[ class notes ] a big sister Lydia. Samuel Haag married Ashley Davidson on July 20, 2013. Lisa Carlson married Luis Marin on Sept. 7, 2013. Justin McMartin married Kari Winter on July 6, 2013. Travis VanOverbeke is the head coach of the football team at Murray County Central High School in Slayton, Minn. 2007 Joshua and Corrie (Cox) Bertrand welcomed their daughter, Eleanor Alan Bertrand, on Aug. 13, 2013. Tara (Haar, ‘08) and Ty Brouwer became parents of a baby boy, Taber Michael, on July 8, 2013. Kristine Schaff married Trent Baker. The couple resides in Walnut Grove, Minn. 2008 Krista (Bakewell) Johnson and her husband, Tyler, welcomed a daughter, Keira Renae, on June 8, 2013. Elizabeth (Johnson) and Jeff Folkerts welcomed a son, Ledger Paul, on June 12, 2013. Scott Voss accepted a position as a coordinator in SMSU’s Residence Life department in April 2013. He married Kaitlyn Konz (‘13) on August 17, 2013. Ben Nwachukwu (MBA ’10) and his wife, Stella, welcomed a son on Dec. 25, 2013. Baby Chimdi was welcomed home by his big sister, Adaugo. Bryan and Kasey (Loeslie, ‘09) Nikkel welcomed a baby girl named Sloan on October 16, 2013. 2009 Emily (Dyste) and Ryan Jaeger (‘08) welcomed their daughter, Hadley Serenity, on August 29, 2013. Tiffany (Harstad) and Kendall Bailey welcomed a baby boy, Liam John, on April 4, 2013. Jacob and Amy (Shirey) Hix are the proud parents of Adelynn Jean Hix.
Abby Oakland was named assistant women’s basketball coach at SMSU after spending the last season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Bemidji State University. Ben and Jenna (Schrupp) Rodman welcomed their son, Jace Milton, on August 1, 2013. Jacob Speer accepted a position in the Communication Office at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. 2010 Abbie Alllison is now working as a front desk supervisor at the Radison Blu Mall of America. Erin Eichten (MS’13) took a new position with the Boise State Office of Admissions. Heather Gass married Brock Nelson on April 13, 2013, in Marshall. Heather works as a claims representative for the Social Security Administration in Marshall, where the couple resides. Neal Utesch, who received his master’s in education with emphasis in leadership/curriculum from SMSU, is the associate high school principal at Le Mars Community Schools in Le Mars, Iowa. 2011 Anthony Holwerda married Stephanie Tulibaski (‘13) on May 17, 2013 at Zion United Methodist Church in Danube, Minn. Anthony works at North Star Mutual in Cottonwood, Minn. 2012 Katie Vermeer married Jason Bobbin on July 20, 2013. Derek Klinkner is now head coach of the SMSU wheelchair basketball team after serving as a both a player and assistant coach for the program. Jodie Stensrud married Jacob Forstein on Aug. 10, 2013, on the stage of the SMSU Fine Arts Theatre.
Adrienne Kletscher took an English teaching position at WestbrookWalnut Grove High School in Westbrook, Minn. She and her husband, Adam (‘06), have a one-year-old son, Hank. 2013 Amy Dreessen received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, which will provide a $7,500 grant to pursue her post-graduate education. She was one of 29 female spring studentathletes to receive the award, which is one of the highest academic honors a student-athlete can receive. Elise Kazmerzak and Laura Johnson joined the SMSU Office of Admission as admission counselors. Brian Bau took over as director of the End O’ Line Railroad and Museum in Currie, Minn. FACULTY/STAFF Dr. Jeff Kolnick, SMSU professor of history, wrote a MinnPost article on why universities have lost their moral courage. The article was entitled “Colleges, universities should show less caution, more courage and challenges.” Professor emeritus of history Dr. Thaddeus Radzilowski received the Piast Institute’s Lech Walesa Media Award for the promotion of Polish Culture. Dr. Radzilowski is President of the Piast Institute, a research and policy center devoted to Polish and Polish American affairs, which he co-founded in 2002. Professor of English Dr. Anthony Neil Smith signed a deal with Minnesota production companies Killing Joke Films and Pounding Heart MultiMedia to turn one of his popular novels, “Hogdoggin’,” into a film slated for release in early 2015. Associate Professor of Physical Education Marilyn Strate was named Special Olympics Minnesota’s Outstanding Coach for 2013 at the
Kristine Kvanli ‘96 and Jim Nelson ‘09 returned to SMSU to emcee the University Gala on Friday, October 4, 2103. Kvanli is a host on ShopHQ. Jim Nelson is sports director at KVRR Fox in Fargo, ND.
Distinguished Service Award banquet during a Special Olympics Minnesota leadership conference on Sept. 21, 2013. SMSU Financial Aid Director David Vikander was elected president of the Minnesota Association of Financial Aid Administrators (MAFAA) and was presented its Distinguished Service Award in May 2013. Former SMSU president Dr. David C. Danahar has been named interim provost and vice president of academic affairs at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Ga. Former SMSU women’s basketball coach Kelly Kruger has been named the new head coach of the women’s basketball program at Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa. He most recently coached at Adams State University in Alamosa, Colo., where he led the Grizzlies’ women’s basketball team to a 96-101 record from 2006-2013. IN MEMORIUM Deloris (Grohmann) Gacke (‘71) passed away on June 10, 2013 in Hendricks, Minn. Keith D. Burau (‘73) passed away on March 27, 2013, of complications from cancer. Stephen LaCroiz (‘73) passed away peacefully
at St. Mary’s hospital in Duluth, Minn., on Jan. 14, 2013. Ardith Reishus (‘78) passed away on June 17, 2013. Craig Boelter (‘90) passed away in Pipestone, Minn., on Jan. 6, 2013. Jacob “Jake” Hanson (‘02 and Masters of Science in Education ‘10) passed away on June 27, 2013, after battling cancer. Linda Bach, who was the administrative assistant in the SMSU physical plant, passed away on Sept. 17, 2013. Patricia Ebner, former SMSU Veteran’s Center coordinator, passed away on Oct. 4, 2013 at the Sunwood-Good Samaritan Society in Redwood Falls, Minn. Former SMSU Football coach Mike Freidel passed away on Oct. 6, 2013. A scholarship fund has been set up in his honor. Please contact the SMSU Foundation/Alumni office for more information.
What’s your story? There are many ways to share your news with other alumni: email alumni@SMSU.edu call 800-260-0970 click SouthwestAlumni.com mail SMSU Alumni Office 1501 State St. Marshall, MN 56258
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