In the Name of Love

Alumni Review Spring 2010

Universit y of Nor th Dakota A lumni A ssoc iation

In the

Name of Love

What’s your reason?

“

UND was, and is, in my heart.

It is still home away from home.

I give because

The Alumni Review keeps me in touch with my UND family, even after more than 30 years. w e i Gerri Harris, ’74, Valley City, N.D. Alumni Rev 009 Winter 2

ation A ssoci Alumni Dakota Nor th sit y of Univer

”

Support the magazine that keeps you connected. www.undalumni.org/givealumnireview.com

Inside this issue

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ALUMNI REVIEW • Vol. 93 No. 1 • Spring 2010

FE ATUR ES

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All for Josie

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Joy

Karen (Greenwood) Leinberger, ’00, honors her niece’s memory

UND alum Sharon (Mitchell) Mazaheri, ’88, makes wishes come true for children

12 The Face of Adoption

Michelle (Worner) Kommer, ’07, gives foster kids a second chance at having a family

D E PA RTM E N TS

2 Message from the Executive Vice President

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UND Across the U.S.A.

17 A Letter from the President Hats Off to 2009

18 What’s New

News from Around Campus

28 Foundation News

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Generosity Without Borders: Greg, ’73, and Cindy (Chally) Page, ’75, touch lives through their generosity

30 Alumni Class News

Who’s Doing What: News About your Classmates

46 In Memoriam On the cover: Josie Greenwood lost her battle with cancer at just three-and-a-half-years-old. Since then, her aunt has been doing her part to stomp out the devastating disease. Read more on page 4.

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Alumni Review

UND Across the usa

Spring 2010

Universit y of Nor th Dakota A lumni A ssoc iation Vol . 93 No. 1 • Spr ing 2010

dear alumni & friends,

Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w w w w . u n d a l u m n i . o r g

When the Alumni Review editor and designer approached me about using this photo with my column, I admit to a bit of hesitancy. But, after thinking about it, this is my life!

I also

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believe laughter is fundamental, so eventually I agreed.

Winter and spring “kick off ” a very active alumni events schedule. Starting this month I, along with several others from our staff, will travel across North America to reunions, golf tournaments, pre-game parties, small parties hosted by volunteers, and, of course, Homecoming, Oct. 4 ‐10.

With hopes that you’ll come out and visit, I want to give you a quick rundown of some of the alumni engagements over the next few months.

As much as we can, we’re bringing your alma mater to your backyard.

In collaboration with the College of Business & Public Administration, we’ll be visiting Washington, D.C., in March, where alumni and friends will gather at the well-known Dirksen Senate Office Building. There are more than 1,200 alumni and friends in the D.C. area, many of whom are involved with the federal government.

One such alumnus we will honor is long‐time Senator Byron Dorgan, ’65, HON ’02, who is retiring at the end of this term. Senator Dorgan has played a critical role in building UND during his tenure, and has made us very proud! It’s always a pleasure to connect with the many UNDers playing signature roles leading our country.

We always hope to be part of the legions of UND hockey fans who gather for events preceding playoff hockey games through March, and toward the end of the month I’ll dust off my summer attire and head to a favorite winter stop – Arizona. There, an alumni reunion is scheduled at the Marriott Hotel in Old Scottsdale on Mar. 27. Given we have around 3,000 alumni who make Arizona

their permanent homes, plus the thousands of “snowbirds” who head south for the winter, our Arizona events are always popular.

Once summer comes to the Midwest, our popular Sioux-Per Swing golf tournaments return.

These events give alumni and fans a chance to mix with athletic administration and coaches alike. This year we’ll be in Park River, Fargo, and Grand Forks, N.D.; Detroit Lakes, Minn., Denver, Colo., and we’ll host the Dewey Sundby Golf Scramble in Prior Lake, Minn.

My old friend Duncan Stuart, ’71, a former UND hockey teammate of mine, is hosting the UND Hockey Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.

While this event is a North American hockey reunion, we hope alumni from across Canada will attend.

All proceeds from our golf tournaments help support scholarships for UND student‐athletes, which are more critical than ever as part of the Division 1 transition.

Summer always goes way too fast, and before we know it we’re welcoming students back and looking forward to Homecoming. This will be one of the most exciting, energetic Homecomings ever!

Along with the traditional events such as The Sioux Awards and Young Alumni Achievement Awards, we will have an unprecedented and historic celebration Friday, Oct. 8. You’ll want to book early to come home!

As I’m out and about over the next several months, I look forward to hearing your stories, and learning how you can help your alma mater move from great ... to exceptional!

Hopefully, I’ll see you soon!

Sincerely,

Tim O’Keefe, ’71

Executive Vice President and CEO UND Alumni Association and UND Foundation E‐mail: timo@undfoundation.org

P.S. As you’ll notice, the theme is, “In the name of love.” Throughout the following pages, you’ll read the amazing stories of alumni who demonstrate selfless acts of love – people like Karen Leinberger, ’00, who ran a marathon to honor the memory of her niece, Josie, who is pictured on the cover. These stories are tear‐jerking, inspiring and memorable.

Executive Vice President and CEO Tim O’Keefe, ’71 Executive Director, Alumni Association Doris Cooper, ’91 Editor Leanna Ihry, ’02 Designer Kirsten Gunnarson Contributing Writers University Relations Amanda Hvidsten, ’01 Contributing Photography Chuck Kimmerle/University Relations

Board of Directors UND Alumni Association President Jim Williams, ’62 Vice President Carolyn (Howland) Becraft, ’66 UND Foundation President Linda Pancratz, ’76 Vice President Rick Burgum, ’68 Directors: Alice Brekke, ’79, ’87; Kristine (Hefta) Brindle, ’78; Jill (LaGrave) Burchill, ’76; Kris Compton, ’77; Patrick Dirk, ’71, ’72; Robert Erickson, ’71, ’74; Mark Fliginger, ’74; William Guy III, ’68, ’76; Tim Haas, ’68; Bart Holaday; Robert O. Kelley; Chuck Kluenker; Paul LeBel; Erwin Martens, ’83, ’85; Ken Mellem, ’66, ’68; Lauris Molbert, ’79, ’83; Jennifer Neppel, ’86; Diane Odegard, ’86; Tim O’Keefe, ’71; Keith Reimer, ’73; Al Royse, ’72, ’73, ’76; Robert Solberg, ’69; and Lisa Wheeler, ’75, ’82.

The University of North Dakota Alumni Review (USPS 018089: ISSN 0895-5409) is published Aug., Nov., Feb., and May by the University of North Dakota Alumni Association, 3100 University Avenue, Stop 8157, Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157.

Periodical postage paid at Grand Forks, ND 58201 and other offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Alumni Review, 3100 University Avenue, Stop 8157, Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157.

For inquiries about advertising, additional copies, reprints, submissions, or general comments, contact Leanna Ihry, editor, at 800.543.8764, 701.777.0831 or alumnireview@undalumni.net.

The love we give away is the only love we keep. s pr i ng 2010

elbert hubbard

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Josie Greenwood dances with her aunt Karen Leinberger on Karen’s wedding day, July 1, 2006.

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All forJosie

by Leanna Ihry

haired, blue-eyed three‐and‐a‐half‐year‐old girl.

She had a one-of-a-kind personality, and would say things to her mom like, “I’m prettier than you because I have golden blonde hair and you don’t.”

She could most often be found dancing to the music of her favorite entertainers, Hannah Montana and Kelly Clarkson, and she loved the Fighting Sioux – especially attending football games with her grandparents, John, ’71, ’75, and Susan (Shoman) Greenwood, ’74, to watch her uncle, Mike Greenwood, ’07, play.

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Josie Greenwood was a spunky, blonde-

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Josie loved music, often entertaining her family with songs by Kelly Clarkson and

Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w w w w . u n d a l u m n i . o r g

Hannah Montana.

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Her aunt, Karen (Greenwood) Leinberger, ’00, recalls, “When my little brother, Mike, was playing for UND we would take her to the games in her little Sioux track suit that Grandma and Grandpa gave her. She would always fall asleep before half-time.”

In March 2007, Josie’s parents, Nancy and Joe Greenwood, ’00, noticed their daughter was often very tired and was bruising easily. At first doctors thought it was just an ear infection, but when Nancy noticed swollen lymph nodes on her daughter’s neck, she wanted a better explanation. Tests were done and Josie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The Greenwoods were immediately sent to MeritCare Hospital in Fargo, where Josie began chemotherapy treatments.

The prognosis was good, with a full recovery expected within two to three years. Hopeful, the family headed home to Grand Forks and things were going well. Josie seemed herself again, a happy-go-lucky little girl. But, within about a week, her condition quickly deteriorated and, to the shock of everyone, she passed away the day after Easter, April 9, 2007, just 13 days after her diagnosis.

“We don’t know what happened. We’re not sure if her immune system was compromised from the chemo. We just don’t know,” Nancy said. “I still can’t believe she’s not coming back.”

Since Josie’s passing, many days have been a blur for the Greenwood family. They have two other daughters, Jordyn and Averi, and had just learned days before Josie’s diagnosis they were expecting a fourth child, Noah. “I don’t even remember that year. It’s all so hard to even comprehend,” Nancy said.

As one way to heal, the Greenwoods started participating in the Grand Forks American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. “It’s a way to honor the memory of our beautiful little girl, while spreading awareness and raising money for cancer research,” Nancy said.

While this yearly effort may be enough for some, it wasn’t for Josie’s aunt, Karen. “We weren’t prepared for the diagnosis, and then to lose her so quickly. Everyone heals differently. I had tried God. I tried therapy. Then I learned about a woman in Grand Forks, Kristen Abner, who was running the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco to honor Josie and raise money for cancer research. This was a complete stranger running 26.2 miles for Josie. I thought, ‘If she can do this I can do this, too,’” Karen said.

Karen ran track and cross country for UND while in college, but she hadn’t run more than three miles at a time ever since. Nevertheless, she was determined to do her part to stomp out cancer and signed up to run the Twin Cities Marathon. She joined the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program, which she credits for much of her success. “They helped me with everything – shoes, nutrition. I had a group of people I could run with, and am especially thankful for my running partner, Melissa, who never left my side,” Karen said.

She trained diligently, suffering through several foot and knee injuries, all the while raising

Several of Josie’s family members attended the Twin Cities Marathon to support Karen.

Pictured front, from left: Trisha York; Phyllis Andersen; Jordyn Thomas; Averi Greenwood; Lorrie Greenwood, Susan (Shoman) Greenwood, ’74; Bonnie Vasichek; Noah Greenwood (in arms). Back, from left: Jeremy Leinberger; Nancy Greenwood; Joe Greenwood, ’00; Karen (Greenwood) Leinberger, ’00; John Greenwood, ’71, ’75; Dick Vashichek; Rod Andersen. Not pictured: Michael Greenwood, ’07.

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more than $4,000 on her own for the Midwestern chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Her group, made up of 15 runners, brought in more than $71,000.

“It showed me there was hope. It showed me I could help other people. The running was hard, but it was minimal compared to what Josie went through or what other people fighting cancer go through,” Karen said.

Karen recalls one point in the middle of the race where a complete stranger started visiting with her and said, “I am here running because of what you did for cancer research.”

“I thought at first I was just doing this for me and my family to help us heal and as a way to honor Josie, but that made me realize I am also doing this for so many other people,” Karen said.

Before running the Twin Cities Marathon Karen hadn’t heard about the Team in Training.

She wants people to know it’s out there. “I want to find a cure for cancer, but if I can help even one family get the counseling assistance they need or more time with their loved one through the money I raise, I know I have helped,” Karen said.

Though running has helped her heal, there isn’t a day that goes by that Karen doesn’t think of her niece. “I miss our little blonde angel. She had the biggest attitude of anyone who was pint‐sized I’ve ever known. She was so kind to her little sister, Averi, and big sister, Jordyn, and always knew the right thing to say, even though she was only three-years-old,” Karen said.

As she crossed the marathon finish line that October day, memories of that little angel filled Karen’s mind. “I just started to cry. I know Josie would have been proud of me,” she said.

“I would tell other people to do this because it matters. It makes a huge difference to people, whether you raise a dollar or thousands of dollars. It’s just the right thing to do.”

Next fall, Karen plans to run another marathon in Josie’s honor, but this time she will have company. Nancy hopes to run a half marathon in memory of her daughter. “People may think it’s great we’re doing this, but Josie is the real hero here. My baby is a rock star,” Josie’s mom concluded. 

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As she explains her role as president and chief executive officer of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Dakota, Sharon (Mitchell) Mazaheri, ’88, smiles and simply says, “We bring joy. That’s really what we do through granting wishes to seriously ill children.”

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Sharon, who’s been at the helm of the North Dakota chapter since 1994, is thoughtful, soft-spoken and extremely passionate. She fights back tears as she tells stories of the many children Make-A-Wish has touched.

There’s the story of Morgan, an eight-year-old girl who wished to go to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park in Florida.

While on the plane, Morgan was drawing pictures and kept asking her mother for more paper. When her mom asked her why she was coloring so many pictures Morgan said, “So we can sell them and other kids can have their wishes come true.”

Before Morgan passed away in June, just two months after her wish was granted, she set a goal to grant the wishes

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of two other children in North Dakota by selling note cards that featured her very own artwork.

Since that day, her cards have raised nearly

$20,000, enough to grant three wishes.

“These kids are amazing. They become little adults way too quickly. They just don’t have time to be kids,” Sharon said.

Over the last 15 years, she has helped hundreds of children who are fighting for their lives. Sometimes they win. Other times they don’t. “One girl wished she could be an angel,” Sharon said. “We always try to make the wish come true and we thought, ‘how are we going to do this?’

We came up with the idea to have her be an angel in a theatre production or school play, so we went to the family with our idea,” Sharon explained. “Well, that wasn’t what she wanted.

She wanted to be a real angel. She knew she was going to die.

They become angels way too soon,” Sharon said.

y Jo

by Leanna Ihry

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pictured left: Four-year-old Caroline, who was diagnosed with a degenerative brain disorder, left more than her footprints in the Florida sand. She capped off her wish trip to Walt Disney World Resort with a visit to the seashore.

Sharon with four-year-old Katie who was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Disease, which depresses the immune system.

Katie cannot endure the extreme North Dakota temperatures, either in the winter or summer. Her wish was for a playroom. Make-A-Wish Foundation finished a room in the family’s basement, complete with paint, carpeting, toys, and even chalkboards! pictured below:

Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w w w w . u n d a l u m n i . o r g

pictured right: Six-year-old Ellen Gregoire’s wish came true when she and her family traveled to Vancouver, British Columbia, to the set of the Disney movie Santa Buddies. The show’s producer later had Ellen’s favorite puppy, Rosebud, sent to her as a gift.

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When a child passes away, Sharon copes by remembering the impact Make-A-Wish had on their lives. “We bring them so much joy and the families have an amazing memory they can take with them,” she said.

A child’s eyes lighting up and the look on their face as their wish is granted is driving Sharon each and every day. As she talks about the children, her love and compassion for them shines through.

She smiles as she begins to tell the recent story of a 17‐year‐old Argusville, N.D., boy whose wish was to have his 1989 Nissan restored. She will never forget the look on his face when Make‐A‐Wish surprised him with his renovated car at a Fargo Force hockey game this winter. “I kept thinking about his look all night and I finally figured out he must have been thinking, ‘Is that really my car?,’ and then he began to smile,” she recalled.

Then there’s Ellen, a six‐year‐old girl with leukemia, whose wish was to meet the puppies from the Disney movie Santa Buddies – a new film that features the five Golden Retriever puppies whose on‐screen parents starred in the Disney Air Buddies movies. Ellen and her family were flown to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where the film was being shot. They met the animal stars and Ellen fell in love with the only female puppy, Rosebud. The show’s producer knew of Ellen’s affection and arranged for Rosebud to be given to her after the show was filmed. Little Ellen of Larimore, N.D., is now the proud owner of a celebrity puppy!

Ellen’s mom, Ann Bailey, a 1984 UND grad said, “Her wish is renewed every day by having Rosebud in our home. She is such a big part of our family.

“The producer/writer, Anna McRoberts has kept in contact with Ellen. When the movie came out she sent her a big box with a copy of it and several stuffed puppies. She and Ellen e-mail back and forth and Ellen gives her ideas for upcoming movies.”

“The people are just incredible. You really get to see the real person in these stars and athletes the kids meet on their wishes,” Sharon said of individuals like McRoberts, adding that the dedication of the Make‐A‐Wish board of directors, volunteers, donors, and the medical community makes her work possible. “We

about $600,000 – of which 82 percent goes to wish granting. “We will grant 40 wishes this year, which is up from 30 last year. People may think that means more kids are getting sick, but it actually means we are doing a better job at what we do,” she explained.

Physically, Sharon has her good days and others that aren’t so good. In September, she was admitted to the hospital for nearly three weeks. She says the hardest part is feeling like she can’t always be there for her kids.

“As a sick parent I feel I have missed so much with my children growing up, but this job makes me realize I didn’t miss as much as I could have,” Sharon thoughtfully stated.

Between her illness and the children she works with every day, she has learned to appreciate, “every moment in time” and thanks God each day for the healthy people in her life.

“My wish would be that there would be no need for Make‐A‐Wish, but unfortunately there is, so we stand by our mission and we make a difference one child at a time, one family at a time, one community at a time,” she said.

She sums it up best. Sharon Mazaheri brings joy! 

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Photo by Jackie Lorentz

have volunteers all over the state – we often refer to them as wish teams. Many times the family of a wish child will volunteer, whether it’s to be on a wish team or, like Morgan’s mom, who spoke at our Fall Gala just two months after her daughter’s death.

She is often amazed by the strength of the parents and the children, and says watching them has helped her become stronger in her battle with her own disease.

When Sharon was pregnant with her twin daughters 19 years ago, she became extremely ill. At first the doctors passed it off as “baby blues,” – she also had a nine‐month‐old son. She got through her pregnancy and gave birth to two healthy baby girls. The pain, however, got worse. In January 1992, Sharon was admitted to the hospital and was eventually diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive system. Sharon was working at the Grand Forks Herald as a special sections coordinator at the time and was getting worn out raising three small children, working full-time and fighting her disease. “My doctor told me I better either get help for my kids or quit my job,” she recalls.

She resigned from the Herald and began doing some independent contract work. A few years went by, the kids were a bit older and she noticed an enticing ad she just couldn’t pass by. It was for the executive director position with Make‐A‐Wish of North Dakota. Sharon knew she had no background with a non-profit, but decided to give it a shot. “When I wrote my cover letter, I wrote it from my heart, expressing all my feelings for children and for people who suffer with serious illness. I had been there.”

Sharon was hired as the first full‐time employee of the North Dakota chapter. “I remember my first day. I walked through the door, turned on the light switch and thought, ‘now what am I going to do?’.

“That first year I listened and learned. I would bring files home and just sit there and cry and cry. I was going home every night giving my kids big hugs,” she recalls.

At the time, medical care wasn’t as good as it is today. She adds there are many more “happy endings” now than 15 years ago.

During Sharon’s tenure, the organization has added three full‐time employees. Its operating revenue has doubled, totaling

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Photo by Mike Hess Photography

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Picturing the face of adoption at any given time in North Dakota, there are approximately 1,000 children in foster care. For a variety of reasons, about 200 of those children become available for adoption. Ninety percent of those kids are adopted by relatives or their foster families.

The remaining 10 percent wait.

They wait to meet the person they will call “mom” or “dad”. They wait and dream about the place they will call home. They wait to know the feeling of permanent and unconditional love.

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by Amanda Hvidsten

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There were 21 such children in 2008 and 25 in 2009. While this relatively small number can be viewed as a blessing, there are those who are passionately concerned with making sure these children are not just numbers, but faces, names, personalities, and eventually part of forever families.

Michelle (Worner) Kommer, ’07, and her husband, Toby, began foster parenting in 1999. During their 10 years as foster parents, they cared for 16 children, and adopted their (now‐middle) daughter from foster care. In 2004, when their daughters were two and three, an opportunity arrived for Michelle to attend law school. The couple knew that between their growing family and Michelle’s daily commute from Fargo to Grand Forks for classes, they could not continue as foster parents. Yet, they also knew, “Once you’re a part of the system it’s hard not to be part of it anymore,” Michelle said. They saw a 20/20 television news special about adoption and learned about the New Mexico Heart Gallery.

Their inspired mission for continuing to help children took off from there. By 2006 and with the help of many others, the North Dakota Heart Gallery was born. By 2008, the first gala was held at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo.

North Dakota Heart Gallery (ndheartgallery.org) exists to highlight individual North Dakota children waiting to be adopted.

Volunteer photographers are recruited from across the state to create portraits that artistically express each child’s individuality and spirit. The portraits are revealed at a special gala each fall, to celebrate the generosity of the Gallery’s supporters, and to introduce the portraits to the public. From there, the Heart Gallery travels to venues across the state, with hopes that the child’s portrait will meet the gaze of the parents waiting for them.

For the past two years, 100 percent of the children eligible for adoption in North Dakota have been featured in the gallery.

“We had just finalized our daughter’s adoption so we had a strong network to draw on,” said Michelle. “One person called another person and we had our board of directors. They’d all heard of the Heart Gallery but needed someone to light a fire.”

In fact, North Dakota became the 46th state to establish such an organization.

For North Dakota, where connections seem to come in droves, things were able to move pretty quickly. “When it comes to taking care of our children,” Michelle said, “people act. It’s astounding how much support we’ve received. Also helpful is the fact that our board of directors consists of the decision-makers in our state – the director of AASK (Adults Adopting Special Kids)

that facilitates adoptions, the State of North Dakota Adoption Administrator – so we don’t have any trouble at all making connections with the children and the social workers. We are really lucky in that way.”

With the various ages, backgrounds and situations surrounding each child, one may wonder how they feel about being featured in such a public way. Michelle said some are more reserved or shy but each child shares a hopefulness that their participation might make a difference in their lives. Michelle also was somewhat surprised to learn how much the actual photo shoot means to the kids. Michelle continued with a specific story of one young person who treasured the photo shoot itself as something special. “A young gal was 17 and she had on a brand new outfit and jewelry. She was really getting in to it and posing for the camera. The photographer asked her if she was fooling him and she was a really professional model. The young woman said no, ‘no one has ever taken my picture before.’ The photographer had a hard time getting through the rest of the shoot knowing that.”

As a gift, in addition to a new outfit for the photo shoot, each child gets a digital photo album of all their portraits. One photo goes in the Gallery, several are posted on the Gallery’s Web site, and the child gets the album of all their photos. Michelle noted she was told that some of the kids value it so much that they carry it around with them wherever they go.

The North Dakota Heart Gallery is an all-volunteer organization supported solely by donations. Michelle noted how publicity and the hard work of volunteers have pushed the organization along. Everyone involved on the board of directors has a day job in addition to their work with the Heart Gallery so much of the work is done on lunch hours, nights or weekends.

It’s also a network of knowing who may be able to help transport photos to different cities across the state or assist in other ways. It is an extraordinary effort for an extraordinary purpose.

When asked how the Heart Gallery measures its success, Michelle said the definition has changed over time. “When we first started we had no idea if this would be successful – we thought that if we just made more people aware of the need for adoptive homes, then we were successful,” she said. “The first thing that comes to mind now that we’ve seen results is the children who have forever families. Since our first gala in 2008 we’ve seen eight adoptions finalized. Eight more kids have families to call their own. That’s the most profound impact.” 

Photo by Mike Hess Photography

Eight of the 21 foster children featured as part of the North Dakota Heart Gallery in 2008 were adopted into “forever families.”

pictured top:

Michelle Kommer, ’07, who is herself a foster parent, is passionate about helping North Dakota kids find adoptive families.

pictured bottom:

Thirteen-year-old Andy was one of the kids featured in the 2009 North Dakota Heart Gallery. Andy is a fan of all sports, but football is his favorite. He aspires to be a pro football player one day.

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Pr e s i dent’s Le t ter

Hats Off to 2009

dear alumni & friends,

What a great year 2009 was! There were so many highlights – and I want to share a few of them with you: The UND Agricultural Research Camera, built from scratch by UND students and faculty, was installed on the International Space Station in April. The Camera takes infrared and near-infrared pictures – handy for judging vegetation – for use by farmers, ranchers, resource managers, and teachers.

Last summer, NASA scientists came to UND to test space suits in the rugged Mars‐like environment of the Dahlen Esker. NASA also funded UND’s next-generation lunar exploration system project with a three-year $741,109 grant.

In September, material developed by the Energy & Environmental Research Center and tested in space for its resistance to damage by oxygen and intense ultraviolet light returned on the shuttle Discovery.

U.S. News and World Report ranked UND’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences among the top five family medicine programs and also recognized the Center for Rural Health as a leading national resource for rural health information.

President Barack Obama tapped UND Center for Rural Health Director Mary Wakefield to lead the Health Resources and Services Administration. He also included atmospheric scientist Jianglong Zhang in the White House list of 100 beginning researchers receiving the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers.

In October, the College of Business and Public Administration celebrated an anonymous $10 million gift, its largest gift ever and one of the largest given to UND through the UND Foundation. The challenge grant donation could have a $40 million impact.

The UND Flying Team captured its 15th national championship. The team cocaptains won the top pilot award, and members received several individual honors.

nickname, logo

Many of you, I know, have been following the nickname and logo story. By the time you read this, the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education may have made a decision about whether the University can continue to use the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo. I want to reiterate what I said in the last Alumni Review: As we go forward, we will continue to focus on the University’s core mission of teaching and learning, scholarship, and service.

In closing, I want to say thanks for a great 2009. We are lucky to have such a passionate, dedicated and active group of alumni and friends. Your support, financial and in so many other ways, provides the edge that is helping us move UND from great … to exceptional.

My Best,

Robert O. Kelley President

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First Lady Marcia Kelley and UND President Robert Kelley traveled to Oxford, England, this fall where they met Jemma Abel, a UND commercial aviation student, who was studying at Oxford University. Jemma was enrolled in the highly-competitive program which only accepts a few U.S. students each year.

The Kelleys and Jemma are pictured above standing in front of the Bodleian Library in Oxford.

Overall, our aviation students surpassed 100,000 system-wide flight training hours in a fiscal year, breaking their previous record of more than 95,000 hours.

I appointed two UND graduates to my cabinet: Alice Brekke, ’79, ’87, was named the Vice President for Finance and Operations and Grafton, N.D., native Phyllis E. Johnson, ’71, ’76, was named Vice President for Research and Economic Development.

We celebrated anniversaries: 100 years of nursing, 50 years of the College of Nursing, and 25 years of nursing research; 100 years of Greek Life; and 25 years for the Center of Innovation.

And, we had successes in athletics to be proud of, including winning the MacNaughton Cup in hockey and the Great West Volleyball championship.

Brandon Hellevang, Fargo, and Andrew Miller, Menomonie, Wis., were named to the 12th annual Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star team. Golfer Amanda Kaler, Fargo, was named an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America, becoming UND’s sixth studentathlete to garner Academic All-America honors during the 2008-09 season, the most in UND’s history.

Sadly, we mourned the loss of President Emeritus Thomas J. Clifford, a North Dakota icon regarded as the most dynamic and influential figure in the history of higher education in this state and region. His leadership took UND to the level we know today.

You can find many more highlights at www.und.edu/news.

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What’s New News from ARO

Campus

A Partnership with University Relations

UND English Professor Unearths Previously Unknown Manuscript

Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w w w w . u n d a l u m n i . o r g

Sandra Donaldson’s career focuses on Elizabeth Barrett Browning

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UND Professor of English Sandra Donaldson unearths earliest manuscript of famous Sonnet Sequence.

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attempt at a doctoral dissertation didn’t work out, so she sought guidance on a new subject from members of her doctoral committee at the University of Connecticut.

“What about Elizabeth Barrett Browning?” one asked.

“Ewww!” she said, or whatever one said back in the late 1970s to register disgust.

“I thought, ‘I’m a feminist. I’m not interested in love poetry,’” Sandra said.

But she did want to write about women, and she gave the author of “Sonnets from the Portuguese” a closer look. Who she found was an early19th-century writer who wrote forcefully against slavery, who used poetry to engage in searching intellectual discussions about love and choices and consequences – but had received scant scholarly attention compared with her husband and fellow poet, Robert Browning.

Thus began a career for Sandra of study and research that has led to several publications, including in 1993 an annotated bibliography of Browning commentary and criticism, and a broad reputation as one of the top experts in the field.

Now, while working as general editor of the forthcoming “Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning,” the UND professor of English and women’s studies has scored a major literary achievement: unearthing a previously unknown manuscript of “Sonnets from the Portuguese.”

No other draft of the sonnets has been found, making this the earliest known manuscript of the famous sonnet

sequence, she said.

The rough draft was identified in a manuscript notebook that had been sold at auction after the death in 1912 of the Brownings’ only child, and it had been in private hands since then. It recently was acquired by the Armstrong Browning Library at Baylor University, which alerted major Browning scholars, including Sandra.

“For 90 years, it had not been seen,” she said. “I wanted to see it.” from sonnet 5:

Rita Patteson, the Baylor librarian, transcribed contents of the

notebook – draft poems with words and phrases scratched out or inserted – and sent the pages to Sandra. As she read one draft, a section seemed out of place and a line struck her as familiar.

It didn’t take her long to locate the line, somewhat altered, in Sonnet 5.

“It’s in a poem that’s very much about a significant time in the world and in her life,” she said. “She’s working out this idea of connection with another person. She’s a woman thinking about love and death and how you deal with making decisions that are difficult, how you understand the implications of actions.”

A common perception of Browning (by people not so familiar with her work) is that she “lolled on a couch,” dreamily writing of dreamy love, Sandra said. But in her research, the UND professor discovered “how strong a political poet she was,” writing throughout her life against slavery, for example.

Browning died in 1861, just as the Civil War began.

She was often in poor health, which restricted her social activities, “but she had very good friends and was sociable within her circle.” After suffering the loss of several people close to her, “she worked herself out of her grief. ” Elizabeth Barrett composed “Sonnets from the Portuguese” during her courtship with Robert Browning. They had never met when he sent her a letter in 1845, writing, “I love your poems, Miss Barrett … and I love you, too.”

Despite that rather forward beginning, the correspondence blossomed. “It was very much an intellectual courtship, a meeting of the minds,” Sandra said. The letters “are wonderful to read, hugely exciting.”

In her letters as in her poetry, Browning was realistic but also deeply philosophical, she said, and capable of writing thoughtfully about emotion, and that is why some of her students today “get” her.

“Emotion is difficult to do,” she said, “because it so often comes out as sentimentality.”  CHUCK HAGA, Grand Forks Herald Staff Writer

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Photo by Sarah Kolberg, Grand Forks Herald photographer

sandra donaldson’s first

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Student Priest Connects with Community For Father Vincent Bulus, making a difference in the community is a mission.

“It is important for me to give as much energy as possible to those in need, wherever I am,” said Father Bulus. “People have the ability to make a much stronger impact than they think.”

Since coming to Grand Forks, Father Bulus has been looking for opportunities to help a community that has given

him the chance to achieve his education.

Father Bulus, a Catholic priest from Nigeria, arrived in the community last September to earn a doctoral degree in educational leadership. Even with the work that accompanies a doctorate degree, Father Bulus knew he wanted to be active in the local community. Since his arrival, he has been involved with St. Anne’s Guest Home retirement community, Altru Health System and others.

Though people think donating time for a good cause can be laborious, much of Father Bulus’ service to the local community is spent just listening to those who need someone to talk to.

“Even if you do not have money to give, you can be there for others and listen to others when they need you,” said

Father Bulus. “It is important to listen to their stories and be there during their journey through life.”

It doesn’t take long for people to get to know Father Bulus.

His enthusiasm is contagious, and his ability to make friends quickly has helped him in his mission to help others. Many of the staff and residents at Altru know him personally. They have a smile on their face the second he walks in the door.

“He’s a very outgoing person,” said Shannon Jolly, senior international student advisor for the office of internal programs.

“He has a real passion for learning and sharing ideas with others. I think that’s why he is so effective in the community.”

That personality has kept him going through his own hard times. He chooses to see difficulty as a chance to grow rather than a setback. “I know that there are things I can’t change, but I focus on the difference I can make in the moment, with any opportunity I am given,” said Father Bulus. When something bad happens to myself or others, I look at it as a learning experience.”

Father Bulus’s ability to remain positive during times of sorrow stem from his experiences as a child growing up in poverty. “Growing up in Africa, you have to be strong. We did not have much when I was a kid, but that was not important,” said Father Bulus.” My father told me that wealth is not about money. Wealth is about community.”

It is the idea that wealth is gained through helping family, friends and strangers that motivates Father Bulus to work in Grand Forks.

He learned it was important to assist communities outside of his own at a young age. He was seven years old when Irish missionaries came to West Africa to support those in need, and they made a deep impression on him and others in Nigeria. He would become a priest himself.

Father Bulus knew that if he wanted to make a lasting impact on his community, he would need to seek a broad education. “Education is the tool you need to accomplish great things,” said Father Bulus. “If you deny people information, you deny them an existence.”

Father Bulus has studied in Africa, Europe, and the United States, and his final degree will likely come from UND. Once he receives his UND degree, he plans to go home to Africa to help the nation where he grew up. “My education has given me the ability to make a difference where it is needed, and I am needed in Africa.”  BRIAN JOHNSON

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High Notes

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Professor Michael Blake, ’74, ’76, plays, teaches and lives music In the sixth grade, Michael “Mike” Blake launched a rock band in the tiny rural North Dakota town of Marion, N.D. His band was good enough to have a booking agent in Jamestown and do regular out-of-town gigs at community centers.

“We even played in South Dakota,” said Mike, an infectiously jovial man who laughs a lot and can jam with the country’s best drummers. “It was a real blast, and we played together all through high school as the Shades of Mercy.”

Mike, a professor of music at UND, leads the percussion ensemble and the UND Steel Pan Band, teaches percussion, and plays in Jazz on Tap,

a popular area group. He’s also spent most of his summers working with area public schools, teaching kids, now through the Summer Performing Arts program.

He’s been teaching and inspiring several generations of both music and non-music majors in his studio, where, he says, there’s no room for arrogance.

“Everyone has strong points, special talents, and I expect people to help each other out,” he said.

Mike knows what help is really all about. Born with a congenital and nearly fatal heart abnormality, Mike received a heart transplant in 1994 at the Mayo Clinic.

“I feel incredibly blessed and welcomed the opportunity when UND hired me on tenure-track position after my operation to show that I could keep on teaching, keep doing what I really love doing,” he said.

Music is a terrific inspiration and a very positive healer, said Mike.

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“I started when I was a child, making up songs for my sister’s cheerleading squad in high school, making up melodies and writing lyrics to go along with some of their cheers,” he said. “Then I remember third and fourth grade playing along to my sister’s 45s. I’d shut the door and imagine that I was playing in a band. I didn’t have any imaginary friends, I played in an imaginary band.”

“When I was in the fifth grade, I got a drum set at Marguerites Music Store in Jamestown,” he said. “It was in the basement of a jewelry store in downtown Jamestown, and the amps were stacked up to the ceiling so when you got down there you’d have to yell so you could find each other.”

Inspired by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Cream, the Rascals, and, later Blood Sweat and Tears and Chicago, Mike pursued his passion – there were ups and downs, like having to learn to read music in college. But inspiring advice from his favorite college faculty kept him on track.

“I’ve basically been a musician all my life, and I’m so happy that I can perform and teach,” he said.

Today, in addition to teaching, playing gigs with Jazz on Tap and the Fargo-Moorhead-based Jazz Arts Big Band, Mike, who married his high school sweetheart, Ginny, annually talks with the freshman class at the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences about being a heart transplant patient.

“I tell them the whole story from the patient side,” Mike said. “For sure, it helps me, too – it helps me remember how fortunate I am.”

“What inspires me about teaching is getting to work with students,” he said. “I really love to see them excel. I got a real boost about that when I worked with special needs kids, especially one boy I remember who couldn’t get one stroke from his drumstick on the drumhead. I spent an hour one day working with him until he hit that drum – just once. I jumped for joy and he had tears in his eyes – that’s teaching!”

And as you can clearly feel when you’re with Mike, music and teaching are all-sustaining.

“You can have a high all the time when you’re making music.”  JUAN PEDRAZA

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Despite a heart transplant 15 years ago, Music Professor Mike Blake continues to heal and inspire others through music.

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UND Career Services Director Mark Thompson helps UND students land jobs after graduation.

Ultimate Career Pitchman: Caring, Sharing, Listening Mark Thompson, ’72, ’98, helps UND students get real about career plans

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Today’s job market isn’t getting any easier. Graduates face tough

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global competition, steep tech requirements and fast-paced change. The U.S. Department of Labor recently figured the average college grad will have 14 jobs by age 40.

Not to worry, though. UND Career Services Director Mark Thompson delivers a positive, can-do message that’s helped thousands of job seekers get to where they most need to go right after they collect that UND degree: a job, a career, a place to work.

Mark, an Oberon, N.D., native who studied political science as an undergrad, started his UND career in 1984 after a stint in the State Capitol’s print shop and several years with Job Service North Dakota. He earned a master’s degree in educational administration, also from UND, and became Career Services director in 1991.

The job requires a big heart, good listening skills, a friendly disposition.

“I found early on that I wasn’t a “things” person, I was a “people” person,” said Mark, who’s been working in career-related work for 35 years. “And I knew early on that I wanted to work in some aspect of government, more specifically in a human resources area. Now, I’m really fortunate to be working in a place and in a career area in which I am really passionate.”

Mark helps people find their niche.

“I’ve helped people all across the spectrum, from unskilled through professional job seekers,” he said. “After I came back to UND, I was mentored by a director who really brought a passion to Career Services – she really got me fired up for this work.”

Good thing, too, because working in Career Services means dealing with economic cycles.

“Oh, sure, times were tough when I started in this field in 1974,” he said.

“Even though, like today, North Dakota was experiencing an energy-related boom, job seeking overall was a big challenge.”

Even in good times, finding the right job at the right time is never just one, two, three.

“There’s nothing easy about finding a job,” said Mark, a friendly and energetic person who’s clearly enthusiastic about the whole process of working with students. “It’s really all about helping students connect with relevant opportunities in their academic area.”

And though he’s eager to assist students, Mark points out that it’s the job seeker who does the heavy lifting.

“In bad times or boom times, I tell students they’re the ones who have to invest the time and energy into searching for opportunities that might be out there for them,” he said.

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Always On It’s all about caring. It’s a 24/7 profession – a calling – that takes

caring about other people to the next level.

“I don’t think much about that aspect of the job,” said Cindy Spencer, a Nevada, Mo., native and UND Housing’s Residence Life & Education director. Like many folks on the team that runs UND’s housing program – which includes residence halls and about 800 apartments – Cindy has been in the housing profession most of her working life, starting back when she was a resident assistant (RA) in college.

A lot has changed since she started in the business 27 years ago. But one thing hasn’t: students still need – now perhaps more than ever – to know that someone is there for them.

Cindy, who got her undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri and her master’s in counseling and education from Pittsburg State University (KS), said, “As society becomes more complicated, it means more and more for younger people to deal with, and that means definitely a higher need for the services we provide.”

That’s why today the on-campus facilities for students to live in are called “residence halls.”

“No one calls them dorms anymore – they’re places to sleep,” Cindy said. “A residence hall is a place where you live with other people, you study, learning outside the classroom from interactions with others and play – it’s a community.”

And at UND, that experience is now supported by a counseling intern – a

“Nowadays, we try to work with students even before they come here to learn about the career process,” he said. “To do this, we work closely with students as well as our career counseling colleagues in the UND Counseling Center. It’s all about helping students go into a field where their passion lies.”

That relates to assisting about 3,500 students annually, plus setting up dozens of career/job fairs and other recruiting opportunities over the years. Mark also helps students connect individually with employers, setting up valuable contacts here on campus and elsewhere. He delivers numerous presentations a year in classrooms, residence halls, at student organization meetings, and other venues, delivering the message about job-seeking skills such as resume and cover letter writing, interviewing skills, etc.

“The methods of communications have changed dramatically,” Mark

Ph.D. candidate in counseling – who maintains an office in the University’s central residence hall hub, Wilkerson Hall. This is the counselor-in-residence program.

“We developed this program in 2008 and implemented it last year because we definitely saw the need for expanded services for our students in this area,” Cindy said. “We hope to keep this program going.”

The counselor-in-residence has a regular office in Wilkerson with set hours; she takes appointments and also has open-door times for drop-ins.

“For students this is a lot less daunting than having to go to the Counseling Center, especially for the first time,” Cindy said. “They can talk with someone right in the residence hall complex, and that’s more comfortable, and if her door is open, they can just walk in to talk about roommate or other issues that may be bothering them. Also, our student staff can talk with the counselor, which offers a very positive alternative to talking right away to a supervisor.”

“It’s a service to our students that’s definitely being used,” Cindy said.

And it’s a part of the broad spectrum of services UND provides to help with the mental health aspects of keeping things sorted out in a residence hall setting. This effort parallels UND’s popular wellness strategy, which includes one of the country’s top wellness centers.

Cindy knows first-hand the value of providing services such as the student counselor.

“I’ve always been happiest working with students, and I was very lucky to have a mentor who told me I could do this full-time,” Cindy said. The job is full-time – and as it is for others in helping and public service professions, “full-time” means any time of day or night.

“After hours at UND, there’s an RA on duty in every building, there’s always a hall director on call for the whole campus, there’s always a residence life coordinator on duty, and then there’s an assistant director on duty,” Cindy said. “And if I’m not in town, then someone is covering for me. There’s always someone available.

“In my position, if you’re in town, you’re on call,” she said. “For sure, you have to enjoy working with students.”  JUAN PEDRAZA

said. “No more blizzard of postcards. Now Career Services has a Facebook page, we now have a Twitter – it’s all about trying to reach students where they are.”

Bottom line for Mark and his Career Services’ colleagues: “How can we help a student get to the point where they can do what it takes to go after the job they want. Our vision is ‘Empowering Students to Realize Their Dreams.’”

There’s no half way about this commitment, he said.

“To do this job, you really have to enjoy, and be passionate about working with people, because that’s the biggest thing we do in this profession,” Mark said. “We work with job seekers, we work with employers, we work with community members, we work with faculty, staff and administration of the University. It’s not a profession where you can close the door and do everything on the computer.”  JUAN PEDRAZA

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Cindy Spencer, who’s been in the college housing profession for 27 years, lets students know someone is there for them.

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College of Nursing Professor Cheryl Stauffenecker takes caring to a whole new level.

A Nurse on a Mission

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“from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded…”

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–Luke 12:48 Whether it’s volunteering her time at the Northlands Rescue Mission in Grand Forks or providing health care for poverty stricken people in Haiti and Egypt, Cheryl Stauffenecker, ’92, ’00, lives her life by that guiding principle.

As an obstetrics nurse and a clinical instructor at the College of Nursing, she also strives to inspire her students with the understanding that giving back is an important aspect of their careers and they should never lose sight of what the profession is about.

“We invest a lot of time and money in simulators and mannequins to teach disease and the progression of what happens with patients so that students can practice the ‘what ifs’ and be really good technicians at the bedside,” she noted. “But along the way, I think our students sometimes forget that our first and foremost role is for the patients, the loving, the caring and

kindness that happens at the bedside.”

Life experiences have helped shape the way Cheryl practices nursing and the way she teaches it. The year before she started nursing school at UND, a virus put her in the hospital on a ventilator.

“I literally hung between life and death for a week. I couldn’t eat when I first got to the ICU. There was a nurse who sat and fed me Jell-O. I thought to myself, ‘That’s an angel.’”

Her father didn’t graduate from high school, and her mother wanted to attend college, but never had the opportunity. After Cheryl received her undergraduate degree from UND and was working toward a master’s, her mother frequently reminded her of the Bible passage from Luke.

“Our church had multiple mission trips to Haiti. My mom kept asking me if I was going to go,” she recalls. “I said if there was something medical to do, I’d go. When they started doing medical missions, she reminded me I had promised.”

That led to her first trip with the church group to Croix des Bouquets in Haiti, eight miles northeast of the capital city of Port au Prince.

In the city of about a million people, electricity is sparce, there’s no running water, no public education, and rampant unemployment. There, she did everything from doling out pieces of aspirin to patients with hypertension to treating a severely burned child to helping save the life of a malnourished infant hovering near death.

“It instilled in me the idea that one person can make a difference,” Cheryl said. “Each time I went to Haiti, I was able to experience that.

It’s a country where you really have to put your nursing hat on. You have to be tender and kind and caring.”

She has visited the city five times since 2002 and was there in 2004 when the country’s president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, was ousted in a military coup. During the turmoil, the citizens of Croix des Bouquets literally used themselves as human shields to protect Cheryl and other

Dean’s Corner

America’s Competitiveness Depends on Us The United States’ history of preeminence in engineering and technology has contributed considerably to our country’s economic growth and prosperity. To reaffirm our competitive advantage, we must attract more students into engineering programs, reformulate our engineering curricula to meet future challenges, and prepare our graduates to compete favorably in a global market.

Engineering and technology have been major drivers in the global economy. It’s not surprising that other countries emerging as new economic powers are those investing in the promotion of engineering and science to the youngest generation. Unfortunately, the U.S. is experiencing a cultural lack of interest among young people. National studies have reported a drop in the number of high school graduates who plan to study engineering, a lack of preparedness in math and science among potential engineering students, and a declining interest in the field among young women and members of underrepresented ethnic minorities.

The School of Engineering and Mines is committed to being part of the national effort to retain and reassert the country’s leading role in engineering and innovation. Our faculty and staff have embarked on a bold strategic plan that will guide us toward the future. Our vision is based on six building blocks: the kind of competitive graduate we will produce; the personalized education we offer consolidating technical, leadership and entrepreneurship skills; research that serves societal needs; an inspiring and supportive work environment; an engaging role in the community; and our commitment to the lifelong advancement of our alumni.

To attract more prepared students into engineering, we are determined to reach out and inspire young minds in our schools and communities. We will leverage our prior success with K-12 programs to further reach students early in their studies. We will continue to support innovative programs like the First Lego League, Computer Build, Power ON!, and summer institutes for K-12 students. We will partner with school districts and UND’s College of Education and Human Development to create more training opportunities for K-12 teachers. We will support innovative research studying engineering education challenges faced by groups such as Native Americans and students from rural communities.

In order to prepare our graduates to become competitive in a global market and contribute to the economic development of their state, region, and nation, we will continue to foster creativity and innovation in our programs. We will preserve our personalized learning environment with small class sizes, constant mentoring, and a high degree of access to faculty and staff. We will also work with our students to design customized educational plans that meet their individual goals, and integrate state-of-the-art technical knowledge with strong business and leadership skills. We will prepare our students to function successfully in team-based, multicultural, and international settings. Our faculty will continue to involve students in their research by fostering discovery, serving societal needs, and stimulating technology transfer.

I invite you to be part of our community and join our efforts to promote engineering and innovation, inspire young minds, advance society, and help the economy thrive.

Working together, we will meet these challenges head on.

Sincerely,

Hesham El-Rewini, Ph.D., P.E. Dean, School of Engineering & Mines

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volunteers from potential violence.

“They’re some of the most loving people I’ve met in my life,” she related.

Cheryl plans to return to Haiti in March to assist survivors of the disastrous January 12 earthquake that struck near Port au Prince, leaving hundreds of thousands dead and homeless. She will work in Croix des Bouquets which was also impacted by the quake.

“It’s going to take a lot of work to get the Haitian people back on their feet,” she said. “They’re facing a public health crisis of an enormous magnitude.”

Cheryl also went on a mission to Egypt with Operation Serve.

“We worked in the dump ground in Cairo, a really different experience,” she said.” It’s hard to believe that people live in the dump in the middle of the city. They sort through the city’s trash to make a living.”

Closer to home, Cheryl sought a way to instill in her students the values she believed were essential to their nursing careers.

“Sometimes we forget the most important thing we do is being present – the putting the arm around, the crying with.

“I’m not always quite sure how to get students to make that connection,” she explained.

“Students need to experience the reality and the human side of individuals,” she continued. “I hope that our nurses who come from the University of North Dakota get to experience that.”

Providing health clinics, education and nutritious meals to residents of the Northlands Rescue Mission in Grand Forks provides valuable experience. The organization’s objective is to “provide a place of hope where people can recover from homelessness, pain and addiction, restoring their dignity and improving their lives.”

Cheryl and her students developed menus for nutritious meals and sent the menus to businesses and organizations around town, encouraging them to donate healthy food items to Mission residents. Various campus organizations and community groups provide volunteers to serve the meals.

“The first time we took students to the Mission for a tour, we had a couple girls who were just terrified because of their perception of homeless people,” Cheryl said. “After the students developed professional relationships with the residents and began to learn some of their stories, the change came from stereotypes into human beings.”

As Cheryl noted, the benefits and rewards don’t exist on a one-way street.

“It’s really fun for me to watch some of the residents of the Mission who have very gently been given a hand up instead of a hand out, which is its philosophy. I watch them progress and see individuals who lived at the Mission now having productive lives in our community.”

For Cheryl and her students, nursing is a privilege that enables them to know the most intimate parts of people’s lives, and see them with professionalism, compassion and grace.  PAT MILLER

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Generosity Without Borders Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w w w w . u n d a l u m n i . o r g

by Leanna Ihry

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In Minneapolis, there’s a 22-year-old man named John, who just returned from serving in Iraq. As a 12-year-old, John didn’t have a prominent male role-model in his life until he met his “big brother” who became his mentor. A friendship developed, and continues to this day, more than a decade later.

In Zimbabwe, Africa, there is an orphanage where more than 100 children have learned not to take anything for granted.

They wait patiently for a home, a family. But food isn’t as scarce as it used to be. With a short rainy season and long dry season in Zimbabwe, an irrigation system was desperately needed so vegetables could be grown year round. The generosity of one man, his wife, and the company he leads made this possible.

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“At the technical level my UND education was very useful. I always marveled at the number of things I learned in Stuart Lundberg’s business law class that came flying across my desk. At another level, I developed a lot of strong friendships with a number of people I met there,” Greg recalled.

Instilling in their children an attitude of giving back has always been important to the Pages, who created a family foundation several years ago. The LRE Foundation – named after their three children: Laura, Rob and Elizabeth, is built upon many of their values. “Our children actually run the Foundation. It’s been fun to watch them choose which causes to support.”

While the Pages are able to personally make differences in the lives of so many, Greg is also thankful for the opportunity to lead a company that gives back in such a big way. “We have a group of retired employees, for example, and it’s amazing how they continue to donate to our United Way campaign, volunteer their hours and time. You know something is embedded when it continues into retirement. It impresses me to see the way in which Cargill employees in their retirement continue in the community,” Greg said.

In 2009, Cargill’s charitable giving topped $58 million focusing on global improvements in nutrition and health, education and environmental stewardship. “Long before I arrived [at Cargill] the employees were engaged in their communities. Work outside of work has always been important. Giving back is part of the culture here. Hopefully, I have helped that spirit continue to grow,” Greg said.  Cindy, ’75, and Greg Page, ’73, touch lives through their generosity.

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And, at UND’s College of Business and Public Administration (CoBPA) there are students who will attend college because of the scholarships they receive. They’ll go on to become entrepreneurs, CEOs and accountants, thanks, in part, to one couple’s generosity.

These are just a few examples of the positive impact UND alums, Greg Page, ’73, and his wife, Cindy (Chally), ’75, are having on the lives of children and adults in the U.S. and around the world. As chairman and chief executive officer of Cargill, giving back has become part of what Greg and Cindy do, both personally and professionally.

A native of Bottineau, N.D., Greg learned early-on that if people don’t contribute to the common good, towns cannot prosper. “You really get a sense of those who see what needs to be done and figure out a way to do it,” Greg said of growing up in rural North Dakota.

Greg started volunteering as a big brother to John with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in 1999, and today, he is national chair of the youth mentoring organization. Greg said, “You’ve heard that saying, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ Well, I believe that is true. The impact of a mentor in a person’s life helps to create the capacity to judge, which helps them make good life decisions.”

Greg’s actions, as well as those of 250,000 volunteers, play a pivotal role in providing young men and women with opportunities that will help them sustain happiness and success.

Cindy, a member of the Downtown YMCA and previously the Hennepin County Library Foundation boards of directors, carries her own focus on supporting communities as well as working with Greg in many of their philanthropic efforts. She, too, believes in the importance of mentorship. “She is involved with a mentoring program through a church where she helps families who are having difficulties managing their lives. Currently she is working with a 19-year-old who had no home or employment. She is kind of a life coach,” Greg said of his wife’s generosity.

Another example of the Page’s belief in a utilitarian view was evident when they donated $3.3 million to UND’s CoBPA last fall. The gift is the second largest in the history of the College.

“My mother went to UND, my father, two of my brothers, several of my uncles. Clearly, my parents had a lot of affection for the University.

It has really been a mainstay in my mother’s life.

Two of Cindy’s sisters attended UND as well.

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Alumni Class News Find out what your classmates are doing now!

Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w w w w . u n d a l u m n i . o r g

Photo courtesy of Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections/Chester Fritz Library.

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Members of UND fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon and sorority Kappa Alpha Theta raised money for a good cause during a swing-a-thon on campus. The above photo was taken in front of the former Tau Kappa Epsilon house, which closed its UND chapter in the mid-90s. The new house is now home to Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

Are you in this photo or do you recognize anyone who is? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Send an e-mail to alumnireview@undalumni.net, or call Leanna at 800.543.8764.

Remember when, in 1941, Babcock Hall started on fire? Damage occurred when a kiln in the ceramic department got too hot.

Larry Aasen, ’47, wrote a time-line history booklet about Westport, Conn., where he and his wife, Martha, have lived since 1963.

Larry has also written three books about North Dakota.

1948 The picture above appeared in the Winter 2009 Alumni Review.

Maybe it was the costumes and makeup, but people had a hard time identifying these performers. We did, however, receive this response from one alum: “One of the DG’s singing in the background to the right of the picture and wearing blonde pigtails is my friend, Terry Tvedten Wharton. Terry and I were 1962 graduates of the College of Education. We were roommates in Minneapolis while teaching elementary education at Southwood Elementary School in Bloomington, Minn.. I taught the fifth grade and Terry taught the third grade. I remember taking part in the Flickertail Follies as a Tri Delta. Great fun and a chance to meet some wonderful people.

Terry and I have remained friends all these years. We both married engineers and had daughters. Terry and her husband, Charlie, live in Darien, Conn., and my husband, Howard, and I live in Madison, Wis. UND was a wonderful place to start my college years and I thoroughly enjoy reading the Alumni Review.

Sincerely, Caroline J. Kuznia Lippincott, Class of 1962

Jim McLaughlin, ’48, received the 2009 Legacy Leader Award from the Chamber of Commerce of Fargo Moorhead. Jim was president of Ulteig Engineers in Fargo from 1975-87. He lives in Fargo.

1949

represented was Oliver County.

John Lord, ’56, is office manager for the H&R Block tax office in Williamsburg, Va., where he and his wife, Gladys, reside.

1957

Richard Setterlund, ’57, retired from his position as senior consulting engineer with Stork Metallurgical Consultants Inc., in Houston. He has worked more than 50 years as a registered professional engineer and was a recognized authority on the corrosion and high temperature behavior of metals in petroleum refineries and chemical plants. Richard has published technical papers and testified as an expert in state and federal courts.

He and his wife, Bobbi, live in The Woodlands, Texas.

Leland Nicholson, ’49, was guest speaker at a Veterans Day program in South Hill, Va. Leland, a WWII veteran of the United States Marine Corps, shared personal testimonies of his experiences in the military.

He is a self-employed energy consultant in Bracey, Va., where he lives.

Donald “Jerry” Tweton, ’57, portrayed Dr. William Jayne during a presentation of An Evening with Abraham Lincoln, hosted by Williston State College. Jerry is a retired UND history professor and a historical consultant for the North Dakota Humanities Council. He and his wife, Paula Torrance, ’83, reside in Fessenden, N.D.

1950s

1959

Remember when, in 1959, 52 of North Dakota’s 53 counties were represented on campus? The only North Dakota county not

Pauline “Polly” ( Johnson) Sherry, ’59, received the Dream Award recognizing her creative approaches to improve health care and nursing leadership from UND’s College of Nursing. Before she

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Please send your news to alumnireview@undalumni.net

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Ἅ l u m n i N e ws

>>> discovering SCOTLAND This trio traveled to Scotland last summer to get a taste of history.

Pictured: Wendy Honrath, ’09, Anna Ostler, and Amy Martin, ’05, in front of the Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland.

retired, Pauline was coordinator of continuing education/nursing research at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, Pa. From 1984-94, 6,550 students attended her programs. She and her husband, Lester, live in Churchville, Pa.

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1960s

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Remember when, in 1967, the Chester Fritz Library began microfilming copies of the student-run newspaper, the Dakota Student?

Today, the Dakota Student is available online and in print.

David Strand, ’60, and his wife, Cordy (Machart), ..’59, were honored by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party with the Hubert H. Humphrey Award for Distinguished Activism. David started writing political op-eds

for the Aitkin newspaper in 2004, submitting more than 100 columns to date. Cordy is chair of the Aitkin County DFL. They live near Aitkin, Minn.

1964

Robert Wefald, ’64, retired after two six-year terms as district judge for the South-Central District in North Dakota. He and his wife, Susan, ’02, reside in Bismarck.

1966

Curt Eriksmoen, ’66, ’71, was honored by the North Dakota Geographic Alliance (NDGA) with the Friend of Geography Education award. He has been co-coordinator of the NDGA since its inception in 1991. Curt taught high school and college geography and was social studies coordinator for the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction from 1988-01. He and his wife, Jan, live in Fargo.

1968

Robert Kulack, ’68, ’71, was honored by the North Dakota Geographic Alliance with the Friend of Geography Education award. He and his wife, Lynn, live in Grand Forks.

William “Joe” Lempe, ’68, is senior vice president of R amsey National Bank and Trust Co. in Fargo, where he and his wife, Mary, reside.

1969

Donald Oppegard, ’69, was elected to the board of directors for the North Dakota Community Foundation. He and his wife, Janene, reside in Park River, N.D.

1970s

Remember when, in 1976, after 16 years

of anticipation, a new $2.2 million, three-story building was dedicated for the College of Nursing? The College was previously located in Robertson Hall.

Lloyd Case, ’71, president and chief operating officer of Forum Communications, was elected president of the Inland Press Foundation (IPF). The IPF assists with continuing education programs for member newspaper employees of the Inland Press Association. Lloyd and his wife, Ellen, live in Fargo.

Gary Moody, ’71, is the co-writer of the musical A Lone Star Christmas Carol, which premiered in Fort Worth, Texas, in November. He has worked as an actor, announcer, writer, and director on stage and in films and television for more than 30 years. Gary currently lives in Granbury, Texas.

Rita (Capistran) Amiot, ’72, was elected to a three-year term on the N.W. Buyers board of directors.

She owns the Squire Shop, in Grafton, N.D., where she lives with her husband, Roger, ..’79.

1973

Leonard Iwanski, ..’73, retired after nearly 30 years as a reporter and editor with the Associated Press (AP). He covered the 1988 wildfires in Yellowstone National Park and the 1996 arrest of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski.

Leonard worked in radio news in Grand Forks and Fargo before joining the AP in Bismarck in 1981.

He and his wife, Kathleen Sullivan, live in Helena, Mont.

1974

Arthur Jacobson, ’74, is a Federal Administration law judge with the Health and Human Services Administration in Cleveland. He resides in Independence, Ohio.

Frank Kohl, ’74, joined Prairie Engineering, P.C. in Bismarck, where he resides with his wife, Margo (Spies), ..’67.

1976

Dave Miedema, ’76, was named director of development, School of Medicine and Health Sciences for the UND Alumni Association and UND Foundation. Prior to this role, Dave was director of planned giving for the organization. He and his wife, Patti (Lien), ’78, live in Grand Forks.

David Reiten, ’76, chairman of Reiten Television Co., was elected to the board of directors of the North Dakota Chamber

1977

Jon Kaspari, ’77, ’79, is a physician at Northland Community Health Center in Turtle Lake, N.D. His wife Brenda (Anderson), ’77, ’80, is a vice-president at the University of Mary in Bismarck, where they reside.

1978

Robert Miller, ’78, travels around the state of South Dakota several weeks a year to teach elementary students about art. His work is supported by the South Dakota Arts Council’s Artist in the Classroom program. Robert lives in Rapid City, S.D. Deborah (Berg) Soholt, ’78, received the Deliver Award from UND’s College of Nursing for excellence in practice and contributions to nursing. She is director of women’s health at Avera McKennan Hospital and leads the Avera Midwife Care for Women Clinic in Sioux Falls, S.D., where she and her husband, Jerry, reside.

1979

Gaylon Baker, ’79, executive vice president of Stark Development Corporation, was elected to the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife, Barb, live in Dickinson, N.D. Keith Reisenauer, ’79, ’82, is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is an assistant U.S. attorney in the District of North Dakota. Keith and his wife, Donna Urff, ’80, ’82, live in Fargo.

1980s

Remember when, in 1981, two UND construction projects, additions to the Chester Fritz and Memorial Union, were delayed due to an electrician strike?

Lucy Dalglish, ’80, was listed as one of Washington, D.C.’s top lawyers in Washingtonian magazine.

She lives in Bethesda, Md. Col. Suellyn Wright Novak, ’80 was appointed by Alaska’s governor to the Veterans Advisory Council.

The 13-member council advises the governor, the state department of military and veterans affairs and other state departments on matters concerning veterans. Suellyn retired from the U.S. Air Force as a full colonel after more than 32 years of service. She is president of the Alaska Veterans Museum and executive officer and public affairs officer of the Alaska wing of Commemorative Air. She lives in Eagle River, Ala. Debbie (Fowler) Swanson, ’80, was recognized by the American Public Health Association with the 2009 Committee on Affiliates Award for Excellence. The award is given to an individual in health care whose service is exceptional and meritorious. Debbie is nursing and nutrition supervisor at the Grand Forks Public Health Department in Grand Forks, where she and her husband, Howard, ’80, reside.

1981

Nicholas Ralston, ..’81, an environmental scientist at UND, has written several publications about the levels of mercury and selenium in fish and how it can affect humans. He lives in Grand Forks.

1982

Erik Askegaard, ’82, ’86, is a judge with Crow Wing County District Court. He and his wife, Joan, live in Brainerd, Minn.

Damon LaBarbera, ’82, ’87, is a psychologist in private practice in Panama City, Fla., where he resides.

1983

Sandra Guthrie, ’83, is director of publications for Hanover College.

She also started a blog, www.sandralouise.wordpress.com.

She lives in Madison, Ind. John Sandbakken, ’83, was elected to the executive committee of the U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council. He is marketing director of the National Sunflower Association in Bismarck, where he resides.

1984

Steve Brekke, ’84, is associate athletic director for development with the UND Foundation. He and his wife, Desilee, live in Grand Forks.

Lisa (Muir) Motacek, ’84, is a licensed real estate salesperson with Reuben Liechty Realtors.

She specializes in residential and commercial sales in the Jamestown area, where she and her husband, Larry, ’83, reside.

1987

Michael Gerlach, ’87, is co‐owner of Gerlach Beaumier law firm in Duluth, Minn., which was named Law Firm of the Year by the Volunteer Attorney Program.

Michael and his wife, Renee, reside in Two Harbors, Minn.

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of Commerce, the state’s largest business organization. He and his wife, Carla, live in Minot, N.D.

Please send your news to alumnireview@undalumni.net

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Ἅ l u m n i N e ws

>>> The ultimate Gift

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Lee Glasoe, ’87, an occupational therapist and hand therapist, received the South Dakota Physical Therapy Association Hall of Fame Contributor Award. Lee works part-time in patient care and serves as chief executive officer and administrator for Prairie Rehabilitation Services in Sioux Falls, where he resides with his wife, Gina.

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Tracy Letzring, ’87, is one of few engineers in the U.S. to earn professional civil engineering licensing in all 50 states. Tracy is a vice president at Tait & Associates in Loveland, Colo., where he and his wife, Karen, reside.

Mary Beth (Bye) Wressell, ’87, was named director-media advertising and e-marketing for Holland America Line. She and her husband, Brad, live in Seattle.

1988

Karla (Glick) Fordham, ’88, ’98, is senior HCM business

analyst for Alaska Airlines. In this role, Karla implements and administers the Greenlight Learning Management System for both Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, organizes the company learning programs and provides support to staff development and training departments. Previously, she was a course developer for Alaska Airlines maintenance training. She and her husband, Patrick, live in Fife, Wash.

Brian Messmer, ’88, ’91, was named Nevada School Administrator of the Year by the Nevada Association of School Boards. He is principal of Jackpot Combined School in Jackpot, Nev., which was one of only 321 public and private schools to receive a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award. Brian and his wife, Becky, live in Jackpot.

1989

Brad Derrig, ’89, an F-16 fighter pilot, was promoted to the rank of colonel with the North Dakota Air

When Keith, ’74, ’77, and Becky (Fontaine) Ronkowski, ’92, were married in 1980, they had no idea how literal the words, “two become one” would one day be.

For the first 17 years of their marriage things were just about perfect. They had three healthy children; Christopher, Ryan and Callie, good jobs (they were both teachers), and a nice home.

But, in 1997, Becky became very ill and was diagnosed with end‐stage renal disease (total kidney failure). “The doctor biopsied my kidneys and found out they were both functioning at just 11 percent. He told me I was going to need a transplant.

You just don’t think about it until it hits you. My daughter was just in kindergarten,” Becky recalls.

To no avail, Becky’s family members and closest friends began testing to see if they were a match and could donate a kidney to Becky.

“Since no one was a match the doctors told me I would have to be put on the transplant list and the wait could be five years,” Becky said.

The next couple of years were beyond difficult. Due to her illness, Becky had to quit her teaching job at Lake Agassiz Elementary, eventually to go on dialysis. “I got very depressed. I would cry almost all day long. I felt like I couldn’t be a good mom,” she said.

But, in December of 1999, Keith and Becky felt a ray of hope when a friend called and told them of a new procedure at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “She said they had started doing successful non-compatible kidney transplants, as long as the antigens matched,” Keith said.

Keith didn’t have to think twice. The couple set up appointments at Mayo and on Valentine’s Day of 2000, Keith learned he was able to give his wife the best gift imaginable, one of his kidneys.

The transplant was successfully completed just before Keith and Becky’s 20th anniversary.

Today, both are doing well, and have completely adjusted to life with one functioning kidney. “I feel so good I forget. I really don’t think about it most days,” Becky said.

She hasn’t, however, forgotten the amazing gift her husband gave her – a new kidney and her life back.  Leanna Ihry

National Guard. He and his wife, Brenda, live in West Fargo, N.D. Lynda (Schultz) Kenney, ’89, ’92, ’96, ’02, received the Outstanding Leadership award from the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering. Lynda is an assistant professor in UND’s department of technology. She lives in Crookston, Minn.

Tim Lord, ’89, is a business banker with Bremer Bank in Grand Forks, where he and his wife, Staci (Kirk), ’92, live.

1990s

Remember when, in 1999, Dr. Charles Kupchella became the tenth president in UND’s 116-year history?

Chuck Breen, ’90, ’93, is senior vice president for regional

physicians and clinics for Sanford Health-MeritCare. He is also chief medical officer for the MeritCare Health Network in North Dakota and Minnesota. Charles and his wife, Meghan, live in Hillsboro, N.D. Erik Wordelman, ’90, is managing director and practice leader for Russell Reynolds Associates medical technology practice in North America. He and his wife, Ann-Marie, live in Edina, Minn.

(N.D.). He and his wife, Kimberlee, live in Souris, N.D. Glenda Rotvold, ’92, ’07, received the University Business Teacher of the Year Award at the Mountain-Plains Business Education Association Conference.

The Association represents business educators from a nine-state region.

Glenda is an instructor with UND’s information systems and business education department and is a Langemo Faculty Fellow. She and her husband, Joel, live in Grand Forks.

1994

Matthew Beaumier, ’94, is co-owner of Gerlach Beaumier law firm, which was named Law Firm of the Year by the Volunteer Attorney Program in Duluth, Minn., where he and his wife, Renee, reside.

Doris (Ternes) Cooper, ’91, is executive director of the Alumni Association at UND. She and her husband, Kevin, ’93, live near Reynolds, N.D.

1993

Wayne Johnson, ’94, was appointed chairperson of the International Tax Committee of the California State Bar Taxation Section for 2010 and was named a 2009 “Super Lawyer.” Wayne is an attorney with Valensi Rose, PLC, and lives with his wife, Stacy, in Hermosa Beach, Calif.

1992

John Kutch, ’93, is chief executive officer of Trinity Health in Minot, N.D., where he and his wife, Nicole (Freeman), ’95, reside.

Marion Kershner, ’94, received the Discover Award from UND’s College of Nursing for her contribution to nursing research and scholarship. She is a family health nursing supervisor for Otter Tail County Public Health in Fergus Falls, Minn., where she and her husband, Morrie, reside.

1991

Gregory Bernstein, ’92, is information technology director with State Bank of Bottineau

William Dunn, ’93, was named head of the massage therapy department at Greenville Technical College in Greer, S.C., where he lives.

Please send your news to alumnireview@undalumni.net

Ἅ l u m n i N e ws

>>> This UND proud family celebrated a Sioux Christmas at their lake home near Cambridge, Minn. Each member of the family received UND attire from Santa Claus. Pictured from left: Daniel, Hannah, Rachel, Roberta, and Marti Charpentier, ’77.

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SHOWING THEIR FIGHTING SIOUX PRIDE

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Ἅ l u m n i N e ws Brenden Schaaf, ’94, received its highest honor, the 2008-09 Excellence in Teaching Award, from Metropolitan State University. He works full-time as a senior financial analyst for ADM-Benson Quinn, a division of Archer Daniels Midland Company, and teaches one class per semester at the University. Brenden lives in Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Dave Yearwood, ’94, ’99, received the Outstanding Professor of Industrial Technology award from the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering. He is an associate professor and chair of the department of technology at UND. David and his wife, Jo-Anne, ’86, ’03, live in Grand Forks.

1995

Kelly (Gullickson) Madison, ’95, is the Morning Edition producer for KJZZ News in Phoenix. She is also president of the Meningitis Foundation of America and is adjunct faculty for Rio Salado College. She and her husband, Ron, live in Chandler, Ariz.

1996

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Jason Lueder, ’96, is an assistant professor of graphic design and communications at Bismarck State College. He and his wife, Laura (Seibel), ’06, live in Mandan, N.D.

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Josh Morton, ’96, is associate athletic director for development and executive director of the Fighting Sioux Club for the UND Foundation. He and his wife, Robin (Papineau), ’96, live in Grand Forks.

1997

Travis Dillman, ’97, is East‐Central regional vice president for Interstate Engineering. Travis

has been with the company for 12 years and is a senior project engineer in the firm’s Jamestown, N.D., office, where he and his wife, Tamara (Baumgartner) ’98, reside.

Valerie Fox, ’97, is a family medicine physician with MeritCare clinic in Bemidji, Minn. She and her husband live in Mahnomen, Minn.

Denise (Schwind) Powell, ’97, is a nurse midwife at Innovis Health, where she specializes in labor and delivery, lactation counseling, preventive medicine, and women’s health services. She and her husband, Jason, ’95, live in Fargo.

Carla (Kleinwachter) Vita, ’97, is doing economic development volunteer work in the city of Princeton, Minn. Previously, she was community development director for the City of Isanti. She and her husband, Joseph, reside in Princeton.

1998

Rebecca Resler, ’98, is a Web programmer for Absolute Marketing Group in Moorhead, Minn. She lives in Fargo.

Sarah (Link) Schultz, ’98, was elected to the partnership with international law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP. She is counsel in the firm’s financial restructuring practice in Dallas.

Sarah and her husband, Christian, live in Richardson, Texas.

Terry (Vivian) Trogdon, ’98, is an associate attorney with Gerlach Beaumier law firm, which was named Law Firm of the Year by the Volunteer Attorney Program in Duluth, Minn., where she and her husband, Steven, reside.

Bottineau, N.D., with her husband.

1999

Mike Brookbank, ’99, is digital host for the Free Press. He lives in Royal Oak, Mich.

Heather (Stadstad) Bushaw, ’99, is social networking and media specialist for UND’s Web team. She and her husband, Richard, ’00, live in Grand Forks.

Sue Nokleby, ’99, a district nurse for Bemidji Schools, was honored as Minnesota’s School Nurse Administrator of the Year. Susan has been the Bemidji school nurse for the past eight years, supervising 13 health paraprofessionals who provide services to 6,000 students in eight public schools, three parochial schools and six additional special programs. She lives in Bemidji.

Jacqueline “Jaci” (Irion) Strinden, ’99, received the Young Alumni Award from UND’s College of Nursing. She is chief clinical officer for Triumph Hospital in Bismarck, where she and her husband, Matthew, ’00, ’05, live.

2000s

Remember when, in 2002, a Schweitzer 300 helicopter landed in the quad behind the Chester Fritz Library? The helicopter was part of the Army ROTC’s Helicopter Flight Training Program and was used to promote ROTC programs.

Heather Tvedt Davis, ’00, is a pediatrician with Trinity Health’s Health Center-Medical Arts clinic in Minot, N.D. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and currently lives in

2001

Jeff Panzer, ’..01, is owner of Panzer’s Power Sports in Devils Lake, N.D., where he and his wife, Angie (Passa), ’99, reside.

Lynda (Hass) Skogquist, ’01, was inducted into the St. Francis High School Hall of Fame. Lynda, a two-time North Suburban Basketball Conference Most Valuable Player, is a fourth-grade teacher at St. Francis Elementary School in St. Francis, Minn., where she and her husband, Jeremy, reside.

2002

Anthony “Tony” Clark, ’02, was named first vice president and commissioner of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. He is a North Dakota public service commissioner. Tony and his wife, Amy (Klein) ’94, live in Bismarck.

Amanda Demontigny, ’02, received the Bureau of Indian Affairs Police Officer of the Year award. She is acting lieutenant for the Bureau in New Town, N.D. and resides in Belcourt, N.D. John Holand, ’02, is senior software developer for Agilex Technologies, Inc., in Chantilly, Va. In this role, he develops software for the Department of Defense, Veterans Administration, and other U.S. federal government facilities.

He and his wife, Jody, reside in Thief River Falls, Minn.

Jon Steinbrenner, ’02, is a high school special education teacher in the Fergus Falls school district in Fergus Falls, Minn., where he and his wife, Jessica (Meidinger), ’03, reside.

>>>

It was September 2007, and Amy (Hoffarth) Laumeyer, ’96, was sitting in her doctor’s office for a routine yearly physical, which included a breast exam.

She wasn’t concerned. After all, she was just 33-years-old at the time. But, what took place in the minutes to follow changed her life forever. Amy’s doctor noticed a suspicious lump and ordered an ultrasound, which led to a needle biopsy.

On Oct. 5, she got the news. It was breast cancer. “Ten months into our marriage, my husband and I were going around saying we had news, and everybody thought we were going to say we were pregnant,” Amy recalls.

The next few months were filled with ups and downs.

Amy began treatment (four rounds of chemotherapy and 33 rounds of radiation), and continued to fight her disease.

What helped her get through it was the support of her husband, Marty, her family and friends, many of whom she had met while attending UND more than 10 years before.

“I have phenomenal friends. They came over, brought me food, DVDs, cleaned my house, drove me to chemo, spent the day with me at chemo. Everybody did what was needed,” Amy said.

For many, that included participating in the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, which benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

“My sister-in-law, Pam, came for a visit and decided she wanted to do this in my honor,” Amy said.

After an informational meeting, e-mails and lots of conversation, 12 women committed to walking 60 miles in three days.

One of those women was Amy herself. By this point, Amy's treatments were over and she was given the clear to participate. She was showing no signs of cancer.

Amy’s long-time friend, Kelley McClure, ’96, also signed up to walk. “I figured if Amy can fight cancer I can do this,” Kelley said.

Soon after the group was assembled, she remembers them trying to come up with a team name. “After much deliberation – okay, not that much at all – we decided on Amy's Angels. Amy always felt that she was, and still is, surrounded by angels. It only made sense that we name the team as we did,” Kelley said.

Today, Amy cancer is in remission and Amy Angel’s are going strong, training for the 2010 3-Day-Walk in the Twin Cities in August. “The training is crazy. You have to

2003

Katie (Burgum) Itterman, ’03, is director of gift planning for the UND Foundation. She and her husband, Brett, live in Minneapolis.

Every year since Amy Laumeyer was diagnosed with breast cancer, she and several of her friends have participated in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for a Cure. To date, the team, collectively called Amy’s Angels, has raised more than $40,000 to help end breast cancer. Pictured from left: Kelley McClure,’96, Amy (Hoffarth) Laumeyer, ’96, Dynessa (Benneweis) Nordrum, ’94, and Loanne Degagne.

increase your miles every week, and on the weekends you have to do a 10 to 12 mile walk,” Kelley said.

Even though the training is difficult, this group is dedicated to the cause. In 2008 and 2009, they raised more than $40,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, with all of the proceeds going toward breast cancer research and community programs.

Taking it even a step further, Kelley and two of her co-workers have started a card project, called nothing other than Cards by Amy’s Angels.

While Amy was going through treatment, receiving cards from family, friends and even strangers, brightened her day. Kelley decided, “If cards make Amy happy, they will make other cancer patients happy, too.”

“We have a Web site, www.cardsbyamysangels.com, which people can go on to request a card. We make the cards ourselves and include a stuffer that says how we got the person’s name. We’ve sent out about 200 cards to cancer patients since we started,” Kelley said.

Amy is amazed by the overwhelming support of her family and friends. She never imagined her unexpected diagnosis would motivate so many to do so much for her – and others fighting cancer.  Leanna Ihry If you would like to read more about Amy’s Angels visit www.amysangels3day.com.

Cheri (Olafson) Stanford, ’03, is associate director of alumni programs at the University of Denver. Her husband, Dave, ’02, is a captain for Skywest Airlines. They live in Denver.

2004

Elizabeth Bradshaw, ’04, ’08, is a North Dakota Tobacco Quitline counselor with UND’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences department of family and community medicine. She lives in Grafton, N.D.

Ryan Schroeder, ’04, is a chiropractor in the Garland, Texas area. In 2008-09, he and his family spent a year in Honduras working with a Christian medical team in Central America. He was a team chiropractor and his wife, who is a registered nurse, used her nursing

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Amy’s Angels

Please send your news to alumnireview@undalumni.net

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Ἅ l u m n i N e ws skills to care for those in need. Ryan and his wife live in Rowlett, Texas.

Emily (Banish) Wangen, ’04, is a board-certified music therapist.

She has worked with the Grand Forks School District, Altru Health Rehabilitation Center and Valley Eldercare, among others. Emily and her husband, Jason, live in Larimore, N.D.

2005

Marie Vetter, ’05, earned a doctoral degree in audiology from Ohio State University. She is currently living and working in Chicago.

Chris Webster, ’05, is enrolled in a one-year Master of Science program for archaeological resource management at the University of Georgia. Since graduating from UND, he has been working in the field of cultural resource archaeology in Athens,

Ga., where he resides.

Marlena (Frey) Zaun, ’05, is a personal banker with Wells Fargo in Mandan, N.D.. She and her husband, Darren, live in Bismarck.

2006

Sarah Bjornson, ’06, is a program coordinator with Fraser, Ltd., in Fargo, where she resides.

Manny Herandez, ’06, was promoted to teller coordinator with U.S. Bank’s downtown Grand Forks location. He lives in Manvel, N.D. Ann (Sackman) Hoff, ’06, is a physician with Trinity Health, specializing in emergency medicine.

She and her husband, Leslie, live in Minot.

Casey Johnson, ’06, is a personal banker for Wells Fargo in Bismarck, where he lives.

Adam Lembrich, ’06, is a tower ocean lifeguard with the City of Laguna Beach department of marine safety. He lives in Laguna Beach, Calif.

2007

Craig Krogstad, ’07, is an associate lawyer with Woods, Fuller, Shultz and Smith law firm in Sioux Falls, S.D. He practices taxation, estate planning and probate, trusts and business law. Craig and his wife, Elizabeth (Harr), ’08, reside in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Donovan Alexander, ’07, is a starting cornerback for the Saskatchewan Riders, a team in the Canadian Football League. He lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Bill Springer, ’07, is an interactive Web marketing specialist in the marketing and communications department at Concordia University, St. Paul. His wife, Dawn (Satermo), ’04, is a data analyst in the sales department for Northern Tool + Equipment in Burnsville, Minn. They live in St. Paul, Minn.

Joshua Akers, ’07, is an items processing specialist with Choice Financial in West Fargo, N.D. He resides in Harwood, N.D.

Laura Enerson, ’07, is teacher and principal at Horse Creek School, a one-room school in rural McKenzie County. She resides near Cartwright, N.D.

Heidi Thorson, ’07, is a speech language pathologist assistant with Applied Medical Inc., in Dickinson, N.D., where she resides.

Meghan Hopps, ’07, is associate director of the Fighting Sioux Club at UND. She lives in Grand Forks.

2008

Anne Freier, ’08, is a North Dakota Tobacco Quitline counselor

>>>

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A “SUITE” VIEW

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UND Aerospace alumni, spouses and faculty and staff from the College enjoyed a “suite” view of the Fighting Sioux hockey game vs. the University of MinnesotaMankato on Saturday, Jan. 9. Pictured, row one: Tina (Smith) Anderson, ’97, ’05, and Lisa (Clark) Christianson, ’98. Row two: Shawn Anderson, ’97; Josh Christianson, ’99; Kent Lovelace, ’80, ’84; Curt Kriedeman, ..’78, and Jeff Kappenman, ’83. Row three: Grant Smith, ’85; Karen Lovelace, and Stace Byom, ’78. Row 4: Rob Geisler, ’86, and Bob Breckner, ’86.

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Please send your news to alumnireview@undalumni.net

>>> Twins President Addresses Graduates Minnesota Twins president and Bismarck native Dave St. Peter delivered the keynote address at UND’s winter commencement at the Chester Fritz Auditorium on Dec. 18.

Dave graduated from UND in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in public relations. He was named the fourth president of Minnesota Twins in 2002.

He oversees the team’s strategic planning and the club’s business departments. He’s also been involved in the Target Field project, the team’s new ballpark in the Historic Warehouse District in Minneapolis.

Dave lives in Eden Prairie, Minn., with his wife, Joanie, and sons Jack, Eric and Ben.

Stacy Moldenhauer, ’08, is an attorney with Smith Bakke Porsborg & Schwiegert law firm in Bismarck. She practices in the areas of family law, insurance defense litigation and bankruptcy. She lives in Bismarck.

Christopher Rausch, ’08, is an associate at Vogel Law Firm in Bismarck where he practices criminal defense and general litigation. Christopher lives in Bismarck.

2009

Lori (Cowan) Conroy, ’09, is an associate with Vogel Law Firm. She practices in their Fargo office and focuses on litigation. Lori and her husband, Shane, live in Fargo.

Morgan Heher, ’09, is a customer service representative at Alerus Financial’s Express branch in downtown Grand Forks. She currently resides in Grand Forks.

Christopher Pederson, ’09, is marketing instructor with North Valley Career and Technology Center in Grafton, N.D., where he resides.

Samantha Reiswig, ’09, was accepted into the Parkland Memorial Hospital Emergency

Room Nursing Residency Program.

She resides in Roseau, Minn.

Kristine Storlie, ’09, is an associate with Vogel Law Firm. She practices in their Fargo office and focuses on real estate and business transactions. She lives in Moorhead, Minn.

Kim Thorson, ’09, is a board‐certified family nurse practitioner at Trinity Community Clinic-Velva (N.D.) Kim lives in Harvey, N.D.

Friends

Kim Koppelman was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court’s judicial planning committee. He and his

wife, Torey, live in West Fargo, N.D. Larry Manfull, wrote the book A Coach’s Manual to Teach Offensive Line Technique. Larry, a former UND football coach, lives in Mesquite, Nev.

Faculty/Staff

Richard Ferraro, a Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of Psychology, joined the editorial board for Creative Education, an international journal focusing on the latest advancement of creative education. He and his wife, Jacqueline (Foster), ’97, ’02, live in Grand Forks. ■

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with UND’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences department of family and community medicine.

She and her husband, Cory, live in Grand Forks.

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celebrations and additions If you would like your addition or celebration to be included in the next Alumni Review, please send a high-resolution photo to alumnireview@undalumni.net. Photos will be published in the order in which they were received, space permitting, and at the discretion of Alumni Review staff. We look forward to helping you celebrate!

additions 1991 Stephanie (Odegard) LaDue, ’91, and husband, Jay, Grand Forks, a daughter, Norah Kate, Aug. 21. [1] 1992 Christine (Wack) Mullady, ’92, and husband, James, Minneapolis, a daughter, Molly Rose, May 31. Molly joins big sister Tierney, 3. [2] 1993 Daniel Lang, ’93, and wife, Ashley, Rosemount, Minn., a daughter, Grace, June 29. [3] 1997 Mike Engstrom, ’97, and wife, Sarah, Watsonville, Calif., a daughter, Ryanne, Nov. 26. [4] Michael Lukas, ’97, and wife, Kristi (Kjelland), ’97, Maryville, Tenn., a son, Kyle, Sept. 1. [5] Rachel (Zimmer) Schneider, ’97, and husband, Lee, Akron, Ohio, a daughter, Olivia, Aug. 12. [6]

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2001 John Bernstrom, ’01, and wife, Stephanie, Grand Forks, a son, James Kevin, Aug. 9. [7]

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Nina ( Jacobsen) Bellesen Thoresen, ’01, and husband, Harald, Osteraas, Norway, a son, Herman Bellesen, May 30. He joins big sister, Tomine, 3 ½. [8] 2002 Andrew Barker, ’02, and wife, Meagan ( Johnson), ’03, Detroit Lakes, Minn., a son, Dillon Lewis, Feb. 3. [9] Leanna (Anderson) Ihry, ’02, and husband, Calvin, Thompson, N.D., a

celebrations son, Caleb Reed, Apr. 29. [10] 2003 Meagan (Skold) Holm, ’03, and husband, Robert, Rapid City, S.D., a son, Owen Daniel, June 4. [11] Louise Pinkerton, ’03, and husband, Royce Blackburn, Grand Forks, a daughter, Gwyneth Sian, June 26. [no picture] Christopher Smith, ’03, and wife, Brook (Ekstrom), ’01, ’03, Atlanta, a son, Isaiah Christopher, May 17. [12] 2004 Suzie ( Jelinek) Benjamin, ’04, and husband, Al, Prior Lake, Minn., a son, Micah Alan, Apr. 11. [13] Tina (Erickson) Sundeen, ’04, and husband, Chris, Minneapolis, twin son and daughter, Isabelle and Samuel, Apr. 19. [no picture] 2006 Tara ( Jensen) Altringer, ’06, and husband, James, Fargo, a daughter, Ellie James, July 31. [14] Eric Steele, ’06, and wife, Jenny (Thompson), ’06, Minneapolis, a daughter, Mackenzie Lila, Mar. 8. [15] 2007 Chris Henderson, ’07, and wife, Pam (Shea), ’07, Grand Forks, a son, William James, Dec. 8. [16] 2008 Eeva (Young) Greenley, ’08, and husband, Matthew, Moorhead, Minn., a daughter, Catherine Elizabeth, June 19. [no picture]

1971 Brian McClure married Dorothy Laird Kaatz on Oct. 23 in Fargo. Dorothy and Brian first met in 1963 while students at Grand Forks Central High School. They live in Fargo. [no picture] 1990 Virgil “Pete” Moberg married Jan L. Brown on May 1, in St. Augustine, Fla. Pete teaches communication at Jacksonville University. The couple resides in St. Augustine, Fla. [no picture] 1996 Cory Mathiowetz and Victoria Ann Wantuch were married on June 13. The couple resides in Mounds View, Minn., and are expecting their first baby in May. [17] 2001 Tonia Jones, ’01, married Matt Peterson in Cancun, Mexico, on Oct. 25. Tonia, a former Fighting Sioux women’s basketball player, had several former teammates and UND friends at the wedding. Pictured front, from left: Katie (Richards) Judisch, ’02, ’03; Ray Jones, ’75; Debby (Graupe) Jones, ’77; Tonia ( Jones) Peterson; Jenny (Hoffner) Wagner, ’01; Brad Wagner, ’01.

Back, from left: Kevin Curley; Jeffrey Neal, ’00; Sarah (Nett) Neall, ’00, ’07; Mary Perrizo, ’05; Becky (Moen) Behrens, ’03, ’06; Kyle Behrens, ’03, ’04; Rober “Bob” Graupe, ’81. [18] 2002 Alicia Majkrzak, ’02, married Jeremy Prahm on the north shore of Lake Superior in Oct. 2008. They live in Richfield, Minn., where Alicia is a practicing obstetrics/gynecology physician. They are expecting their first baby in March.

Several UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences grads attended the celebration. Pictured from left: Rachel Miller, ’02; Jared Rustad, ’02; Alicia (Majkrzak) Prahm; Basir Tareen, ’02; Ryan Holzwarth, ’02. [19] 2004 Autumn Dahlberg, ’04, married Todd Johnson on Dec. 19 in Grand Rapids, Minn. The couple resides in Dallas. [20] 2005 Danial Carlson, ’05, and Tracy Emerson, ’04, were married on the north shore of Lake Superior. C.J. Stanton, ’03, served as the officiant. The couple lives in Bloomington, Ind., where Tracy is in the counseling psychology Ph.D. program at Indiana University. Dan is a construction project manager for the Spiritwood Station power plant in Jamestown, N.D. [21] 2006 Mike Opp, ’06, and Moriah West, ’07, were married on Aug. 1 at the Hopper-Danley Memorial Chapel on the UND campus. Several UND grads were in the wedding party. Pictured from left: Sally Opp, ’08; Jay Gilbraith, Kari

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Ἅ l u m n i N e ws Johnson, John Miskavige, Moriah (West) Opp, Mike Opp; Kayla Wasson, ’08; Nick Graziano, ’09; Amy Virden; and Michael McFarlane.

They live in Grand Forks, where Moriah is pursuing a master’s degree in kinesiology from UND. Mike owns and operates Oxford Realty. [22]

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2007 Mark Klekner, ’07, and Nicole Farlee were married in December 2008. Mark works in marketing at Thomson Reuters in Eagan, Minn., and Nicole, a Gustavus Adolphus College graduate, is an accountant. They live in Savage, Minn. [23]

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David Skarphol, ’07, and Shannon Brown, ..’08, were married on Aug. 15 in St. Cloud, Minn. Several members of the wedding party are UND alumni or current students.

Pictured back, from left: Laurel Walsh, ’08; Michelle Bailly, ’09; Brittney Surles, ’09; Amanda Brown; Jenna Brown, ’10; Shannon (Brown) Skarphol; David Skarphol; Nate Skarphol, ’10; Jim Boulger; Matt Brown, ’11; Matt Bistodeau, ’08; Robert Kruger, ’08. Front row: Adam Stibbe; Andreas Garness, ’08; Matt Deboer, ’09. David is an air traffic controller in Mesa, Ariz. Shannon attended UND until 2008, when she transferred because of David’s job.

She will graduate from Arizona State University this spring. The newlyweds reside in Chandler, Ariz. [24]

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2008 Brandon Burnette, ’08, was married to Lisa Sorenson on Nov. 14, in Minnetonka, Minn. The couple met on the solar car/fuel cell car team at UND. Brandon is a support coordinator for LM Glasfiber’s International Group and Lisa entered UND’s Ph.D. program in the department of microbiology and immunology. They live in Grand Forks. [25] Brian Swenseth, ’08, married Megan Kraft, ’08, on June 28 in Kragnes, Minn. The couple resides in Chicago. They are both pursuing doctoral degrees in clinical psychology. [26]

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www.undfoundation.org

Charitable Remainder Trust | Turn appreciated property producing little or no income into a productive asset with tax benefits too.

Bequest | By including language in your will, you can leave cash, property or other assets to the UND Foundation and designate how you would like your gift to be used.

Real Estate | You can give property outright, place it in trust, retain the use of it for life, or give it by will. All methods will enable you to enjoy personal financial benefits while supporting UND.

Gift Annuity | With a gift of cash or other acceptable assets, the UND Foundation provides you fixed payments for your lifetime.

Contact Katie Itterman at katiei@undfoundation.org or 800.543.8764 to learn more about these and other types of planned gifts.

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There are many ways to make a gift to benefit UND’s future. Many provide tax benefits and some even provide you income for life.

Katie Itterman is the Director of Gift Planning at the University of North Dakota Foundation. She is a 2003 graduate of UND with a bachelor of arts degree and a received her J.D. in 2007 from William Mitchell College of Law. Prior to working with UND, she was employed by the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Please contact her with any questions you may have about future giving.

Meet the Director

plan your gift

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Park River, ND Thursday, June 10 Fargo Monday, June 21 Grand Forks Thursday, July 8 NEW! Twin Cities July, TBD

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2010 Sioux-Per Swing Tour

Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Thursday, July 22

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onlymore 23 days

’til Spring!

Hosted by UND Alumni Association & UND Athletics For more information or to become a sponsor go to www.undalumni.org

When you join, you impact them

today, t o m o r r o w, f o r e v e r

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Lifetime Giving

Legacy Gifts

President’s Circle: $25,000

Eternal Legacy Circle

George Starcher Circle: $100,000 Thomas Clifford Circle: $500,000 William Budge Circle: $1 million 1889 Circle: $5 million

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Adelphi Circle: $10 million

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800.543.8764 | www.undfoundation.org

in me m o r i a m 1900s Nina (Buske) Johnson, ..’06, Eugene, Ore.

1930s Francis U. Smith, ’33, ’50, Valley City, N.D. Ann (Hutchinson) Wilson, ’34, Elko, Nev. Donald J. Bodahl, ..’36, Grand Forks S.W. Kilander Downers, ..’36, Grove, Ill. Helen M. Kjelmyr, ’37, Grand Forks Daniel I. Soutor, ’37, Henning, Minn.

Helen B. (Baird) Fait, ’38, Newport Beach, Calif.

Truman F. Graves, ’38, Minot, N.D. Edith M. (Asheim) Allman, ’39, Centennial, Colo.

Ralph B. Boone Jr., ..’39, Grafton, N.D. Dagmar (Johnson) Satrom, ..’39, Grand Forks Adrian J. Vaksvik, ’39, Elkhart, Ind.

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1940s

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Verna P. (Shirk) Bidelman, ’40, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Donald L. Budd, ..’40, St. Paul, Minn.

Maurice M. Wicklund, M.D., ’40, ’41, Canton, Mich.

Barbara A. (Desautels) Stump, ’41, Fountain Valley, Calif.

Malcolm H. McDonald, ’43, Kansas City, Mo. Michael R. McIntee, ’43, ’53, Williston, N.D. Dr. John S. Penn, ..’43, Grand Forks Neil A . Macdonald, M.D., ’44, Bismarck Rolf Lunde, ..’46, Rapid City, S.D. Douglas L. MacDonald, ’46, Novato, Calif.

Russell G. Bischke, ’47, Brawley, Calif.

Joseph G. Bradac, ’47, ’48, Mount Pleasant, Mich.

Richard Lommen, ..’47, Bismarck Ernest F. Fox, ’48, Billings, Mont.

Orris H. Flatten, ’49, Durango, Colo.

Robert J. Olson, ’49, Sarasota, Fla. Dr. Virgil K. Rath, ..’49, Bowman, N.D. M. James Robertson, ’49, Ballwin, Mo.

1950s Harvey H. Augustin, ’50, St. Thomas, N.D. Dorothy M. (Grier) Barsness, ..’50, Green Bay, Wis. Gordon H. Gronhovd, ’50, Grand Forks Iver S. Johnson, ’50, Centerville, Ohio Wilbur K. Michelson, ’50, Fargo Harold G. Myhre, ’50, ’55, Sun City West, Ariz.

Loyd A. Walen Jr., ..’50, Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Marian E. (Stjern) Hahn, ’51, Bridgeport, Conn.

Marilyn M. (Brundin) Wickham, ’51, Denver Warren C. Brandes, ’52, Covington, La. Charles R. Jacobi, ’52, Grand Forks Warren R. Jensen, M.D., ’52, Hazen, N.D. James F. Griffin, ..’53, Minneapolis Joan S. (Shide) Jenstead, ..’53, Brookfield, Wis. Richard D. Stainbrook, ’53, Naples, Fla. Ernest L. Gunerius, ’54, Everett, Wash.

Arthur C. Kleingartner, ’54, Fargo John C. McDonald Sr., ’54, Moorhead, Minn.

Dr. Donald A. Aus, ’55, ’59, Honolulu Merlin E. Dewing, ’56, ’58, HON ’88, Excelsior, Minn.

Evelyn M. Novy, ’56, Wilton, N.D. Dr. Ellen C. Egan, ’57, Grimes, Iowa Gerene E. (Rust) Kraft, ..’58, Apache Junction, Ariz.

George T. Kupper, ’58, Albuquerque, N.M. Curtis G. Moen, ’58, Grand Forks Dr. John E. Utgaard, ’58, Carbondale, Ill. Norman K. Hilliard, ’59, Conover, Wis. Shirley M. (Olson) Warcup, ’59, Ivins, Utah

1960s Lt. Col. Roy C. Thompson, ’60, Villa Rica, Ga. James D. Evanson, ..’61, New Rockford, N.D. Dr. Lawrence E. Grant, ’61, Thief River Falls, Minn.

Ronald A. Swanson, ’61, Bismarck Dr. Gordon M. Fillipi, ’62, ’70, ’73, Grand Forks Robert C. McDunn, ..’62, Little Falls, Minn.

Darlene (Walliker) Arnold, ’63, Benson, Ariz.

Donald G. Corbett, ’63, La Porte, Ind. Floyd E. Wilborn Jr., ..’63, Bismarck Patricia A. (O’Connell) Berntsen, ’64, ’70, Grand Forks Curtis G. Olson, ..’64, Mora, Minn.

Bernadine (Anderson) Ziemke, ’64, St. Louis, Mo. Marjorie R. (Walder) Bloom, ’65, Bismarck Lt. Col. Clair H. Black, ’67, Bountiful, Utah Virginia A. (Kruse)Larson, ’67, St. Charles, Ill. Lyman W. Rothwell, ’67, Eagle, Idaho Lorna K. Odegard, ’68, Fargo Ronald F. Rudoll, ..’68, Rosemount, Minn.

Wanda B (Iverson) Mikkelson, ’69, Minot, N.D. Michael N. Moger, ’69, Lone Tree, Colo.

1970s Marcia L. (Lepp) Davis, ..’70, Ashley, N.D.

1980s Dr. Bruce B. Anderson, ’80, San Francisco Dr. Amy I. Lind, ..’80, Grand Forks Sister M. Lucy Schoenberg, ..’80, Hankinson, N.D. Cobie N. (Bjornson) Axelson, ..’81, Grand Forks John W. Diehl, ’81, Paulsboro, N.J. John W. Dawson, ’81, ’84, Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Michael M Fonder, ..’81, Grand Forks Anthony Beaks, ..’83, Oklahoma City Ione (Rausch) Altobelli, ’84, Bovey, Minn.

Robert J. Hogan, ’84, Alpharetta, Ga. Scott L. Williams, ’86, Red Wing, Minn.

Gennifer J. (Lokken) Buchholz, ’87, Minot, N.D. Boyd J. Christenson, ’87, Fargo Robert L. Dalke, ’87, Eagan, Minn.

Elaine M. Barth, M.D., ’88, Rochester, Minn.

Mary M. (Anderson) Andersen, ’89, St. Paul, Minn.

Michael W. Saunders, ’89, St. Louis, Mo.

1990s Mark D. Haagenson, ..’91, Minot, N.D. Timothy L. Brown, M.D., ’93, Westminster, Calif.

Laura E. (Duncan) Larson, ’94, Grand Forks Tristen J. (Lee) Dolan, ’95, Perham, Minn.

2000s Amber M. (Dahlen) Smart, ’00, ’03, ’06, East Grand Forks, Minn.

Jeffrey L. Burgess, ’03, Bismarck

Eugene M. Gendreau, Bismarck Rev. Doris L. (Lampman) Potter, Bismarck

Faculty Gene Homandberg, Grand Forks

Retired Faculty/Staff Vernon R. Clark, Grand Forks Mabel M. (Wylie) Fee, Crookston, Minn.

Marguerite Kleven, Grand Forks Alphield W. Lyng, Cummings, N.D. Dr. Lois J Merrill, Gravette, Ariz.

Lucy (McCallum) Schwartz, Lake View, N.Y.

Friends Earl Alberts, Grand Forks Terry Bartness, Park Rapids, Minn.

Glenn Beelman, Carlsbad, Calif.

Michael F Buscemi, M.D., St. Paul, Minn.

Virginia (Roberts) Carl, Grand Forks Stella P. (Peterson) Crichton, Greensboro, N.C. William Dietzler, East Grand Forks, Minn.

H. Gordon Graves, East Grand Forks, Minn.

Elizabeth (Dempster) Kertz, Fargo Clarence M. Larson, Grand Forks Ione J. (Aure) McIntyre, Grand Forks Judy R. (Fore) McMenamy, Monticello, Minn.

C. Dale Romuld, St. Paul, Minn.

Marian E. Walker, Wilsonville, Ore.

Remembering UND’s Oldest Graduate The oldest person to ever earn a degree from UND has died. Laura (Duncan) Larson earned a bachelor’s degree in 1993 at the age of 76. She attended a two-year teacher’s college in Valley City, N.D., during the Great Depression, but had always aspired to go back to school and get a four-year degree. She was very proud of her accomplishment. Five of her granddaughters have also graduated from UND. Laura died on Oct. 19, her 93rd birthday.

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Loretta F. Dawson, ..’70, Elgin, N.D. Cleo D. (Hemmingson) Havlis, ’70, Hawley, Minn.

Cecil D. Phillips, ’70, ’71, Sisseton, S.D. Vicki L. (Lambert) Krebs, ..’71, Clancy, Mont.

Helen S. (Hjelmstad) Holo, ’73, Langdon, N.D. Darrel G. Peterson, ..’73, Chicago James W. Laine, ’74, Marquette, Mich.

Mary Ellen Wier, ..’75, Grand Forks Leonard H. Fracassi, ’76, Bismarck James H. Barnett, ’77, Sacramento, Calif.

Ralph A. Vinje, ’77, Hazelton, N.D. Allan F. Ermer, ..’78, San Pablo, Calif.

Jon J. Lenzen, ’78, Menahga, Minn.

William P. Marshak, ’78, Dayton, Ohio Charleen R. (Atherton) Brox, ..’79, Crosby, N.D. David E. Ege, ..’79, Craig, Colo.

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Alumni Association BlogSpot ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

www.undalumni.org

UND Alumni Events Around the USA Mar. 16 UND Alumni and Friends Social Where: Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 628

Aug. 7 Fighting Sioux Golf Scramble Littleton, Colo.

Mar. 27 Brunch in Arizona Where: Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains

Aug. 12 UND Hockey Alumni and Friends Golf Tournament Red Deer, Alberta, Canada

July 26 Dewey Sundby Golf Scramble Where: Prior Lake, Minn.

For more information on all of these events visit www.undalumni.org.

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Fighting Sioux Snowmen Four-year-old Macen Heisler and his grandpa, Jason Bednarz, decorated Macen’s Rugby, N.D., front yard with a family of Fighting Sioux snowmen in January. His mom, Randi, writes, “Macen and his grandpa go to Sioux games often together and watch them on TV regularly. It’s the only time Macen gets to stay up past 8 p.m., and he always makes it to the end of the game.” If a career in hockey isn’t in Macen’s future, he may want to consider architecture or design.

Great job on those snowmen!

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UND Alumni Association and UND Foundation staff participated in Toys for Tots this holiday season, collecting more than 200 toys in just one week to give to children in need. The organization also collected nearly 700 non-perishable items for the Grand Forks Food Pantry.

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We apologize for an error in the Winter 2009 Alumni Review where we stated in the feature story about Jeff Larson that the company he works for, Shop NBC, does an average of $500 million in sales every day. That was incorrect. Sales total $500 million each year.

s pr i ng 2010

Giving Back

Alumni Review University of North Dakota Alumni Association 3100 University Ave Stop 8157 Grand Forks, ND 58202‐8157

Dubai Optional Post-trip Extension to Oman

September 17 – 25, 2010*

From $3,799 per person double occupancy (Including airfare)

Experience the excitement of the world’s fastest-growing city when you visit the glittering and palm-studded metropolis of Dubai. Marvel at cutting-edge skyscrapers and the largest man-made harbor ever made, or visit ancient souks (markets) and traditional mosques. Explore the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi on the azure Gulf shore, admire the architectural splendor of the Jumeirah Mosque, or experience a four-wheel-drive ride across the Arabian Desert. This combination of new-world luxury and old-world charm promises a highlight each day that will exceed any traveler’s expectations! *Price and date are tentative and subject to change.

TO BOOK YOUR TRIP or to view other Alumni Travel options go to www.undalumni.org and click on Events & Travel.

Or call 800.842.9023.