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southwest news

from iraq dean sinclair

alumni achievement

REC construction

A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF SOUTHWEST MIINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

S o u t h we s t ’s h i s to r y i s c e l e b r a t e d w i t h a n ew m u r a l i n t h e A l u m n i H e r i t a ge G a l l e r y, l o c a t e d o n t h e s e c o n d f l o o r o f t h e St u d e n t C e n t e r. R ev is i t yo u r S o u t h we s t a n d c e l e b r a t e 4 0 ye a r s .

Published by SMSU Alumni Office 1501 State Street • Marshall, MN 56258

Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 97

Happy Birthday, SMSU! CELEBRATING 40 YEARS!

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GO Brown and Gold!

Winter Sport SCHEDULES WRESTLING Jan. 5 Dana Open, Blair, Neb., 9 a.m.

Jan. 8 Jamestown (N.D.), Jamestown, N.D., 6 p.m.

Jan. 11 Augustana (S.D.), Sioux Falls, S.D., 7 p.m.

Jan. 16 St. John’s, MARSHALL, 7 p.m.

Jan. 19 Mary *, MARSHALL, 2 p.m.

Jan. 26 Central Missouri State Dual, Warrensburg, Mo., 10 a.m.

Feb. 2 St. Cloud State, St. Cloud, Minn., 7 p.m.

Feb. 3 Concordia-Moorhead, Moorhead, Minn., 2 p.m.

Feb. 7 Minnesota State Moorhead *, Moorhead, Minn., 7 p.m.

Feb. 9 North Country Open, Collegeville, Minn., 9 a.m Feb. 13 Northern State *, MARSHALL, 7 p.m.

Feb. 16 Minnesota State, Mankato, MARSHALL, 7 p.m.

Feb. 22 Upper Iowa *, Fayette, Iowa, 7 p.m.

Mar. 2 NCAA North Regional, Mankato, Minn., 12 p.m.

WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL Jan. 18 Illinois (women) , Edinboro, Pa. 9 a.m.

Jan. 18 Illinois (men) Edinboro, Pa. 12:30 p.m.

Jan. 18 Wisconsin-Whitewater Edinboro, Pa. 4 p.m.

Jan. 19 Edinboro (Pa.) Edinboro, Pa. 9 a.m.

Feb. 1 Alabama Columbia, Mo. TBA Feb. 1 Arizona Columbia, Mo. TBA Feb. 1 Oklahoma State Columbia, Mo. TBA Feb. 2 Texas-Arlington Columbia, Mo. TBA Feb. 2 Missouri Columbia, Mo. TBA Feb. 15 Illinois (women) Champaign, Ill. TBA Feb. 15 Illinois (men) Champaign, Ill. TBA Feb. 16 Edinboro (Pa.) Champaign, Ill. TBA Feb. 16 Wisconsin-Whitewater Champagin, Ill. TBA Mar. 13-16 NIWB Tournament Stillwater, Okla. TBA

MEN’S BASKETBALL Dec. 13 Augustana (S.D.), MARSHALL, 7 p.m.

Dec. 16 Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, Minn., 3 p.m.

Dec. 20 St. Cloud State, MARSHALL, 7 p.m.

Dec. 29 Lynn (Fla.), Boca Raton, Fla., 6 p.m. CST Jan. 4 Winona State *, Winona, Minn., 8 p.m.

Jan. 5 Upper Iowa *, Fayette, Iowa, 8 p.m.

Jan. 12 Wayne State *, Wayne, Neb., 8 p.m.

Jan. 18 MSU Moorhead *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Jan. 19 Concordia *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Jan. 22 Minnesota State, Mankato, Mankato, Minn., 7 p.m.

Jan. 25 Minnesota, Crookston *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Jan. 26 Bemidji State *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Feb. 1 Mary * , Bismarck, N.D., 8 p.m.

Feb. 2 Northern State *, Aberdeen, S.D., 8 p.m.

Feb. 8 Upper Iowa *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Feb. 9 Winona State *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Feb. 16 Wayne State *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Feb. 22 Concordia *, St. Paul, Minn., 8 p.m.

Feb. 23 MSU Moorhead *, Moorhead, Minn., 8 p.m.

Mar. 1 NSIC Tournament, TBA Mar. 7-8 NSIC Tournament, TBA Mar. 15-18 NCAA Regional, TBA Mar. 26-29 NCAA Elite Eight, Springfield, Mass., TBA

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Dec. 15 South Dakota Vermillion, S.D. 4 p.m.

Dec. 18 Iowa Wesleyan MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Dec. 20 Minnesota State, Mankato Mankato, Minn. 6 p.m.

Dec. 31 Augustana (S.D.) MARSHALL 3 p.m.

Jan. 4 Winona State * Winona, Minn. 6 p.m.

Jan. 5 Upper Iowa * Fayette, Iowa 6 p.m.

Jan. 12 Wayne State * Wayne, Neb. 6 p.m.

Jan. 18 MSU Moorhead * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Jan. 19 Concordia * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Jan. 25 Minnesota, Crookston * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Jan. 26 Bemidji State * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Feb. 1 Mary * Bismarck, N.D. 6 p.m.

Feb. 2 Northern State * Aberdeen, S.D. 6 p.m.

Feb. 8 Upper Iowa * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Feb. 9 Winona State * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Feb. 16 Wayne State * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Feb. 19 North Central (Minn.) MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Feb. 22 Concordia * St. Paul, Minn. 6 p.m.

Feb. 23 MSU Moorhead* Moorhead, Minn. 6 p.m.

Mar. 1 NSIC Tournament TBA TBA Mar. 8 NSIC Tournament TBA TBA Mar. 9 NSIC Tournament TBA TBA * NSIC matchup

A magazine for alumni & friends of Southwest Minnesota State University

Fall/Winter 2007 volume 27 number 1

CONTENTS 3 southwest news 5 get to know us 6 an alumnus in iraq 9 campaign for southwest 10 alumni spotlight 11 alumni connections 14 athletics 15 class notes President Dr. David C. Danahar Vice President for Advancement Dr. Vincent M. Pellegrino Executive Director of Foundation Bill Mulso ʼ93 Director of Alumni Relations and Focus Editor Tyler Bowen ʼ95 Designer Marcy D. Olson, ʼ93/MBAʼ05

Senior Writer and Photographer Jim Tate Contributors Stacy Frost ʼ93 Sara Granheim ʼ02/MBA ʼ04 Crystal Kruger Kelly Loft ʼ97 Andy Schlichting ʼ06 Front Cover Photograph Greg Devereaux, Devereaux Photography Inside Back Cover Photograph Menʼs Basketball, courtesy of the Marshall Independent

Digital graphics courtesy of CottageArts.net Focus (USPS 565-770) is published twice each year for alumni and friends of Southwest Minnesota State University by the Alumni Office.

Opinions expressed in Focus do not necessarily reflect official University policy. Send correspondence, name changes and address corrections to: Focus, Alumni Office, Southwest Minnesota State University, 1501 State Street, Marshall, MN 56258 or call (507) 537-6266.

Focus is not copyrighted. Unless otherwise noted, articles may be reprinted without permission if credit is given to Southwest Minnesota State University.

Southwest Minnesota State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action educator and employer. Southwest Minnesota State University is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

This document can be made available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities. Please make your request by calling 507-537-6266, 1-800-260-0970, or through the Minnesota Relay Service at 1-800-627-3529.

FOCUS MAGAZINE

FALL/WINTER 2007 1

from the provost

MESSAGE FROM THE PROVOST Dear Alumni and Friends, As you will see in this issue of FOCUS, the SMSU story continues with a year-long celebration of our forty years of educating students. This semester alone, the celebration has encompassed musical tributes, gallery exhibits, our first-ever Ag Bowl, alumni gatherings, and the publication of Farming Words: The Harvest of Literature at a Prairie College.

Underpinning all of this is the realization that we have changed… and changed, and changed. Forty, whether for an institution or an individual, denotes a certain stage of maturation. In fact, author Willa Cather said that she didn’t think her works could be understood by anyone under forty. What are SMSU’s new understandings about itself and our mission, now that we are coming of age?

For one, a number of us have been noting lately that we have now built a critical mass of alumni and friends. It seems that wherever we go, we meet people with connections to SMSU. In a store in Minneapolis recently, a woman asked me where I was from. Marshall. Her son, she said, had graduated from SMSU. I recognized his name and realized when she showed me his picture that he had been in one of my classes. This mother glowed, telling me how SMSU transformed her son’s life. This community understands that transformation is what we are about.

Your

We appreciate your eagerness to continue to be a part of our story. Your energy, ideas, and generosity tell us that the work of our university community is not only valuable, but essential. Write to us. Call. Tell us how we transformed your life.

Best wishes, as always,

Beth Weatherby

2 0 0 7 - 2 0 0 8 Alumni Board of Directors

President Bruce Bossuyt ’96 Sioux Falls, SD

Paula Wolter ’91/’00 Windom, MN Sedric McClure ’94 Brooklyn Park, MN

Vice President Amanda Romaine ’03 St. Cloud, MN

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On campus, we are continually engaged in transforming our university to meet the needs of our ever-changing environment. Faculty are carefully crafting a new liberal arts core to continue to strengthen the overall impact of an SMSU education, answering the call to graduate students who, in the words of Carol Schneider, president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, “develop big-picture understanding and sophisticated intellectual capacities, as well as the practical acumen to get things done in the real world.” As I write this, faculty are preparing students to present their work at the second annual Undergraduate Research Conference. Our business and education faculty, in addition to serving large numbers of majors oncampus, travel either physically or via technology to serve educational needs around the entire state of Minnesota. We are proud, as well, to offer new programs in Agronomy, Culinology, and Professional Writing.

Chuck Larsen ’75 Minneapolis, MN

Secretary/Treasurer Deb Mitlyng ’85 Marshall, MN

Jason Mortvedt ’78 Blue Earth, MN

Karen VanKeulen ’87 Ghent, MN

Carole Toft-Ness ’80 Hendricks, MN

G. David Peterson ’75 West Des Moines, IA

Dr. Jim Walters ’89 Rochester, MN

FALL/WINTER 2007

FOCUS MAGAZINE

Michelle Anderson ’88 Rochester, MN Jan Nelson ’73 Redwood Falls, MN Robert Walker ’98/MBA’04 Marshall, MN Jason Hoffman ’99 Faribault, MN Executive Director Tyler Bowen ’95 Marshall, MN bowent@SouthwestMSU.edu

southwest news

Wefald Returns to Southwest in May hen Jon Wefald returned to Southwest on May 12 to deliver the 2007 commencement address, it was like coming home. He also received an honorary doctorate from the University during the ceremonies.

Wefald served as the third president at Southwest Minnesota State University and is the man credited with saving the university when things got tough in those early years.

Wefald was honored with a reception upon his arrival on May 11, where a street sign bearing his name was unveiled. “Wefald Drive” is now the name of the street that runs in front of Founders Hall.

He was president from 1977-1982, and is currently the president of Kansas State University.

“When I arrived at SSU, I saw a place of potential and upside,” he said. “I am somebody that believes one person can make a difference,” he said, echoing the First Year Experience theme this academic year. “America was built by those who thought they could make a difference. I thought if I could go (to SSU) and unite the faculty and administration, and then the campus and community, that it could galvanize southwest Minnesota.”

Wefald is best remembered as the president who got to know every back road in the area. He personally visited each high school within a 90-mile radius of Marshall, talking to potential students and spreading the word about the university while he built bridges with the community and region.

Where there was an audience that would listen, Wefald was there. After talking at high schools during the day, he would speak to civic groups in the evenings — area chambers of commerce, Rotary

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clubs, farmers’ unions. He was a walking, talking billboard for the university, and his tireless efforts soon paid dividends.

Freshman enrollment increased at SSU 40 percent after his first year. “We got momentum,” he said. “We reunited administration and faculty, got the image changed.

We had all new relationships, and we restored hope.”

He left SSU to become chancellor of the Minnesota State University System, as it was known before technical and community colleges and seven four-year institutions combined under the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities umbrella. Prior to coming to SSU, Wefald was the state’s agriculture commissioner and before that, a history professor at Gustavus Adolphus.

Wefald now heads an institution that leads the nation’s public universities in the total number of Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater and Udall scholarship winners. Its enrollment has increased steadily each year, and it has become a Big 12 Conference athletic power.

He thoroughly enjoyed his visit back to the university he helped build. “I have many good friends at SMSU,” he said. “I love Minnesota with all my heart.”

Jon Wefald, right, reunites with faculty members Jack Hickerson, left, and Ed Carberry, center.

Travis Berg in England

Senior Travis Berg and Dr. Steve Kramer travel to Oxford

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ome professors never have the honor of presenting a paper at prestigious Oxford University in England.

SMSU senior Philosophy and History major Travis Berg has done it already.

The Clarkfield native presented a paper at the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery on Sept.

8-9. He was accompanied by Philosophy Professor Dr. Steve Kramer, who also presented a paper.

Berg’s paper was entitled “From Rules to Principles: The Transformation of a Jewish Agricultural Ethic.” Kramer’s paper was entitled “How Clean is Your Plate?”

It was Kramer who mentioned the Oxford symposium to Berg. Berg submitted his paper for consideration, and it was accepted.

Berg plans on attending Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind., next year. He is a spiritual young man who would like to eventually get a doctorate in either philosophic theology or historic theology.

Berg describes Oxford as “very cosmopolitan. You hear many languages there. It’s a very worldly town with a deep history that you can just feel. You read about places like that, but you don’t get the full experience unless you go.”

And while the enormity of Berg’s accomplishment may not hit him for a while, it is not lost on Kramer.

“For a student at SMSU to deliver a paper at Oxford is huge,” Kramer said. “Most professors seek out this opportunity and rarely get it, and here we have a student who was selected.”

FOCUS MAGAZINE

Dr. Steve Kramer

FALL/WINTER 2007

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southwest news

Goodbye

Weatherby takes the lead as Provost

F-Hall

A familiar face has been named provost at Southwest Minnesota State University.

Dr. Beth Weatherby, former dean of the College of Arts, Letters & Sciences, was named provost by SMSU President Dr. David Danahar. She began her duties July 1.

Weatherby replaces Dr. Ray Lou, who retired at the end of the 2006-2007 academic year.

The provost is the chief academic officer at SMSU and the number two administrator at the university. The provost is in charge of Academic and Student Affairs.

Weatherby had been the dean of the College of Arts, Letters & Sciences since March 2004. She was interim dean from July 2002 - Feb. 2004.

She came to SMSU in 1992 as an assistant professor of English. She was the Creative Writing director from 1992 through 2000.

She received her Doctor of Arts in English and Creative Writing from the University of New York at Albany in 1992. She has a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of

Journalism, Evanston, Ill. Weatherby won the President’s Exceptional Performance Award in 2005 and 2006, and was a Minnesota Book Award winner for Short Fiction in 1998 for her work, Small Invasions. She was a Salzburg Seminar Fellow in 1998, and in 1997 received a Loft-McKnight Artist Fellowship in Creative Prose.

She is a co-founder of the Women’s Studies Program and the New Works Faculty Forum at SMSU, and is on numerous campus and community boards and committees.

“I’m very honored to be named the provost at SMSU,” said Weatherby. “The university is heading in a positive direction under the guidance of President Danahar, and I look forward to this new challenge.”

Dr. Betsy Desy has been named the interim Dean of the College of Arts, Letters and Sciences.

Dr. Gerry Toland has been named interim Dean of Distance Learning. He replaces Dr. John Bowden, who retired.

Southwest hosts its first Boys State event in June

F-Hall Residence Hall is being demolished to make way for a new residence hall on campus.

Construction crews began taking down F-Hall in October.

Desiderata, Vivarium and Casa Futura houses made up F-Hall.

A three-story, 250-bed residence hall will take its place, according to Cyndi Holm, Facilities Director at SMSU.

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FALL/WINTER 2007

Four hundred high school juniors from across the state of Minnesota made SMSU their home for a week this past June when the university hosted the annual Boys State event.

SMSU was awarded the annual gathering for five years through a bidding process and according to Mike Bredeck, one of the event coordinators, the university was a tremendous host.

“SMSU really went out of its way to make sure that things went smoothly,” said Bredeck.

“Everything about Boys State went well, and we have Southwest to thank for that. It proved to be a

FOCUS MAGAZINE

great host, and we’re looking forward to having boys state the next four years.”

Boys State is an exercise in democracy. Each boy is assigned to a city, and the boys may then run for any number of offices, from mayor to governor.

The week-long event includes hands-on government, from the endorsing process to a candidates’ convention. Boys learn about the democratic process in a fun setting that keeps them busy from sun-up to sun-down.

There is a Boys State choir and band, a daily newspaper, athletic contests, and an impressive list of speakers who kept the participants informed and entertained during the week. Former Gov. Al Quie made an appearance, a Boys State first, said Bredeck.

The boys represented various American Legion posts from across the state. While at SMSU, they not only learned about how a democratic government works, they were also exposed to what SMSU has to offer. The SMSU Foundation will award scholarships to any Boys State participant who chooses to attend SMSU. “It’s a real win-win for the university,” said Marty Seifert, House minority leader and an SMSU admissions counselor. “We have the best and the brightest on our campus, and we want to make a good impression on them.”

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get to know us

Xavier Pastrano on being an individual at SMSU avier Pastrano is happiest when he is writing Pastrano came to SMSU due to a couple of music. friends who told him about the university. “It sounded like a good fit for me, and it has been,” he “It’s therapy for me,” he said. “I try to find a way said.

He’s involved with Drama Club and theatre of putting what’s happened in my life into song.”

The senior Creative Writing major from Sioux productions, and has enjoyed his time at SMSU. “I Falls, S.D. has released one album already, entitled like the small-town atmosphere,” he said. “I came “Out of the Shadows Into the Light.” He plans on from a smaller high school (Sioux Falls O’Gorman) getting into the studio during Christmas break and and I like being known as an individual as far as the recording a second, including eight songs he’s professors go. I’ve made a ton of new friends, and I written recently. would not trade it for anything. It’s been a blast.”

He is musically talented, but admits to not being After graduating in May, he plans on getting his able to read music very well. “I play the guitar, bass, master’s and doctorate in Creative Writing so he drums, do vocals and dabble in piano,” he said. can teach fiction writing and screen writing at the “I’m not that good at the technical aspect of music, college level.

He is the son of Radmon and Judith Pastrano of but I do enjoy it.”

He plays coffeehouses in the Sioux Falls area, Sioux Falls. and has performed in Marshall, as well.

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Xavier Pastrano

David Pichaske teaching and telling the stories of Midwest MSU was ahead of its time from the beginning. That’s what drew the English professor Dave Pichaske to Marshall in 1981.

“It was ahead of the curve in two areas — rural studies and women’s athletics,” said Pichaske. “We were doing 30 years ago what everyone is interested in today.”

Pichaske is a man of the ’60s and considers himself something of a Bob Dylan aficionado. He describes his personality as a bit irreverent, “something we need more of today,” he said. He owns a publishing company, Ellis Press and Spoon River Poetry Press, and has authored, edited, collaborated and assisted with many books over the years.

Pichaske is a Buffalo, N.Y. native who grew up near Philadelphia. He made his way to the Midwest when he earned his master’s and Ph.D. at Ohio University. “I like the Midwest. I like open spaces

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and the values of the people here.”

Learning about other places and people intrigues Pichaske, who loves to travel and write about the places he’s seen. His favorite place is Mongolia, but Germany, Poland and Latvia are not far behind.

Pichaske’s latest publishing effort is a collaboration with English professor Bill Holm on a book entitled “Farming Words: The Harvest of Literature at a Prairie College.” It includes fiction, poetry, essays, memoir, “anything that qualifies as literature,” said Pichaske.

The book is split into three sections and includes writings by mentors, former faculty and students at SMSU, and friends of the University. “This is Bill’s book, I did the technical stuff,” said Pichaske.

The book is available with a donation to the SMSU Foundation, which will go toward scholarships for SMSU students. It is available by calling 507-537-6266.

David Pichaske

Wanda Paluch enjoys the contact with students s far as Wanda Paluch is concerned, it’s the students who make her job so enjoyable.

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Paluch is the cashier in the Business Services office, a position she has held since February 1999.

She is the person who students see when they pay their bills.

“The day-to-day contact I have with the students is my favorite part of the job,” she said. “Some students will come in and just chat. I love those opportunities. I enjoy getting to know the students, watching them progress during their time here.”

Wanda and her husband Mark live in Ivanhoe and are the parents of five children ranging in age from 15 to 25. She is a Clarkfield native who attended the University of Minnesota-Morris.

Prior to coming to SMSU, she was a grain

elevator bookkeeper in Hendricks.

“I wanted to get back into a campus atmosphere.

I really missed that,” she said.

She strives to give students the personal attention that sets SMSU apart. “I try to read the students. Is this the question they are asking, or are they asking something else? Are they worried about something that I can help with? It’s all part of the job.”

She enjoys being a problem-solver. “Students often have questions. They want someone to talk to, answer their questions. They know they can come and ask us. We tell them not to worry, we don’t bite.”

Away from the job, she enjoys Norwegian hardanger embroidery. “It’s a fairly formal and traditional form of embroidery,” she said.

FOCUS MAGAZINE

Wanda Paluch

FALL/WINTER 2007

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You’ve heard of the movie “An American in Paris.” If a movie were made about Dean Sinclair—and it could be—it would be entitled “An Alumnus in Baghdad.”

Sinclair has been in Iraq since March of 2004, working for the Iraqi company ALMCO Group as a project director. He’s not a member of the U.S. military, though it is the military that ALMCO Group does the majority of its business.

“The last two years I’ve been bringing new projects in. I do the business development. I smooth the deal,” he said.

As one of the few Americans working for the company, it’s his job to make sure the ALMCO Group bids make sense to the American eyes that read the proposals.

“I write proposals for new work, and our client is always either the U.S. government or a U.S. contractor. ALMCO Group provides the best life support to the U.S. military in Iraq. That is not bragging.”

ALMCO provides about 15,000 meals per day to Iraqi prisoners. The company also builds life support camps for the U.S. and Iraqi military.

“All of this work is started with a contract and to get to that point, the U.S. Joint Contracting Command reviews our proposal and selects it in a competitive process.

Depending on the size of the project, these proposals can get pretty big — several volumes. I help make sure our written descriptions are understandable to American minds. I also look for new business, and right now, business is rolling in fast.”

One recent project has resulted in the employment of 1,500 Iraqis. “It involves temporary professional service people right here in the International Zone.” Think of it as a Kelly service project. “Accounting, housekeeping, facilities management, but also logistics, whatever the client wants, we do,” he said.

He travels all over Iraq as part of his job. “It feels like my residence is either the International Zone or the Baghdad airport. I’ll take military helicopters to many places.”

Top photo: Dean Sinclair is shown at Abraham's home area, called Ur, two hours south of Baghdad.

Bottom photo: Sinclair is shown with the first U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte.

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FALL/WINTER 2007

FOCUS MAGAZINE

Dean Sinclair The International Zone is a military guarded area in Baghdad. It used to be referred to as the Green Zone.

ALMCO projects run the gamut, from sewer and septic and electric installation to the building and operation of entire camps.

“We built an Iraqi training camp for 1,700 Iraqi military not long ago, a gift from the U.S. government to Iraq,” said Sinclair.

The camp consists of a community of trailers. “There’s no such thing as nice streets.

The roads are gravel,” he explained. “The trailers aren’t palaces, they are trailers. Baghdad is a city of trailers.”

ALMCO Group has grown by leaps and bounds since its beginning in 2003. It was started by an Iraqi who left the country with his family when he was young. He grew up in Kuwait and later England and became a businessman. He returned to Iraq in 2003 to start the company, and it has grown from six people and a $500 job hauling water to a $200 million company and over 4,400 employees. Ninety-seven percent of the employees are Iraqi. “I think there are only three or four Americans,” said Sinclair.

Most of Sinclair’s career has been as a government service contractor. “I’m proud of what I have done,” he said. “The military has never functioned very well without the hands of contractors.”

He jokes with a friend that if the war in Iraq was left to contractors, “it would be over already at one-tenth of the cost.”

He has helped start and coordinate service contracts all over the U.S., and projects have included facilities maintenance, transportation, security, ground maintenance and housekeeping.

“Contractors are called on to do a number of interesting things,” he said, mentioning a maintenance contract he oversaw at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in New Mexico. “We maintained two indoor firing ranges the size of a football field, three passenger jets used to train Air Marshals, a law enforcement driving courses, field ranges, shoot houses and a barn that used to get assaulted about once a week,” he said.

Life in Iraq is drastically different from the farm he grew up on north of Wabasso.

His closest friends are Iraqi citizens. “The

Iraqis are very hospitable,” he said. “That probably seems funny, being in the middle of a war and everything.” It’s the generosity of the people that strikes a visitor, he said. “If you sit down in their home, I guarantee they’ll put the nicest cup of tea they have in front of you, and they are going to make sure you get the best food or snack they have in the house, and they’ll insist you stay for dinner.”

Most Iraqis, he feels, consider America a “great liberator, a big brother,” he said. “I have many Iraqi friends and it is common in this culture for men and women to express affection by saying ‘habibi’ or ‘I love you.’ It is not just men and women but everybody who uses the phrase. When men or women say ‘habibi’ to you, it brings joy and delight. I get that all the time. The work we do is appreciated by the Iraqis. Under Saddam, everything was controlled.”

The International Zone where Sinclair lives in Baghdad is safe, he said. “The greatest danger is from rocket attacks, and they are ineffective,” he said. “Most living areas in the international zone are honeycombed with concrete ‘T-wall’ barriers that really limit the blast range of a rocket. I would have more real fear riding a bicycle along a busy roadway in America.

“People handle it in many ways. Most people don’t live with a high sense of impending doom over here.”

The violence he sees has affected him personally. “Yes, I’ve lost friends here,” he said.

Iraqi citizens at times feel helpless, he said.

“They feel, in a way, there is no way to stop the violence that exists at so many different levels.

There is also a tremendous amount of violence from Syria, Iran, even Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Palestine. All of those different countries in this part of the world are sending terrorist insurgents here. I’ve personally seen some of the ways they are smuggled into the country. It’s not really smuggling. The U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico are more closed and secure than what the Iraq borders have ever been. These are hired guns, wellarmed and well trained from other countries, and they are knowledgeable about how to move about here.”

When he first arrived in Baghdad, he lived outside of the International Zone. “I think it’s ironic that right after I arrived, you could live out there,” he said. “But after Saddam fell, it

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Dean Sinclair

switched from a conventional war — one with bombs, airplanes, tanks — to a guerilla war, so for security reasons, I moved into the International Zone.”

Iraqis are an educated people, said Sinclair, which has helped him communicate. “I speak woefully little Arabic considering I have been here over three years. I can greet people and surprise them with an occasional phrase, but I could not function out on the street with my knowledge of Arabic. A very high percentage of local people speak English well enough to get business done and hold simple conversations.”

The food he eats in Iraq has grown on him over the years. “I really like kabobs and sabuli. I love the Iraqi/Middle Eastern rice. And they have great tea, but it is too sweet for my taste; it is much like the sweet tea in the South in the U.S. Nothing beats grandma’s Minnesota hotdish followed by a piece of rhubarb pie.”

He ended up in Iraq after a friend he had worked with on several U.S. projects gave him a call. “I trusted him, so I looked into it,” he said.

It’s been a real education ever since.

“The culture is different, it’s a very liberal culture, a secular Muslim culture,” he said. “I would say the majority of the people are not religiously tied to being Muslims. It’s sort of like their heritage, what they’ve known forever.

You don’t find a lot of people going to mosques, for instance. In some ways, I see their culture, religiously, a lot like ours – we could be considered a Christian nation but the majority of people don’t go to church.”

He had to learn the customs of the people. “I was taught before I came over there not to sit with your legs crossed with the bottom of your foot facing someone, that’s a social no-no,” he said. He would on occasion forget. “I’d catch myself and sit up and apologize. If I did not bring it up, they would not think much of it.

Some of those things that might have been important in the past aren’t so much today.”

Sinclair is a Presbyterian and a music leader during weekly religious services. “I can’t go to a Presbyterian church to worship, but I have to say the chaplain corps is very dedicated to serving the spiritual needs of our soldiers. I have been very impressed,” he said.

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Although he’s come to know the country and its people, he does miss the U.S. “I miss the freedom to move about. The International Zone is a fairly small place,” he said.

As for the Americanization of Baghdad, he sees some of that. “We have what has to be the biggest Starbucks in the world here,” he said with a chuckle.

He also misses his family and keeps them apprised of life in Iraq with e-mails.

His parents are Dean and the late Patricia Sinclair. “My dad was Dean N. I am Dean W.,” he said.

The farm he grew up on is still in the family. He has three brothers and two sisters, and there have close family ties to SMSU. Brothers Mike and Kevin and sister, Sandra Fuhr — the SMSU Librarian — all attended SMSU. “It was a good educational experience for me. I’m convinced a person can get a good education if they are willing to put forth the effort.”

Sinclair attended SSU for three years before taking three years off to join the army. He returned for his senior year, graduating in 1980 with a degree in Health.

Upon graduation, he started in government service contracting in Washington state. Other stops have included Arizona, California (twice), Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota and New Mexico before taking the job with ALMCO Group.

“Most of my jobs in the U.S. were environmental safety and health related,” he said.

He has four children and likes to say he ordered them from a catalog. “They are perfect,” he said about Jessica Bevis, Tallahassee, Fla.; Luke, Granite, Okla.; Nathanael, San Diego, Calif.; and Adria, Knoxville, Tenn.

His advice to the people back home? “With everything that’s going on here, there is still room for optimism for the future of Iraq. You look back at its history, there has always been upheaval here. I have met some lovely, wonderful people, some of the finest you’ll ever want to meet. Circumstances have put the country where it is today.”

campaign for southwest

Habstritt Sisters leave their Legacy The Habstritt sisters grew up in a home that valued education.

“My grandfather had a country school on his property, and my parents insisted that all of us girls go to college” said Marilyn (Habstritt) McLaughlin.

It was that love of education that led the Habstritt sisters — Barbara Habstritt, Eileen (Habstritt) Jones and Marilyn (Habstritt) McLaughlin — to create the Habstritt Family Endowed Scholarship through the SMSU Foundation.

“My grandparents, Frank and Caroline Habstritt, homesteaded near Maynard in the late 1880s,” said Marilyn, a member of the SMSU Foundation Board of Directors. “There was no high school in Maynard at that time, so his children went to Granite Falls on the train to school.”

Her parents, Clayton and Martha Habstritt, knew the value of an education. “They were very pro-education. My parents had four girls, and they insisted on a college education. They didn’t ask what we wanted to be, just told us ‘You are going to college,’ so we did.”

Three sisters ended up in education. Eileen taught English in Rochester, Barbara taught home economics in Oshkosh, Wis., and Marilyn taught third grade in Marshall.

A fourth sister, Shirley (Habstritt) Scheef, was a dental hygienist and died in 1983. She was the only one of the sisters who had children. One of her daughters, Patti Scheef, is an SSU graduate.

“Education was important to my parents and grandparents, so this scholarship was created to honor them,” said Marilyn.

The scholarship is for a full-time student, with preference given to a student from MACCRAY High School majoring in Education. All the Habstritt sisters graduated from Raymond High School in the 1950s.

Raymond is now a part of the MACCRAY consolidation. If no student from MACCRAY High School is eligible, preference goes to a studentathlete majoring in Education.

From left, Habstritt Sisters: Barbara, Eileen, and Marilyn.

Marilyn and her husband Ron are big Mustang fans, and know how important scholarships are to students attending SMSU. “It’s hard for students today to juggle school work, a job, and activities they are involved with,” said Marilyn. “We wanted to help in some way. Since the Habstritt family has been involved with education so deeply over the years, this was a good way.”

Campaign for Southwest The Campaign for Southwest, a $17.2 million dollar fund-raising campaign to build support for Southwest Minnesota State University, is gaining momentum.

Goal: $17.2 $16.9 $12.9

$1.8

$2.2

With the generosity of our alumni and friends, this campaign will provide additional resources essential to the continued success of our gifted and talented students. Additional resources will assist the University in continuing to build distinctive, signature programs suited to students’ talents and aligned with the workforce needs of a diverse and knowledge-based society. While supporting student and faculty opportunities for research, networking, and interactive learning, the campaign will also focus on modernizing facilities to enhance all of the University’s learning environments.

The Southwest Minnesota State University Foundation is proudly committed to raising funds in support of SMSU. With the help of countless alumni, friends, faculty and staff we can continue to achieve great things at Southwest. Your gift is vital to Southwest and now you can have an impact on your favorite program or activity.

For more information on how you can make a contribution to The Campaign for Southwest, contact the SMSU Foundation at 1-800-260-0970 or via the web at www.smsufoundation.org

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Alumni Spotlight David Schmalz Theatre Arts, 1972 When the credits role at the end of a movie such as “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” or “Spiderman,” many people don’t pay attention. But it is there you’ll find the name of 1972 SMSC Theatre graduate David Schmalz.

The Windom, Minn., native works in Hollywood, where he rubs elbows with some of Tinseltown’s biggest names as a video assistant operator.

A video assistant operator works behind the scenes digitally recording what the movie cameras shoot each day on the set.

“There is a little video camera inside the film camera, and we record on a computer what each camera films. We do video and audio,” he said.

That allows people to see immediately what has been shot. “They don’t have to wait for film to be developed. It’s digital, and they see what each shot looks like. We create a little mobile studio for each location.”

That helps producers, directors, wardrobe, hair and makeup people see what each scene looks like.

He said there are usually between one to three sets of monitors during a movie shoot. “During the course of a movie, we create a library of everything that’s shot. Often we might shoot another part of the movie a month earlier, so we have to keep track of the scene numbers.”

He’s worked with names like Robert Redford, Rob Reiner, Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, to name just a few. Recent projects include a

Kris Taylor Business Administration, 1987 Kris Taylor knew when she was in middle school that she wanted to go into business.

“In some shape or form, I knew at an early age growing up,” she said.

The Conde, S.D. native graduated at the top of her high school senior class of 11 and received a scholarship to SSU, where she graduated in 1987 with a Business Administration degree. She is the director of community and public relations for Ecolab, the world’s leading provider of cleaning, food safety and health protection products and services for the hospitality, foodservice, healthcare and industrial markets.“The chief financial officer teases me that I have the best job at Ecolab. I think that I do,” said Taylor.

Making connections with the community is part of her job. In many ways she is the face of the publicly traded company. She is also vice president of the Ecolab Foundation. “In 2006, Ecolab gave $6 million in products and dollars back to the community,” she said. “We’ve had some fabulous projects we’ve worked on since I’ve been here.”

One of those was to coordinate Ecolab relief efforts to tsunami victims.

“We worked with our associates, customers and our community partners in South East Asia to deliver cleaning supplies. It was a tragic situation, but a rewarding experience. It was a positive way for us to get involved.”

She was also at the forefront for Ecolab in the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Ecolab is located in St. Paul and was founded in 1926 as Economics

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SMSU alumni shine brightly in their chosen fields.

Redford movie about the Iraq war entitled “Lions for Lambs” and the latest Indiana Jones film.

Each director is different in how they structure work days. “Some go six to eight hours, others go 14 hours a day. It can be hectic and chaotic.”

He looks back at his time at SMSC with fondness. “It was a new college, I thought it would be an interesting place to go.”

Being a theatre major was the farthest thing from his mind at the start of his college career. “I was in one high school play,” he said. “I didn’t have a major, I took a couple of years to figure out what it was that I had the most fun at in college. I was in two plays at that point, enjoyed it, and I thought I might try Theatre.”

He probably wouldn’t be where he is today had he gotten the job as the first executive director of the Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council. “I was one of the ones who helped get it started. I applied to be the first executive director but didn’t get it,” he said.

Schmalz left Marshall and attended the California Institute of the Arts and, later, the American Film Institute. As it is often the case in Hollywood, he broke into the business through friendships he developed while attending those two institutions.

Hollywood is a long way from his hometown of Windom, but he never loses sight of the fact he’s a Midwest boy with Midwest values. “Everyone thinks it’s so glamorous. It’s not. You work in terrible locations so many times, long days, lots of travel, and a hectic work environment. People get in awe when they hear you work in Hollywood. But it’s a job. I am part of the dream machine, but it’s a job, like anyone else’s. It just happens to be in Hollywood.”

His travel takes him away from his wife Pat and two children. “We’ve been married 26 years; that’s an eternity by Hollywood standards,” he said.

Laboratory. Its name was changed in 1986. It has more than 23,000 employees worldwide, and has been issued more than 4,000 patents. It has operations in nearly 70 countries, and an additional 100 countries are reached through distributors, licensees and export operations.

“We donate annually 1.2 percent of domestic pre-tax dollars,” she said of Ecolab, a company that is very supportive of the communities where it has a large business presence and where its associates live. “Ecolab is a wonderful company. We work with approximately 150 non-profits, in one way or another across the country,” she said.

Taylor has challenged herself on every rung of the career ladder. “My goal has been if I’m going to change careers, I’m going to work in an industry that I’m not necessarily familiar with so I can learn and be challenged at each step along the way. I’ve always been put in a position where I’ve been able to learn more. I’ve done that using the base knowledge gained at SSU. The great thing about my current role at Ecolab is that it has allowed me to use my degree in a unique way. I have a minor in finance which normally would not fit with a community and public relations position,” she chuckled.

Taylor has fond memories of SSU. “I put myself through college,” she said. “I worked several jobs, and I was active with the Student Activities Committee (SAC). I also worked in the athletic department for three years, and that was a fabulous experience. I got to work with Glenn Mattke, Pierre du Charme, Mike Sterner, Deb Denbeck, Carmen DeKoster — just fabulous people.”

Her first job after college was with Cattoor Oil in Marshall and credits Tom Cattoor for being an early mentor and friend. Influential SSU professors include Randy Abbott and Jim Babcock.

“SSU was a wonderful experience for me. I had so many opportunities and learned so much that has served me well,” she said.

Kris has two children: Shelby, 13, and Kelsie, 11.

alumni connections

Alumni Association Opens Heritage Gallery The Alumni Heritage Gallery was dedicated at Homecoming this year with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

A large crowd was on hand to view the space, which is located on the second floor of Student Center, near the President’s Dining Room.

Director of Annual Giving Stacy Frost coordinated the Alumni Heritage Gallery, which is a treasure trove of history and artifacts of the University’s first 40 years.

SMSU celebrated its 40th anniversary on Sept. 14 with a Founder’s Day celebration.

“It really was a labor of love and I can’t tell you how much I learned from this project,” said Frost of the Alumni Heritage Gallery.

The gallery is split into the eras encompassing the three different names of the university: Southwest Minnesota State College, 1963-1975; Southwest State University, 19752003; and Southwest Minnesota State University, 2003-present.

There are many interesting items to be

found including the button collection and the blanket for the university’s first mascot, Simba.

There’s a swimming warm-up robe from when the university was a national swimming power, and an original gold SMSC band uniform.

There’s also one of the kegs that students rolled — first 619 miles in 1970, then 650 miles in 1980 — on their way to establishing world records in that obscure category.

Past Alumni Award winners will be featured on a new display. There are also a number of framed playbills, sports schedules and Homecoming posters. All sorts of photos are also displayed, as is a residence hall room that shows what students brought with them to college ‘then’ and ‘now.’

The original cap from the old dome — SMSU’s most distinguishable architectural feature until the January 2, 2002 fire — hangs near the entrance to the gallery.

Frost has many ideas she’d like to see incorporated into the gallery in the future. “It’s still a work in progress,” she said.

The many faces of the Upcoming 2008 Alumni Events January 26 Hawaiian Night Post-Game Luau February 24 SMSU Alumni Skate with Minnesota Wild April 5 Jersey Boys at the Orpheum Theater April 5-13 Paris Highlights Alumni Trip April 6 High School Musical at the State Theater June 9 SMSU Golf Classic Visit www.SouthwestAlumni. com for more details.

1972 European Choir Tour Reunion

Cruise Alumni Alaska

Alumni at Valleyfair

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Alumni at the Twins Ga me

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2007 Alumni Association Awards alumni connections

Alumni Achievement Awards in Washington, D.C. He took a psychiatry internship, with no intention of staying in that line of medicine. He also received an MBA from the American College of Physician Executives to get himself ready for his current position.

Alan and his wife, Kim, have two grown children.

Dr. Alan Radke ‘73 Dr. Alan Radke's medical career has taken him all over the globe. Yet it's the educational foundation he received at SMSU that played perhaps the largest role in his career.

“The liberal arts education was so flexible,” said Radke, who has been a medical practitioner, researcher, business executive and, since 2005, the Minnesota Department of Human Services Medical Director for Behavioral Health and Chief Medical Officer for State Operated Services.

Radke was raised on a farm and graduated from Tracy High School in 1969. He graduated from Southwest in 1973 with degrees in Biology and Chemistry.

He was admitted to medical school at the University of Minnesota and circumstances - many of them financial - led him into the Army and an internship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Carol Heen ‘71 Carol Heen graduated from SMSU with a degree in Music. She went on to receive a master's in Music and Music Education and a Ph.D. in Musicology and Music History from the University of Minnesota.

Her career has taken her down many interesting paths. She was a college professor at Metro State and Normandale before becoming a program annotator for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, as well as many freelance clients. She then became the executive director of the Minnesota Newspaper Foundation, and is currently the vice chairperson for the American Composers Forum, a national organization that supports music in communities and the careers of promising composers.

Carol met her husband, radio personality Charlie Boone, while doing a radio interview on WCCO-Radio. “Our first words to each other were on the air,” said Heen, a Charter Class

member.

She grew up on a farm near Maynard and graduated from Hanley Falls High School. She attended St. Cloud State for a year before transferring to SMSU because of its arts opportunities.

Dr. Tom Jackson ‘85 Dr. Thomas Jackson isn't afraid to take a chance. Back before the Internet was a way of looking for colleges, Jackson - who was attending a community college outside of his hometown of Seattle, Wash. - sent away for course catalogs from three universities across the country. One of those was to Southwest Minnesota State University. A Phi Theta Kappa convention in the Twin Cities took him to Minneapolis in 1982, so he hopped a bus to Marshall for a visit. It was then he fell in love “with the majesty of the corn fields,” he said.

He earned a Business degree in 1985. He is currently the Vice President for Student Affairs for the University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky. He earned his Ed.D. in Educational Management from the University of La Verne in California, and his master's in Counseling from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania.

Thomas and his wife, Mona, have two children: T.J. and Chandi.

Honorary Lifetime Membership Awards She was with the University when its doors opened and has seen SMSU mature.

Joyce and her husband, Richard, have two grown children, Scott Persoon and Stacy James.

They are proud grandparents to four.

Joyce Persoon Joyce Persoon likes nothing more than the interaction she has each day with students.

“You get to know them and form friendships. I keep in touch with them and watch as they have families and such.” Persoon is a senior office administrative assistant in the Education Department, and a popular figure on campus for the professionalism she brings to her job.

She began her career at SMSU in 1967 and worked through 1975. She took some time off to raise her children, and returned in 1986. She has worked for a vice president and in the Research and Institutional Grants area before moving over to Education.

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Mary Jane Striegel Mary Jane Striegel retired from SMSU at the end of June, ending a distinguished 38-year career in the SMSU Library. She was head of reference and interlibrary loans at the library, but she's perhaps best known as the person who kept the university archives.

That room on the fifth floor of the University was named the Striegel Archives when she retired, and she's proud of the work that is contained there. “It's a very interesting area,” she said. “It's my hope that people will know that it exists and that items and files will continue to be given to the university archives.”

The archives contain institutional history: course catalogs and course schedules from the start of the university, bound issues of the student newspaper, clippings from the Marshall newspapers, files from the Chamber of Commerce when that group was involved with trying to bring SMSU to Marshall in the '60s.

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Butch and Linnea Raymond Butch and Linnea Raymond now live in Eagan, Minn., but they miss their time in Marshall.

Butch was the Director of Athletics at SMSU from 1997 to 2004, when he accepted the position of commissioner of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. He has also been the national chairman for Division II basketball, coached men's basketball at his alma mater, Augsburg, along with Minnesota State Mankato and St. Cloud State before coming to SMSU. He was also Associate Vice President for Advancement while at SMSU. Linnea is the controller for LarsonAllen LLP, a national CPA firm with headquarters in Minneapolis. She's been a constant, consistent supporter of Butch's and the University over the years.

Butch is from Jasper, and Linnea, North Minneapolis. They met when Butch was coaching at St. Cloud State and Linnea was a nontraditional student at Mankato. Together they have five children, and 12 grandchildren.

Together they contributed greatly to the university and built many bridges between SMSU, the community and region.

alumni connections

Paxtons Honored with Special Award

Author!Author!

Farming Words The Harvest of Literature at a Prairie College

The SMSU Alumni Association is dedicated to serving the University and its diverse alumni,

edited by

students, and friends.

W

hat better way to honor two of our most dedicated alumni, John and Kathy Paxton, than to name a special award after them?

The two SMSU alumni were honored over Homecoming weekend with the first John and Kathy Paxton Alumni Service Award. It was presented during the Alumni Association awards luncheon, and came as a surprise to the couple that has been called “Mr. and Mrs. Alumni.”

John and Kathy are avid followers and supporters of the university, and lend their talents to SMSU any way they can. They have served on various university boards in the past, and are the first to step forward to volunteer when the need arises. Their dedication and service to Southwest Minnesota State University was recognized by the Alumni Association with an award that will in the future

bear their name.

John and Kathy are charter class members, Marshall community leaders and business owners (Paxton Signs). They have been role models to the faculty, staff and students of this institution for over 40 years.

Their spirit, work ethic and integrity also serves Samuel Lutheran School, Christ Lutheran Church, Marshall High School and the Pursuit of Excellence marching band competition.

When there is a job to be done, a vision to be carried out or an idea to be investigated further, John and Kathy are at the front of the line.

“It’s only appropriate that the award be named in their honor,” said Tyler Bowen, Alumni Director.

“John and Kathy exemplify the best qualities of our alumni.”

Bill Holm

Farming Words: The Harvest of Literature at a Prairie College was published by the SMSU Foundation, and includes fiction, poetry, essays and memoirs. The anthology was edited by Bill Holm with assistance from David Pichaske and includes work by SMSU faculty members and former students, mentors and familiar friends of the university. The book can be obtained with a charitable contribution to the SMSU Foundation in support of the Creative Writing Program at SMSU. Contact the Foundation at 1-800260-0970 to obtain a copy.

These are real SMSU students.

They call alumni and friends of the university –people like you– to ask for your support to the SMSU Annual Fund, which provides for student scholarships. With your help, we can increase financial aid, help bridge the financial gap between tuition and education costs, and help SMSU to continue moving forward as a University of choice.

Least Resistance is the second book of poetry by Larry Gavin ‘81. The book is available online at www.reddragonflypress.org.

So don’t be afraid to take the call. The students are real.

The need for the SMSU Annual Fund is real too.

www.SouthwestAlumni.com/gift

The SMSU Alumni Association does not sell or distribute alumni books, unless otherwise noted. Please visit the provided Web Sites for ordering information. To have your book considered for our next issue, please send a complimentary copy and description of its contents to: SMSU Alumni Association, Attn: Alumni Books, 1501 State Street, Marshall, MN 56258

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Mustang Athletics

Recent views from the Coaching Changes in Mustang Athletics at SMSU

T

he Southwest Minnesota State athletics department saw a pair of long time head coaches step down to pursue other endeavors out of the coaching profession.

John Sterner, who spent nine seasons as the head wrestling coach at SMSU resigned in July to accept a position in SMSU Learning Resources Department and also teach art education courses. During his tenure Sterner led SMSU to a dual record of 49-104-5, which included a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference team championship in 2001. He twice was named NSIC Coach of the Year (2001 & 2003) and was named the NCAA II Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2003.

He coached 19 NCAA II national qualifiers including five who became NCAA AllAmericas. He also coached 13 first team and 10 second team all-conference honorees, including two NSIC wrestlers of the year and one NSIC newcomer of the year.

Taking over the wrestling is Jesse Nelson, who comes to SMSU after five successful seasons at Ridgewater College. At Ridgewater Nelson’s teams finished in the top five nationally all five seasons, including a national championship in 2005. A five-time Minnesota Community College Conference Coach of the Year, Nelson coached 13 All-Americas, had four national finalists and one national champion. He was also twice named NJCAA Region XII Coach of the Year.

Jill McCartney, who spent 10 seasons as the SMSU women’s soccer head coach, resigned to accept the assistant athletics director for compliance and academic services at Metro State College of Denver, Colo.

Jesse Nelson McCartney was named head coach prior to the start of the 1998 season and compiled an overall record of 69113-14 in 10 seasons. In NSIC play McCartney led SMSU to a record of 42-39-8, which included a top half finish in the Jill McCartney conference standings in six different seasons. In 1999, McCartney was named NSIC Coach of the Year after leading SMSU to a school record 11 victories.

A national search to replace McCartney will begin in December.

UPDATE • UPDATE • UPDATE • UPDATE • UPDATE • UPDATE • UPDATE Senior linebacker Tyler Fischer (Gettysburg, S.D.) continues to pull in honors after earning the Dr. William Britton Award as the NSIC’s top male scholar-athlete last spring. This fall, Fischer earned the Glen Galligan Award as the top senior football scholar-athlete, second team academic alldistrict and honorable mention All-NSIC. He was among 12 players to earn honors from the conference for their play on the field.

Junior safety Tyler Reed (Ottumwa, Iowa) was named to the first team, while Bill Noethlich (Doland, S.D.), Willie Sutton (Harvey, Ill.) and Scott Talcott (Sioux Falls, S.D.) were all named to the second team.

Josh Shudlick (Tomah, Wis.) finished the year strong with five consecutive 300+ passing yard games, becoming the first to do so since

1992. SMSU finished 2-9 overall and 2-7 in the NSIC. The women’s soccer team finished on a high note, advancing to the semifinals of the NSIC Tournament after a shootout win over No. 10 and top-seeded Winona State.

Sophomore Jessica Curl (Bismarck, N.D.) and freshman Ellen Diekemper (Lincoln, Neb.) were both named honorable mention All-NSIC. Senior Joelle Dean (Maple Grove, Minn.) broke the school record for goals scored with her 28th of her career in the final regular season game. The Mustangs finished the year 3-13-4 overall and 2-5-2 in the NSIC. The volleyball has had a very successful fall

and has a record of 25-7 overall (heading into the regional tournament) and finished second in the NSIC with a mark of 15-3. The Mustangs have been ranked as high as third in the national rankings before finishing the regular season No. 11. Senior Erin Contons (Apple Valley, Minn.) was named NSIC Player of the Year and head coach Terry Culhane was named NSIC Coach of the Year. Contons led a list of five player to earn postseason honors from the conference.

Tricia Ingvalson (Caledonia, Minn.), who also was named first team All-NSIC, was named second team all-region, while Contons was named to the all-region first team.

Contons wraps up her career ranked first at SMSU in career kills, kills per game, and attacks and is second in digs.

CONGRATS TO ERIN CONTONS & TERRY CULHANE, NSIC PLAYER & COACH OF THE YEAR!

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class notes

1972 MURIEL (ODDEN) COULTER is a teacher at Tracy Public School in Tracy, Minn. Her husband John (’71) is a retired teacher and enjoys marketing artwork for his friend Josh Spies of Watertown, S.D. MICHAEL STONE is a conductor for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad in Hudson, Wis. “Bob White was the real deal,” he writes.

Jordan, Minn. They moved into a new home in 2006. He enjoys playing basketball and baseball.

1989 DAVID DVORAK lives in Madison, Minn. e th cent trip to re David’s son, Adam, started is h f o d a photo n include at SMSU in the fall. “It’s el shared The reunio 2, John . m a u G Harv Ang his home DeGroff ʻ7 m n o tradition,” he writes. h fr Jo s , te 2 nd Sta y ʻ7 Otto ʻ73 a ary Rychle (L to R): G arv Angel ʻ73, Steve ,H 1991 CARMEN Burton ʻ72 nts ʻ71. e B rd (WEELDREYER) HOWARD a Rich Inquiry moved to Arizona and is a master level and volunteers his time to nontherapist for the Arizona Children’s profit organizations. Craig and his wife 1973 ROBERT PEDERSEN is a Association. She earned a master’s in have three children. He welcomes eMerchant Marine wheelsman for the counseling and has three children. mail from friends: Liberty Steamship Co. in Superior, JOHN AND ANN (MCGUIGGAN, cpeterson@ci.chanhassen.mn.us.

Wis. ’92) KELLEN live in Waconia, Minn.

1974 BOB NORBIE was recently elected to serve on the Special Olympics International Board of Directors, the ultimate governing authority for the Special Olympics movement. He is also the President/CEO of Special Olympics Montana.

1980 MARK AND CHERYL (LONDGREN) NOOK moved to Stevens Point, Wis., in July after Mark was named provost at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He was previously dean of undergraduate studies at St. Cloud State University.

Mark and Cheryl have 3 children.

1975 BRIAN LUKE is the girls’ swim team coach at Stillwater, Minn., and has won the state championship and true team state title the last two years. He teaches 9th grade physical science. His wife Jane (Theis, ’75) is a daycare provider.

1981 Former student SANDRA (NEECHMELAR) HINDERMANN manages the Kwik Trip in Buffalo, Minn. and works part-time for the Monticello Community Center.

1976 MIKE RITTER is currently senior direct sales manager at the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Throughout his 28 years at the Star Tribune he has held a variety of positions: district sales manager, regional sales manager, home delivery manager and single copy category manager. Mike is married and living in Apple Valley, Minn. with two step children. He often talks to alumni Joe Pancotto and occasionally sees Steve Moore.

1978 LINDA (DAVIS) SCHEID is the executive director of the Food Bank of Siouxland in Sioux City, Iowa. She is married to husband Bruce.

1979 CRAIG PETERSON is a commercial real estate broker and lives in Chanhassen, Minn. He was elected to the city council in 2000 and 2004.

He is chairperson of the Southwest Transit Commission and has served on the Chanhassen Planning Commission.

He is a board member for Wilderness

1983 MARK CROSSWAIT works for L&L Insulation in Rapid City, S.D. SHERRI (QUADE) TEIG and her husband, Roger, a former SMSU student, established Teig’s Lawn Care 26 years ago in Marshall. Their son, Shawn, manages the Brookings, S.D., office. They have a daughter. They became proud grandparents to Shawn’s twins in January.

1992 ERIC HANSON is an industrial sales specialist in Lake Oswego, Ore. He is married and has one child.

THARAN LEOPOLD is the coordinator of annual giving and special projects at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, Minn. Tharan and his wife, Ruth, have three children.

KAREN (HELSINGER) RINGSVEN works for Strategic Technologies, Inc. and lives in Plymouth, Minn.

AARON SCHULTZ works for the South Dakota Army National Guard.

He lives in Sioux Falls with his wife, Danelle, and three sons.

1986 DAVID BORNUS is a management analyst for the Minnesota Department of Corrections Policy & Legal Services division and lives in Shoreview, Minn. David is pursuing his master’s in criminal justice studies through the University of Cincinnati.

MICHALLE (RUESINK) DAVIES owns a western home décor store in Custer, S.D., after having moved from Colorado Springs, Colo. Her husband Bill is a BNSF conductor.

1993 ELIZABETH (LIBBY LEE) BREIDENBACH is a regional marketing specialist for Ulteig Engineers and lives in Sioux Falls, S.D. JANE (KROGMAN) HARMON is the principal of Moffat County High School in Craig, Colo. She married Matthew Harmon on July 13, 2007.

Matt is an investigator for the district attorney’s office.

AMY (SCHACHTNER) BRODY is an associate with R’ US Co. in Pittsburgh, Pa. Amy and her husband, Rich, recently moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., from Chicago, Ill. JEFF VIERKANT AND NANCY (WAGENER), his wife, moved to Spirit Lake, Iowa two years ago. Jeff is Vice President of Manufacturing for Pure Fishing. Nancy enjoys staying at home with their three daughters.

1988 GARY SCHLEPER has been a sporting goods salesman for over 18 years. Gary and his wife, Kelly, were married in Nov. 2004 and live in

1994 STACY (BAUER) JONES is the media relations coordinator for Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, S.D. Prior to that she was a news anchor for

KELO-TV in Sioux Falls. Stacy and her husband, Dave, welcomed a daughter in February 2007. SCOT BOWMAN is a quality assurance representative for The Schwan Food Co. in Marshall, Minn.

Scot and his wife, Cheryl, are expecting their first child.

1995 LEAH DOOM works with security operations at Citibank in Sioux Falls, S.D. Leah and her husband, Patrick, have two children. “I would love to hear from the Charisma Hall girls,” she writes.

MISSY (FISCHER) LIVINGSTON teaches first grade at Adrian Elementary School in Adrian, Minn.

Missy and her husband, Stuart, have three children and live in Brandon, S.D. 1996 KHIA BRUSE is an education manager for the Roseville Area Schools and lives in Cottage Grove, Minn.

STACY (SWAN) BARSTAD is the CFO and director of operations at Sanford Tracy Medical Center in Tracy, Minn. She is married with three children and enjoys living on Lake Shetek.

PAULA DUDGEON is a teacher at Holy Redeemer School in Marshall, Minn. She also teaches natural family planning.

PATTY (KIRCHNER) GRUBE is a CPA and lives in Benson, Minn., with her husband, Brent. They had their third child recently.

CHRIS HELVIG is a chain account manager for McCain Foods. Chris and his wife, Katie, have two children and live in Rosemount, Minn.

SANDI (KRAL) KOOP is a family facilitator for Brown County Family Services. Sandi and her husband, Corey, were married in May 2006.

They welcomed a son in April 2007.

1997 ROSS FEY is an insurance salesman in Luverne, Minn. His wife, Nicole (Koenen) is an elementary school teacher. They have three children.

KARLA LINDBLAD-PERKINS lives with her husband, Jerrad, on the family farm near Dawson, Minn. They welcomed twin boys when Jerrad was serving in Iraq.

1999 SARA HIERSTEIN is the marketing director for MidWestOne Bank in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

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class notes

LEANNIA JERRELL owns The Rub, a massage therapy business, in Fallon, Nev., where she lives with her son.

PATRICK RUNNING is a transfer specialist for Alexandria Technical College in Alexandria, Minn.

RYAN ZIEMANN is a buyer with Citigroup Financial in St. Paul, Minn.

Ryan and his wife, Alexandra, have two daughters.

2000 JENNIE (DOPHEIDE) HASSE married Joe Hasse in Sept.

2006. She is a purchasing coordinator at The Schwan Food Co. in Marshall, Minn.

AMANDA (SCHLAAK) INDRA is a Spanish teacher at Lewiston-Altura High School and lives in Winona with her husband, Casey. They had a daughter in April.

AMANDA (CORBIN) PERSINGER is an accounting policy manager at US Bancorp. Amanda and her husband, Kevin, enjoy traveling and golfing.

They live in Eagan, Minn.

TRENT REDFIELD had a trio of poems published in “In the Shadow of the Bear Lodge: Writings from the Black Hills” anthology published by Mary Kites Press. He lives in West Yellowstone, Mont.

2001 SARAH (BAUMANN) HILPIPRE and her husband, Tom, welcomed a son in March 2007. They have two children.

JOLENE (COOLEY) VANDEVEIRE married Brian VanDeVeire in June 2006. She teaches at Westbrook-Walnut

Grove Middle hear from her SMSU School. friends: fisher_kate@hotmail.com.

SOON GUAN JENNIFER GOH is a (PICKERING) CARLEN purchasing married Corey Carlen in executive for October 2005. Jennifer Welcome New the Palam works for Russell Associates Mustangs! Le t us know about th Garden in LeSueur, Minn. e new additio n to your family an Golf Club, JANELL (POWERS) d receive a fre e Baby Mustang 101 Resort KASSEL MARRIED T-Shirt. Visit www.Southwes tAlumni.com in TYSON KASSEL (’02) in Malaysia.

July 2006. Janell is attending Pacific University in Forest 2002 SARAH (SETNES) DALE Grove, Ore., in its optometry program. earned a master’s in English from Iowa Tyson is a food technologist for State University in May 2006. She lives Ajinonmoto Frozen Foods, Inc. with her husband, Rob, in West Des JENNIFER SEXTON recently Moines, Iowa. completed her master’s in chemistry at RYAN WALTER is a news reporter for Notre Dame and is employed at the Sioux Empire News in Sioux Falls, Chemical Abstract Services, a division S.D. Ryan welcomed a new son into of the American Chemical Society, the home in May 2007. where she is a market development representative. She lives in Columbus, 2003 DR. MARC AND AMANDA Ohio.

(SMITH, ’02) FRITZ live in Garner, JULIE (SELLNER) WILSON married Iowa, where Marc is a chiropractor. husband Cory in May 2006. She works Amanda is an engineer for a Mason at SouthPoint Federal Credit Union in City, Iowa, cement company.

New Ulm, Minn. They live on a dairy farm north of New Ulm. 2004 LARRY EVERS, JR., was recently promoted to Tax and 2005 AMLAN DAS is a business Insurance Manager for Winnebago analyst for Lockheed Martin and lives Industries in Forest City, Iowa. He in Baltimore, Md. “I miss SMSU a lot,” received his MBA from SMSU. Larry he writes. and his wife, Dena, live in Algona with SCOTT HERRICK married Tamara their son.

Uhde in September 2006. He is a KATE FISHER is the marketing graphic designer in St. Paul, Minn. director for Salem Communication in Minneapolis, Minn. She would love to

2006 SETH BOERBOOM is an insurance agent for Southwest Insurance Services in Marshall, Minn.

APRIL (DEVOS) THOMPSON works for Associated Bank in Byron, Minn.

IN MEMORIAM JON K LILLEMOE ’71, formerly of Las Vegas, Nev. ELSIE P SEYMOUR ’76, formerly of Minneapolis, Minn.

ROSS ZIRKLE ’78, a master printer and faculty member at the University of Kentucky, died March 12 after a battle with cancer.

KURT GIGSTAD ’79, formerly of Moorhead, Minn.

RUBY L. SORENSEN ’79.

LORI FEHRMAN ’82, formerly of Lake Benton, Minn.

DAVID L. ROSE ’88, formerly of Whitehall, Mont.

PATRICIA HAY ’91, formerly of Walnut Grove, Minn.

JENNIFER LYNN NELSON, ’94, formerly of St. Cloud, Minn.

DONNA M. RATHJE ’00, formerly of Balaton, Minn.

REV. WILLIAM GREEN, an anthropology professor for 27 years at SMSU, passed away March 16, 2007 at the age of 79. He lived in St. Paul, Minn.

RICHARD WOLLIN, the first chairperson of the Education Department at Southwest Minnesota State College, passed away on Nov. 3, 2007. He was 82.

April 5-12, 2008 Known as the “City of Lights”, Paris is perhaps one of the most romantic destinations in the world and also one of the most exciting and diverse. Vibrantly alive both day and night—there is so much to experience in this cosmopolitan city!

People return time and time again to explore its famous landmarks, cultural treasures, chic boutiques and world-renown restaurants.

INCLUDED FEATURES: • Round-trip transatlantic air transportation to Paris, France • Seven nights superior first-class accommodations in Paris • Continental buffet breakfast daily • Round-trip transfers between the airport and hotel via deluxe motor coach

For more information visit SouthwestAlumni.com or call 1-800-260-0970

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GO Brown and Gold!

Winter Sport SCHEDULES WRESTLING Jan. 5 Dana Open, Blair, Neb., 9 a.m.

Jan. 8 Jamestown (N.D.), Jamestown, N.D., 6 p.m.

Jan. 11 Augustana (S.D.), Sioux Falls, S.D., 7 p.m.

Jan. 16 St. John’s, MARSHALL, 7 p.m.

Jan. 19 Mary *, MARSHALL, 2 p.m.

Jan. 26 Central Missouri State Dual, Warrensburg, Mo., 10 a.m.

Feb. 2 St. Cloud State, St. Cloud, Minn., 7 p.m.

Feb. 3 Concordia-Moorhead, Moorhead, Minn., 2 p.m.

Feb. 7 Minnesota State Moorhead *, Moorhead, Minn., 7 p.m.

Feb. 9 North Country Open, Collegeville, Minn., 9 a.m Feb. 13 Northern State *, MARSHALL, 7 p.m.

Feb. 16 Minnesota State, Mankato, MARSHALL, 7 p.m.

Feb. 22 Upper Iowa *, Fayette, Iowa, 7 p.m.

Mar. 2 NCAA North Regional, Mankato, Minn., 12 p.m.

WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL Jan. 18 Illinois (women) , Edinboro, Pa. 9 a.m.

Jan. 18 Illinois (men) Edinboro, Pa. 12:30 p.m.

Jan. 18 Wisconsin-Whitewater Edinboro, Pa. 4 p.m.

Jan. 19 Edinboro (Pa.) Edinboro, Pa. 9 a.m.

Feb. 1 Alabama Columbia, Mo. TBA Feb. 1 Arizona Columbia, Mo. TBA Feb. 1 Oklahoma State Columbia, Mo. TBA Feb. 2 Texas-Arlington Columbia, Mo. TBA Feb. 2 Missouri Columbia, Mo. TBA Feb. 15 Illinois (women) Champaign, Ill. TBA Feb. 15 Illinois (men) Champaign, Ill. TBA Feb. 16 Edinboro (Pa.) Champaign, Ill. TBA Feb. 16 Wisconsin-Whitewater Champagin, Ill. TBA Mar. 13-16 NIWB Tournament Stillwater, Okla. TBA

MEN’S BASKETBALL Dec. 13 Augustana (S.D.), MARSHALL, 7 p.m.

Dec. 16 Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, Minn., 3 p.m.

Dec. 20 St. Cloud State, MARSHALL, 7 p.m.

Dec. 29 Lynn (Fla.), Boca Raton, Fla., 6 p.m. CST Jan. 4 Winona State *, Winona, Minn., 8 p.m.

Jan. 5 Upper Iowa *, Fayette, Iowa, 8 p.m.

Jan. 12 Wayne State *, Wayne, Neb., 8 p.m.

Jan. 18 MSU Moorhead *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Jan. 19 Concordia *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Jan. 22 Minnesota State, Mankato, Mankato, Minn., 7 p.m.

Jan. 25 Minnesota, Crookston *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Jan. 26 Bemidji State *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Feb. 1 Mary * , Bismarck, N.D., 8 p.m.

Feb. 2 Northern State *, Aberdeen, S.D., 8 p.m.

Feb. 8 Upper Iowa *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Feb. 9 Winona State *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Feb. 16 Wayne State *, MARSHALL, 8 p.m.

Feb. 22 Concordia *, St. Paul, Minn., 8 p.m.

Feb. 23 MSU Moorhead *, Moorhead, Minn., 8 p.m.

Mar. 1 NSIC Tournament, TBA Mar. 7-8 NSIC Tournament, TBA Mar. 15-18 NCAA Regional, TBA Mar. 26-29 NCAA Elite Eight, Springfield, Mass., TBA

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Dec. 15 South Dakota Vermillion, S.D. 4 p.m.

Dec. 18 Iowa Wesleyan MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Dec. 20 Minnesota State, Mankato Mankato, Minn. 6 p.m.

Dec. 31 Augustana (S.D.) MARSHALL 3 p.m.

Jan. 4 Winona State * Winona, Minn. 6 p.m.

Jan. 5 Upper Iowa * Fayette, Iowa 6 p.m.

Jan. 12 Wayne State * Wayne, Neb. 6 p.m.

Jan. 18 MSU Moorhead * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Jan. 19 Concordia * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Jan. 25 Minnesota, Crookston * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Jan. 26 Bemidji State * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Feb. 1 Mary * Bismarck, N.D. 6 p.m.

Feb. 2 Northern State * Aberdeen, S.D. 6 p.m.

Feb. 8 Upper Iowa * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Feb. 9 Winona State * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Feb. 16 Wayne State * MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Feb. 19 North Central (Minn.) MARSHALL 6 p.m.

Feb. 22 Concordia * St. Paul, Minn. 6 p.m.

Feb. 23 MSU Moorhead* Moorhead, Minn. 6 p.m.

Mar. 1 NSIC Tournament TBA TBA Mar. 8 NSIC Tournament TBA TBA Mar. 9 NSIC Tournament TBA TBA * NSIC matchup

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southwest news

from iraq dean sinclair

alumni achievement

REC construction

A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF SOUTHWEST MIINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

S o u t h we s t ’s h i s to r y i s c e l e b r a t e d w i t h a n ew m u r a l i n t h e A l u m n i H e r i t a ge G a l l e r y, l o c a t e d o n t h e s e c o n d f l o o r o f t h e St u d e n t C e n t e r. R ev is i t yo u r S o u t h we s t a n d c e l e b r a t e 4 0 ye a r s .

Published by SMSU Alumni Office 1501 State Street • Marshall, MN 56258

Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 97

Happy Birthday, SMSU! CELEBRATING 40 YEARS!