News about your classmates and colleagues Jaysen Anderson M’12, C’13, St. Paul, Minn., is the new principal at Bloomington Jefferson High School.
Morgan Carlson ’13, Austin, Minn., joined the law firm of Adams, Rizzi, and Sween as a new associate in fall 2015.
Andrea Brinkman M’12, Mountain Lake, Minn., delivered the commencement address for the Mt. Lake Public School class of 2016. She is a strong advocate for music education and choral singing. She presented at the Minnesota School Boards Association conference in January 2015 and most recently at the Minnesota Music Educators Association.
Carissa Hahn ’13, St. Louis Park, Minn., is a marketing communications associate with Health Partners.
Dr. Meghan Hupp ’12, Minneapolis, Minn., is a resident physician in pathology at the University of Minnesota Medical College. She and her husband Lyric celebrated their first anniversary on July 11, 2016 Maria Hustedt C’12, Estherville, Iowa, is the reading integration teacher at Riverside Elementary School in Jackson, Minn. Rob McGuire ’12, Minneapolis, has a new teaching position with the St. Charles Public Schools, in St. Charles, Minn. Laura Nolte ’12, Owatonna, Minn., is the new kindergarten teacher at St. Felix Catholic School. Adam Peterson ’12, Farmington, Minn., was recognized as a DWI Enforcer All-Star during a Minnesota Twins pre-game activities at Target Field by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety. Aaron Sanderson M’12, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was named a Fellow of the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, the highest level of achievement in the field of health care philanthropy. He has worked in philanthropic programs for both the British Colombia Children’s Hospital Foundation in Vancouver and the SickKids Foundation in Toronto, and he is currently development director for the Toronto-based War Child Canada.
Lyric Hupp ’13, Minneapolis, celebrated his three-year anniversary at Code 42 as a software engineer. Jake Traxler ’13, Le Sueur, Minn., ran the Omaha Marathon over the weekend and he won. Check out his page, http://bit.ly/2cxDl9q Ryan Winegardner ’13, Eagan, Minn., has been with Transport America for three years and was recently promoted to team lead. Jeff Eppen C’14, became the assistant high school principal at Tri-City United High School in Montgomery, Minn. Angela Glodowski M’14, Cochrane, Wis., has a new position with Northwest Counseling and Guidance. Corey McKinnon C’14, Lindstrom, Minn., is the newly hired community education director in Forest Lake. Dr. Joey Page C’14, D’14, Eagan, Minn., principal of Richfield S.T.E.M. Elementary School and a member of the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association, was one of three finalists for Minnesota 2016 National Distinguished Principal award. John Soucheray ’14, M’16, Woodbury, Minn., is a social studies teacher and head cross country coach at United South Central High School. Cari Thompson M’14, Woodbury, Minn., was named the new principal at Valley View Elementary School. Maya Booker ’15, St. Paul, Minn., is a sixth-grade teacher at Eden Lake Elementary School.
Sean DuBè M’15, Minneapolis, was named the head baseball coach at New Prague High School for the 2017 season. He is also a language arts teacher and a technology integration coach with the school. Seth Haun M’15, Winona, Minn., teaches math, and is the head football coach and the athletic director at Cotter High School. Michael Johnson M’15, Foley, Minn., is the new principal with Cherry School. Kelsey Morken M’15, Spring Grove, Minn., is looking forward to her new teaching positions with the Spring Grove Public Schools as the fifth-grade home-room teacher and the sixth-grade math teacher. Jason Myhre C’15, Montgomery, Minn., is the new seventh- through 12th-grade activities director for the TriCity United School District. Ashley (Walz) Lardy ’15, Alexandria, Minn., is the senior housing service coordinator
with Ecumen Bethany Community. She will join the housing team and will assist residents of Bethel Manor and Winona Shores apartments. Jessica Bjick ’16, Jordan, Minn., is the kindergarten Spanish immersion teacher with the Pine Island School District. Kevin Geer M’16, Spring Valley, Minn., is the new biology instructor at Kingsland High School. Anna Potvin C’16, Pine City, Minn., is the new principal at Frazee High School.
WEDDINGS Steve Gergen ’81 to Dawn Reding Lopez Karas, Mendota Heights, Minn., on July 16, 2016 in St. Paul. Julie Costa ’92 to Jeremie Ryckewaert, Woodbury, Minn., on June 11, 2016 at Unity Church in St. Paul. They honeymooned in service this fall, teaching conversational English in Beja, Portugal as Global Volunteers.
Alumnus publishes book on Peace Corps experience When 22-year-old Patrick O’Leary ’66 stepped off the plane in Sierra Leone, West Africa in January 1967, he was dressed for the snowstorm he had left in Freeborn County, Minn., a few days earlier. He had no idea at the time how much his life was about to be changed. O’Leary, now a St. Paul resident, has captured his experiences in the Peace Corps in a recently published book titled, From Freeborn to Freetown & Back. It didn’t take long for him to realize his rural Catholic upbringing; training for Tanzania, his original Peace Corps assignment; and an earlier road trip to Key West, Fla.—in a Cadillac hearse—had only partially prepared him for two years living alone in the village of Binkolo. Before being evicted from the village, O’Leary was befriended by the local chief. In spite of time distance, and war, they maintained a relationship for over 40 years. Working to interpret and understand his Peace Corps experience, O’Leary returned to Sierra Leone in 2004. He was pleased to see old friends, but dismayed by what had become of the country. From Freeborn to Freetown & Back reflects on treasured memories, and divergent but connected lives. “I didn’t realize how much I had left there,” O’Leary said, “It was a tough trip.” O’Leary’s book is available on Amazon.com via paperback or Kindle.
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