OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF TEXAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
Marc Veasey & Kay Granger
Alumni Working Together in Congress
Spring 2013
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Contents 1
Letter from Texas Wesleyan President Frederick G. Slabach
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The Rosedale Renaissance Begins: Crews Began Roadwork April 1
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Quest for Higher Education Brings Student to United States
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Chemist Developing Drug Compounds to Battle Diseases
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One of the Lost Boys of Sudan Graduates from Texas Wesleyan
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Solid Foundation at Texas Wesleyan Leads Alumnus to Top Tier
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Children’s Book Teaches Kids about the Environment
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Rams Reliving Glory Days
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Lady Rams Ready to Defend Conference Title
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Alexis Beltran Pitched All 23 Innings in Three Days at Conference Tournament
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Student Group Provides 600 Meals for Tarrant County Residents
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Texting + Driving = Crashing
On The Cover
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Two Alumni with Cowtown Roots Working Together in Congress
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Forensic Accounting is on Target
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Blue and Gold Pride Energizes Homecoming 2013
Marc Veasey ’95 Rises to National Level Kay Granger ’65 HON ’93: From Classroom to Capitol Hill Baseball Legend Nolan Ryan Honored as Fort Worth’s Business Executive of the Year
Morton Fitness Center: On-campus workout option helps keep Texas Wesleyan community fit
Letter from Alumni Association President David D. Martin MBA ’04 Alumni News
In Memoriam
Tribute Gift Recognition
WEB EXTRA Look for this icon for video and other features connected with this article online.
Congressional members Marc Veasey ’95 and Kay Granger ’65 HON ’93 visited Texas Wesleyan to talk about their experiences and the leadership skills they learned on campus.
PRESIDENT Frederick G. Slabach EDITOR Laura J. Hanna CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chuck Burton Deborah Roark Laura J. Hanna Ken Roberts Josh Lacy
Dear Alumni & Friends, My thanks to all who have embraced our plans for enhancing the “front door” of our campus—the Rosedale Renaissance. After years of planning, I am pleased to report that the city has now begun street renovations. More good news: Fundraising for our building plans has reached nearly 85 percent of our goal. Once met, blueprints can be drawn up and construction will follow. We can take pride not only in the direction the University is headed, but also in where we are today. As you may know, for the third year in a row, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Texas Wesleyan in the #1 tier of regional universities in the West. Last month, Texas Wesleyan was honored once again. U.S. News & World Report ranked Texas Wesleyan among “Best Grad Schools” in the nation for 2014 for our nurse anesthesia and part-time law programs. Where we stand today is also reflected in some of the exceptional events held on campus. Our second annual Fraud Conference drew a 25 percent increase in attendance over the year prior (see page 19). Our annual Goostree Symposium featured award-winning author Reyna Grande, a nominee for this year’s National Book Critics Circle Award. And University College Day provided a forum for students, staff and faculty members at Texas Wesleyan to share their scholarly and creative endeavors. Good things are on the horizon, to be sure. But clearly, Texas Wesleyan is delivering a quality education when it matters most to our students: Here, and now. Sincerely,
Frederick G. Slabach President
DESIGN J.O.
COPY EDITOR Janna Franzwa Canard
PHOTOGRAPHY Glen E. Ellman Chuck Greeson
Sargent Hill
OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS 817-531-4404 | 817-531-7560 (fax) alumni@txwes.edu
Wesleyan is an official publication for alumni and friends of Texas Wesleyan University. It is published in the fall and spring by the Texas Wesleyan University Office of Marketing and Communications. The views presented are not necessarily those of the editors or the official policies of the University. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Barry Baker ’84 Patsy Clifford ’55 Karen Cole ’99 MBA ’04, vice president Martha Cole ’62 Michael Denis ’74 Martha Earngey ’77, secretary Presley Hatcher ’74 Syndi Hillberry ’86 Hayden Lackey ’08 David D. Martin MBA ’04, president Gladys Moore ’73 Sharon Roberson-Jones ’96 Glen Tuggle ’85, treasurer Jorge Vivar ’76 Kathy Walker ’97 Jerry Wood ’69 Ben Younger ’63 EX-OFFICIO MEMBER Dr. Carl G. Schrader, Jr. TEXAS WESLEYAN STAFF Joan S. Canty, vice president for university advancement Gina Phillips ’97 MSP ’07, director of development and alumni relations DeAwna Wood ’05, assistant director of alumni relations John M. Veilleux MBA ’04, vice president for marketing and communications Chuck Burton, assistant vice president for marketing and communications Laura J. Hanna, director of communications Wesleyan WWW.TXWES.EDU
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The Rosedale
Renaissance Begins
Crews Began Roadwork April 1 fter decades of discussion and months of design work by Freese and Nichols, the first phase of construction on the $32 million East Rosedale Street Improvements Project started April 1, when Jackson Construction placed barriers in the north lane of East Rosedale Street at Highway 287. The stretch of roadway between Highway 287 east to Miller Avenue will be sectioned into six zones for the construction project. The initial work includes utility, storm drainage, and water and sewer line work on the north lanes, with two-way traffic flowing in the two south lanes.
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The work on the north lanes of East Rosedale will take approximately one year to complete; then traffic will shift to the north lanes, while construction commences on the south lanes. The local community has embraced the project, with many serving on the Project Advisory Committee providing insight to rebuild the historic treasure of the Polytechnic Heights area. The project is on schedule and on budget, reflecting the commitment of city leaders to the Polytechnic community.
Feature Story
Progress to Date Rosedale Renaissance Project $6.5 million
A New Look and Feel for the Polytechnic/Wesleyan Neighborhood The four-block area adjacent to the campus will receive additional enhancements and pedestrian-friendly amenities. The realignment of Nashville Avenue at East Rosedale and moving the traffi c light from Binkley Street to Wesleyan Street at East Rosedale will allow the Wesleyan community to have a safer way to cross Rosedale. Over the next 18 months, improvements will include more landscaping, better lighting, curbs for parallel parking, a seat wall and promenadestyle sidewalks. Stone kiosks with bronze plaque images will provide a historical perspective, allowing viewers to see what a particular vantage point looked like versus how it looks now. Jackson Construction anticipates utility work to begin in front of the campus by June, with heavy construction occurring by the end of the summer along the new “front door” to campus.
$1,800,000 Sustainable Development Grant from the North Central Texas Council of Governments $400,000
Department of Housing and Urban Development
$1,000,000 U.M.C. Central Texas Conference $500,000
J.E. & L.E. Mabee Foundation Challenge Grant Deadline: October 1, 2013 (Designated to the campus entryway and Central Texas Conference Service Center)
$250,000 $250,000
Amon G. Carter Foundation Moody Foundation of Galveston, Texas (Designated to the campus entryway)
$100,000
JPMorgan Trust Dept./Bryce Fund
$100,000
Ryan Foundation
$1,095,200
42 individual gifts/pledges from trustees, alumni and friends
$5,495,200 Total Funding to Date
$1,004,800 Remaining Need for Entire Project and Successful Completion of the Mabee Challenge
Design Work Under Way for the $6.5 million Rosedale Renaissance Project Local design firm Bennett Benner Pettit is currently designing the new campus entryway and a 15,000-square-foot office building to house the Central Texas Conference Service Center. A collaborative planning approach for the architectural design of the new building is ongoing between Texas Wesleyan and the bishop’s office at the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Additionally, the Business Incubator Center business plan is under development with an initial pilot to begin in fall 2014, after the historic Polytechnic Firehouse renovation project has been completed.
Learn How You Can Help Need more information on how you can become a part of this exciting Rosedale Renaissance Project and the Mabee Challenge? Contact Joan S. Canty, vice president for advancement, at 817-531-4411 or jcanty@txwes.edu.
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The Rosedale Renaissance Project The Rosedale Renaissance Project is a $6.5 million multifaceted project designed to leverage more than $32 million in private and public funding for the benefit of southeast Fort Worth and Texas Wesleyan University. The four components below work together; each one influences additional funding sources for the entire Rosedale Renaissance Project. The amounts shown are approximate.
Campus Entryway ~ $1.3 million đƫ Will create a welldefi ned campus entry at the intersection of East Rosedale and Vaughn streets.
đƫ Will include a clock tower, two stone kiosks with bronze plaque images, a horseshoe drive and expanded parking, landscaped medians, and lighting.
Central Texas Conference Service Center ~ $3 million đƫ 15,000-square-foot building to be located on the south side of the 3200 block of East Rosedale Street. đƫ The University will build and own the building; the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church will be the sole tenant.
đƫ Will house Bishop J. Michael Lowry, his staff, three major centers— Leadership, Evangelism and Church Growth, and Mission Support— and additional outreach and church services.
Texas Wesleyan Empowers
Polytechnic Firehouse for the Business Incubator ~ $400,000 đƫ Will renovate a 100-year-old firehouse on Vaughn Street. đƫ Will house a new School of Business Administration faculty- and student-
managed Business Incubator Center to assist entrepreneurs in creating, planning for, and successfully managing their new businesses.
Sustainable Development Project ~ $1.8 million đƫ Will renovate and enhance East Rosedale Street in the four blocks adjacent to the University (included in the larger $32 million project to be administered by the city of Fort Worth and the Texas Department of Transportation).
đƫ Will add pedestrianfriendly amenities such as new promenadestyle sidewalks, bus benches, crosswalks, streetlights and landscaping, thereby increasing commercial use and other types of economic development.
CRITICAL THINKERS
SKILLS LEARNED IN CLASS LEAD TO STUDENT SUCCESS We teach you the skills you need to succeed. By learning critical thinking and analytical reasoning while you’re in college, you’ll be more prepared to excel in your career or graduate studies.
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“My mother told me when you’re in college. you earn your degree. The critical skills I’m learning here that will propel me in my profession are being able to listen and ask questions. I’ve grown from
not really applying myself to being very successful at what I do. At Texas Wesleyan, I’m earning my degree.” Jeremy Hunt, sophomore mass communications major
WEB EXTRA Find out more about Jeremy’s success at txwes.edu/jeremy
THE BEST AD FOR YOUR SCHOOL ISN’T AN AD. IT’S YOU. No one knows the value of a Texas Wesleyan education like you. Think of the professors who knew you by name and pushed you to think in new ways. Think of the faith-based heritage and the tradition of excellence. Now think of someone else who would thrive here. Texas Wesleyan can change a life. Just like it did yours. Let them know it’s not too late to apply online for the fall at:
txwes.edu/apply
1201 Wesleyan Street | Fort Worth, Texas 76105
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817-531-4422
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admissions@txwes.edu
Student Life
Quest for
Higher Education Brings Student to United States
By Laura Hanna
If she had stayed in Iran, Meisa Keivani knew that she could not expand her education beyond high school. As a member of the Baha’i Faith, she and her family suffered religious persecution and were unable to have the same rights as Muslims. She made a tough decision: to leave her homeland and come to the United States as a refugee.
Leaving Behind Everything She Knew Keivani left Iran in 2006 and had to go to Austria first because there was not a U.S. Embassy in Iran. There, she spent “five months and five days” before coming to the United States in 2007, she said. After Keivani got settled in the U.S., she got a retail job in Plano. At work one day, an Iranian dentist, Dr. Mahdi Dezham, recognized her accent and struck up a conversation. They discussed her career plans and she ended up working in his office. Keivani said she really liked the interaction with patients and the idea of being able to work with her hands and help people. Keivani feels like dentistry is “a good mixture of art and science.”
Achieving the Dream of Higher Education As a junior biochemistry major and math minor at Texas Wesleyan University, Keivani has had the chance to explore the sciences with a hands-on approach—she helps Philip Pelphrey, assistant professor of chemistry, with experiments on drug compounds. “She is a go-getter and she picked it up very easily,” he said. “What struck me
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most about her was her strong work ethic and desire to learn.” Pelphrey also serves as her academic advisor. Although she loves science and plans to pursue a career in dentistry, Keivani also is interested in art and is a photographer for The Rambler. “I originally thought of pursuing a career in architecture, but wanted to do something that wouldn’t require so much sitting in front of a computer,” she said.
Welcome to the U.S.A. In November, Keivani took another big step—becoming a United States citizen. At her naturalization ceremony downtown, a group of supporters came to watch the momentous occasion. In addition to family members, she had Pelphrey and others from Texas Wesleyan on hand to share the day. Dozens of new citizens were sworn in that day, representing in excess of 20 countries. With flags in hand and wearing big smiles, they took turns getting pictures made in the courtroom— capturing memories they will never forget.
Texas Wesleyan: A Perfect Fit Being at Texas Wesleyan has been great, and having so many supportive people around her has really helped her, Keivani said. “Everybody becomes your friend,” she said. “I feel like the whole campus is behind me and they won’t let me down.”
Chemist Developing Drug Compounds to Battle Diseases By Laura Hanna said. “Other researchers can use that While a lot of scientific knowledge. That’s how science works.” research sounds like mumbo that Attack the jumbo to most folks, Philip Diseases Central Nervous System Pelphrey can sum up his in One of Pelphrey’s areas of research is finding ways to battle diseases like a simple phrase: “I make Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, both drugs that kill bugs.” of which affect the central nervous
Summer is the best time to train new students in the lab and he’s been lucky that some, like Meisa Keivani (see opposite page), have really enjoyed the work and stay with him for a while. “I’ve been fortunate to have students here who have done research for me for three years,” he said. “I’ve been struck by how well they’ve done.”
Pelphrey, an assistant professor of chemistry at Texas Wesleyan, said, “My goal is to design drugs for the treatment of illnesses.”
system. In some ways, these diseases are similar to drug abuse, where neurons break down and drugs bond to neurotransmitters.
His research and development of drug compounds to fight cancer and bacteria have earned patents.
“My goal is to produce a compound that is better than a drug but not addictive,” he said.
The general framework is to create 10 compounds, each slightly different, Pelphrey said.
“I’m a practical person. I want to make something that has a purpose,” he said. “I care about the end product, not necessarily how we got there.”
Pelphrey learned a lot about drug addiction when he spent two years researching the effects of cocaine.
“You’re never going to get a home run on your first try,” he said. “You can begin to play around with the different pieces of the puzzle and move forward with what’s good.
Even if his research fails, he said he’s okay with that because taking a wrong turn helps other researchers know what not to do. “Even if it doesn’t work, it adds to the broader knowledge of science,” he
“It’s so hard to overcome that,” he said. “It basically inhibits the electrical impulses in the neurons.”
Students Conducting Research Pelphrey said it’s very helpful to have students assist in his research— and it’s great experience for them.
How the Research Develops
“As long as you’re getting positive results, you continue with it,” Pelphrey said. “I design drug compounds that may one day be of benefit to society.”
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One of the Lost Boys of Sudan Graduates from Texas Wesleyan By Laura Hanna Thomas Bell, professor of business administration, with Gabriel Wal ’12 at Texas Wesleyan’s traditional robing ceremony.
Gabriel Wal ’12 is not your average college graduate.
s one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, he has overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles along the way. At the age of 12, he and many others fl ed the civil war that had taken their families. They escaped Sudan by walking for 60 days—day and night—across the Sahara Desert. Not everyone survived the journey.
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It All Began Under a Tree
Although he did not have a family while he was growing up, Wal had a specific desire that kept him going. “I’ve been on my own my whole life and making my own decisions,” he said. “My goal was to get an education.”
When he began his college career in the United States, he attended Tarrant County College and then transferred to Texas Wesleyan University. He received financial support through Christ Chapel in Fort Worth and Texas Wesleyan trustees, as well as financial aid through the University.
A Fresh Start in the United States
“Texas Wesleyan University, Christ Chapel, and Catholic Charities have all had a big impact on my life,” Wal said. “There are also good individuals who have had a great impact on my life, such as the Sudanese community, friends and relatives. All of these people did phenomenal things.”
Wal eventually made it to the United States, arriving in New York on the fateful day of Sept. 11, 2001. After a few weeks, he was relocated to the Fort Worth area. At that point, Catholic Charities stepped in and began teaching English and U.S. culture to the refugees.
Wal’s education has come in many forms. His early classes in Sudan were held under a tree with no books, blackboards or traditional writing tools. “We used to write on the ground as a notebook, and use a carton as a blackboard,” he said.
Six years ago, Wal went to work for Catholic Charities and continues to work for the agency to help immigrants. He earned a business degree in 2012 and participated in fall commencement.
Happy Family, Happy Future
“I like what Catholic Charities does for the community. They are really wonderful people,” he said.
“I will see what is in God’s plan for me,” he said. “I’m hoping to go back to school if I have the opportunity.”
Texas Wesleyan Produces
In 2008, he got married and now has a family of his own. Wal said he is excited about earning his degree and looks forward to a happy future.
MOVERS & SHAKERS
HOT DAMN! THAT’S A SIZZLING BUSINESS!
Ideas stoked and seasoned in Texas Wesleyan classrooms really sizzle in the workplace. Just look at Hot Damn, Tamales!, owned by Ione Stavron ’63. The personal attention Stavron received at Texas Wesleyan translated into how she treats others in her restaurant.
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Hot Damn, Tamales!, located on historic Magnolia Avenue in Fort Worth’s hospital district, serves up fresh, madefrom-scratch (nothing frozen or from a can) tamales, tacos and more. The Beef Tenderloin tamales and Wild Mushroom and Texas Goat Cheese tamales are the most popular of the many tamale varieties. Don’t live in Fort Worth? That’s okay. Hot Damn, Tamales! ships nationwide.
“In every class I attended at Texas Wesleyan the professor knew me. I was a person, not a number. That made an impression on me. When someone comes into my restaurant, I don’t know what kind of week they’re having, but they’re a person. I give them a smile, look them in the eye and I compliment them. My speech and drama professor, Mason Johnson, taught me how to treat people and that has carried me through my years.” Ione Stavron ’63, Owner, Hot Damn, Tamales! restaurant in Fort Worth
Solid Foundation at Texas Wesleyan Leads
Alumnus To Top Tier
By Laura Hanna
Michael Williams ’77 wasn’t content simply to go to class at Texas Wesleyan. He took advantage of everything Wesleyan had to offer. Whether it was taking part in student government, asking professors for help, or writing stories on The Rambler staff. It would serve him well throughout his career that has now brought him back home to Fort Worth as the interim president of the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
Wesleyan Built the Foundation “You felt like there wasn’t anything you couldn’t try. So it sets you up for life in a lot of ways—to be more adventuresome and maybe even entrepreneurial,” Williams said. After earning his bachelor’s degree in biology at Texas Wesleyan, he went on to earn a D.O. from the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM now is part of UNTHSC); an M.D. from Ross University; an MBA from Duke University; and a master’s degree in health care management from Harvard University. “I think the culture at Texas Wesleyan when I was there was the feeling that you could get involved in whatever you wanted to get involved in and you could learn leadership skills. It was in a smaller scale environment where you could get lots of experiences in different areas and be a leader in several areas,” he said. “There was support from all different stakeholders on campus to allow you to do that.”
Why a D.O. and an M.D.? “When I graduated from TCOM in 1981, there was still a whole lot of prejudice between the two groups—and a lack of understanding,” Williams said. “I went for my residency training in Dallas [at Parkland and Methodist], but I realized very quickly that some of the specialties I wanted to train in didn’t allow D.O.s to be board certified,” he said. “One of my mentors, who was chair of the surgery department, advised me to go back and get my M.D.” Williams said the relationship between the two medical groups has dramatically improved. UNTHSC has a good working relationship with John Peter Smith Hospital. The UNTHSC students do rotations at JPS and TCOM graduates are in residency programs there.
Biggest Influences at Texas Wesleyan “Dr. James Street, who headed the biology department for a number of years, was very influential in my life and set me on course on how to handle myself and how to train myself as a professional. He was a big believer in very rigorous academics and that was a very positive influence. “Dr. Street had a way of being completely candid about your level of rigor and seriousness. It could be painful, but I actually appreciate him more and more all the time,” he said. “On the English side, it was Dr. Carl Schrader who was very influential on me getting more involved in English and having an appreciation for literature at the college level.”
Personal Attention Makes a Difference “As an unofficial double major in biology and English, I could go to a biology faculty member’s house or an English professor’s house and have dinner or ask a question,” Williams said. “To be able to have a relationship with the professors beyond the classroom just enriched the whole experience. Texas Wesleyan is a very special place.”
WEB EXTRA See more about Michael Williams at txwes.edu/williams
Michael Williams made the most of his collegiate career, and he said being voted SGA president was one of the most meaningful experiences at Texas Wesleyan. Here are some of his accolades: đƫThe Rambler staff đƫLambda Chi Alpha member đƫGolden Shears member đƫSigma Tau Delta (English Honor Society) president đƫStudent Government Association president đƫWho’s Who đƫMr. TWC đƫHaltom Awards recipient đƫOrder of Omega honoree
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Children’s Book Teaches Kids about the Environment By Laura Hanna
Sporting a wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun out of his eyes, Farmer Paco plants a seed in the community garden and waits for it to grow. He waits, weeds the garden, and waits some more. Soon, the plant will grow and blossom, providing the jalapeño he needs for his salsa.
armer Paco is a key character in The Jalapeño Seed, a children’s book about community gardens. The book, written by Patsy RoblesGoodwin, associate professor of education at Texas Wesleyan, is part of a comprehensive project to teach environmental education to minority children.
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“The problem is that our minority populations don’t see environmental education as a priority, so children don’t see it modeled at home,” she said. “Then they get to school and the teachers might not emphasize it because they are focusing on other areas that might be tested, so they aren’t really getting it anywhere.”
The book, which is offered through Scholastic, is complemented by corresponding curriculum, a frog puppet named Buddy, and a parent component.
“This is an intervention.”
“It’s a project I’ve been working on with Keep America Beautiful,” Robles-Goodwin said. “It’s basically an environmental education curriculum for young children.”
Why Environmental Education Matters By incorporating environmental education into existing school curriculum, Robles-Goodwin is trying to help young children develop good habits now so they can promote positive environmental behavior for the future. Her target audience starts at age 4 and goes through third grade. “Keep America Beautiful has a very good curriculum for elementary, but not for early childhood, so there was a gap,” she said.
The Jalapeño Seed is also offered digitally so teachers can use it in lesson plans. Robles-Goodwin said the challenge is to reach people who do not place importance on environmental issues.
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She said reaching children at a young age is important, because they will bring those lessons home and may encourage their families to follow their lead. “If you think about environmental education, reusing and recycling are concepts that need to be taught at an early age so they can make an impact on environmental habits at a later age,” Robles-Goodwin said. And she is proof that those lessons endure. “I remember as a young child, I had a really good teacher who taught us not to litter and the importance of not littering,” Robles-Goodwin said. “To this day, if I see someone just throwing a cigarette butt or gum wrapper, it makes me angry because they are littering our environment. My thought is maybe they didn’t learn it or didn’t have a good model because they don’t have good habits,” she said. “This is an intervention, especially with minority populations living in poverty. This might not be a priority, but at least if it’s addressed, if it’s taught, if you’ve planted that seed—then later, those concepts will develop into good habits.”
Athletics
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Rams Reliving Glory Days JOSE ROLZ
By Josh Lacy
Hall of Fame coach Bobby Cornett has the Rams men’s golf team playing like its 1999. The team ripped through its fall schedule to the tune of three wins in four tournaments. That performance has the team ranked number one in the country in both the NAIA Coaches’ Poll and the Golf World/Nike Coaches’ Poll. exas Wesleyan men’s golf is one of the most storied programs in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. In 58 years of membership, the Rams have made 51 NAIA National Tournament appearances. In those 51 trips to the tourney they have finished in the top-ten 48 times. Their six national championships are the second most by any one institution, trailing only Oklahoma City University’s seven, while no school can match their nine runner-up finishes. However, since winning their last national title in 1999, the team has posted just one runner-up finish and three top-five finishes.
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THREE ALL-AMERICANS LEAD THE CHARGE This year’s squad features three All-Americans in Nathan Anderson (senior, Burleson, Texas), Dillon Watkins (senior, Newark, Texas), and Jose Rolz (sophomore, Guatemala City, Guatemala). Anderson was a first-team All-American selection and the recipient of the 2012 Jack Nicklaus award after finishing as the runner-up in the NAIA National Tournament last year. Incidentally, the 1999 team also had three All-Americans in Tim McMillan, Richard Ramskill and Jason Read.
JACK NICKLAUS WITH NATHAN ANDERSON
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BLAKE VINSON
THEY DID NOT JUST WIN, THEY DOMINATED. The fall season started with a fourth place finish at Wichita State University’s Shocker Invitational, well ahead of NAIA powers Oklahoma City and Oklahoma Christian. Nikolaj Brons-Piche, a freshman from Traverse City, Mich., turned in a card of 68 in his first collegiate round and went on to lead the Rams by tying for 16th among 61 individuals.
Then the team absolutely caught fire. For the second season in a row, the Rams won the NAIA Fall Preview, played at Creekside Golf Club in Salem, Ore., which will also host this year’s National Tournament. This time they did not just win, they dominated. The Rams cleared second place Concordia University (Oregon) by 27 strokes. Blake Vinson (junior, Fort Worth, Texas), who won the tournament a year ago, finished as the individual runner-up at even par, while all five Rams finished in the top-seven individually. The team followed that performance with a win at St. Thomas University’s Talamonti Invitational in Houston. The victory was the 200th tournament win in program history. Vinson tied for the top spot before falling in a playoff. Meanwhile Anderson and Watkins tied for third in the field of 33. The Rams stayed hot by closing out the semester with a third consecutive
win, taking the title at the Northwood Fall Shootout at Tangle Ridge. A second round score of 276, the fifth best round in program history, led to a one-shot win over California State University-San Marcos.
CATCH THE ACTION The Rams received 13 of 18 first place votes in the NAIA Coaches’ Poll and 10 of 13 first place votes in the Golf World/Nike Coaches’ Poll. The team teed-off the spring semester at the University of Houston-Victoria’s Claud Jacobs Collegiate, Feb. 17-18. Local fans had several opportunities to support the team, most notably when the Rams hosted the UST Mamiya Intercollegiate at Hawks Creek Golf Club in Fort Worth, March 11-12. The team also played the NAIA Contender at TPC Four Seasons in Irving, March 4-5, and the Dallas Baptist Invitational at the Golf Club of Dallas, April 7-9.
Lady Rams Ready to Defend Conference Title Last season was a historic one for the Texas Wesleyan University softball team. Head Coach Shannon Gower’s squad not only won the Red River Athletic Conference Championship, but made the program’s first NAIA National Tournament appearance since 1983. Now the team is set to begin its title defense in 2013. The Lady Rams raked in the postseason awards last year. Gower was named RRAC Coach of the Year, while sophomore pitcher Alexis Beltran (Upland, Calif.) was named Newcomer of the Year and Raven Moreno (junior, San Antonio, Texas) was named Defensive Player of the Year. Lindsay Cline (sophomore, Burleson, Texas), Ashleigh Jiminez (senior, Burleson, Texas), and Marissa
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Rangel (senior, Montebello, Calif.) were also named AllRRAC. Beltran went a perfect 14-0 in conference play while leading the league in wins and opponent batting average (.209) and ranking second in ERA (2.49) and strikeouts per game (6.28).
A POWERFUL TURNAROUND Three early losses to Our Lady of the Lake University put the Rams in a tough spot in 2012. However, the team responded by winning eight of their next nine contests heading into a conference showdown with rival Northwood University. Beltran tossed a complete game shutout and the Lady Rams took the first of the three game set by the narrow margin of 1-0. In game two, the
Athletics
ALEXIS BELTRAN PITCHED ALL 23 INNINGS IN THREE DAYS AT CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT. By Josh Lacy
Rams prevailed 4-1. In game three, the Knights jumped ahead 2-0, but a pair of two-run homers from Rangel and Cline put Texas Wesleyan on top and the Lady Rams went on to complete the sweep with a 9-5 victory. That three-game sweep vaulted the Lady Rams into a tie atop the RRAC standings. Texas Wesleyan closed out the regular season with a 20-4 record in league play. They got some help when Northwood defeated Our Lady of the Lake, breaking the tie and giving the Rams the regular season title outright.
RAVEN MORENO
After reaching the championship game of the RRAC tournament in both 2010 and 2011, the third time proved to be the charm in 2012. Beltran, who went 14-0 in regular season conference play, was only getting started. The right-hander tossed all 23 innings in a three-day span at the conference tournament, allowing three earned runs and powering the Lady Rams to their first RRAC Tournament Championship. The Rams topped Bacone College 4-2 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals the Rams met with Our Lady of the Lake. Beltran tossed all nine innings and Christina Kelley (senior, Aledo, Texas) drove in the gamewinning run as the Rams won 2-1 to advance to the title contest for a third consecutive season. OLLU defeated Northwood to earn a rematch in the final, but the Rams put the game away with a four-run first inning on their way to a 5-2 victory.
LOOKING FOR A REPEAT The championships secured Texas Wesleyan’s second trip to the NAIA National Tournament and the first since Head Coach Sinah Goode’s 1983 team. After gaining invaluable experience at the national tournament, Beltran and Moreno are both back to defend their conference championship. The Lady Rams opened the 2013 season on Feb. 9, when they hosted Oklahoma Wesleyan University. The RRAC Tournament will be played May 2-4, in Farmers Branch, Texas.
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Student Life
Student Group Provides 600 Meals for Tarrant County Residents oals of raising social awareness and helping those in need drove a successful food collection campaign that yielded 717 pounds of food— enough for 600 meals for Tarrant Area Food Bank clients.
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When everything was collected, Black Student Association President Jay Johnson, student volunteers and President Frederick G. Slabach visited the food bank to unload the donation. “The idea for the food drive came right before the holiday season, and we wanted to give to families who didn’t have what they needed,” Johnson said. “This time of year I feel really fortunate for the things I have, and I think about the people who don’t have the same opportunity or may not have a dinner at night.” “We’re very happy that the Black Student Association and all of our students, faculty and staff participated in this effort to help the Tarrant Area Food Bank,” Slabach said.
Black Student Association President Jay Johnson and President Frederick G. Slabach unloaded boxes of donated goods at the Tarrant Area Food Bank.
Bo Soderbergh, executive director of the Tarrant Area Food Bank, echoed Slabach’s sentiments. “These economic times have hit the community hard. One in four children is at the risk of going hungry. I think it’s absolutely fabulous when ... college students take the initiative to do something to address that issue,” Soderbergh said.
WEB EXTRA Discover more about the Black Student Association and this event at txwes.edu/food
Texting + Driving =
CRASH I N G ome might assume that taking a glance at the phone or sending a quick text while driving is perfectly acceptable in today’s fast-paced world. But those who tried doing just that learned that nearly everyone lands in the same place: a crash scene.
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Students, faculty and staff got a chance to test their skills when AT&T brought a texting-while-driving simulator to campus. Ninety-one drove the simulator and 121 signed a pledge to not text and drive. Statistics show that those who text while driving are 23 times more likely to crash. After all, it only takes one second for a car to travel the length of a basketball court when going 65 mph.
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Student Government Association President Laura Alexander tests her driving-while-texting skills. She “crashed” in the simulator.
The event was presented by AT&T, President Frederick G. Slabach and the Student Government Association.
WEB EXTRA Find out more about the texting-while-driving simulator and the students’ reaction at txwes.edu/texting
Cover Story
Two Alumni with Cowtown Roots Working Together in Congress By Laura Hanna U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R) and Marc Veasey (D) represent two different political parties, but they both agree that Texas Wesleyan provides a good foundation for leadership. They visited campus recently to talk about what the University means to them, and how the small class sizes helped prepare them for leadership roles. For Granger, her career path led her from teacher to business owner to politics. She served on both the
Fort Worth Zoning Commission and Fort Worth City Council, and was the city’s mayor from 1991 to 1995. She was elected to Congress in 1997. Veasey was first elected to the Texas State House in 2004 and served his district for four consecutive terms. And now he has joined Granger in Congress, where the two alumni will continue to represent Texas Wesleyan and Fort Worth well.
Marc Veasey ’95
Kay Granger ’65 HON ’93
Political Highlights
Political Highlights
đƫ Worked for Congressman Martin Frost đƫ First elected to the Texas State House in 2004
đƫ Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations for the 113th Congress
đƫ Represented District 95—an area now part of the 33rd Congressional District—for four consecutive terms
đƫ Member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and the Subcommittee of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development
đƫ Served in leadership positions, including Democratic whip and chair of the Democratic Caucus
đƫ Co-chair of the Anti-Terrorism Caucus and serves as a deputy whip
đƫ Serves on the House Armed Services Committee
đƫ During the 110th Congress, served as vice chair of the House Republican Conference, where she was spokesperson for the party
đƫ Serves on the Science, Space and Technology Committee
đƫ Former mayor of Fort Worth
Personal Life
đƫ Co-chair of the Iraqi Women’s Caucus, where she has worked to mentor Iraqi women who now either hold elected positions or are leaders in a democratic Iraq
đƫ Born and raised in Fort Worth đƫ Married to Tonya Veasey and they have a 6-year-old son
Personal Life đƫ East Fort Worth native đƫ Former school teacher đƫ Owned and operated insurance agency for more than 20 years
WEB EXTRA
Learn more about Marc Veasey and Kay Granger’s visit to Texas Wesleyan at txwes.edu/congress
đƫ Three children, five grandchildren đƫ Member of First United Methodist Church
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Texas Wesleyan Trustee Gary Terry and U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey
Marc Veasey C 1995 LASS OF
Rises in Ranks to National Level
any other institution in North Texas,” Veasey said. “When you think about the fact that Kay [Granger] and I both went here and the contributions that people have made in the legal profession, in sciences, in health with our nurse anesthetist program, Texas Wesleyan is really on the cutting edge of a lot of marvelous things that are going on here in Fort Worth,” he said.
Museum on their own time to see the collection. “It was absolutely fascinating,” Veasey said. “I learned a lot about the art and had a chance to visit a museum for the first time. It was an amazing experience. Those kinds of things really prepare you as a leader and give you a good foundation.”
“Having two alumni from Texas Wesleyan is good for a lot of different reasons,” Veasey said. “It gives the University a voice on higher education issues in Congress. It also helps with the identification of the University as a great place in the Metroplex and North Texas.”
Camaraderie in Congress One of the great things about being a Texas Wesleyan alumnus is to see how the University has grown and improved over the years—like the addition of a technology-driven science building and a campus fitness center. And now that is extending to the Rosedale redevelopment. “The Rosedale project is very important not just for the University but also for the revitalization of southeast Fort Worth,” Veasey said. It’s going to be absolutely marvelous when it’s finished. The project will eventually complement the community and how it has been done in the past. This was a very pedestrian-friendly community. People like to walk to get around—which is good.” Veasey said the promenade-style sidewalks will be good for everyone. “It will be a benefit to Texas Wesleyan as well as other businesses along the East Rosedale corridor.”
What It Means to Have Two Alumni in Washington “I think it shows that Texas Wesleyan is as serious an academic institution as
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He credited Kay Granger ’65 HON ’93 for her expertise and for being a good resource to him. “Kay has been absolutely fabulous, and she’s someone who knows her way around Washington really, really well,” Veasey said. “The expertise that she brings, particularly on defense issues, I think is absolutely amazing. I’m on the Armed Services Committee, and Kay started her career on the Armed Services Committee,” he said.
Broadening Cultural Horizons “One of the things that really helped prepare me was the humanities class at Texas Wesleyan.” Veasey said the course provided an overall worldview and national perspective that was very beneficial. “I’d never even really been to a museum before and the Barnes exhibit [traveling exhibit of modern art collected by Albert Barnes of Philadelphia] was coming to Fort Worth and it was a really big deal.” His class watched a short film about Barnes and the collection, and then the students went to the Kimbell Art
Student Claudia Gonzalez and U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey
Academics & Friendships Veasey said a few of his favorite things about Texas Wesleyan are the quality of the education, the small classroom settings, and long-lasting friendships. The academics at Texas Wesleyan help prepare students for the future and give them a good perspective on how the world works, Veasey said. “I gained such a diverse group of friends here, and I still keep up with them today,” he said. “That’s the best memory I have of Texas Wesleyan—the friends,” Veasey said. “I’m very happy that I chose to go here.”
Cover Story
President Frederick G. Slabach with U.S. Rep. Kay Granger
Kay Granger
CLASS OF 1965, HON 1993
From Classroom to Capitol Hill After graduating from Eastern Hills High School, Kay Granger went to Texas Tech University for a semester—until circumstances called for a change. “We had a real financial reversal in my family, so I had to pay all of my own expenses,” Granger said. She had two options: find a job in Lubbock or return to Fort Worth. “I thought about it for about 30 seconds … and decided to come back home,” she said. Unsure of her future, Granger got some good advice from her mother, who went to Texas Wesleyan. “‘I think you should go out there and talk to them.’ I didn’t think I could afford Texas Wesleyan,” Granger said.
Texas Wesleyan is
Although she was unsure that everything would work out, Granger said she visited campus to see what her options were.
experience is that it’s like a family who encourages independence and real achievement—a lot of personal attention, which is unusual today.
“Texas Wesleyan offered me a small scholarship, not a huge scholarship, but also said, ‘We’ll help you find a job.’ So they called Leonard’s department store downtown and told them about me and arranged for a job interview,” she said.
“There were a lot of programs that encouraged leadership at Texas Wesleyan,” Granger said.
“So I was able to work my way through school at Leonard’s department store and arrange my courses around that job —and it worked beautifully,” she said. “I certainly didn’t expect that sort of help,” Granger said.
Rosedale Renaissance Good for East Fort Worth Granger said she is excited to see the developments along Rosedale. “East Fort Worth, geographically, is a third of the entire city. This [renaissance] makes sure it’s a vibrant part of the city and improves the surroundings around Texas Wesleyan,” Granger said. “It’s worth the investment. “I’ve just always been a big fan of this area—living in East Fort Worth all my life,” she said.
“Texas Wesleyan produces people who produce.” The culture at Texas Wesleyan and the academic preparation make a difference, Granger said. “I think Texas Wesleyan produces people who produce,” she said. “My
As a member of Congress, Granger continues to experience that. “From time to time, I will have someone at Texas Wesleyan who will point out a particular student and say, ‘We just want you to meet this student because this student’s going to do good things and shows real leadership.’ So not only does Texas Wesleyan encourage leadership, it also opens the door for opportunities.”
Small School Graduates Big Leaders Granger, a veteran Republican politician, was joined in Congress this year by Democrat Marc Veasey ’95. “It’s unusual to have two graduates who are both in Congress, so I look forward to us working together, particularly on education issues—and to work on both sides of the aisle,” Granger said. “That’s really important today. “We will work together as a Democrat and Republican, and as two people from the same community. We can get some things done that might not be done otherwise,” she said. “I knew Marc and his wife, and we were friends before he got elected,” Granger said. “I was very glad to see him [in Congress].”
INTENTIONALLY SMALL
STUDENT CAMPAIGNS FOR PRESIDENT WHILE EARNING CLASS CREDIT
Our students have many reasons why they enjoy the intentionally small approach to learning. Maybe it’s the one-on-one relationships or the small classes that encourage interaction and team building. For Garry Jones, a senior political science major, Texas Wesleyan was the perfect fit. He went to school for one semester in Ohio but was looking for a different—and warmer—environment for college. He looked for schools that offered political science and pre-law. “Texas Wesleyan was more the college experience I was looking for,” he said.
Small class sizes yielded big results for Jones, who was able to work with his professors to earn class credit while spending the fall semester volunteering for President Barack Obama’s campaign. He had worked on that campaign as an intern in 2008, but this time around, he was the field organizer in charge of five conservative cities. One of the biggest things he learned during his incredibly busy fall was the importance of time management— WWW.TXWES.EDU Wesleyan something that will serve him well during college and beyond.
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Baseball Legend
Nolan Ryan Honored as Fort Worth’s Business Executive of the Year
aseball fans got to mingle with a legend—Nolan Ryan, chief executive officer and president of the Texas Rangers—during the 43rd Annual Business Hall of Fame.
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In addition to being baseball’s all-time strikeout leader and a National Baseball Hall of Fame player, Ryan is also part of the team’s ownership group, Rangers Baseball Express, which purchased the franchise in 2010. He is an inaugural member of the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame, which began in 2003, and is the only player to have his uniform number retired by the Rangers. Ryan is also the only player to have his number retired by three teams—#34 for the Rangers, #30 for the Angels, and #34 for the Astros. Ryan’s legendary pitching career included seven no-hitters, more than 300 career wins, and 5,000 strikeouts. Texas Wesleyan University, the Fort Worth Business Press, and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce partner each year on the event, which benefits Texas Wesleyan’s Thomas H. Law scholarship program to support business students. This year’s scholarship recipient is Jessica Carpenter, a junior at Texas Wesleyan University. She is on the dean’s list and is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in general business administration.
Texas Wesleyan is a
Nolan and Ruth Ryan with Melany Neilson and Texas Wesleyan President Frederick G. Slabach
Carpenter is employed with Bank of America, where she can use the skills she is learning in a professional setting. She is active in Junior Achievement, Meals on Wheels, and Meeting the Troops. The purpose of the Business Hall of Fame is to promote business as a challenging profession, to inform young people about the American system of free enterprise and how it functions, to focus community-wide interest on the business profession as the vibrant lifeblood of our dynamic and expanding area, and to provide scholarships that will enable a greater number of worthy college students to prepare for business careers.
TOP-TIER VALUE
SCHOLARSHIP EMPOWERS STUDENT WITH TOP-NOTCH EDUCATION Everyone likes getting a great product for a reasonable price. And when it comes to higher education, getting a top-notch college experience affordably is the best possible combination. As this year’s Thomas H. Law scholarship winner, Jessica Carpenter was honored during the Business Hall of Fame event— alongside baseball legend Nolan Ryan. Now that’s a top-tier experience.
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“I’m going to excel at what I’m doing because I made a decision to better myself. When you make a decision
to pursue an education, you’re not doing it just to make more money; you’re empowering yourself and you’re empowering others. I want to do well. That makes me want to continue striving to do better.” Jessica Carpenter, junior business major
WEB EXTRA Hear more of Jessica’s story at txwes.edu/jessica
Forensic
Accounting
is on target By Ken Roberts
Graduates Trained to Fight White Collar Crime are Highly Sought After by Employers “White collar crime impacts our society in every type of entity, and it’s growing exponentially,” said Dr. Thomas D. Tolleson, professor of accounting. This disturbing trend has created a corresponding need for individuals trained to investigate and uncover these crimes. Responding to this need, Tolleson proposed a program in forensic accounting and fraud at Texas Wesleyan University. The School of Business Administration and the Office of Academic Affairs approved his proposal three years ago and the first Forensic/Fraud Emphasis courses were introduced as an optional area of study for Wesleyan accounting students, one of the first such concentrations in the nation. “We perceive this to be a growing area in education. All entities face the possibility of nefarious acts by employees and there is a high demand for graduates who can ferret out fraud,” Tolleson said.
Guided by Experts in the Field Wesleyan Board of Trustees member Max Wayman ’74 leads the Forensic Accounting/Fraud Examination Stakeholder Board. The stakeholder board, composed of individuals who have many years of experience investigating white collar crimes, provides guidance for the program’s curriculum and helps secure public source materials for the students to study.
A former special agent with the Internal Revenue Service, Wayman now owns his own firm, Max M. Wayman & Associates. “Every day I work with businesses that have experienced embezzlement and internal theft,” he said. Wesleyan’s forensic accounting and fraud program “is on the cutting edge of business life. A forensic examination that looks for employee theft and other white collar crimes is something businesses want and are terribly interested in,” Wayman said. Tolleson agrees with this assessment. “Employment is virtually guaranteed,” he said. “The program prepares students with a different mindset regarding how to view activities within entities. It teaches them how to spot the red flags or symptoms of fraud. It opens doors that are not available unless one has completed these courses.”
For Working Professionals: An Annual Fraud Conference Academic programs emphasizing forensic accounting and fraud were introduced less than 10 years ago and most working professionals never had the opportunity to take classes teaching this curriculum. Texas Wesleyan is taking steps to address this by presenting an annual Fraud Conference. This year’s conference, the second one held on campus, included seminars on such topics as Medicaid/Medicare fraud, mortgage fraud, money laundering, and more. Because Wesleyan’s Forensic/Fraud Emphasis program and professional conference are relatively young, the accounting faculty is constantly examining curriculum, looking at what similar programs are teaching, and soliciting direction from the stakeholder board. “We’re asking how we can improve our program” as it evolves and expands, Tolleson said. “Continuous improvement. That’s our goal.” Wayman envisions tremendous potential for the study in forensic accounting and fraud. “I see the program really growing because I talk to business owners who say, ‘I want someone like this on my staff, someone watching for money going out the back door,’” Wayman said. “In the not-too-distantfuture, employers will be knocking on Wesleyan’s door looking for graduates with this training.”
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Morton M Fitness F Fi i Center On-campus workout option helps keep Texas Wesleyan community fit By Ken Roberts
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wo summers ago, I set a weight loss goal for myself,” said Stephanie Franks, a fulltime executive assistant and part-time student at Texas Wesleyan University. “Having access to the Morton Fitness Center is a great benefit and has helped me reach my goal.” Franks is also a mother, and taking care of her health has become a priority. “There’s no excuse to not exercise, because the fitness center is so convenient. I can work out at lunch, then go home at the end of the day and do the family thing,” she said. Since the MFC opened in November 2010, the number of individuals using the facility continues to increase. Today, it has more than 1,000 active members, the majority of whom are students. MFC Director Aaron Whaley is pleased with the center’s success, but he would happily welcome more members, especially alumni.
MEMBERSHIP FEES đƫ Students: Free đƫ Faculty/Staff: $50 for 6 months đƫ Alumni: $100 for 6 months đƫ Spouses: $100 for 6 months HOURS đƫ Mon.-Thurs.: 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. đƫ Friday: 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m. đƫ Saturday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. đƫ Sunday: Noon-4 p.m. Stay informed of MFC activities, group classes, membership discounts and more by liking the “Texas Wesleyan Morton Fitness Center” Facebook page.
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“Everything we offer is top of the line; the same things you’ll find in national fitness centers,” Whaley said. “We even have Cybex equipment, which is what they use on The Biggest Loser TV show.” While the MFC’s amenities are on par with large fitness centers, at Wesleyan they come without hefty membership fees (see sidebar). And MFC members have access to all the strength and cardiovascular equipment. A number of group classes are also available, and sometimes include a nominal fee. The popular MFC Boot Camp, held two or three times each semester, runs five consecutive days. During that time, campers will undergo an exercise regimen that works every muscle group and promotes cardio fitness. Several people have participated in
multiple camps, but Garrett McFadden has completed all six of them. McFadden, a senior exercise science major, said he keeps taking the camps because they are always changing. “Aaron makes them fun and challenging,” McFadden said about the MFC director. “I have a love for exercise and health, and I learn something new every time.” Day five is fun because that’s when prizes recognizing individual and group accomplishments are awarded, Whaley said. Top prizes at past boot camps have included tickets to Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers games. For Stephanie Franks, the best prize she has received from the MFC is a “sense of community.” When you become an MFC regular, everybody gets to know you, she said. “We have formed a real bond and created some special relationships.” Establishing those bonds with others can be instrumental in helping someone to persevere and achieve their workout goals. While some members have weight loss goals, others have strength or endurance goals. And some are simply looking for a place where they can exercise regularly. Regardless of one’s reason for coming to the MFC, those who achieve their goals are celebrated. The fi rst thing one sees when entering the facility is the MFC Wall of Fame commemorating member success stories. With more than 1,000 members less than three years after opening, the Morton Fitness Center is itself a success story.
Blue and Gold Pride Energizes Homecoming 2013 asketball victories, crowning a new king and queen, and lots of school spirit highlighted a day of homecoming fun. The men’s and women’s basketball teams both scored victories over the Langston Lions. Between the games, Jonathan Bravo and Samantha Max were announced as the homecoming king and queen. The day wrapped up with a barbecue dinner and a halftime performance by the dynamic Polytechnic High School drum line.
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Dear Fellow Alumni, Isn’t it amazing how time flies? It has been more than four months since the annual Parade of Lights in downtown Fort Worth. I would like to thank Joe Brown, the theatre department, and alumni volunteers for designing and building an amazing float. I appreciate all who participated in the parade, including students, alumni, and President Slabach and his daughter, Amelia. There are many opportunities for alumni to get involved and stay active. Please keep your eyes on the website or contact the alumni office to stay informed. On a personal note, I would like to thank you for allowing me to serve as your alumni board president for the past two years. It has truly been an honor and privilege to meet and mingle with so many wonderful alumni, students, faculty and staff. I would like to personally thank the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations staff as well as the senior administration for guiding and supporting the Alumni Association in all that we do. And last, but certainly not least, to my fellow board of directors, I am humbled by your support and dedication as we strive to make our alma mater the best University it can be. It always amazes me that when dedicated and enthusiastic individuals come together, truly great things can happen. With Ram Pride,
Stay Connected to Texas Wesleyan LEARN about the Texas
Wesleyan Alumni Association at www.txwes.edu/alumni.
SUBSCRIBE
to the monthly alumni e-newsletter.
UPDATE
our office on your latest news and accomplishments.
INTERACT
with fellow alumni on Facebook at www.facebook.com/txwesalumni.
JOIN the Rams Network at
www.txwes.edu/alumni.
David D. Martin MBA ’O4 President, Texas Wesleyan University Alumni Association Board of Directors
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Contact us at 817-531-6548 or alumni@txwes.edu.
Why I Give to Texas Wesleyan “A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit.” The ragged original of this quote by Elton Trueblood greets me daily from my computer desk and describes why I give to the Wesleyan Fund: to provide shade for others who need it. I may never meet the ones who benefit from my giving, but my joy comes from the planting. So why do I give to Texas Wesleyan? Because my Wesleyan education launched me into a successful career and improved my life, and I want to help others experience the same. A simple, yet powerful concept. And who knows? Maybe they will plant their own groves and provide shade for future Wesleyan students. — Kathy Walker ’97
Gifts to the Wesleyan Fund are essential in supporting scholarships, professorships and academic programs.
Give today at txwes.edu/makeagift For more information on the Wesleyan Fund, contact Christine Spencer at 817-531-5803 or cmspencer@txwes.edu.
Are you a Graduate Of the Last Decade? If so, you’re one of our GOLD Alumni! We want to keep you connected and involved with your alma mater, so be sure to keep us informed of your recent news and accomplishments and how we can contact you about upcoming GOLD events. GOLD events will include happy hours, a special event during the spring alumni reunion, and more.
Texas Wesleyan’s
TEXAS-SIZED REPUTATION
GLICK HOUSE SERVES THOUSANDS WITH COUNSELING SERVICES Texas Wesleyan has a reputation for helping students achieve beyond the classroom. With the Glick House Community Counseling Center, we’re helping students get great experience— and helping thousands of clients get convenient counseling services. Since the center opened in 2007, masterlevel counseling students have worked with 2,079 clients in a total of 16,138 sessions. In 2012 alone, the center served 514 new clients. “The Glick House is a training ground for student therapists pursuing careers in marriage and family therapy and
licensed professional counseling. We offer counseling services that are accessible to residents in the surrounding ZIP codes. The Glick House has developed a really good reputation and our clients are the best clients in the community because they’re willing to work hard to make their situations better.” Shami Ramos-Ayala LPC ’09
WEB EXTRA Find out more about the Glick House and Shami at txwes.edu/glick
Alumni
Alumni News Alu 1940s Mary Hellen Cook ’47 is proud to announce that her great grandson, Travis Simon, was born on Dec. 25, 2011. Travis’ grandfather, Scott Hendricks, also attended Wesleyan in 1975.
1950s Mildred Blackburn ’53 retired 22 years ago as a middle school teacher. She spent 12 of those 22 years serving on the Columbia County Board of Education.
1960s Joseph Johnson ’60 retired after 13 years as president/CEO of the Lancaster, Texas, Chamber of Commerce to accept the position of executive director at the Best Southwest Partnership. The BSW is a 27-year-old organization of four core cities and chambers of Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville and Lancaster and associate city members of Ferris, Glenn Heights, Hutchins, Midlothian, Ovilla, Red Oak and Wilmer. Liz Tocher Peck ’61 and Jean Montgomery Robinson ’61 had a reunion in Reston, Va., in November. They were roommates at Texas Wesleyan from 1959-1961. Junille Shepardson ’66 is enjoying retirement but continues to co-pastor part time at a small UMC on the coast of Maine. She also enjoys UnitarianUniversalist Church. Jack Dyville ’67 was featured in an article in The Hudson Reporter (New Jersey) about his Off-Broadway play, A Mermaid’s Tale. During his 44-year career, he has worked as an actor, playwright and director.
1970s Thomas Calhoun ’70 has been named interim associate vice president for academic affairs at Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss. Raymond Mathews Jr. ’70 retired from the state of Texas and volunteers at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Colleen Furr Mays ’72 retired from the field of education after 40 years as an elementary teacher and special education inclusion specialist at various Texas schools including her high school alma mater, Elkhart. She also served Elkhart ISD as a grant writer and special programs director, then finished the last four years of her career by serving Trinity Valley Community College in Athens as director of grants and special programs. Patricia Stringer Waser ’73 retired after 22 years of being an itinerant United Methodist minister in the Central Texas Conference. She is now attending TCC to obtain a degree in art. Lyle Kanouse ’75 appeared on Modern Family on Jan. 9 playing poker with Ed O’Neill, Billy Dee Williams and Lainie Kazan. He and Audrey Wasilewski, his wife in real life, played husband and wife in Hesher with Natalie Portman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Rainn Wilson, which is available on DVD and aired on HBO. Other upcoming film projects include The Trials of Cate McCall opposite Kate Beckinsale, Beyond the Ropes, YOLO (You Only Live Once), and Among the Shadows. Lyle began principal photography on his 60th film, Union Furnace, on Jan. 28 in Ohio, playing opposite Keith David. Several Wesleyan alumni, including Evan Faris ’76, Janie Faris ’77 MA ’83, Donna Lafon ’79, and Anne Street Skipper ’78 performed in the annual production of Handel’s Messiah, conducted by Dr. Stephen Simons. The performance was on Dec. 16 at Arlington Heights United Methodist Church.
David Gauvey ’76 is excited to share that his book, Santa’s Socks, is available at Amazon Kindle books. Half of all net profits support Santa’s Workshop in Fort Hood, Texas, which ensures that all children with parents in the military have a merry Christmas. Terence Farrell ’77 retired from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics after 29 years of service. He is now an independent market research consultant. Lana Hoover ’77 performed in a twoperson play, Black Pearl Sings, at Jubilee Theatre in downtown Fort Worth from Jan. 25-Feb. 24. Donna Plummer ’77 was recently promoted to professor of education at Centre College. Michael Williams ’77 D.O., M.D. was appointed interim president of the UNT Health Science Center by the University of North Texas Board of Regents. Judy Winaski ’77 will retire in May 2013 after 35 years of teaching fi rst and second graders at Our Lady of Victory Catholic School. Debbie Brown ’78 appeared in Goodnight Moon at Dallas Children’s Theater, Jan. 25-March 3. She played the pivotal roles of Grandma Bunny, Mama Bear and the Dish that Ran Away with the Spoon. Patricia Groh ’78 joined Whitley Penn, the largest public accounting firm in Tarrant County. Whitley Penn has been named “Best of the Best,” “Top 100 Firm,” and “Fastest-Growing Firms” by INSIDE Public Accounting. Dr. Diana Ivy ’78 is a professor of communications at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and is the author of three textbooks. Anne Street Skipper ’78, Wesleyan trustee and Ram Wrangler, helped recruit students at Graham High School. She also went to London in November to represent the Wildcatter Ranch at the World Travel Market. WTM is a UK event aimed at the
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global travel industry and is the largest recurring press center attracting up to 3,000 international journalists. The Wildcatter was represented in the Texas Booth in the USA Pavilion.
Guinevere White ’78 sings with the Southwest Seminary Master Chorale, who periodically performs at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Bass Hall. Quentin McGown ’79 JD ’00 was chosen as Fort Worth Weekly ’s critic’s choice for Preserver of History.
Joseph Campbell ’92 retired from the Army after 26 years of service. He served three years in the Texas Army National Guard, three years in the Army Reserves, and 20 years on active duty. Lt. Col. Campbell has been stationed at several locations overseas and has been awarded the Bronze Star, the Ranger Tab,
1980s Patricia Flynt ’83 will celebrate the 120th anniversary of her company, H.E. Cannon Floral, in 2013. Jeff Byington ’85 published Zero and One, an expertly illustrated, full-color, 30page children’s story about friendship, cooperation, choice, love and forgiveness. It is available for the Kindle, B&N Nook, iPad and iPhone. It is also available in paperback at Amazon and CreateSpace.
the Pathfinder Badge, the Drill Sergeant Identification Badge, The Order of Saint George, and the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge in Gold. Julie Salih ’93 is in the doctoral program for education at Texas Wesleyan. She was invited to join Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society in education. Ben King ’94 MBA ’99 presented Ken Bounds, son of O.D. Bounds ’41, with a
Neil Mowles ’85, Ben Phillips ’09 and Jenny Thurman ’01 performed in Annie at Theatre Arlington from Nov. 30-Dec. 16. Evelyn Watkins-Hicks ’86 married George Wade Hicks Sr. on Oct. 20.
1990s Rhonda Hopkins ’90 has a short story, “The Consuming,” in the Tales from the Mist anthology released Oct. 17. Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker award-winning author said, “Tales from the Mist is one of those rare anthologies that gets it right from the first story to the last ... these stories will make the shivers climb your back.”
golf cart sponsored by Metro Golf Cars for making a hole-in-one at the O.D. Bounds Golf Tournament in September. Many thanks to Ben and Metro Golf Cars for their generous sponsorship! Angela Gant ’97 has received two national playwriting awards at the Kennedy Center American
College
Theatre
Festival,
including the Paula Vogel Award for
Social Darwinism (published by Samuel French). She also wrote The Body of Eva Peron with William L. Bryant, which was the selected piece for Texas Wesleyan’s first New York Playmarket in 2007. Kathy Walker ’97 attended the Texas Wesleyan brick dedication ceremony in October with her grandchildren Brodey, Grayce, Mason and Lane.
Mike Skipper ’78 and Anne Street Skipper ’78 are proud grandparents to Molly Katherine McDermott who was born on Dec. 23, 2012.
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Alumni Jacklyn Crisp ’99 won the Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas William L. Johnson Jr. Legal Clinic Award for Outstanding Lay Clinic Volunteer for 13 of the last 14 years. She started volunteering with Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas during her final semester/internship while attending Wesleyan. She has participated in the Relay For Life of Fort Worth since 2005 and currently serves on the relay committee. Jacklyn is now employed at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
2000s Jenny Thurman ’01, Ben Phillips ’09, and Neil Mowles ’85 performed in Annie at Theatre Arlington from Nov. 30-Dec. 16. Estela Jaquez ’03 helped promote college awareness by participating in her school’s door decorating contest at Worth Heights where she teaches Pre-K— and she won the door decorating contest. Go Rams!
Frank Norwood HON ’05, retired dean of the School of Business and former mayor of Burleson, was honored at the Burleson Opportunity Fund’s first breakfast gathering. The group provides scholarships to graduating seniors in Burleson. DeAwna Wood ’05 was named Entertainer of the Year at the 2012 Grapevine Opry awards banquet in October. Whitney Allen ’06 married Ryan Alswede on July 28. The couple shared the day with the bride’s mother, Tonya Allen ’96, and friends, which included several Texas Wesleyan alumni whom Whitney formed friendships with during her time at the University. Michelle Hartman ’07 published her first book of poetry titled Disenchanted and Disgruntled, which is now available on Amazon and B&N.com. It contains poems inspired by Wesleyan professors. Rocio Barreto Nunez-Garcia ’07 married Serafin Garcia in 2008 and they have two sons, Juan and Jose. Ben Phillips ’09 performed in 1776 at Lyric Stage in Irving, Oct. 26-Nov. 4; performed in Annie with Jenny Thurman ’01 and Neil Mowles ’85 at Theatre Arlington, Nov. 30Dec. 16; directed See How They Run at Plaza Theatre Company, Dec. 31-Jan. 26; and appeared as Admiral Radbury in Pleasures and Palaces at Lyric Stage from Jan. 24-27. Ben will also direct Texas Wesleyan’s 59th annual musical Into the Woods running April 18-21. Be sure to make plans to come to alumni night on April 20!
2010s
Chris Adams ’05 was recognized in The Column newsletter for his direction of The Cover of Life presented by the Greater Lewisville Community Theatre. The production received Best Play (Drama) in The Column’s Best in Theater 2012 awards. Sarah Hutchins ’05 is proud to share that she graduated from the University of North Texas with a master’s degree in library and information science last May. She also married Michael Welsh on Oct. 11.
Julie Murphy ’10 sold her first novel, Side Effects May Vary, to Balzer+Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins.
Jessica Martinez MA ’12 and current graduate counseling student Chad Anderson were invited to present at the Adolescent Symposium of Texas on Feb. 7 at the Curtis Culwell Special Events Center. Their workshop, “If the kid’s not crazy, then it’s me,” was chosen from 61 other proposals reviewed by the Adolescent Symposium Program Committee.
New Alumni Directory Coming Soon! The University has contracted Harris Connect to publish our next alumni directory. They will contact you by email, regular mail and/or phone to verify that your information is accurate. Harris will produce hard copies of the directory, allowing you to reconnect with old friends and to network professionally. Thank you in advance for participating.
Under the direction of Jeremy Jackson ’12, the Dunbar Wildcat Players performed the first fall show in several years on Dec. 14. The play, Mistaken Menachmity, was adapted by local playwright and Texas Wesleyan professor Connie WhittLambert. Bryan Stevenson ’01, Angie LeGare ’89 and Rachel Pilcher ’98 are proud supporters of the Wildcat Players.
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Endowed gifts help dreams come to life. “Scholarships made it possible for me to attend Texas Wesleyan. I am grateful for what this school did for me, and having an endowed scholarship bearing my name is the ultimate pride.” —CharlesDuke ’53
Charles Duke ’53 taught music for 40 years in public schools before retiring in 1993. During that time, 62 of his students attended Wesleyan on scholarships. He continues making it possible for students to attend his alma mater through the Charles E. Duke Endowed Music Scholarship. R5 Endowed scholarships can be established with a $25,000 donation. R5 Approximately 75 percent of the University’s endowment supports student scholarships. R5 Endowed gifts serve as the foundation for sustaining Texas Wesleyan’s future. Learn more about establishing an endowed gift. Contact Gina Phillips ’97 MS ’07, director of development and alumni relations, at 817-531-4220 or gphillips@txwes.edu.
Alumni
In Memoriam Jo Willa Morton
Brodie Hyde II
HON ’11 Sept. 29, 2012, Dallas
’61 HON ’96 Oct. 5, 2012, Fort Worth
Jo Willa Stuteville Morton died Sept. 29, 2012, in Dallas following a lengthy illness. She was born in Whitewright, Texas, on April 27, 1921. She attended Texas Wesleyan in the early 1940s, studying home economics and physical education. It was at Wesleyan where she met her future husband, Jack Morton ’43.
Clarence Brodie Hyde II, a Fort Worth native, died peacefully at his home, Oct. 5, 2012, surrounded by his family. Brodie was born Oct. 22, 1937, the son of Clarence Edgar and Frances Williams Hyde. After graduating from Arlington Heights High School, he received his B.S. degree from Texas Wesleyan University and later earned his MBA from the University of Texas in Austin. After serving as a vice president of the Fort Worth National Bank, Brodie joined his family’s independent oil and gas company, serving as CEO until his death. On June 5, 1960, Brodie married Sylvia Flower and during their 48 years of marriage had four children and nine grandchildren. Known for his commitment to giving back to the community, Brodie served on numerous charitable boards, including Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth Arts Council, Fort Worth Opera, Fort Worth Public Library Foundation, Harris Methodist Hospital and the Ann Waggoner Scholarship Fund. He was a longtime member of the Board of Trustees at Texas Wesleyan and helped establish Texas Wesleyan School of Law. He enjoyed traveling, hunting, and spending time with family and friends at his ranch in Mineral Wells.
Jo Willa was a member of Deka sorority, was chosen “Sophomore Favorite,” and she worked in the school cafeteria. Shortly after graduation, Jack was called to serve in World War II, leaving Jo Willa to run an office supply store the newlywed couple had opened in Irving. She was a dedicated volunteer, teaching Sunday school at First Baptist Church in Irving and Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas, serving on the boards of various women’s organizations, and volunteering at North Dallas Shared Ministries and Meals on Wheels. Just as Jo Willa generously shared her time, she and Jack have generously supported the University. They donated $35,000 to help complete the renovation of Polytechnic United Methodist Church for use as faculty offices and classrooms, and they established the Jack and Jo Willa Morton Scholarship Endowment for Christian Ministries. In 2007 they kicked off funding for the now complete Jack and Jo Willa Morton Fitness Center with a $1.3 million challenge gift. The Mortons have been faithful Texas Wesleyan alumni, said Joan Canty, vice president for advancement. “This is where they met more than 70 years ago and they shared a deep affection for the University. Through their gifts supporting facility improvements and the scholarship and fitness center bearing their names, generations of students will know Jo Willa’s legacy,” Canty said. In recognition of their commitment to advancing the University, the Mortons were named Alumni of the Year in 2007 and were awarded honorary doctoral degrees in 2011.
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Imogene Boyer
Virginia Ward ’57 M.Ed. ’60
Jan. 1, 2013, Fort Worth
Jan. 21, 2013, Fort Worth
Imogene was a friend to Texas Wesleyan University where both of her children attended college. She lived in Ovilla and moved to Fort Worth as a young woman. She married John C. Boyer on June 3, 1949. They would have celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary this year. In 1958, John and Imogene started Thermo Plastics Corp., which is still in operation today, 55 years later. She loved her work and dedicated her life to making the corporation successful. Imogene was a longtime member of First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth. She was an avid animal lover taking in strays and especially loved her dogs.
James “Jim” Bridges ’54 Dec. 20, 2012, Mansfield
Jim Bridges was born Dec. 21, 1931, in Cleburne. He graduated from Cleburne High School in 1949. He attended Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth and graduated in 1954. While attending Texas Wesleyan, Jim was a star basketball player for the power house basketball team of the late 40s to early 50s. He was such an inspiration that a scholarship for basketball was established in his name. It was at Texas Wesleyan that he met the love of his life, wife and business partner, Mary Helen Wakefield ’55. Three children were born to this union. Together they founded Jim Bridges Sporting Goods, which they ran for 30 years. In addition to the sporting goods business, Jim also owned and helped run the Forest Hills Swim Club. After retiring, Jim and Helen loved to travel to their lake house on Lake Whitney and their annual vacation spot in Lake City, Colo. Jim loved to fly fish, garden and can tomatoes and black-eyed peas, and pick and shell pecans. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the light of his life.
Rev. James W. “Jay” Darnell ’60 Nov. 26, 2012, Graham
Jay graduated from Texas Wesleyan in 1960 with a degree in religion. In 1956 Asbury Methodist Church sponsored the Rev. Darnell in organizing the First Methodist Church in Bedford. During the next six years he earned a college degree at Texas Wesleyan University and completed two years of graduate work at Perkins School of Theology. Jay was instrumental in establishing the Texas Wesleyan Burleson scholarship. He retired in 1980 and returned to Graham in 2001 where he served on the First United Methodist Church staff.
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A native of Brady, Texas, Virginia Ward was born May 22, 1927, and had lived in Fort Worth since 1955. She received a B.A. in music and speech and a master’s degree in education from Texas Wesleyan University. Her 30-year career with the Fort Worth Independent School District included Stripling Middle School and Meadowbrook Middle School, where she was a music and drama teacher as well as counselor. She was a vice principal at both Eastern Hills High School and North Side High School. She also taught education classes at Texas Wesleyan University. In the early 1960s she did live television commercials for WBAP television. She was married to Dr. William A. Ward of Texas Wesleyan University for 37 years. Following her retirement, she volunteered for more than 20 years at Harris Methodist Hospital where she served as a patient advocate, central information desk volunteer and auxiliary member. She was a member of the Texas Wesleyan University alumni board. She received the Caring Heart Award from Harris Hospital for her service to others. Music was a very important part of Virginia’s life. She sang in the Polytechnic United Methodist, First United Methodist and, most recently, the Arlington Heights United Methodist Church choirs. She sang in the Messiah 73 years in a row and never missed a year. She was a founding member of the Harris Methodist Chorale. Virginia’s life was one of service to others, love, joy and encouragement. The impact that she had on everyone with whom she came into contact cannot be measured or fully expressed.
Joseph Boone “Joe” Wills Jr. ’43 Jan. 5, 2013, Chico
Joseph Boone Wills earned his B.A. in economics from Texas Wesleyan College. He was born in Ardmore, Okla., on July 4, 1919, but was raised in Fort Worth, with many family members in the Fort Worth area. Joe met the love of his life, Dorothy Perkins, while attending classes at George Washington University, where she worked as a librarian. He was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II, piloting PT boats in the South Pacific. After World War II, Joe and Dorothy married and he took a job doing sports and news at WOAI Radio in San Antonio. Ambition led them to move their family to New York City, where Joe briefl y worked at United Press International before taking a job at Twentieth Century Fox as a writer and studio manager. Several of Joe’s short subject films were nominated for Academy Awards, and one, “Survival City,” about atomic bomb tests, won in 1955. To his final days, Joe was charming, witty and creative, whether it was composing clever poems or coming up with a new “hot idea” to make money, befitting a child of the Great Depression.
Ross Flaherty Nov. 5, 2012, Tulsa An extremely bright man, Ross championed education. He graduated with a B.A. from Tulsa University in Oklahoma and an MBA and doctorate in finance from Oklahoma State University. Ross began working in the oil industry after graduation and became a CPA. He went on to spend a lifelong career in education, retiring from Texas Wesleyan University in 1996 to do consulting work in the water industry and information systems. Claudia “Bessie” Hopper Dec. 29, 2012, Fort Worth Bessie was a friend to Texas Wesleyan University. After high school graduation in 1935, Bessie moved to Fort Worth to attend business school, graduating as a bookkeeper. A lifelong Methodist, she was a member of Woodland Church, Polytechnic Methodist and Methodist Women in Fort Worth. Her family was large, her friends innumerable, and she brought peace and good will to all in her life. Walter Roy “W.R.” Langston Jan. 7, 2013, Clifton Walter spent most of his years in education, improving athletic programs from Texas Wesleyan College to Queen Salote College in the Tongan Islands, to numerous high schools in Texas, finally retiring to Clifton, Texas, in 1985. From 1960 to 1968, while at Wesleyan, he was continually involved in student life. He taught health and physical education and was the assistant basketball coach under Elmer Hannebutt. Walter began the baseball and track programs and was instrumental in the intramural sport program. He was the faculty advisor for the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity and was awarded a lifetime membership for his work with the APO members. All the time he was involved with the students at Wesleyan, he was also working on his master’s in education. He was a lifelong learner, loved to read, was a student of history, and enjoyed tinkering in his shop.
1940s Virginia O’Donnell ’43 Jan. 19, 2013, Fort Worth Virginia was a graduate of Poly High School and Texas Wesleyan. She went to work for Texaco where a co-worker arranged a blind date for her on July 4, 1946. The two went dancing at the old Casino Ballroom on Lake Worth where the Woody Herman Orchestra was playing. The young man’s name was James “Jim” O’Donnell and he had recently returned from serving with the 66th Troop Carrier Squadron in the South Pacific. Virginia and Jim began to date regularly and on Sept. 15, 1948, they were married. It lasted happily until Feb. 16, 2008, when Jim died. Besides Jim, Virginia’s other loves included reading, live theater, music and travel.
Nema Frances Rickwartz ’46 Jan. 17, 2013, Las Vegas Frances, 86, was a resident of Las Vegas since 1952. In 1946, she earned a B.S. degree from Texas Wesleyan and her M.S. degree from Texas Tech in 1951. She married Conrad Rickwartz in Lubbock, Texas, June 4, 1952, and moved to Las Vegas.
1950s Johnny Head ’51 Jan. 20, 2013, Keller Johnny graduated from Arlington Heights High School and Texas Wesleyan College. As a chemist, he started his career at General Dynamics later working in special projects at Lockheed Martin then retiring after 40 years. He served during the Korean War and Navy Reserve, retiring after 21 years as a commander. In December 1954, he married June Dougherty. They resided in the Meadowbrook area then moved to Keller in 1993. His family, church and friends were his love. Traveling, camping, gardening and woodworking were hobbies he enjoyed. J.C. Hood ’53 Jan. 19, 2013, Weatherford J.C. graduated from Granbury High School and attended North Texas Agricultural College (now called UTA), Texas Wesleyan University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He married Cleo Lovell Clary in 1939 and she preceded him in death in 1990 after 51 years of marriage. He was ordained to ministry at First Baptist Church in Granbury in 1947. J.C. worked at the post office in Granbury and pastored churches in Bennett, Thorp Spring Baptist Mission (where he built the old white church building that still stands), First Baptist Church of Acton, and Bowles Memorial Baptist Church in Grand Prairie. After retiring from the ministry, J.C. worked for the Texas Department of Public Welfare for 15 years, five years in Arlington and 10 years in Mineral Wells.
1960s Robert Vick ’60 M.Ed. ’63 Jan. 24, 2013, Fort Worth Robert graduated from Arlington Heights High School. He earned two degrees from Texas Wesleyan University and began a career in the field of education in the Fort Worth public schools. He was a classroom teacher, resource teacher, special education teacher, vice principal and principal. Robert always enjoyed working with the children as well as coordinating and organizing the curriculum. Dr. William C. “Bill” Baird ’61 Oct. 29, 2012, Waco Bill attended school in Fort Worth and graduated from Poly High School in 1948. He then received a B.S. degree from Texas Wesleyan College before receiving his doctorate degree in dentistry from Baylor College of Dentistry in 1959. Bill had a practice in Fort Worth and Meridian for more than 10 years before retiring in 1971. He served his country with the United States Marine Corp during the Korean War.
Lorene Kirkpatrick M.Ed. ’61 Dec. 13, 2012, Waxahachie Lorene was born July 2, 1918, in Oklahoma. She graduated from Texas Wesleyan with a Master of Education in 1961. Hiram E. Johnson Jr. ’62 Dec. 8, 2012, Bedford Hiram graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas; Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth; Perkins School of Theology at SMU; and did graduate work at Brite Divinity School at TCU. He felt the call to preach at age 15 and was licensed by the Dallas District of the Methodist Church on Jan. 12, 1950. He was ordained in the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1951. In more than 62 years, Hiram served at many churches and throughout his many years of ministry, his passion for the Lord never wavered. Forest McQueen ’62 Nov. 1, 2012, Kingsburg Forest graduated from Texas Wesleyan in 1962 with a degree in accounting. He was a CPA and owned his own firm for 44 years. Forest lived happily with his wife, Margie, for 53 years. He was especially known for his integrity and compassion. His favorite scripture was 2 Timothy 4:7 from the King James Bible, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” He is survived by his wife, Margie; his daughters, Shari McQueen and Darla Shoebridge; his sister, Dora Lee, and her husband Larry; his brother, Horace McQueen; and three grandchildren. Patricia Gault ’67 Dec. 16, 2012, Fort Worth Patricia was born Jan. 19, 1934, in Weatherford. She attended Paschal High School and later married Wilson J. “Bill” Gault. Patricia earned her B.S. degree from Texas Wesleyan in 1967. She taught school for the Fort Worth ISD for 20 years. Milburn W. “Bill” Martin II ’68 Nov. 22, 2012, Fort Worth Bill earned a B.S. from Texas Wesleyan College and a master’s in theology from Perkins School of Theology, SMU. For 18 years, Bill taught biology at Amon CarterRiverside High School. Bill’s life revolved around all the activities of both Arlington Heights United Methodist Church where he was a member of the Chancel Choir and First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth where he served as usher.
1980s Alice Walker ’84 Nov. 6, 2012, Arlington Alice was a graduate of Texas Wesleyan University and received a master of music pedagogy from Texas Woman’s University. Alice was minister of music and organist at Arlington Heights United Methodist Church, president of Fort Worth Chapter Sigma Alpha Iota Alumnae, a member of The Harmony Club and director of the chorus.
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Tribute Gift Recognition A gift to a charitable organization is a wonderful way to recognize someone of importance in your life. Texas Wesleyan is honored to receive gifts in memory or honor of alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends. These gifts acknowledge the relationship individuals have with the University and the community. We are pleased to recognize these gifts and the role each honored person and donor has in the lives of our students. We gratefully acknowledge the following donors for their tribute gifts received from 10/1/12 through 1/31/13.
IN HONOR OF “Friends” for the 2012 Holiday Season to the Wesleyan Fund George Ann Carter Bahan Anne Street Skipper ’78 Bishop Mike Lowry to the Central Texas Conference Center Wesley Foundation Gina Phillips ’97, MSP ’07 to the Tribute Scholarship Fund Wanda Russell ’64 President’s Council Kickoff to the Wesleyan Fund Patricia Barr ’52 Texas Wesleyan Alumni Association Patricia Barr ’52 Catherine Wakefield ’39 to the Wesleyan Fund Sharon Byas Allen ’67
James “Jim” Bridges ’54 to the Dan Hart/ Jim Bridges Endowed Basketball Fund Jimmy & Rosalie Barnes Oran & Shirley Brown Charles & Wyvonne Johnson Bobby & Joan Leach Joanne Lucas Gina Phillips ’97, MSP ’07 Katrien Van Laeken Margie Weaver ’69 Lyle & Becky West Jim ’54 & Helen ’55 Bridges to the Dan Hart/Jim Bridges Endowed Basketball Fund Dorothy Baum ’53 Gerald Baum ’54 Gordon Burrell, father of Pati Alexander ’90, M.Ed. ’97, to the Frank Norwood Endowed Scholarship Fund Bill ’57 & Linda Lee ’02 Hailey
Max M. Wayman ’74 to the Alumni Association Fund Reilly Family Foundation
David E. Catterton ’42 to the David E. Catterton Endowed Scholarship Fund Gladys Catterton James Catterton Lois Wasoff
DeAwna Wood ’05 to the Tribute Scholarship Fund Wanda Russell ’64
Cecil Cole to the Cecil Cole Theatre Achievement Award Thelma Gill ’52
IN MEMORY OF
Alta Lewis Dollar ’66 to the Alta Lewis Dollar Endowed Scholarship Fund David Dollar ’85
Ann Cox Bales to the Carol Corley Employee Library Fund Bob & Shirley Corley James Barker to the Barker Family Scholarship Fund Margaret Barker James ’49 & Ruth ’48 Bell to the Tribute Scholarship Fund Gilbert ’44 & Dorris ’47 Ferrell Imogene Boyer to the Tribute Scholarship Fund Sue Anderson C. Harold Brown Michael & Margaret Patison M.A. & Bobbie Price
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Juanell Earl ’52 to the Rufus & Juanell Earl Scholarship Fund Catharine Wakefield ’39 Johnnie Edwards to the Dan Hart/Jim Bridges Endowed Scholarship Fund Gerald Baum ’54 Dr. Mike Evans to the Tribute Scholarship Fund Dr. & Mrs. Jerry Bawcom Walter Gill to the Cecil Cole Theatre Achievement Award Thelma Gill ’52 Brodie Hyde II ’61 HON ’96 to the Tribute Scholarship Fund John H. Maddux ’59 Walter & Susan ’81 O’Neil
Richard Mattox ’55 to the Tribute Scholarship Fund Ann Mattox Kay Patricia Day Miller ’66 to the Wesleyan Fund Pete & Georgene ’64 Mais Jo Willa Morton HON ’11 to the Tribute Scholarship Fund Anne Street Skipper ’78 William Thrash to the Wesleyan Fund Dr. James Wiggins ’57 Phillip H. Trew to the Carol Corley Employee Library Fund Bob & Shirley Corley Dewey E. Williams ’52 to the Wesleyan Fund Martha Carroll ’52
GIFTS IN KIND Barry Baker ’84 Patricia Barr ’52 Blue Mesa Joe A. Brown Cantey Hanger LLP Milta Carter Perry Cockerell ’78 Karen Cole ’99, MBA ’04 Martha Earngey ’77 Jan Fersing Presley Hatcher ’74 Gary Jordan Francis Lindell David Martin MBA’04 Anne Street Skipper ’78 Glen Tuggle ’85 Kathy Walker ’97 Jerry Wood ’69
Return. Remember. Reconnect. This year’s Alumni Reunion Weekend honored the following milestone anniversaries: 2008, 2003, 1993, 1988, 1983, 1973, 1963 (Golden Anniversary) and 1953. Check out photos from the reunion at txwes.edu/alumni
Texas Wesleyan has
ENGAGING EDUCATORS
HELPING STUDENTS IS “THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD” As a professor, advisor and mentor, Stacia Campbell is inspired by her students. Whether it’s working in learning communities or taking extra time to offer help, she challenges students to explore new ways of learning. “Teaching is the midwifery of dreams. Particularly in higher education, I have the privilege of serving as a witness as students chart their course and achieve one semester at a time. It is pure joy
for me to come to work every day and surround myself with the forward-looking energy of my students and their dreams. Moreover, in the writing classroom, I have the honor of helping students articulate those dreams by wielding words. I have the best job in the world.” Stacia D. Campbell, associate professor of rhetoric and composition
1201 Wesleyan Street Fort Worth, Texas 76105-1536
The President’s Honors Concert 2013 Performers for the President’s Honors Concert, from left to right: Laura Coffey, Hayley Eaker, Kylie Wrinkle, Daniel Wingard, Vanessa Shackelford, Emily Maples-Davis, Andrew Weliver, Sophia Ingram, Becca Mitchell, Adam Pratt, Leticia Michael, and Macedonio (“Max”) Muciño.