Alumni Magazine: Winter 2017

in this issue features 6

Writing Down the Dream Mankey steps out in faith to open clinic

8

Science Squad Return of the Alumni

12 Oh, my!

Special effects, singing, physical comedy combine for strong “Wizard of Oz” production

14 Sculpture Garden Exhibit made its debut at Presidential Gala

16 Coast to Coast Fulwider brings big-time scope to USF Music Technology program

18 Giving Legs to Our Values When it comes to faith through service, USF doesn’t just talk the talk

20 Defined by Giving USF’s Obergfell leads from the heart

22 Leading Care USF’s inaugural doctoral program, DNP, launching Indiana’s first nurse anesthesia program

25 Bishop Hying USF Crown Point well suited to community, Church

26 Navigating Necessities

22 USF has announced the university’s first doctoral program, DNP, launching Indiana’s first Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) program. The program is designed to create a talent pool of CRNAs with the potential to remain in Indiana.

USF students assess Ash Brokerage move risks

28 Harvest from the Heart USF’s Klein gleans volunteers for food bank

30 Chemical Reaction Lead paint project transforms science students

32 A Sweet Title Ride Coach Kevin Donley and the USF Cougars reach the top of the NAIA football mountain

38 And Snow It Began Christmas at USF dazzles with first snowfall

sections

Athletics

34-35

Campus News

36-37

Alumni News

40-43

The 2016 USF Cougars won the NAIA National Football Championship in a season that saw many milestones, including Coach Kevin Donley’s 300th win and several NAIA awards including National Coach of the Year.

The community and university came together to celebrate USF’s first national football title.

8 A number of University of Saint Francis science graduates have returned to their alma mater, giving back through dedication, gifts and scholarship to what they’ve called a life-altering undergraduate experience. As faculty members at Achatz Hall of Science, they daily put to work all they learned at USF—and illustrate how that education shaped their personal and professional lives.

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16 USF Music Technology program director Miles Fulwider has produced records from the East to the West Coast, and worked with recording stars most people only dream of meeting. But when he heard of the new program and facility at USF his interest was piqued, and the rest will make history.

20 If you ask Thom Obergfell, BBS ’83, what matters most to him, he’ll say giving back. The USF grad and senior vice president at iAB Financial Bank has demonstrated that quality during his time at USF and throughout his career in the financial world.

On the cover The 2016 USF Cougar football team raises the NAIA National Football Championship trophy high as they display the most important factor in their successful season: a full team effort.

Cover and inside photos by Jeffrey Crane

message from our president Dear University of Saint Francis alumni and friends, The idea of new beginnings is especially relevant this year; the university is proudly expanding our long-standing quality associate, bachelor and master degree programs to become a doctoral degree-granting university. Our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is new and the first in Indiana to offer both DNP and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) tracks to deliver doctoral-level health professionals so desperately needed in the state and throughout the nation. This terminal degree offering underscores USF’s innovative role in leading healthcare.

We are very proud that the university’s first doctoral program honors our founding Sisters’ vocation to teach and to heal.

We began celebrating in earnest this year our Cougar football team’s first national championship. The accomplishment forged our university’s name in the ranks of the strongest college programs by claiming the national NAIA football championship in Daytona Beach, Florida in December. Under the leadership of NAIA Hall of Fame coach Kevin Donley, our players demonstrated the highest standards in athleticism, scholarship and character. Honors so far include an invitation by the Colts to be on their field New Year’s Day, formal recognition by the county commissioners and City of Fort Wayne, and more importantly a celebration with fellow Cougars on campus in January.

Our downtown campus continues to bustle with ideas, programs, students and faculty. Many eyes are on the School of Creative Arts Music Technology program, as new director Miles Fulwider applies his national industry knowledge to a program and facility like few found elsewhere. The Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership continues to establish education partnerships and mentorships with downtown businesses like Ash Brokerage. In fact, USF Risk Management and Insurance students provided a risk analysis in consideration of Ash’s move to its new downtown facility.

Our alumni generate great pride, inside and outside the university. A core of science graduates has returned to Achatz Hall of Science, armed with doctoral expertise and a love of teaching, to support and perpetuate the individualized, hands-on education they received here. Trustee and alumnus Thom Obergfell has devoted time, talent and treasure to USF for years in a life defined by giving. Outside of our halls, graduates like Kara Mankey and Rachel Klein serve our marginalized populations, fulfilling basic needs through medical and food relief. This dedication speaks to the character of our alumni.

As we move ahead with innovative programs, our students continue as our first priority. They are the investment we make in the world around us, and the reason for all of our work. We know when they leave, they will carry the mission and values of the University of Saint Francis with them. As part of the character-rich body of contributors known as our alumni, they will impact the world.

We value them, and you, our alumni and friends, so much. Thank you for the special light you shed upon our university.

God’s blessings,

Sister M. Elise Kriss, OSF President Left page photo by Steve Vorderman and right page photo by Tim Brumbeloe

Magazine | Winter 2017

Office of Institutional Advancement Dr. Matt Smith

Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Kathy Calvin

Administrative Assistant

Melissa Eastman

Director of Alumni Relations

Maggie (Badders) Emenhiser, BA ’14 Assistant Director of Alumni Relations

Lynne McKenna Frazier

Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations

Matthew Hall

Assistant Director of Career Advancement

Tammy Oakes

Senior Gift Officer

Sister Marilyn Oliver, BSE ’62 Planned Giving and Missions

Sandie Phalen

Director of Marketing and Development for USF Crown Point

Matthew Rowan

Director of Development

Natalie (Mason) Wagoner, BBA ’07, MBA ’09 Director of Employer Relations

Tatiana Walzer, MBA ’13

Assistant Director of Advancement Services

Mary Timm-Zimmerman Donor Relations Specialist

Magazine Staff ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING

Trois K. Hart

MARKETING AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Carla (Satchwell) Pyle, BA ’00

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Rob Hines

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Melissa Eastman Maggie (Badders) Emenhiser, BA ’14 Sister Marilyn Oliver, BSE ’62 Matthew Rowan SPORTS WRITER

Bill Scott

Other Contributors FEATURE WRITERS

Yvonne Schroeder Reggie Hayes

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Brooke (Stauffer) McGee, BA ’05 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Linda Minton PUBLISHER

encourage a TRUSTFUL, PRAYERFUL COMMUNITY of LEARNERS

University of Saint Francis 2701 Spring St., Fort Wayne, IN 46808 260-399-7999, sf.edu/magazine WINTER 2017

The magazine of the University of Saint Francis is published twice annually by the USF Marketing Department and distributed without cost to alumni, faculty, staff and other friends of the university.

WRITING DOWN THE DREAM Mankey steps out in faith to open clinic

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USF Family Nurse Practitioner graduate st Kara Mankey doesn’t ju e listen to God’s voice. Sh n. writes the message dow On a Post-it note.

Angelia Journey, Lutheran College of Nursing diploma ’71, left, USF’s Kara Mankey, ASN ’05, MSN ’15 and office manager Kristin Myers work together to provide services for Unfailing Love, a free clinic Mankey has established in downtown Decatur.

During her journey toward self-definition and meaning, she has struggled mightily to hear the still, small voice directing her education and professional choices. One day she quieted herself, lay down on the floor and asked, point-blank: “What do you want with me?”

The response came, a seemingly impossible task.

She had completed an Associate of Science in Nursing at USF and two years later started the Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner program. She took one summer class and knew timing was not right due to her small children, work and time restraints. After another three years, the answer to her question had come: “Go back to school because you’re going to open a clinic.”

“I pictured a logo with the words, ‘Unfailing Love 1 John 4:19,’” Mankey said in her Decatur-based free clinic this summer. “I put that on a Post-it note. My husband believed me and said, ‘All right, we'll start the process’. I would have our third baby in May and then start school that August. I had been out of school for six years before returning, and the staff in the nursing department still knew me by name. That meant a lot.”

Going back to school seemed daunting. “Four years seemed so far away, but I had to start. I said, ‘Lord, if you want me to go back to school, you have to help me pay for it.’ Two weeks later I received a scholarship that paid half my tuition every year for the FNP. Then in my third year, I received a grant that paid all my tuition my final year of school,” she said.

But contemplating opening a clinic purely on faith nearly overwhelmed her. “I thought, I don’t have the resources to start this clinic. I told the Lord, ‘I’m done, you picked the wrong girl!’ He said, ‘No, you’re the one.’ I looked again and again at the Post-it note to encourage me to stay in school. I was driven the whole time by this idea.”

“We love, because He first loved us.”

- 1 JO HN 4: 19

developed a board. She obtained a 501(c)3 corporation status and began seeking donations and grants. “Initially, it was just a vision on paper. But they believed me,” she said. “I had to be led by faith.

I had to put myself out there. The Lord provided exactly what we needed. It’s His clinic, He just asked me to trailblaze for it.”

Now open for a year, Unfailing Love Clinic serves low- to middleincome families who are uninsured or have high-deductible insurance. They teach health promotion and illness prevention while providing family practice medicine.

With volunteers Angie Journey, a retired nurse, and Kristin Myers, office manager, Mankey delivers basic healthcare on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the first Friday of each month from 2 to 6 p.m.

Initial funding was provided by local community grants and individual donations. “We are getting busier and we are scheduling two weeks out. We all volunteer and work other jobs. We are still seeking donations, grants and supplies,” Mankey said. “In the coming year we are hoping to open at least 16 hours per week and pay at least two salaries. I’m praying for more people who believe in the mission and vision to partner with us financially and through volunteering. I cannot carry this myself.”

Because of a life-altering mission trip at age 24, Mankey plans to incorporate some international mission teams into her clinic plan.

“The Lord will guide every step. It’s our job to have childlike faith and move our feet,” she said. “I’m not the same person I was three years ago. I’m not shy anymore. He built my confidence, and my identity is secure in Him. We will continue to move forward and make space for The Kingdom to move.”

Still prompted by that voice, she wrote a proposal and Photos by Steve Vorderman

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Left to right: Jenny Maldonado (BS '04, MS '10); Paula Avila (BS '00); Dr. Amy Obringer (BS '91); Dr. Michael Bechill (BS '08); Dr. Matt Hopf (BS '01)

SCIENCE SQUAD RETURN OF THE ALUMNI

A number of University of Saint Francis science graduates have returned to their alma mater, giving back through dedication, gifts and scholarship to what they’ve called a life-altering undergraduate experience. As faculty members at Achatz Hall of Science, they daily put to work all they learned at USF — and illustrate how that education shaped their personal and professional lives. The theme weaves through their narratives over and over: it’s all about family.

Photo by Jeffrey Crane

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Dr. Matt Hopf (BS 2001) Matt returned to USF to teach and direct its cadaver lab. He now teaches in the Kinesiology and Nutrition Department, and vividly recalls his USF experience.

“I truly enjoyed my experience at USF and wanted to come back to provide the same experience and amazing opportunities that I was given as a student,” he said. “The faculty members were concerned about me, as not only a student but as a person. The opportunity to continue my work in cadaver labs was a big driving factor, but really just the opportunity to be at USF was what made me want to come back.”

He wants his students to develop specific skills.

“I want the USF students to leave with the ability to think and problem-solve. Life will constantly throw obstacles in the way, and I want my students to be able to figure out how to get what they want and where they want to go.”

Dr. Amy Obringer (BS 1991) Amy is a biology professor and pre-medical program director at USF. She also advises the student group, Formula for Life, which raises funds for a Haitian orphanage. She chose USF after attending its Three Rivers Science Symposium during high school.

“I thought this feels like the place to be,” she said. “We had small classes with Sister Carol Meyers, Dr. Tieben and Dr. Hurley, and we got to know them well. Dr. Tieben was a father figure, and it provided comfort away from home.”

She roomed with Dr. Teri Beam, former biology chair, and studied often in Achatz Hall. “You’d call Security, walk to the dorm and get something to eat and drink, and by then Security would be there to let you into any classroom. She and I would just sit in the classrooms and study. It was familiar, and the guards knew who we were.”

She completed a PhD at Wright State in Ohio and did a stint at the Cincinnati Zoo before an offer to teach came from Dr. Hurley. “I came back as an adjunct in 2000, and before long, I was teaching a full class load. Dr. Tieben, Dr. Hurley and Sister Carol were still there, plus Teri Beam was right across the hall. It’s a gut feeling that it’s the right place to be and it’s comfortable."

“The USF/Achatz experience is so powerful because it is real. We provide the students with real-life learning opportunities and scenarios so that when they are in the real world, they have already experienced many of the things they will come across on a day-to-day basis.”

-Dr. Matt Hopf (BS 2001)

“At some universities, the faculty keep a professional distance from the students. That doesn’t work for me. I want to know them, and they can stop by to chat with me any time. I would stop by Dr. Tieben’s office to talk things over and I would always leave feeling better.”

-Dr. Amy Obringer (BS 1991)

“If I could give a sense of community, safety and belonging to students, which is what USF gave to me, wouldn’t it be great? I live my life hoping I can at least be a really good teacher like my professors were. Really, I want students to feel like they belong.”

-Jenny Maldonado (BS 2004, MS 2010)

“It’s very common for profs like me and others to help a student study, or team them to study with a non-struggling student. That speaks to the camaraderie and family atmosphere we have in Achatz.”

-Dr. Mike Bechill (BS 2008)

“There were classes that weren’t easy or exciting where I struggled. When I see somebody in the same walk, I like to encourage them to push through the challenges. At USF, I always was encouraged to push forward and seek out new opportunities.”

-Paula Avila (BS 2000)

“I, along with many of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, earned my bachelor’s degree here. It is my delight to give back by serving as a professor at the University of Saint Francis. As one student said to me, ‘Saint Francis rocks!’ So it does, and this wonderful place that nurtured the beginning of my life and faith journey continues to offer opportunity, learning and sharing. Why wouldn’t someone want to come back to serve and continue to enrich and nourish young scholars and leaders in the Franciscan academic setting that is so vibrant here?”

-Sister Carol Meyers (BS 1963)

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Jenny Maldonado (BS 2004, MS 2010) Jenny is a professor of biology and biology lab director who came back to USF in 1999. She remembers an overall excitement in Achatz Hall.

“You had the same teachers over and over, and you liked them,” she said. “I had three classes with Sister Carol; she is awesome and kind of nutty and hysterical and so smart. We were excited about science and biology, and since the class sizes were so small you didn’t dare miss or they’d call you on it. Biology majors had to work with a lot of slides and animals, so we had to come here to study in the labs, and we were often here until we got kicked out. I remember being creeped out, because you’re in here with all these animals and then you hear strange noises.”

Field study trips with Dr. Larry Wiedman also forged ties.

“People who had been acquaintances you got to know really well on a two-week camping trip. You became very strong friends,” she said.

“I’ve thought about why so many of us came back in science.

You remember good experiences and want to continue those.

We’re happy here. Every day you come in to work and the people around you make up for anything. We all secretly want to be those profs—Beam, Wiedman, Tieben, Hurley. I recently had breakfast with them, and I felt really lucky to share time with people who were my teachers and are now my colleagues and friends. They are part of the reason I live my life the way I do.”

Dr. Mike Bechill (BS 2008) Mike is a biology professor with a doctorate from the University of Toledo Medical Center. For him, one look at USF was all it took.

“The faculty brought me here,” said the Wauseon, Ohio native.

“They were so passionate they knew my name in high school, and that’s what brought me back. I believe in this place and its education, which is second to none in its personalization.

We’re creating well-rounded students who are not just good at Photos by Jeffrey Crane and Steve Vorderman

their majors, but work well with people from all backgrounds.

That’s what we do better than anyone else. I absolutely love teaching, advising and seeing students grow from high school seniors to freshmen and then into professionals.

“If you love your job, you never work a day in your life. I look at co-workers as work family and my students as my kids. I want all students to feel like they’re home when they’re here. We are all part of a team. It’s practical, hands-on education where students learn and go do it. It creates a buzz and excitement. Last semester we had a student working with a high-end microscope. He was blown away seeing those 3-D cells on screen. Ten times now he’s come in after hours to play on that microscope. Getting someone 18 or 19 excited about a microscope is something.”

Paula Avila (BS 2000) Paula taught briefly at a local community college after graduation and returned to USF in 2001, where she’s been a lab assistant ever since.

“I just loved USF. It was small, and what I got out of it was sometimes spiritual and sometimes intellectual. You always could have great conversations you wouldn’t have outside of a science group. It was quirky and nerdy and owning your own geekiness.

We would start discussing a concept and it would go on and on.

I wanted the students to experience the same things I did.”

The latitude to explore and the push to know herself led Paula to growth. “Achatz professors allowed the exploration of science in a different way. My adviser, Sister Carol Meyers, encouraged me to explore other disciplines. I always had a passion for biology, but ended up choosing chemistry. You come together not knowing each other, but in the sciences, you become family. I was shy, but I received so many outreaches from students and faculty, with Sister Carol always guiding me like my own grandmother would.

“I became president and vice president of two clubs, with faculty and staff guiding me out of my comfort zone. I loved the opportunities to tutor students and be a leader. I grew up at USF, and it has allowed me to grow beyond my limits.” saint francis magazine | winter 2017

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! y m , h O

SPECIAL EFFECTS, SINGING, PHYSICAL COMEDY COMBINE FOR STRONG “WIZARD OF OZ” PRODUCTION

Clever scenes cropped up repeatedly to

create some laughs. In the Scarecrow’s introductory scene, three costumed crows feasted gluttonously on ears of corn around his feet and then contributed a little song-and-dance chorus to the “If I Only Had a Brain” number. In the apple tree scene, the trees walked on stage to provide a little harmonic chorus for the introduction of Tin Man’s character.

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Anyone wondering how tornadoes, disappearing and reappearing witches, falling houses, wizards and a hot air balloon flight could be staged for the USF “Wizard of Oz” production in November soon had answers—delightfully— courtesy of the university’s animation and music tech students, and the School of Creative Arts (SOCA) technical staff.

“I didn’t know how they were going to pull it off, either,” said Brad Beauchamp, who directed the classic musical based on the L. Frank Baum novel about a young girl whose transport to a magical, foreign land teaches her the importance of home and family.

Students under SOCA Director of Animation Matt White’s wing “championed the special effects and video screen,” Beauchamp said. Anna Caldwell from Miles Fulwider’s new Music Technology program “was also awesome in terms of special effects.”

Scenes such as the dream sequence of the tornado, in which all Dorothy knows—her home, aunt and uncle, dog and even her arch-nemesis, Elmira Gulch—is tossed wildly by the wind before her Kansas house plummets to Oz, were handled to great effect by video screening. Images of the faces of the Wicked Witch of the West and thundering Wizard of Oz, and a light show set off by the entrance of Good Witch Glinda, translated beautifully to the video screen and underscored the musical’s element of fantasy.

The show also took a few tongue-in-cheek shots at itself, with a reference to the modern Disney show “The Lion King” during the Cowardly Lion’s “courage” number and a rim shot after a one-liner about the Tin Man’s ability to “stay fresh in that can.” In another scene, the Wicked Witch takes issue as her soldiers drone the familiar “Yo-ee-oh, yee-oooh-oh,” cracking, “Why must you always sing that loathsome dirge?”

Strong singing, lithe dancing and hilarious physical comedy contributed to the stellar production. Sophia D’Virgilio as Dorothy brought a Garlandquality strength and clarity to her vocal numbers, along with good stage presence, movement and dancing. USF sophomore Caleb Meyer almost stole the show with his energetic portrayal of Cowardly Lion, his physical comedy clearly reflecting his talent and love for the stage. Polished dance moves by Alex Leavell as Tin Man contributed to his fine performance. USF stage familiar Andrew Sherman brought his lanky presence to Scarecrow to good effect, while Morgan Spencer shone in her dual roles as Miss Elmira Gulch and the Wicked Witch of the West.

"The show provided a much-needed reprieve from some stressful realities," Beauchamp said. “It’s been such a perfect escape to visit the simpler time of Oz over the past few months,” he said. “It beats watching the news and politics.

Photos by Tim Brumbeloe

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SCULPTURE

GARDEN DEBUTS AT PRESIDENTIAL GALA

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USF’s School of Creative Arts (SOCA) debuted a sculpture garden set amid new walkways, turf and landscaping as part of the Presidential Gala, which opened Sept. 12.

“One of our goals from a few years back was to bring outdoor sculpture to the university,” said Justin Johnson, gallery director and art coordinator. “These are on one-year loan, and this will be a yearly invitational. We hope to develop gallery talks, workshops and mentoring with the artists. Every gala will unveil a new sculpture garden.”

Dean Rick Cartwright said, “This sculpture garden is the crown jewel of SOCA. We’ve wanted this for years, and are so happy to finally support sculpture as we have painting and drawing and other two-dimensional art,” he said. “It’s a new level of sophistication and an opportunity for students to see large-scale sculptures as they work.”

Artwork by Ethan Ross

Gallery artists Tom Hilty and Tamara Monk

Phil Sturger and Music Tech student perform

Inside, the gallery exhibit “Observations: Contemporary Landscapes by Thomas Hilty and Tamara Monk” added to art lovers’ enjoyment.

Hilty, a professor emeritus at Bowling Green University, “was Dean Cartwright’s MFA professor, and taught many USF students who went to Bowling Green for master’s studies,” Johnson said. “His wife Tamara also teaches at Bowling Green and Lourdes University.”

Three years ago Hilty began working in the Upper Peninsula, southern Michigan and northwest Ohio on landscapes of powdered charcoal and powdered graphite to produce fluid black-andwhite landscapes. Monk creates contemporary landscapes and portraits with oil, watercolor and representational media.

“I have an intense curiosity about the environment I inhabit,” Monk said. “In my paintings, I try to let light be the subject, whether it is reflected from water, mirrors, lamps or natural light. By creating these passages of light, I try to convey the sense of mystery and intimacy which first struck me about the subject.”

“I have been fascinated with creating a series of landscapes representing scenes from rivers flowing into the Great Lakes,” Hilty said. “There is something very mysterious about rivers. The compositions try to capture a private and intimate space and yet in the distance a feeling of beckoning one to follow deeper into the surface.”

Photos by Jeffrey Crane, Emma Anger, USF student and Mollie Shutt, USF student

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COAST TO COAST Fulwider brings big-time scope to USF Music Technology program USF Music Technology program director Miles Fulwider has produced records from the East to the West Coast, and worked with recording stars most people only dream of meeting. But when he heard of the new program and facility at USF his interest was piqued, and the rest will make history.

“Professionally, I’ve been a producer and engineer in lots of places,” he said. “After I got an undergrad degree at Utah Valley University, I started working freelance. Then my wife and I were both in grad school, and I got my music tech degree at NYU while she became a dental hygienist. Eventually, I started working with renowned producers, directors and musicians all over the country.” Clients included XM-Sirius Satellite Radio, Jazz at Lincoln Center, documentaries with Ken Burns and recordings for John Batiste, Wynton Marsalis,

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Chick Corea, Willie Nelson and Norah Jones, among others.

Things exploded after connecting with Rob Mathes, singer Sting’s music director, and then recently producing the super group Grinder Blues.

“I’m finishing up that project here. I’m looking ahead to getting celebrities here and finishing their records and the students would assist and be part of it,” he said. His higher education background made USF an even better fit. While producing, he had a tandem job teaching upper-level courses in entertainment industries studies at Delta State in Mississippi.

“Coming here was a culmination of things,” he said two weeks into the new program. “Number one, the facility is new and unique and pushing the mark, especially in acoustic design and 12 suites for practice and recording; it’s all a benchmark.”

“There’s connectivity in all the rooms, so what’s going on anywhere can be accessed. There’s flexibility and versatility, so a room can be used for a small concert or a studio. This is what recording and production studios are using now.”

-USF Music Technology program director Miles Fulwider

The benchmark measures not just technology, but education.

“The acoustics in a room can be altered so a student can use the room as an instrument,” he said. “It’s another level of critical listening, and we are the first institution to use this.”

Technically, it showcases the latest in the industry. “There’s connectivity in all the rooms, so what’s going on anywhere can be accessed. There’s flexibility and versatility, so a room can be used for a small concert or a studio. This is what recording and production studios are using now.”

The facility’s Neve 5088 recording console is “the crown jewel of equipment,” he said. “Consoles are chosen for their sound quality, and this is what world-class artists would expect. Our students have access to it—24 hours a day.

“They’ve been so excited,” he continued. “They keep asking, ‘When can we start?’ They will begin working in the facilities as their level of instruction rises.”

Locating the one-of-a-kind USF Music Technology program next to a 2,000-seat theater is one more “awesome opportunity, as is the ballroom venue,” he said. “Just next door we can record and do live sound. There’s a choice of live versus recorded sound.”

Photos by Jeffrey Crane

It’s a remarkable combination not seen elsewhere except perhaps New York, he said. “It’s very rare to have a theater like that connected to a facility like this. It’s just a hub of activity. The USF School of Creative Arts has so much expertise and creativity, and to have this department was seductive to me because of what we can do. We also have animation students just learning all the great things they can do. To be able to work with other creatives in an environment so close to professional reality is such an opportunity for them. Recording, broadcast, music technology—there’s nothing we can’t do. We’re at that precipice.”

With his big-city background, he can’t help but enjoy the new USF Downtown facilities. “I am excited by this urban setting.

This downtown is vibrant and developing, and putting this facility here enlarges the picture. There’s a natural pulse and nervous system to a city and for us to be in the middle of that—what that will inspire—is exciting.”

But he also likes the small-town feel, safety and quality of life in Fort Wayne. “I have three kids all born in different states and have made 12 moves in 13 years, crossing the country four or five times. I knew we would love it here. The southwest school system is wonderful, and I love the downtown scene. I find it very inspiring and creative.” saint francis magazine | winter 2017

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GIVING

legs to our values

When it comes to expressing our FAITH

THROUGH SERVICE, USF doesn’t just talk the talk — we walk the walk.

Office of Service and Social Action Director Katrina Boedeker gave the university’s values some additional legs through Cougars Serve Together, which offered three service events to new students checking in during Welcome Week.

Cougars Serve Together introduced new students to the campus mission, values and culture of faith, service and community in a fun, easy way. It also provided an opportunity to build relationships while encouraging students to think about community needs and introducing them to the concept and responsibilities of global citizenship.

Students received an introduction to mission at USF through discussion of faith and service, and hearing from established USF students about their experiences.

They broke into groups to serve for an hour, and then came back together to reflect.

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Over 200 students and 17 faculty and staff members participated in a meal-packaging event for the nonprofit organization Stop Hunger Now. They also worked on campus trees for Care for Creation and learned to crochet scarves, hats and mittens for the Warm Fuzzies project.

In one hour the Stop Hunger group packaged 20,483 meals (each serving six people), topping their goal by 483 meals.

Boedeker worked with Indiana Stop Hunger Now personnel to plan the event, with funding from several on-campus sources and a $2,500 grant from Serve Indiana. A Serve Indiana grant representative took part in the Stop Hunger Now project.

Stop Hunger Now seeks to end hunger in our lifetime by providing food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable populations and creating a global commitment to mobilize the necessary resources. Based in Raleigh, N.C., the organization operates meal packaging programs at 20 cities in the U.S. and in South Africa, Malaysia, India, Italy, Peru and

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good - 1 P E TE R 4 : 1 0 stewards of the manifold grace of God.” the Philippines, engaging over 500,000 corporate, student, civic and faith-based volunteers.

Students participated in an on-campus activities fair directly after the Stop Hunger Now project, receiving more information about involvement in other service opportunities.

“After the event, I heard from a current student at USF,” Boedeker shared. “He said, ‘I was working at packing the truck and met this really cool guy (a new USF student). He told me he wanted to find a church here, but didn’t really want to go alone. I gave him my cell phone number and told him to text me any time he wanted to try out a church, and I would go with him. He told me that’s the reason he chose the University of Saint Francis, as he hoped he’d have these kinds of experiences and meet people like me.’”

In the Care for Creation project, students led by faculty members Dr. Lou Weber and Dr. John Zimmerman worked on the roots of 22 trees planted during USF’s Earth Day 2016 event, relieving the stress caused by low rainfall levels.

As participants in the Warm Fuzzies program led by Sister Carol Meyers, other students learned to crochet to help with USF’s ongoing efforts to provide warm winter outerwear for children in need in the Fort Wayne school system. This supplemented the work done by a weekly Warm Fuzzies group on campus.

Boedeker will give multiple class presentations about connecting with nonprofit partners for service experiences to underscore and support the work begun by the Welcome Week projects.

Participants had a lot more to say about their service experience, but one spoke for all: “Can we do a Stop Hunger Now event again next year?”

Photos by Jeffrey Crane

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DEFINED BY GI 20

saint francis magazine | winter 2017

USF’s Obergfell leads from the heart If you ask Thom Obergfell, BBS ’83, what matters most to him, he’ll say giving back.

“It’s how I am,” the USF grad said in his Fort Wayne iAB Financial Bank office, where he is senior vice president for the Commercial Banking Division. “I like to serve and help. As Franciscans, we owe ourselves to our communities, families and organizations. It’s essential to take leadership positions.”

He demonstrated that quality early, when as a USF student he was student body president, a student-athlete and a guitarist for the university’s Jesters troupe for performers with disabilities. He continued to volunteer for Jesters several years after graduation.

“USF recruited me for soccer, and I received an athletic scholarship. I had been accepted at Ball State and Valparaiso, but when the USF coach approached me, I said sure—I’ll play,” he said.

When he began his career, his conscientiousness and work ethic garnered rewards. “I started in banking in 1985 with Summit Bank, and was there through 1999,” he said. “I was fortunate to serve in numerous roles: credit analyst, market research and product development, revolving credit and commercial lending.

Then I joined Tower Bank, serving in various lending and management positions.

I joined iAB Financial Bank in 2009. I now manage the Commercial Banking Division, loaning money to businesses in northeast Indiana.”

At the same time, he and his wife, Rita, raised their three children, leading and serving at home and in their parish. “I was involved with two parishes, St. Peter’s and St. Jude,” he said. “I went to St. Jude school. I lived around there and have been around it my whole life. St. Peter’s is a historic downtown church, and we were married there and had three kids baptized there. When the kids became school-age, we went to St. Jude for the school.” Raised in Catholic traditions, he gave back. “I am finance chair, chair the Annual Bishop’s appeal and lector at St. Pete’s. When my kids were at St. Jude, I coached soccer for four years,” he said.

When the time came to support his alma mater, he again accepted a leadership role. “I have an affinity for the university,” he said. “I was an alumni representative to the finance committee of the board, then a director and now have been a trustee for over five years, and currently chair the development committee.”

But giving is like a pebble thrown in a pond—the ripples fan outward—so Fort Wayne was drawn into the circle. “I served for eight years as a City Council representative to the Redevelopment Commission, starting when Parkview Field was under construction,” he said. “Now I am a City Council appointee to the Joint Legacy Funding Committee. I have been a huge downtown campus advocate. I’m a downtown guy.”

GIVING Photos by Jeffrey Crane

“When I went to USF it was a different era,” he said. “The values are even stronger now than when I was there. There were only about 100 kids living on campus. Growth has been phenomenal.”

Typically, that makes him want to widen his support and spread word of USF’s important forward strides. “I would love to let alumni from my time at USF know of these changes,” he said. “They would not believe what is happening on the campus today. It’s so different than it was then.

“A friend from the Netherlands with whom I played soccer at USF came to town two or three years ago, and I took him to campus. He could not believe it.”

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From left: Mindy Yoder (DNP, RN, FNP-BC); Marquessa Fisher (DNP, CRNA); Wendy Clark (DNP, RN, FNP-BC, CNE)

LEADING CARE

USF’s inaugural doctorate program launches Indiana’s first nurse anesthesia program

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USF's new Doctor of

Nursing Practice (DNP) program offers two tracks: DNP and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).

The CRNA program is the first in Indiana.

What better way to meld USF’s education mission and reputation for excellence in healthcare programs than to offer the university’s first doctorate—northeast Indiana’s only Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) program?

It’s a question Marquessa Fisher, doctor of nursing practice (DNP) and CRNA, has asked and answered for herself.

The program director and associate professor of USF’s new CRNA program, slated to begin in August 2017, sees this as a way to fully dedicate herself to her practice. “It really is exciting,” Fisher said. “Part of the reason I took this challenge is that we are taught to do everything we can to advance this profession. What better way than to open a program in an area that doesn’t have one?”

Indiana is one of the few remaining states to offer a CRNA program. Other states have placed over 50,000 nurse anesthetists in the healthcare arena. USF is filling the need to provide an accredited program that keeps talent in Indiana.

“Before this program opened, students would go out of state to train, which costs more,” she said. “And we would lose our critical care nurses to other states, because they generally stay where they train. The training sites pick the students they want to hire. They’ve already established a comfortable relationship with them, and they keep the talent.”

Bachelor degree-prepared nurses with one or usually two years of critical care in acute setting can apply. “It’s a 36-month rigorous continuous program, with didactic (classroom) and clinical elements,” she said. Students perform a minimum of 2,000 operating room hours and log 600 cases spanning each specialty area, such as open heart, thoracic and pediatric surgery.

“CRNAs are highly educated advanced practice registered nurses (RNs) who deliver anesthesia to patients," Fisher said. “They are prepared to administer every type of anesthesia to all types of patients, in any setting where anesthesia is administered.

They must have seven to eight years of education, training and experience. They average three and a half years of clinical experience before starting in a nurse anesthesia program.”

Fisher came to USF via the University of Miami, where she taught and was a clinical faculty member for University of Miami Hospital. A door to USF opened through fellow doctoral student, USF’s Dr. Wendy Clark, now director of the Master of Science in Nursing program and an associate professor in the Department of Nursing.

“When I got my doctorate in 2013, Wendy Clark was one of my DNP cohorts,” she said. “After we graduated, she called and said USF was investigating offering a CRNA. Initially, I worked as a consultant during proposal development. Once the Board of Trustees approved the program, I applied for the program director position, the board approved it and the rest is history.”

History-making began in July, when the Higher Learning Commission, the university’s regional accreditor, conducted an on-site visit and approved USF to offer the DNP. Then in January, the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs visited. The council will deliver its final analysis in May, paving the way for the CRNA offering in the fall.

“The opportunity is here to advance the profession and practice of nurse anesthesia,” Fisher said. “Nurse anesthetists are essential.

We deliver anesthesia abroad with the U.S. military, and in

thousands of communities across the nation, including rural communities. Indiana has 92 counties, of which 72 are largely rural. That’s a lot of impact.”

USF School of Health Sciences Dean Dr. Mindy Yoder stressed the accreditation’s meaning. “The work of the faculty and the university is validated through the accreditation of the program,” she said. “By the time the DNP is offered, the institutional and specialty accreditors have examined support resources, faculty credentials, curricular components, assessment and evaluation processes, and clinical site experiences and affiliations.”

The university’s high-quality graduates and excellent nursing education will continue in this first doctoral program. “USF has a well-established reputation for excellence,” Yoder said. “Our nursing and healthcare graduates are at nearly 100 percent in licensure pass rates and employment. We have 700 nursing students now in undergraduate and graduate programs. Indiana has approximately 300 practicing nurse anesthetists and to date, no nurse anesthesia programs. According to the Indiana Association for Nurse Anesthetists, the need for CRNAs will more than double in the next 10 years. We are going to enroll 15 in our highly competitive program annually each fall beginning this year. We anticipate that graduates will be employed quickly.

“We are excited to provide Indiana’s first certified registered nurse anesthesia program, and to have nursing lead the way with the university’s first doctoral program. I am hopeful this will open up opportunities for other practice doctorates.”

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NURSING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS

HIGHLIGHTS THROUGH THE YEARS

The University of Saint Francis has a long tradition of Nursing quality and leadership. The Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration opened a teaching school in 1890 in Lafayette, Indiana. Over the years, the university added a wide variety of degree programs, launching Nursing degrees in the 1990s. Under the leadership of its dean Dr. Mindy Yoder DNP, RN, FNP-BC, and Graduate Nursing program director, Dr. Wendy Clark DNP, RN, FNP-BC, CNE, the USF School of Health Sciences is widely recognized by health professionals as the preeminent leader in healthcare education in northeast Indiana.

1981

2006

St. Joseph School of Nursing alums join St. Francis College alums

1987

USF Crown Point begins offering Nursing education

2007

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is established

1994 The Master of Science in Nursing is added

1998 St. Francis College becomes the University of Saint Francis

State-of-the-art Simulation Lab opens in the Doermer Family Center for Health Science Education

2010 Cadaver Lab opens in Achatz Hall

2011 USF Crown Point builds free-standing facility in response to rapidly growing nursing enrollment

1998 Lutheran College of Health Professions’ students join the University of Saint Francis

2012 New online RN-BSN program expands access to quality nursing degrees

2000 USF builds the Doermer Family Center for Health Science Education

2005 USF begins offering nursing programs at St. Anthony's Medical Center in Crown Point, Indiana

2017 USF launches its first doctoral program, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Track One: BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program (CRNA) Track Two: Post-MSN Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

LEADING WITH EXPERIENCE Mindy Yoder DNP, RN, FNP-BC Dean, School of Health Sciences Associate Professor Dr. Yoder earned bachelor and master degrees from Indiana Wesleyan University in 1992 and 1996 respectively. She completed a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at the University of Minnesota in 2011. She has published and presented primarily in the areas of patient safety and interprofessional education. She has worked in inpatient, primary care, long-term care, and occupational health settings. She has been in nursing faculty and administrative roles at the University of Saint Francis for the past 15 years and currently serves as the dean of the School of Health Sciences.

Wendy Clark DNP, RN, FNP-BC, CNE Graduate Nursing Program Director and Associate Professor Dr. Clark earned a bachelor degree from Indiana University School of Nursing in 1993. After working in the intensive care arena, she earned a Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner in 2001 at the University of Saint Francis.

Dr. Clark maintains a private practice in primary care and joined academia in 2005. She completed a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of Miami in 2013. She has been the project director for an HRSA Academic Education in Nursing Traineeship grant since 2012. She currently serves as the graduate nursing program director at the University of Saint Francis.

Marquessa Fisher DNP, CRNA

Lisa Osborne MSNA, CRNA

Nurse Anesthesia Program Director and Associate Professor

Assistant Nurse Anesthesia Program Director and Instructor

Dr. Fisher earned a bachelor degree in 1999 from the University of Louisville in Kentucky and, in 2005, graduated from the Trover Foundation/Murray State University Program of Nurse Anesthesia and received a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of Miami in 2013. In February 2015, Fisher assisted in designing the USF nurse anesthesia program. Fisher was appointed program director for the University of Saint Francis Nurse Anesthesia program in 2016.

Ms. Osborne completed her undergraduate studies at USF in 2007 and worked as a critical care pediatric and neonatal nurse. She earned a Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia in 2013, and has been practicing as a nurse anesthetist in Fort Wayne for three years. Osborne was appointed assistant program director for the USF Nurse Anesthesia program in September 2016.

FULL-TIME FACULTY Amanda Benz MSN, RN • Margaret Blauvelt RN, MS, MSN, CNE • Cynthia Carlin MSN-FNP, RN • Wendy Clark DNP, RN, FNPBC, CNE • Rita Deininger MS, RN • Rene DePew MSN, FNP-BC • Nancy Fieldhouse MSN, RN, FNP • Marquessa Fisher DNP, CRNA • Rachel Gilson MSN, RNC-OB • Whitney Gradeless MSN, RN • Carol Greulich MSN, RN, CNE • Renee Hammond BSN, RN, CLC • Dave Johnson PhD, RN, CNS, BC • Caitlin Krouse MSN, FNP-BC, RN • Susan Lown MSN, MS, RN, CNE • Lorie Lucas MSN, RN, PCCN, CNE • Pat Luckey RN, MS, MSN, CNE • Nancy Maier MSN, RN • Jennifer Mays MSN, RN • Debra Middleton MS(Ed), RN • Carla Mueller PhD, RN • Lisa Osborne MSNA, CRNA • Timm Reed RRT, RN, BS, MBA, MSN • Jennifer Richard MSN, RN, CNE • Rosemary Rinaldi MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, CNE • Patricia Rinker MSN, MSB, RN • Terri Roberts MSN, RN • Allison Sabin DNP, RN, APHN-BC • Mary Spath PhD, RN, CNS, CNE • Sonia Strevy PhD, MS, RN • Megan Winegarden DNP, EdM, CNE, RN • Amber Yoder MSN, RN • Carolyn Yoder MSN, RN, CNE • Mindy Yoder DNP, RN, FNP-BC

ADJUNCT FACULTY Angela Abbot MSN, RN • Milinda Abel BSN, RN • Mary Bailey MSN, RN • Stephanie Ballard MSN, RN • Sara Bauer DNP, RN • Laurie Bazur-Persing MSN, RN • Lori Caudill RN, MSN • Sue Cox MSN, RN • Amber Degitz MSN, RN • Cinnamon Donley MSN, RN • Abbie Evans BSN, RN • Christy Fawcett BSN, RN • Geoff Gephart MSN, RN • Tamara Haslar DNP, RN, ACNS-BC, FNPBC • Stacie Housholder MSN, RN • Debra Howell BSN, RNC-OB • Emily Hurst MSN, RN, FNP • Janelle Johnson BSN, RN • Rhonda Jones MSN, RN • Amy Knepp NP-C, MSN, RN • Paula Langeloh MSN, APRN, FNP-C • Holly Mitchell BSN, RN • Dorinda Mosbrucker FNP-C, LNC, RN • Janet Myers • Lisa Omo-Griffith RN, MSN, FNP-C • Meg Pahmier MSN, CPNP, RN • Kim Penland PhD, BNP-BC, APRN • Rashida Ray MSN, RN • Ashley Rodenbeck BSN, RN • Patti Sprang MSN, APRN, WHNP-BC • Jodi Strock MSN, RN, FNP-BC • Donna Tratnyek MSN, RN • Marcie Weissner MSN, RNC-OB • Kevin Wellman MSN, RN

BISHOP HYING USF Crown Point well suited to community, Church Most Rev. Bishop Donald Hying of the Catholic Diocese of Gary got a hands-on look at USF Crown Point when he visited campus in November. During a facilities tour, he listened with a stethoscope to the breath and lungs of a patient simulator, participated in an exercise and interacted with students, making clear his interest in USF Crown Point’s technology, education, mission and students.

He recognized USF Crown Point as a supplier of trained healthcare workers in an area that needs them. “I immediately noticed the number of Catholic healthcare institutions, and for them to function, they need new and well-trained people, so it’s a good match,” he said. As Bishop Hying interacted with students, he saw clearly that many were launching postponed first careers or beginning second ones.

A newcomer to northwest Indiana, Bishop Hying had twice celebrated Mass at USF Crown Point for opening convocation in the fall. The glimpse piqued his interest. “At the last opening convocation I asked for a tour of the campus to learn more,” he said. He found the faculty and staff dedicated and the students focused. “Students loved the flexible course schedule and small classes. They seemed animated and enthused about their future careers,” he said.

Bishop Hying found USF Crown Point’s education mission in harmony with that of the Church. “When you look at Jesus’ public ministry, a large part of it was healing,” he said.

Bishop Hying praised the functional aspect of the new facility built by USF at Franciscan Point in 2011. Citing the technology of the patient simulators, he found the realism and creativity of the training scenarios fascinating. “Situations are set up with serious errors so the students must fix the problems. It’s complex technology,” he said. “It’s purposeful education, and people are happy there.” The Bishop was also impressed by visiting high school students, who showed extreme interest in the simulators.

USF Crown Point leaders enjoyed Bishop Hying’s visit.

“He was very engaged with us and the students,” said USF Crown Point Director of Marketing and Admission Sandie Phalen. “He was very interested in the history of USF and USF Crown Point. He had several questions for the students, with the most popular being, ‘What makes USF Crown Point outstanding?’ Bishop Hying is a real people-type person, and it was great to have him on campus.”

“Bringing integrity to people’s health is a big part of the Catholic mission because it was part of Jesus’ mission. USF Crown Point’s mission dovetails well with what the Church seeks to accomplish.”

“Bringing integrity to people’s health is a big part of the Catholic mission because it was part of Jesus’ mission. USF Crown Point’s mission dovetails well with what the Church seeks to accomplish.” —Bishop Donald Hying saint francis magazine | winter 2017

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NAVIGATING NECESSITIES USF students assess Ash Brokerage move risks This spring, Ash Brokerage moved from suburban southwest Fort Wayne to its new downtown facility. USF students from a senior capstone project in the EPIC business program worked with Ash CFO Joe Svitek, CIO Dr. David Threm, and USF Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) Program Director Eve-Lynn Clarke to assess the risks associated with the move and present their findings to Ash. “We knew a move from point A to point B posed a number of different risks, including moving the technology and physical assets and getting them working, moving the people, and building in contingencies in the event of bad weather and delays,” Svitek said. “Months before the move, we had

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the students walk through and assess potential risks while the building was under construction.”

“We were concerned about the change management of moving into the building,” Threm said. “We talked about how to manage internal and external change like potential loss of employees who wouldn’t take an elevator, being downtown and things of that nature. They had a good handle on that. The students brought up security issues and we walked through solutions.”

“Students in the enterprise risk management class had the opportunity to meet and work with the CFO and CIO,”

Photos by Jeffrey Crane

From left: USF student Rosalena Schroeder USF student Benjamin Mauch, Ash Brokerage CIO Dr. David Threm, Ash Brokerage CFO Joe Svitek, USF Assistant Professor Eve-Lynn Clarke, and USF student Tyler Speigl.

Clarke said. “They focused their assessment on the new building and were excited about the opportunity to tour it for potential facility and move risks. We wore hard hats, stepped over HVAC, and watched the raised flooring installation. This is what experiential learning is all about!”

Seniors Tyler Speigl and Rosie Schroeder worked on the project, while Ben Mauch experienced the client end of the project as an EPIC intern working with Ash. “We had a five-step approach,” Speigl said. “We wanted to gain knowledge of the organization and their standards and processes in relation to industry standards and practices; develop a risk register to identify as many risks as possible and categorize them by priority and likelihood; develop a questionnaire for a meeting with the CFO and CIO about the new facility, including a look at the blueprints; tour the new building to add any new risks to the register; analyze and evaluate the data, leading to conclusions; and present these observations to Ash. “An increase in cyber-crimes was a concern, with the news of their move,” he said. “Another was making sure the technology would work the first day.”

Schroeder explained a different angle. “The move downtown was going to raise awareness of the homeless population.

Ash worked with the shelter and police to better understand what to expect with the homeless population, for their safety and that of Ash employees,” she said. “When we took this challenge, we thought it would be easy. We broke it down into manageable project steps, and began to see the full picture. You don’t just move your computers and you’re good to go. We set target dates for tasks, we established roles for our teams and communicated with Eve-Lynn and Ash.

Ash is really on their game, so we learned a lot, but they did too. Sometimes they were like, wow—we didn’t think of that.”

From the Ash perspective, Mauch said, “We’ve had very few issues since the move. It went very smoothly. We walked in the door and went to work. I see every day how the processes played into how it all works. The moving parts give you perspective.”

It adds up to a great outlook for the new RMI program.

“We’re accessible to downtown companies and continue to explore experiential learning opportunities and new partnerships for the risk management program,” Clarke said. “We also had a repeat client with the Fort for Fitness organization.”

Ash executives had positive feedback.

“The students were enthusiastic and very engaged, and when you look at it holistically, they brought an overall strategy in managing risk, and managed precisely,” Threm said.

“They brought up issues regarding the necessary documents applying to local laws. They were very well organized, and their presentation was top-notch. They were very impressive.

The students understood exactly what we wanted to accomplish for our organization, community and downtown Fort Wayne.”

“This shows our confidence in the students’ work and our partnership/mentoring of them,” Svitek said. “We had a positive experience with the USF students. The RMI program is young, but the successes indicate the foundation is in place and as we work and mentor, I feel very good about our ability to shape it and make it one of the best programs in the country.”

“They focused their assessment on the new building and were excited about the opportunity to tour it for potential facility and move risks.

We wore hard hats, stepped over HVAC, and watched the raised flooring installation. This is what experiential learning is all about!”

- EVE- LY N N C LA RKE, A S S IS TA N T P R OFE SSOR, P RO GRA M D IREC T O R saint francis magazine | winter 2017

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HARVEST

FROM THE HEART USF’s Klein gleans volunteers for food bank “Community Harvest” not only names Rachel Klein’s employer—it defines her mission. A May graduate of USF’s organizational leadership master degree program, Klein sifts through the community for that most golden of yields — volunteers for Community Harvest Food Bank.

As volunteer coordinator for the nonprofit organization serving the hungry in nine northeast Indiana counties, Klein introduces volunteers to group and community engagement, sharing what Community Harvest does and educating on hunger awareness. It all nourishes the organization’s core mission — the distribution of a million pounds of food a month to families who need it.

The job supports a search begun when the Homestead High School graduate began a course of study in fashion design at Oklahoma State University. An illness brought her back to Fort Wayne, where she did some serious thinking about her life.

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“I’ve always loved the arts and creativity,” she said. “I found I loved design work, but not the industry. I wanted to do something positive and uplifting, so I got a liberal studies degree and then my master of organizational leadership at USF to figure it all out. Liberal studies gave me lots of volunteer experience, and I found out nonprofits are pretty cool. To operate successfully, it takes a business mind, but you have to apply an understanding heart to those concepts. I realized I could use my talents and intellect to impact my community in a good way.”

The scope of her college experience allowed her to make some comparisons. “I had the huge state school and then the smaller Christian learning environment,” she said. “At the state school there was no focus on the individual, or room to develop and think critically about who you were. At USF, my professors’ teaching forced me to think about who I was and wanted to be. I found a university that equips me to go out into the world and do something.”

USF’s Rachel Klein (BA ’15, MA ’16), front, works with volunteers at Community Harvest Food Bank to distribute a million pounds of food a month to people who need it. The food bank's volunteer coordinator, she is pictured here with, from left, volunteers Larry Gray, Julian Lyons, Michael Gillenwater and Michael Hale.

Working for Community Harvest as a graduate student paved the way for her hiring before graduation. She finds it continually enriching. “We could not serve without our volunteers,” Klein said. “I go to work every day and know 21,000 people will be served every week.”

As happens in careers of impact, she’s had some particularly rewarding experiences with her volunteers. “I was working with a young woman who was a high school volleyball player, and asked her what she thought of her experience,” Klein said.

“She said she thought she would be helping the homeless, and that she knew the type of clients she’d be seeing.

“She told me she was really surprised to see her classmates coming through for help. It was so powerful for her to see that the work we do daily serves our neighbors and friends. I saw the light bulb go off in her head. Everybody falls on hard times, and you never know who you’ll help. It can make their day just to know they get to go home and eat dinner.”

Photos by Tim Brumbeloe

Traits learned at USF will stay with her forever.

“From the overarching teaching and understanding of the Franciscan values, I really latched onto the respect for the identity of each person I meet,” Klein said. “Being a volunteer coordinator means seeing each person as unique and respecting that.

“The education that I received from USF has prepared me for my career. After graduation, I really came to understand just how practical and realistic my classes were. My professors created thoughtful assignments that encouraged me to apply theories and ideas to real-life situations, and this has helped me immensely in my work.”

Designed for up-and-coming leaders, USF’s Master of Organizational Leadership in the Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership includes concentrations so graduate students can specialize in one of four areas of interest: nonprofit organization, for-profit organization, education and healthcare services.

For more information, call 260-247-8118 or visit business.sf.edu. saint francis magazine | winter 2017

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LEAD PAINT PROJECT TRANSFORMS SCIENCE STUDENTS

“In my junior year I started the lead survey in tandem with the health department, which gave me realworld science and the ability to see what’s out there.”

Teresa Marion, BS ’14 Environmental Health Specialist at the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health 32

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There is a true symbiosis between Dr. Andrea Geyer’s lead paint project, now in its third rotation, and its participants.

Students’ hands-on testing of lead paint chips on older Fort Wayne homes, working with the Vector Control Division of the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health, has not only led to an enrollment explosion in the environmental course but also to USF graduates working in various environmental fields.

Geyer, chemistry department chair, received funding for the project from a 2012 Indiana Campus Compact grant.

In a Fort Wayne neighborhood adjacent to USF, students surveyed 350 to 500 households each year, asking to analyze exterior paint for lead. Evidence of lead was found in 38 percent, 80 percent and 51 percent, respectively, of households tested in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

Lead poisoning can cause permanent brain damage, attention deficit disorder, development issues or push a learning delayed child into the learning disabled bracket. The high lead content of drinking water in Flint, Mich., last year underscored the national problem. In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that at least 13,400 Indiana children had lead poisoning.

The project provides important education, testing and data. “It increases awareness and fills a great need for the Department of Health because it is a major primary prevention program for lead poisoning,” Geyer said. “The Department of Health legitimizes the campaign working hand in hand with the students.”

The hands-on learning has inspired several students to take jobs dealing with environmental issues impacting public health. “Students learn to test here just as they would in a certified lab,” Geyer said. “This course has traditionally been taken by environmental science and chemistry majors, but has expanded to include biology and pre-medical students, who see science and health come together, and it’s a new experience.

The course has tripled in size this fall. Students are excited about an opportunity that brings meaning to their lab work.”

USF environmental science major Teresa Marion graduated and joined the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Photos by Jeffrey Crane

Health in 2014. Now an environmental health specialist with the Vector Control Division, she works for the same division with which she collaborated on the lead paint project.

“In my junior year I started the lead survey in tandem with the health department, which gave me real-world science and the ability to see what’s out there,” she said. “My favorite job is to teach about lead paint, insect problems and creating healthy living conditions. In terms of USF, it was really nice to do labs in the field. Dr. Geyer had us putting real-world problems into our lab, so it meant a lot to us in terms of impact.”

USF grad Shane Swygart, an environmental specialist with Omnisource, a scrap metals recycler, completed a BA in environmental science in 2013 and will complete an MBA in sustainability studies in 2017.

“The lead paint project was a great opportunity for students to get involved with the community and get some handson application of classwork,” Swygart said. “My role now with Omnisource places the two together. I’m working with storm water monitoring and how our actions affect the future. Monitoring ensures the company stays below benchmark levels established for the safety of rainwater runoff. I am continually working to lower it even further and strengthen our impact. Any time you can give back to your community, it is highly valued.”

Jordan Heim earned a degree with double majors in forensic and bio-chemistry in 2013. Now a hazardous waste analysis chemist with Systech in Paulding, Ohio, she works with the global company to intake hazardous materials from pharmaceutical, paint and refinery companies, mix it and burn it in kilns to make cement. “The lead paint project was interesting because it took all we did in the lab and applied it to the real world,” she said. “Lots of the chemistry used instrumentation similar to what I use now, and some of the principles are the same,” she said. “I like working for an environmentally-conscious company that deals with useless leftover waste.”

“We want them living their education, reaching out beyond the classroom walls and doing something that affects someone else,” Dr. Geyer said. “This is project-based learning. It’s not just a class, it’s reality.” saint francis magazine | winter 2017

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Coach Kevin Donley and the USF Cougars reach the top of the NAIA football mountain.

University of Saint Francis football coach Kevin Donley had walked off a football field with a win 301 times. That’s a lot of winning strolls.

Donley’s postgame escort was one of many memorable moments in the most memorable season in USF’s 19 years of football.

He was long overdue for a ride.

Donley surpassed 300 wins, a rare milestone for a college coach and the most in NAIA history, and his players set or extended 17 school records. The highlight of the season, of course, came with the Cougars’ 38-17 win over Baker in the NAIA national championship game on Dec. 17 in Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla.

After Donley’s 302nd win, senior defensive tackle Drake DeMuyt and sophomore defensive tackle Eric Hemmelgarn lifted the coach onto their shoulders and carried him off with the University of Saint Francis’ first NAIA football national championship.

“I’ve gotten the water bucket before, but never been toted off the field like that,” Donley said. “I had about 600 pounds of ground round under me, so I felt pretty safe.”

The overflowing joy of the win was shared by those who have played and coached for the Cougars, as well as students and supporters who have cheered them on during two decades of gridiron excellence.

saint | winter 2017 Coach Kevin Donley, Zach Minardo and Shannon Swain 34 From left: USFfrancis Cougarsmagazine Shawn Ryan, Brian Gegner,

Get your NAIA National Championship Gear at usf.bncollege.com and at the USF Campus Shoppe.

Donley’s post-game ride spoke volumes about the personal connections involved.

“I think that just shows the feeling between the players and the coaches here,” Donley said. “It’s not the norm, I don’t believe. It’s a special thing.”

Donley directed the Cougars to a 13-1 record, overseeing a high-powered offense led by junior quarterback Nick Ferrer, senior wide receiver Seth Coate, sophomore running back Justin Green and a tremendous offensive line. USF’s defense, meanwhile, set a tone of toughness and tenacity behind the leadership of senior defensive end Lucas Sparks, who was named the Mid-States Football Association Mideast League Defensive Player of the Year.

The Ferrer-to-Coate connection proved to be one of the best in college football, capped by an incredible national championship performance.

Ferrer set several University of Saint Francis records including passing yards (4,046) and touchdowns (51).

He also tied the record for touchdowns in a single game (six). Coate set the mark for receiving yards in a season (1,693), touchdown receptions (25) and consecutive games with a touchdown reception (27), and he tied the record for points scored (150).

Ferrer and Coate connected on three touchdown passes in the national title game. Coate caught nine passes for 180 yards and was named the Offensive Player of the

Join us on

April 23 Story by Reggie Hayes, photos by Tim Brumbeloe, Jeffrey Crane and Bill Scott

Game. Sparks had 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery and was named the Defensive Player of the Game.

“It was a great feeling to hold on to that red (national championship) banner,” Coate said. “That’s all we wanted to do, and we were able to do that.”

Coate, the son of USF assistant head coach Doug Coate, is now training to compete for an NFL shot. Seth was six years old when he first met Donley. Little did he know their relationship would culminate in the greatest season in Cougar football history.

“This is such a family-like atmosphere,” Coate said. “I’ve had so many good guys beside me all the way.”

Donley, who teamed with University of Saint Francis President Sister M. Elise Kriss to create the football program in 1998, was named 2016 NAIA National Coach of the Year and signed a five-year contract extension. He pointed to the program’s special atmosphere as the cornerstone of success.

“To show you the football family here, this group of seniors wanted us to make the championship ring available to all former players and supporters,” Donley said. “That ring will have a different side panel than the players’ rings, but it’s a beautiful ring.”

A beautiful ring is indeed fitting for the most beautiful USF football season.

The 2016 USF Cougars will receive their NAIA National Championship rings. Purchase tickets now at usfchampionshipceremony.eventbrite.com.

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COUGARS EXCEL TM

on the courts, fields and classrooms

BASKETBALL

THREE’S A CHARM

The Cougars started 2016-17 winning their first 11 games, a record to start the season, but after two NAIA No. 1 selections, USF slipped to No. 2 in the Jan. 24 poll after losing four consecutive games. USF won 75-52 on Jan. 24 to halt the four-game slide. The Lady Cougars went on a six-game winning streak pushing their record to 11-9 including a 60-55 upset on Jan. 14 over No. 12 Indiana Wesleyan University. USF freshman Lauren McBryar was named NAIA and CL Player of the Week for her play the week of Jan. 9-14.

For the third consecutive year, the University of Saint Francis athletics program has earned designation as a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Champions of Character Gold Five-Star Institution for 2015-16. USF earned the highest category and was one of just 18 institutions to earn the Gold designation. USF tied for second in points awarded with three other institutions. Institutions are measured on a demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character and earn points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion.

TIP-OFF GALA USF Head Basketball Coach Chad LaCross called the inaugural USF Men’s Basketball Tip-Off Gala and Auction a huge success with more than 270 people attending the event at the Parkview Health Mirro Center for Research and Innovation in October 2016. “This event was outstanding for our program and university,” LaCross observed. “We have so many great fans here in the Fort Wayne community and beyond that have generously supported our basketball program. We strive to represent our great university with firstclass young men on and off the court and our Tip-Off Gala was a great reflection of our program. We look forward to continuing this event in the future to promote our basketball program and the University of Saint Francis.”

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“I am extremely proud of our coaches and student-athletes at USF,” said Athletic Director Mike McCaffrey. “To earn Gold back-to-back-to-back is a special achievement for our university.”

GOLF Led by four medalist finishes by freshman Marissa Singer, the Lady Cougars golf team reached No. 31 in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll. USF won three of its final five tournaments to close out the fall portion of the 2016-17 season. Singer, who is a Guerin Catholic High School grad from Noblesville, Ind., won USF’s final event with a two-round 154 shooting a 74 and 80 in the Mt. Vernon Nazarene Fall Classic at Chapel Hill Golf Course. Nicole Norton shot 158 (80-78) to finish fifth.

WOMEN'S SOCCER In women’s soccer, USF Crossroads League first-team picks included senior forward Mackenzie Starcevich and senior midfielder/defender Katie Barker. Starcevich led the CL in game-winning goals with six during the regular season and she finished second in goals scored with 15 and points with 32. Barker tied for fifth in the CL with seven assists.

USF senior Summer Holtkamp, a center-mid/forward, and freshman center back Alexa Siegel were honorable mention selections. USF finished 8-10-2, seventh in the CL at 3-5-1. USF upset 17th-ranked Taylor University 1-0 in the CL Tournament quarterfinals before losing 3-0 at Marian University in a semifinal match.

MEN'S SOCCER USF senior men’s soccer forward Steven Johnson was named CL Offensive Player of the Week Sept. 18 after he scored all three goals in a Cougars win and tie the previous week. USF finished 4-12-2 overall, 1-8-0 in the CL.

VOLLEYBALL Cassidy Rammel and Valorie Flick were named All-Crossroads League second team in volleyball. All-CL honorable mention picks included senior setter Chloe Hubner (Warsaw, IN / Warsaw H.S.), junior defensive specialist Emily Poe (Warsaw, IN / Warsaw H.S.) and sophomore outside hitter Becca Pruden (Ft. Wayne, IN / Northrop H.S.). Middle hitter Megan Diagostino (Indianapolis, IN / Cardinal Ritter H.S.) was also named to the All-CL Freshman Team. USF finished 8-26 overall, 4-14 in CL action.

TENNIS USF men’s and women’s tennis earned a No. 8 seed in the CL Tournament, but lost in the first round. The men finished 1-10, the women 2-9.

Photos by Jeff Dollens and Bill Scott

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USF Helps to Crush Hunger Again The University of Saint Francis continued its eight-year fight against food insufficiency in northeast Indiana by participating in the second annual U Can Crush Hunger campaign, Oct. 24 through Nov. 4. Begun in 2015 by Community Harvest Food Bank, U Can Crush Hunger is an intercollegiate food drive, a “friendly competition” between USF, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), Indiana Tech, Ivy Tech Community College Northeast and Huntington University. This year, 33,200 pounds of nonperishable food items were collected by USF students, faculty and staff who topped the list, donating 20,162 pounds.

Albion Unveils Mural Created

by USF Student Last September, the town of Albion, Indiana, unveiled its contribution to the Indiana Bicentennial Legacy Project: a 12'x24' mural on the south wall of the Noble County Economic Development Corporation. The mural, which recognizes the rich heritage of Noble County, was designed and painted by University of Saint Francis Studio Art major Daniel McDonald in partnership with the Albion S.T.A.R. Team and with the guidance of USF Assistant Professor and Program Director of Studio Art Tim Parsley.

The mural can be seen by travelers entering Albion on State Road 9.

USF Institutes Sacred Time on Campus The university has designated a portion of the academic day as “Sacred Time” on its campus, the first such initiative in U.S. Catholic higher education. It enables students and employees to participate in Mass or to engage in personal spiritual practices.

Sacred Time occurs for 30 minutes on weekdays and one hour each Sunday, when Mass is celebrated at the USF Main Campus.

During Sacred Time, no on-campus, university-sponsored activities are scheduled for or by students or employees.

“This policy is a strong affirmation of the university’s mission and a very concrete means for members of the university community to cultivate and deepen their spiritual lives,” said Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne/South Bend. “I am grateful that the University of Saint Francis recognizes this need through this initiative which demonstrates the conviction that the academic life is enriched, not diminished, by openness to the transcendent, a deeper understanding of the Word of God, and prayer.”

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USF Names Tammy Oakes Senior Gift Officer A native of Tennessee, USF’s new Senior Gift Officer, Tammy Oakes, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management and a Master of Education in Higher Education Leadership and Policy from the University of South Carolina. Her career in higher education has included various positions within student affairs and international education. After three years in India, followed by two years in Russia, her relocation to Fort Wayne in 2016 brought her to the University of Saint Francis. Tammy now lives in Fort Wayne with husband Dean and their three daughters.

Bishop Rhoades Speaks at USF about Catholic Political Responsibilities The University of Saint Francis School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the St. Thomas More Society of Fort Wayne welcomed The Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades, Bishop of the Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese, on October 26 for a lecture at the USF North Campus Auditorium. Bishop Rhoades spoke about the political responsibility of Catholics, including the duty to vote according to a well-formed conscience. He discussed faithful citizenship, highlighting Church teaching and principles for prudential decisions in voting as well as Catholic engagement in the civic order.

USF Opens St. Clare Chapel in Downtown Business Center The USF Downtown project included creating a special place of worship and prayer for our students, faculty and staff along with our downtown Fort Wayne neighbors. Located in the new USF Business Center, the St. Clare Chapel is the only chapel or church in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend dedicated to St. Clare of Assisi. The space includes original artwork from area artists, including stained glass from William L. Lupkin Designs. St. Clare Chapel is open to the public and Mass is celebrated every Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. during the fall and spring semesters.

COMMUNITY SER VICE OPPORTUNITIES

DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO SERVE

Alumni, students and staff can connect with community service opportunities through USF. Run or walk in the Formula for Life 5K on Sunday, April 23, beginning at 1 p.m. at Hutzell Athletic Center on the USF campus, and help raise funds for Our Lady of Perpetual Help orphanage in Haiti. Other opportunities are available. For more information, contact Amy Obringer at 260-399-7700, ext. 8120 or aobringer@sf.edu. saint francis magazine | winter 2017

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“And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. ” - LU KE 2: 12

And Snow It Began

Christmas at USF dazzles with first snowfall The sky opened up to sprinkle wonder upon Christmas at USF as we welcomed December's first snow of the season. Families and friends turned out in groups to weather big, wet flakes that required more of an umbrella than a muffler to keep warm. The tradition delivered everything they were looking for—Christmas cheer and the reason for the season.

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“We try to find the community activities,” said Nathan Hartman, carrying one child, while wife Kacie led another by the hand. “Our daughters like the animals, and it’s important to honor traditions.” Kacie agreed, adding, “We also like the spiritual element.”

In the Pope John Paul II Center entryway, brightly-iced Christmas cookies and hot chocolate treated those waiting under cover for the Living Nativity to begin. “The snow, hearing the children sing and sensing the spirit of God” attracted Mark Baker of Fort Wayne to campus. “I like the Living Nativity, the animals and the children,” said Cindy Weakly of Fort Wayne. “There aren’t many chances to do something like this, so I like to come when I can.”

Smiling adults enjoyed saucer-eyed children awed by the lit manger scene, the live animals and the costumes. “This is the true meaning of Christmas,” said Theresa Lutgen, ready to watch her daughter, USF student Caroline Lutgen, portray an angel in the pageantry. “I like watching the children get the idea of what it’s all about,” Caroline’s dad, Anthony, said.

upcoming events M O N D A Y, T U E S D A Y, MARCH 27-28

“Moana” Lecture and Screening

USF Robert Goldstine Performing Arts Center On March 27, Disney animator Adam Green shares stories of working on Disney films, and families are invited to a special screening of his film “Moana” on March 28.

T U E S D A Y, A P R I L 1 1

SCAN Easter Basket Build Alumni House 6:30 p.m.

Volunteer your time alongside students, building Easter baskets for the children at SCAN. Donations of candy, baskets, stuffed animals and other goodies can be dropped off at the Alumni House before April 10.

F R I D A Y, A P R I L 2 8

St. Joseph School of Nursing Reunion

North Campus Gymnasium 6 p.m. Cash Bar, Dinner at 7 p.m.

The Class of 1967 will be honored at this All Years Reunion. Reservation forms to arrive in the mail in March.

“I like the whole procession,” Jeff Mizer commented.

“It’s a family activity—a tradition.”

Another tradition carried forward is decking the campus centerpiece, Brookside, for Christmas in the Castle.

Luminaries lighting Mirror Lake in memory of loved ones or noting joyous events invited visitors to cross the causeway to see the magnificently restored stone mansion lavishly festooned with holiday finery by local decorators and designers.

The ecumenical spirit of the season was celebrated with Las Posadas, “The Inns,” which played out across campus. In the Latin American tradition, a couple playing the role of Mary and Joseph walk from door to door, followed by believers, seeking sanctuary for the birth of Christ. All day inside the North Campus foyer, a Trade Bazaar offered goods from artisans in developing countries, promoting safe, healthy working conditions and protection of the environment, as well as enabling transparency and empowering communities to build thriving businesses and promote integral families.

Photos by Tim Brumbeloe

S A T U R D A Y, M A Y 6

50th Reunion Celebration

Brookside, 11 a.m.

Commencement, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 2 p.m.

The 50th year reunion for graduates of the St. Joseph School of Nursing, Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing and St. Francis College begins with a brunch at Brookside, recognition at Commencement and a post celebration reception. All alums are welcome to join us at the 2017 Commencement as we welcome a new group of graduates.

T H U R S D A Y, J U N E 8

Alumni TinCaps Night Parkview Field 7:05 p.m.

Join fellow alumni, friends and families for a night out at the ballpark.

Questions? Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni.sf.edu or 260-399-8032. saint francis magazine | winter 2017

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alumni news

class notes keeping connected with alumni and friends 2000s

2010s continued

Neil Condon (BBA ’00) got married on December 2 in Hawaii.

Chad Rose (BS ’01, MS ’05) assistant professor of special education in the College of Education at the University of Missouri, recently coauthored a study regarding bullying and children with disabilities. The study was published in “Remedial and Special Education.” Angela (Kwiatkowski) Denton (BA ’01) and Andrew Denton (BS ’98) welcomed daughter Stella on December 5, 2016. She weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and was 20 inches long. Stella joins her big brother, Lincoln.

Courtney Furrow-White (BS ’02) welcomed a baby boy, Calder Lee, on August 22. He was 9 pounds, 5 ounces and 21 inches long. Rachel (Leeuw) Wells (BSN ’06) and her husband Joe welcomed William David to the world on October 9, 2016. He was 8 pounds, 6 ounces and 21 inches long. Brother and sister are Robert (5) and Abigail (2). Everyone is healthy and adjusting well. Rachel Aschliman (AS ’07) was married in September to Nick Nilson. Adam Blakey (BA ’08) celebrated a special milestone at his Adam Blakey Holiday Foundation, helping a record 28 children have a more meaningful holiday experience.

Meghan Summers (BSW ’14) was married to Travis Burns in her hometown of Auburn, Ind. on January 14.

Holly (Durkee) Kammel (BA ’14) is working as a volunteer coordinator at Dégagé Ministries, a homeless ministry, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Holly was married on October 3, 2015 to William Kammel (BS ’12, MS ’14). William is working as a PA at Spectrum Health. Jessica (Rorick) Lommatzsch (BBA ’14) and husband Jesse Lommatzsch (BS ’12) welcomed their first child, Hailey, on January 20, 2016. Morgan Braun (BBA ’15) was married on July 23 to John Snowball. Nick Curtis (BS ’16) and his wife Aubrey welcomed their first child, Gemma Elizabeth, on July 2. Nick teaches in the English Department at Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne.

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2010s Brittany (Summers) Barger (BSN ’10) and husband Nick welcomed a son, Emerson Ryan, on August 27. Juanita (Nix) Oberley (BS ’10) welcomed and husband Nick welcomed a son, Declan Alan, on August 4. Josh Bullock (BA ’12) has been selected to be a director for Dreamworks Television and will soon be working on several Dreamworks programs in production. Mary Bicknase (BA ’13) is working as a chiropractor’s assistant at Pine Valley Chiropractic in Fort Wayne. Devin Rush (BBA ’13) and Heather Thelen (BSW ’13) were married on October 22 in Fort Wayne. Nathan Smith (BA ’13) and Holly (Schoedel) Smith (BS ’08) welcomed the birth of their second child, Margret, on December 28. This summer they will celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary.

Kameron Robinson (BA ’14) has been promoted to director at ABC21 WPTA in Fort Wayne. David Smith Jr. (BA ’14) has been promoted to director at ABC21 WPTA in Fort Wayne. n

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in memoriam 1950s Jean (Brewer) Holmes, Class of 1950* Ruth (Hahn) Savage, Class of 1957* 1960s Diane (Lauer) Compton, Class of 1960** Katherine Keck-Jordan, Class of 1964 Mary Jackson, Class of 1965 Judith (Kammeyer) O’Donnell, Class of 1965** Sister M. Cora Thoman, CSJ, Class of 1967 Patricia Doerr, Class of 1968 1970s Sister Frances Marie Bochniak, SSND, Class of 1971 1980s Joan (Mason) Koehl, Class of 1983 Linda Mosier, Class of 1984 Dawn (McClurg) Swenson, Class of 1988 2000s Kristie Alspaugh, Class of 2006 * From Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing—Lutheran College of Health Professions ** From St. Joseph School of Nursing

HAVE A CLASS NOTE? To update information, simply go to alumni.sf.edu and click on “Stay Connected” or send information to alumni@sf.edu or mail it to the University of Saint Francis Alumni Office, 2701 Spring Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46808.

Thanks for keeping in touch with your alma mater!

2016 Homecoming Recognitions Academic Award Recipients

Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

From left: Marcy Aldridge-Adams (BA ’01); Dr. Tyler Kimmel (BS ’09); Sister M. Elise Kriss, OSF, USF President; Derek Sheafer, (BBA ’96, MBA ’99); Jacquelyn Beemer, accepting on behalf of her aunt, Kathryn S. Hall (AS ’96)

From left: Honorary Alumnus, Richard N. Avdul, Professor Emeritus; Sister M. Elise Kriss, OSF, USF President; Distinguished Alumna, Sr. Monica Bertha (BS ’63) (MS ’68); Distinguished Young Alumna, Paige (Cole) Adamo, (BBA ’12); Distinguished Service Award, Anthony “Tony” Hudson, (MA ’99)

Athletic Hall of Fame Award Recipients

2003 Men’s Soccer Team

The names are in no particular order: Head Coach Mitch Ellisen (MBA ’02), Assistant Coach David Bokhart, Mike Bitler (BS ’06), TJ Messerschmitt (BLS ’04), Jake Reeder (BBA ’04), Ben Titus (BBA ’04), Rick Smith (BBA ’04), Mark Sabino (AA ’04), Mike Zoller (BBA ’05), John Hart (BBA ’04), Zach Harden (BBA ’05), Ryan Hendrick, Ross Nusbaum, Derek Ferguson (BBA ’04), Nick Gonzalez (BBA ’06), Chris Pawlowski (BBA 04), David Post (BBA ’04), AJ Botsford (BS ’06), Jeff Clark, Jeremy Heinold (BA ’06, MBA ’15), Daniel Archual, Matt Cassady, Jovan Jeftich (BA ’07)

Clockwise from top left: Softball, Amanda Minchski, (BA ’05); Football, Michael Ledo, (BBA ’06); Joseph “Tom” Jackson; Basketball; Dennis Kummer, (MA ’69, MS ’07), Former USF Coach

L O V E C O N N E C T I ON

Sports and a Pumpkin Patch Meghan and Colin Not everyone receives a proposal of marriage in a pumpkin patch, but that’s where it happened for Meghan Thomas when Colin Zwiebel popped the question on her birthday. USF students Meghan and Colin attended the university 2010-2014 and 2007-2011, respectively. They met during Meghan’s freshman year and remained friends for two years before dating.

The pair had a love of sports, as well as many of the same friends. “He was on the baseball team while I was on the softball team,” Meghan explained.

“I attended quite a few baseball games and he came to softball games as well.” Colin, who majored in business administration, first spotted Meghan, an exercise science major, in the weight room when both the softball and baseball teams were working out. Meghan recalls, “He later took a biology class, hoping that since I was a science major I would be in it, but I wasn’t.”

Meghan and Colin were happily married on October 29, 2016.

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Homecoming a HUGE Winner More than 3,500 fans filled the Bishop D’Arcy stadium to watch the uncaged Cougars dominate Lindenwood University, 63-7, in the September 24 Homecoming game. Before the game, the Alumni House lawn featured food tents staffed by the Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership, the surgical technology department and nursing alumni. The USF Marching Pride played the USF alma mater and other popular songs as fans mingled for food and fellowship before the game.

Throughout the day visitors also toured the campus, including the newly opened USF Downtown.

Fun under the Sun at Zoo Day Approximately 500 alumni, families and friends enjoyed the 2016 USF Day at the award-winning Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. Lunch was enjoyed on the Foellinger Theatre lawn along with games, live music and bounce houses for the kids. Families also received a complimentary ride ticket for the train, skylift, carousel or river ride. The weather was perfect as sunny skies kept the October day pleasant and spirits high. All in attendance had a great time and said they can’t wait to do it again.

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Breakfast with St. Nicholas On Saturday, December 3, alumni, families and friends gathered in the ballroom of the USF Robert Goldstine Performing Arts Center for the 10th annual Breakfast with St. Nicholas. Grandparents, parents, kids, grandkids and neighbors enjoyed learning about the European tradition of St. Nicholas. After a delectable breakfast, participants moved about the room enjoying crafts, games and activities. Children were able to take a photo with St. Nicholas and decorate Christmas cookies. This event is a tradition for many families, and those who attended for the first time cannot wait to return next Christmas!

Yuletide Gathering With Brookside dressed to the nines for the Christmas season, alumni, friends and families of USF gathered to celebrate on December 8. Scattered throughout the mansion were hors d’oeuvre stations paired with beer and wine samplings (with wine courtesy of Vino Indiana) that were enjoyed while visitors took in the splendor of the décor created by local florists and designers. Both alumni and guests were thrilled with the event and delighted in reconnecting with friends and meeting new ones. The event was a truly wonderful opportunity to begin the joyous Christmas season.

Photos by Emma Anger, USF student; Zack Kittaka, BA ’16; Rachel Weaver, BA ’16

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2701 Spring Street Fort Wayne, IN 46808 Change Service Requested

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Help USF Students Hit the Right Note

EVENTS CALENDAR

The Annual Fund touches every student, every program, every day. Your gifts help prepare the next class for the future. Call 260-399-8007 or give online at giving.sf.edu.

March 7 March 7 March 11-12 March 24 March 27-28 April 11 April 22 April 23 April 23

Future of Healthcare “Mental Health” Lecture USF Career Fair Jesters Spring Performance High School Science Symposium “Moana” Lecture and Screening Alumni Event—SCAN Easter Basket Build Campus Preview Day Formula for Life 5k Run/Walk National Champion Football Ring Ceremony

April 26 April 28 May 6 May 6 June 8 June 23-25 July 27-28 Sept. 22-23

USF Scholarship Luncheon St. Joseph School of Nursing All Years Reunion Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement 50th Year Brunch Reunion—Brookside Alumni Event—TinCaps Game 20 Year Football Reunion Cougar Classic Golf Outing Alumni Awards and Homecoming

For event information, visit alumni.sf.edu/events.