Marshall Festival
Sutter Play Premiere
Homecoming: Oct 1-2
Fall 2010
A magazine for alumni & friends of Southwest Minnesota State University
Mustangs At Work Succeeding in a Tough Job Market
Mustang Traditions is a new Living & Learning Community sponsored by the Alumni Association and Residence Life. Students living in Mustang Traditions are given unique opportunities to promote Mustang pride and SMSU traditions while cultivating relationships between students and alumni by enhancing the college experience.
A magazine for alumni & friends of SMSU
Fall 2010
Greetings fellow alumni and friends: As a recent 2010 graduate I am eager to continue the spirit of Southwest Minnesota State University by being an active and proud alumna. During my senior year I received the opportunity to lead the newly formed Mustang Traditions Residentce Hall as its Assistant Program Director. Developed and funded by the Alumni Association, Mustang Traditions was able to infuse school spirit and active participation in its 40-some freshmen residents. Mustang Traditions is truly forming tomorrow’s influential and supportive alumni. Transitioning from my senior year into my new role as the Manager of Digital Marketing for the Atlanta-based foodservice distribution cooperative UniPro has been quite an adjustment. It is difficult to leave the strong connections I made while in college, but knowing that I am part of an ever-growing community of proud and supportive alumni helps encourage me. I always knew my time at SMSU would come to an end, but I am proud to say that I will forever be a supportive alumna that will continue to promote Southwest Minnesota State University wherever life takes me. After all, it is where you belong. GO MUSTANGS! Tegan Gullikson ’10 Mustang Traditions Living & Learning Community Community Advisor, 2009-2010
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volume 30 number 1
Marshall Festival Sutter Play Premiere Making the Connections Alumni Awards Mustang Athletics Class Notes
PRESIDENT Dr. David C. Danahar EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATION/ ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT Bill Mulso ’93 DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS/ FOCUS EDITOR Tyler Bowen ’95/MS’08 SENIOR WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER Jim Tate DESIGNER Marcy D. Olson, ’93/MBA’05 CONTRIBUTORS Lorien Downing ‘11 Stacy Frost ’93 Kelly Loft ’97 Erica Spencer ’10 EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE Janice Robinson ’09 Amanda Paine ‘11
All hometowns are in Minnesota unless otherwise noted. 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.
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Marshall Festival 2010 Scheduled for October 28-31 Some old favorites, and some new faces. That’s the way Dr. Anthony Neil Smith describes the lineup of writers for Marshall Festival 2010: A Celebration of Rural Writing and Culture. This year’s festival will run from Oct. 28-31 and includes 11 writers. It’s the first Marshall Festival since the 2005 event. “It’s a smaller festival, but it’s more sustainable,” said Smith. “We want to have something every-other-year, and this format will allow us to do that.” Familiar names such as Phil Dacey, Ross Sutter, Bart Sutter, Florence Dacey and Stephen Graham Jones will be featured. They will be joined by Lee Ann Roripaugh, Scott Phillips, Heidi Erdrich, Joyce Sutphen, Ed Bok Lee and Kyle Minor.
“This year it will be more than a reunion of existing voices that have shaped Midwestern writing over the years by also introducing the next generation of young authors who are beginning to make their marks upon the region,” said Smith. The event will include a first-night tribute to the late Bill Holm. Smith plans events for area elementary and middle school students, as well as a poetry and fiction writing contest for students in Minnesota and neighboring states. Bart Sutter’s play-in-verse, “Pine Creek Parish,” will make its world premiere during the festival as well (see story, next page). “With the writers we have, it will be something of a generational handshake, the old guard and the new guard together,” said Smith.
Alumni Plaza Nears Completion The new Alumni Plaza moved from architectural drawings to reality during the summer of 2010. Crews started moving dirt in July, beginning the transformation of the empty space into a functional area that will serve many purposes in the years to come. Work on the Alumni Plaza went fast. As soon as dirt was moved, concrete was being poured at the plaza, located in the area between the residence halls, the R/A Facility spine and the west entrance of the Student Center. The project will become the social and recreational hub of the university. “That’s the goal,” said Tyler Bowen, SMSU Alumni Director who led the fund-raising efforts for the $430,000 project. The Alumni Plaza includes an amphitheater for outdoor concerts,
small theatre productions and readings; multi-functional recreation and gathering spaces; and a sculpture by SMSU alumnus John Sterner. The Alumni Plaza project received a big boost early on when 1980 alumna Deeann Griebel gave a $200,000 matching grant toward the project. Griebel is a financial advisor for Wachovia Securities LLC in Mesa, Ariz., and used to walk the area going to classes. “There was nothing there. There have been so many improvements to the campus over the past eight years, this project will enhance the entire campus.”
Commencement Speaker Encourages Graduates to Make a Difference Dr. Carl Harris, a 1976 alumnus and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Strategic Initiatives for the U.S. Department of Education, was the commencement speaker on May 8 in the R/A Facility. Harris was superintendent of the Durham (N.C.) Public Schools prior to being tabbed for the Obama administration post. In Durham, he headed a district that included 46 schools and nearly 32,000 students. Harris talked to the 716 graduates about service to the nation. “We need to have young people who are leaving college making a difference in the world we live in,” he said. Dr. Emily Deaver, Associate Professor of Environmental Science,
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was honored as the eighth recipient of the Cowan Award. The award goes to a faculty or staff member who has made great contributions to SMSU and the region. It is named in honor of Catharine Cowan, the popular SMSU psychology professor who died in an auto accident in 2001. Kevin Andrews from Marshalltown, Iowa, was given the Outstanding Senior Award during commencement. Andrews exemplifies the term ‘student-athlete.’ He graduated with degrees in Accounting, Finance and Management and played basketball for the Mustangs during his time at SMSU. President David Danahar hosted a reception in the Student Center following the ceremony. Commencement 2011 will be held on Saturday, May 14 at 10 a.m.
New Director of Admission To Lead Recruiting Team
Andrew Hlubek has been named the new Admissions Director at Southwest Minnesota State University. Hlubek comes to SMSU from Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he was the assistant director of admissions for seven years. Prior to that he was an admissions counselor at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, for four years and before that, at Iowa Central Community College, Fort Dodge, Iowa, for a year.
Hlubek also worked a year with the Boy Scouts of America. He has an undergraduate degree in communications/public relations and a master’s in higher education/student affairs from the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa. The SMSU job interested him because, having worked at Mankato, he was familiar with SMSU and the region. “I like the challenges of admissions work, and I saw the opportunity to come to SMSU, help it grow, and take the leadership skills I’ve learned and the experiences I’ve had to help guide the admissions department,” he said. “I think Southwest Minnesota State University is in a good position to keep growing. I see great potential here,” he said. Hlubek and his wife, Jennifer, are the parents of two sons, Owen, two-and-a-half, and Nicholas, one.
Sutter Play to Premiere at SMSU This Fall The Bart Sutter play, “Pine Creek Parish,” will make its world premiere during the upcoming Marshall Festival 2010, scheduled Oct. 28-31. Sutter, a 1972 alumnus and the only author to win Minnesota Book Awards in three different categories, said the play is “my memory of small towns and rural life.” It has a cast of five people, plus a three-piece band. The dialogue is poetry. SMSU students will make up the cast. “I’ve been writing it my entire life,” said Sutter of the play. “In many cases, the characters are based on quirky country people I knew as a kid.” Sutter grew up in small towns such as Ross, Minnesota, population 15; Petersburg, Minn., population 269; and Hanlontown, Iowa,
population 229. He has an appreciation for small towns, and those who live in them. Performance dates in the Fine Arts Theatre include Saturday, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 31, 2 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.; Friday Nov. 5 and Saturday, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 7, 2 p.m. Assistant Theatre Professor Nadine Schmidt will direct the play. She attended a stage reading in June, and calls her association with the project “one of the best theatre experiences of my life.” Sutter has become a favorite at past Marshall Festival events and looks forward to the play’s debut. “I’m thrilled that ‘Pine Creek Parish’ will make its world premiere at Southwest Minnesota State, where some of my most fundamental ideas about theatre were formed,” he said.
Thank You for your dedication to Southwest
FACULTY (Dept/Years of Service) • Mary Beth Faimon (Social Work/16) • Jo Anne Glasgow (Education/14) • Jack Hickerson (English/42) • Mary Hickerson (English/43) • Harry Jones (WHP/40) • Robert Ridley (Speech Communication/41) • Michael Sterner (WHP/41)
STAFF (Dept/Years of Service) • Dianne Eis (Education/19) • Doug Fraunfelder (Finance & Administration/18) • Pat Gawarecki (Data Management & RIG/37) • Nancy Gerber Meier (Data Management & Institutional Research/32) • Linda Kulla (Physical Plant/28) • Douglas Lindsay (Electrician/24) • D’Ann Newman (Music/14) • Jim Ohlemann (Physical Plant/38) • Joyce Persoon (Education/30) • Lynn Peterson (President’s Office/33) • Lorraine Weverka (Provost’s Office/42)
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Marty Seifert Retires from Politics Marty Seifert is enjoying the simple things many take for granted. Like coming home after work. Seifert, a 1995 alumnus with a degree in Political Science, recently announced he would not run for an eighth term as the District 21A representative to the Minnesota House of Representatives. The seven-term Republican made a run for governor in 2010, but was not endorsed at the state convention. Honoring a pledge to abide by the endorsing process, he stepped down from the race. He will be done with politics after the November election. “Public service was worth it, yes. I feel like I made a difference,” said Seifert, who was 23 years old when he began his 14-year House career. Seifert was a good legislative supporter of SMSU. “I think I did a lot of good for SMSU. The campus has been transformed to an extraordinary degree,” he said. “The Regional Event Center, the Student and Conference Centers, the remodeling of many other buildings — it was important to get those done, especially when you’re looking at campuses that are competing for students. Students today expect 21st century amenities.” Seifert spent three years as the House minority leader before his
run at governor, and he was away from home for long stretches. “I had four years of being at home less than one third of the week,” he said. “I’m happy to come home at night.” Before that, he was House majority whip for four years before the chamber’s switch from Republican majority to Marty Seifert DFL control. Seifert was a government teacher at Marshall High School before joining SMSU as an admissions counselor. He had been on unpaid leave since December 2006, when he was elected minority leader of the House. He resigned from SMSU in August, and is now a real estate agent for Real Estate Retrievers in Marshall. He and his wife, Traci, also own seven rental properties in Marshall. “That keeps us busy.” The couple has two children, Brittany and Braxton.
Debbie Tubbs Takes Life in Stride Again For Debbie Tubbs, it’s like getting a new life. Tubbs, who for years used crutches and a wheelchair as a result of her right leg being amputated as a teenager, recently got her new life when she was fitted with a high-tech C-leg. A C-leg is a microprocessor-controlled knee prosthesis, which enables moderately active amputees to vary walking speeds and travel over changes in terrain. Tubbs has two SMSU degrees: an undergraduate degree in Speech Communication-Public Relations in 2003, and a master’s in Education in 2008. She lost her leg at age 16 as a result of bone cancer. She was fitted with a prosthetic leg and wore it for two years, but found it to be cumbersome. “It was heavy, ugly and not fit for a teen lifestyle.” She decided it wasn’t for her, so she chose a wheelchair and crutches. Because of her lack of exercise, her weight ballooned to over 200 pounds. That led to a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. She was advised to do something about it, or risk dialysis before she was 50. She began a swimming and yoga regimen, and lost 70 pounds. I looked at the things I could do. Running was out. Biking was out. So I learned about yoga. It’s amazing.” Her son ran across information about the revolutionary C-leg, and suggested she might be a candidate. Because of her early experience with the prosthetic leg, Tubbs was reluctant. But after doing her research and talking to her doctor, she went to the Prosthetic Labs in Sioux Falls, S.D., where she got her C-leg. The
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leg costs $30,000, and not normally given to someone over 50, she was told. But because of the strength she gained from working out, she was approved. Tubbs said the C-Leg has a $20,000 computer in the knee that helps control her walking speed. It also monitors the terrain, adjusting her leg if Debbie Tubbs terrain conditions change. She discovered that a local physician, Dr. Anthony Nwakama of the Southwest Minnesota Therapy, has an anti-gravity treadmill, so for the first time in 39 years, she’s running. “I never imagined we’d have that technology (in Marshall). It’s like being on the moon, you can run and lengthen your stride.” Tubbs is a Virginia native who met her husband, Jim, when he was in the military and stationed on the east coast. After Jim’s father died, they decided to move back to Marshall. They have four children: Jeremy, Camille, Brandon and Molly. She gives many presentations about her inspiring story, and also enjoys going into schools and talking about the benefits of yoga. “This whole thing has been a journey,” she said. “I consider this my midlife challenge.”
Making the
connections
SMSU Alumni Using Networks to Find Employment
special to Focus
by Lorien Downing ’11
Photo:(l-r): Tegan Gullickson ‘10; Emily Theno ‘10; Tim Kortsmit ‘08; Roger Toomey, CEO of Unipro; Sara Graf ‘10; and Amy (Blum) White ‘08.
The worry of the nation is the economy. When companies earn less, they hire less too, and many students graduate wondering where to get a job. Alumni in the workforce may find themselves unemployed after years of work. If there is one thing that this economy has made clear, it is that networking is everything. Through unique degree programs, social networking and job services, SMSU can help grads find a job and link employers with students in many ways. One such way is through unique academic programming. SMSU is renowned for its culinology® program, the only four-year degree of its kind in the country. This blended degree in business, food science, and the culinary arts draws students from all over the U.S. It also draws the interest of food industry professionals, such as Roger Toomey, CEO of UniPro Food Service and one of the original members of the Culinology Advisory Board. Toomey was introduced to SMSU President David Danahar through a mutual acquaintance on The Schwan Food Company management team. UniPro Food Service Inc., based in Atlanta, Georgia, is the largest distributor of
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foodservice products in the US. The $58 billion company markets brands like General Mills, Kraft, Nestlé and Schwan Foodservices along with its own private brands. UniPro also works on sustainability and green initiatives in its operations. In total, the company serves over 800,000 foodservice providers, including hospitals, schools, the military and restaurants. Graduates from several disciplines, including finance, accounting and culinology® have been hired by UniPro, often through job fairs held on SMSU’s campus. “SMSU students have a strong work ethic,” said Toomey. And the University “provides not only a strong educational opportunity but supports its students in both career and personal development with tremendous support from the faculty and administration.” SMSU still ranks as one of the highest institutions in the country in terms of faculty-to-student ratio, and the majority of faculty have attained the highest degree in their field, giving students a chance to learn directly from experienced professionals rather than from just a textbook or teaching assistants. The University also provides its students with many resources for job searching, resumé writing and graduate application assistance. Much of this support comes from the Career Services office. Current students, recent graduates and alumni all have access to the Career Services website and many of its on campus resources, including job fairs. Many companies return year after year to recruit SMSU students, including UniPro. “UniPro is a wonderful partner,” said Sheila Risacher, Director of Career Services. “It’s great that our alumni are so connected to students.” Alumni also remain connected to each other through the Alumni Association and the professional social networking site LinkedIn. “LinkedIn is one of many ways that the Alumni Office tries to connect alumni to each other and students,” says Tyler Bowen, Director of Alumni Relations. Using the SMSU website and career services, the Alumni office hopes to expand and offer programs and webinars about
how to use LinkedIn to create connections and land a job. More than that, the Alumni Office offers assistance “to students just out of school or alumni who are looking for a new job after being in the workforce.” SMSU students also have some unique opportunities to create networks with professionals in their fields and secure jobs in the future, even during a tough economy. Amy Blum, now an employee of UniPro, found one such opportunity. In the course of one of her classes, Blum was part of a team that planned, prepared and presented an executive luncheon for a meeting of the Culinology Advisory Board. Blum recalled that it was “an incredible opportunity” to meet some of the leaders in the food service and food science industries. One common thread ties Career Services, the Alumni Office and UniPro together: networking. “Many alumni want to turn back to their alma mater,” says Bowen, and between Career Services and the Alumni Office, SMSU is ready and waiting to help employers and alumni make that connection.
in short CAREER SERVICES can provide alumni, recent graduates, and current students with job search services and graduate school preparation. These services include MustangJobs.com, which provides information about local career opportunities, careerspot.com job searches, which provides even more links and resources, and access to on- and off-campus job fairs. Through Career Services and its website, alumni “basically have the same privileges as a student on campus,” said Risacher.
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With more than 17,000 SMSU alumni scattered throughout the world, it's challenging to host alumni professional development events. Join us for our first career development webinar, LEVERAGING LINKEDIN for Job Search and Business Development, led by Anne Pryor ’82 of Meaningful Connections, on September 23, 2010 at noon. This webinar is limited to 100 participants and is FREE! For more information visit www.SouthwestAlumni.com/webinar
Alumni Award Recipients Honored During the SMSU Homecoming weekend on October 1-2, the SMSU Alumni Association will present Alumni Achievement and Honorary Lifetime Membership Awards to distinguished alumni and friends of Southwest Minnesota State University.
Alumni Achievement This award is presented to a graduate in recognition of their remarkable professional success and the positive reflection made on the reputation of all graduates of SMSU. Reed Eckstrom BA ’79 Business Administration Commander, Navy Installations Command United States Navy Oak Harbor, WA
YOU ARE INVITED
Administration/Accounting Associate Professor of Business Administration Bemidji State University Bemidji, MN
SMSU Alumni Association 2010 Awards Luncheon Friday, October 1, 2010
Ken Norton BS ’81 Biology Commanding Officer, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) United States Navy San Diego, CA
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
Honorary Lifetime Membership
Jim Norton BS ’78 Biology/Chemistry Aerospace Physiologist, Medical Service Corps United States Navy Highland Park, IL
This award is presented to an individual who is not a graduate of SMSU, but gives their time, talents, and enthusiasm as if they were.
Joann Fredrickson BS ’84 Business
Brad & Joyce Strootman Marshall Radio Marshall, MN
Upcoming Alumni Events September 23- Leveraging LinkedIn Webinar October 1-2- Homecoming 2010 “Vote Stanger” October 30- 40th Anniversary of Wheelchair Basketball Celebration October 28-31- Marshall Festival January 9- SMSU Alumni Event at Billy Elliot January 29- Hawaiian Night at SMSU February 20- SMSU Alumni Event at the Minnesota Wild & Detroit Red Wings For more information, updated events or to register go online to www.SouthwestAlumni.com
SMSU Conference Center Ballroom Cost: $10.00 Lunch will be followed by a short program highlighting the 2010 Alumni Award Recipients. Help us honor these individuals by attending the Alumni Awards Luncheon. To reserve your lunch call 507-537-6266/1-800-260-0970 or go online at www.SouthwestAlumni.com by Tuesday, Sept. 28.
To nominate someone for a future award The Alumni Association is now accepting nominations for both alumni achievement and honorary membership awards to be given in 2011. If you know of an outstanding alumnus, a faculty, staff or community member who deserves recognition, please contact us. Email alumni@SMSU.edu or call 1-800-260-0970.
BELIEVE IN
BROWN Your on-campus and online source for all things Brown & Gold!
SMSU.BNCOLLEGE.COM FOCUS
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SMSU Alumni Reconnect
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Alumni gathered in Marshall this summer to honor former basteball coach Dale Honeck. Back row: (L-R) Doug Imming, Scott Surprenant, Larry Tellinghuisen, KonnieWilke, Jeff Johannesen, Dean Stimpert, Neil Kruse, Garry Mercer, Steve Otto, RonWendorff, Jeff Stephens, Steve Moore, Frank Belmont. Front row: (LR) Steve Burton, Kevin Pfingsten, Dave Carlson, Willie Bond, Dexter Cooley, Haywood Boston, Sam Leggett, Carl Harris, DaveWorklan, Tom Reid. Center Seated: Dale Honeck.
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Twins fans enjoyed a game at Target Field this summer. Back Row: (L-R) Kari Enstad, Tim Sell, Terrica Baune. Front: Lisa Vanvickle. New graduates Eric Eichenlaub and Nissa Nordland are welcomed into the Alumni Association at the new Grad Finale event the night before Commencement. Lonnie Struckman and Lillie Brown take a photo with Stanger at the Sioux Falls Mustang Stampede picnic.
Mustang Pride in Amazing Places Greg Dobrenski ’86 traveled to the Black Hills of South Dakota and proudly displayed his Mustang Pride at Lake Sylvan. He is pictured with his wife, Janet, and daughter, Mattea. SMSU rocks! Congratulations to Greg! You’ve won a $50 gift card to the Barnes & Noble Campus Store that you can use online at smsu.bncollege.com/ to pick up more gear! Do you have a photo of yourself wearing your Mustang gear in an amazing place or while on an incredible adventure? If so, send it along with a brief description to: alumni@smsu.edu. Winners will see their photo published in FOCUS and receive a $50 gift card to the SMSU Barnes & Noble Campus Store. To be considered, photos must be in focus with SMSU or Mustang logo clearly visible.
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Three Mustangs Advance to Professional Level It was an exciting summer for three former SMSU student-athletes who are continuing to play the game they love at the professional level. Former Mustang football player Bill Noethlich (2006-09) was one of 81 players on the Minnesota Vikings training camp roster. Noethlich, an offensive tackle, listed at 6-7, 308 pounds, began camp as one of 14 offensive lineman on the roster. Noethlich played in two of the team’s first three preseason games and is hoping to make the active roster or the team’s practice squad. Noethlich signed as a free agent following the National Football League draft in April and is the first SMSU player to appear in an NFL training camp since the early 1990s. A pair of Mustang baseball players who concluded their four-year careers this past spring have also advanced to the professional level. Adam Schrader, a right-handed pitcher, was selected
by the San Diego Padres in the 39th round (1,174th overall) of the 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, while teammate Andrew Kinney, a first baseman, signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Indians organization. Schrader spent most of the season with the Padres' rookie level team in the Arizona Summer League, before being promoted to Lake Elsinore (Calif.) of the Class A California League. Kinney started his career with the Mahoning Valley (Ohio) Scrappers of the Class A New York-Penn League, before finishing the summer with the Indians’ rookie level team in the Arizona Summer League. Schrader is the third Mustang in school history to be drafted by an MLB team. The Chicago Cubs drafted Steve Burton in the 20th round in 1982, while the Tampa Bay Rays selected Ryan Morse in the 13th round in 2005.
Bill Noethlich
Adam Schrader
Andrew Kinney
Anne Pryor ’82 Honors Coaches/Professors with Endowment Anne Pryor was a standout two-sport athlete at Southwest Minnesota State in the late 1970s and early 1980s, earning all-conference honors in basketball while also spending two seasons on the Mustang tennis team. But despite the individual accolades and team championships, it’s the relationships she built with teammates, coaches and professors that are still strong in her heart Anne Pryor today. With those relationships built, it’s no surprise that Pryor has established a scholarship endowment in the names of professor Eileen Thomas and professor/head coaches Hugh Curtler and Carmen DeKoster. “When you reach a point in your life, you start reflecting on your past and think of the individuals who impacted your life,” Pryor said. “These three have made a major impact in my life and this is a chance to thank them and honor them.” Curtler served as the women’s tennis coach at SMSU for 11 seasons and is the program’s all-time winningest coach. DeKoster spent 19 seasons as the head women’s basketball coach and holds the program record with 243 career victories.
“Eileen brought a diverse prospective to the University,” Pryor said. “I never took a class from Eileen, but she was always available for advice and her impact on me and others around her was profound.” DeKoster recruited Pryor and is a major reason she attended SMSU. “She was tenacious in recruiting me,” Pryor said. “Carmen was always positive and just someone you would want to play for. She did everything from driving the bus, to making food for the players. I have so much respect for her. She molded so many lives during her career.” During her first few years attending SMSU, Pryor also competed in tennis for head coach Hugh Curtler. Despite playing just two seasons, his impact on Pryor’s life is still with her today. “Hugh was brilliant,” Pryor says. “His approach to coaching was unique. He made you feel as an equal. He knew talent and could see everyone’s strengths.” Pryor, who now lives in Minnetonka, Minn., has never forgotten the impact a scholarship to SMSU made on her life. “I received a Presidential Scholarship to attend SMSU through University President Dr. Jon Wefald,” Pryor said. “It was a significant reason I chose to attend SMSU.” For that very reason, Pryor is now giving back to the University that gave her so much.
For updates on all your favorite teams visit: www.smsumustangs. com FOCUS
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Sara Taft and Matt Lussman were married on Sept. 12, 2009 at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Woodbury.
1972 Jeanne (Serie) Norgaard is a third-grade teacher at RussellTyler-Ruthton Elementary School. She lives in Tyler.
1986 1973 Al Antony was one of five volunteers retiring as board members of the United Way of Southwest Minnesota. He was recognized at the annual meeting. He works at Wells Fargo Bank in Marshall. Jerry Bachman, now living in Houston, Texas, was one of the artists featured at the October 2009 Alumni Art Show in the William Whipple Gallery at SMSU. Joining him were Duane Penske ’87 Vesta; Micah Bloom ’99 Iowa City, Iowa; Jason Schiffman ’99 Minneapolis; Nick Schlief ’06 Marshall ; Bonnie Van Moorlehem ’02 Minneota; and the late Ross Zirkle, ’78.
1974 Lee Kanten and several other SMSU alumni who were part of the Clutch and the Shifters ’50s tribute rock band were inducted into the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame last October. Others included Jerry Lindberg ’74; Patrick Rasmussen ’77; and Isiah Whitlock ’76. Joining them were band members Don Kanten, Keith Hocking, Gary Petersen and Chris Nolte. Terese Kramer was recently promoted to vice president of the equipment division for Marshall & Ilsley Equipment Finance Co. in Milwaukee, Wis. Marshall & Ilsley is a diversified financial services corporation.
1975 Tom Mahal is a co-founder of E&T Plumbing in Redwood Falls. The business specializes in installing new equipment in existing buildings. His partner is Erik Shaw.
1976 Jon Vezner, a songwriter now living in Nashville, performed a concert in Zumbrota on May 22. He moved to Nashville in 1986,
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Celebrating
Milestones
On November 13, 2009, Southwest friends gathered to celebrate Jeff West’s 60th Birthday. Pictured (L-R) Back Row: Rich Froemling (‘71-’74), Andy Theisen ’80, Alan Carpenter ‘72 Front Row: David Nyhammer ’77, Jeff West ’75, Anne Carpenter ’75; Mike Archbold ‘74
and won a Grammy Award in 1990 for his song, “Where’ve You Been,” recorded by his wife, Kathy Mattea. It was named Song of the Year by the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
1977 Dennis Devereaux, Cottonwood, was named the State Bus Driver of the Year at the VFW state convention. Devereaux was nominated by the Marshall Mongeau-Tholen Post 742 Auxiliary. Nancy (Larson) Straw is the president of West Central Initiative in Fergus Falls. She was recently elected to the Council on Foundation’s Community Foundations Leadership Team.
1979 Darwin Leek was recently featured on the Outdoors page of the Marshall Independent. He was shown with a 47-inch, 28-pound northern, caught in Whitefish Bay, near Sioux Narrows, Ontario, in June. The fish was released.
Allen, a 1980 alumnus. They have two sons.
1982 Carol Ford lives in Milan, Minn., and served as a panelist at the Home Grown Economy 2010 conference at SMSU. She is known as the Garden Goddess in Milan, where she lives and operates a greenhouse vegetable garden that supplies shareholders with year-round produce. Christine Konold (’82 PE, ’87 Math Education) was there as a witness when her 83-year-old mother, Val Blair, recorded a holein-one at Savannah Oaks Golf Course in Lynd on June 21. She aced the 83-yard No. 3 hole.
1984 Former Mustang wrestling great Scott Dubbelde was inducted into the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Hall of Fame July 14. He is the Farmers Cooperative Elevator Co. general manger in Granite Falls. He was second in the national tournament his senior year and ranks sixth alltime in SMSU wins with 101.
1980 Ramona (Welsand) Larson has announced her candidacy as a DFL candidate for the Minnesota House District 21A seat, vacated by Marty Seifert, who stepped aside to make a run for governor. Larson also received a master’s from SMSU in 2000. Larson formerly was an admissions counselor at SMSU. She is a small business owner in Redwood Falls and married to her husband,
1985 Marynell Lund recently published her memoir, “The Normal Side of Insanity,” which describes the many kinds of abuse she suffered during her life and how she has learned to overcome it. She is often asked to speak about the topic, and her memoir is being considered as a classroom textbook by a trio of colleges.
Rennae Petersen lives in Marshall and was awarded a Permanent Professional Certified Teacher of Music in Piano classification by the Music Teachers National Association. She has been teaching piano to preschoolers through adults since 1972. Her husband, Lloyd, is a retired SMSU Education professor.
1988 Dewayne Gimeson works as a publications specialist at Chadron State College in Chadron, Neb. He formerly worked as an assistant graphic designer at SMSU from 1986-88.
1989 Dr. Corey Lunn is currently the superintendent of the Montgomery-Lonsdale School District in Minnesota, a position he has held since July 2007. Prior to that he was an administrator in the Prior Lake School District.
1992 Patricia (Rua) and Ahnaf Bashir (1991) have been married 17 years and live in Frisco, Texas. They have three children: Rahib, 15; Rayaan, 11; and Monica, 9. They met as international students at SMSU, falling in love despite some difficult social barriers, including the fact she was born in Columbia, raised Catholic and spoke Spanish, and he was born in Pakistan, is Muslim and spoke Urdu. Their love story was told in a recent article in the Dallas Morning News. Elizabeth Johanneck is an “amateur historian, professional blogger and a borderline spiritualist” with a new book entitled Hidden History of the Minnesota River Valley. The book is about the individuals, lore and events associated with the Minnesota River Valley. She lives in the Twin Cities.
Future Jeff and Connie ( Johnson) Wetzel have been married 17 years and live in Maple Grove with their children Tanner 14, Mariah 11 and Hannah 8. Jeff is a loan officer for LendSmart Morgtgage and keeps busy coaching baseball. Connie is a licensed home daycare provider and enjoys being a Girl Scout leader and volunteering in the community.
1994
Mustangs Pictured: Avery and Julia, daughters of Jacob Fahl ’04 and Angela (Fredrickson) Fahl ’04/’06. Email your baby news to alumni@SMSU.edu and get a free t-shirt.
Heather (Gorden) Moorse lives in Minneota, Minn., and was recently named the Lyon County Child Care Provider of the Year. She and her husband are the parents of five children.
Council’s gallery when Ruth passed away. Despite that, Joel honored the commitment, calling it the couple’s last show together. “Now I’m trying to figure out who I’m going to be without her,” he told a reporter.
1995
1998
Janet Timmerman is the new program director for the History Center of Olmsted County, Rochester, Minn. She is currently working on research of the 19th century families of the Minnesota River Valley and the decline of small towns.
1996 Aaron Reeves is City Administrator in Cannon Falls, MN, and devotes a lot of time to coaching for the Rochester Youth Sports Association. Paige (Hoffrogge) Reeves (’96) has been working in specialty infusion pharmacy sales for the past seven years and currently serves as an Account Executive for Critical Care Systems. Aaron and Paige met as freshman at SSU in 1992, and married the summer before their junior year. They celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary in July. They live in Rochester and are raising two children: Isaiah (15) and Moriah (13). They have very fond memories of their undergraduate experience at SSU and enjoy the updates in FOCUS.
1997 Joel McKinney teaches seventh- and eighth-grade art at Wabasso Public Schools. He and his late wife, Ruth, showed their art together for more than a dozen years before she died last year. They were scheduled for a show at the Marshall Area Fine Arts
2003
Laura Alvstad was one of 32 semifinalists for the 2010 Minnesota Teacher of the Year Award. She teaches English in the Windom Middle School. Becky (Evers) Gerdes and her husband Scott are proud to announce the arrival of their twin boys, Nathan Scott and Matthew Scott, on April 3, 2009 at Rochester Methodist Hospital. Scott and Becky live in Rochester, Minn. and both work for the Rochester School District. Scott serves as the district treasurer in the accounting department and Becky is the principal at Bamber Valley Elementary School. Chris Kuehl works for the SW/WC Service Cooperative in Marshall as a consultant for the severely impaired. She was previously a special education teacher in Windom, Murray County Central and WestbrookWalnut Grove schools.
1999 Paul Besel was recently hired as the principal at Grand Meadow High School in Grand Meadow, Minn. Prior to that, he spent 17 years in the Austin (Minn.) School District before moving on to become an elementary principal in Worthington.
2000 Marcia Anderson was a finalist this past year for Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Anderson
teaches math at Owatonna High School. She also teaches math classes specifically geared for students who speak English as a Second Language. Kevin Forde is the assistant athletic director for operations at the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. Kevin and his wife, Laura, have two daughters. Heather Templer is an employee benefits manager for CDS Administrative Services in St. Cloud. She is married to Tom Templer, and they have two children.
2001 Corey Strasser is the new middle school and high school principal at Pipestone Area Schools in Pipestone. Cory and his wife, Jamie (’01), are the parents of four children.
2002 Keri (Williams) Henke is the public relations and communications coordinator for RE/MAX North Central in Burnsville. She is married to former SMSU athlete Ryan Henke. Jason Olson is a high school social studies teacher in the Adrian School District. He also coaches and advises one-act play, speech, National Honor Society and prom. He was the 2009 Adrian Teacher of the Year, and a nominee for Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Zachary Peterson was ordained as a deacon in the Catholic church last December. He continues his studies to become an ordained priest at a seminary in St. Meinrad, Ind. He is scheduled to be ordained on June 4, 2011.
Michael J. Branco recently accepted a position as the new transit manager for the city of Eau Claire, Wis. He formerly held a similar job in Ketchikan, Alaska. Michael and his wife, Michele, have three children. Tim Jones of the Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council recently received an Outstanding Customer Service From a Counselor Award. Jones has been a job-training specialist since 1987 and was honored for his work with former Bayliner employees in Pipestone. Jayme McGhan is an assistant professor of theatre at Concordia University, Chicago, Ill. He wrote the play, “The Sweet Stuff,” that was performed at the Osseo Yellow Tree Theatre this summer.
2004 P.J. Bock is a Republican candidate for the House District 21A seat. Bock works at JontiCraft in Wabasso. He lives in Lucan. Troy Chandler is part of the Chandler family that was named 2009 Lyon County Farm Family of the Year by the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Troy farms with his father, Jeff, near Balaton, and is married to Gayle, a 2007 alumna. Janelle (Powers) Kassel received a doctorate in optometry degree from Pacific University last September. She is married to Tyson Kassel, ’02. Jay Rude is a firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service in Lakeside, Ariz. Previously, he was a firefighter with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. He travels all over the country, he writes, and loves his job.
2005 Landon Erickson was named 2009 Tracy Elementary Teacher of the Year. Rev. Joel Koepp was ordained on May 30, 2010, at his home church, Zion Lutheran in Boyd. He is now pastor of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Wood Lake, after graduating from the Concordia Theological Seminary,
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Fort Wayne, Ind. Joel and his wife, Amanda, are the parents of two children. Tim Schulz sells motorcycles for the Delano Sports Center in Delano. He lives in Chaska.
2006 Angel (Paige) Bauman recently opened Angel Bauman, LLC in downtown Marshall, offering individual counseling and therapy services to adolescents and adults as well as marriage and family therapy. She received a master’s in counseling from Adler Graduate School. Amir Maleki teamed with Laura Meath, ’08, and grad student Perzen Polishwalla ‘10 to open a kiosk in the Market Street Mall in Marshall. Jay Meiners, a former Education major at SMSU, helped teach the Upward Bound program this past summer on the campus of SMSU. Chris Ostrowski married Theresa Strahota on Sept. 5, 2009. He is an account associate with Wells Fargo Shareowners Services in St. Paul. Colin Wasmund is now a theatre instructor at Ridgewater College in Willmar. He was part of the cast of “The Sweet Stuff,” the play written by Jayme McGhan ’03 that was performed this summer at the Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo.
2007 Kelly Deutz teaches at Holy Redeemer School in Marshall. She was featured in an article about Holy Redeemer sixth-graders making claymation short videos. Michael Engebretson was the winner of the Marshall Idol final in June. The competition was based on the television show
Klinkner Injured in Farm Accident Mustangs football player Derek Klinkner suffered career-ending injuries in a farming accident on May 11 near his hometown of Artesian, S.D. Klinkner’s back was broken and his T12 & L1 vertebrae were dislocated. He now has two rods and eight pins in the “fused” portion of his spine. Klinkner, a starting linebacker, was named honorable mention All-NSIC in 2009 and finished Derek Klinkner second on the team with 71 tackles, while recording a team-high 7.5 tackles for loss. During his two seasons as a starter, Klinkner amassed 139 tackles, including 17 for loss. With a full-year of rehab expected, a benefit was held at SMSU on June 24. Over $8,000 was raised during the benefit, which will assist in the medical bills and travel expenses for the Klinkner family. Klinkner is back on campus this fall and serving as an honorary captain for the Mustangs football team. His family maintains a Caring Bridge site for updates his progress at: www.caringbridge.org/visit/derekklinkner
head coach this past summer. Tim Gerszewski, assistant athletics communication director at SMSU for two years while he was getting his master’s, has been named the sports information director at Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. Nissa Nordland completed a summer theatre season with the Brownville Village Theatre, the oldest repertory theatre in Nebraska. It was her fourth summer as a BVT company member. She performed roles in “Snoopy” and “Playing Doctor” while also serving as the box office supervisor and public relations assistant manager.
2012 American Idol. Michael won two tickets to the American Idol concert in Minneapolis, $50 in gas money and a $50 gift certificate from Hard Rock Café. Meghan Nelson was recently hired as the assistant woman’s basketball coach at Northwest Missouri State University. She played two seasons at SMSU, then transitioned into a student-coach position. Melissa Rients was promoted to manager of the Marshall Glik’s store, located in the Market Street Mall.
2008 Sara Wiertzema is an elementary teacher in Milroy. This past summer she coordinated a reading program that rewarded good readers with frozen treats.
2009 Charlie and Rebecca Benson were featured in a Marshall Independent article about the unusual objects they use in their art — everything from cigarette
butts to a hard hat. The two are non-traditional students who went back to school and majored in art. They have a daughter, Ivy, and live in Marshall. Ross DeMasi had a successful season playing for the Vermont Frost Heaves of the Premier Basketball League, where he was a member of that league’s all-star team. Jake Speer had his artwork shown at the Marshall Area Fine Arts Council’s Emerging Artist exhibit in February. Speer currently works in the Web office at SMSU. Allison Krause and Alex Peterson ('07) were married on July 11, 2009.
2010 Powell Chee joined the football staff of former SMSU assistant Andy Carr at Presentation College in Aberdeen, S.D. The Presentation Saints will play their first season in 2011, and Chee has been helping get the program off the ground. Carr was named the
SMSU football player Derek Klinkner from Artesian, S.D., was injured in a farming accident on May 11. (See box story.) He is doing better and has returned to SMSU for the academic year, where he will be a part of the football program, said head coach Cory Sauter.
IN MEMORIUM Property developer D.C. “Pat” McFarland passed away on March 31, 2010. He was owner of The McFarland Co., a development business in Marshall for more than 55 years. He was a wellknown real estate broker and property developer and a good friend of Southwest Minnesota State University. Nicki Richard, Class of 1988, passed away on July 30, 2010 Ellen Molle Skramstad passed away on August 19, 2010. She attended Southwest from 1969 through 1972 with a major in art.
Send us your Class Notes! Our surveys have shown that the class notes section of Focus is one of the most popular features of the magazine. If you have news that you would like to share with classmates, please let us know. There are many convenient ways to share your news: email alumni@SMSU.edu | online www.SouthwestAlumni.com call 800-260-0970 | mail SMSU Alumni Office 1501 State St. Marshall, MN 56258
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FOCUS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2010 Brown and Gold Spirit Day Noon Alumni Awards Luncheon, SMSU Conference Center Ballroom 1:30pm Alumni Plaza Dedication, Alumni Plaza 2:00pm Alumni Art Exhibit Opening Reception, William Whipple Gallery 5:00-7:00 Stampede Feed, Sponsored by SMSU Student Government, Food, Live Music and Fun! Paul Smith Caricatures Artist, Student Center Courtyard 6:00pm University Gala, R/A Facility 7:00pm Mustang Volleyball vs Moorhead, PE Gym 7:00pm & 9:00pm Cinema @ The Centers--Toy Story 3, CC Lower Ballroom 8:00pm Planetarium Laser Show featuring Pink Floyd, SM 108 9:00pm "So You Think You Can Move Like a Mustang?" Sponsored by RHA, Location TBA 10:00pm SMSU Take 2 Comedy Improv, Black Box Theatre SATURDAY OCTOBER 2, 2010 7am – 10:30am Lions Club Pancake Breakfast Feed, Fire Hall 10am Parade Line-up, Lyon/Jewett Streets Checkpoint 10:45am Alumni Parade Hospitality Tent, Featuring Breakfast Paninos & Barnes and Noble Campus Store, Corner of Main Street and E. College Dr. 11am (NOTE THE NEW START TIME!) Homecoming Parade, Lyon Street to Main Street to 5th Street 2:00pm Planetarium Star Show, SM 108 2:00pm Beanbag Tournament, Regional Event Center Parking Lot, Sponsored by SMSU Women's Basketball. Call 507-537-7133 to register your team 2:00pm Ag Bowl, Family Fun Fest featuring pony rides, inflatables & clowns. Food, Beverage Garden, Live Music 2:00-4:00pm Residence Life Tours, Sweetland Hall and Living Learning Communities (Meet at Commons Central) 3:00pm Volleyball vs UM-Crookston, PE Gym 5:45pm Pre-Game Royalty Introductions, Regional Event Center 6:00pm Kick-off Football vs. Wayne State, Regional Event Center 9:30pm-11:30pm Dueling Pianos Free Live Entertainment Landmark Bistro Merchantile, Open to alumni, faculty, staff, students and the community!
Visit www.SouthwestAlumni.com/homecoming
Published by SMSU Alumni Office 1501 State Street • Marshall, MN 56258
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THE SMSU CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM & THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT PRESENT
October 28-31, 2010 Featuring
Philip Dacey, Lee Ann Roripaugh, Scott Phillips, Heid Erdrich, Barton Sutter, Stephen Graham Jones, Ed Bok Lee, Joyce Sutphen, Ross Sutter, Kyle Minor and Florence Chard Dacey.
We hope to see a renewal in our region’s writers year after year, combining a 'family reunion' feel with one of looking into the future of rural writing. Visit the Festival Web site often for up-to-date schedules and information:
www smsu edu/marshallfestival/
NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 97 Marshall, MN