TODAY – Spring 2014

TODAY U N I V E R S I T Y

O F

Vol. 13, No. 4 | ucmo.edu/today

C E N T R A L

M I S S O U R I

M A G A Z I N E

Your Gifts Show the Power of Red We all love the success of record achievements.

At UCM, that success translates into record enrollments, record graduating classes, a 20th consecutive year of above-national graduation job placement rates... and thanks to you, our donors, another year of $1-million plus of scholarship support.

You are building the future of our country and our world, thanks to your financial support of our mission to create greater learning opportunities for our students. That’s the power of red.

Learn more about all the ways you can give at ucmo.edu/foundation.

CONTACT:

Your gift to the UCM Foundation directly impacts students’ lives and their education experience. It also strengthens UCM’s reputation for excellence and legacy of achievement so that the value of your degree remains strong! Show your support today.

UCM FOUNDATION EMAIL: GIVING@UCMO.EDU PHONE: 660-543-8000 TOLL-FREE: 866-752-7257

TODAY UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI MAGAZINE

ON THE COVER 2 NATIONAL

CHAMPIONS

UCM celebrates after Mules basketball claims the NCAA Division II Championship.

On the Cover: The NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball championship trophy, complete with the championship game net.

6

paying back with profit

UCM alumnus Ian Kuklenski finds a way to help with creativity and problem solving.

10

A REUNION WITH PURPOSE

UCM’s black alumni gather to reminisce and provide opportunities for future students.

12

NO MISSING PIECES

Student marketing group raises awareness of UCM Foundation and philanthropy.

14

FAVRE HONORED AS OUTSTANDING RECENT ALUMNUS

St. Louis fire captain recognized for life of service.

16 CAMPUS CURRENTS 18 CLASS NOTES 19 IN MEMORIAM TODAY 2014, VOL. 13, NO. 4 Published by the offices of University Relations and Alumni and Constituent Relations and the UCM Foundation. ©2014 by University of Central Missouri. All rights reserved.

Contact the editor at today@ucmo.edu or 660-543-4640.

Send your address updates to alumni@ucmo.edu or call 660-543-8000 or toll-free, 866-752-7257.

Editor Mike Greife ‘74 Design Sarah Murrill ‘97 PhotographY Bryan Tebbenkamp ’03 Class Notes Tina (Tock) Bell (fs) Today (USPS 019-888) is published quarterly by the University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO 64093.

Printed by The Ovid-Bell Press, Inc., 1201 Bluff Street, Fulton Mo. 65251. Periodicals postage paid at Warrensburg, MO, and additional offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Today, Smiser Alumni Center, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO 64093.

A Letter from the President UCM’s Focus on Success In this issue of Today magazine, you will get a glimpse of a great moment in University of Central Missouri sports history as you read about the Mules basketball team’s 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship. It was a special event that brought thousands of individuals, both on and off campus, together to celebrate the success of a team which honored the university through talent, sportsmanship, and excellent coaching seen by millions of people across the nation.

As we look back on 2013-2014, there was much to celebrate as a university campus. For the first time ever, a sitting United States president paid a visit to campus, and details about our Missouri Innovation Campus spread nationwide. We launched the construction of The Crossing – South at Holden, the first student residential and retail establishment in the university’s history, while also initiating our Learning to a Greater Degree Contract for student completion to help students graduate on time and with less debt. We experienced the largest enrollment in UCM’s history, and our quality academics were showcased with student teams capturing victories in events such as the Montgomery Cup debate tournament overseas, and the American Criminal Justice Association /Lambda Alpha Epsilon national competition, where Central Missouri captured its 12th national title.

Our alumni can be proud of the accomplishments of our many outstanding UCM students and alumni, as well as our dedicated faculty and staff who are committed to making this campus a place truly focused on Learning to a Greater Degree. We hope you enjoy reading more success stories in this issue.

Joining you in service, Chuck Ambrose, President

To view the University of Central Missouri’s Nondiscrimination/Equal Opportunity Statement, visit ucmo.edu/nondiscrimination.

University of Central Missouri | today

1

2014 CHAMPIONS

By Jeff Murphy and John Kennedy Sometime after 1 a.m. Sunday, March 30, University of Central Missouri Mules basketball player Daylen Robinson squeezed through a cheering crowd outside the Multipurpose Building and began speaking to a campus video crew.

In what was to be one of the most memorable moments of his young life, he summed up what it means to be part of a history-making event.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling. I’ve never experienced anything like this,” the senior guard from Kansas City said as the roar of about 200 screaming fans chanting “U-C-M, U-C-M” rang out across the parking lot. “Coach (Kim Anderson) told us when we first practiced that we

were preparing for a championship, and that was our ultimate goal. We all came together that first practice and said that is what we wanted to do, and our dreams came true.”

Robinson, his coaches and teammates returned to a heroes’ welcome, bringing home the Mules’ second NCAA Division II National Championship in 30 years. Watched by an estimated 3.1 million viewers nationwide on CBS, the team defeated West Liberty University, Wheeling, W.Va., 84-77, in an afternoon game at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind., Saturday, March 29. In a contest that saw Brian Nickl 14 ties and nine lead changes, the No. 20-ranked Mules rallied from a nine-point deficit and used

a 6-0 run in the last minute to beat the No. 7-ranked Hilltoppers. En route to the championship game, the Mules defeated No. 4-ranked Southern Connecticut State in the Elite Eight opener, then knocked off top-ranked Metro State in the national semifinals in two very close games.

“This whole post season has been a grind every game, but it came down to defensive possession—who can get the most opportunities at the right time,” said Jon Gilliam, Mules senior guard from Paris, Mo. “We have so many weapons on the offensive end. They say offense wins games and defense wins championships. Tonight, we’re fortunate to bring home a national championship.”

The last time the Mules won an NCAA-II National Championship was on March 24, 1984 by defeating St. Augustine’s of North Carolina 81-77 in Springfield, Mass. With a Jennies victory over Virginia Union only hours later on the same court, it was the first time in college basketball history that men’s and women’s teams from the same school won national championships in the same season.

Athletic Director Jerry Hughes said the advent of social media, and the national broadcast on a major network added to the excitement and visibility of the Mules 2014 championship, and made it possible for more UCM basketball fans to see and enjoy the game. Thirty years (continued to page 4)

University of Central Missouri | today

3

2014 CHAMPIONS (continued from page 3)

ago, the basketball championships were broadcast on a budding ESPN, which was not so easily accessible.

“One of the most amazing things about this one is because of the age we’re in, because of all the instant media, the Facebook and the tweets, all the things that happen instantly, our (web) page before the game today got over 40,000 hits,” Hughes told the University Relations video crew. “Coach Anderson’s phone blew up, my phone blew up. I’ve got over 200 text messages I haven’t seen yet.”

He pointed out strong university and community support contributed to what almost seemed like a home game for the Mules. It is estimated that approximately 3,000 UCM fans turned out for the game at the Ford Center, their red shirts and cheers highly visible on national TV. “We’re grateful for the support of the university, and the different offices that pitched it and got the students to come there - it was like the Multi East. My ears were ringing like I had been at a rock concert after that game,” Hughes laughed.

Coach Anderson was also touched by the fan support, noting “it was awesome to walk out there and see all that red and black.”

That, coupled with an outstanding performance by his team, helped him realize what many coaches only dream about – a national championship.

“I’m just proud of my team. I’m proud of the way they stuck together and fought. And, when they got behind they stuck together,” Anderson said. “I think that’s the biggest compliment I can give them.”

Not only did Mules fans flock to the game, many of the same people who traveled to Evansville also turned out to greet the team upon its arrival back in Warrensburg. On Monday, March 31, many members of the campus and local communities also attended a parade down Holden Street and a pep rally in the Multipurpose Building honoring the team.

Upon their arrival at the Multipurpose Building, the team assembled in the locker room, where Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon greeted and spoke to them. Once inside the arena, team members carrying the national championship trophy stepped onto the speakers’ platform greeted by thousands of screaming fans, performances by the UCM pep band, cheerleaders and Mulekickers. UCM President Charles Ambrose, Hughes, State Senator David Pearce, and Gov. Nixon all spoke to the crowd.

4

VOL. 13, NO. 4 | ucmo.edu/today

A highlight video of the Mules’ national championship run also was played on the arena video board, and Robinson and Gilliam spoke to the audience before Coach Anderson wrapped up the night.

Anderson made special presentations to the governor, and thanked UCM basketball fans for their support throughout the season – noting that the win belongs to everyone from the players and cheerleaders to UCM employees and fans across campus and throughout the community. This was the head coach’s first national championship since joining the Mules 12 years ago. With a 274-95 record, he guided his UCM teams to three Final Fours, six MIAA regular season titles, four MIAA Tournament titles, and won at least 24 games five times. His six MIAA crowns are the most for any coach in UCM history.

“This championship I’ve literally had hundreds of emails, phone calls and text messages,” he told the crowd. “I’ve been here 12 years but the most satisfying thing to me is when the guys I used to yell at, scream at, discipline…I want them to know and I want you to know, this championship was won by this group of young men, the 2014 team.”

With the 2014 NCAA-Division II Championship, the Mules record overall was 30 wins and five losses. Thirteen of those wins took place at home, where they were undefeated. The team’s 30 wins are the second most in a single season in school history. Additionally, Mules player Daylen Robinson was named Most Outstanding Player of the Elite Eight, and teammates Dillon Deck, a junior from Smithville, and Charles Hammork, senior from New Orleans, were named to the AllTournament Team. The Mules were 16-3 in their conference, and 14-2 in non-conference games. They outscored opponents 2,820 to 2,398.

While Anderson, as 2014 UPS National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Coach of the Year, credits his team’s success to his players’ strong teamwork and sticking together in adversity, his players make sure he gets the kudos he deserves. They point out his powerful coaching influence and the positive example he sets as a role model as the fuel that helped bring a basketball championship to UCM. As Robinson put it, “Coach Anderson deserves everything that’s coming to him. He did a great job. We had 10 new guys and he got us all prepared for this, and we came out and won.

We won it for ourselves, and we won it for him.”

University of Central Missouri | today

5

Ian Kuklenski and the Unlocked Furniture desk and chair

6

VOL. 13, NO. 4 | ucmo.edu/today

Paying Back with Profit

By Mike Greife

Ian Kuklenski finds satisfaction is solving problems. He also believes in giving back. His desire to solve the problem of providing sturdy classroom furniture to assist children in schools in underdeveloped areas around the world resulted in Unlocked Furniture, a not-for-profit company that produces a wooden desk and chair that is inexpensively produced, shipped worldwide and assembled in minutes without tools or fasteners.

A University of Central Missouri alumnus, Kuklenski originally came to UCM to study aviation. He changed his major, earning a bachelor’s degree in finance and business management in 2006. After spending six months traveling, he took a job in product development with Sunlighten, a Kansas City company that makes custom-designed saunas. He found himself using the skills he had learned from his father, a contractor, while leading a team in product development.

Kuklenski credits UCM with providing him with the tools he needed to be successful in business, but being raised in a large family that believes in giving back led him to volunteering for not-for-profit agencies.

However, Kuklenski noticed that many of the organizations for which he volunteered struggled to find funding to keep their doors open.

“I wanted to do something good for charities, but when I was volunteering with different projects, it seemed like there were inefficiencies.” he said. “They would spend time training me to do a basic job for a few hours, and then have to retrain someone else to do the same thing. I decided it might be better if I just gave them money, because they would know best how to spend that money. However, they spent a significant amount of the money they received trying to raise more money.”

It was a problem that needed to be solved. Kuklenski and co-worker Doug VanderValk, an industrial designer with Sunlighten, began looking for a way to develop a product that would directly benefit people.

They originally thought of starting a furniture design company, but a television documentary that showed children sitting on the floor in African schools provided them with the idea of helping others by providing a simple desk and chair for the children in those schools.

The first step was to design and produce a durable, functional desk and chair that could be manufactured and shipped worldwide as inexpensively as possible.

As a project manager for Sunlighten, Kuklenksi traveled overseas on a regular basis, establishing relationships with manufacturers and learning about production.

He and VanderValk, whose specialty is design, designed the original Unlocked Furniture child’s desk and chair with those requirements in mind. A chair for an adult and a table and chairs followed. Assembly takes less than a minute, and the furniture can be disassembled and reassembled for easy storage or movement.

“The first step was to make prototypes of the design with cardboard,” Kuklenski said. “Then we progressed to using a jigsaw in the garage, drawing out the design using pencils and rulers. Then we found a local architecture shop that had a large computer numerically controlled (CNC) router to make a full model.”

Once they had a full set made, they could then share pictures and design files with those bidding to produce the product.

(continued to page 8)

University of Central Missouri | today

7

(continued from page 7)

“The huge benefit to us is that we can send the computer file to a manufacturer, they can load that into the CNC router, and a table and chair set is cut from a single sheet of furniture grade plywood,” Kuklenski explained. “We don’t have to worry about acquiring fasteners and small parts. Everything is made from one sheet of plywood, and we can obtain plywood anywhere in the world.”

He added that the CNC production process really eliminates “a lot of quality control problems. Everything is the same, with precise cuts to within 1/1000 of an inch. And as the CNC process becomes less expensive and is adopted in other countries, we eventually can manufacture the product at locations around the world.”

The speed of production also eliminates the need to produce and warehouse inventory in large quantities to meet anticipated need. Orders can be placed as items are sold.

“As we continue to grow and generate enough traffic to stabilize sales, every Friday we can simply take what we sell from the website that week, send an order in, and it will be cut the next Friday and shipped from the manufacturer,” he said. “It didn’t make sense to have to order in quantity, have them shipped to a warehouse, and then pay costs to store and ship after purchase.”

The design and production method also were key to solving the problem of getting the desks and chairs to those who needed them in a cost-efficient manner.

“Logistics in many of these areas make shipping and delivery a real problem,” Kuklenski said. “You can ship a dozen assembled desks on one truck, driving for hours through rough terrain, where our product can be shipped flat, allowed us to load 100 or more on a truck.”

The next issue was making the project self-sustaining.

To resolve that issue, Kuklenski and VanderValk turned to the basic principle of social entrepreneurship, where the basic principles of business are applied to not-forprofit fundraising, creating a product to be sold, with the profits returned to sustain the charitable effort.

“We followed other models, like TOMS shoes, where the product is sold, with the profit rolled back into sustaining the company” Kuklenski said. “That way, we don’t have to spend resources raising funds to sustain the project.”

Marketing of Unlocked Furniture concept is completed through the company website, unlockedfurniture.com.

Unlocked Furniture has been a success, but needs to grow to continue helping those in need. The product line 8

VOL. 13, NO. 4 | ucmo.edu/today

has been expanded to include an adult-size chair and a table and four chairs that could be used for a variety of purposes. As the company continues to grow, Kuklenski realizes the job of keeping it running and growing could become full-time.

As for Kuklenski, he is currently enrolled in the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, with plans to pursue a career as a dentist. He has no real plans to become the full-time CEO of a growing not-forprofit company. He does, however, plan to continue to do both.

“It’s been satisfying to see the idea grow, and the original idea of making it self-sustaining is working,” he said. “But when we started this, neither of us was in it to become a millionaire. We are putting our profits back into the company so it can grow, so it’s not about how much profit we can take for ourselves.

“I love dentistry—I love working with my hands,” Kuklenski added. “As this company continues to grow, I would not have any problem with giving someone else a great job running the company while I dabbled in the creative end of it.”

For Kuklenski, the challenge of solving the problem of product development is the fun part. He acknowledges that if the company doesn’t work to develop new products, the company won’t grow. However, he doesn’t want to lose sight of the original reason the company was founded—to solve the problem of how to help people in need.

Understanding the needs of school children in developing cultures was essential to the development of the Unlocked Furniture products.

For more information, or to make a donation by making a purchase from Unlocked Furniture, visit unlockedfurniture.com.

University of Central Missouri | today

9

Akia Burford

Alexandria Smith

A reunion with purpose

By Dalene Abner and Chelsey Buseck

Raven Shelton

10

VOL. 13, NO. 4 | ucmo.edu/today

Stephanie Elmore

Before Facebook, there was Ning. And because of Ning, hundreds of University of Central Missouri black alumni came together for a happy hour, resulting in a campus reunion. Six years later, it also resulted in a scholarship awarded for the first time this academic year.

This random set of circumstances began when Derek Oglesby ’98 set up a page on the early social network, Ning.

“I’ll always remember being No. 80 to join,” said LaTonia Collins Smith ’95. “In a matter of weeks, it went from 80 to 492. That started a dialogue about how much we missed each other, what Warrensburg and UCM meant to us, and the idea of let’s get back together.”

It was Memorial Weekend 2008 when nearly 200 black alumni reconnected in St. Louis for happy hour one Friday evening and a family picnic that Saturday. “Our goal was just to reunite for fun and fellowship. Many of us hadn’t seen each other for more than 10 years,” said Smith. “We had an old school Warrensburg good time.”

They also came up with a big idea—to have a reunion on campus that would bring back more black alumni.

Smith, who lives in St. Louis, took on her area while she reached out to alumnus Kenny Beene ’92 to target classmates in Kansas City and to the UCM Alumni Association to coordinate the event.

“Some 650 alumni came back for the reunion,” she said. “We just wanted to come here, have a good time and go home.” They did that and more when their $25 per person registration fee netted $7,000 in leftover cash.

At first they thought to donate the money to the university to start a scholarship, but with encouragement from the UCM Alumni Association, they chose to raise the additional funds necessary to establish it as a permanent endowment. More happy hours and reunions later, the grassroots effort that Smith describes as “partying with a purpose” succeeded in building a $25,000 scholarship endowment with the UCM Foundation.

“What you are witnessing today is what happens when you bridge the gap between social media and a group of college friends who came together, who actually love one another, who met each other here in the small town of Warrensburg,” said Smith at a reception announcing the first recipients. “This is my second family. We laugh, we joke, we play and we share a love for UCM and a love for young people. It’s a good place

for all of us to do our part with current students who are here.”

President Charles Ambrose described their sense of giving back to the university and Warrensburg as “truly significant and a challenge to others to step up and make a difference in the lives of our students.”

Scholarships, he said, are the greatest gift alumni can make to current students.

The four students who received the first UCM Black Alumni Scholarships know how much they appreciate the support. They are Akia Bluford, a finance major from St. Louis; Alexandria Smith, a criminal justice major from Florissant, Mo.; Stephanie Elmore, a biology major from Higginsville, Mo; and Raven Shelton, a business major from Florissant, Mo. The four are members of the UCM Association of Black Collegians, which observes its 45th anniversary this year.

“It is refreshing to know there are people out there who don’t know you but want to see you succeed.

I am honored to be one of the first recipients of the scholarship and hope to be a donor to the fund later in life,” said Bluford, treasurer of ABC. A student leader in the organization, she has volunteered in places like Survival House Adult Abuse Center, ECHO, Habitat for Humanity, Connected Hearts, Ronald McDonald House, and UNICEF. This fall, the UCM Black Alumni will award another two scholarships when they gather for their next reunion, Oct. 10-12, celebrating “Building Bridges in the Burg.”

“We want to build bridges between alumni and current students,” said Smith, “and we are encouraging everyone to join us this October.” They are keeping details about the reunion on their Facebook page, facebook.com/ucmcmsu.blackalumni, an evolution from the Ning site, courtesy of alumnus Curtis Bledsoe ’05.

Smith noted, “Our hope is that the financial assistance provided through the scholarship will provide an opportunity to assist students with successful degree completion and that it will inspire in them in turn to help a fellow Mule.”

University of Central Missouri | today

11

The R.ED Marketing Team, left to right, Mackenzie Porter, Savannah Hampton, Amy Farr, Cassandra Davison and Amy Fair

#NoMissingPieces New Student Marketing Group Raises Awareness of UCM Foundation and Philanthropy

By Chelsey Buseck

Inspired by jelly beans, a group of University of Central Missouri marketing students set out this spring to bring attention to an organization on campus whose behind-the-scene modesty has made it virtually unknown to most people.

In February, five marketing students — Mackenzie Porter, Savannah Hampton, Cassandra Davison, Amy Farr and Amy Fair — comprised the first class of a new hands-on learning experience funded by the UCM Foundation. They called themselves R.ED Marketing, R for UCM’s school color and ED for education. Their task was to raise awareness of the UCM Foundation and the impact of philanthropy throughout campus.

Their first project was to launch a social media campaign around National Student Philanthropy Day, bringing attention to the UCM Foundation. The

12

VOL. 13, NO. 4 | ucmo.edu/today

nonprofit was established in 1979 to raise and manage private support for the university. While the success of the UCM Foundation is evident throughout campus in buildings, sculptures, laboratories, scholarships and more, few students are aware that the university wouldn’t be what is today without donor support.

Even R.ED Marketing wouldn’t exist without funding provided by the UCM Foundation. The group is the latest direct involvement by the UCM Foundation to provide students greater hands-on learning experiences utilizing unrestricted donors’ gifts.

R.ED Marketing went right to work, directed by Marine Jegu, an international alumna from France who completed her graduate degree from UCM in December and was hired as the foundation’s special projects coordinator.

On Feb. 27, National Student Engagement and Philanthropy Day, R.ED Marketing launched #NoMissingPieces. Students had the opportunity to learn about the UCM Foundation and to personally thank donors through social media.

“The campaign idea originated from a video we watched about jelly beans,” Fair said. “Each jelly bean represented a day in a person’s life, and each bean was removed to represent the number of days spent sleeping, eating, grooming, etc. By the end of the video, only a small amount of jelly beans was left.

This video made an impression on our team, and we wanted to play off the idea.”

For their campaign, R.ED Marketing chose puzzle pieces instead of jelly beans. Each piece represented a college experience the UCM Foundation helped to provide students.

“The idea was that there are #NoMissingPieces when it comes to a student’s education at the University of Central Missouri,” Davison said. Since joining R.ED Marketing, the senior has been in charge of coordinating events. She has been grateful for the experience to network with alumni and staff.

The R.ED Marketing team strives to bring together the many aspects of the UCM student experience that are influenced by the UCM Foundation.

Fair looked at the campaign as an opportunity to gain real-world experience, since the work was done outside the classroom setting. She worked on an Instagram profile and created a Twitter account for the UCM Foundation and Alumni Association, @UCM_Alum, implementing the hashtag, #NoMissingPieces.

In her video, she thanks the Harmons and the thousands of UCM alumni and friends who give every single year “because they want us, the students, to have the same powerful learning experience they had as students.” She added, “Because of them, I graduated without any missing pieces to my education.” To watch and share Porter’s story, visit the UCM alumni and friends YouTube channel.

“I am learning effective ways to reach people through social media. It takes more time and effort than I thought,” said Farr, considered the team’s Twitter expert.

In less than two months R.ED Marketing increased followers on the Twitter page by 155 users, averaged 32 student ‘thank you’ tweets and had more than500 views on its promotional videos.

For #NoMissing Pieces, the team created promotional videos to show the impact donors have had on student experiences. Porter is featured in one.

“I have always been proud of my decision to finish my degree at UCM. Working with R.ED Marketing and learning about the UCM Foundation really makes me proud to be a Mule!” Hampton said.

“Being able to create the video and explain my story about how the Harmons have helped me experience UCM was really,” said Porter, a student in the Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies.

University of Central Missouri | today

13

St. Louis Fire Captain Honored as Outstanding Recent Alumnus

By Dalene Abner and Chelsey Buseck A life of service connecting Gregg Favre to work with all types of people from the poor on the streets of St. Louis to the billionaire bankers of Wall Street to the First Lady of the United States helped the 2008 UCM graduate earn recognition by the UCM Alumni Association as its spring 2014 Outstanding Recent Alumnus. A captain in the St. Louis Fire Department, Favre was recognized for his work protecting more than one million people as a firefighter and medic.

Dianna Bryant, the associate professor who nominated him for the award, called Favre “an exemplary alumnus who is actively engaged in one of the greatest challenges facing the country, assisting the next greatest generation in transitioning from combat to civic life. He is a promising leader with a vision and determination to make a difference in the world.”

Born and raised in St. Louis City, Favre earned undergraduate degrees at UCM in crisis and disaster management and criminal justice. He began his career working from firehouses in neighborhoods throughout St. Louis. After several years learning the craft of firefighting, he was assigned to one of St. Louis’s two elite special operation rescue units, where he responded to fires and complex rescue incidents in some of the busiest fire battalions in the nation.

In his current role as a command staff officer, he provides critical, high level counsel to the fire chief of a 1,000-member department. Prior to his promotion to captain and assignment to the fire chief’s staff, Favre served as the emergency management coordinator where he implemented comprehensive response, sustainability and continuity policies for the department’s more than 1,000 members, 36 facilities and hundreds of millions of dollars in equipment and resources. He also developed and maintained comprehensive management plans for more than three million people in the St. Louis area.

In 2011, after nearly 10 years of watching other firefighters report for duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Favre took a leave of absence to work with returning veterans. He was appointed as chief of staff at The

14

VOL. 13, NO. 4 | ucmo.edu/today

Mission Continues, a nonprofit organization awarding community service fellowships to post-9/11 veterans.

Favre’s primary responsibilities at The Mission Continues included the direction of executive staff and organizational strategy. As chief of staff to the CEO, he served as the primary point of contact with external partners, brokering events and contracts with The White House and the Office of the First Lady, Goldman Sachs, Paramount Studios and ABC/ESPN/ Disney.

Favre has been featured on both live and prerecorded pieces for NBC, CBS, FOX, NPR and ABC. His awardwinning writing and research have been featured in a variety of outlets, including testimony before the United States Congress, the Los Angeles Times and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Favre has published more than a dozen articles on public safety administration and response policies, which have providing training to more than one million first responders. In 2010, his writing was awarded the “Gold Award” at the Hermes Creative Awards, an international competition for creative professionals.

Inspired by the instruction he received at UCM, Favre has continued to pursue “an education for service.”

In 2008 he was accepted to the George Washington University School of Medicine, where he earned his master’s degree. He is currently finishing his graduate diploma in politics and policy from the London School of Economics in the United Kingdom. He has held faculty positions at the University of Maryland, University College and Kaplan University.

UCM Foundation Opportunity Grants op por tu ni ty (noun)- a set of circumstances that make it possible to do something

Opportunity Grants When the UCM Foundation wanted to take a more active role in strengthening the university’s learning environment, they created a grant program using unrestricted donor gifts to make that possible. In its first year, the Opportunity Grant Program has provided funding for faculty and staff members with entrepreneurial ideas that aim to improve students’ academic success.

Small gifts do BIG things.

Something to Eat A hands-on experience, provided students the opportunity to physically package nutrient-dense meals for people in need.

Kindertransport Theatre production highlighting the historical relocation of 10,000 Jewish children from Germany to the United Kingdom during World War II.

Smart Music A software that assesses and provides feedback for students on correctly and incorrectly played pitches, rhythms and sight-reading comprehension.

Campus Cupboard A student-run food pantry located on campus, with the mission of providing students access to basic food items.

Wireless Camera Tethering An innovative technique simultaneously connecting images taken by a camera to a computer.

Women in Leadership Conference Consisted of guest speakers discussing women and minorities in leadership roles.

To learn more about the UCM Foundation Opportunity Grant program, visit ucmo.edu/opportunity.

CAMPUS CURRENTS Staab Receives Byler Faculty Award James Staab, professor in the Department of Government, International Studies, and Languages, was named the 2014 recipient of the Byler Distinguished Faculty Award.

Staab joined UCM as an assistant professor in 1998 after earning his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. In 2006 he was named interim chair of the Department of Political Science and Geography and chair in 2007-2008. In 2011, Staab became coordinator of the newly named Department of Government, International Studies, and Languages, and after serving at that post for a year, he was named department chair for 2012-2013.

President Chuck Ambrose presents the Byler Distinguished Faculty Award to James Staab

Previously honored with the Governor’s Excellence in Education Award, Staab regularly teaches courses related to American Government, Public Law and the Judicial Process, Civil Rights and Liberties, American Constitutional Law, the American Presidency, and the First Amendment. He also serves as pre-law advisor to UCM students who are hoping to pursue careers in the legal field.

Parle, Neill Named Charno Award Recipients Christina Parle, a criminal justice and political science major, and Chase Neill, an aviation major, received the University of Central Missouri’s prestigious Charno Award, presented annually to the top male and female members of the senior class at UCM. Parle represented UCM at the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life. She was a member of The Honors College, Rho Lambda honors society, Sigma Kappa sorority, and she also serves as a Student Ambassador and Alumni Ambassador.

Parle was a McNair Scholar and served on the Homecoming leadership committee and the Fraternity and Sorority Judicial Board. She has served as president of the Honors College Association and vice president and president of the UCM Student Government Association. She also participated in intramural sports and volunteered in the community.

Neill was a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success and the Forensic Aviation Accident Research Club. He served as a representative in the Student Government Association and as president of the International Emergency Management Student Association and the Aviation Student Government. He served the local community as a member of Station 1 of the Johnson County Fire Protection District, and he has been accepted into the U.S. Navy Flight School.

Chase Neill and Christina Parle

UCM Breaks Ground for The Crossing-South at Holden The largest capital building project in the history of the University of Central Missouri, The Crossing – South at Holden was launched with a groundbreaking ceremony in April.

Scheduled for completion by the summer 2015, The Crossing – South at Holden is a 325-bed mixed-use residence hall and retail facility, which will serve as a living and learning center at UCM. It will provide a combination of two- and four-bedroom units that feature kitchens, living areas, and private bathrooms for each two students, with supporting community spaces. It also will include an outdoor plaza area, and retail space within the building, including a new University Store, SPIN! Pizza and Starbucks coffee shop.

Construction follows the demolition of the General Service Building, which occupied the site. As part of the overall project, services located in the GSB have been moved to the former South East Elementary School location on East Clark Street.

Additional improvements planned as part of the $60 million project include moving locker rooms from the GSB to the lower level of Audrey J. Walton Stadium, as well as installation of new visitors seating and restrooms on the east side of the facility.

The Crossing – South at Holden is part of the university’s new contract for student completion, which is focused on measures that will help students graduate in four years.

16

VOL. 13, NO. 4 | ucmo.edu/today

Ericksen Receives Mike Carter Award Jon Ericksen, a sophomore construction management major, received the 2014 Mike Carter Award for Exceptional Service to the University, Community, and Military.

Ericksen joined the Army National Guard in 2006 and holds the rank of E-4 Specialist in the 1-135th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base. His prior military service included 11B Infantry with the Guard’s 1-125th Infantry and as 31B Military Police in the 46th Military Police Company in Michigan. He served nine months in Iraq in 2008 as a combat team leader, and in his eight-year military career has earned honors that include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon.

Ericksen also is president of the UCM Student Veterans Organization.

He and the SVO have participated in many campus and community events to include the 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony, Veterans Day Community Ceremony, annual Military Appreciation Blood Drive, “Get the Red Out” street fair, UCM’s homecoming celebration, and Wounded Warrior K-5, in addition to hosting several student veteran-related socials. Ericksen was instrumental, along with the College Republicans, in bringing the “Remembering our Fallen” display to the university campus in fall 2013. He also serves veterans and the university as a VA Work Study student in the Military and Veterans Success Center and is a member of the National Society for Leadership and Success.

President Chuck Ambrose presents the Mike Carter Award to Jon Ericksen

UCM Team Physicians Honored with Distinguished Service Award The UCM Team Physicians of Central Family Medicine, Douglas Anderson, M.D.; Curtis Dyer, M.D.; David Glover, M.D., and Brent Hoke, D.O., received UCM’s Distinguished Service Award during spring commencement ceremonies.

Glover began working with university teams in 1981, and Anderson, Dyer, and Hoke later joined him. Each physician dedicates at least one morning per week caring for UCM athletes, and at least one physician is available on the sidelines at home football and basketball games. In many cases, they also may join teams traveling to national tournaments.

Their contributions to the teams are in addition to busy family practices at Central Family Medicine, and three of the physicians, Hoke, Glover and Dyer, have attained board certification in sports medicine. In addition to giving their time in service to UCM teams, they have donated HeadMinder software, Left to right, UCM team physicians Dr. Brent Hoke, Dr. Douglas Anderson, Dr. Curtis Dyer and Dr. David Glover an important tool used to evaluate head injuries to athletes at UCM and Warrensburg High School.

Anderson Earns Coaching Honors Kim Anderson, coach of the UCM Mules 2014 NCAA Division II national championship basketball team, was named the 2014 Schelde Sports/Division II Bulletin National Coach of the Year on March 31.

Anderson also was named the 2014 UPS National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II Coach of the Year on April 2. He received the award April 6 at the annual AT&T NABC Guardians of the Game Awards Show at The Music Hall at Fair Park.

Anderson guided the Mules to a 30-5 overall record and the 2014 NCAA Division II national championship. The Mules won a share of their third straight MIAA Championship, the first three-peat in school history. The 30 wins are tied for the second most in school history After his 12th season, Anderson has amassed a 274-95 (.743) overall record. He led the Mules to six MIAA regular season titles, three Final Fours and this year, captured his first national championship.

Anderson announced on April 28 that he had accepted the head coaching job for the University of Missouri Tigers, allowing him to return to his alma mater where he played and coached under Norm Stewart.

University of Central Missouri | today

17

CLASS NOTES 1950-1959 Patrick Horner fs’52’55 was a probate ex-officio magistrate and associate circuit judge for 24 years. Since his retirement, he is serving as a senior judge. He has written a book based on his life, Stand on Your Own Two Feet. He and his wife, Julia (Twyman) ’54, reside in Auxvasse, Mo. Christa (Creason) ’58 married Alfred Elter on Oct. 12, 2012. She is retired from IBM and he is a retired building contractor. They split their time among Fort Myers, Fla., Bergenfield, N.J. and Catskill, N.Y.

1960-1969 Marilyn (Fajen) Stafford ’65 resides in Nixa, Mo. Her husband, Robert, passed away in December 2013 and she would love to hear from friends.

1970-1979 Beverly (Kastl) Gossage ’72 is the founder of HAS Benefits Consulting. She is past president of the Greater Kansas City Association of Health Underwriters. She is a 2014 candidate for Kansas Insurance Commissioner.

Mike Manners ’72 retired Aug. 1, 2013, from his position as judge of the Jackson County Circuit Court in Independence, Mo. He reentered the private practice of law with the firm of Landgon & Emison in Lexington, Mo. Diana (Cliffe) Blackmon ’74 received her doctoral degree in nursing in May 2013. She is now an assistant professor in nursing after 35 years in nursing and hospital administration. She resides in Norman, Okla.

Cheryl (Breyer) Tyler ’75 retired from the San Benito County assessor’s office after 15 years as assistant assessor.

18

VOL. 13, NO. 4 | ucmo.edu/today

She and her husband, Jerry, are spending time between Hollister, Calif., and Phoenix, Ariz.

Dale Schmidt ’76 retired April 1 from the Missouri State Highway Patrol after 34 years of service. He and his wife, Debbie, have one son, Grant.

The family resides in Arnold, Mo.

1990-1999 Stephen Jones ’91 works at ZieglerCat as a dispatch coordinator. He resides in Bloomington, Minn.

Lana (Miller) Caywood ’77 and her husband, Thomas ’77, ’81, reside in Platteville, Wis. Their son, Nathan ’09, is in the Dish Network commercial that aired during March Madness.

Shawn Long ’93 is vice president of operations for all General Motors work with Commercial Contracting Corporation in Auburn Hills, Mich. He and his wife, Judy and sons, Tyler and Peyton, reside in Warrensburg.

1980-1989

Asher Snook ’97 was promoted to major with the Warrensburg Police Department, where he has served for 29 years. He also served in the Air Force Reserves and retired in 2007 as a senior master sergeant.

Franklin Dobkins ’84 has been a supply support analyst at Boeing Aircraft in St. Louis, Mo., for 29 years. On Mondays he performs military funeral honor services for fallen veterans at Jefferson Barracks Cemetery. He is a member of both the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He resides in Bridgeton, Mo. Tracy Horn ’86 is the owner/broker of King Realty International, a Vail and Beaver Creek Colo. resort, real estate and property management firm.

She and her two daughters live in Edwards, Colo.

Bruce Kohen ’86 of Rocky Mount, Mo., designs and invents speed skating equipment. He is a one man show and uses a method and materials he pioneered to make some of the most durable skates in the sport. He designed boots for Apolo Ohno for the 2006 and 2010 Olympics and eight athletes in the Sochi Olympics wore his skates, including Chris Creveling.

Tim Rowden ’89 is editor of the St. Louis/Southern Illinois Labor Tribune. He is also a Boy Scouts of America Venturing Crew advisor, merit badge counselor and district public relations chairman for the Greater St. Louis Area Boy Scouts of America. He and his wife, Kim, have four children.

Brett Hieronymus ’98 will be the assistant principal at Smith-Cotton Junior High School for the 2014-2015 school year.

Chris Post ’98 will be the faculty adviser for the Missouri Valley College student newspaper beginning in the Fall 2014 semester.

He is a professor of mass communication and English at the college. He resides in Marshall, Mo.

2000-2009 Heather (Myers) Reynolds ’00, ’11 is the treasurer for Johnson County, Mo. Prior to her election she was a realtor and still retains her broker’s license. She also serves on the board of directors for Johnson County Big Brothers Big Sisters.

She and her husband, Jarrod, reside in Warrensburg.

Eric Jones ’01 is principal advisor/director of financial planning at Stepp & Rothwell, Inc. in Overland Park, Kan. He has helped raise more than $180,000 to support Cystic Fibrosis research and

has served on the board of directors of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association. He and his wife, Melissa ’00, and their three children reside in Lee’s Summit, Mo. Jessica Garner ’02 married Jim Heimann in June 2013.

She is corporate service manager for CT Corporation, and he works for Wells Fargo Advisors. They reside in O’Fallon, Mo. Jason Richey ’03 and his wife, Julie, announce the birth of Keegan James on March 15, 2014. He joins big brother, Finnegan, 2. The family resides in St. Louis, Mo., where Jason is a safety manager for Metal Exchange Corporation.

Danielle DeLozier ’04 married Travis Peacock on March 15, 2014. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Nursing at UCM. They reside in Raymore, Mo.

2010-2013 Andre Brown ’06, ’08 graduated from the University of Missouri May 18, 2014 with a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis degree. He resides in Auburn, Ala. Amanda Roberts ’07, ’09 is a copy editor for Shenzhen Daily, one of only four English daily newspapers in China. She and her husband, Seth, reside in Oviedo, Fla. Kymberly (Caskey) Hill ’08 and her husband, Ryan, announce the birth of Kalynn Marie on Oct. 18, 2013. The family resides in Shawnee, Kan. Richard Steckel ’08 graduated May 15, 2014, with a Ph.D. in Aviation from Parks College of Engineering Aviation and Technology, Saint Louis University. He retired in 2009 from the Boeing Company after 24 years as quality engineer.

AWARDS & HONORS He is currently senior research assistant at the Center for Aviation Safety Research at Saint Louis University.

Jaqlyne (Underwood) Jackson ’09, ’12 and her husband, Aaron, announce the birth of Ariel Maddison Dec. 30, 2013. The family resides in Abilene, TX. Daniel Murphy ’11 is a member of the board of directors of FW Bank in Omaha, Neb. He is the general manager and lead photographer for Stonehouse Golf. He is also on the board of directors of Ameriwest Corporation and is active with the Mid America Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Mandy (Cagna) Weigand ’11 and her sister-in-law own a home décor and gift shop in downtown Warrensburg. She and her husband, Chad, reside in rural Warrensburg.

Bethany (Moe) Frazier ’12 is the face for the YMCA’s new weight management program, Y Weight. She is featured on billboards around Kansas City and in print ads. She resides in Gardner, Kan. Evan Grotewiel ’14 is a safety engineer for Tarlton Corp., based in St. Louis. He resides in St. Louis.

The UCM Alumni Association is partnering with Liberty Mutual to offer their auto and home insurance benefit program.

As a UCM alumnus, you could receive exclusive savings. Plus, with Liberty Mutual, you get service and support when and where you need it and the latest tips and tools to help keep you and your family safe.

To learn more or get a free, no-obligation quote, call 1-800-981-2372 or visit LibertyMutual.com/ucmo.

1970-1979

1980-1989

Tommy Fields, Jr. ’73 was recognized by Leaders Across America magazine as a Top 100 Industry Expert in America.

He was also recognized as Executive of the Year for 2013

by Covington Who’s Who and as their Featured Member recipient in 2013. He is a strategic planner for the United States Army, Threat Systems Management office. He resides in Huntsville, Ala.

Don Watt ’81 received a commemorative plaque from the Nebraska State Athlete Trainers Association for 20 years of service. He is a professor at Chadron State College and has been the college’s athletic trainer since 1994. He and his wife, Jana, have two children and three grandchildren.

Barb (Conte) Dater ’77 received the Public Employee Recognition Distinguished Community Service Award May 7 at a ceremony honoring all the winners from the federal, state, Jackson County, Kansas City area and Kansas City government agencies. She resides in Grandview, Mo.

Annette (Lewis) Lowrey ’87 is the 2014 recipient of the VFW District 1 and the Gallatin Frazier Post 2172 High School Teacher of the Year award. She teaches 7-12 grade social studies at North Daviess R-III in Jameson, Mo.

William Jensen ’84, along with a team of his colleagues, was presented the Top Industry Practice Award from the Nuclear Energy Institute at the Nuclear Industry Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., May 20.

The team was involved in the inspection of the internal components of the Point Beach Unit 1 reactor with one-of-akind technology. He resides in Manitowoc, Wis.

In Memoriam Lillian B. Ridgway ’40 Mary L. Dibble ’45 Dorothy J. Gross ’46 Billy A. Key ’49

Michael L. Stanfield ’67 David L. Tackett ’64 (CH), ’68 Betty L. Lloyd ’68 James Ulchinsky ’68 Bonnie C. Hunter ’69

1950-1959

1970-1979

1940-1949

Emil G. Bargfrede ’52 Betty J. Cagna ’52 Marjorie M. Morrow ’56 Robert E. White ’57 Hazel C. Baumgarner ’58 Kay T. Calvert ’58 William O. Ruwwe ’59

1960-1969 James N. Guilford ’60 JoAnn Caldwell ’61 Caskel Stallard ’61 Lois E. Musick ’63 Kenneth D. McMurtrey ’64 Roberta M. Allen ’65 Mildred A. Caruthers ’66 Ellen M. Elster ’66 Sandra K. Collins ’67

1990-1999 Moss R. Prewitt ’94 Allen D. Clem ’98

2000-2009 Casey A. Stundebeck ’09

Ronnie G. Bailey ’70 Ralph W. Knipp ’70 Tom R. Williams ’70 Edwin L. Belser ’73 Mitzi L. Dentler ’73 Robert E. Sanders ’74 Nicholas K. Corry ’75 Bill M. Armontrout ’76 Clark R. Powell, Sr. ’76 Edward A. Huwaldt ’78 Charles N. Leary ’79 David N. Myers ’79

1980-1989 Rafael G. Gonzalez ’80 Rick D. Alley ’82 Timothy W. Rucker ’85

Former Students Mary K. Davis Roscoe E. Finer

Friends Joseph D. Albrecht Hazel B. Dove Fleta M. Gee Garland E. Hendren John H. Hilker Gina R. Larkan William G. Ray Brian L. White Joyce A. White Joy E. Whitener, Sr.

University of Central Missouri | today

19

In Memoriam (continued)

Joseph D. Albrecht Joseph Albrecht, 90, of Warrensburg, Mo., professor emeritus of industrial technology, died Jan. 20, 2014.

Albrecht earned a bachelor’s degree in 1949 from the University Northern Iowa and a master’s in education in 1952 from Ohio University in Athens.

He taught industrial arts and general science at public schools in Elgin, Iowa, and Kansas City, then worked as a standards engineer for Chrysler Corporation in Huntsville, Ala., and Westinghouse Electric in Kansas City.

In 1965, he joined the UCM faculty as an instructor in industrial arts and technology, providing 22 years of service before retiring in 1987.

Ronnie Bailey Ronnie Gene “Ron” Bailey, 67, a 1969 Central Missouri graduate and former Mules football player, whose athletic and high school coaching career extended to several NFL players, died Feb. 4, 2014, in Bolivia, N.C. He was born Feb. 9, 1946, to the late Acey White and Ruby Dale Gibson Bailey. He lettered in high school varsity football in 1962-1964. He also lettered in high school track in 1964. For these accomplishments, he was inducted into the Man (W.Va.) High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. He attended Northwest Community College in Powell, Wyo., where he lettered in football in 1966 and led the team in scoring for touchdowns.

He earned an athletic scholarship to attend then Central Missouri State University where he lettered in football in 1967, 1968 and 1969. He was awarded the Ironman Trophy in 1969 for being comeback player following major injury. He also was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

After graduating in 1969, Bailey was an educator and coach in the Maryland public school system for 27 years. For most of his career, he taught physical education, U.S. history and functional math at several locations in the Washington, D.C., area.

Bailey coached many notable former NFL stars at the high school level, including Bobby Green of the Chicago Bears, Ron Edwards of the St. Louis Rams and Julian Peters, Seattle Seahawks. He was named Offensive Coordinator of the Year by the Maryland State Football Coaches Association in 1992 and in 1996 20

VOL. 13, NO. 4 | ucmo.edu/today

received recognition for 21 years of outstanding service by the association.

During summer breaks, Bailey managed one of the Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation swimming pools and directed the water aquatics program for special needs children. When not at the pool, you could find him on the softball field pitching for several county AAA teams.

He was awarded the PGCMSL Most Valuable Player trophy in 1979 for his conduct both on and off the field. He retired from teaching, coaching and athletic administration in 1998. In his retirement, Bailey lived in Ocean Isle Beach with his wife, Joyce. He was an avid golfer and huge fan of high school football.

Survivors include siblings, Wannis (Macel) Bailey of Dale City, Va.; Arlene (Norman) Bailey of Stafford, Va.; Dennis (Fran) Bailey of Severn, Md.; and Ailene (Larry) Peters of Man. Betty Jean (Gerkin) Cagna Betty Jean (Gerkin) Cagna, 83, a 1952 Central Missouri alumna and former home economics professor, died Thursday, Dec. 26, 2013, in Lexington, Mo. She was born in 1930 to Mary Rutherford and Gus Gerkin. In high school, her favorite class was home economics especially sewing, which later became her college major.

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, it was not unusual to find girls attending one summer in college, take a test for a teaching certificate and teach the next September. Cagna followed the crowd to summer school but continued her education. She went to college one year and passed the test to teach two years.

The school year was eight months and she taught to earn money to continue her education. She went back to what was then Central Missouri State Teachers College in the spring and summers for three years and obtained a bachelor’s degree in 1952. She followed up with a master’s degree in 1962.

She married Joe Cagna in 1952 in Hawaii. While he served in the Marine Air Group in Kanoche Bay, she taught school in Kailua and Kaneohe. They returned to Lexington in 1952. She taught at schools in Lexington, Odessa, Wellington and Mayview until 1969.

In 1966, Cagna was proud to represent Missouri in the Mrs. America pageant. In 1973, she opened Betty’s See-N-Sew in Higginsville, Mo., where she gave sewing lessons. She joined the UCM faculty in 1975. In 1979, she sold the business to teach full time at UCM in fashion merchandising. She worked as an assistant professor until her retirement in 1981.

Surviving are a son Chris Cagna of Lexington; daughter Theresa “T-Ann” (Dave) Heimsoth of Shawnee Mission, Kan.; brother Bill (Evelyn) Gerkin of Tigard, Ore.; sister Dorothy Hoefer of Higginsville; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Hazel B. Dove Hazel B. Dove, 82, a former cook for the University of Central Missouri, died April 3, 2014, in Sedalia.

She was born in 1931 in Syracuse, Mo., the daughter of John Ralph and Mae Billingsley Williams. She was married in 1951 to Albert F. Dove, who preceded her in death in 1971. Hazel attended school in Syracuse.

In addition to Central Missouri, she worked as a cook at the Coffee Pot Café and North 65 Café, both in Sedalia.

He started a Husqvarna motorcycle business out of his garage in 1974 and two years later, opened his first store in Warrensburg. He owned both Freedom Cycles and Warrensburg Cycles and was involved in local and national motorcycle racing for four decades.

He rode in the Dakar Rally, a 14-day, 5,000-mile offroad motorcycle rally through Argentina, Chile and Peru, in 2011 and 2012. He rode in the one-week Ruta 40 Rally in 2013. In 2012, he founded Freedom Rally Racing. He was a member of the Dakar Rally Support Team in 2013 and 2014. Michael began scuba diving in 1997 and had completed more than 1,000 dives.

Scuba diving was his second love to motorcycle riding.

He also loved underwater photography. He had a passion for life.

Survivors include his wife, Jennifer; sons, James M. Stanfield and wife, Donna, of Grandview; and Jeffery L. Stanfield and wife, Amy, of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; brother, Marion H. Stanfield and wife, Charmian, of Freeport, Fla.; and four grandchildren.

Memorials are suggested to the Elbert H. and Eula L. Stanfield Scholarship, UCM Foundation, Smiser Alumni Center, Warrensburg, MO 64093 or online at ucmo. edu/giveonline.

She is survived by three daughters, Betty Paxton (Doug) of Windsor, Mo.; Earline Keele (Carroll) of Sherwood, Ark.; Joyce Rutledge (Steve) of Bloomington, Ill.; one son, Roy Dove (Christine) of Weiser, Idaho; two sisters, Jennie Waddell (Hulon) of Holt, Mo.; Shirley Wood (Norman) of Willow Springs, MO, 19 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.

Michael L. Stanfield Michael Lee Stanfield, 67, of Grandview, Mo., died March 7, 2014, in Bonaire, Netherlands Protectorate while scuba diving.

He was born Aug. 15, 1946, in Warrensburg, the son of Elbert Harvey “E. H.” and Eula Lee “Peggy” (Davidson) Stanfield. He grew up on a farm near Holden and attended Centerview Elementary School.

After graduating from Warrensburg High School, he attended the University of Central Missouri, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1967.

He married Jennifer Jones ‘69 in 1964. After graduating from college, he worked for Arthur Young & Co. and served with Metropolitan Community College.

University of Central Missouri | today

21

Periodicals Postage PAID at Warrensburg, MO and Additional Mailing Offices

100 W. South St. Warrensburg, MO 64093-2324

Stay connected with us through your favorite social media platform at ucmo.edu/social

Save Oct. 18 on Your Calendar Join Us for Homecoming in the ’burg

Come for the fun Parade 9 a.m.

Come for the food Breakfast 8 a.m. @ Smiser Tailgate 11 a.m. @ Achauer House

Honor our most distinguished BG C. David Turner ‘84 Meryl Lin McKean ‘80 Anand Mehta ‘76 Susan Arthurs ‘93

Reconnect at reunions Black Alumni TKE Graphic Arts Technology Management Other Groups Still Organizing

watch ucmo.edu/homecoming