Catalyst THE MAGAZINE OF ROCKFORD UNIVERSITY ALUMNI
S PR I NG /SU M M E R 2021
Catalyst The Magazine of Rockford University Alumni
IN THIS ISSUE PERFORMING AMIDST A PANDEMIC............................................................................................................1 ALUMNA CREDITS HER BIG BREAK TO SKILLS LEARNED AT RU.............................................................4 NURSING STUDENTS VITAL TO LOCAL VACCINE ROLLOUT.......................................................................5 MEN’S BASKETBALL ENDS SEASON AT THE TOP OF ITS GAME...............................................................7 STUDENTS HELP LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH REMOTE LEARNING..........................................9 FACULTY NOTES..............................................................................................................................................10 AWARD FOR RU ALUMNI WORLD WIDE VIRTUAL EVENTS TOUR...........................................................12 GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE LEARNED AT RU LEADS TO INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS..................................13 CLASS NOTES..................................................................................................................................................14 ALUMNI STORY: ADVANCEMENT TEAM WELCOMES FAMILIAR FACE...................................................17 IN MEMORIAM..................................................................................................................................................18
Catalyst is published by Rockford University’s Office of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement. Contact us at 815.394.5111 or alumni@rockford.edu.
Greetings from President Fulcomer As I write this, we are nearing the completion of our first full academic year impacted by COVID-19. We have learned a lot since last spring, when we had to make decisions on the fly as we reacted to the ever-changing environment. This last summer, we were able to take time to plan how we wanted to structure this academic year in terms of course delivery, on-campus housing arrangements, COVID-19 protocols, etc. Looking back now, I am happy to report that we were able to live out the academic year largely as we planned. While we did have cases of COVID-19 among our students, faculty, and staff, the numbers never exceeded our ability to provide isolation and quarantine housing, health care, and meal delivery. I am grateful to the entire campus community for coming together and successfully navigating this year. While student activities were different this year due to safety protocols, we were able to continue to host a number of events for our campus community. Our Campus Activity Board planned a multitude of programs throughout the year, which helped to build community in the midst of an unusually quiet campus environment. One especially bright spot has been our performing arts department, which brought back live theatre. We hosted four major shows – two in the fall and two in the spring. As you will read about in this edition of Catalyst, our productions were enhanced by a new sound system, funded by generous donations from alumni and friends to the Restore Our Sound campaign. Thanks to the new sound systems in Maddox and Cheek Theatres, our student performers were heard loud and clear – despite wearing masks. While we were able to host campus events and theatre in the fall, we shifted all of our intercollegiate athletics competitions to the second semester. Our athletic conference developed a schedule to have all of our various teams compete in the spring. As you can imagine, this was quite a logistical challenge. Thankfully, our athletic department pulled it off, through lots of creative thinking and hard work. It was fun to watch our students compete on the court and field throughout the spring. Due to COVID-19 protocols, many of the events were held without spectators, but they could be watched online. One
highlight of the semester was the strong performance of our men’s basketball team, which won the South Division title and competed in the conference championship game. Our studentathletes have navigated this year with grace and grit, and it makes me proud to be a Regent! An additional highlight from the year, which you will read about in the pages that follow, was the involvement of our nursing students in helping our local residents navigate the health care challenges presented by COVID-19. Our students played a critical role in administering the vaccine throughout our community – volunteering at clinics through the Boone County Health Department and Mercyhealth. Boone County Health Department Emergency Response Coordinator Ellen Genrich told us that without the help of our students, it would not have been possible to vaccinate as many people as they did over the last few months. In April 2020, I wrote the following to our faculty and staff: “Despite the current challenges that we are facing and the expected challenges we will face in the coming year, I remain optimistic about the future of Rockford University. This past month, our faculty and staff have shown that we are a resilient group of individuals who come together to ensure that students are educated and supported. In our 173-year history, we have faced world wars, recessions/depressions, and yes, even global pandemics. Through it all, we have kept going. I am deeply grateful for the work that you are doing – you have my appreciation.” A year later I can say with confidence that our institution has navigated this challenge well, and that we are strongly positioned for what lies ahead.
Eric W. Fulcomer, Ph.D. President
Performing Amidst a Pandemic After many months spent at home, Rockford University students returned back to campus for the fall 2020 semester. This prompted Jeff Hendry, chair of the Department of Performing Arts, to create a plan that would allow people to come together safely. Hendry wanted to put on live events, not only for the performers, but for the campus and greater Rockford community.
2020-2021 Performing Arts season COVID Cavalcade: A Socially Distanced Entertainment October 1-4, 2020 Spoon River Anthology November 12-15, 2020
“By the time September hit, everyone was getting tired of Zoom and virtual events,” said Hendry. “I wanted to find a way to do live shows within the boundaries of the COVID-19 restrictions. Thankfully, our performing arts program doesn’t rely solely on ticket revenue like other theatres, so holding shows with 10 percent capacity was feasible.”
Holiday Choir Concert December 2, 2020
In order to adapt to health and safety protocols, Hendry had to rethink the season. For the first show, he decided to compile his own revue centered around COVID-19 and the quarantine experience, titled “COVID Cavalcade: A Socially Distanced Entertainment.” The show used song, dance,
Orchesis Dance Concert May 3, 2021
and spoken word to examine people’s individual emotional response as they tried to navigate the “new normal.” “One of the major problems was that I had to construct situations where it would be reasonable for two people to be talking and be six feet apart,” said Hendry. But the show went off without a hitch thanks to the flexibility of the cast and crew. Not only did Hendry have to determine how to distance on stage, but he also had to develop new 1 CATALYST
On the Verge; or, The Geography of Yearning February 18-21, 2021 Legally Blonde April 22-25, 2021
Spring Choir Concert May 7, 2021
protocols for backstage, dressing rooms, costume fittings, musicians, viewer admission, and all the other personal interactions that are usually second nature. “We all had to think harder this year,” said Hendry. “Things that we would normally be able to do on ‘auto-pilot’ had to be completely rethought. This made everyone reexamine how they teach, work, and live their lives.” “The whole process has looked pretty different because of the
Thank you for helping to Restore Our Sound! The Clark Arts Center at Rockford University is home to our Department of Performing Arts, including two performance venues in the Maddox and Cheek Theatres. Opened in 1970, these theatres reside at the intersection of social and cultural life in Rockford. Students hone their talents as future professionals in the performing arts and local residents enjoy affordable programs in a venue that is accessible to individuals from all backgrounds and walks of life. Now celebrating its 50th year of productions, these theatres have entertained and informed generations of students, faculty, staff, and community members. Their success is due in no small part to our ability to evolve and grow programming, keeping pace with the modern demands of theatre and stage production. Looking forward to the next 50 years of success, in February 2020 at our annual gala, we entered into the Restore Our Sound campaign, with the goal of modernizing the sound system, audio technologies, and other facility upgrades. After a year-long campaign, we successfully reached our goal of $150,000 in February 2021, thanks to more than 290 generous donors. The replacement of our sound system and upgrades to other technologies ensure the production and instruction within these facilities continue to meet the highest standards for years to come. In turn, they enhance our ability to attract and retain talented student performers and provide our patrons with stellar guest experiences. Together with the support of our generous donors, we have ensured the future and breathed new life into our theatres for all to enjoy! Thank you to all who helped make this campaign a success.
pandemic,” said junior musical theatre major Celia Straub. “We had to do everything from picking shows with smaller casts to avoiding large gatherings. We had to change shows we were planning on doing that couldn’t be socially distanced, and divide up dressing rooms.” After getting through the first show, the second show, “Spoon River Anthology,” was much easier. And when the spring semester rolled around, everyone was excited to continue having productions.
In order for the shows to succeed, Hendry said, “We all needed to focus on the collaborative process and the enjoyment of working together. I think this fundamentally changed the way we all approached mounting productions.” “This was a year like no other, to be sure, but a year that I wouldn’t trade for anything,” said Timm Adams, associate professor of music. “For me, it’s been a confirmation that the creativity and resiliency of our performing arts students will not CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 SPRING/SUMMER 2021 2
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only make them better artists, but will make them stronger humans capable of anything that comes their way.” Straub agreed. “One of the biggest challenges has been working with masks,” she said. “It has really put that foundation to the test as we’ve had to fill the theatre with our voices even behind reinforced masks. There is no doubt in my mind that finding textual clarity in my performance will be much easier in the post-COVID world since we’ve gotten used to working twice as hard as usual.” At the end of the year, Hendry was amazed by how everyone stepped up, did what was needed, and found creative ways of reimagining the process. He said, “While many of the students might believe that the pandemic was a negative in their college experience, I think that they will look back and see that it made them stronger and more resilient.”
2021-2022 Performing Arts season For more information, tickets, and a listing of the complete series, visit Rockford.edu/artlectures/performingarts. For tickets, call the Box Office at 815.226.4100 or email boxoffice@rockford.edu. Dates, locations, and shows are subject to change due to COVID-19.
HANDS ON A HARDBODY Directed by Professor Timm Adams September 30–October 3, 2021 Thursday-Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m.
THE BEAUX’S STRATAGEM Directed by Professor Deborah Mogford November 18–21, 2021 Thursday-Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m.
HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, CHORAL CONCERT Directed/Conducted by Professor Timm Adams December 3, 2021 7:30 p.m.
THE REVLON GIRL Directed by Professor Deborah Mogford February 24–27, 2022 Thursday-Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m.
ORCHESIS DANCE CONCERT March 5-7, 2022 7:30 p.m.
BULLETS OVER BROADWAY, THE MUSICAL Directed by Professor Jeff Hendry April 21–24, 2022 Thursday-Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m.
DANCE OUT LOUD: MUSIC THAT MOVES US, CHORAL CONCERT April 29, 2022 7:30 p.m.
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FROM ROCKFORD CHURCHES TO THE GREAT WHITE WAY, HOW ONE ALUMNA CREDITS HER BIG BREAK TO SKILLS LEARNED AT ROCKFORD UNIVERSITY When Broadway went dark on March 12, 2020, Julia Schade ’08 was about to debut as musical director of “Six,” a musical retelling — presented as a pop concert — of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII.
She jumped at the chance. The next day she played with the writers of the musical. Schade credits her ability to quickly learn the songs to a class at RU called Rock Shop. “It taught me how to prepare for rock auditions for different eras,” she said. “I can play anything and the skills I learned at Rockford allowed me to be ready when the door opened.”
Though she’ll have to wait a little longer to return to Broadway, she’s taking advantage of the break to reflect on her journey and give back to the university that laid the foundation for her successful musical theatre career. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, Schade worked as music director of a local church, but after a few years she felt called back to her roots in musicals and to RU. She became an adjunct professor for music theory and served as music director for most of the university’s productions from 2015 to 2018. During this time, Schade broadened her musical horizons by accompanying classes like Rock Shop, directing choirs, and playing for opera workshops among other things. At the beginning of 2018, Schade decided she wanted to pursue music directing as a career, so she took her talents to Chicago. She said, “It was really hard to say goodbye to my Rockford University Theatre family. But to grow, I had to step outside my comfort zone.” Schade reached out to Larry Hochman, Tony Award-winning musician, who she’d met during her time at Starlight Theatre, and he connected her with the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. After playing for “Madagascar” and “Peter Pan,” Schade was in the process of determining her next move when out of the blue, she received a phone call. A group of writers asked if she could play the piano for the callbacks of the musical “Six,” which was about to make its debut in Chicago.
After the day ended, Schade was invited to play more callbacks because the “Six” writers loved what she did with the music, and she was later offered the role of Joan, a keyboard player.
“I WAS INTIMIDATED AT FIRST, BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS OUT OF MY LEAGUE. BUT I LEANED ON MY SKILLS AND DOVE INTO THE REHEARSAL PROCESS AND NAILED IT.”
“I was intimidated at first, because I thought it was out of my league. But I leaned on my skills and dove into the rehearsal process and nailed it,” said Schade. After the Chicago run of “Six” concluded, she played the show in Boston. In January of 2020, Schade moved to New York City after being named music director for the debut of “Six” on Broadway. But hours before the opening, Broadway shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Schade decided to return to Rockford during the hiatus and has been helping RU’s performing arts department by teaching classes with friend and mentor Timm Adams, associate professor of music, and serving as co-music director for the recent production of “Legally Blonde.” “Until we open, I know I have my place here at Rockford University,” she said. “This semester, I co-taught Rock Shop, which was surreal because that class helped make my Broadway dreams possible.”
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Nursing Students Vital to Local Vaccine Rollout When the pandemic forced students into remote learning, Rockford University nursing students were no longer able to attend in-person clinicals in an effort to conserve personal protective equipment for frontline workers.
at Boone County Health Department vaccine clinics assisting health officials in administering thousands of COVID-19 vaccines to local residents. This partnership allowed RU nursing students to gain valuable experience while helping fight the Rockford global pandemic.
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The help we’ve received from University nursing students was vital,” said Genrich. “We had 54,000 people to vaccinate and it allowed us to speed up the vaccine rollout in Boone County.
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Fast-forward to February 2021, when thirdand fourth-year nursing students played a crucial role in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Boone and Winnebago counties. Over the course of three months, our nursing students volunteered their time and skills
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Boone County Health Department Emergency Response Coordinator Ellen Genrich said it was a task her staff couldn’t have accomplished without them.
“The help we’ve received from Rockford University nursing students was vital,” said Genrich. “We had 54,000 people to vaccinate and it allowed us to speed up the vaccine rollout in Boone County.”
Nursing faculty at Rockford University believe that learning takes place both in and out of the classroom. Experiences like this tie back to the university’s emphasis on community-based learning and are a critical element in education that extends learning beyond the textbook and classroom setting into the community at large. “This experience was invaluable to our students,” said Stephanie Yeager ’14, assistant professor of nursing. “It’s important for our students to get involved outside the classroom and learn skills that are directly applicable to their future careers. Being able to work directly with the community prepares our students for the work they will be doing once they graduate and enter the healthcare field.” “Throughout the pandemic, we haven’t been able to get as much clinical experience, so when this opportunity came up, I jumped at the chance to lend a helping hand in the community,” said Davonte Mikell, a fourth-year nursing student. “I gained clinical experience and made a direct impact on our local community by administering COVID-19 vaccines.” In addition to working with health officials in Boone County, students volunteered at Mercyhealth vaccine clinics in Winnebago County.
Honoring our Health care Heroes through our 2021 NO-GO GALA Each year, Rockford University hosts an annual gala where our community comes together to celebrate and further the mission of the university. Being unable to celebrate in person this year, our alumni and friends instead rallied around our incredible nursing students who have been serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of our 2021 No-Go Gala, our community wrote notes of encouragement and made donations to support the education and experience of these health care heroes and future nurses. While staying home and staying safe, our supporters raised an incredible $31,978 from more than 60 donors. We could not be more proud of our Rockford University nursing students who stepped up to volunteer their time and skills in the battle against COVID-19 while continuing to persevere in their studies. We thank every individual who donated in support of these students during such a challenging time.
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MEN’S BASKETBALL
ends season at the top of its game This year’s men’s basketball season might not have been a traditional one, but that didn’t stop our Regents from making their first trip to the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Tournament Championship game. After a delayed start to the 2020-21season due to COVID-19, the Regents opened their season in mid-January excited to be back on the court. With most key players returning and a talented incoming class, the team had its sights set on working its way up the conference standings. “We were extremely excited and felt very blessed that we had the opportunity to play games this semester,” said Jeremy Reigle, returning head coach. “We had a great group of guys who brought great energy and effort to practice daily. We were a team that competed hard every game and played for each other.” The Regents concluded the season with a 9-5 overall record, including a 6-2 mark in conference play. Rockford captured its first NACC South Division Championship, secured the top seed in the NACC South Division Tournament, hosted its first postseason game since 2009, and won its first NACC South Division Tournament title. Kevin Diemer, junior, concluded one of the Regents’ most decorated seasons in program history by being named NACC South Division Player of the Year and First Team All-NACC South Division. Diemer was dominant throughout the entire season. He earned a school record four straight NACC Player of the Week honors and was also named to the D3hoops.com Team of the Week.
Nick Phillips, Junior 7 CATALYST
Vincent Eugene, Junior
“It really meant a lot to me to receive these awards this year,” said Diemer. “I was coming off of an injury that I thought ended my career so to be able to come back and get recognized like this really means a lot. It was a hectic season, but one of the most memorable and rewarding.” Brandon Emerick, senior, earned his second consecutive First Team All-NACC selection and was honored with a NACC South Division Player of the Week award. Emerick also eclipsed two milestones this season when he became just the 25th player in program history to score 1,000 points and broke the RU record for steals in a career with 190. De’Marius Bonds, junior, was named NACC South Division Honorable Mention in his first season as a Regent. Bonds was a key piece to Rockford’s success all year long.
Kevin Diemer, Junior
Reigle earned his first NACC South Division Coach of the Year award.
Brandon Emerick, Senior
De'Marius Bonds, Junior SPRING/SUMMER 2021 8
Rockford University students help local elementary school with remote learning Rockford University students in Physical Science and Everyday Thinking (PHYS 102) highlighted how they can still learn, teach, and serve despite these challenging times. They participated in a community-based learning project to design STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) activities for elementary school students. To help facilitate remote learning, they made instructional videos, lessons, and student worksheets. Rockford University’s Community-Based Learning Program links the classroom to the community in an experiential learning process. In the program, the professor, students, and community partner learn collaboratively while positively impacting the Rockford community. Through the Sigma Xi Diversity Grant, RU students created STEM kits for at-home activities to
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accompany remote learning. They distributed the materials to students at Lewis Lemon Elementary School in Rockford. Close to 100 students used the kits during spring 2021. The STEM activities are part of an initiative to establish the Rockford University College Knowledge Program, an afterschool program that seeks to equip young students with the skills and knowledge that will prepare them for college participation. In addition, through a generous donation of backpacks by the Chinese Club of Rockford University, the remote-learning STEM kits were packaged in a fun and convenient way.
FACULTY NOTES “Preparing Special Educators for Inclusive Classes: Focusing Experiential Learning Experiences on Content and Disciplinary Literacy Instruction” for the book “Learning to Teach Curricular and Pedagogical Considerations for Teacher Preparation.” In addition, Braun published a research paper titled “Examining Practice: Enhancing Reading Comprehension for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder” in the “Journal of Teacher Education and Educators.” Dr. Matthew Bork, Chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences and Associate Professor of Chemistry, published a peer reviewed article titled, “A Comparison of Porphyrin Photosensitizers in Photodynamic Inactivation of RNA and DNA Bacteriophages” in the journal “Viruses.” He worked along colleagues at Marquette University and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Dr. Gina Braun, Assistant Professor of Education, attended national conferences hosted by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AATCE) and the American Education Research Association (AERA), where she presented research focused on distance learning and classroom equity, respectively. Braun also submitted a chapter titled
Dr. Orhan Erdem, Associate Professor of Finance, presented his paper “Freedom and Stock Market Performance during COVID-19 Outbreak” at the Midwest Economics Association (MEA) Annual Meeting in March 2021. Erdem’s presentation questioned the validity of the coronavirus data across countries and used an indirect measurement tool, like stock market movements.
Dr. Mehmet Dik, Chair of the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics and Professor of Mathematics, served on the editorial review board and as a scientific committee member for a number of international conferences and journals, published multiple studies, and attended both the Midstates Consortium Symposium and the Earl P. Lazerson Mathematical Symposium in November 2020. In addition to reviewing eight research papers, Dik also served as president of Rockford University’s Sigma Xi chapter.
Dr. Donghwood Kwon, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, conducted a research study with several students. The article titled, “A Study on Comparison Analysis of DNN, CNN, and RNN Models for Network Anomaly Detection” was accepted to the journal “Elementary Education Online” in December 2020. CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 SPRING/SUMMER 2021 10
Dr. Paul McCombs, Adjunct Professor of Mathematics, was presented with the Major General Jeanne M. Holm Aerospace Education Officer of the Year award in February 2021. McCombs presented STEM activities to the Civil Air Patrol Cadets, local 4H groups, and Girl Scouts of America in Northern Illinois.
Dr. Yoandy Cabrera Ortega, Assistant Professor of Spanish and Classics, has been appointed a 2021-2022 Visiting Associate in Hellenic Studies at Harvard University’s Center for Hellenic Studies and received a grant for research expenses.
Dr. Mandolen Mull, Chair of the Puri School of Business and Assistant Professor of Leadership, presented “Challenging HRD Assumptions: A Mitigation Strategy for Disarming Colluders” at the Academy of Human Resource Development annual conference in February 2021 with Clayton Duffy '18/'20.
Dr. Kari Severson, Assistant Professor of Biology, mentored five senior biology and biochemistry students this year. They characterized an unknown strain of bacteria and submitted an abstract to the 2021 Annual Research Day at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford. The abstract was accepted and Severson and students presented their poster during the virtual event.
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Dr. Deepshikha Shukla, Dean of the College of Science, Math, and Nursing and Associate Professor of Physics, attended the American Association of Physics Teachers virtual conference in January 2021. She presented a talk on “Assessment Options for Remote Learning: Alternatives to Traditional Exams” alongside her research partners.
World Wide Virtual Tours takes the Silver for CASE Awards Congratulations to the Office of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement for earning the Silver Award at the Pride of CASE V Awards. Each year, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) showcases the best practices in alumni relations, fundraising, advancement services, and more for education institutions across the country. Rockford University falls under District V, the Great Lakes region.
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The judges conferred Rockford University with the second place award saying, “In these pandemic times, we’ve all moved to virtual programming, leveraging Zoom. What makes Rockford’s approach stand out was how they evaluated the success of their program and added personal touches.” Thank you to all alumni who participated in the Alumni World Wide Virtual Events Tour!
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The Office of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement received this award for its online series, the Rockford University Alumni World Wide Virtual Events Tour. It started in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to shift how the university engages with alumni due to the inability to host in-person events on campus and around the country. The virtual tour launched on April 15, 2020, and had nearly 300 alumni from all over the world sign up.
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COMBINED 2020 AND 2021 REUNION OCTOBER 8-9, 2021
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Global Perspective Learned at RU Leads to International Success Jorge Hernandez has built a career based on communicating and problem solving – skills that tie directly back to his years at Rockford University. The 1984 alumnus oversees teams around the globe in his position as vice president of quality assurance for restaurant chain Wendy’s. It’s a position he never envisioned when he arrived at RU as a pre-med student from Mexico. But the lessons he learned here gave him the flexibility to pivot his career away from medicine and into environmental health and food safety. “Rockford gave me the tools to look at the world more broadly than I would have,” Hernandez said. “My ability to get to this point has come from being able to see things from that perspective. Without that broad education, I wouldn’t have gone as far as I have.” Growing up in Mexico, Hernandez needed to choose at an early age what career path he would take. So he decided to become a doctor in his early teens, and his education put him on the path to do that. He came to RU with a degree in microbiology from the Centro de Estudios MedicoBiologicos in Mexico City and continued his studies by getting a bachelor’s degree in biology at Rockford University. In addition to science, however, Hernandez also studied French and spent a year in Paris at the Sorbonne. He took French, history, art, and communication classes, which taught him how to apply his education in the real world. And he learned plenty outside of the classroom as well, while spending time among students from other countries. “For someone who came from another country, to be able to interact with Americans and live in the American culture, it broadened my view of the world,” he said. “I learned there are many paths to get to the same goal.” Hernandez began his career as an environmental health inspector for the Winnebago County Health Department, and worked his way through various food safety and quality roles at the State of Illinois Department of Health and several food companies. Today, Hernandez works from the Wendy’s headquarters in Ohio, where he is responsible for the quality and safety of all of the products the restaurant chain buys, transports, and prepares in 31 countries around the world. “I’m having a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s an awesome job and I love it.”
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Class notes Jane Havlicek Roth ’68 retired in December 2020 as senior director of global real estate for Ellucian, Inc. and is currently focusing on being a caregiving for her mother with whom she shares a home. Her mother is a remarkable 103 years young. Ted Sanford ’68 is a retired anesthesiologist and captain of the United States Navy living in Coronado, Calif. He taught anesthesiology at the University of Michigan. Ted has helped to get Californians vaccinated.
Judy Symon Sophianopoulos ’53 retired in 2005 after 18 years as an environmental scientist with the EPA and 17 years as a lecturer and researcher in chemistry at Emory University. Now, Judy volunteers as a tutor at the afterschool program LaAmistad, a charitable organization that provides services to Hispanic families. Colleen Kitzmiller Holmbeck ’56 was named one of four finalists for the WIFR Eyewitness News Remarkable Woman Award. She has spent decades volunteering and activating positive change in the Rockford community. Arlene Murin Krizka ’60 welcomed her second greatgranddaughter to the family. Gerald Bargren ’61 celebrated 60 years of marriage with his partner, Jean. They have seven children, 22 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Richard Does ’63 has continued to appreciate the lifelong impact of the learning experience at Rockford University. He described it as collaborative, caring, and committed to honest and artful reckoning among a true melting pot of peoples across the spectra of faculty, staff, and students. F. William Parker ’63 is interested in what happened to the rest of the 1963 theatre arts graduates. His email is jcricket@sprintmail.com and he would welcome any and all of the old gang. Christine Michaels Sampson ’63 celebrated her 55th wedding anniversary with her husband, Dan.
James Tuthill ’69 and his partner, Helen, went to Australia and New Zealand on a cruise in March of 2020, and almost got stranded in New Zealand because of the virus. Jim’s initial trip to England in 1968 during the first RU January program led by Dr. Gordon Ross instilled in him the awe and splendor of travel, which is one of his and Helen’s main pursuits today. Irene Richeson Helm Sedeora ’70 took up writing after her time at Rockford University and is a published writer. She is a member of the National League of American Pen Women. Carolyn Sweasy Hedin ’71 remains busy and committed to her studies, teaching yoga and Vedic Chant, and by supporting the Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Red Wing, Minn., a nonprofit center that offers residencies for writers and artists of all genres from the United States and from around the world. Joyce Williams Warren ’71 retired after 31 and a half years as Circuit/ Chancery Judge for the Sixth Judicial District in Pulaski and Perry counties in Arkansas.
James Duhigg ’68 married Melinda Trier in March 2020 in Rockford, Ill. CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 SPRING/SUMMER SPRING2021 2018 14 12
Class notes Cherie Poole Townsend ’73 retired from public service leadership and is now serving as executive director for the International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology and for IACFP Europe, a public interest foundation in Belgium. Cherie also has her own business as an executive coach for women who are seeking positions of greater influence or leadership in public service organizations. Fred Fuld III ’74 entered his book “Beach Detective: Exploding Surfboard” in the 8th annual Writer’s Digest contest and received high marks in all categories. Bob Herdegen ’74 retired after 41 years as a psychology professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. His postretirement plans call for lots of traveling and spending time with family once it is safe. Bob Matthews ’74 has retired after 24 years with the U.S. Navy and more than 16 years in Washington, D.C. as a government consultant, commonly referred to as a "Beltway Bandit." Mary Parisoe ’75 retired in 2018 after 22 years as a French teacher at Woodlands Academy in Lake Forrest, Ill. This year, she won two Zoom-staged readings of her short plays and is currently working on a longer piece. Once the pandemic ends, she’s also hoping to see live theatre again and to resume her French, English, and reading tutoring gigs. Geraldine Tondi-Larson Cygnor ’76 received an MAT from Rockford, which she put to good use as a special education teacher for 20 years. She is now enjoying a busy retirement.
Rich Pine ’76 celebrated his 43rd wedding anniversary with his wife, Shirley. They are enjoying their second year of retirement and spending lots of time with their grandchildren. Virginia Clark Anderson ’79 and her husband, Tim, relocated to Clermont, Fla., to be closer to family. Ginny is working as a self-employed technical writer and Tim is enjoying retirement. Kenneth Gurney ’79 and his partner Dianne started their 14th 11 CATALYST 15 Campus
year together in Albuquerque, N.M. They share a loving, active, and creative life. Lee VanDeWostine Nelson ’81 celebrated 39 years as a professional writer. For the first 21 years of her career, Lee worked as a newspaper journalist and now freelances for magazines and websites. Cassandra Washington ’83 published a book titled “Meet Them Where They Are: 10 Tips to Improve Student Engagement” available on Amazon. Linda Ploenzke Sandquist ’85 started a job as engagement officer at Rockford University. She is excited to connect with Regents she knows and those she doesn’t.
Charlyne Blatcher Martin ’88 published her first book of poetry titled “Walking Through Memories” available on Amazon and her historical fiction short plays have been produced by Rockford Public Library, the Ethnic Heritage Museum, and Midway Village Museum Center, among other venues. Kelly Sartorius Scott ’88 received the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Award along with four other Elgin Community College employees. The award recognizes outstanding faculty, staff, and administrators of community and technical colleges. Maryann Jones Hayslip ’93, principal of St. Aloysius School in Pewee Valley, Ky., is the recipient of the 2020 Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership given by the U.S. Department of Education. She is one of 10 educators in the nation to receive this award. Jamie Ketchum ’98 said her time at Rockford University prepared her to pursue a master’s degree. Christopher Yax ’98 recently joined Teleflex, a medical device manufacturer, selling their intra-aortic balloon pump technology. His sales territory includes the five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, and eastern Pennsylvania.
Shannon Tipton ’02 is working as a staffer for an Illinois state representative and helped create a Black caucus in Will County, Ill.
Jetsabel Alcala ’16/’19 was part of the TEDx Talk in TEDx Normal. She enjoyed sharing insights about how communications with students and parents have changed since distance learning started. Christopher Scorsolini ’17 has launched his career in aerospace and is currently a financial controller for Global Military Programs at GKN Aerospace in Connecticut.
Marissa Davis Nyberg ’08 and her husband, Matt, welcomed their fourth baby to the family on Nov. 10, 2020. Luke Davis Nyberg joined big siblings Grant, Will, and Mae. Durpee Powell ’09 started his own virtual tutoring service, DP’s Excellence Virtual Tutoring Service. The service focuses on math for grades 1-5 and writing/English class tutoring for grades 4-12. He is excited about helping the youth in the community achieve their goals.
Nicole Robinson ’12 is a nursing supervisor at Georgia War Veterans Home in Milledgeville, Ga., serving our U.S. veterans and thanks Rockford University for giving her the skills to help out during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yvette Robinson ’18/’20 is excited to be serving her country as an AmeriCorps VISTA for Northern Illinois Regional Affordable Housing. She has had the pleasure of working with the Illinois National Guard and the Winnebago County Health Department during a vaccine clinic at Collier Gardens.
Erin McDonald ’19 is a medical/surgical nurse working with various medical problems and has seen all different types of patients including those with trauma, cardiac issues, withdrawal, and COVID-19.
Share your Rockford University memories! Rockford University recently launched an alumni oral history project in partnership with Publishing Concepts, Inc. (PCI) to memorialize the history of our campus and the experiences of our alumni as we approach our 175th anniversary. The goal of the project is to collect stories from alumni like you to celebrate and preserve memories from your time as a student and the impact RU has had on your life. The stories will be published in a memory book and made available to alumni in spring 2022. What better way to kick off our 175th anniversary than by sharing the stories of those who have helped build our legacy! Visit Rockford.edu/alumni/alumnistories to find out how you can be part of this history-making project. SPRING/SUMMER 2021 16
ALUMNI STORY: ADVANCEMENT TEAM WELCOMES A FAMILIAR FACE "You can go to Rockford College, live in the dorm, and keep your car," my mother said to 17-year-old me. In the fall of 1981, I was enrolled, assigned a roommate and a room in McGaw Hall, and met my future husband at freshman orientation. When my mother dropped me off, just five miles from my home in Loves Park, I said, “Don’t call me. I’ll call you.” I loved Rockford College! I got to know people from Chicago and the suburbs, Florida, California, and the East Coast. There was a contingent of Icelanders here and students from Jamaica, India, and Pakistan. I loved my extracurricular activities and was an RA and Social Board Chair. I had the opportunity to intern at the City of Rockford. I had fun – lots and lots of fun! My husband, Tom, and I bought a home in Rockford in 1988. He began his career as a local attorney and I was a stay-at-home mom. We dabbled in activities at Rockford College. He served on the alumni board and the board of governors. I helped older alumnae decorate the campus for Christmas. Slowly our activity with the college faded away. No one reached out to us. Our donations dwindled. A phone call from the Office of Advancement re-engaged us. A gift officer helped us reminisce about our happiest college experiences. He reached out a few months later to remind us that a donation made on the Day of Giving would be matched. After this, we got to know President Fulcomer. He was passionate about the school’s bright future. We were invited to make a pledge to the Rock Solid and Ready campaign and we gave our largest gift to date. I joined the Board of Trustees and was fortunate to get an insider’s look at the governance of Rockford University. And I had the pleasure of meeting the new vice presidents, all whom share the president’s positive outlook and attitude. Changes in the structure of the Office of Philanthrophy & Alumni Engagement allowed me to become the new Engagement Officer on March 1, 2021. While I can no longer serve as a trustee, I relish the opportunity to continue to serve my alma mater. I relive my college experience each day as I walk throughout campus and find fond memories around every corner. I’m connecting with friends I haven’t seen in 35 years, and I’m building new relationships with alumni I didn’t know before now. I share with some alumni the lived experience of feeling ignored by my alma mater, and I’ve had other alumni tell me they’ve always felt engaged with their school. I believe the relationship you have with your alma mater should be special and treasured. My hope is that alumni can look back on their experience here, smile, and cherish at least one particular memory. Remember the pumpkins on top of Fisher Chapel? How about the tables stacked in a pyramid in Burpee? April Badness? Hanging of the Greens? Maybe you remember the old campus and Middle Hall. Maybe you can still sing Decus et Veritas from memory. Whatever it is and whoever you are, I invite you to connect with Rockford University. Call or email me. Let’s get together and share pride in our alma mater. Let’s be Regents!
Linda Ploenzke Sandquist ’85 815-394-3756 lsandquist@rockford.edu 17 CATALYST
IN MEMORIAM Frieda Harris Engel ’40, December 19, 2020
Ronald L. Kowalke ’59, February 26, 2021
Priscilla Smith Murphy ’43, September 04, 2020
Edith Johnson Thrumston ’60, December 08, 2020
Lois Smith Steiner ’43, September 09, 2020
Thomas G. Larson ’60, March 30, 2021
N. Joyce Marsh Roos ’45, February 14, 2021
Joanne Gilbert Tralmer ’61, December 11, 2020
Janice Robinson Burns ’46, January 05, 2021
Robert H. Cook ’62, January 17, 2021
Corinne Johnson Hubbell ’46, January 09, 2021
Barbara Cooper Cameron Edwards ’64, December 08, 2019
Frances Cary Kochicas ’48, November 25, 2020
Harold N. Herried ’64, January 24, 2021
Jane Lull Witter ’48, February 28, 2021
Donald A. Gulbrandsen ’64, February 13, 2021
Joan Cimbalo Pulliam ’49, November 01, 2020
Donna Visen Pederson ’66, August 29, 2019
Doris Hanger Beck ’49, December 21, 2020
Stephen A. Spongberg ’66, March 18, 2021
Marilyn Tagtmeyer Fitz ’49, March 14, 2021
Carol Petersen Knutsen Long ’68, November 28, 2020
Beatrice Aliber Epsten ’50, November 25, 2020
Ellen Sparks Smith ’69, December 29, 2020
Shirley Voss Henley Philon ’50, December 10, 2020
William E. Kostur ’70, October 27, 2020
Patricia Peterson Bristol ’51, June 19, 2020
Melvin G. Green Jr. ’70, December 23, 2020
Joyce Tesmer Porter ’51, December 26, 2020
Ronald Ganong ’71, January 11, 2021
Patricia Johnson Nelson ’51, December 30, 2020
Ardene Claude Friest ’73, July 15, 2020
Janette McCammant Pearson ’51, January 15, 2021
Richard E. Conrad ’73, August 7, 2020
Pauline Patrick Lawhorn ’51, March 06, 2021
Kemi Williams ’73, November 03, 2020
Martha “Mike” Michaels ’52, January 18, 2021
Kathleen Goethe Baldauf ’73, January 25, 2021
Jeanne Krehl Matson ’53, November 13, 2020
Janet Balle Weeks ’74, January 21, 2021
Marilyn Dannenberg Rehnstrom ’54, January 03, 2021
Larry G. Krup ’75, August 06, 2020
Lois A. Holbrook ’54, January 22, 2021
George J. Benda, Jr. ’75, October 19, 2020
Elan Van Ness ’55, January 22, 2021
Barbara Isoz Lowry ’76, December 13, 2020
David A. Mayhall ’57, December 19, 2020
Walter J. Pennow ’77, December 25, 2020
Doris Harrnacker Funk ’59, December 16, 2020
George Harnish ’78, February 25, 2021
William J. Bird ’78, April 03, 2021 Renee Peron Stolberg ’83, January 16, 2021 Constance Bryski Fischer ’84, February 06, 2021 Steven A. Throndsen ’87, March 31, 2021 Robert A. Sandberg ’88, February 06, 2021 Marcia Haney Warne ’88, March 15, 2021 Cynthia Lee Nardiello ’91, November 16, 2020 Jeffrey P. Wagner ’92, January 18, 2021 Sharon Deming ’98, March 11, 2020 Kathryn Hutchinson Kincannon ’98, November 29, 2020 Barbara A. Noble ’98, December 27, 2020 Roger T. Converse, Jr. ’98, February 26, 2021 Valerie Roser Bochiechio ’01, February 15, 2021 Mary C. Markwell ’02, January 15, 2021 Michael A. Padron ’07, November 19, 2020 Daniel L. Jackson ’08, December 13, 2020 Cynthia Marks ’13, August 04, 2018
SPRING/SUMMER 2021 18
The Charter for Rockford Female Seminary, now Rockford University, was granted on February 25, 1847, laying the foundation for the successful education of tens of thousands of students. When you give to this fund, you invest in the value of Rockford University and its students who go into the world as dynamic alumni.
CH A RT ER A N N UA L F U N D GI V ING LEV ELS
PAVERS......................$1 - $99 FOUNDERS...........$100 - $249 BUILDERS.............$250 - $499 LEADERS..............$500 - $999
DONORS W HO CON T R I BU T E $1,0 0 0 OR MOR E ANNUALLY BECOME PART OF THE JANE ADDAMS SOCIETY, NAMED FOR OUR MOST NOTABLE ALUMNA . JOIN THIS EXCLUSIVE GIVING SOCIETY TODAY AND SHARE IN ADDAMS' VALUES BY LEADING THE WAY IN PHILANTHROPY TO ROCKFORD UNIVERSITY.
LE A R N M O R E O R M A K E A G I F T O N LI N E AT Rockford.edu/Give
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