Catalyst - Winter 2018

Catalyst

Winter 2018

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Inside this issue Greeting from President Eric W. Fulcomer, Ph.D. p3 Catalyst is published by the Communications & Alumni offices within the Advancement division of Rockford University.

Interim Vice President Greg Cascione, Ph.D. Letters to the editor, feedback and feature suggestions are welcome.

Deadline for correspondence to be considered for the next issue of Catalyst is February 28, 2019.

Contact information: Office of Communications, 815.394.5041 or communications@rockford.edu.

Managing Editor: Rita Elliott Graphic Designer: Paul Hecker Contributing Writers: Cassi Steurer, Shanna Zonta

Bloomberg Business Lab p4 Excellence breeds Excellence p6 Homecoming 2018 p10 Faculty Spotlights: Deepshikha Shukla & Jeff Hendry p12 Paving a Path to Persistence p16 Faculty Notes p20 Athletic Hall of Fame p18 Class Notes p24

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Greetings from President Fulcomer One of the great joys of serving this wonderful institution as its 18th president is the regular interactions I have with alumni and friends. We have great supporters spread throughout the world and I have had an opportunity to visit with alumni and friends throughout the United States – from Massachusetts to California, from Florida to Minnesota, and many points in between. A common refrain is that the time spent here by our alumni had a significant positive impact on their lives and vocations. This impact is shared through stories – most often related to the difference that our faculty and staff, past and present, made in the lives of students.

A natural impulse of those whom I meet is to want to continue to support this institution that means so much to them. That support generally manifests itself through financial giving, whether to operations, scholarships, or special projects. We are grateful for all gifts – and we need them. As our campus continues to age, there are a multitude of needs related to upgrading and maintaining our facilities and infrastructure. And as the higher education student market becomes more competitive, the need for scholarship and operational support is critical.

As we prepare to successfully close out our Rock Solid and Ready Capital Campaign, one of my ongoing foci will be to encourage alumni and friends to consider a regular, annual gift to Rockford University. In particular, my goal is to increase the number of those who give at least $1,000 per year. We recognize those giving at that level (or above) as members of the Jane Addams Society. This number currently stands at less than 150, while many schools our size have several times this number. If you are a Jane Addams Society member — thank you for your significant support of Rockford University. If you are not yet a member, please consider joining this important group. Your financial support will allow us to invest in making this institution one that continues to thrive in its 172nd year and beyond.

Above: President Fulcomer catches up with alumni during this year’s Homecoming weekend, October 5–6.W Center: President and Mrs. Fulcomer welcome several students to their home throughout the year, including this group of scholarship recipients who enjoyed dinner and conversation with the President.

Bottom: President Fulcomer and Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara, who accepted the Karl C. Williams Award on his father John McNamara’s behalf. John was unable to make it to the ceremony but was proudly represented by his son. See pg. 10 for more on all of this year’s award recipients.

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Breaking in the Bloomberg business Lab

experience to prepare them for a global business environment and a competitive job market.”

The Bloomberg Professional service, Bloomberg’s core offering, is a software platform that provides trusted real-time and historical data, market moving news and analytics to help business and financial professionals make better informed investment decisions. The service also features execution platforms for every asset class, research and a global network to communicate securely and reliably.

The University’s subscriptions to the Bloomberg Professional service is a tremendous resource for both students and professors. It enables students to become familiar with tools used in financial services, thereby reinforcing classroom theory, while professors can use it to further their own research.

Puri School of Business Chair John Gunyon, Ph.D., adds, “The addition of the Bloomberg Business Lab is proving to be an incredible asset to our growing business curriculum. The technology brings together all of the data, news and analytics to provide the kind of complete understanding of companies, industries and markets that are critical to finding successful entry into today’s financial job market.”

Dr. Orhan Erdem Puri School of Business

The University officially opened its Bloomberg Business Lab featuring the Bloomberg Professional service at the start of the 2018 spring semester.

Now two semesters into its use, faculty and students alike are excited about how the lab is benefiting the business curriculum. The Bloomberg Business Lab features 11 state-of-the-art terminals and is the only lab offering this level of global business resources in the Rockford area. Students are able to use the Bloomberg Professional service to further develop industry leading skills for careers in finance, economics, accounting and business; and directly linking them to the more than 320,000 leading business and financial subscribers worldwide.

Orhan Erdem, Ph.D., visiting associate professor in the Puri School of Business explains, “The Bloomberg Business Lab introduces students to real finance industry that encompasses high volatility and enormous risks. The undergraduate and graduate students have the opportunity to apply theoretical information they gain during their classes. The Lab provides them with applicable skills and hands-on 4

The Bloomberg Business Lab was made possible

by Rockford University alumnus Sunil Puri and his contributions to establish the Puri School of Business. The business school is home to the Department of Economics, Business and Accounting, including the Master of Business Administration, Executive Development and Adult Accelerated Degree Completion programs. The academic programs offered by the department are accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).

About Bloomberg Professional Service: •

Access to a 24/7 live support team able to answer questions in more than 15 languages.

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Bloomberg University – an on-terminal training resource which provides selfguided courses, instructional videos and online tests to clarify course completion.

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Personalized one-on-one training from Bloomberg experts who can help teach students directly in a classroom setting.

Meet Tracy Wang 2018 Lincoln Laureate Rockford University senior Tracy (Hanqing) Wang from Jiangsu in the People’s Rebublic of China, has been named as a 2018 Lincoln Laureate by The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Each year, the annual Lincoln Academy Student Laureate Ceremony recognizes excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities by seniors from each of the state’s four-year, degreegranting colleges and universities, and one student from the community colleges in Illinois. This year’s ceremony took place Saturday, November 17, in Springfield. President Eric Fulcomer, Ph.D., accompanied Wang for the ceremony.

Tracy attended Pine City High School in Pine City, Minn., and will graduate from Rockford University in 2019 with a major in Political Science and a minor in Math. After completing her degree, she plans to attend law school to achieve her professional goals.

When asked about this opportunity Tracy stated, “It is a great honor to be selected as Rockford University’s Lincoln Laureate. I feel very thankful that the institution has recognized all of my achievements. Four years ago, I had the decision of where to go to college and I can proudly say that every day I am glad that I chose a university that values its students above all else. Rockford University has supported me both in and out of the classroom, provided mentoring for my future career, and taught me lessons that have broadened my perspectives.”

Tracy has participated in the Washington Semester Program for Justice and Law at American University and is currently serving as the President of the Rockford University Student Government Association. Tracy excels in her studies and has been named to both the Dean’s and Distinguished Scholars lists. In addition to her work in Campus Activities and Student Government, Tracy has served as an Orientation and Welcome Week Leader for Rockford University’s new student programs for the past two years, and through this has inspired new students to look for opportunities to become involved and encouraged them to consider serving as student leaders. Leading by example, Tracy he has been a member of the Rockford University Facility Committee, the Multicultural Club, and the Student Athletic Advisory Committee. She is also a student-athlete competing on the Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field teams.

Tracy is currently serving as the student representative to the University’s Board of Trustees.

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Golden Apple

2018

Reggie the Regent was excited to make classroom visits to our Golden Apple winners last spring.

Excellence breeds excellence Five of Rockford University’s own received Golden Apple Recognition

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ecently, billboards appeared around the Rockford area featuring the 2018 Golden Apple winners.

The Golden Apple Foundation is a volunteerdriven organization that celebrates, inspires and supports educational excellence in the community. Since 1997, the Golden Apple Foundation has grown from honoring teachers in one school district to honoring teachers, principals and volunteers in more than 140 schools, both public and non-public, in Winnebago and Boone counties. Today, the Golden Apple Foundation continues its mission of inspiring, celebrating and supporting educational excellence in the community through four core programs: Awards & Recognition, Teacher Academy, Classroom Grants and Community Engagement.

Five teachers and one principal received the Golden Apple award for their excellence in teaching, their dedication to their students and the positive impact they make in the classroom every day. If you’ve driven around the Rockford area, you’ve probably seen the billboards, but what you might not know is that four of the five teachers recognized and the principal awardee are Rockford University alumni.

Of course, it really comes as no surprise that so many of the Golden Apple recipients are Rockford University graduates. Since our founding in 1847, we have been preparing education majors to be outstanding teachers.

In fact, it’s safe to say that there are more than 1,200 6

teachers in the Rockford and surrounding area who have received their undergrad, graduate, or both degrees here.

Since 2009, 29 alumni have been Golden Apple Award winners, two alumnae have been recognized as Illinois Teachers of the Year (2006 Jacqueline Bolger ’83 MAT, and 2008 Ruth Meissen ’98 MAT), one alumnus has been honored as 2015 North Carolina Teacher of the Year (Rockford native James Ford ’09 MAT) and one alumna, was named Wisconsin Teacher of the Year in 2014 (Anne Hasse ’96).

The 2019 group of Golden Apple nominees was just announced in early November. More than 420 nominees, with an estimated 25 percent being RU alumni, will go through a comprehensive process of evaluation, narrowing the field to just 20 finalists, and then to the final five awarded in May. All deserving and all inspiring, we are immensely proud of the amazing contributions made by these dedicated educators in classrooms throughout our region. We reached out to some of our most recent Golden Apple winners to find out how their time at RU prepared them for a career in teaching and gave them the edge they needed to excel in the classroom.

—As a mom of a special needs son, Rachel Huetson knew she needed to stay close to home as she pursued her degree in Education. Location and the fact that her sister, an RU graduate had a wonderful experience here, made it easy for Rachel to decide to enroll. From the minute she started classes, she knew she had made the right choice. “There is such a hometown and welcoming feel at Rockford University,” Rachel said. “The small class sizes were ideal and to this day, I meet regularly with my classmates who have become great friends.”

When she won the Golden Apple, Rachel was teaching first grade at Nelson Elementary in Rockford. This school year she has taken on a new role at Seth Whitman in Belvidere teaching math, science and English to second graders for whom English is their second language. It’s a new challenge for Rachel, and one she credits RU with helping to prepare her. “One thing I dreaded as a student was having to attend forums each semester,” Rachel said. But one particular forums changed Rachel’s perspective. “I attended the forum featuring Mark Zupan, one of the stars of Murderball,” said Rachel.

Murderball is a documentary about quadriplegics who play full-contact rugby in wheelchairs and overcome unimaginable obstacles to compete in the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece. “To this day I talk about that forum and his message about overcoming odds, it made such an impact on me and that will resonate with me always.”

Despite her initial reluctance to attend the forums, Rachel now credits them as part of her well-rounded education. That, along with the excellent professors and a student teacher semester program that allowed her to really immerse herself in the classroom. “The professors really value the students and wanted us to succeed,” Rachel said. “I stay in touch with them and love to have that connection.”

—Small class sizes, clinicals, and a small professor-tostudent ratio are all things Katherine Koehler lists as helping her become the teacher she is today. Katherine teachers first grade at Ledgewood Elementary School in Roscoe. “RU prepared me through the clinicals I completed and the small class sizes which allowed me to build strong relationships with professors,” Katherine said. “There were multiple people who made a significant impact on my teaching career. Professors like Dr. Feroli who taught us with intention and prepared us on teaching reading methods in the classroom.”

Katherine also cites her student teaching supervisor, Wes Morgan, as someone who made the biggest impact in her teaching career. “Mr. Morgan pushed me, encouraged me, gave me the best advice and tips, and taught what it meant to be a quality educator,” she said.

“Mr. Morgan continues to influence my teaching simply from the things I learned from him during my student teaching. He is an exceptional mentor and someone to whom I will be forever grateful!”

Support was also found outside of the classroom, on campus and in her role as a student worker in the Student Administrative Services office. “I loved the community feel,” Katherine said. “Classes were small and personal. I worked in the student admissions office which I LOVED. Stacey Simms and Daryl Bickford were a great support during my student-worker career.”

Overall, it was RU’s exceptional education program that Katherine said prepared and challenged her and other aspiring teachers. “I was provided a strong foundation of teaching practices and principles that I have carried with me throughout my career,” she said. “I will always be grateful to the staff at RU for preparing me to do what I love each day. I love everything about what I do and hope to give my students the best instruction and love they deserve!”

—For Ashley Schwabero, her master’s in teaching gave her the practical strategies she needed to provide excellent instruction in the classroom and one project really brought learning to life. “The teacher demonstrated how powerful instruction can be when students are fully immersed in an interactive project while practicing their skills,” Ashley said. “We were assigned to plan a party and we had to compare the prices for the supplies at several local grocery stores. Given that purpose for learning, all of the students were fully engaged. I think back on that lesson often when I am planning for my own classroom and try to incorporate that type of hands-on learning for my students.”

As a fourth grade teacher at Prairie Hill School in South Beloit, Ashley is always looking for ways to make a positive impact on her students and she credits RU as a place where she was able to hone her skills.

“My experience at RU has added a huge amount of instructional strategies that I currently use in my classroom,” she said.

Story continues next page…

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Excellence breeds excellence cont.

Golden Apple Award Winners

Katherine M. Koehler ’11 BS Elementary Education teaches First Grade at Ledgewood Elementary School in Roscoe

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“Teaching has taught me how to love unconditionally, how to put others before myself, how to continually find new ways to get to know that student who is struggling in school, and how to lead by example.

It is my hope that my students will remember their first grade teacher as someone who was committed, loving and a person who they could depend on. Teaching has brought me direction and purpose, and for that I am grateful.”

Rachel Seipts Huetson ’09 BS Elementary Education taught First Grade at Nelson Elementary School in Rockford and is now at Seth Whitman Elementary School in Belvidere.

“It is my job to allow my students to express their learning through a variety of multiple intelligences so that they become lifelong learners.”

Ashley Schwabero ’08 MAT teaches Fourth Grade at Prairie Hill Elementary School in South Beloit.

“The field of education is one in which a teacher’s job is everchanging. I will never stop adjusting, growing, and learning along the way. I believe I could not have chosen to dedicate myself to a more significant and rewarding profession, as it is educators who help build the foundation for the impact that each child will make in our world.”

Lance Tuula ’04 BS Elementary Education teaches Fifth Grade at Whitman Post Elementary in Rockton “I want my students to know that no matter their performance level, the entire arena will always be cheering for them in the end. I try to stop at some point every day, take a breath, and realize that there’s no place I’d rather be than in our arena, on our stage.”

2018 Golden Apple Puri Outstanding Principal Amber Miller ’05 BS Elementary Education Maud E. Johnson Elementary School, Rockford.

The Habit of Generosity: Rockford University’s Charter Fund

For more than 171 years, our alumni have made their mark on our world, our country, our state and beloved city. Supported with rich academic opportunities, practical experiences, and global perspectives, our students have always left the University with the knowledge, values and skills to inform their lives and change the world.

The Charter Fund is Rockford’s annual fund and helps fuel everything that is essential to the Rockford University experience — from teaching to technology to scholarships.

It is the fund that supplies gifts that help to offset the operating expenses of the University. Scholarships, faculty and student development, and myriad other annual needs are impacted by the on-going generosity of alumni and friends to the Charter Fund.

The Jane Addams Society is the leadership giving society within the Charter Fund. Gifts of $1,000 or more are eligible for inclusion in this philanthropic group. Of course, participation at all levels of the Charter Fund assures that the legacy of Rockford students continues unabated. From recent graduates to our Golden Grads, the range of involvement is impressive.

Within our Rock Solid and Ready Capital Campaign, the gifts to the Charter Fund have exceeded their initial goals and continue to be used to satisfy immediate needs and opportunities. For more information about the Charter Fund, please visit our website: www.rockford.edu/giving.

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Golden Grads: Class of 1968

Homecoming 2018 activities were held October 5 and 6. The weekend was filled with plenty of school spirit and opportunities to catch-up with friends. A highlight each year is the All-Alumni Celebratory Dinner & Awards Ceremony.

We look forward to this annual tradition to recognize and thank several of our outstanding alumni. Read more about this year’s honorees on the next page.

For more Reunion & Homecoming photos visit: www.rockford.edu/alumni/reunion/2018-reunion-photo-gallery/ 10

Congratulations to the 2018 alumni award recipients Awards of Distinction Courtney Geiger ’02. Courtney is an active and visible community member in Rockford who for more than 11 years has served on the leadership team at Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois as Director of Mission Services.

Beyond her role with Goodwill, Courtney is deeply involved in programs and volunteers her time for a wide variety of area non-profits. Her passions include community outreach efforts that help to alleviate poverty, develop and foster area youth, and improve financial literacy, just to name a few. Through both her role at Goodwill and her tireless dedication to the community she loves, including serving on the University’s Alumni Association Board, Courtney has distinguished herself as a compassionate leader and caring advocate in all that she does.

Kathy Hackwith Groth ’72. Kathy wrote the original federal grant that created the Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver, Colorado. Her vision back in the late 1970s to minimize food waste was to eventually have a fleet of trucks, a large warehouse, and the resources to make sure food wasn’t wasted and hungry people were fed became a reality. She continues to distribute leftover food from smaller food banks in her Volvo every week. Today, Colorado’s largest human services nonprofit, provides more than 134,000 meals a day to people in need.

Brooke Larson-Moore ’01. As a manager of Global Regulatory Affairs, Marketed Products at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Brooke is responsible for oversight of global regulatory maintenance activities for a portfolio comprised of over 3,000 unique licenses in more than 100 countries, including Japan, Europe, and Latin America.

She was named an Access to Medicines Fellow to Haiti, 2017. Brooke is a rare blend of talents and skills — a skilled scientist and leader in her field, as well as an avid volunteer and activist for multiple causes.

Talcott Cross Award Susan Wheeler-Johnston, Ph.D., ’07 L.H.D. Dr. Susan Wheeler-Johnston started at Rockford College as a faculty member in the Department of English. During her tenure, she served as the Department Chair of English, Associate Dean, advisor for several student clubs and was the Associate Dean of Regents College. Dr. Wheeler-Johnston remained devoted to Rockford for several years beyond her employment as a member of our Board of Trustees and also served as our commencement speaker in 2007. She currently is the President of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).

Karl C. Williams Award John McNamara H ’89 LL.D. This former Rockford mayor served the University in many capacities and roles from 2004 through 2017, including Special Assistant to the President, Development Officer and Vice President for Institutional Advancement. His work to provide support for technological infrastructure and campus programming for business, the arts, and volunteer networks is noteworthy as is his service with the Office of Institutional Advancement where he worked to secure planned gifts through the Mary Ashby Cheek Society.

Outstanding Young Alumna/Alumnus Heather Goodrich Lindgren ’11. As a math teacher at Luther North College Prep, Heather changed the curriculum and brought AP Calculus to their school. With her MsEd., she now teaches AP Calculus to her high school students as dual credit through Concordia University and serves as an adjunct professor. She started a math team at Luther North and coaches the WYSE (Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering team) and serves as the head volleyball and head basketball coach. She was the 2010 Lincoln Laurette, and continues to serve Rockford University by speaking to classes for the math department and is involved in alumni volleyball events.

Alumna/Alumnus of the Year Tom Muldowney ’74. Tom began his service on the Board of Trustees in 2010, serving as Board Chair from 2014 to 2017. He is a firm believer in the life-long value of a liberal arts education provides and credits his alma mater for providing the foundation that led to the many successes in his life. Tom is quick to give credit to the University for teaching him ‘how to think’ and not ‘what to think.’ Tom remains an active and fervent supporter of Rockford University, continuing to serve as a Trustee. He is also known for his extensive board leadership work and generosity throughout the community. Tom founded Savant Capital Management in 1986.

More Reunion & Homecoming photos at: www.rockford.edu/alumni/reunion/2018-reunion-photo-gallery/

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Deepshikha Shukla, Ph.D.

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s she begins her fourth year as an associate professor of physics at Rockford, Dr. Deepshikha Shukla is inspiring students — both college and otherwise — to discover the possibilities the world of science has to offer. Her passion for teaching has propelled her to look beyond the walls of the university to reach younger Rockford-area students who may never have given science a second thought. And while Dr. Shukla has been here a relatively short time, her dedication and outreach efforts are a testament to Rockford’s rich history in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) with names like Anna Peck Sill, Jessie Spafford, A. Frances Johnson, John Schumaker, Alan Hutchcroft, Mary Jeffreson, and G. Lawrence Forman; some of the notable science and mathematics professors who preceded her.

Dr. Shukla’s enthusiasm for physics is contagious and she is inspiring students to think differently, all while providing learning opportunities that are applicable to their lives. “By putting concepts into perspectives that will help them later in their career, students have a better opportunity to grasp complex concepts,” Dr. Shukla said.

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For Dr. Shukla it’s all about “experiencing physics.” She cites a recent example of one of her students who has a goal of becoming a high school physics teacher. The assignment she gave him? Create experiments using a smartphone sensor. “We know that for the most part, high school science departments are lacking in current equipment,” Dr. Shukla said. “But we all have smartphones. And smartphones have sensors that can do a lot of physics experiments. By giving him an assignment based on a perspective that was meaningful to him, he was able to learn practical applications that will help him later in his career.”

Senior Juliana Theodorakis has found new passions in areas she never imagined would be part of her academic experiences. Although a Spanish major, a physics class with Dr. Shukla has turned into numerous exciting opportunities for Juliana who has a real knack for coding. Juliana uses a wheel chair and has taken some of her personal experiences and interests to create online courses that are accessible to students with various disabilities. Her work is impressive and caught the attention at the 2018 Sigma Xi Annual Meeting and

Student Research Conference held in San Francisco, California this past October.

Sigma Xi is an Honor Society for scientific research.

Approximately 125 high school, undergraduate, and graduate students competed in a research poster presentation competition at the conference, which was held in conjunction with the Sigma Xi Annual Meeting.

According to Sigma Xi’s website, members, who were elected to membership because of their research accomplishments, served as judges and evaluated each student’s presentation. Judges evaluated whether the student clearly stated a hypothesis and the significance of his or her research as well as goals and objectives.

Judges also assessed a student’s use of the scientific method and ability to answer questions.

Juliana attended the conference with Dr. Shukla and had the opportunity to present her research where she won the award for the best poster in her category of Physics and Astronomy. Juliana devised an experiment to measure the rotational inertia (a measure of how hard it is to turn/rotate) of her wheelchair as it should be an important consideration for wheelchair design. Manual wheelchair users can suffer from shoulder and back problems if the wheelchairs are difficult to maneuver. Her recognition included a medal, monetary award, and a year of free membership dues in Sigma Xi.

geared towards sports. “There is a severe need for STEM-based activities so kids can get exposure to these fields,” Shukla said.

Most of the programs were held at Washington, Carlson or Spectrum and twice, students came on campus for an English and STEM Workshop held last fall, and the RU STEM and Savvy Skills Workshop held last spring. “The workshop was not just about physics, it was a program designed to help the participants develop critical thinking skills and give them an overall holistic experience,” Shukla said.

“The idea is to make kids excited about learning,” Shukla said. “Yes, we can go and give them workshops at their school or community center, but for them to come to a higher-ed environment and see what college is like, it makes it more real for them.”

In fact, Dr. Shukla is currently envisioning a program connecting Rockford students with schools like Spectrum with curriculum that would benefit both groups of students. “So many of our students eventually want to teach, and I think a program connecting our students with the elementary students would provide amazing learning opportunities,” Shukla said. It’s just one of the many ideas Shukla has as she thinks of ways to make Physics engaging and fun for everyone.

Juliana’s growing confidence to take on research projects and her resulting successes are proof of the simple premise Dr. Shukla practices, “Again, if I can find a perspective that matters to the student, the student will most likely grasp concepts more readily and be excited about it.”

And interest is growing. Enrollment is rising as the program becomes more relevant and students are sticking with it. Currently there are three declared physics minors, two of whom would like to major in physics. Offering physics as a major is something Dr. Shukla would like to see as well. “As interest grows, we definitely need to look at adding the physics major back into the RU offerings,” she said.

Dr. Shukla is also going outside the University to get younger students interested in not only science, but the entire college experience. As a relative newcomer she wasn’t sure where to begin so she turned to fellow professor, Mary Weaks-Baxter, Andrew H. Sherratt College Professor and Professor of English, who oversees community-based learning projects.

So far, Dr. Shukla, with help from several colleagues, has developed programs at Washington Park Community Center, Carlson Elementary School, and with Spectrum School, which recently moved to a location near the University. At Washington Park Community Center, Shukla reached out to Director Nicki Lynch and discovered that all of their after-school programs were

Juliana Theodorakis pictured with her award winning poster presentation at the 2018 Signma Xi annual meeting.

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Jeff Hendry, M.F.A. “You can really make a difference in their lives.”

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hat’s Performing Arts Professor Jeff Hendry reflecting on how he has made an impact as a teacher, mentor and guiding force for countless Rockford University students in the Performing Arts department. For 36 years, he has helped students find their passion, whether it’s on, near or off the stage.

“Seeing students grow, especially in this field is so rewarding,” Hendry said. “They may come in from high school thinking ‘that was fun and I had a great time’ and not realize there are career opportunities in this field they can consider. On the other hand, they may realize performing arts isn’t their thing and find another direction.

And that’s equally rewarding. Having another interest is not a bad thing — I started out as pre-law!”

His students can see how he would have excelled as a lawyer. “They say ‘oh wow you would have made a great lawyer when I argue in class,’ but I always liked theater and I couldn’t see myself spending my life as a lawyer.”

As a performing arts student at the University of Arizona, Hendry had intentions of becoming an actor. But a required costume design class and a natural aptitude for sewing had him considering a different path. “My mom always sewed and I grew up watching her sew all the time,” said Hendry. But he didn’t just observe. “You know when you’re a kid and they buy your clothes one size too big so you’ll grow into them? Well I would sneak into my mom’s sewing room and alter them so they wouldn’t be so loose on me.”

While Hendry had a knack for sewing, the required costume design class wasn’t something he was overly enthused about taking. “I was terrified to take the class 14

because I thought I couldn’t draw,” Hendry said. “But the instructor had an interesting mantra. She would say, ‘anyone can be taught to play the piano. If you’re going to be a concert pianist that’s one thing, or just playing for fun, but either way you can do it.’ It made me realize I could do this.”

Hendry’s professor ignited a passion for costume design that has led to a career not only as a well-respected and beloved professor, but as a gifted and sought after theater costume designer with myriad awards under his belt. Last year, he received the Broadwayworld.com award for Best Costume Design for his work on Mamma Mia! and in 2015, he won the same award for The Music Man and Sister Act. All three of those shows were produced at the Maine State Music Theatre, a professional musical theater organization located on the Bowdoin College campus in Brunswick, Maine. Over the years, he’s designed for productions at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point and Madison, Fireside Theatre, Circa’ 21 Dinner Playhouse and Little Theatre on the Square.

His work has been featured in Chicago at the Northlight Theater, the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Drury Lane Water Tower and Drury Lane Evergreen Park.

And of course, there are the productions at Maddox and Cheek Theatres where Hendry oversees costume design and often directs the student productions. There have been some amazing costumes and productions through the years, including this past April when Hendry took on one of the biggest and most elaborate yet — Leonard Bernstein’s epic musical masterpiece, Candide. The show was presented as part of the Leonard Bernstein at 100 Festival, a two-year celebration of the Broadway legend and, in addition to massive three-story stage sets

Candide, April 2018

and musicians from the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, the show included more than 153 lavish costumes, all created by Hendry. For Hendry, taking on Candide was something he was incredibly excited about and at the same time, scared to death to attempt. “It’s a huge production, boarding on an operetta,” said Hendry. “But the opportunity came up to work with the Rockford Symphony and I knew we had the students who could handle it, so I said ‘if we’re going to do it, let’s go for it!’”

Hendry was right. The production was a beautiful collaboration between RU’s performing arts department and the Rockford Symphony Orchestra and the costumes will go down as some of the most amazing in RU’s history. This Fall, Hendry tackled a completely different type of production, Carrie, The Musical, based on the Stephen King novel.

Having directed and created costumes for so many RU productions, Hendry finds it difficult to name his favorites, but sites Into the Woods and A Little Night Music, for their complexity. “Roshman was definitely one I was most proud of,” Hendry said, “Also Pericles and Antigone because with those productions I was able to do something I don’t normally get to do. I was really proud with how they turned out.” Outside of Rockford, his work on Sophisticated Ladies, at the old Drury Lane South and Grand Hotel at Theater at the Center in Munster Indiana and the Drury Lane Water Tower Place are most memorable to him. “Sophisticated Ladies is so rarely done and it’s mammoth costume-wise. There are 30 musical numbers and it’s so huge people normally don’t do it,” Hendry said “Grand Hotel is 1920s Berlin and you have to do clothes, not costumes. There’s a difference.”

With such an extensive body of work, Hendry may be thinking of slowing down a bit, but for now what keeps him going is seeing students grow and mature during their time at RU and sharing in that moment when the proverbial light bulb goes off in their mind that may lead to a career direction they might not have considered.

While a degree in design typically has very few students, Hendry says even at large universities there are typically

only a handful of students who focus on costume design, and most usually do find work in the field.

“We have design graduates who have worked at Milwaukee Children’s Theater and currently the Chicago Lyric Opera,” Hendry said. “One of my former students, Darrin Pufall ’04, is teaching costume design at Boise State. Typically, what happens is they can work in the field while they’re auditioning and trying to get acting gigs. It’s a way to work their way into the business and network.” And sometimes, they go all in and make costume design their full-time career.

Take for example, Ryan Moller ’15, who was nominated for the same broadwayworld.com award Hendry won in 2017 and 2015. Moller was nominated for his work on Guys and Dolls at the same theater where Hendry’s work was recognized. Ryan’s success is just one example of what truly matters to Hendry — his students. “When Ryan was nominated for the Broadwayworld.com award it was very much like a passing of the torch,” Hendry said.

Next for Hendry, he’s designed “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” running, Jan. 25 - Mar. 10, 2019 at Chicago’s Porchligh Music Theatre.

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Dr. Karen Walker and Stephen Taylor

Paving a Path to Persistence

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tephen Taylor is in his junior year and majoring in Sport Management. Looking to the future, he says it’s pretty simple, “I want to be able to take care of my family. If I have kids someday, I want to be an example for them, and to have the money and resources to pay for them to go to college, too.” It’s an important point for this first-generation student, the first male in his family to go to college, and for whom this accomplishment came dangerously close to not happening at all.

Stephen will tell you there was a period during his first year at Rockford where he believed that his college reality would be like that of so many other young men he knew — failure. Overwhelmed and faced with an academic dismissal, he found himself struggling with virtually every aspect of college life. He was ready to accept that he was done and walk away, but then, Dr. Karen Walker literally came knocking at his door and Stephen’s reality began to change.

At the time, Dr. Walker was heading up the Office of Student Success and Retention. She was there to personally assist students in any way she and the University could to help them persist 16

to graduation. She knew first-hand, and further supported by dismal state and national statistics, that minority males struggled the most. Dr. Walker was determined to reverse this trend at Rockford and found additional valuable support through the Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI), a statewide collaborative of 26 smaller, independent liberal arts-based colleges and universities that has made increasing college graduation rates among low-income, first-generation college students and students of color a top priority.

Dr. Walker spent a year putting additional structure and resources to her efforts, but she knew more was needed. She then applied to ACI’s Peer Mentoring Program, which supports students who arrive at ACI-member institutions with risk factors that could prevent them from staying in school and reaching graduation.

To counter those risks – from financial and educational inequities to lack of family experience with higher education – the ACI grant supports programming that matches at risk students with trained peer mentors who have faced similar challenges.

Stephen was one of the first to become involved in the program, admittedly due to Dr. Walker’s unrelenting influence. She believed in him, and slowly, Stephen began to understand that he too, could believe in himself. She helped him file a petition to re-enroll and supported him with her personal recommendation to return to his studies.

Stephen went from being a mentee to serving as a dedicated mentor, providing a genuine example of what it means to truly persist.

Rockford University is in its second year of participation in ACI’s Peer Mentoring program, along with 10 other ACI-member institutions in Illinois. It’s making a notable difference in the lives of RU students. Stephen and seven of his fellow peers were recently asked to share their stories. Stephen, Thery Simms, Tyree Ahrens, Ajibola Oke-Diran, Christopher Honnou, Jeremiah Camphor, and Jesus Campos all sat down in front of the camera with Leslie Millenson, Director of Special Projects for ACI, and eloquently and honestly told their stories. Each unscripted interview revealed a recurring commonality of how having no study habits, poor self-discipline, a lack of positive role-models and financial pressures began to derail their ability to succeed. Many were reluctant when they were first approached to participate in the mentoring program. Dr. Walker and her small original group of students who she had so directly influenced were diligent in seeking out those students most at risk. Recruits soon began to understand the importance and value gained from a peer who had been there. With a growing arsenal of tools at their disposal, this impressive group of young men also learned that they were ultimately the best advocates for their own accountability. A common theme echoed by several Minority Male Mentoring students is that they simply didn’t have the foundation to know how to succeed. One by one, those obstacles to success are being removed.

Above: Mentors AJ Oke-Diran graduated in May and is now attending graduate school to earn his MBA; Jesus Campos (also featured on the Catalyst cover) is an active and visible presence on campus and served along with Stehpen (pictured below at right) as Welcome Week leaders .

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Stephen was invited to share his story in person at the ACI’s annual benefit reception on April 20, 2018 at the University Club of Chicago. Watch at www.acifund.org/aci-2018-benefitreception-thank-you/

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Hear more from Rockford University Minority Male Mentoring members Christopher Honnou and Jesus Campos, as well as more about students Cristian Newton and Jordan Brewster who are recipients of ACI Scholarships at www. acifund.org/student-stories/

Facts about College Completion* •

Only 35 percent of black young adults and 43 percent of Latinos who enroll in college complete degree programs in a timely fashion

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Poverty affects educational outcomes even more than race. Students from the highest income families are almost eight times more likely than those from the lowest income families to earn a bachelor’s degree by age 24

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Illinois’ educational gap is one of the nation’s worst. Of 100 Illinois students who enter 9th grade, only 76 graduate from high school, 42 enter college, and only 28 persist beyond freshman year

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Illinois’ white students are 28 percent more likely to go to college than blacks or Latinos

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Only 52 percent of Chicago Public Schools’ alumni go on to college, most who do choose colleges mismatched to their academic profiles and with poor retention rates

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ACI-member colleges and universities graduate low-income and minority students at higher rates than do Illinois public institutions or other Illinois private colleges and universities *as listed on: acifund.org/peer-mentoring-program/

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The athletic hall of fame celebration dinner & induction T

he Athletic Hall of Fame Celebration Dinner and Induction held on November 3, 2018 brought together family and friends, as well as former coaches and teammates for a memorable night in honor of our current Hall of Fame members, and to welcome four new members into the Chuck DeWild Athletic Hall of Fame. The shared stories echoed the value and impact that a Rockford University education and collegiate athletics participation has brought to our student-athletes at Rockford University. Congratulations to our Hall of Fame Class of 2018!

2018 Inductees: Heidi Burkhart ’02/’09 entered the Chuck DeWild Hall of Fame as one of the top female athletes in Rockford University history, and was a major reason behind the turnaround of the women’s basketball program in the early 2000s. Rockford won 49 games and posted backto-back second place finishes in the Northern Illinois Iowa Conference (NIIC) during Burkhart’s three years as a Regent, after winning just six games in the previous three seasons combined. In the 2000-01 season, the Regents earned their second ever berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament, with their other trip coming during the 1986-87 season. Burkhart’s accolades extend over all three of her seasons as a Regent. Heidi currently serves as a teacher in the Harlem School District in Loves Park, Ill.

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Troy DeCook ’03/’06 became the first member of the 2002-03 men’s basketball hall of fame team to be individually enshrined in the Chuck DeWild Hall of Fame. DeCook was a four-year member of the Rockford University men’s basketball program which steadily improved in each of his four seasons.

DeCook was a focal point of the 2002-03 team that went 24-4, including a perfect 12-0 mark in conference play. DeCook made a profound impact on the Rockford University men’s basketball team and was a key reason why the Regents won back-to-back NIIC Championships and hosted an NCAA Division III Tournament game. Troy currently serves as a Sales Manager for TTI in Houston, Texas.

Marcus Howard ’05 became the first member of the Rockford University football program to be enshrined in the Chuck DeWild Hall of Fame. Howard played on the inaugural football team in 2000 and was a major reason for the program’s early success. In his senior season in 2003, the Regents posted a 7-3 overall record, a program-high for wins in a season, and finished second in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference South Division. To this day, Howard remains one of the most decorated football players in school history. Marcus currently serves as a Behavioral Specialist for at Risk youth in Kennewick, Wash.

Jimmy Dercks ’12 entered the Chuck DeWild Hall of Fame following a highly-successful four-year career as the starting shortstop for the Rockford University baseball program. The Regents posted a 72% winning

From left: Marcus Howard, Jimmy Dercks, Reggie, Heidi Burkhart and Troy DeCook.

percentage in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) during his four years as a Regent.

Dercks is one of the most decorated four-year RU baseball players in recent history, earning awards and honors throughout his entire time as a Regent.

Jimmy currently serves as a Mental Health Specialist in Appleton, Wis. Current Hall of Fame members at the event: •

Ray Eissens ’70 – Basketball/Baseball

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Jeff Wirth ’78 – Basketball

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Mark Bernhardy ’79 – Baseball

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Gayle Strang ’68 – Coach, Professor

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Bill Langston ’05H – Athletics Director, Coach, Professor

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Lee Carley ’98H – Coach, Professor

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Josh Balcitis ’03, Troy DeCook ’03/’06, Billy Lewis III ’05, Nicolas Newson ’05 – members of the 2002-2003 Men’s Basketball team.

A full listing of Chuck DeWild Hall of Fame members can be found at: www.goregents.com/sports/Hall_of_Fame/ Charles_M._DeWild_Hall_of_Fame

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FACULTY NOTES faculty notes Associate Professor of Biology James Marshall, Ph.D., and his students were recently featured in a story that aired on Northern Public Radio, WNIJ, for their research on Bird Banding conducted at Severson Dells Nature Center in Winnebago, Ill. WNIJ’s story on The Beauty and Science of Bird Banding featured Dr. James Marshall and Rockford University student Jennifer Driscoll of Rockford, Ill. However, the project also includes Rockford University students: Tham Mana and Kayla Pruitt, Rockford, Ill.; Shane Andrews, Roscoe, Ill.; Megan Seckinger, Harvard, Ill.; Hailey Avery, Montgomery, Ala.; Whitney Felker, Byron,Ill.; Chase Fisher of Gilbert, Ariz.; and Cassidy Hanson, New York City, NY. Bird Banding involves setting up mist nets while the birds are asleep, and waiting for them to wake and fly into the nets. Once they are caught they are analyzed for several environmental and biological factors. Some of the tests Dr. Marshall and his students conduct

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include testing of blood, fecal matter, ticks and DNA. These tests help to determine the gender and health of each bird. Following the testing the birds are then banded. This is done to keep track of the information on the bird. WNIJ’s story states, “Each band has a federal number. Oftentimes, the birds are caught by other birdbanders who can then look up the bird and learn about its past. The data collected includes location, length, weight, fat count, date, time of day, the presence of abnormalities, and other items” (Kuntz, 2018).

Not only does bird banding help Dr. Marshall and his students understand the environment better through these various details that are gathered, but it also allows Dr. Marshall and his students to establish a connection. Dr. Marshall shares in the WNIJ story, “I use birds to help students get to where they are going. So a student who wants to be a pre-med, who wants to do research, can come out here and study Lyme disease in birds. Or someone who is interested in conservation— they can all be out here—all through this interesting bird connection.” This is especially true for Jennifer Driscoll who shared, “I had no idea birds could be carriers or vectors of Lyme disease so doing this is really kind of awesome. It’s something that could make a difference eventually. And I just love research. I want to get into research.”

Photo credit: Connie Kuntz, Morning Edition Producer, WNIJ

faculty notes continued Professor Mary Weaks-Baxter, Ph.D., has a new book, “Leaving the South: Border Crossing Narratives and the Remaking of Southern Identity,” which was published by University Press of Mississippi this past summer and is now available nationwide at retailers like Target and Amazon.

The book tells a very personal story for WeaksBaxter because she, like millions of other Southerners in the 20th century, left the South to live outside the region. In writing the book, WeaksBaxter says she greatly benefited from classroom discussions with students on issues related to gender, race, and Southern culture and literature.

“Leaving the South” is her sixth published book.

University Press of Mississippi provides the following overview of Dr. Weaks-Baxter’s book on their website www.upress.state.ms.us: How narratives about mass migration from the South reconstructed southern identity Millions of southerners left the South in the twentieth century in a mass migration that has, in many ways, rewoven the fabric of American society on cultural, political, and economic levels. Because the movements of southerners — and people in general — are controlled not only by physical boundaries marked on a map but also by narratives that define movement, narrative is central in building and sustaining borders and in breaking them down.

In Leaving the South: Border Crossing Narratives and the Remaking of Southern Identity, author Mary Weaks-Baxter analyzes narratives by and about those who left the South and how those narratives have remade what it means to be southern.

Drawing from a broad range of narratives, including literature, newspaper articles, art, and music, Weaks-Baxter outlines how these displacement narratives challenged concepts of southern nationhood and redefined southern identity. Close attention is paid to how depictions of the South, particularly in the media and popular culture, prompted southerners to leave the region and changed perceptions of southerners to outsiders as well as how southerners saw themselves.

Through an examination of narrative, WeaksBaxter reveals the profound effect gender, race, and class have on the nature of the migrant’s journey, the adjustment of the migrant, and the ultimate decision of the migrant either to stay put or return home, and connects the history of border crossings to the issues being considered in today’s national landscape.

Dr. Baxter is Andrew H. Sherratt College Professor and Professor of English. She is also author of Reclaiming the American Farmer: The Reinvention of a Regional Mythology in Twentieth-Century Southern Writing, coeditor of The History of Southern Women’s Literature and Southern Women’s Writing: Colonial to Contemporary and coauthor with fellow Rockford professors Catherine Forslund and Christine Bruun of We are a College at War: Women working for victory in World War II.

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President Fulcomer recognized for service President Fulcomer, seen here with former junior high teacher and nominator Patricia Tatem, was honored on October 13, 2018, as an inductee to Beavercreek High School’s Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame in Beavercreek, Ohio.

Additionally, Dr. Fulcomer was named one of the 2018 People You Should Know by the Rockford Chamber of Commerce; one of 20 people recognized during a special reception held Thursday, Nov. 1, at the Tebala Event Center. The Chamber’s People You Should Know recognitions started in 2011 and has since honored 121 community leaders.

This latest group features eight women and 12 men representing a variety of industries, including health care, government, nonprofits, finance, education, manufacturing and professional services. Honorees are business leaders who impact their respective organizations and industries and who positively affect the local business environment. More about the entire 2018 class is featured in the Rockford Register Star’s November 1, 2018, story, “Rockford Chamber of Commerce names 20 People You Should Know.”

Emeritus professor Rufus Cadigan finds his way off-Broadway Emeritus Professor of Theater Arts Rufus Cadigan, Ph.D., teamed up with fellow playwright Ted Bacino and they eventually made their way all the way to New York City, seeing their play recently performed off-Broadway. Their play, The Shakespeare Conspiracy was produced April 20 – May 9, 2018, at Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd Street in Manhattan near Times Square.

In 2012 Ted Bacino and Rufus Cadigan wrote this play about a murder plot involving William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe. The Shakespeare Conspiracy was first produced in Columbus, Ohio; then by Rockford’s Artists’ Ensemble at Rockford University in 2014; later in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Bacino had earlier written a fictional book about William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe based on his research about Marlowe’s murder at a tavern brawl in 1593. After reading the novel, Cadigan immediately called up Bacino, a man he’d never met. Cadigan was enthralled by this story with its twists of murder, mystery and romance. These two contemporary Rockford playwrights then worked out a theater script about two famous Renaissance playwrights, Shakespeare and Marlowe, embroiled in crime and deception. With an intriguing plot in place, Bacino and Cadigan decided it was worth the risk and went on to hire a New York theater agent.

Bacino was born and raised in Rockford and then studied theater at Northern Illinois University. After a stint in the army, he returned to Rockford and began directing for New American Theater, Cabaret Dinner Theatre and Starlight Theatre. He now resides in Palm Springs, Calif.

Dr. Cadigan has lived in Rockford since 1979 and worked as a theater professor at Rockford University until 2006. As a playwright he has written a number of plays produced in Rockford and other cities. Rockford productions of his plays include Might Have Gone Fishing, The Pickup, Old River Tales and most recently, Blunderland.

Both Bacino and Cadigan attended the New York opening of The Shakespeare Conspiracy on April 20 along with their friends and families. Cadigan shares, “It was a wonderful whirlwind, I still can’t quite believe it.”

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Michael Perry, Ph.D., named Interim Provost Michael Perry, Ph.D., has been named Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs through the 2020 academic year. Former Provost and Vice President Dr. Michael Mihalyo left the University in July 2018 to accept the presidency at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, West Virginia Dr. Perry began his tenure at Rockford University in 2008 upon completing his Ph.D. at Arizona State University. Prior to his appointment as Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Perry served as Dean, College of Arts & Humanities; and as the NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative.

His interests in teaching and research include African American literature, popular culture, and creative writing. He spearheaded an annual “Read Aloud of Black American Voices” in honor of Black History Month. Furthermore, Michael regularly presents at the Popular Culture and American Culture Association National Conference, where in addition to presenting in areas as wide-ranging as black culture, horror, and rhetoric, he also chaired a panel of three Rockford University undergraduate students who presented work that stemmed from his class in graphic novels and the literary tradition.

Prior to obtaining his doctorate of philosophy in English from Arizona State, Michael taught for two years in the Minnesota community college system in a variety of settings, including the prison system. Michael obtained his master of arts in English from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., and his bachelor of arts in English with minors in math and classics from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D. Dr. Perry lives in Rockford with his wife, Karen, who is a registered nurse, and three children: Caleb, Julian and Zoey.

Susan’s Lasting Legacy In the autumn of 1975 a shy girl arrived on campus, a little nervous, but determined to make the most of the next four years in her new home at Rockford College.

Her name was Susan Ouchterloney. She loved October Day, Hanging of the Greens, Senior Wassail, flower days, cheering on the Regents, ordering pizza, and dances.

Her energy, enthusiasm, and smile permeated everything and everyone she encountered. Rising in the ranks of the residence halls staff, her residents participated in everything. A standout player and team leader on the volleyball, field hockey, basketball teams and lover of swimming, she spent countless hours in Seaver. Susan gained so much more than a fine liberal arts education.

Rockford College was part of the confident, outgoing, eager and successful woman she became.

Becky Buford Bernhardy and Susan Ouchterloney, Recsnsio 1978

Wherever Susan traveled — Rockford, the things she learned, and the friends she made were always with her. Any trip to Northern Illinois included a trip to campus. She nagged classmates to attend reunions we spent months planning. When she returned to the Chicago area, she joined the Alumni Board and worked tirelessly on its behalf. For her exceptional contributions and dedication to promoting the University, Susan was celebrated as the 2016 Rockford University Alumna of the Year.

She thought of Rockford always and all it had given her. Susan died November 4, 2017 after a fierce battle with cancer.

She designated that her lasting legacy be used to continue to support the place that she loved. Just as it was always part of her, so now with her generous gift, will Susan always be a part of Rockford.

— Contributed by Becky Buford Bernhardy ’79

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CLASS NOTES Members of the Class of ’56 met in Old Scottsdale, Arizona in the Phoenix area November 6-11, 2017.

They spent a day at the Desert Botanical Garden and enjoyed dinners at local restaurants. They drove down south of Tucson to visit Margo (Taffy) at her home in a retirement community and shared letters from others that were unable to attend. Kay Norton Smalley ‘56, Margo Taft Wigley ‘56, Joyce Stanton Klein ‘56, Ruth Cox Brunings ‘56 attended.

Shirley Martignoni Fedeli ’57 was not able to attend the past Rockford University Reunion, but wanted to share these special photos of dear friends celebrating her honor of receiving the Talcott Cross that was given her last year and from the 50th Reunion of her 6th grade class from Bloom School. Shirley was able to experience and learn from many professors. Her teaching career began at Rockford College and lasted over 35 years, and she is humbled to still impact her students to this day.

Ruth Huseboe Fiske ’57 Hi All ... Cannot believe it’s truly 60 years! My travels are few and far between for now. We’re enjoying the mid coast of Maine, but it can be a bit too tranquil despite the cute fawns outside the kitchen windows ...or the occasional band of wild turkeys wandering thru. One of my favorite places not too far away is the museum at Bowdoin and some fascinating pieces from antiquity -- I can just hear Mr. Dedrick’s soft enthusiastic voice when I’m there

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enjoying them! Hope this finds all of you well and enjoying retirement etc. Cheers!

Dartha Cloudman Reid ’57 To the Class of ’57 60 years have marched on by since we grads did say good-bye.

Still we’ve written, kept in touch ’cause we loved RC so much.

Life-time bonds, memories dear for old RC let’s give a cheer!

Now it’s become Rockford U. Although it’s changed, to it we’re true.

Remember fondly those who’ve gone so give a toast and sing a song.

I’m there in spirit but send a cheer to all who make this 60th year.

Carol Hempel Hunter ’71 was honored with a Lifetime Contribution Award from the Orange County (Virginia) Education Foundation.

Carol is a lifelong educator with a passion for both excellence and equity. She has experience as both a teacher and administrator, in every grade level from pre-school through high school education. She is a person who has always sought to share ideas, foster dreams, and maximize student and teacher potential. Carol retired from the public schools in 2015. In 2016 she began as an Adjunct Instructor at

the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA, where is teaches a graduate class in characteristics of gifted learner and gifted programs.

Ross Hunter ’71 retired October 1, 2017. Ross and Carol Hempel Hunter ’71, moved to Orange, Va., shortly after graduation. Ross worked at the local radio station, WJMA, until 1986. At the time he left radio, Ross was the station’s Operations Manager. In 1986 with a partner, he began Dominion Market Research, a mailing company serving primarily educational institutions and non-profits. The company has been sold to a large Charlottesville, Va., printing company. Ross continues to be active with documentary production (https:// ahha.radiohistory.net) and stays involved with WRCR through an active group of radio station alumni. He also produces an occasional podcast for Rockford College Radio.

Diane Wolf, MD ’73 shared that her son Matt married Catie 10/14/17 at the Science Museum in St. Paul, Minn. Her other son, Mike was the best man. Like his father, Matt married a physician. Other RU Alum sharing the joyous occasion-Ruth Wolf ’76 and Linda Brandberg ’73.

David (Gino) Cox ’73 Dion Eugenio Francis and Alessandro Giovanni are back in the Philippines with their mother. He is still kicking it in Thailand. His three noir mysteries continue to garner favorable reviews and are nearing completion of the fourth, Ice Cold. The most recent review for his first novel, The Black Pill received 5.0 out of 5 stars. At only 220 pages, the novel is a quick read and a quite enjoyable one. Highly recommended!

Tom Muldowney ’74 was presented with the Veritas Award at Boylan Catholic High School this year which recognizes a Boylan graduate or one from heritage schools, St. Thomas and Muldoon, who models the essence of Catholic secondary education: lives the Truth (Veritas) as taught and lived by Jesus Christ.

Through a life of service, this person uses his or her gifts to further Christ’s teachings and is thereby an inspiration to peers as well as to Boylan students. Tom was also awarded the Alumnus of the Year award at this year’s Homecoming All-Alumni and Awards Dinner held on Friday, Oct. 5.

Elizabeth A. Shrode Collins ’79 is celebrating the birth of her second grandchild, Atreyu Michael. Atreyu joins his almost four-year old brother Maceo Joseph. She has been doing some volunteering with her genealogy groups, researching - a never ending journey, and joined the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution).

Last fall she hosted two high school foreign exchange students, one from Madrid (Ana) and one from Rome (Valeria). They spent an extended weekend at Universal Studios, during Fright Fest, and another long weekend at Disney World. Hurricane Matthew was a first for her and the girls and luckily they headed inland to her cousin’s home and missed the worst of Matthew. The house was perfectly fine, though the neighborhood looked rough. Christmas found them back in the Windy City, the girls’ favorite trip. She wishes she could say her Italian or Spanish improved but alas, no .She was happy to spend some time with fellow alums, Regina (Lemonds) ’78 and hubby, Robert Shaw ’77 on their Florida visit.

Nat Rosenberg ’80 and Kathy have been happily married 33 years. Their Korean children Annie (17) and John (15) are growing into young adults and doing wonderfully. Nat still works in the financial institution payments space managing a team for global processor FIS. It is Nat’s humble honor and pleasure to announce he had his first book published this fall. It took over four years to write (whew!) and is available on Amazon. The One Yard Line It is a memoir of short stories about love and courage in the 20th century.

Rockford College alumni might enjoy the chapter including a young Jane Addams and Hull-House.

Pat Deeter ’80 had the opportunity to display many pieces of art at Art Squared in Jackson, Mo., throughout the month of January She is one of the most honored and recognized artists in the metro area, winning many Best of Show awards at statewide competitions while holding signature status in the Kansas Watercolor Society and Mid-America Pastel Society. “I’m a light/ heavy metal artist,” she quips, “lighthouses and heavy farm equipment.”

M. Joanne Kantner ’80 has been named the vice president of Instruction at Kishwaukee College in Malta, Ill. As VPI, Kantner is the chief academic officer responsible for leadership, oversight, outcomes and compliance of the educational mission of the college.

All academic programs, workforce programs and academic support departments report to the VPI. 25

CLASS NOTES continued L. Thomas Heiser ’84 and Rockford University Board of Trustee Secretary was named President and CEO of the Ridgetop Group, Inc. Ridgetop is a privately held AS9100D-certified company, and an innovative producer of advanced equipment health monitoring tools supporting Condition Based Maintenance (CBM+) and specialized semiconductor reliability characterization systems.

Dan Jaworski ’85 worked cooperatively with Rockford University with the Plunge this past fall. “The mostgratifying outcome of the Plunge was being able to connect the new students with our church, established in 1912, to the original location of Rockford Seminary, Rockford College and Haight Village within the same neighborhood, and to have an elderly parishioner, who lived most of his life in this neighborhood, visually describe the physical buildings and surroundings of Rockford College, including Victorian homes. This helped connect the past with the present within one of Rockford’s oldest neighborhoods. “Always remember your roots!” The second most-gratifying outcome was the much-appreciated physical labor the students provided for our parish, after a physically challenging week to prepare, execute and break down our 36th consecutive Polish Fest “Many hands make light and fast work!” THANK YOU SO MUCH RU!” Kevin King ’87 was named Senior Vice President Commercial Operations at Blackhawk State Bank. His position entails management of loss mitigation, credit administration, small business lending, and Other Real Estate Owned (OREO). Blackhawk Bank offices are located in Beloit & Janesville Wis; Roscoe, Machesney Park, Rockford, Belvidere and Elgin Ill. Mark Adamany ’90 was inducted into the Rockford Public Schools Fine Arts Hall of fame as a member of the 2017 class.

Lisa Hughes ’90, Principal of Vandenberg Elementary School was recognized by the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association (MEMSPA) as the 2017 Regional Honors Award recipient for Region 1. The criteria for this award are a combination of teaching/administrative experience, participation in professional and civic organizations, and advancing the profession through service.

Sande Peters ’92 is the General manager Eagle Window & Door. During her 15 years with Andersen Corp., Sande Peters has led plant operations in 26

Bayport, Minn.; Cottage Grove, Minn.; and most recently Dubuque at the Eagle Window & Door subsidiary. Prior to joining Andersen Corp., Peters spent 16 years at Newell Rubbermaid, her last six as vice president of operations for two business units. She has been married to Russ for 30 years, and they have one daughter, Jessica.

Tim Dornemann, Ph.D. ’92 is the director of sports performance at Barton College in Wilson, N.C., where he oversees the strength and conditioning programs for the institution’s 21 intercollegiate athletic teams. He coordinates and teaches in Barton’s exercise science program and studies the use of vibration training and rotary inertial training in athletic development. He is also member of the Unites States Sports Academy’s National Faculty, a group of highly qualified faculty who teach in the Academy’s international post-secondary non-degree education programs. He was one of the instructors who took part in the Academy’s 2012 pilot program to train 1,000 Malaysian physical education teachers to improve the fitness of that nation’s youth. Since then, Dornemann has also has taught for the Academy in Bangkok, Thailand, and will travel to China to teach the Academy’s programs in Shanghai this summer.

Katie Squires, Ph.D. CCC-SLP, BCS-CL ’96, of Midland, Michigan, was promoted to Associate Professor at Central Michigan University. She earned her master’s degree in speech-language pathology from Nova Southeastern University in 2009, and her Ph.D. from Utah State University in 2013 in the area of disabilities discipline with a focus on language and literacy. She is board certified in child language and her research is in the area of literacy, specifically dyslexia.

Annie Krug ’96 was named director of The Community House in Hinsdale, IL. Annie brings to The Community House over 20 years of nonprofit executive experience, with proven expertise in development, community engagement and strategic leadership,” said Braden Waverley, chairman of The Community House board of trustees.

Heather Freedlund ’96 owns and operates Freedlund Family Chiropractic in Winnebago, Ill. She and her husband John Freedlund met at Rockford College a quarter of a century ago. They have 5 children - a daughter who works

in the business with mom, two boys who were adopted from Korea and two girls who are adopted foster children.

Kristine Schaefer Frank ’97 and Frank Haney ’97 both received the Alumni Excellence Award from Boylan Catholic High School. This award is given annually to Alumni who demonstrate excellence in one or more walks of life. This includes, but is not limited to business, law, medicine, media, athletics (high school, college, or professional), arts, education, or service to community or Church.

Chad Brigham ’98 joined Goldenberg Heller’s office in Edwardsville. Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli, P.C., a large business and commercial litigation firm serving the St. Louis-Southern Illinois region.

Shari Henning ’98 is Atlanta Habitat for Humanity’s new Chief Development Officer. Most recently, Henning was Executive Vice President for the South Atlantic Division of the American Cancer Society. She was the division’s senior-most staff executive, driving development and implementation of the Society’s mission and income strategies across the division, while engaging corporate executives, high-level donors, and leadership volunteers in furthering the fight against cancer.

Matthew Miller ’96 was named to the Waubaunsee Community College Foundation Board of Directors. He is a Senior Vice President at Aurora Bank and Trust.

Robyn Serge ’99/’02 was named of Associate Athletic Director, Compliance & Student Development at SUNY Maritime College in New York. Her position entails responsibilities of compliance, academic support programming and monitoring, and overseeing the institution’s physical education department.

Blaze Farrar ’02, lives in Alameda, California with her husband Michael Miller, ’82. In 2013, she graduated with a Master’s in Writing from Holy Names University.

Her short story, “Taking Big Tom Home,” appears in the January edition of Gravel: A Literary Journal (www. gravelmag.com). A link to the story can also be found on her blog, blazefarrar.com. She has been accepted to the Mendocino Coast Writer’s Conference Master Class for the August 2018 session. Farrar’s writing has appeared on NPR affiliate station KQED’s Perspectives series,

in Dual Coast Magazine, and has won an honorable mention in the Soul-Making Keats Literary Competition.

She has been working at the University of California, Office of the President since 2007.

Mirka Hokkanen ’02 took her first printmaking class as a freshman in college and hasn’t stopped printing since. She works as a full-time artist exhibiting work both nationally and internationally. In addition to showing her work on a regular basis, she has attended art fairs, been on panels at conferences, curated exhibitions and taught a variety of classes and lectures in printmaking, drawing and art history. She currently lives in TX with her husband and two wild kids.

Rockford University was notified that inaccurate information was sent regarding the birth of a son to Anthony Rocco ’04, which was printed in the class notes of the June 2017 Catalyst. Please disregard the announcement from that issue and we apologize for the error.

Lance Tuula ’04, a 5th grade teacher at Whitman Post Elementary School was named a 2018 Golden Apple Award winner, which represents teachers who exemplify excellence in education. (see pg. 6) Patricio Aguilar ’01 was appointed as a Hoffman Estates Park District Community Representative to sit on the Forward Planning Committee. He also has a book titled “Keeping Up With Technology” that is scheduled to come out in Q4 of 2018.

Amber Miller ’05 is the 2018 recipient of the Golden Apple Foundation Puri Family Outstanding Principal Award, given each year to recognize excellence in school leadership. Amber is the principal at Maud E. Johnson Elementary School in Rockford, Ill. Ashley Lonsdale Cook ’05 earned a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Art History and Medieval Studies on May 11, 2018. Her dissertation is entitled Multisensory Monsters and the Psychology of the Senses in AngloSaxon Art and examines depictions of monsters in the Anglo-Saxon era England from the 8th to 10th centuries. In addition to completing her doctorate, she is also finishing a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at UW-Madison and 27

CLASS NOTES continued hopes to become a counselor in the Madison area, combining her love of art with her interests in healing and community outreach.

Ashley (Paustian) Kaplewski ’07 and her husband, Nick Kaplewski (RU Small housing Director ’07-’09) welcomed their first child, Joseph William, on June 30, 2017. After a common (but scary for mom and dad) surgery at 4 weeks, they are happy to report he is growing like a weed and such a happy baby!

Tiana McCall ’09 was been appointed to replace Winnebago County Clerk Margie Mullins, who retired.

She is the first African-American to hold the office of Winnebago County Clerk.

Christopher Reid ’07 was honored by the Idaho Business Review 2018 Accomplished Under 40. Chris works as a Market Manager for Zions Bank and holds an elected position on the Twin Falls City Council in Twin Falls, Idaho. He is actively involved in his community and serves on various boards and committees.

Ashley Schwabero ’08, a 4th grade teacher at Prairie Hill Elementary School was named a 2018 Golden Apple Award winner, which represents teachers who exemplify excellence in education. (see pg. 6) Dr. Ali Al-Sarif ’08 received the Arnold P Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award at the University of Chicago in June, 2016. He is currently a fourth year resident in the Department of Radiology at the University of Chicago.

Rachel Huetson ’09, a 1st grade teacher at Nelson Elementary School was named a 2018 Golden Apple Award winner, which represents teachers who exemplify excellence in education. (see pg. 6)

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Jessica Starr ’09/’11 was named 2018 NIC-10 Softball Coach of the Year. In her second year as the head coach at Hononegah High School, Jessica led her varsity team to a NIC-10 co-championship with a 16-2 conference record and 22-12 overall record.

Andrea Eklund ’10 serves as the Vice President/ Chief Compliance Officer for UnityPoint Clinic based out of Des Moines, IA. Part of UnityPoint Health System, UnityPoint Clinic has over 300 ambulatory practices and employs over 1,000 providers in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa. In her role, she oversees all regulatory compliance and privacy matters, risk management, and physician contracting.

Amber Dargel ’17 was named as one of WREX-TV’s “Teacher of the Week” during the month of October.

She is a first year teacher at Roscoe’s Stone Creek School.

Sarah Reed-McNamara ’12 graduated with an Art History degree, History minor and spent a lot of time in the printmaking lab.

She is currently self-employed with her art business, SRM prints and specializes in linoleum block printmaking and textile art. She had a daughter Olympia Rose Maureen McNamara 2/29/16 and her son Malachy John Ambrose McNamara 5/5/17. She has been married to Thomas McNamara for 7 years and he currently serves as Mayor, for the city of Rockford. Sarah currently operates a print shop at her studio in West Rockford and is actively engaged in the local arts community. The family pictures shown were taken at the Rockford Art Museum gallery, during the summer exhibition. Mindy Joy Nutter Young ’11 was the photographer!

Katherine Koehler ’11, a 1st grade teacher at Ledgewood Elementary School was named a 2018 Golden Apple Award winner, which represents teachers who exemplify excellence in education. (see pg. 6)

Bill Newkirk ’12/’13 Purchased Newkirk & Associates, Inc. (newkirkcpas.com) effective January 1, 2016 from his mother. More recently on June 6, 2017 Newkirk & Associates, Inc. acquired Gary Illg & Associates of Oswego, IL. Gary was seeking other business interests and looking for an opportunity to transition away from public accounting and knew Newkirk & Associates, Inc. would serve his clients well.

Megan Brechon ’13 is the executive director of Childrens Safe Harbor. Childrens Safe Harbor offers a safe environment for families to use when exchanging children for visitation and provides supervided visitation services.

Jen Zulkanycz ’13 and Samuel Cady ’15 were married in Fisher Chapel on June 16, 2018. The officiant of the ceremony )ABMwas ( noiJason tartsiniWare mdA s’14. seniThe suB fo retsaM ruo ,ss wedding party “lineup” consisted ,ytlucaf detacided dna ,decneirof epxe ,lanoisseforp a several Rockford and ytilauq a htiw stUniversity neduts etafootball udarg AB M ruo gnidivorp softball alums – a winning team for sure! ecneirepxe gninrael Taylor (McLaughlin) Myers ’14 was hired in the fall of 2017 as a new member of the Nursing faculty at Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby, IL Nursing is a passion of hers and she wants to help create great nurses and caregivers.

SAVE THE DATE

Saturday February 16 2019 Rockford University | Regents Hall

Rock Solid Futures start Here Bachelor’s, Master’s, Accelerated Degrees Now is the time to earn your degree.

Whether you are looking to begin your career path, finish your bachelor’s degree, or take the next step toward a master’s degree, Rockford University will help you succeed.

CLASSES ENROLLING NOW FOR SPRING 2019 REQUEST MORE INFORMATION 815.226.4040 www.rockford.edu/admission/

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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.

‘54 ’59 ’64 ’69 ’74 ’79 ’84 SAVE THE DATE REUNION WEEKEND & HOMECOMING OCTOBER 4 & 5, 2019 Celebrating reunion class years of 4s & 9s

‘89 ’94 ’99 ’04 ’09 ’14 ’19 30

In Memoriam Richard D. Johnston ’71, June 9, 2017

Allen W. Davis ’80, Nov. 7, 2017

David S Acker ’71, Mar. 29, 2018

Marjorie Bond Nagus ’55, June 11, 2017

Alice Roherty Mihos ’50, Nov. 10, 2017

Billy B Manson ’67, Apr. 1, 2018

Tessa Gen Schweiner ’09, June 30, 2017

John Bacevicius V ’75, Nov. 12, 2017

Jennifer Marie Razim-Mallo ’94, Apr. 5, 2018

DuWayne Vernon Winters ’61, July 8, 2017

Helen Haegg Tucker ’50, Nov. 17, 2017

Margaret I. Spangler ’85, Apr. 12, 2018

Mary Stephens Tiefenthaler ’39, Dec. 22, 2016

Eric Richard Hansen Jr. ’65, Nov. 18, 2017

Eileen E Knapp ’73, Apr. 16, 2018

Joyce Batchelder Bills ’51, May 11, 2017

Nancy Coomber Adamany ’65, Nov. 20, 2017

Carol W. Singleton ’57, Apr. 18, 2018

Nancy Seder Parritz ’51, July 20, 2017

Julia Irwin Fairburn ’80, Nov. 20, 2017

Terry Burgeson ’69, Apr. 18, 2018

Walter M Boston Jr. ’58, July 20, 2017

Cynthia Johnson Duwel ’50, Nov. 23, 2017

Patricia Landstrom ’49, Apr. 23, 2018

Joy Shott Fry ’05, Aug. 1, 2017

Ruth Ann Germann Hodnett ’49, Nov. 26, 2017

Rachel Gettings ’13, Apr. 25, 2018

Alexander J. Valadez ’67, Aug. 5, 2017

Ellen McNeil McHugh ’82, Dec. 25, 2017

Sarah Jane Hall ’52, Apr. 26, 2018

Jo Ann Lawson Steinhagen ’71, Aug. 5, 2017

Dr. Gary W. Schabacker ’62, Dec. 26, 2017

Anthony Vacco ’74, Apr. 28, 2018

Elaine Yiannias Avgerinos ’50, Aug. 10, 2017

Mary Anne Ohearn DePauw ’67, Dec. 26, 2017

Michael W. Stahl ’78, May 19, 2018

Barbara Byrnes Ehrenstrom ’43, Aug. 18, 2017

Nancy McGraw Lindquist ’70, Jan. 3, 2018

Nancy C. Hartz ’00, May 19, 2018

Elaine Donahue Neiswanger ’49, Aug. 24, 2017

Phyllis Van Eenenaam Archambeau ’55, Jan. 6, 2018

Leroy Frank “Lee” Krizka ’60, May 24, 2018

Kathleen Pesavent Lacey ’68, Aug. 28, 2017

Sharon Herman Bliss ’99, Jan. 11, 2018

Mark A. Clark ’02, May 29, 2018

Phyllis McVoy Wenger ’47, Nov. 26, 2016

Jean McCullagh Gee ’44, Jan. 17, 2018

Brian Blomquist ’16, June 23, 2018

Jerry L. Sarver ’60, Sept. 15, 2017

Antoinette Cook Weber ’80, Jan. 17, 2018

Arnetta Campbell McGee ’92, July 1, 2018

Amy Colleen Sturtz ’10, Sept. 18, 2017

Eleanor Kurth Kearns ’42, Jan. 20, 2018

John Jay Kintner ’71, July 12, 2018

Beulah Hyde Slaughter ’67, Sept. 21, 2017

Elizabeth “Lou” Lewellen Sievwright ’52, Jan. 20, 2018

Doris A. DeLaporte ’55, July 16, 2018

Joel David Collinsworth ’04, Sept. 25, 2017

Margaret Louise Moser ’54, Jan. 22, 2018

Lucy Montana Duncan ’85, July 16, 2018

Carol Darling Schweikle ’81, Sept. 26, 2017

Marie R. Roeber ’84, Feb. 1, 2018

Patricia Howe Brenner ’71, July 21, 2018

Robert H. Berlin ’68, Sept. 30, 2017

JoAnn Polito ’65, Feb. 7, 2018

Helen L. Magnuson ’59, July 22, 2018

Irving C. Erickson ’51, Oct. 11, 2017

Margaret S. Keltner ’40, Feb. 10, 2018

Robert T. Wharton ’64, July 23, 2018

Anabel Richardson Mason ’57, Oct. 11, 2017

Darla S. Reifsteck ’99, Feb. 10, 2018

James R. Kindle ’61, July 31, 2018

Roberta Stiles Gille ’76, Oct. 15, 2017

Kerry D. Lopin ’83, Feb. 12, 2018

Lucille Stone Locklin ’52, Aug. 1, 2018

Beverly Smith Lindsey ’74, Oct. 19, 2017

Thomas Wrate Hill ’68, Feb. 13, 2018

JoAnn Anderson Shaheen ’63, Aug. 4, 2018

Joyce Smerlinski Stankiewicz ’95, Oct. 21, 2017

Patricia Antoine Brady ’76, Feb. 18, 2018

James Jimmy T. Haggerty ’65, Aug. 4, 2018

Loretta A. Zevatkusky Gorman ’61, Oct. 22, 2017

Roger Carlyle Farrar Jr. ’13, Feb. 22, 2018

Jeannine Zobac Brattstrom ’54, Aug. 5, 2018

V. Eleni Hatzipanagiotis ’84, Oct. 22, 2017

Barbara C Hayes ’47, Feb. 26, 2018

Gloria June Weber Alder ’45, Aug. 11, 2018

Eleanor Norris Geary ’57, Nov. 1, 2017

Dr. Joel W Tibbetts ’02, Mar. 1, 2018

Mary D. Halverson ’52, Sept. 15, 2018

Arthur Thomas Johnson ’56, Nov. 4, 2017

Robert E Kopplin ’69, Mar. 4, 2018

Patty L. Nau ’78, Sept. 15, 2018

Susan Ouchterloney ’79, Nov. 4, 2017

Ruth H Warner ’42, Mar. 10, 2018

AngelaJo Barbagallo Naines ’51, Nov. 7, 2017

Cheryl Van Houten Beck ’85, Mar. 26, 2018

In Remembrance: Professor Emeritus Joel Tibbetts The Faculty of Rockford University wish to recognize the invaluable contributions to our university and to the Rockford community of our former colleague and friend Emeritus Professor Joel Tibbetts.

Joel passed away on March 1, 2018, in Arlington, Vt., where he and his wife, Karen, settled after their retirement. Joel’s history of leadership and service at then Rockford College was a remarkable one.

Serving our institution for 28 years, Joel was originally hired in 1978 as Dean of Student Services and later became Professor of Religion and English. During his tenure as a faculty member he served as chair of the Division of Arts and Humanities, and in 2002 he was named an Honorary Alumnus after receiving the Mary Ashby Cheek Award. As Dean of Students, professor, administrator, and colleague, Joel worked tirelessly for the betterment of our institution. As an instructor, Joel was popular among our students not because of the ease of his courses, but because he challenged our students to produce their best work. He was a rigorous instructor, a careful and thorough advisor, and an advocate for our students. As a colleague, Joel was always there to listen and offer his support. He and his wife, Karen, who directed Howard Colman Library, welcomed colleagues into their home on a regular basis, helping to create an atmosphere of collegiality and camaraderie among the faculty. Off campus, Joel was active as well, serving as pastor at a church in Marengo, offering presentations on religion for various groups, and working with community organizations such as Contact. Joel left a lasting mark in Rockford and on our campus that will not be forgotten.

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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

Performing Arts Spring 2019

Forum Series Spring 2018

Orchesis & Rockford City Dance Concert January 31, February 1-2, 2019 (Thursday-Saturday, 7:30 pm), Maddox Theatre Produced in collaboration with various local artists under the direction of our Rockford University Dance instructor, Penna Broman ’86, in honor of Jayne Poor. Rockford University Dance Company, Orchesis was originally founded by the late Professor Jayne Poor, who is remembered for her passionate dedication to dance as an artist and educator at our institution and in the Rockford community.

Charter Day Convocation Monday, March 4, 2019 4 p.m. Maddox Theatre Clark Arts Center.

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.

Techies the Musical February 21–23, 2019 (Thursday-Saturday, 7:30 pm), Maddox Theatre, Sam Carner and Derek Gregor, contemporary musical theatre and cabaret composers, have selected Rockford University students to workshop this new musical headed for New York City.

Two disenfranchised clans battle for survival… they’re the theater geeks of West Side High School. When sophomore assistant-stage-manager Joan sees her techie comrades ignored and belittled by spotlight-hungry actors, she leads a rebellion, sacrificing friendships and putting even her post-college ambitions in jeopardy. But as funding cuts threaten the very theater program itself, will the actors and techies be able to work together to save their high-school home? Or will vanity and the pitiless search for justice destroy them all? It’s “Wicked” meets “West Side Story” in this fourth-wall All Shook Up April 25-28, 2019 (Thursday-Saturday 7:30 pm; Sunday 2 pm), Maddox Theatre This happy musical is inspired by and featuring the songs of Elvis Presley. It’s 1955, and into a “square” little town in a “square” little state rides a guitar-playing young man who changes everything and everyone he meets in this hip-swiveling, lip-curling musical fantasy that’ll have you jumpin’ out of your blue suede shoes with such classics as “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and “Don’t Be Cruel.”

Spring Concert May 8, 2019 (Wednesday, 7:30 pm) Maddox Theatre Seasonal music featuring Regent Singers, Women’s Ensemble, and the Rockford University Vocal Collective a cappella group.

For more information and a listing of the complete spring series, 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.

Celebrating the 172nd anniversary of the signing of the charter for Rockford University includes an academic procession of faculty in traditional robes depicting their rank, with stoles representing their respective alma maters and degrees.

Athletics Spring 2018 Visit GoRegents.com for the schedules, rosters, game-casts and more!