Catalyst - Spring 2022

Catalyst THE MAGAZINE OF ROCKFORD UNIVERSITY ALUMNI

S PR I NG 2022

Photo credit: First May Day 1894, May Day Collection, Rockford University Archives.

MAY DAY: A TIME-HONORED TRADITION Celebrating May Day at Rockford University is a tradition that dates back to when Grace Sherman Dorcas, Class of 1895, had the idea of hosting a party while serving as president of the Castalian, the college’s literary society, in 1893 and 1894.

On May 1, 1894, students found baskets filled with apple blooms suspended from each dorm room by a purple and white ribbon. Attached to the ribbon was a card inviting the recipient to a party hosted by the Castalian at 4 p.m. that Friday.

As the tradition evolved, students started to vote for a May Queen. Hortense Holbrook Spence, the first May Day Queen, was crowned in 1897. From then forward, the previous year’s queen would return to bestow the new May Queen with a crown of violets. In return, the outgoing queen received a crown of forget-me-nots.

The annual event included a May Queen procession and crowning, maypole dance, and reception. In later years, a theatrical production — typically Shakespearean in nature — was often included.

This photo is the only known image of the first May Day. Fanny Jackson, Class of 1896, is dancing second from the left front, Blanche Walker Burpee, Class of 1895 and namesake of one of the most prominent buildings on the current campus, is in the center front, and Lydia Robinson, Class of 1896, is the right front dancer.

In 1903, the university began a thorough documentation of the annual festivities with the first publication of the college yearbook. The last May Day event was held in 1997 during the university’s 150th Sesquicentennial celebrations. In more recents years, a May Day Tea has been held in honor of the tradition.

Catalyst The Magazine of Rockford University Alumni

IN THIS ISSUE ROCKFORD UNIVERSITY: 175 YEARS AND COUNTING...............................................................................................................................4 ROCKFORD UNIVERSITY ON STAGE: DRAMA THROUGH THE AGES......................................................................................................10 ACROSS THE GENERATIONS: A LEGACY OF LEARNING..........................................................................................................................14 ROCKFORD'S HOME TEAM: FIELDING STUDENT-ATHLETES FOR 175 YEARS.......................................................................................16 FACULTY NOTES.............................................................................................................................................................................................22 JANE ADDAMS MEDAL FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE.........................................................................................................................24 CLASS NOTES................................................................................................................................................................................................26 FORMER SOCCER STAND-OUT RECALLS FOND MEMORIES OF ROCKFORD......................................................................................28 IN MEMORIAM..............................................................................................................................................................................................31

Catalyst is published by Rockford University’s Office of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement.

Contact us at 815.394.5111 or alumni@rockford.edu.

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Greetings from President Fulcomer It is not every day that an institution celebrates its 175th anniversary — in fact, not every institution is fortunate enough to reach such a milestone. I am honored to serve as the 18th president of Rockford University and be able to preside over such a significant moment. So much has happened since our charter was signed on February 25, 1847 — in the world, in our country, and at our beloved university. But through it all, this institution — Rockford Female Seminary, Rockford College, Rockford Men’s College, and now Rockford University — has grown, adapted, transformed, and persevered.

In this edition of Catalyst, you will read about the history of Rockford University, from our start along the Rock River as a female seminary to our current campus on East State Street as a co-educational, comprehensive university. You’ll learn about the wonderful contributions of our students over time on the court, the field, and the stage. And there are also alumni features to enjoy. One of the joys of my role at the university is to travel the country and hear the stories of our graduates. This institution has made a huge impact on the world through the activities and achievements of the students who have passed through our doors.

Speaking of alumni, it is hard to tell the story of Rockford University without mentioning our esteemed alumnae, Jane Addams. We are the only university that can claim the social reformer and Nobel Peace Prize winner as a graduate, and her legacy lives on today. In this issue you’ll read about the most recent recipient of our our Jane Addams Medal for Distinguished Service, which is given to extraordinary women who have taken a stand in their life that required critical thinking and courageous action. First bestowed during our centennial year in 1947, only 39 women — physicians, opera singers, college presidents, poets, elected officials, and federal judges — have received the Jane Addams Medal. It has been

a highlight of my tenure as president to present two Jane Addams Medals, the most recent to Dr. Ngozi O. Ezike, who led the Illinois Department of Public Health’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jane Addams’ influence also lives on in the formation of the Addams Circle. This new entity is a network of Rockford University alumnae who seek to empower female students to become architects of their own futures by creating opportunities for personal and professional development, career exploration, and leadership training. You can find out how to get involved with this new initiative on pg. 27. I look forward to seeing how the Addams Circle develops in the years to come.

With so much focus on our history, I want to close with a few words on the present. Rockford University is in a solid position as we celebrate our 175th year. Our student numbers are strong, even in the midst of a global pandemic and nationwide downturn in higher education enrollment. Our students are benefiting from in-person learning and living, plus an array of campus activities and events (I can’t tell you how wonderful it has been to experience a more robust campus as we’ve adjusted to the current COVID protocols). And our talented faculty and staff are making progress on our strategic plan, striving to strengthen every aspect of the university as we prepare for the next 175 years.

It is indeed a good time to be a Regent. Thank you for supporting Rockford University yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Eric W. Fulcomer, Ph.D. President SPRING 2022 3

Rockford University: 175 years a

By Bern Sundstedt '77 Institutions that endure for 175 years are unique creatures.

To establish such fragile constructs, it requires of their founders a certain brand of courage and a disciplined resolve. To fortify those frameworks, it takes an ongoing, collective dedication from successive stakeholders to embody and forward their institutions’ missions while holding a continual commitment to adaptation and change. Such is the through-line of Rockford University.

On June 20, 1844, an assembly of Congregationalist and Presbyterian ministers met in Cleveland. From that convention, the following resolution was adopted. “Exigencies of Wisconsin and northern Illinois require that those sections should unite in establishing a college for men and a female seminary of the highest order – one in Wisconsin near to Illinois and the other in Illinois near to Wisconsin.”

Immediately following that event, a group of seven attendees crowded around a long, narrow table in a stateroom on the steamer ship Chesapeake as it sailed west on Lake Erie. By journey’s end, those emissaries had committed themselves, and those they represented, to create a men’s college in Beloit, Wisconsin, and a seminary for women in northern Illinois.

By February 25, 1847, a charter had been drawn, giving birth to Rockford Female Seminary. At the time there were fewer than 10 such institutions exclusively for women in a United States that numbered only 29.

Two years later, on a sunny June morning in 1849, Anna Peck Sill, the seminary’s first principal, rang her now-famous bell to greet the first student body: 53 fresh faces, several under the age of 12. Among the youngest of those assembled was a special group of seven. Because Miss Sill playfully ascribed a flower’s name to each, they became known as the “Floral Band.”

The seminary’s academic curriculum was established to give young women a thorough and systematic education based in religious ethics and centered on the development of character.

The first “collegiate” class enrolled in 1851, and soon after the 1852 construction of Middle Hall (the seminary’s first permanent building on the original downtown campus), members of the Floral Band mischievously etched their

Forward-thinking families wanted to provide for their daughters and young women across our nation the same opportunities afforded their sons. They wanted to make the Rock River Valley an attractive place to locate, raise families, and grow businesses.

The first classes held at Rockford Female Seminary were taught by the university’s first president, Anna Peck Sill, in the former downtown courthouse.

A drawing of Old Campus featuring Talcott (formerly Chapel), Middle, and Linden halls.

Old Campus in 1877.

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and counting names in one of the building’s leaded-glass window panes. The building stood for slightly more than 100 years. Framed against a panoramic view of the Rock River, those names served as inspiration for other young women who found their own ways forward in life, all the while embraced by a close and supportive academy of friends and teachers bound by trust and a sense of obligation.

community in Chicago. By 1892, a majority of students were matriculating toward their bachelor degrees, so the seminary took on its rightful name, Rockford College.

Jane Addams in the late 19th century.

In 1882, one such student received the seminary’s first baccalaureate degree: Jane Addams, the eventual 1931 Nobel Laureate who had completed her coursework the previous spring. Jane left behind her beloved wooded campus to create the world-renowned Hull House settlement

A class photo from 1881, including Nobel Peace Prize recipient Jane Addams (standing, far right).

Students enjoying the water at the Rockford College Dell in the early 20th century.

Rockford College celebrates the Class of 1935 at the 81st Commencement ceremony.

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Staying true to its pioneering spirit, in 1919, under the direction of President William Arthur Maddox, the college became one of the first in the country to provide a formalized program for adult learners. Through that initiative, workplace social service providers in the region were trained by professionals affiliated with Hull House. The curriculum grew to include advanced education for teachers, many of whom, because of the times, did not have a college degree. That program matured, and in 1952, during the presidency of Mary Ashby Cheek, the college established its first graduate program: the Master of Arts in Teaching.

Students taking in the view of the Blanche Walker Burpee Center in 1964.

In 1953, after a nearly 20-year effort that started before the construction of Sherratt Library in 1939, the Jewett Science Building in 1950, and the creation of a more cohesive curriculum centered in liberal arts learning, Rockford College earned its prestigious and valued chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

Just before Miss Cheek’s resignation in 1954, an official evening college was established for non-traditional-aged students. It was a precursor to the weekend college offered in the 80s, as well as the university’s current degree completion programs in business management and accounting. But things were about to change in an even bigger way. You could feel Students unpacking in a dorm room in 1968.

Students relishing in collegiate life in 1942.

Students in class at the Jewett Labs on Old Campus in 1948.

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it rumbling under the Rockford College Dell and percolating across the nation.

Rockford College students taking advantage of a sunny day on campus during 1977.

By 1954 — thanks to a post-World War II program under the Marshall Plan — the college had been successfully educating men for more than seven years. Local young men went to Rockford College for their first two years and then on to Illinois Institute of Technology to complete their engineering degrees.

From there they returned to the City of Rockford to work in local industries. In addition, the baby boom was in full swing, and the college was outgrowing its 100-year-old, land-locked, and river-bound campus. It was clear that something was going to give.

In 1955, under President Leland Carlson, a separate men’s college was established. By 1959, the two colleges became one. After three decades of unsuccessfully working with the city to abandon a section of Seminary Street, the college made the hard decision to build an entirely new campus on land that Blanche Walker Burpee had the vision to secure in 1928 when the institution first considered relocating to its current location along State Street.

Throughout the 60s and 70s, under the leadership and influence of President John Howard, a new campus was built without the use of federal funds. Rockford College regained its broader reputation nationally while making serious inroads internationally.

In the 70s, pre-professional Bachelor of Fine Arts programs were established. In 1981, under the leadership of President Norman Stewart, the Master of Business Administration program (now part of the Puri School of Business) and the nursing program took root. These programs have grown to exert a significant influence in the region and the world.

Students lining up at the 1989 Commencement ceremony.

Nursing faculty and students working at computers in 1992.

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At the dawn of this new century, the college was experiencing a boom in the enrollment of students from countries around the world and was functioning as a small university. In fact, because of the high completion rates in the college’s graduate programs, sanctioning organizations like the Carnegie Foundation and U.S. News and World Report started classifying Rockford College as a comprehensive university.

So finally in 2012, the college tested among its current students, alumni, and the community the idea of taking on university status. The results came back more than positive and Rockford University assumed its new public identity on July 1, 2013.

From trailblazers in social work and medicine to teachers of

Students studying in the dorms during the early 2000s.

Rockford College students posing for a photo in the early 2000s.

Rockford College students celebrate with silly string at the 2005 Commencement ceremony held on the Burpee Commons.

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the year, from inventors to entrepreneurs, from civic leaders and community volunteers, to leaders of corporations and nonprofits, Rockford University alumni have applied the knowledge they gained through their experience here to change our world in meaningful ways.

It is because of our founders that Rockford University was created. Theirs was an abiding commitment that deserves to be honored, not out of blind patronage, but as part of our ongoing work to provide a distinctive student experience from which succeeding generations of “Floral Bands” can flourish and grow. As we face our next 175 years, the university will continue to prosper, buoyed by your generous support.

Bern Sundstedt is a 1977 graduate, the university’s former vice president for institutional advancement, and a human repository of Rockford University historical facts and figures.

Students in a computer classroom with Professor Mehmet Dik in 2013.

Students enjoying the outdoors in the fall of 2016.

An aerial shot of campus in the summer of 2018.

SPRING 2022 9

Rockford University on Stage: Since as early as the 1800s, Rockford University students have staged productions formally and informally for the campus and Rockford communities.

Before the establishment of the Department of Performing Arts, the Drama Club staged plays including “Nicholas

Nickleby” (1890), “A Scrap of Paper” (1894), and “Medea” (1896). These early productions were often Shakespearean, classic plays, or original creations written by students. They were made up of all-female casts.

In recent years, the university’s performing arts department

In 1896, students staged “Medea” fully in Greek, with Jean Newcomber (center) as Medea.

The cast and orchestra for the production of “Belle of Barcelona” in 1925.

1890

A few of the all-female cast members of “Nicholas Nickleby” in 1890.

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1896

1917 The entire 1917 student cast of “As You Like It.”

1925

D r a m a through the Ages has produced eight mainstage shows annually for friends, family, alumni, faculty, staff, and the greater Rockford community. Audience members are invited to join the student performers in exploring different cultures, uplifting unique art forms, and connecting themes from the classroom to a modern and changing global society.

Thanks to donor support of the recent Restore Our Sound fundraising campaign, the sound systems in the university’s Maddox and Cheek theatres were updated in 2020 to enhance the student and audience experience.

Students Joan Evans, Corinne Johnson, and Joan Densmore in “The Importance of Being Earnest” staged on December 19, 1946.

1940 s

1946

In the 1940s, under the presidency of Mary Ashby Cheek, the first official college theater was built. Potts Theatre was named for Abbie Findlay Potts Ph.D., an English literature professor from 1924-1948.

Built in the 1960s, Maddox Theatre was named after President William Arthur Maddox (president from 1919-1933), and designed by Professor Edward Hearn of UCLA. Its hydraulic forestage can convert to four special arrangements and seat more than 500 audience members.

1960 s

1960 s

For many years, outdoor theater was part of the annual May Day festivities and events to close out the academic year. Pictured here is outdoor theater from the early 1960s.

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D r a m a through the Ages

The first student production performed in Maddox Theatre was “The Lark,” which premiered on April 9, 1970, and ran four days.

Students performed the hit musical “Chicago” in 1993.

1970

1970 s

Clark Arts Center, which houses classrooms, design studios, and the Maddox and Cheek theatres, was dedicated on May 16, 1970. Construction was made possible by a bequest from Mrs. Effie White Clark in September 1967.

Knox Fowler, a performing arts professor from 1961-1974, assisted with the design.

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1993

1998

In 1998, Rockford University put on the French play “The Bald Soprano” to kick off its performing arts season.

FRIENDS OF THE PERFORMING ARTS Share Your Passion for the Arts!

Students performed the musical “The Robber Bridegroom” in 2010.

Join Friends of the Performing Arts (FOPA) and help ensure that Rockford University performing arts students are supported by and connected to alumni and the community.

2010

2020

FOPA’s tagline is “Act on the Excitement.”

As live performances begin again and

The 2020-2021 performing arts season kicked off with “COVID Cavalcade: A Socially Distanced Entertainment,” a revue created by Jeff Hendry, chair of the Department of Performing Arts. The show centered on COVID-19 and the quarantine experience. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the cast and crew had to develop new protocol, prioritizing social distancing and other protective measures. A historic production, it is one that generations of Rockford students, faculty, and alumni will note and discuss.

arts venues fully open doors to audiences after limited operation throughout the pandemic, it is indeed an exciting time to renew enthusiasm around the arts.

Alumni and friends of the university from near and far are invited to join this group by visiting rockford.edu/alumni/fopa, completing the membership form, and making an annual investment of $100 or more.

SPRING 2022 13

Across the Generations: A Legacy of Learning While Elizabeth “Barrie” Carter Gibby, Class of 1970, attended Rockford College, majoring in English and education, she co-organized May Day weekend, served as vice president for the student affairs committee, and spent many hours in Clark Arts and Maddox Theatre.

She remembers picking up Kurt Vonnegut at the airport and transporting him to the Humor Festival, an event she helped produce.

Barrie’s entire adult life echoes the lives of two beloved women who preceded her: her greatgrandmother Martha “Mattie” C. Howard Wells, Rockford Female Seminary Class of 1866, and her mother, Elizabeth “Bess” Newhall Carter, Rockford College Class of 1941.

Mattie was born in Kewanee, Illinois, in 1847 — the same year Rockford Female Seminary was chartered. A promising scholar, Mattie began her studies when she was just 17 years old.

Her older brothers fought in the Civil War, and while at college, Mattie and her classmates heard the shocking news that President Lincoln had been assassinated.

Mattie recalled her college days as “memorable and happy” and praised Principal Anna Peck Sill “for her fair-mindedness.” She remembered outdoor “calisthenics” and required chores assigned to each young woman. Mattie served as a bell ringer, starting at 4:45 a.m. when she roused the kitchen staff. At age 19, Mattie was the youngest to graduate and the valedictorian of the Class of 1866.

In 1872, Mattie married Cyrus W. Wells, and settled in Minneapolis, raising a daughter, Blanche (Barrie’s maternal grandmother). Mattie channeled her love of education and the arts throughout her life. She founded study clubs devoted to lifelong enrichment and inquiry, similar to today’s book clubs. She led tours through Europe. People were so inspired by her intellect and wit that in 1916, Mattie was selected to be toastmistress at her 50th class reunion. Mattie received an honorary master’s degree in 1936, a year before her own granddaughter, Elizabeth “Bess” Newhall entered Rockford College, Class of 1941. Mattie celebrated her 100th birthday in 1947, as Rockford College marked its centennial year.

By then, Bess had graduated from Rockford, majoring in botany/biology.

Elizabeth "Bar Class of 1970.

Martha "Mattie" Howard Wells was featured on the cover of the Rockford College Alumna magazine in 1947 — the year of the college's 100th anniversary and of Mattie's 100th birthday.

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In 1943, Bess married Charles “Chuck” Abbott Carter, Jr., a Rockford native. They raised Barrie and her two brothers in Kansas City, Missouri, where Bess earned a master’s in education and headed the art department at the Barstow School, a private institution. She also taught dozens of art classes, was a prolific watercolor artist, gardener, violinist, traveler, and was active in her church.

Club. “Wherever I landed, I could link into the school and community life in some way,” Barrie said. “Education was always a priority. Theater was always a love, as was my spiritual life.”

When Barrie graduated from Rockford College, she taught English, creative writing, journalism, and theater at the high school level. Barrie met her husband, Alan Gibby, when he taught at the same private school Bess had long worked at.

The couple moved frequently as Alan served as headmaster at several private schools, including Keith Country Day School in Rockford.

Today Barrie celebrates her creative edge between the branches of words and movement expression, combining her many loves. She facilitates retreats and workshops based on using the ancient design of the labyrinth as a tool for meditation, and she is a member of the faculty of Veriditas. org, an organization for the Worldwide Labyrinth Project. It’s an example of how her past connects to the present. Barrie said: “I commend my liberal arts education at Rockford College to bringing a diversity of awareness and adaptability to my life in many subjects and with many communities.”

The independent spirit of Barrie’s mother and greatgrandmother, cultivated in part at Rockford College, served as a touchstone for Barrie through each move.

She pursued graduate studies in theater production and design and served as director for regional and civic theater. She became an accomplished pianist and owned a design and event company.

Most recently, Barrie and Alan moved to Atlanta to be near her son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter, Thea Quinn Gibby.

With each relocation, Barrie jumped into community activities, including arts and education nonprofit groups, serving on the boards of many and leading a few. In Rockford, she served on the Golden Apple Foundation Board, Women’s Art Board, and was president of the Rockford Garden

rrie" Carter Gibby, .

Barrie pictured with granddaughter, Thea.

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Rockford’s Home Team: Fielding Athletics have been an integral part of Rockford University since its earliest days. The university’s first president, Anna Peck Sill, imparted on her pupils the importance of training the body as well as the mind. She encouraged students to exercise at a time in history when females were often discouraged from engaging in too much physical activity.

In her honor, the institution’s first gymnasium, located on

Old Campus and built at the end of the 19th century, was named “Sill Gym.” Before intercollegiate athletics for men began at Rockford College in 1956 — and for women after the passing of Title IX in 1972 — students engaged in inter-class competitive sports. Field hockey was one of the first, with each class

Miss Anna Peck Sill arrives in Illinois from Oakfield, New York and opens a preparatory school for young ladies in an old courthouse building while awaiting her confirmation as Rockford Female Seminary’s first president.

Land for the new East State Street campus is purchased.

Sill Gym is completed and includes state-of-the-art equipment.

Students wear wool uniforms when exercising.

1847

1849

1886

A charter is signed to establish Rockford Female Seminary.

1892

Rockford Female Seminary becomes Rockford College.

Sill Hall is erected and work begins on a gymnasium.

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1890 s

1928

Student-Athletes for 175 Years competing against the other for ultimate bragging rights.

Faculty also had their own athletic teams and competed against students. In addition to field hockey, popular campus sports included basketball, crew, and swimming.

In the decades that followed, Regent athletic programs have grown and become a thriving presence on campus.

Students, faculty, staff, and alumni take immense pride in the 12 intercollegiate men’s and women’s varsity teams that compete at the NCAA Division III level. Today, approximately one third of Rockford University students are athletes.

Rockford College establishes Rockford Men’s College and begins accepting male students.

Construction begins on the new East State Street campus.

Banty Bantam is introduced as mascot of Rockford Men’s College.

1953

Women’s crew team defeats the University of Wisconsin.

1955

1956

1957

1959

1960

Men’s intercollegiate athletics begin, including basketball.

Rockford Men’s College and Rockford College become one institution.

Regent mascot is introduced and purple and white are selected as the college’s official colors.

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Fielding Student-Athletes for 175

With the passing of Title IX, women’s sports officially join the university’s intercollegiate program; volleyball and basketball are the first.

1964

Rockford College moves to its new campus.

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1972

Men’s soccer team is co-champion of the Northern Illinois Intercollegiate Conference

The Rockford College Athletic Hall of Fame is created.

1976

Chip Geiger ’76 becomes the Regent’s first NCAA Division III national champion winning the one- and three-meter diving titles.

1980

1979

Men’s golf team wins Chicagoland Intercollegiate Golf Conference Championship.

1980

Years Rockford College joins the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) as a charter member.

Men’s golf team wins the conference championship — the team’s 12th since 1972.

Football joins the list of Rockford College athletic programs.

e.

1984

Reggie the Lion is introduced after the college holds a mascot contest. The winning submission was a drawing of a lion by Donna Addison ’84.

1997

1999

Men’s soccer team wins its 14th conference championship since 1969.

2000

2003

2006

Women’s volleyball team wins its second consecutive conference championship.

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Fielding Student-Athletes for 175

Women’s basketball team wins its third consecutive conference championship.

2006

Baseball team wins back-to-back NACC championships.

2008

2008

2010

Men’s cross country team wins the NACC championship.

Baseball team wins the NACC championship.

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Years

Rockford College becomes Rockford University.

2013

Four Rockford University athletic teams compete in the South Division NACC Tournaments: men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, baseball, and softball. Men’s basketball wins the South Division title and goes on to compete in the NACC Tournament championship game.

Thanks to generous donor support of the Rock Solid & Ready Campaign, Rockford University began a $3.5 million renovation of the Seaver Physical Education Center.

2016

2019

2020

2021

Reggie the Regent debuts a new look.

NACC spring and fall athletic seasons postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic; NACC athletics resume play in January 2021.

SPRING 2022 21

FACULTY NOTES

Gina Braun, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Education and Assistant Professor of Education, presented “Let’s Discuss: Engaging Adolescent Students in Meaningful Conversations About a Text” at the Teacher Education Division (TED) Annual Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, in November 2021. Braun and a former colleague co-created a framework to support students with learning disabilities in order to develop a deeper understanding of complex texts and have meaningful conversations with peers.

Yoandy Cabrera Ortega, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Classics and Spanish, published a bilingual anthology of early 21st century Cuban poets with help from Rockford University students. It was titled: “Equívocos/Misconceptions: Early 21st Century.”

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Genevive Dibley, Ph.D., Director of Religious Studies and Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, was elected the 129th president of the Chicago Society of Biblical Research. She is the seventh woman to hold the office.

Founded October 29, 1892, the Chicago Society for Biblical Research (CSBR) is the second oldest professional organization in the United States devoted to the academic study of the Bible.

Mehmet Dik, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics and Professor of Mathematics, completed two book reviews for CRC Press | Taylor & Francis Group and evaluated a post-doctoral fellowship project for the European Science Foundation.

Matthew Flamm, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy, attended the International Philosophical Conference titled “The Individual and the Community in American Philosophy in the 20th Century” held by the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, PAS, Warsaw, Poland (online). Flamm presented in his area of expertise, American philosophy, representing Rockford University.

Ronald Lee, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science, participated in the annual Northeastern Political Science Association Conference in November 2021, delivering a paper on the theme of prudence in foreign policy on a panel titled “Tyranny, Law, and History.”

also published a research article titled, “Reducing Employee Turnover Intentions in the Service Sector: The Connection Between Human Resource Development Practices and Employee Engagement” in the Wiley Online Library.

Paul McCombs, Adjunct Professor of Mathematics, presented “A Simple Activity that Spans Multiple Mathematical Levels” at the 47th Annual National Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges Conference in Phoenix, and virtually presented “Basic AE Activities to Enrich Learning” at the National Civil Air Patrol Conference in the fall of 2021.

Mandolen Mull, Ph.D., Chair of the Puri School of Business and Assistant Professor of Leadership presented “Narrative Leadership: A Tool for Developing Succession Planning and Generational Mentorship” at the Academy of Human Resource Development in Arlington, Virginia, in February 2022 with Omar Saulters ’19/’21. Mull

Kristen Ravel, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English, received a Certificate of Recognition for her "exemplary efforts to show love, integrity, advocacy, and mentorship to the LGBTQIA+ community" from the Liam Foundation. The Liam Foundation’s Gay-la fundraising event took place in October 2021.

Wellness Room on campus. Located in the Starr Science building, the room is a private space for mothers who are breastfeeding or feeding an infant with formula. Rushing’s desire was to establish a safe and comfortable place for students, faculty, and staff with children to be able to care for their child. The room opened at the start of spring semester 2022, fully furnished, painted, and equipped with a refrigerator and other necessities.

Tammy Schiek, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Kinesiology, presented "Give Me a Break: Creating a Kinesthetic Classroom Climate" at the Raising Student Achievement Conference in Schaumburg, Illinois, in December 2021.

Jennifer Rae, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English, worked with Rachel Rushing ’22 to create a Parent SPRING 2022 23

Jane Addams Medal for Distinguished Service HONORING NGOZI O. EZIKE, MD, FOR RESILIENCE AND LEADERSHIP On November 19, 2021, Rockford University presented Ngozi O. Ezike, MD, who led the Illinois Department of Public Health’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Jane Addams Medal

have taken a stand in their life that required critical thinking and courageous action.

These women, in the tradition of Jane Addams, are pioneers in their professions, outstanding in character, and recognized for their Dr. Ezike has shown incredible contributions to society. The medal ceremony — held on resilience in the face of the many campus — was attended challenges presented by the ongoing

by Dr. Ezike and her family, Illinois Lt. Governor Juliana COVID-19 pandemic. Through it all, Stratton, local government Dr. Ezike has proved to be an officials, the Rockford University Board of Trustees, empathetic, consistent, and guiding and other special guests.

“

force for the state of Illinois. for Distinguished Service. It is the university’s highest public recognition.

The award honors the legacy of Jane Addams by recognizing extraordinary women who

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”

In presenting the award, Rockford University President Eric Fulcomer said: “Dr. Ezike has shown incredible resilience in the face of the many challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Through

it all, Dr. Ezike has proved to be an empathetic, consistent, and guiding force for the state of Illinois.”

The Jane Addams Medal is held in great esteem. The award was established in 1944 by George Frazer, a Rockford College trustee, and the actual medal was designed by Chicago artist Andrene Kauffman.

The Jane Addams Medal has been awarded to 39 of the world’s most outstanding women in science, education, humanities, arts, law, literature, and other fields of endeavor. The first recipient was Dr. Florence Sabin. She was one of the first women physicians to build a career as a research scientist and the first woman on the faculty at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dr. Sabin received the award during Rockford University’s Centennial Celebration on May 3, 1947.

honoring our Jane addams medal receipients over the years Dr. Florence Rena Sabin, 1947 Katherine Cornell, 1950 Lea Demarest Taylor, 1953 Vera Micheles Dean, 1954 Bernice Taber van der Vries, 1956 Elizabeth Wallace, 1957 Ada Comstock Notestein, 1958 Dr. Sara M. Jordan, 1958 Maria Martinez, 1959 Alice Koller Leopold, 1960 Helen Rogers Reid, 1961 Edith Hamilton, 1962 Dr. Helen Constance White, 1963 Dr. Connie Guion, 1963 Queen Frederika of Greece, 1964 Blanche Ebert Seaver, 1964 Juanita Kidd Stout, 1966 Carol Fox, 1967 Maria Tallchief, 1973 Dr. Marina von Neumann-Whitman, 1976 Corrie Ten Boom, 1978 Helen Hayes, 1981 Commodore Grace Murray Hopper, 1984 Leontyne Price, 1985 Mary Leakey, 1986 Sandra Day O’Connor, 1987 Dr. Mary Ashby Cheek, 1987 Hanna Holborn Grey, 1988 Gwendolyn Brooks, 1991 Georgie Anne Geyer, 1992 Lynn Morley Martin, 1996 Beverly Sills, 2002 Jane Alexander, 2004 Anne Sofie von Otter, 2004 Jean Bethke Elshtain, 2005 Twyla Tharp, 2006 Mary Robinson, 2007 Tammy Duckworth, 2020 Dr. Ngozi O. Ezike, 2021 SPRING 2022 25

Class notes Georgia Bilas Applegate ’67 served as president of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) of Oregon for two years, concluding in 2020, and now is the newly created technology committee chair for AAUW of Oregon.

Georgia also continues to serve on the AAUW of Oregon public policy committee as she has for the past four-plus years.

In addition, she serves as the communication vice president, the public policy chair, and the technology chair for her local AAUW Grants Pass Branch of Oregon. Georgia belongs to the Zonta Club of Grants Pass, served as its president for two years and now serves on the Zonta USA Caucus. Her husband, David, is very active in the American Legion in Oregon, serving in many leadership positions. Their son, Jesse, is active with the Mazamas, a mountaineering organization, being its president this year and serving on the Board of the Hillsboro Flying Club.

Lauren Poppen ’06 was promoted to CFO of The Equitable Bank located in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, in July 2020. She has been at the bank for more than seven years. In addition, Lauren's work was featured on the cover of the Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants (WICPA) “On Balance” Sept/Oct issue because of a set of mannequins that she painted and installed as art in the front yard of her Milwaukee home.

Jason Kight ’09 was promoted to associate professor with tenure at Winona State University in the field of business law.

William Fuller ’00 is an Emmy-nominated writer, artist, producer, and composer. Originally from Chicago and now living in Los Angeles, Wil is signed to Run + Gun Music. In the early 2000s, he gained recognition internationally as an artist known as Tha Vill, with songs like “Ride It,” “More Than Friends,” and “Fiber Optic Love.” His professional film and TV credits began in 2008 with placements on MTV and his creation of the first-ever hip-hop major network station ID west of the Mississippi for KTLA in Los Angeles. He’s since become a go-to writer, producer, and composer for studios, network production companies, and artists. His recognizable TV and film credits include “The Muppets” (ABC), “Ice Age 5,” “Arlo” (Netflix), and “On The Record” (HBO Max).

Laura Wilhelmi Knight ’04 joined Northern Illinois University as the Senior Director of Advancement for its College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, as of November 2021.

Matt Pilch ’05 was named Volunteer of the Year for Curaleaf’s community outreach program. In the three years that Matt has been head of the program, participation is at an all-time high.

For Matt, the award sums up his life’s work and passion.

11 CATALYST 26 Campus

Linette Rojas ’14, a personal trainer and group fitness instructor in the healthy living department at the YMCA of the Rock River Valley, has been named to the 2021 YUSA Emerging Leaders Resource Network 30 Under 30. There were 121 nominations from YMCAs nationwide. The 30 Under 30 program recognizes 30 staff under the age of 30 who possess excitement, passion, and purpose while furthering the YMCA’s mission and values with a strong record of innovation, outstanding performance, and a track record of community involvement, especially in areas of diversity, inclusion, and global initiatives that align with the YMCA mission of strengthening community for all.

Submit a Class Note!

The university welcomes news in the lives of our alumni. For consideration, please submit information and optional photo online at rockford.edu/ alumni/catalyst.

Daniel Switzer ’11 was a part of the ensemble and played the roles of Olaf and Weselton in the theater production of “Frozen.”

The show ran at the Cadillac Palace Theater in Chicago during winter 2021-22.

Bryan Amezquita ’17 recently published a book titled “Little Billi: A Success & Wealth Perspective to Grow the Little Billionaire in You.”

Join the Addams Circle and Change Lives Want to make a difference like Jane Addams? Join the Addams Circle!

This group of dynamic alumnae helps Rockford University female students become architects of their own lives, both during college and after.

The group volunteers to mentor female students, network with female graduates, and serve as a resource to the Rockford University community.

If you are interested in joining,

please visit rockford.edu/alumni/addams-circle

SPRING 2022 27

Former Soccer Stand-out Recalls Fond Memories of Rockford Louis Mateus ’85 hadn’t even visited Rockford University before deciding to attend in the early 1980s, but he had no doubt that it would be a great fit for him. He grew up in Azores, Portugal before his family moved to Massachusetts when he was 16 years old.

What made him choose to enroll with blind faith was the university’s soccer team. He was recruited by then soccer coach Paul Banta and appreciated the caring and engaging personalities of all the coaching staff, as well as the caliber of the team.

During his time at Rockford University, Mateus kept himself busy by participating in a number of clubs and activities, including the Spanish Club and intramural sports. Coach Banta required the soccer team to get involved in the community through volunteering every week.

Mateus fondly recalls volunteering with the Rockford United Soccer Club during this time.

Mateus graduated in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in recreation, predecessor to the sports management degree. He said his memories of attending Rockford are plentiful, but what he appreciated most was how people made him feel throughout his four years at the university.

“As a foreign kid, English was a challenge, but every faculty and staff member was there to help me,” Mateus said.

He added that he was the first in his family to both earn a high school diploma and graduate from college — something he’s deeply proud of.

Mateus playing soccer during his time at Rockford College.

28 CATALYST

“I take a lot of pride in having a degree from Rockford University,” Mateus said.

Immediately after graduating, Mateus signed a soccer contract with the Milwaukee Wave professional indoor soccer team, and he played for them for the next seven years. During that time, he was named the head soccer coach for National Louis University in Chicago, where he started the college’s first men's soccer team.

“The goal was to give inner-city kids the opportunity to go to college,” Mateus said. “Ninety-nine percent of those kids were minorities from the city of Chicago. They were kids just like me at that time.”

After four years, Mateus was hired by Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois, as the head soccer coach and he started their women’s team. Then, nine years later, Mateus moved back to Rockford, where he’s spent the past 20-plus years as the

general manager for Mercyhealth Sportscore complexes.

Over the years, Mateus has made a point to stay connected with the university he’s so fond of. In 1997, he took over the the role as Rockford University’s head men’s soccer coach when the program was at its lowest, going without wins for two years. In the four years he held the role of head coach, the team never had a losing record.

In honor of his successful soccer career, Mateus was inducted into the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996 – another point of pride for him.

For the last 26 years, his wife, Jennifer, has been by his side.

The couple have two sons: Mathis, who is in his third year at New England College of Optometry, and Tanner, who is a junior at Benedictine University.

Mateus will always be grateful for his time at Rockford University and for the sport of soccer, which gave him the opportunity to pursue and earn a college degree.

Mateus (left) pictured in Boston at an Under-14 US National Team Soccer camp, where he served as an assistant coach.

SPRING 2022 29

30 CATALYST 34 Campus

IN MEMORIAM Theodora Colletti Hellie ’40, July 10, 2021

Elizabeth Tinsley Alexander ’62, January 20, 2022

Jorge I. Estrada ’80, June 21, 2021

Alice Dahlstrom Johnson ’42, December 10, 2021

Phillip M. Strand ’63, November 14, 2021

Barbara Neier Bates ’82, December 09, 2021

Edith Brand Leuenberger ’46, October 08, 2021

Marguerite Harris Swenson ’64, July 10, 2021

Victoria Keriz Bell ’83, September 14, 2021

Carol Jones Chadwick ’46, December 11, 2021

Willa Walker Mehta ’65, November 10, 2021

David DeMauro ’84, August 28, 2021

Gail Huibregtse McNeill ’48, December 23, 2021

Andrew C. Hinkle ’66, August 14, 2021

Richard Leakey ’84, January 02, 2022

Mary Jevdet ’50, September 26, 2021

Joan Stryker Grubaugh ’67, December 28, 2021

Thomas Schingoethe ’86, November 07, 2021

Gloria Grossman Taradash ’50, December 24, 2021

Shirley Morris Lautenschlager ’68, October 01, 2021

Amy Nyman ’87, November 19, 2021

Charlotte Bennett Babcock ’51, December 30, 2021

Robert C. Ward Sr. ’70, August 19, 2021

Arthur K. Graham ’93, December 06, 2021

Richard "Dick" Nyquist ’52, October 25, 2020

Rev. Leigh F. Nygard ’70, January 09, 2022

Dina Knoedler ’95, August 27, 2021

Helen Wencel Sawtell ’52, August 07, 2021

Phyllis Gordon ’71, August 16, 2021

Clara Monroe Lautz ’52, October 12, 2021

Robert "Chuttee" L. March III ’72, November 11, 2018

Donna Mahan Kaiser ’52, December 16, 2021

Robert E. Welsh ’72, September 08, 2021

Dorothy Griffith MacDonald ’54, December 19, 2019

Jess C. Nelson ’73, September 11, 2012

Nancy Kron Sievers ’55, December 12, 2021

Lawrence A. Ross ’74, December 20, 2021

Barbara Hanson ’57, June 18, 2021

Janice Borchardt Kooistra ’75, December 28, 2021

Joan L. Chadbourne ’57, January 08, 2022

Michael C. Dal Fratello ’76, December 10, 2021

Kenneth B. Barker Sr. ’59, January 11, 2022

Mary Marti Southard ’79, January 13, 2022

SPRING 2022 31

Save the date!

Rockford University

Reunion

Sept. 30 - Oct. 1, 2022 If you would like to help make Reunion 2022 a fun-filled time for your class, please contact the Alumni Office at 815.394.5111 or alumni@rockford.edu.

2022 Alumni Award Nominations If you know an alumna/us who has done exceptional work in their field or for the university, please visit rockford.edu/alumni/awards to submit your nominations online. Self-nominations are also welcome.

Nominations are due July 1, 2022.

32 CATALYST 36 Campus

Ensuring Students Succeed for the Next 175 Years.

Thanks to the support of generous donors, thousands of students have graduated from Rockford University over the last 175 years and gone on to be successful alumni with fulfilling lives and careers. You can make sure the tradition continues for the next 175 years by giving to the Charter Annual Fund today.

SCAN TO GIVE NOW:

ROCKFORD.EDU/GIVE

OR RETURN THE ENCLOSED REMISSION ENVELOPE.

Office of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement 5050 E. State St. Rockford, IL 61108 815.394.5111 rockford.edu

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