‘children’ who call my wife and me ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad,’” Prof. Fahrenwald says, recounting a multicultural Easter celebration at his home this year that included three of his former houseguests. The couple adopted the mindset of opening their own home to others while Prof. Fahrenwald was teaching and Ballou was a student for two semesters of an academic program through Iowa-based Central College in Merida, Yucatan. “When we went and taught in Mexico, people were just so nice to us and, you know, had us into their house at Christmas and everything else,” Prof. Fahrenwald recalls. “We always figured we should probably pay that forward.” Prof. Fahrenwald has left his mark on the greater community, too, as a 2014 Rockford Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year and one of the city’s inaugural 20 People You Should Know. Over the years, he received the Service Above Self award from the Downtown Rotary Club, Spirit of Caring Award from Crusader Clinic and the community service award 8
As for his personal leadership style, Prof. Fahrenwald says he has ended up in leadership roles serving on various boards and in career posts because “I have a strong bias for action.” But as a manager, he says he favors a hands-off approach so his staff can learn to be innovative and get credit for their successes, while he can take the heat if things don’t go to plan. Whether forming global ties or forging local partnerships in the name of Rockford, plurality is a theme for Prof. Fahrenwald. It was his wife who pushed him to teach abroad in their days at Central College, he says, and he similarly attributes any success he has had in life to surrounding himself with innovative people. “It’s not me, it’s we,” he insists. “We’ve been able to make a difference in people’s lives.” After building a local-to-global family during his time leading the MBA Program, now Prof. Fahrenwald is ready for an even more familial focus—enjoying being a grandparent to his son Andy’s children, Angel and Andre—which has come with some new challenges. “We adopted my son when he was 5, so we never had a baby,” he says. “So I had made it to past 55 before I had to change a diaper. All of a sudden, I get to start changing diapers.” Proof, perhaps, that you are never too old to learn something new?
Retiree profiles continued
A special message from retiring Provost Belinda Wholeben move, I found myself in Savannah, Ga., where in November, there were still teaching jobs available.
President Fulcomer and Board of Trustees Chair Jim Keeling with Dr. Belinda Wholeben at this year’s commencement ceremony.
As I prepared to write my last newsletter article to the RU community, I reread my previous newsletters and several of the talks that I have given over the years. I discovered that hope was a recurring theme. I will say farewell by reworking (with slight modifications, deletions, and updates) a talk that I gave at the 2010 Baccalaureate ceremony. While this talk was directed to the graduating students, I believe that it has relevance in this time of my leaving. It is a message about hope. Charles Richard Snyder, a social psychologist, developed a theory of hope that has three components: goals, pathways, and agency. These components involve the ability to conceptualize your goals, to develop pathways to achieve your goals, and to remain motivated (to have a sense of agency) so that you can follow pathways leading to your goals. Snyder and Lopez (2008) found that college students who maintain higher levels of academic hope experience a higher level of academic success. It was determined that students with high levels of hope may realize that there are multiple pathways to their specific goals, while students with low hope may become frustrated when a pathway is blocked because they fail to recognize alternate pathways. I believe that this study parallels my experience as an
undergraduate. I had planned since I can remember that I was going to be a teacher. But, we have plans in more than one area of our lives. I fell in love at the end of my junior year and married earlier than planned when my boyfriend, who was a civil engineer, was transferred to the Chicago area. I was the first in my family to go to college, so I was rather naïve about college policies and practices. I thought that with my strong GPA and memberships in the honors program and honors societies that any school would be glad to enroll me. I was in my final year with only a semester of classes and student teaching left. I was wrong. I was considered a risk for student teaching because I was too far along in my program and wouldn’t be taking enough courses at my new college. I applied to more than 20 colleges in the area, all of which rejected me. Finally, I met with a dean at a small liberal arts college who was willing to take a chance on me. I graduated full of hopes and dreams only to find that in the early ’70s there were few jobs for elementary teachers. My planned pathway to becoming a teacher was blocked. So, I worked at a retail store selling tires (how unlike me) while I applied to every school district in the area, with no success. Through an unexpected
I thrived in a challenging year as a sixth-grade teacher. Returning as planned to the Midwest the next year, I thought that surely there would be a job for me now, I had experience! Wrong again. I found that the door to a teaching job remained closed. Taking an alternate pathway, I found a position as a teacher’s aide. It took two years, but finally, through connections between my school district’s superintendent and the superintendent of a neighboring district, a first-grade teaching position was found for me. The story goes on with high points, low points, and some surprising twists and turns during my eleven years of teaching and in my personal life. The point that I would like to make is that there was always hope. Executing a plan to meet my goals often came against seemingly insurmountable obstacles—no school would accept me, there were no jobs. But, when one pathway was blocked, I searched for an alternate route. I could have written Winston Churchill’s famous line, “Never, never give in.” I didn’t achieve my plan alone. I achieved it through connections— connections with a dean willing to take a chance on me, a benevolent superintendent, and family and friends constant in their support of and belief in me. The 21-year-old, turned away many times at the door to college, never gave up hope. That hope was realized in a successful elementary teaching career and, now, retirement after 23 years at Rockford University. I retire with new hopes—not just hope for my personal future, but also with hope for each of you on your professional and personal journeys, and, finally, hope for the future of this beloved university. —Belinda Wholeben, Ed.D. Professor Emerita of Psychology
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The return 10
During last year’s Reunion@ Homecoming, our beloved mascot, Reggie L. Regent, made a grand return to campus in his latest incarnation. Full of swagger, energy, and Regent Pride, he is better than ever as Rockford University’s number one fan. With high fives and fist bumps all around, he has taken his rightful place at special events, in the classroom, at athletic contests and community festivals. On behalf of Reggie and his team of handlers, we thank everyone for their help with his regal return to campus. With nearly one year under our belts, we thought it would be a great time to highlight the person who provided artistic inspiration for our furry friend. About two years ago we contacted Rich Pine `76, an accomplished graphic artist who has for years created retail premiums for the likes of Burger King and packaged goods incentives for Kellogg’s and others. He provided initial renderings for what in his self-proclaimed “wacky mind,” a new-age Reggie might look like. It was those original illustrations that helped guide our efforts in the development of our new mascot and the program that supports Reggie and his work. We can’t thank Rich enough for giving back to his alma mater in such a memorable, spirited, and special way. Plans are underway in the Johnson Alumni Center to honor Rich’s artwork; please stop by the next time you are on campus.
faculty notes & student news Assistant Professor of English and Writing Program Administrator Tara Wood, Ph.D., was awarded the Community Based Learning (CBL) Innovation Grant for Spring 2017 as part of Rockford University’s commitment to providing students the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to address the needs of the Rockford Community. Dr. Wood incorporated CBL into her RHET 102 Intermediate Rhetoric course by partnering students with The Literacy Council in Rockford, a nonprofit organization that aims to improve the literacy levels and educational/employment opportunities for the Rockford region. Students worked on a project aimed at promoting the council’s fundraising efforts for the 14th annual Rockford Literacy Races marathon held in early May. The project consisted of researching literacy in the Rockford region and drafting researchbased profiles of adult learners associated with The Literacy Council that were used for promoting the sponsorship of runners for the marathon. Dr. Tara Wood was the lead author on an article published in the May 25 edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education. Dr. Wood’s piece, “Why We Dread Disability Myths” is a critical response to an article published in April by Gail Hornstein titled “Why I Dread the Accommodations Talk.” Dr. Wood critiques
Hornstein for perpetuating dangerous and ableism myths about disability and disabled students. Dr. Wood donated the publication stipend for the article to the Society for Disability Studies.
In an article published May 30 titled “Ticked off: Lyme disease to be an issue this season,” Assistant Professor of Biology Sean Beckmann, Ph.D., shares with the Rockford Register Star | rrstar.com that he expects an increase in the local tick population this season after winter’s brevity and warmth. Pictured above, Dr. Beckmann and Taggart Venegas, biology major, trap a ground squirrel at the Distillery Road conservation Area in Belvidere, Ill., Dr. Beckmann and students collected rodent specimens to test for Lyme disease. Photo courtesy of the Rockford Register Star and photographer Arturo Fernandez.
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faculty notes & student news continued Kearstin Findley, a senior biology major concentrating in evolution and ecology, was selected for The Ohio State University’s Stone Laboratory’s 2017 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Scholarship Program. Eight outstanding undergraduate students, four Ohio State students and four students from other Midwestern colleges were selected. The five-week program is a competitive, comprehensive research internship that gives students the chance to conduct scientific research in the field alongside top scientists throughout a month, at Stone Laboratory, located on OSU’s island campus on Lake Erie. Students receive a full scholarship to Stone Lab, including lab fee, room and meals and in-state tuition for the 2-credit research experience and 4-credit, five-week course. The program runs concurrently with Stone Lab’s five-week summer term. Students spend their non-class days focused on research, working closely with their supervisors to design an experiment, collect samples and analyze data. At the end of the program, they give a final presentation to their peers and the public.
Dr. Troy Skwor, associate professor of Biology, assisted with expert commentary for two extensive media stories airing in May. WREX, Ch. 13 (NBC), aired “Digging Deeper: Drinking water contamination and the government study that was never released,” an investigative report by Evening Anchor Kristin Crowley about a superfund site located in Rockford and its resulting groundwater contamination concerns. Based on Dr. Skwor’s expertise and research in the field, he also provided comment for the WIFR, Ch. 23 (CBS), story “Superbug Syndrome and the threat of antibiotic resistance.” (continued on page 13)
2017 Excellence in Teaching Award Recipients Associate Professor of Biology and Chair of the Department of Chemical & Biological Sciences James Marshall, Ph.D., and Sarah Simmons, adjunct instructor in the Performing Arts Department, were recognized with the 2017 Excellence in Teaching Award. The award is presented annually to a full-time professor and adjunct professor. Awarded each May, nominations are submitted by faculty, staff, students and alumni. A five-member selection committee evaluates nominations and selects the winners. The criteria for both awards are knowledge of his/her discipline, respect for students, creative course development, advising, and campus leadership. Noting Dr. Marshall’s simultaneously challenging and encouraging approach with his students, one of his nominators shares, “I have enjoyed every class I have taken of his because I feel challenged. I have already learned so much from him, and I hadn’t really realized it until I’m in the middle of a conversation and I respond with a different viewpoint. All I can think is, ‘Marshall would be proud.’ He is truly making a difference in my education and I will be forever grateful to him because of it.” 12
Adjunct Instructor of Voice in the Performing Arts Department Sarah Simmons also fosters a special relationship with her students, who noted that Prof. Simmons takes the time to figure out what each student needs and adjusts her methods to suit each person. “When I felt like I had plateaued we had a conversation about better habits and different methods and I immediately saw a difference,” says one of her students, adding, “She finds ways to encourage her students while also providing valuable criticism.” Pictured above, l-r, Sarah Simmons, Provost Dr. Belinda Wholeben, and Dr. James Marshall.
faculty notes & student news continued Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Ethics and Entrepreneurship Steven Hicks, Ph.D., contributed opinion to the Toronto Metronews.ca feature, “Debate: Who should get to speak on campus,” which published online May 1, 2017. Assistant Professor and Political Science Department Chair Ron Lee, Ph.D., led three small-group breakout sessions on the topic of the politics of universalism versus the politics of multiculturalism at the “Welcoming Diversity: Building Bridges of Understanding” community collaborative program, sponsored by the Unity in Diversity and the Unity, Pride and Culture committee of Transform Rockford and held on April 23 at the Midway Village and Museum in Rockford. Mirela Papandreou’s article “How to Develop the Interdisciplinary Literacy of English Language Learners” was published in the Illinois Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages – Bilingual Education newsletter in April. Mirela is an instructor in the University’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program. Roxana Idu, Ph.D., assistant professor of Economics, Puri School of Business, attended the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education’s (IACBE) annual conference and assembly meeting held in San Francisco, Calif., on April 1821. Dr. Idu represented Rockford University, which was recognized as a 20-year charter member of the organization. Late Associate Professor of Economics, Business and Accounting Gary Lubbert was nominated for the IACBE’s Education Leader of the Year Award. Prof. Lubbert was selected for this prestigious recognition and honored posthumously at Rockford University’s commencement
ceremony held on May 13. Prof. Lubbert also was recognized with Emeritus status in honor of his dedicated and meritorious service to Rockford University. Members of Prof. Lubbert’s family were in attendance to accept the awards on his behalf. Dr. Catherine Forslund, professor of History, and dean of academic administration presented “John F. Kennedy 1917-2017” to the University Club’s Forbes University Discussion/Lecture Series on Thursday Feb, 9. She also shared “The Legacy of John F. Kennedy in the 100th Year of his Birth,” with the Rockford Downtown Rotary Club on March 30, including in both presentations remarks about JFK’s connections to Rockford with his two visits to the city. President Eric Fulcomer attended the U.S.-Mexico Higher Education Summit in Guadalajara, Mexico on March 29-31, joining a delegation of 24 presidents from independent colleges across the U.S. According to the organizers of the summit, the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and the Mexican Federation of Private Higher Education Institutions (FIMPES), the purpose of the meetings is to explore partnership opportunities between Mexican and U.S. colleges and universities. The summit, “Reaffirming the North American Spirit of Collaboration in Higher Education: Creating Bridges for Communication” aimed to strengthen relationships for shared opportunities in research and development, exchanges with students and faculty, and crossborder internships. Dr. Jules Gleicher, professor of Political Science, attended a lecture on genealogical research techniques, by Steven Flack, of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois, at Temple Beth-El, in Northbrook, Ill., on January 22.
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faculty notes & student news continued The Rockford University team of students and faculty who participated in the IPE Day held at University of Illinois Chicago Rockford.
Led by Assistant Professor and Nursing Department Chair Dr. Laura Monahan, nursing students participated in the (Monahan) (Anderson) Interprofessional Education (IPE) Day at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford on January 18. (Breiter) (McCullough) The yearly event involves team building, health care scenario analysis and simulation. The event hosted approximately 200 students composed of 60 UIC Medical students, 60 UIC Pharmacy students, 10 UIC Nurse Practitioner students, 37 RU Nursing students, (Sharpe) and 30 OSF Saint Anthony Nursing students. Additionally, six Performing Arts students took part in the Hospital Discharge simulation. There were 20 Group Facilitators leading groups of 10 students each, composed of Medical, Pharmacy and Nursing students. The five Group Facilitators from RU were: Professor Andrea Anderson, Dr. Deb Breiter, Professor Kim McCullough, Dr. Laura Monahan, and
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Professor Elaine Sharpe. Group Facilitators were at training sessions on January 11 or 12, and the IPE Day event occurred on January 18. Rockford University and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford are participating in a Bioterrorism Preparedness Project in conjunction with the Winnebago County Health Department, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, the Winnebago County Coroner’s Office, and the Rockford Police and Fire departments. This experience will include the RU Nursing, Psychology and Performing Arts departments and the UIC Medical and Pharmacy schools. The planners from RU consist of Nursing Department Chair Dr. Laura Monahan and Associate Professor of Psychology Elaine Sharpe. For the second year in a row, Professor of Performing Arts Jeff Hendry has received the award for Best Costume Design from Broadwayworld.com for his work on Mamma Mia! which ran Aug. 10–27, 2016. The show was a production of Maine State Music Theatre, a professional musical theater organization located on the Bowdoin College campus in Brunswick, Maine. Professor Hendry won the 2015 Best Costume Design award for Sister Act and The Music Man.
Congratulations to the following Congratulations to the following
Michael Mihalyo, Jr., D.M.A., takes helm as Provost Rockford University welcomes Dr. Michael P. Mihalyo, Jr., as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dr. Mihalyo has officially relocated to Rockford and is settling quickly into his new role. He succeeds Belinda Wholeben, Ed.D., who is retiring after 23 years with the University. Mihalyo has more than two decades of experience in higher education, and previously has filled the role of provost at two liberal arts colleges in West Virginia: Bethany College and Davis & Elkins College, where he was appointed president. Most recently, he served as president of the Kentucky-based Appalachian College Association. Dr. Mihalyo possesses a comprehensive understanding of both the academic and operational aspects of higher education institutions, with experience in direct oversight of academic divisions, college faculty/staff committees, office of the registrar, information technology, library services, academic services, student advising and student services. “During the search process, I learned a great deal about Rockford University, especially during the campus interviews. I so enjoyed the time that I spent with students. I was quite impressed with the strong commitment of the faculty and staff to student learning and I deeply value their holistic approach to private liberal arts education,” Dr. Mihalyo said. An accomplished musician, Dr. Mihalyo enjoyed an active career in chamber and church music prior to his faculty work. Of particular note, he conducted the St. Peter Festival Choir of Pittsburgh, Penn., for a series of services and concerts in Italy including Vatican City, Rome and the surrounding area. Dr. Mihalyo holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from West Virginia University and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Duquesne University, all in piano performance.
Congratulations to the following faculty who have been awarded tenure: Sharon Bartlett, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of French Ann Boe, M.S., Assistant Professor of Physical Education (Bartlett)
Denise Boxleitner, M.S.N., O.C.N., C.N.E., R.N., Assistant Professor of Nursing Bill Doria, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry Jackie Garland, M.S.N., R.N., Assistant Professor of Nursing Angelo O’Dierno, M.F.A., Assistant Professor of Performing Arts Chris Sisson, M.F.A., Associate Professor of Art Troy Skwor, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology
(Boe)
(Boxleitner)
(Doria)
(Garland)
(O’Dierno)
(Sisson)
(Skwor)
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Summer Adventures Abroad June 3 - “WE ARE IN ITALY! The day has finally arrived and we are actually walking the streets of Rome. The Albergo Santa Chiara is a beautiful hotel situated in the heart of Rome. The ten of us took a short stroll around our hotel and were amazed at the history around us. We had a delicious lunch in the shadows of the Pantheon.”
Above: At Ostia Antica bellying up to an ancient tavern bar. l-r: Karoline Olson, Miranda Vowell, Noah Neiber, Randi Tucker, Tori Malone, Garren Justice, Tony Diemer, Samantha Diemer, Stephanie Quinn Center: Taking a walk through a park that is believed to be on top of Nero's Golden House Right: Gelato in Rome, l-r: Dr. Stephanie Quinn, Tony Diemer, Garren Justice, Miranda Vowell, Samantha Diemer, Randi Tucker, Tori Malone, Karoline Olson, Noah Neiber. The picture was taken near the Pantheon in city center Rome. The group visited the famous Gelateria Della Palma, on Via Della Maddelena. They offer 150 flavors and are considered the best gelateria in Rome. Treats compliments of VP for Advancement Bern Sundstedt ’77.
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Eight students and two advisors, Dr. Stephanie Quinn, associate professor of Classical Studies, and Assistant Director of Global Affairs Maria Diemer, traveled to Rome in June for an amazing opportunity to bring to life what they had been studying about in the classroom throughout the spring semester. As part of the pretrip requirements, students took a study abroad class focusing on Roman history. Based on the trip itinerary, each student then chose a particular monument or historic site to research, prepare a paper and presentation, and then share their work while at the actual site in Rome. The course and the trip included centuries-old places like the Ara Pacis, “Altar of Peace” (built by the emperor Augustus in 13 B.C. to herald the new age of peace he hoped to inaugurate); the Pantheon (temple to all the gods, built by the emperor Hadrian in about 120 A.D., and in continuing use until this day as a Roman Catholic church); and the Catacombs of Priscilla (from perhaps the third century A.D. and thought by some scholars to contain the earliest known Christian representation of the mother and child image). These sites and most others visited have both historical significance and modern day relevance. For many of the students, this was their first trip outside of the United States. Maria Diemer, assistant director of Global Affairs, shares that it was inspiring and joyful to watch each student grow in their cultural awareness, patience for the unknowns of navigating foreign cities, and tolerance of their new surroundings. They also grew in their appreciation for one another. “This group of students with diverse backgrounds and interests developed a camaraderie with each other that will stay with them for a lifetime. As the week progressed, our conversations became more intellectual, philosophical, and revealing of a deepening ability to think beyond themselves. We enjoyed many conversations about Roman times and the ties to what is happening now in our world,” said Diemer. Read more about the group’s Roman adventures at: https://rockforduniversitystudyabroad.wordpress.com/
Portugal A Rockford University research team, led by Associate Professor of Biology Troy Skwor, Ph.D., was invited to participate in the 16th biennial International Photodynamic Association (IPA) World Congress in Portugal June 8– 13, 2017. Dr. Skwor was invited to attend and present at the conference based on his photodynamic cancer research involving melanoma cells. The IPA membership includes leading clinicians and scientists involved in groundbreaking new medical treatments using light and is known as a prominent forum to communicate outstanding advances in the clinical and research aspects of the field. Profs. Troy Skwor and Matthew Bork, assistant professor of biology, along with research assistants Hailey Avery, class of 2019, and Brandon Leviskas ’15, presented their laboratory findings on using photodynamic therapy to kill certain types of cancer cells and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A kindred spirit RU’s team had a special surprise when they were sought out by Dr. Merrill Biel, alumnus of the class of 1977, who also was attending the conference. Dr. Biel practices in the field of ENT-Otolaryngology, based in Minneapolis, Minn. He is highly regarded as pioneer in the field of photodynamic therapy and a world-renowned researcher and principal investigator in the treatment of head and neck cancers using photodynamic therapy. Dr. Skwor reports that they were thrilled and so excited to meet Dr. Biel. It was a special honor to have the opportunity to learn more about his extensive expertise in their mutual field of study, grounded in their mutual connection to Rockford University. Top left: (l-r) Hailey Avery, Dr. Merrill Biel, Brandon Leviskas, Dr. Skwor, and Dr. Bork catch up in Portugal.
The trip included time to take in some of Portugal’s beauty and culture, including a stop for an ice cream treat compliments of VP for Advancement Bern Sundstedt ’77.
Bottom left: Dr. Troy Skwor, Hailey Avery, Brandon Leviskas and Dr. Matthew Bork with their research presentations for the IPA International World Congress.
Around the Corner is an e-newsletter that is sent monthly or bi-monthly to keep alumni aware of what is happening on- and off-campus. It’s a great way to stay in contact with all things RU! If you are not receiving the newsletter, please provide your email address. Please visit Rockford.edu/alumni to register. 17
Andie Bent, shown in her travels in Porto, Portugal, and at the Colosseum in Rome (far right), has been introduced to international adventure at Rockford University.
Andie Bent: Studying Abroad ‘Empowering’ Andie Bent had not experienced much outside her “vinylsided neighborhood” in small-town Roscoe, Ill., when she enrolled at Rockford University. Now a senior, she has visited more than 20 European cities in the past year, spending her last two semesters abroad at the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. “I knew from the beginning of college—the idea was in my head,” Andie explained chatting via Skype in an interview from her apartment. “My mom kind of put it in my head, because she knew about the opportunity to study in London when my brother went to Rockford University. He didn’t take the opportunity and she was always mad at him secretly.” A marketing major and graphic design minor, Andie started pondering the idea more seriously while she was enjoying her experience in a Spanish class. She talked to RU Director of Global Affairs Sam Bandy, who spent about six years studying abroad and teaching in Ecuador, where he also met his wife and started a family. “He said, ‘Why don’t you go to Spain and learn a second language while you’re at it, instead of going to London?’” 18
After a brief introduction to international travel—thanks to a two-week field experience in Madrid through a Spanish theatre course—Andie was hooked. She is even considering a second major, Spanish, “if I can complete it all in time.”
Learning to adapt In addition to trekking across Spain, she has since visited neighboring Portugal, as well as Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom— yes, her trip to London happened, after all. Pressed to pick a favorite, she would choose Barcelona—where by happenchance she took a tour throughout the city of architect Antoni Gaudí’s work. She was swept up by the creatures, colors and curved lines of his creations, as well as his polarizing legacy. “Being an artist, a graphic design artist, I’ve heard it before—if your work isn’t controversial, then you’re not doing something right,” she said. “Gaudi’s architecture is unique, and kind of weird. He is the heart of Barcelona.” Pushing the limits has been a sort of theme for Andie in her travels, who adopted the phrase “your comfort
zone equals your success zone” early on when she was constantly adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings. Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Spain’s northwest Galicia region, has its own dialect of Spanish, and the university boasts more than 40,000 students. “I told myself that all the time,” she said. “You’re going to be uncomfortable, but you’re going to make it work.”
Day in the life Her first trip out to dinner, Andie and a roommate were perplexed to find not a single open restaurant kitchen around 5 p.m., an hour when many Americans traditionally are feasting on their supper but most of Spain is taking a break for its “siesta” period. Now, Andie and her roommates—Rockford University classmate Bianca Martinez-Franco and a Chilean exchange student —live like locals, “not eating dinner until 9 o’clock, even in the house.” A vegetarian, Andie has found options for her diet and favorite restaurants even in a place where fresh cuts of ham hang in storefront windows and you can buy “pulpo Gallego” (Galician octopus) on just about every corner. A couple of her go-to dishes have included “caldo,” a traditional soup usually made with white beans, and a tapas bar staple—a tortilla stuffed with eggs and potatoes. But her favorite Spanish comestible? “Chocolate con churros is at every café, and I struggle saying no to those,” she said. “Their hot chocolate isn’t watery like ours—I don’t know what we’re doing in America!”
Into her own Early on, Andie relied on her membership in the local chapter of the Erasmus Programme for international students to meet people at weekly mixers and get ideas on where to travel through organized overnight and day trips. Now, on a whim she’ll backpack solo for a week across Brussels, Amsterdam and Germany. Her adventures among new faces and places have sparked not only wonder about the rich histories around her, but about her own story. “I started to think about, what’s American culture?” she said. “What’s my Italian, Irish, English heritage, and where does that fit into that?” With some help from her mother, Andie traced the lineage of a great-grandfather back to Pescocostanzo, a town of 2,000 in central Italy that makes Roscoe look big. Inspired by her family’s past, she decided to join a class from Rockford University about to embark on a postsemester trip to Rome. (see pg. 16) She covered all of
her transportation costs for less than $170, spending two nights in Milan, two in Florence and three in Rome. At her last stop, she regaled the new travelers in the RU student group with tales of making friends throughout the week with a Scot, New Zealander and Frenchwoman. “I encouraged them all to take on a solo trip, even if it is in the U.S.,” she said. “I have learned that it is really empowering to go to a foreign place and figure it out.”
‘A good journey’ Andie dreams of someday rounding up her family and returning to Pescocostanzo to “walk the streets of my great grandpa,” but once she graduates, she is hopeful to stay in Rockford to launch her career. “I really love Rockford, and the University. Entering that community and getting involved outside of campus as well, I’ve met so many passionate people who are proactive about changing the world, changing our city,” she said. “I don’t know exactly what I want to do, but I suspect I’ll be in the Rockford area for a while because I have built up such a great network of colleagues and friends. I’m really passionate about the transformation that’s occurring in the city.” As far as where she would like to settle long term, Andie figured she would have narrowed it down to fewer options at this point, but she had discovered the more she sees, the more potential she finds. “I thought traveling would help me, but it’s made it worse because there are so many beautiful places, people and cultures,” she added. “Now I have no idea where I’ll end up, but I’ll have a good journey figuring it out.” 19
Zach Wallace Wallace says balance of athletics and academics ‘made the decision for me’ Zach Wallace has known most of his life — “since I was little”— what path he wanted to pursue into adulthood, but it may not be what you’re thinking. The Rockford native says his formative moment was visiting his uncle’s Elgin law office as a boy. “History was always my favorite subject, and then I got into government,” he said. “My uncle would always get me books to read, and finally I actually got to go to work with him at his office.” Zach graduated from Rockford University with a degree in political science in May, and is headed to the Chicago-Kent College of Law this fall. That’s his dream – “as nerdy as it is,” Zach suggested modestly in a short interview the week after graduation. After breaking records and earning dozens of recognitions as a star forward for the Rockford Regents Men’s Basketball team, he is ready to trade the hardcourt for another kind of court. “I always wanted to play, but I didn’t necessarily want to go far away to play, if that makes sense,” he said of his decision to be a student-athlete. “When I came here and saw that there would be the opportunity to have a balance between having a life and being a student and also playing sports, that kind of made the decision for me.” Zach, a standout basketball player at Belvidere High and 20
Berean Christian schools, made up his mind to attend RU after visiting campus, sitting in on some classes, and chatting with professors and coaches who “really seemed to care about the students.” Four years later, he is leaving with friendships formed through both academics and athletics, along with fun memories of having lunch with his entire class and picking up on-campus games of disc golf with friends. “I’d say my favorite thing about Rockford University as a whole is just the community,” he said. “Whether it was basketball, classes, or activities we had around campus, you get to meet a lot of people because it’s smaller and everyone’s really friendly.” His last season playing for the Rockford Regents, Zach scored both his 1,000th and 1,500th career points, while also making repeat appearances to the dean’s and distinguished scholars lists those final two semesters. Even as he was lauded for his performance on the court, Zach studied his way onto the athletic director’s and National Association of Basketball Coaches’ honor rolls, received the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference’s ScholarAthlete Award and was named to the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. Asked how he managed the heavy workload, his reply is characteristically humble. (continued on next page)
“It definitely got challenging at times, but what I found was everybody gave you opportunities to manage it,” he said. “My teachers were very understanding, and they kind of knew what we were going through. And the coaches—‘school first’ is what they always said, and they made sure before we did anything athletically, we were squared away academically first.” Just in his last year at RU, Zach was named a Jostens Trophy finalist, First Team Academic AllAmerican, Second Team All-Central Region, First Team Academic All-District, First Team All-NACC, NACC Defensive Player of the Year, NACC Men’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week and D3 Men’s Basketball HERO of the Week. He led the NACC in scoring, rebounds and shot blocks in his final season,
and is leaving RU as the holder of three school records—career field goal percentage and blocked shots in a season and career. With one accolade after another, it must be hard to pick a favorite, but Zach doesn’t hesitate. “The one recognition I received that I was proudest of was when I got the Academic All-American Award, because I wanted to be the best student I could be and the best athlete I could be,” he said. After law school, Zach says he is considering work as a criminal defense attorney, but at the moment he is more sure of where he wants to practice than what. “Ideally Rockford,” he said. “This is where I grew up—pretty homey.”
Watch an extended interview with Zach Wallace on our Rockford University YouTube page: youtube.com/user/rockforduniversity
Director of Athletics begins new role at RU Mulligan has spent the past five years as the athletic director at Western Boone High School, located just north of Indianapolis, Ind. During his tenure, the program claimed 22 conference, sectional and regional championship titles in both girls and boys programs. Mulligan also helped oversee improvements to nearly all of the Western Boone athletic facilities.
Jason Mulligan was named Director of Athletics and assumed his duties as head of the Regent’s NCAA Division III athletics programs on June 1. He will oversee the activities of the University’s 14 intercollegiate varsity teams (seven men’s teams and seven women’s teams) and several junior varsity teams. Of RU’s approximately 920 undergraduate students, an average of 25 percent of the population participates in intercollegiate athletics each year; many student-athletes compete in multiple sports. Mulligan has an extensive background in coaching and administration at both the college and high school levels. He has spent 11 years at two top-tier NCAA Division III institutions, Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., and the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine.
Prior to Western Boone, Mulligan was the Head Men’s Basketball Coach and Director of Athletics Facilities at the University of New England where in his second season he led the team to the school’s first ever Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship and NCAA tournament appearance. For his work he was named TCCC Coach of the Year. A native of Highland, Ind., Mulligan came to UNE from Wabash College. There he served as Assistant Director of Athletics and Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach for six years. He was responsible for game site management for all sports and also worked as the athletics department liaison to the admissions office as the Coordinator of Student-Athlete Recruitment. Mulligan earned his Master of Science in Education from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. He and his wife, Kara, have two children. 21
relevé: a rising up
Gala 2017 Supports Growing Dance Program re·le·vé (relevé) noun
In dance, a rise to the toes from the flat foot.
The institution’s history of dance traces back well into the 19th century, and in the 1930s started to enjoy a more fixed position in our landscape. In 1954, Jayne Poor came to Rockford as professor of dance. Even in her retirement after 34 years, and right up to the weeks before her passing, she was a constant fixture and inspiration to this generation of students. Constructed in 1968, the dance studio in the Clark Arts Center whose construction Jayne monitored, was showing its age. The original hard and soft covered surfaces, along with its lighting and sound systems, reflective glass, and dance barres were no longer suited to meet the highest needs of what the 21st century should provide. The dance program at Rockford University is enjoying its own re·le·vé – its own rising up. Directly serving more than 70 students each year who are enrolled in its curricular and co-curricular activities, the Performing Arts Department has taken an active role in providing learning opportunities for students around the world. The time was right to support that kind of growth and cultural commitment. With this year’s annual Gala we set our sights on raising funds to provide for dance studio modernizations. A new interlocking system of sprung floor panels will help prevent injuries and counter fatigue. A reversible, interwoven vinyl floor will be hard-wearing and slip resistant. When all renovations are combined, the room will embody all of what the university seeks as it strives to set new standards for all our classroom spaces and provide for the best in student experience. Total project costs will exceed $58,000. The Gala and supplemental fundraising, spearheaded by Friends of the Performing Arts, has netted nearly $40,000. We continue to raise additional funds for this and other capital needs of the entire department. If you would like to be a part of this transformation, contact VP Bern Sundstedt at BSundstedt@rockford.edu or 815.226.3371.
Save the date for Gala 2018 - February 17, 2018! 22
Day of Giving tops $50,000 to support student scholarship On Wednesday, April 26, Rockford University held its third annual Day of Giving. Through social media and email outreach, alumni and community members again came together in a unique way with tremendous impact. This year’s Day of Giving supported Rockford University’s participation in the Rubin Education Challenge. Tracing back to December 2015, Rockford University and the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) announced the University’s participation in the Rubin Education Challenge, a challenge grant offered by CFNIL to build scholarship endowments benefiting local students with financial need. Together, Rockford University and CFNIL will build a $3 million endowment, with CFNIL matching every dollar contributed by the University’s donors to the fund by January 2018. The program is named after Dr. Louis and Violet Rubin whose $24.5 million gift to CFNIL made the matching endowments possible. During this year’s effort, the Rockford University community raised $25,600! Combined with the match from the CFNIL, our Day of Giving realized more than $51,000 towards the University’s participation in the Rubin Education Challenge. This amazing feat would not have been possible without the dedication and support of our alumni and community members.
Free frozen treats added fun to the day, thanks to the generous support of a donor.
To date we have raised just under $1 million; with the CFNIL match that makes $2 million. We are continuing with efforts to raise the remaining $500,000. Every gift makes a direct impact, creating opportunity for students who may not be able to consider a college education without a scholarship! If you’d like contribute to the Rubin Challenge, with an outright gift/pledge, or if you are 70½ years or older and would like to make a tax free distribution from your IRA (see pg. 27), please feel free to use the envelope enclosed in this issue, noting the Rubin Challenge Fund. Thank you for being a Rock Solid Regent!
Starr modernizations begin with a bash! The University hosted an early sneak peek, complete with a beaker bash, to celebrate the start of construction to enhance several common and classroom spaces at the Starr Science Building on June 8. This work fulfills an important element of the $17.3 million Rock Solid & Ready campaign that includes the creation of modern student spaces. Constructed in 1967, the Starr Science Building consists of several teaching and research laboratories, large and small lecture halls,
and a suite of five primary classrooms, with each of those primary classrooms seating up to 30 students. In addition to the improvements being made to the classrooms, select new scientific equipment for laboratories spaces also will be added. When combined, these acquisitions and modernizations, totaling $1.2 million, will advance learning for all students, particularly those in the College of Science, Mathematics and Nursing. Visit ready.rockford.university for more information about Rock Solid & Ready – The Campaign for Rockford University.
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Challenge Met! In September of 2014, Rockford University was given the opportunity to receive $50,000 from the Carroll H. Starr Endowment Challenge, a grant program administered by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL). The Foundation made a commitment to match $1 for each $3 raised over a three-year period in order to create an Endowed Student Opportunity Fund that supports performing arts students. The University seeded the endowment challenge with a $100,000 estate gift of Jayne Poor, a dance department icon. The Friends of the Performing Arts (FOPA) took on the challenge to raise an additional $50,000 in order to receive the CFNIL match, for a total working endowment of $200,000. On May 5, 2017, the University officially met the challenge, a full four months ahead of the deadline. Thanks so much to the individuals and organizations who contributed! Half of the endowment’s annual proceeds ($4,000) will be used to fund a master dance class series at Rockford University, per Jayne’s wishes. The other half of the endowment’s annual proceeds ($4,000) will be used to help provide enriching yet unbudgeted co-curricular activities and programs in the performing arts. Jayne Poor was the heart and soul of dance at Rockford College. Her generosity when combined with that of CFNIL and 116 philanthropic individuals has given us an opportunity to ensure that her legacy will continue to inspire students of dance and the performing arts at Rockford University far into the future.
Save the date! Rockford University Homecoming @ Reunion
October 13 & 14, 2017
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Meeting in Memphis
in 2017. Five additional books are in various stages of completion. All the books are available on Amazon in paperback and eBook formats. Mike Webb ’79 was featured as one of 25 local people who inspire and exemplify why this region is a great place to live, work and play. Mike retired after 31 years and 32 seasons as the Director of the Starlight Theatre at Rock Valley College. Dennis Bentley ’80 and his wife Judy live in the Morgan Park neighborhood of Chicago. “We have been happily married for 30 years. I currently teach religion and social studies at Frances Xavier Warde School in Chicago.”
Helen Hill ’70 shared this photo taken during a busy and RU-filled weekend in Memphis.: “20 of us spent the weekend of May 19-21 in Memphis Tenn. Of the 20, 15 were RU alumni and 5 were spouses. We visited Graceland, the Civil Rights Museum, Stax Records, Gibson’s Memphis Guitar Factory, Beale Street and ate way too many barbecue ribs!” (l-r) First Row: Kathy McGrew Villette ’67, Helen Chung Hill ’70, Jonathan Fiechter ’69 Second Row: Holly Baker ’70, Anne Dayton Hoffman ’68, Cheryl Watkins Tanaka ’68, Sona Arzoomanian ’69, Ron Hoffman ’69 Third Row: Tom Hill ’68, Evelyn Tkach Novins ’68, Andy Novins ’69, Francis (Dutch) Hill ’69, Ron Schaefer ’69, Julie Kilpatrick Fiechter ’71, Charles Branham ’67
class notes David (Gino) Cox ’73 After exhausting all options to extend her stay in Bangkok, Marylyn and the boys have returned to the Philippines. Gino is working on his fourth noir novel, Ice Cold, set amidst the glamour and corruption of the Asian City of Angels. The white and gray T-shirts in the pictures are Gino’s custom designs. Roger L. Thomas ’74 retired from a 30+ career in information technology and immediately embarked on a long-postponed writing career. He has three books published - a book of humorous essays and original cartoons, and two historical mysteries. A fourth book, on bowling instruction, is due out later
Tracy Coleman ’88 has been named David Packard Professor (20152018) at Colorado College, where she teaches in the Department of Religion. She has also been named Editor in Chief of Oxford Bibliographies: Hinduism. Schwan’s Company (Marshalltown, Minn.) announced that Tony Puri ’90 has been named executive vice president of SFC Global Supply Chain, Inc., a subsidiary of Schwan’s. He is responsible for the strategic direction and performance of the company’s manufacturing facilities and distribution center. Kara Zonovich Paul ’90, Janet Mathison Culloton ’90, and Jennifer Kaminski Bye ’91, all former women’s swimmers for Rockford, met up in April with their former swim coach and Physical Education Professor Gayle Strang ’68, in Schaumburg, Ill., to catch up on life and talk about college memories. Wester Wuori ’92 was recently named the new chief of staff for the city of Rockford. He is charged with improving communication with aldermen, building stronger relationships with staff and residents, and representing the mayor when needed. Normal West High School’s Chris Hawkins ’92 was inducted into the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Blackhawk Bank recently appointed Stephanie Meier ’96 as its vice president of marketing. Meier has more than 17 years of experience in marketing, advertising, sales, community relations and employee engagement. Her emphasis is on client and employee communication, market expansion and diversification, e-commerce and 25
class notes continued reinforcement of and support for the Blackhawk Bank brand. Walter, a leading cutting tool manufacturer, has announced the appointment of Thomas Benjamin ’96 as director of business development for North America. In his new position, Benjamin is responsible for conducting market analysis for strategic planning and supporting the development and implementation of business plans in North America. He also is responsible for strategic relationships with business partners. Tyler Abercombie ’00 and his wife Karol welcomed Andrew James on Nov. 10, 2016. It has been an awesome experience so far. Tyler can’t wait to play catch, go golf, or whatever it is little Andrew will take an interest in. Andrew’s newborn photos even had Tyler’s Rockford baseball jersey as a prop. Mary Schobert ’01 was featured in the April “Teacher Feature” profile in the Chicago Tribune for giving up her professional tailoring career for life in the classroom. She has now been teaching for 29 years, 18 of those most recently at Waubonsee Valley Community High School in Aurora, Ill., where she teaches Child Development, parenting and senior foods. Anthony Rocco ’04 announced the birth of his handsome son, Jocko Dell Rocco. He was born Dec. 27, 2016 and Anthony was pleased to report both mother and baby are happy and healthy. Ethan Harris ’06, worked as a BSN and an ICU nurse for 10 years at RMH before deciding to go back to school. Ethan reports, “I’m currently in the first year of obtaining my doctorate in nurse anesthesia practice (DNAP) from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago. This summer, I am applying to the Nurse Corps Program as well, which serves at-risk populations in low-income areas. After graduation, I will provide assistance for a minimum of 2 years in exchange for full tuition reimbursement and a monthly stipend while in school. P.S.:I really like the new look of the buildings on campus!”
Christopher Reid ’07 loved his experience at Rockford. Since then, he moved west to Twin Falls, Idaho where he is a leader in his community and in his employment. Chris works for Zion’s Bank as a Treasury Relationship Regional Manager. He is also a member of the Twin Falls City Council and loves being a leader in the community. In addition to his work and community responsibilities, he and his wife Ann, are the parents of 7 children, all 9 years of age and under. Jay Sandine ’08 MBA was named by the Rockford Park District commissioners as the district’s executive director. Sandine is the eighth executive director in the Park District’s history, succeeding retiring director Tim Dimke ’90 MBA. Jessica Starr ’09/’11 was named the Head Softball Coach at Hononegah Community High School in Rockton, Ill., in January. She was a 6-year assistant for the RU softball program prior to taking on a full-time teaching position at Hononegah in the fall of 2016. Michael Morrissey ’09 was named Head Football Coach at Moline High School in Moline, Ill. Angela Hulsey ’09 was named Teacher of the Week in Rockford this spring. By making learning fun, Hulsey is setting her students up for success. She is teaching the basics and laying the foundation for a bright future for her students at Beyer Elementary School. Christopher Brady ’10 was named new Director of Theatre and Arts at Rock Valley College. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Starlight Theatre, the box office, and costume and scenic shops. He also leads the development and delivery of theatre productions. Josh Robinson ’10 (MAT Instructional Studies) was featured in a June “Teacher Feature” profile in the Chicago Tribune. A MAT Instructional Studies graduate, Josh shared that he found his passion for teaching through his passion for soccer when he was a student athlete at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “I was doing some coaching while I was playing soccer and realized how much I really liked working with kids,” Robinson said. “I changed my major my sophomore year because I knew I wanted to teach.” Share your GOOD NEWS with us! Please send updates to alumni@rockford.edu Pictures are also welcome!
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Giving made simple. Make a Tax-Free Gift From Your IRA See Your Generosity in Action If you are 70½ years old or older, you can make a tax-free gift from your individual retirement account (IRA) directly to Rockford University. This law no longer has an expiration date, so you are free to make annual gifts to qualified charitable organizations from your IRA this year and well into the future.
How It Works • • • •
You must be 70½ or older at the time of your gift You may transfer any amount up to $100,000 directly from your IRA to a qualified charitable organization The transfer is not considered to be taxable income, and therefore does not generate an income tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your tax deductions If you have not yet taken your required minimum distribution for the year, your IRA charitable rollover gift can satisfy all or part of that requirement.
Make an Impact Today By making a gift this year, you can make an immediate impact on our work while putting the wheels in motion to create a philanthropic legacy.
We Can Help Contact Assistant Vice President for Advancement Denise Noe at 815.394.3756 or legacy@rockford.edu to learn more about this tax-smart way to support Rockford University. *The information in this publication is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in examples are for hypothetical purposes only and are subject to change. References to estate and income taxes include federal taxes only. State income/estate taxes or state law may impact your results.
In Memoriam Norma Nelson Ang ’30, May 13, 2017
Betty Messer Rickleff ’48, May 11, 2017
Dennis M. Ohman ’69/’73, Apr. 13, 2017
Rhea Zur Welle Van Sickle ’38, Jan. 16, 2017
Dimmis Lathrop Weller ’48, Feb. 16, 2017
Joseph Anthony Corona ’70, Mar. 15, 2017
Jane Peterson LaGrande ’39, Jan. 21, 2017
Patricia Pinney Arp ’49, Jan. 26, 2017
Grace Donewald ’70, Jan. 24, 2017
Virginia Austin Rogers ’39, May 19, 2017
Patricia Hasslehorn Donovan ’49, Nov. 16, 2016
Thory Heye ’70, May 21, 2017
Mary Stephens Tiefenthaler ’39, Dec. 22, 2016
Jaclyn Dankel Hodges ’50, Jan. 25, 2017
John R. Swanson ’70, Sep. 18, 2016
Susan Godfrey Clark ’41, May 11, 2017
Elisabeth Koons Kroetz ’50, Apr. 6, 2017
Thomas Charles Diehl ’71, May 7, 2017
Evelyn Voss Palm ’42, Nov. 28, 2016
Thomas R. Pritz Sr ’50, Mar. 16, 2017
Raymond Douglas Benton ’72/’76, Feb. 8, 2017
Patricia Edgeworth Letsinger ’43, Nov. 23, 2016
Emilie Fredericks Stichnoth ’50, Sep. 17, 2016
Mary Robinson Hawks ’72, Dec. 29, 2016
Bevelyn Schmidt O’Brien ’44, Feb. 26, 2017
Barbara Baker Fulton ’51, Nov. 9, 2016
Emily Zoros Vosnos ’74, Oct. 8, 2016
Audrey Lindgren Peterson ’44, Jan. 10, 2017
Helen VanGuilder Huston ’51, Apr. 22, 2017
Brian Ames Johnson ’75, Dec. 28, 2016
Lillian Felici Shipley ’44, Oct. 7, 2016
Bette Hennen Weldon ’54, Dec. 14, 2016
David C. Butters ’78, Jan. 10, 2017
Patricia Talbot Davis ’45, Feb. 28, 2017
Jeanne Schulz Anderson ’55, Dec. 11, 2016
Louise L’heureux Giliberti ’78, Dec. 16, 2016
Bernadine Johnson Yardley ’45, Dec. 24, 2016
Jane Roscoe Thomas ’56, Nov. 28, 2016
Roberta Kemp Mink ’78, Nov. 23, 2016
Jean Lyons Keely ’46, Dec. 7, 2016
Marlene Sowers Tackett ’59, Mar. 18, 2017
Shannon Holstrum Larson ’80, May 5, 2017
Rosemary Larson Bauer ’47, Mar. 23, 2017
William J. Renaldi ’60, Dec. 22, 2016
Ruth Maschke ’83, Nov. 16, 2016
Phyllis McVoy Wenger ’47, Nov. 26, 2016
Roland A. Poska ’61, Feb. 6, 2017
Barbara Anderson Morris ’85, May 21, 2017
Mary Page Frakes ’48, Jan. 12, 2017
Janice Church Brandenburg Fox ’62, May 4, 2017
Kelli Rummel Huneke ’92, Mar. 18, 2017
Frances Isley Hardie ’48, Jan. 8, 2017
Larry A. Johnson ’63, Nov. 22, 2016
Ryan Paul Nelson ’00, May 22, 2017
Jane Pardee Hendrickson ’48, Sep. 1, 2016
LeRoy Nels Thornbloom ’63, Dec. 3, 2016
Fred Rezazdeh ’04H, Jan. 11, 2017
Alki Bacalbassi Jacobs ’48, Dec. 7, 2016
Richard E. Church ’64, Jan. 25, 2017
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Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Rockford, IL Permit No. 389
Office of Advancement 5050 E. State St. Rockford, IL 61108 815.394.5041 • rockford.edu
Forum Series Fall 2017
For more information, please visit rockford. edu/artslectures/forum. For tickets, please call the RU Box Office at 815.226.4100. Dates and locations are subject to change.
President’s Opening Convocation, Friday, August 25, noon, Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center. The 2017-18 Rockford University academic year begins with a traditional convocation, faculty procession in full academic regalia and remarks by President Eric W. Fulcomer.
Rock Solid Success Seminar: Clarence Lee, Jr., MD, MBA, Wednesday, September 6, 7 p.m., Severson Auditorium, Scarborough Hall. International speaker, author and CEO of a personal development brand, Dr. Lee, will energize the campus community with insider hacks on high performance and mental conditioning.
Constitution Day: U.S. Magistrate Judge Iain D. Johnston, Wednesday, September 13, 3 p.m., Fisher Memorial Chapel. RU commemorates the 1787 anniversary of the adjournment of the Constitutional Convention with a visit from 1987 RU alumnus Judge Johnston, who serves the Northern District of Illinois’ Rockford-based Western Division.
Performing Arts 2017-2018
For tickets or information, please call the RU Box Office at 815.226.4100, or visit rockford.edu. Dates and locations are subject to change.
“Xanadu,” Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 5-8, Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center. Roller skates, leg warmers and ’80s pop-rock bring a disco party to life as a Greek muse and her sisters come to Venice Beach to help a struggling chalk artist fulfill his wildest dreams.
Rockford City Dance Festival Friday-Saturday, Oct. 13-14, Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center. Celebrate the art of dance with performances from Rockford University students and guest companies from the greater community.
“Deathtrap,” Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 16-19, Cheek Theatre, Clark Arts Center. In this suspenseful comedy, famous but profligate playwright Sidney Bruhl plots to kill an admiring young fan and steal his masterpiece of a script.
Winter and Spring Concerts, Friday, Dec. 8, and Friday, May 4, 2018, Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center. Celebrate the art of dance with performances from Rockford University students and guest companies from the greater community.
Orchesis Dance Concert, Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 25-27, 2018, Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center. The Rockford University Orchesis Dance Company presents their annual concert of classical and contemporary dance, with students and guest artists performing selected original sets.
“Richard III,” Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 22-25, 2018, Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center. Gripping and outrageous, Shakespeare’s Richard III is the tale of a ruthless, power-crazed Machiavellian who lies and cheats his way to the highest seat in the land.
“Candide,” Thursday-Sunday, April 19-22, 2018, Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center. In honor of the 100th anniversary of the birth of American composer Leonard
Bernstein, the Rockford Symphony Orchestra joins RU in presenting this musical play based on a satirical Voltaire tale of a young man’s journey from idealism to wisdom.