Wabash Magazine Fall 2021: Gratitude

GR ATITUDE T H E J OU R N A L OF WABAS H COL L E GE | FAL L 2021

The Amateurs Live, in-person, audience-attended theater returned to Wabash this fall when the Theater Department staged The Amateurs, by Jordan Harrison.

The Amateurs follows six actors as they romp across Europe staging a series of poorly acted, yet thoughtprovoking, often hysterical, and occasionally nonsensical morality plays—within the play itself. The troupe fast-forwards through time from the medieval era of Black Death to more current times of the AIDS epidemic.

“Artists respond to the moment and to what’s happening around us,” Professor of Theater and Director Michael Abbott ’85 says. “This play squarely addresses the struggle for survival in a pandemic, but it does so in a wildly entertaining way. It’s a dark comedy, which gives us a channel of communication to engage big, difficult questions.”

The cast included Logan Weilbaker ’25 as Gregory; Eli Akers ’22 (photographed) as Larking; Betsy Swift as Hollis; Drew Johannes ’23 as The Physic; Sebastian Wang ’22 as Brom; Katherine Glasper as Rona; and Sarvik Chaudhary ’25 as Major-Domo. Weilbaker, Chaudhary, and Glasper each made their Ball Theater debuts.

“This production was a mix of Wabash theater veterans and newcomers,” Professor Abbott says. “We had two senior theater majors and two first-semester freshmen in the cast. We were very excited about the big turnout of freshmen we saw at auditions. It bodes well for the future of our program.”

photo by Jim Amidon ’87

CONTENTS FEATURES

ABOUT THE COVER

28

On October 8, 2021, Scott E. Feller was inaugurated as the 17th President of Wabash College. The event was held in the new Little Giant Stadium. Feller led the recessional through the Hall of Giants and onto the Stephenson Family Gateway Plaza.

Commencement

34

Big Bash

36

Leaven for Community

by Libby Davis-Manning photo by Kim Johnson

38

The New Class

40

It’s Good to Be Home

50

Contributors

| FALL 2021

In Gratitude

by Scott Feller

58

“Parent of All Virtues”

by Dirk Caldwell ’93

Libby Davis Manning is ordained in Word and Sacrament ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Rev. Libby Davis Manning serves as Director of the Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program hosted by Wabash College, and is a consultant to the national Early Career Initiative of Lilly Endowment Inc. She holds a BA from Davidson College, an M.Div from Trinity Lutheran Seminary.

As Director of the Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program, Libby leads study tours for pastors to South Africa and the Mexican American border every other year, and equips pastors to partner with local civic leaders to do the essential work of caring for the local community. She loves the Church, and believes the local pastor, together with the local congregation, is God’s best plan for the healing of the world.

Dirk Caldwell ’93 is a self-proclaimed “townie” from Crawfordsville, Indiana. He is a pastor and a U.S. Navy Reserve Chaplain.

Caldwell has been married to his high school sweetheart for 26 years and is a father to three. He is eternally grateful.

(Photo) “With a profound sense of gratitude, I was able to recently meet up with my son, Lance Corporal Cadin Caldwell.

Cadin is currently deployed on the USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26). I am currently deployed as the command chaplain for the USS The Sullivans (DDG 68), a guided missile destroyer attached to the HMS Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group. We were able to share five hours together in Guam.”

KEEP IN TOUCH Did you know you can get the latest news and features from Wabash 24/7? Check out our redesigned news page at wabash.edu/news. You will find news, feature stories, links to photos, podcasts, videos, the events calendar, full issues of Wabash Magazine, The Bachelor, and more! Then stop by and follow us on social media for up to the minute coverage.

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IT’S GOOD TO BE HOME Homecoming 2021

DEPARTMENTS 5 Contributors 7 From the Editor 8 From Center Hall 10 Moments 16 The Big Question 20 Season in Sports 2 4 Works in Progress Tyler Watson ’22 Luis Rivera ’25

48 Speaking of Sports 62 Class Notes Where Do I Start? by Steve Hoffman ’85 Gratitude in the Wabash Country by Beth Swift Some Wabash Stuff by M. Kip Chase ’03 Remembrances Sherman G. Franz ’59, Roland Morin ’91

76 Faculty Notes 78 Voices The Glass Eye by Derek Mong 80 Student Gallery: Jacob Paige ’23 Last Glance

o k! u t on TikT Chec k us oc o lle ge 32 @ wa bas h

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The Journal of Wabash College

| FALL 2021

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND EDITOR, WABASH MAGAZINE Kim Johnson | 765-361-6209 | johnsonk@wabash.edu DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND MEDIA RELATIONS Richard Paige | 765-361-6377 | paiger@wabash.edu ART DIRECTOR Becky Wendt | 765-361-6026 | wendtb@wabash.edu CLASS NOTES EDITOR Karen Handley | 765-361-6396 | handleyk@wabash.edu COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Allie Northcutt | 765-361-6067 | northcua@wabash.edu CONTENT PRODUCER AND SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Anna Tiplick | 765-361-6087 | tiplicka@wabash.edu ATHLETIC COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR Brent Harris H’03 | 765-361-6165 | harrisb@wabash.edu DIRECTOR OF CINEMATOGRAPHY AND DIGITAL VIDEO Andrew Day | 765-361-6390 | daya@wabash.edu WEBSITE EDITOR AND BROADCAST ENGINEER Adam Phipps ’11 | 765-361-6251 | phippsa@wabash.edu DEAN FOR COLLEGE ADVANCEMENT Michelle Janssen | 765-361-6152 | janssenm@wabash.edu DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI AND PARENT PROGRAMS Steve Hoffman ’85 | 765-361-6371 | hoffmans@wabash.edu CHIEF OF STAFF AND DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS Jim Amidon ’87 | 765-361-6364 | amidonj@wabash.edu CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Susan Albrecht, Jim Amidon ’87, Brent Harris H’03, Kim Johnson, Marc Lebryk, Allie Northcutt, Jacob Paige ’23, Richard Paige, Michelle Pemberton, Tom Runge ’71, Anna Tiplick, Matthew VanTryon, Becky Wendt ADMISSIONS INFORMATION 765-361-6405 / 800-345-5385 WABASH ALUMNI CLUBS 765-361-6369 EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Greg Britton ’84, Editorial Director, Johns Hopkins University Press; Elizabeth Swift, Archivist; Tim Padgett ’84, America’s Correspondent, WLRN-Miami Herald; Eric Freeze, Associate Professor of English; Richard Elson ’69, filmmaker; Mark Shreve ’04, Client Development Executive, Educator Advisory Board

Wabash College educates men to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively, and live humanely. wabash.edu/magazine

photo by Kim Johnson

Wabash Magazine is published by the Office of Publications, Hovey Cottage, P.O. Box 352, Crawfordsville, IN 47933-0352.

We welcome your comments, criticisms, and suggestions.

Contact the editor at 765-361-6209 or by email: johnsonk@wabash.edu.

From the Editor

| FALL 2021

I’m Thankful For…

O

ne evening in early august, I was particularly exhausted. I curled up on the couch and let the light in the living room fall away while I laid there not moving, attempting to hide from all thoughts.

I was physically exhausted from a week of dragging my night-owl-self body out of bed extra early to try to reestablish some healthy habits I’d lost to a year of extra sugar and comfort foods. But more than that, I was mentally exhausted.

This was a few days before my daughter, then soon-to-be 13, would be attending inperson school for the first time since before Spring Break in 2020. This was also about the time the COVID-19 Delta variant was beginning to inundate Indiana, and school boards and parents were arguing over mask use and vaccination—the issue becoming even more divisive socially and politically than ever. And it was hours after the findings of the New York attorney general’s investigation of sexual harassment claims against the governor were released, which unleashed an unexpected wave of emotion over me.

As quiet settled around me, my heartbeat felt harder and faster until I was sure I could see it pounding through my chest. Each breath got heavier and I coughed trying to catch it. My lip twitched and my limbs were shaky. My husband checked my pulse. Fine.

Blood pressure. Fine. Speech. Fine. But I knew I was off.

Panic attack.

I headed to bed knowing that good sleep and daylight often bring with them a sense of calm and hope that gets lost in fatigue and darkness. Even on a good night, my brain has a hard time shutting down. On a night when anxiety is running high, it’s nearly impossible.

To fill my mind with anything other than the first day of school, COVID-19, and powerful men abusing their power, I played a round of “I’m thankful for.” I rattled off people, places, virtues, and things for which I am grateful. Each time I caught my mind wandering, I went back to “I’m thankful for” and continued my mental list.

I’m thankful for my family, my home, a soft bed, and a supportive pillow. I’m thankful for laughter at the dinner table, stars in the sky, my daughter’s friends and mentors. My education, green grass, blue sky, music, my family’s group texts, and the tangents we take that end up in funny places.

I’m thankful for the students returning to campus and the energy they bring. I’m thankful for co-workers to share my days with and conversations that keep life in perspective. I’m thankful for being able to be face-to-face with them again—the people and the conversations.

The longer my list got, the lighter I felt.

All of those things I was anxious about were still there but I could see things that made me smile, too, and with each smile it became a little easier to continue my list.

Have you found yourself in the same space lately? Bogged down by current events and forgetting to look for the people and things that make you smile—that help you feel happy?

I sit in my office and see so many pieces and memories of things that bring me joy and help me carry the weight that life heaves on me sometimes—a rock from an immersion trip to Alaska, a trinket from the Glee Club tour in Taiwan, my honorary Sphinx Club pot, a stuffed squirrel that chatters, the mini car from the WM cover shoot in Fall 2014, and many more.

Maybe some of your fondest memories have a W attached too—Ringing In, Commencement, a big game, Homecoming, a continued connection to a professor, a best friend, the trip of a lifetime.

It has been heart-lifting these past few months to be back on campus and to reconnect to the alumni, colleagues, and friends that make Wabash so special. It has been equally heart-lifting to hear from so many of you in response to our Big Question for this issue: “What makes you happy?”

In a year when life has often felt “just hard” on a good day, we have dedicated an issue of WM to what makes us and you happy.

The next time you have a night where you need to play a round of “I’m thankful for” I hope your list comes easily and begins right here, home, at Wabash.

Be well.

Kim Johnson | Editor johnsonk@wabash.edu

One of my favorite pieces of art proudly displayed in my office is an abstract by Ian Starnes ’11. As soon as I saw it at his senior show at Wabash, I fell in love with the bright, vivid colors.

Starnes currently lives and works in Sarasota, FL, and Naples, FL, as an artist, designer, and home renovator.

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From Center Hall

| FALL 2021

In Gratitude

A

few years ago, I gave a Chapel Talk to our students midway through my tenure as Dean of the College. I said then—and it’s even more true today—that I’m not too old to adopt a growth mindset, which is the belief that our abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. One way I am trying to grow and adapt to my new role as president is to more fully express my gratitude for the innumerable gifts I have been given here at Wabash and throughout my life.

Every day I try to reflect and express gratitude for the people around me, and to be thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given.

My optimistic outlook arises from my knowledge that I have been extremely fortunate in life. Yet, over the past two years—as more and more of our interactions with others take place virtually—it has become much easier to fail to acknowledge the efforts of others.

We need to do the small things—the things that remind us of what it means to be a member of a community where people care and appreciate each other.

I’m grateful for my colleagues on the faculty whose work in our best years sets the bar for engaged teaching and learning, and who in the past 18 months have bent over backward to meet our students where they are. It is rare in higher education to be surrounded by so many faculty who are genuinely passionate about teaching. All of us who love Wabash thank you for your commitment to our young men.

I’m grateful for my colleagues in the Student Life Office, who every day work directly with students, one on one, to turn their mistakes into opportunities to learn; who lift up, prop up, and sometimes drag students across the finish line here; who care for their healthy minds and bodies; and who have the most difficult jobs on campus in times of tragedy.

8 WABASH MAG A ZINE

I’m grateful for this College’s incredible tradition of philanthropy. In my years as a faculty member and as dean, rarely did I want for resources. Indeed, because of the generosity of our alumni and friends, my students and I were able to explore the world of atoms and molecules in ways that faculty at other institutions could not imagine. And my experience was not unique, nor as innovative as my Wabash faculty colleagues who have made the world their classrooms.

While immersive learning experiences are not restricted to Wabash, the fact that all of ours are free of charge—whether a student travels to Johannesburg, Taiwan, or Rome—truly sets us apart. It is because of the generosity of our alumni and friends that it is possible for a young man from Wabash to leave our country for the first time. Indeed, for many, these immersion trips mark the first time they have been on an airplane.

I’m equally grateful that during the first, tumultuous years of my presidency, we have set annual giving records and our Giant Steps Campaign is thriving.

I’m grateful to the Wabash Board of Trustees, who placed their trust in me at the exact moment the pandemic descended on our nation. As I have said, I am honored to serve as the 17th President of Wabash College. And I am humbled to become the first member of the Wabash faculty to ascend directly to the presidency since the great Byron Trippet. Thank you, Trustees, for your unwavering faith in Wabash and in my ability to lead our college.

I’m grateful for a loving and supporting family, especially Wendy, who is all-in for Wabash College. Wendy is unflappable and so grounded, and those things help keep me calm when everything else is chaos.

Thank you, Wendy, for putting up with my long hours and endless commitments at night and on weekends.

I’m grateful for our students. Many people have heard me say that none of us wanted COVID to write our history. But I would not have wanted to go through this pandemic anywhere but here and with our young men.

When we returned to residential education in early August of 2020 and again a few months ago, I asked our students to live up to the highest ideals of our Gentleman’s Rule—and a whole lot of COVID mitigation tactics—in the most difficult circumstances. I asked them to be patient with themselves and one another; to show compassion to those around them who were also suffering; to be their authentic, best selves even when that was very difficult to do; and to be vulnerable, because it is through our vulnerability that we grow the most.

We did these things with one goal in mind—to continue Wabash’s timehonored tradition of face-to-face, elbowdeep teaching and learning that has been our hallmark for nearly two centuries.

I am so proud of what Wabash has accomplished in a constantly changing pandemic that has brought so much uncertainty and loss. And so it is with great admiration that I express my heartfelt gratitude to the young men of Wabash and all who have taught, coached, and supported them. You are all Some Little Giants.

Scott Feller | President fellers@wabash.edu “In Gratitude” was excerpted from President Scott Feller’s inaugural address given on October 8, 2021. To read more of his address see page 50.

To view the entire inauguration ceremony visit https://wabash.edu/go/inauguration.

President Scott Feller, First Lady Wendy Feller, and their children, Jake Feller and Amanda Murphy

photo by Kim Johnson

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Your Moments

| FALL 2021

10 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

Photos submitted by the Wabash community on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

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Moments

| FALL 2021 photo by Tom Runge ’71

$3.6

MILLION

92

89

88

1966

2003

96 2015

1991

115

2019

donated in fiscal-year 2020–21 to the Wabash College Annual Fund from more than 6,500 ALUMNI AND FRIENDS

TOP 5 CLASSES IN

# OF DONORS

5,148

$225 MILLION GOAL

BY JUNE 2023

$219 MILLION ALREADY RAISED photo by Richard Paige

CAMPAIGN

ALUMNI DONORS

IAWM Man of the Year

photo by Jacob Paige ’23

12 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

David Blix ’70, IAWM Man of the Year “When I started teaching at Wabash, I was filled with great anxiety about what to do and how to proceed. I got some advice from my friend and colleague Bill Placher ’70. Bill said, “If you can come to love the minds of our students, then you will be able to be a teacher.” I took that to heart, and I’d like to think that over the years I have been able to do that.”

LaFollette Lecture

photo by Richard Paige

Amanda Ingram, Professor of Biology, Division I Chair “Data are collected and analyzed, and then one evaluates the hypothesis. Was it refuted? Interesting! Was it not refuted? Also interesting! Regardless, the outcome will lead to more questions. It’s a wonderfully self-sustaining process that allows you to probe ever deeper into the inner workings of our world.

“My scientific subfield is called systematics. It’s a relatively young discipline, one that wasn’t possible to imagine until we had a good handle on how evolution works. But it has much deeper roots in an older field called taxonomy, which is focused on assigning names to the organisms around us and building classifications to organize this vast biodiversity.

“This is why systematists spend our time exploring the consequences of nature’s experiments. By understanding what shaped our past, and what nature valued, we can prepare for our future.”

100th Anniversary of Golf at Wabash College photo by Allie Northcutt

Wabash celebrated a century of golf at the College with an alumni gathering on August 28. Highlights of the event included the debut of the new indoor practice facility in the Allen Athletics and Recreation Center, meeting with new head coach Josh Hill, and an outing at the Crawfordsville Country Club.

The Latest Rankings

Princeton Review’s Best 387 Colleges: Wabash College was one of only seven schools nationally to be ranked on 10 or more of Princeton Review’s Best 387 Colleges “Great Lists.”

Wabash was listed among the best in each of the following: • Great-Run Colleges • Great Professors • Great Professor Accessibility • Great Classroom Experience • Great Financial Aid • Great Career Services • Great Athletic Facilities • Great Intramurals • Great College Newspaper • Students Who Study the Most

photo by Anna Tiplick

U.S. News & World Report: • National Liberal Arts Colleges–57th (tie) • Best Value School–20th nationally (a measure of both academic quality and cost) • Best Undergraduate Teaching–29th among National Liberal Arts Colleges • Top Performers on Social Mobility–54th (making Wabash a college that is “more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants”) • A+ School for B Students (an institution “where spirit and hard work could make all the difference to admissions”)

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Moments

| continued Lilly DEI Grant

Wabash College has received a $4.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. as part of its initiative, Charting the Future for Indiana’s Colleges and Universities.

The goals of “Restoring Hope, Restoring Trust” include increasing the enrollment and graduation of young men from new majority populations; creating academic courses that demonstrate how a timeless liberal arts education speaks to the timely issues of equity and inclusion; offering more cultural and artistic programming for Wabash and Montgomery County; providing support for research on African American historical sites in Indiana and on men’s success in higher education; and significantly expanding the engagement of Wabash students with the Crawfordsville community.

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TEGIC FOC US RA

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RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, & GRADUATION of New Majority Students

ST

TEGIC FOC US RA

CURRICULAR EXPANSION & INNOVATION

TEGIC FOC US RA

RESEARCH SUPPORT

RESTORING HOPE, RESTORING TRUST

ST

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TEGIC FOC US RA

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

TEGIC FOC US RA

photo by Anna Tiplick

CULTURAL & ARTISTIC PROGRAMMING

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President’s Distinguished Speaker Series

Dr. Jerome Adams, 13th Surgeon General of the United States “I realized the problem I was facing with my own patients and the concerns of businesses and communities related to workforce all have something in common. They’re more often than not the results from environments and inequity that make it difficult for people to lead healthy and productive lives.

The choices people make are 100% dependent on the options they have in front of them. And far too many people are forced to choose from a handful of short straws.”

43.3%

OF ALUMNI GAVE BACK Ranked in the top 10 of national liberal arts colleges in alumni participation.

US News & World Report

Class of 2025 Legacies

Hundreds of Wabash community members joined in solidarity for a campus-wide unity walk. The event was hosted by the Malcolm X Institute of Black Studies and La Alianza. The purpose of the event was to bring the campus together and promote equality, diversity, and inclusion, in efforts to fight racism, homophobia, xenophobia, and all other forms of hate.

photo by Allie Northcutt

Austin Brooks ’62, grandfather Kevin Beausir ’90, father Scott Benedict ’98, father Jeff Dixon ’93, Brian Dixon ’81, cousins Everett James Bologna Jackson Bologna ’23, brother Kenan Charles Bowling Lee Hoagland ’93, cousin Blake M. Caldwell David R. Moore ’69, grandfather Cooper Vincent Cochran Chris Cochran ’90, father, Cody Cochran ’18, brother, Chase Cochran ’20, brother, Conner Cochran ’23, brother Connor Richard Craig Richard Helm ’67, grandfather Lewis Defoe Dellinger Dow Dellinger ’93, father Noah Matthew Fleming Drew Fleming ’22, brother Cameron Jacob Ford Brian Ford ’89, father Omar Garcia Hugo Garcia ’24, brother Connor Garrity Thomas Garrity ’16, brother Michael Joseph Gibbs Michael Gibbs ’86, father, John Gibbs ’63, grandfather Jacob Arthur Graden Brad Graden ’91, father Sean Reilly Granger Sean Granger ’96, father Owen Thomas Hauber John Hauber ’90, father, Jack Hauber ’66, grandfather Seth Byron Holtsclaw B yron Holtsclaw ’03, father Matthew Jessup Jon Jessup ’90, father Ethan Maddox Johns Elliot Johns ’16, brother Elijah Eugene Martin Noah Martin ’23, brother Grant Styles McCorkle C hamp McCorkle ’24, brother Thomas Jesse Minkler Josh Minkler ’85, father Nathaniel Eben Oakes Tim Oakes ’86, father Thomas R. Oppman Bob Oppman ’88, father Andres Peralta T ony Brunenkant ’22, cousin William Diehl Phillips S amuel Phillips ’23, brother Nathanael Eugene Plake Thomas Plake ’88, father Hunter Logan Rudes H ayden Rudes ’23, brother Karston Daniel Runge Tom Runge ’71, grandfather, Carol Runge H’71, grandmother, Chris Runge ’94, uncle, Owen Runge ’24, cousin Camden R. Scheidt T he late Tyler Scheidt ’23, brother Nathan Elling Schroeter D onald Russell ’72, grandfather Ian Thomas Strehl Jared Strehl ’20, brother Carl J. Suba J ohn Paul Manalo ’07, uncle Joshua James Taylor Jacob Taylor ’21, brother Connor Matthew Thompson Liam Thompson ’24, brother Jorge Uribe Adan Villeda ’23, cousin Owen Thomas Volk Alexander Volk ’23, brother Dalton M. Waldman David Waldman ’93, father Jacob Ellis White Charles Boley ’98, stepfather Ethan Taylor Wilson Dennis Wilson ’91, father

photo by Allie Northcutt

Nathan A. Allen Brennan C. Beausir Samuel S. Benedict Zachary Bielecki

WLAIP

The Wabash Liberal Arts Immersion Program (WLAIP) began in 2015 and welcomes incoming students of color, Pell Grant recipients, and first-generation college students from all over the country to participate. The WLAIP is designed to help students adjust to campus life before starting their first semester in August. The program includes a monthlong summer institute during which students participate in classes and complete their first college credit. It also provides students an opportunity to engage in information sessions, networking, internships, research assistantships, and immersion experiences through their first full year.

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The Big Question

| FALL 2021

What makes you happy?

Marcus Doshi ’97 Working and diving

16 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

RUNNIN

Colin McClelland ’06 Creativity From an early age, I have always enjoyed being a creator through a variety of media. From watercolors to Legos, music to woodworking, and cooking to 3D printing, I have found happiness in discovering new ways to give form to thought.

What has surprised me in my recent life, however, is a burgeoning appreciation of other creators as well as a desire to learn from them.

Be it through art galleries, concerts, YouTube videos, or food trucks, I marvel at people’s abilities to bring new ideas to fruition in ways I never imagined.

With children of my own, I have newfound happiness in sharing these discoveries with them. The best part, though? Watching them become creators!

FAITH

cooking

Mike Boyd ’63 Unconditional compassion

Translating Hebrew

working

Jack Hauber ’66 Family—four children, 11 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Pictured: Sally and Jack Hauber ’66, Lori and John Hauber ’90 with son, Owen ’25, at Homecoming.

Tom Lutz ’91 Hiking Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Ben Scanlon ’04 Creativity Ken Ogorek ’87 Euchre Jeff ’69 and Carole Torell Bird songs Miles Millott ’15 Fatherhood John Duran ’65 Daughters’ visits

Fatherhood

Tyler Buresh ’12 Football Saturdays!

Marc Welch ’99 Running Running was a lifesaver in many ways in the earliest days of the pandemic. I would always finish my runs under The Arch thinking about the seniors to keep pushing and working (remotely) to someday be back on campus to walk under it—eyes on the prize!!

Helping others

Jane Paul V. Radspinner ’85 My grandson!

Euchre

Thomas Holton ’92 Family My family makes me happy.

They are why I work hard to make this world a better place to live.

They are why I work hard to make myself a better man, husband, and father.

They are my why.

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Tom Petska ’70 Getting my COVID-19 vaccination Bob Klee ’79 Hiking the Camino Philip Eubanks ’06 Helping others John Doyel ’63 Carolyn and faith Richard Helm ’67 Catching muskies Larry Zommick ’72 Translating Hebrew Michael Rogers ’95 Dim sum—my family loves it and have traveled to New York City, Chicago, Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Little Rock, AR, for it. We check every city we visit for this scrumptious food and Asian cultural experience!

Nate Schrader ’10 Athletic expression, meals together, reminiscing Wabash Jeff Wilson ’91 National Park Service visitation Tamarco White ’06 Good food

Bird son

Joel Tragesser ’94 Driving my Nissan 300ZX

Good food Creativity

Football Saturdays!

Jim Davlin ’85 Jane

Jim Amidon ’87 Cooking

Catching muskies

| continued

Driving my Nissan 300ZX

The Big Question

John Buford ’69 Sunsets

William Kelly ’18 My fiancée, Elodie, and Liverpool Football Club!

Julia Phipps (Fine Arts Center staff) Baby giggles

Hiking the Camino

FAMILY Joe Hockberger ’75 Grandkids

18 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

Nicole Carpenter (Office of Enrollment staff) My son, Cohen!

Meals together

Dim sum

Philip Coons ’67 Travel and photography

SUNSETS

Kelly Pfledderer ’96 New Music Fridays

HIKING

Getting my COVID-19 vaccination

Bob Royalty (Religion faculty) Bentley

nconditional Compassion

Reminiscing Wabash

Bill Hall ’78 What makes me happy? For the past 27 years, I have been a Scout leader, including 11 years as a Scoutmaster.

I have enjoyed helping not only my own sons, but many other Scouts learn by doing, making mistakes, and developing leadership skills.

This includes 36 Scouts, including my sons, Andrew and Griffin ’19, who have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Pictured: A recent backpacking trip to the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness Area in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

aughters’ isits

CAROLYN

Bentley

athletic expression

National Parks Garrard McClendon ’88 What made me really happy this year was receiving an invitation from Kanye West to work on a school curriculum based on his mother’s scholarly works. I wrote a book on Donda West called Donda’s Rules.

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Season in Sports

| FALL 2021

Fall athletes were more than ready to kick off their seasons after COVID-19 forced a longer than usual hiatus from competition.

Football hit the gridiron hot with a 5–0 start including a big Homecoming win in the first game in the new Little Giant Stadium.

A thrilling come-from-behind victory against DePauw brought the Monon Bell back to Wabash and ended the season with ringing in our ears. Thirteen players received All-NCAC honors: Joey Annee ’22, Thomas Bolen ’22, Seth Buresh ’22, Jackson Clayborne ’22, Brandon English ’23, David Marsh ’22, Joe Mullin ’23, Josh Myers ’22, Will Netting ’24, Dane Smith ’22, Donovan Snyder ’24, Cooper Sullivan ’24, Liam Thompson ’24. Thompson was named the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year, while Annee repeated as Special Teams Player of the Year.

Soccer finished the season 11–6–2 and earned a spot in the conference tournament for the fourth consecutive year under head coach Chris Keller. Coledon Johnson ’23, Cristian Aleman ’22, Alexis Delgado ’23, and Jerry Little II ’24 received All-NCAC recognition.

Two cross country runners, Ethan Pine ’22 and Brayden Curnutt ’25, earned All-NCAC honors, by finishing 10th and 11th, respectively, at the conference meet. The team finished fourth overall. In Pine’s final career meet, he finished 57th in a field of 266, leading the team to a 21st-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Regional.

photo by Jim Amidon ’87

photo by Susan Albrecht

photo by Tom Runge ’71

photo by Anna Tiplick

photo by Tom Runge ’71

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| continued

photo by Anna Tiplick

Season in Sports

22 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

photo by Tom Runge ’71

photo by Kim Johnson

photo by Kim Johnson

photo by Becky Wendt

photo by Kim Johnson

photo courtesy of Chris Keller

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Works in Progress

| FALL 2021

That Much Easier to Succeed

by Matthew VanTryon

The Tyler Watson ’22 the Wabash community has come to know is a world apart from the person who arrived on campus four years ago.

T

yler watson ’22 grew up in brownsburg, Indiana, and attended

Tri-West High School. There, he was a good student and well-known for his exploits on the basketball court, where he scored 1,999 career points. He is the first to admit that he wasn’t prepared for Wabash when he arrived on campus.

Watson scored 26.6 points per game as a senior in high school. When he first came to Wabash, he struggled immensely.

“I don’t think I had the skills or the maturity to really succeed,” he said. “I didn’t know how to talk to professors. I didn’t know how to balance academics and athletics.”

In high school, Watson’s identity was consumed by his role as an athlete. At Wabash, that proved to be a detriment.

Watson’s struggles on the court consumed him. He’d spend hours after practice putting up shots, hoping to improve. Instead of improving, he continued to struggle.

“As a coach, I appreciated the effort. I appreciated the accountability, because we needed that,” Head Coach Kyle Brumett said. “And it has served him well. But he was putting too much pressure on himself.”

Watson’s break came in January of his freshman season. He’d been seeing playing time off the bench, but got the opportunity to start in place of an injured player. He scored 20 points. He’s started every game since. His success on the court coincided with a new level of comfort on campus. As he invested in his peers and professors, he became more than just a basketball player.

24 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

“He became much more comfortable with “It was a way to be relationship-focused his professors. He started to hear his own and meet the new guys on campus,” Watson voice and felt more comfortable speaking up,” said. “COVID has really shined a light on Brumett said. “People started recognizing how important community is and how him, giving him some confidence and more important communication is.” responsibility outside of basketball. I think he Watson prides himself in the connections appreciated the opportunity and ran with it.” he’s made with students. Odds are, if he sees Watson was an RA heading into his someone walking around, he knows them. sophomore year. That same fall, he had his And if he doesn’t, he will soon. first interaction with chemistry professor “He brings a certain energy to a room,” Dr. Laura Wysocki, whom he credits as one said Parker Manges ’21, Watson’s former of his most influential professors. teammate. “Wherever Tyler goes, that place “As educators, we talk a lot about the ends up becoming a little better and happier.” importance of having a growth mindset.

Wherever you are right now, you can always get better,” Wysocki said. “That really is “COVID has really Tyler to me. In organic chemistry, he knew shined a light on how that if he worked really hard at it, sought important community feedback, and used resources, he could get to that next level. Even when he achieved is and how important that next level, he was looking to improve communication is.” from there.”

During the Fall of 2020, Watson was

—Tyler Watson ’22 a leader on the COVID Action Response and Education (CARE) Team, jumping into action to ensure that students still had a way What’s Watson’s secret? to connect with each other. He organized “There’s no secret here. Wabash is a outdoor activities, including community special place, and what makes it special is service projects around Crawfordsville to the people. When you get on campus, people keep students engaged and involved. Students are immediately invested in you, and they worked on projects at the Amtrak station, want to see you succeed,” he said. “When Milligan Park, the Crawfordsville District you have a group of people surrounding you Public Library, the Crawfordsville Airport, that want to see you succeed, it makes it that and Bethel AME Church. much easier.”

Watson is unsure of what his future holds.

He might take advantage of his extra year of athletic eligibility. Eventually, he wants to be a doctor.

“The idea of being a doctor is something that I really fell in love with at Wabash,” he said. “I want to feel like I’m making a difference, but I also want to have daily interaction working with people and working in teams. I feel like a doctor is just the epitome of that.”

Regardless, he knows he is set up for success because of his time at Wabash.

“The skills I’ve gained here will make me successful beyond Wabash,” he said.

“I’m confident that I’m going to have a plan by the end and it’s all going to work out.”

Another thing is certain: The campus community will miss Watson’s presence, but the impact he’s made will continue.

“He’s teaching guys on campus, whether he realizes it or not. Shoot, he’s teaching adults on campus, whether he realizes it or not,” Brumett said. “Leadership is more than what you put on your resume and your experiences. It’s really about what kind of impact and change you’ve made in someone else’s life. My hope is people across campus are ready to step into his shoes.”

photo by Marc Lebryk

Works in Progress

| FALL 2021

Discovering His Voice

by Allie Northcutt

Luis Rivera ’25 had his hesitations about coming to Wabash College. As a gay man, he worried that he might not fit in at an all-male college. But after spending his summer on campus with the WLAIP, he’s confident he’ll not only fit in, but thrive over the next four years.

B

efore joining the wabash liberal arts immersion

program (WLAIP), Luis Rivera ’25 felt lost.

“I was simply going through the motions of school, not thinking much about my reality or the effect it could have on others,” Rivera says in an oral essay—the last assignment he and 23 other then-incoming WLAIP freshmen were tasked with completing before the start of the school year.

“I didn’t consider that I, a 19-year-old gay, Black, and Latino man, had a voice that mattered,” he says, going on to recall an interaction he had with a classmate this summer on campus.

“He came up to me and said, ‘Luis, I am going to be honest. Before I met you, I was homophobic and I didn’t really understand gay people. But you opened my eyes to see that they are just normal people and deserve to be treated that way.’”

The comment was one that stunned Rivera in a good way. It touched him deeply and showed him something for which he had been searching for a long time—the power of his voice.

“I want my voice to force people to rethink their preconceived notions about the LGBTQ+ community, and see the world through more than just their own eyes,” Rivera says.

Rivera joins the Class of 2025 from Wake Forest, North Carolina, where he attended Wake Early College of Health and Sciences.

As a long-time competitive volleyball player, he was attracted to Wabash’s new varsity program and the promise of small class sizes, internship opportunities, and job placement after graduation.

26 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

“When I came to visit with my dad, we met students on the volleyball team and faculty members,” says Rivera. “Campus was beautiful. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. All of it just made me feel like maybe this is where I needed to be.”

After taking a gap year, Rivera was eager to jump into the college experience. He was nervous, too.

Rivera came out in high school at a time when he was beginning to discover and become more comfortable with his sexual identity.

“I remember going to a Pride rally with a couple of close friends. Seeing other people full of love for each other, feeling proud of that love and so unapologetic about who they are helped me discover who I am,” Rivera says. “That was a pivotal moment for me. Shortly after, I came out to my friends and, unsurprisingly, they were so supportive and proud.

“Telling my parents, I was so scared.

Before I could even tell them and get my words straight, I started crying and I couldn’t stop. I felt so much emotion, like they were going to be ashamed of me for confessing this.

“They were super, super supportive,” Rivera says. “My dad and mom are my favorite people, my best friends. I’m so lucky to have them be so loving and supportive of who I am.”

As he was getting closer and closer to moving to campus, Rivera started to worry he might not have similar support at Wabash as he did at home, where he could be his “true, authentic self.”

“I kept holding on to the feeling I got when I visited campus,” Rivera says. “I have to constantly remind myself that it’s OK to just be myself. I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m just living my life.”

Dr. Jill Lamberton, Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, taught English 101 this summer for the WLAIP. In the course, students were required to engage in classroom discussions and write summaries that displayed critical thinking in relation to assigned readings. Much of what students read were personal essays, written by people whose identities would resonate with WLAIP students.

Many of the readings were written by people of color and featured themes of identity and feelings associated with leaving home and entering a new culture. Lamberton says the course assignments authorized students to “tap into their own experiences.”

“Luis didn’t lead with his sexual identity,” Lamberton explains. “It was something that he was willing to draw on when he needed it for the kinds of stories he was telling and points he was making to help others understand.

“What impressed me the most about Luis was his willingness to reflect. It requires a lot of introspection and critical thinking. I think both of those things are what really stuck out in his audio essay.”

The prompt for the audio essay was open-ended, simply asking students to compose a three-to four-minute piece about their own experience with and commitment to education.

Luis Rivera ’25 photo by Allie Northcutt

Rivera could have picked one of the readings or discussions from the class and reflected on it further for the essay. He could have talked about high school and how expectations of what it means to be academically successful changed when he came to Wabash. But he chose to be vulnerable and to dig deeper into what it was like to discover and develop his voice, while also educating his peers.

“Some WLAIP students came from backgrounds that weren’t necessarily closedminded, but lacked diversity. They had never been around a gay person before or lived in communities with people of color,” Rivera says. “So, when they saw that I was just a normal person, I wasn’t living out these stereotypes of what they had pictured a gay, Black man to be, they were confused and questioned a lot.

“I wasn’t used to that, but at the same time, it was awesome to have these candid conversations about identity,” Rivera continues. “That message of acceptance and personal growth was what I wanted to get across in my audio essay. I would love for other people who aren’t comfortable in their skin to know that there are others out there who are. Go meet them, talk to them, and learn about what makes them different and

special. I want everyone—no matter their race, sexual identity, whatever—to feel like they belong.”

Earlier this summer, Rivera reached out to Dr. Karen Gunther, professor of psychology, to express an interest in ‘shOUT (Wabash College’s Gay-Straight Alliance), and to receive guidance on what it was going to be like as a queer student on campus. Gunther connected Rivera with a number of alumni, including Rob Shook ’83, engagement manager at IBM and former president of the NAWM Alumni Board.

“I want everyone— no matter their race, sexual identity, whatever—to feel like they belong.”

“I was reasonably closeted coming into school,” says Shook, a member of Lambda Chi Alpha and the chapter’s current alumni advisor. “The guys in my fraternity knew, and it wasn’t a big deal to them, but that was the early ’80s. It was a very different time, and I wrestled with being Christian and being gay.

“There’s this saying, ‘Be the person you needed when you were younger,’” Shook says. “That’s what I try to be for these guys.

We can laugh about stupid things. We can talk about the serious stuff. We can cry when it’s time to cry.”

What impresses Shook about Rivera is his self-awareness, visibility, and ability to communicate. He says those three traits, coupled with intellect and curiosity, will make the young Wabash student “pretty unstoppable.”

Rivera has big plans for his future at Wabash.

He wants to major in psychology and minor in chemistry. He wants to dominate as a player and leader on the volleyball team.

He wants to join various organizations like the Malcolm X Institute of Black Studies, La Alianza, ‘shOUT, and Student Senate in order to promote visibility on campus.

He wants to become a Wabash Democracy and Public Discourse and Global Health Initiative fellow and make powerful contributions to the community.

“Four years from now, I hope to look back and be proud,” Rivera says with a smile. “I hope my confidence grows even more, and that I can use my voice to inspire other students like me.”

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27

Commencement CLASSES OF 2020 AND 2021

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Photo by Becky Wendt

29

Commencement

| continued

Malcolm Lang ’21 “Wabash brings a group of young men, from all different walks of life, together on one connected journey. The greatness of Wabash derives from our willingness to handle adversity.

Moments that will test you.

We’ve never surrendered.”

Marcus Torres ’20 “It is because of this closeknit brotherhood, and the relationships we forge here, that we are able to endure times of crisis, face the world’s problems collectively, and turn challenges into opportunities. It is because of this shared desire that we should welcome failure, because at the end of the day, we know we will never fail alone.”

Gregory D. Hess H’19 Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa Through your work as an economist, professor, administrator, and consultant to private industry, you quickly figured out how Wabash worked, what made it work, and what it needed to flourish.

You set as your vision to recruit and develop exceptional Wabash men who would have a timely, yet timeless liberal arts education, and as graduates, would make a difference in the communities in which they lived and worked.

We admire your ability to turn a phrase like, “Each of us is little; together we are giants,” and to create easy-to-remember lists like the “Four Gets Not to Forget” and the “Three Rs” of responsibility, resilience, and reflection.

While these little nuggets were meant to impart wisdom and practical advice, they also reflected your own commitment to Wabash—you got to work, you got involved, you got help when you needed it, and you showed tremendous responsibility and resilience as our president. The Wabash Nation is grateful.

30 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

Melissa Ann Butler H’85 Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa “Trailblazer” is the first word most use when describing your tenure at our College, which began when you joined the political science department in 1976. Your list of firsts at Wabash includes being the first woman to earn tenure at our College; the first woman to become a full professor; the first woman to become a department chair and division chair; the first woman to serve as faculty visitor to the Board of Trustees; the first woman from the faculty to be named an honorary alumnus; and the first woman to have a campus building named exclusively in her honor.

Professor Butler, you are far more than a trailblazer. You have been one of the most important figures in this great College’s history—an international scholar, effective teacher, and decisive leader—and for these things we are eternally grateful.

Paul Haesemyer ’21 “Diving in is natural for all of us here. I’ve seen you all seizing opportunities wherever you go. I’ve seen how we’ve experienced life that our freshman selves would never have even imagined. It all takes courage. Each of these moments brought us here today. These moments unite us. They will bring us back.”

Nathan Gray ’20 “As we become leaders in our professions and in our communities, the way we choose to conduct ourselves, the everyday practices we decide to participate in, or even leave unchallenged, will be a signal to others of what we value and what—for better or for worse—we are willing to tolerate.”

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Commencement

| continued

Many things were different, but many things remained the same for this year’s commencement ceremony. The official send-off was the first event held in the new Little Giant Stadium. The Classes of 2020 and 2021 both proudly marched across the stage to receive congratulations.

They were rung out by President Scott Feller and recessed under The Arch. It felt like a long time coming, especially for the Class of 2020, but that meant the smiles were twice as big. (Commencement photos by Becky Wendt, Allie Northcutt, and Kim Johnson)

32 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

BIG BASH 2021

I came here singularly unprepared for the academic rigor that hit me. As I look from right to left, I have to thank all of these gentlemen for helping me become the man that I have become. Thank you for setting the bar high and being there all along to help me reach it.

This was the time of riots, and my parents didn’t really want me to come to school in Indiana—which was notorious for not being very accepting. But I came in with seven other Black students. We had the fortune of having faculty who took an interest in us. Many supported us when we started forming the MXI, and it’s hard to believe that it is 50 years old now.

34 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

—Keith Nelson ’71

—Alex Miller ’71

Constant Focus While students at Wabash, you experienced the assassination of public figures, riots, protests, Vietnam, and the civil rights movement. But there was also joy in learning and then the life-shaping relationships you forged with professors who taught, inspired, and counseled you. If they were with us here today, they would be tremendously proud of all that you’ve accomplished.

A lot has changed since 1970. There is no Snacker, Strand, or Bank Cigar Store. There is globalization, the internet, and social media. But what remains the same here at Wabash is our constant focus on the intellectual and social development of young men.

You learned from some of the greats, Ben Rogge, Vic Powell, Jack Charles, Willis Johnson, Eric Dean. Today’s Wabash men learn from equally great professors. What may be different is the way that today’s faculty spend time with our young men. But the depth of those relationships is unchanged.

Today, Agata Brewer walks her English students through the streets of Ireland, where James Joyce roamed while writing books like Ulysses. Rick Warner and Sabrina Thomas take their history students to Vietnam, where they can see the aftermath of a war they know about only from history books or from stories from their grandparents. Eric Wetzel helps his students studying infectious diseases understand them at the local level here in Montgomery County, and on a global level, in the poorest parts of Lima, Peru.

These immersion experiences strengthen the relationships between teachers and students. They give our young men—many of whom have never left the country before—a sense of their place in the larger world, and the role they will play in solving truly global problems.

None of this would be possible without your generosity. And in keeping with tradition, the young men who are today benefiting from your philanthropy will invest in Wabash when they are asked to do so, allowing our college to fulfill its time-honored mission.

Class of 1970 Class gift: $6,361,495, with 43.2% class participation

We thank you for the gift of Wabash College with the irreplaceable legacy of those in whose care she rests, and for the young men whom she has raised up to dream dreams and to do great things. We pray that we may all be worthy heirs of this legacy for this generation and those yet to come.

—Invocation by David Blix ’70

—President Scott Feller to the Classes of 1970 and 1971 Class of 1971 Class gift: $2,212,781, with 46% class participation

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Leaven for Community

by Rev. Libby Davis Manning, Director of the Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program

“The greatest thing is to give thanks for everything.

He who has learned this knows what it means to live.

He has penetrated the whole mystery of life: giving thanks for everything.”

—Albert Schweitzer, theologian and Nobel Peace Prize winner

I

happened to be born on thanksgiving day, so my genesis stories of birth and life are wrapped up in my large Midwestern family collectively gathering to offer gratitude and thanks each fourth Thursday in November.

As a child, I remember our family and friends arriving throughout the day for the evening turkey meal at my parents’ large dining table. My parents invited everyone to find time during the day to share gratitude with each person present—a memory, a comment, a way of being that each person uniquely contributed that year.

It was a rich experience, and that practice has shaped our family and succeeding generations. We found it was a more meaningful practice than going around the table and saying the obligatory “one thing for which we were grateful.” As a result, life and gratitude are intertwined in my thinking and being.

From the outset, I’ll clarify that I think about gratitude from my faith tradition, Christianity—not because Christianity is necessarily the best, but because it is the particular religious framework I happen to know the best. It has been my experience, though, that cultivating gratitude is shared by religious and nonreligious people alike. It is a virtue that invites all, and is not exclusive to any one faith or group of people. It is also a virtue that spans all the world religions.

The random occurrence of being born in late November has invited me to pay attention to the ways gratitude is cultivated within the individual apart from Thanksgiving Day, and then the ways the individual shapes the local community. Gratitude is so central to life and character formation that I wonder, what are the conditions for gratitude to take root in the individual, and what are ways gratitude is cultivated throughout the entire year?

36 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

Children’s literature cultivates gratitude in young readers through beloved character development. For example, A.A. Milne wrote, “Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude.”

We teach our young children to write thank-you notes, and say “thank you” when receiving a gift.

In liberal arts communities such as Wabash, professors, coaches, faculty, and staff deliberately cultivate gratitude in our young men. Doing so advances the aims of our College mission to live humanely, as practicing gratitude is related to maintaining good health, meaningful relationships, and a balanced sense of well-being.

What exactly is this virtue of gratitude of which the poets and evangelists write? Robert Emmons, a leading social science expert who studies gratitude, teaches that gratitude is “an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits we’ve received.”

Gratitude is more than a series of recalling kind actions, Emmons writes. It is a truth we speak to ourselves affirming that good things and good people are at work around us.

Historian and Christian theologian Diana Butler Bass drew on Emmons’ research in her book titled Grateful. In it, she concludes that gratitude is a spiritual awareness and a social structure of dynamic gift and response. Gratitude, she believes, is an awareness that we go through life receiving infinitely more than we contribute. She teaches that life is an abundance of shared gifts we give to each other.

Other great minds have stumbled into this truth. In The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote while in prison for resisting Hitler, “In normal life one is not at all aware that we always receive infinitely more than we give, and that gratitude is what enriches life. One easily overestimates the importance of one’s own acts and deeds, compared with what we become only through other people.”

What I particularly appreciate about gratitude is not how it enriches my particular individual life, but rather, the fact that gratitude always orients me toward a larger relational network—the “me” is expanded into the “we” when we live gratefully, as Butler Bass notes. While gratitude may be practiced as a personal ethic, it always connects us to others and opens our eyes to the larger network of relationships around us, which we often fail to recognize.

Living gratefully animates us to the invisible but present threads of gifts and goodness connect our lives together.

This gratitude-connection seems valuable when considering social isolation has increased and more people than ever live alone in Western cultures as the average size of families decreases. In fact, the Making Caring Common project out of Harvard University reported in February of 2021 that the pandemic deepened an epidemic of loneliness in America such that 36% of all Americans, including 61% of young adults, feel “serious loneliness.”

Gratitude has a place of growing importance in communities, and grateful individuals have a potential to be the leaven for the creation of those grateful communities.

Like yeast in a bowl of rising bread, grateful individuals quietly but profoundly change a place. Have you seen this in action? When someone embodies gratitude around me, I am inspired toward acts of gratitude. I am reminded that I receive far more than I give.

Gratitude is contagious and in some profound way, the transcendent is captured in a brief moment. Thus, if we embrace the notion that gratitude changes individual lives for the good, it follows that gratitude can be an ethic and a vision for our community life together, based on practices of grace and gifts, interconnectedness, and recognition of others’ contributions to our lives.

David Steindl-Rast put it this way: “If you’re grateful, you’re not fearful, and if you’re not fearful, you’re not violent.

If you’re grateful, you act out of a sense of enough and not a sense of scarcity, and you are willing to share. If you are grateful, you are enjoying the differences between people, and you are respectful to everybody, and that changes this power pyramid under which we live.”

I invite you to live more thoughtfully—purposefully and robustly practicing gratitude in your individual lives, and then watching for the ways gratitude becomes the leaven for the community around us. To whom might you write a thank-you note today? From whom have you received more than you’ll ever give? How does the community around you, like a loaf of bread, rise ever so slightly when you offer gratitude and thanks? I’ve seen hope rise, morale rise, a sense of interconnectedness rise in the presence of gratitude.

In turn, we are changed for the better when our eyes are open to the invisible network and web of people around us, offering life, abundance, and support.

Take time to thank a colleague this month. Students and alumni, consider writing a professor or trustee a note about how her or his wisdom and expertise have shaped you. Then set a reminder to do it again next semester.

If we make it a habit to offer gratitude in our work and home lives, imagine the ripple effects across our communities.

Holocaust survivor and novelist Elie Wiesel wrote, “Right after the war, I went around telling people, ‘Thank you just for living, for being human.’ And to this day, the words that come most frequently from my lips are, ‘Thank you.’” Wiesel spoke of his ability to experience life as a gift and to treasure that gift—his ability to experience the transcendent in a single moment of gratitude.

There is no doubt that COVID-19 reframed much of life for us in the past three academic years, both positively and negatively. One of the positive things it has done is to remind us anew of the pure gift of being together, of sharing ideas as we engage together in the life of the mind.

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THE NEW CLASS

President Scott Feller Men, as you will one day learn, time with your kids moves at warp speed. One day you’re driving your son to soccer practice and the next thing you know, he’s off to college. But on this, your first real day as Wabash men, think about your parents and all of the sacrifices they made to get you to this point in your lives—piano lessons, math homework, travel ball, hundreds of events.

They showed up. They also showered you with love, encouragement, passion, drive, and the confidence that you could do everything it takes to become a Wabash man—to make the bold choice to select a college that calls you to be a gentleman and responsible citizen.

Gentlemen, today is one of the most important days of your lives. Today you become a Wabash man. I need you to listen carefully: How you define your Wabash experience over the next four years is entirely up to you. Yes, we want you to learn to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively, and live humanely. But we want you to do those things with integrity and sense of purpose; we want your time at Wabash to be “a quest for a moral life.” I promise you that if you are all-in at Wabash, you will develop the capacities of resilience, care, and collaboration that will prepare you to be the leaders our world so desperately needs.

“I promise you that if you are all-in at Wabash, you will develop the capacities of resilience, care, and collaboration that will prepare you to be the leaders our world so desperately needs.”

Dean of Students Greg Redding ’88 It has been my privilege over the years to know many Wabash alumni from all eras and all walks of life. Through their commitment to service, their professional accomplishments, and their devotion to their alma mater, I have seen how they live the values of the College mission and the Gentleman’s Rule, even decades after their student years.

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—President Scott Feller

Dean for Enrollment Management Chip Timmons ’96 You young men who are about to be rung in did more than choose a college. You chose to join a family. To all of the moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles in attendance or watching today, when these men chose to enroll at Wabash, you joined the Wabash family, too.

2025

Class of 2025 Quick Facts

Average GPA of 3.85 9 Valedictorians

13 Eagle Scouts

42 Legacies 57 First-Generation College Students

7 Countries and 17 States 10 Jacobs and 9 Ethans

NAWM President Kip Chase ’03 To help you on this journey, I want to offer some words of wisdom and encourage you to be sure to look up and look around. The people that surround you today will change your life.

Throughout your four years here, you will be challenged academically, socially, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. These challenges will help you sharpen your focus on who you are and the contributions you will make to society. You’ll learn the valuable lessons for what it means to become a man in the 21st century. You’ll learn the valuable lessons for what it means to live with integrity through Wabash’s mission.

Embrace the point that this college will raise the bar of expectations for you, and therefore so should you of yourselves and each other.

Future employers, like me, will look for the best among you—and remember we’ll do our homework on you, too. Your reputation will precede you and should serve as a reminder that who you are as a person will be as important, perhaps more so, as what you do with your career.

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It’s Good to be Home HOMECOMING 2021

40 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

A WEEKEND TO REMEMBER THURSDAY Chapel Sing

One of the College’s most cherished rites of passage in front of Pioneer Chapel: Members of the Class of 2025 were tested on their knowledge of the words to “Old Wabash.”

The Sigma Chi pledge class won the event.

LaFollette Lecture

The LaFollette Lecture is given by an honored faculty member who is charged with addressing the relation of his or her discipline to the humanities. This year’s lecturer was Professor of Biology Amanda Ingram with her talk, “Shaped by History.”

FRIDAY Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

The Wabash College Athletics Hall of Fame honors outstanding scholar-athletes and special contributors to Wabash Athletics. The highlight of the ceremony is hearing from each of the inductees (pages 42–43).

SATURDAY Alumni Chapel

The annual Homecoming Alumni Chapel honors Wabash men and women for their contributions to the College and their communities. This year we recognized eight prominent individuals including naming a new honorary alumna (page 44).

Homecoming Luncheon

Alumni, parents, and friends, gathered to celebrate the College’s great tradition of philanthropy. Greg Estell ’85, former chair of the Annual Fund, handed the leadership position to Chris Braun ’81.

Football vs. Allegheny

Wabash defeated Allegheny 36–28 in the first home football game of the season and the first to be played in the new Little Giant Stadium. Before the game, 20 seniors were honored, and during halftime, the College dedicated the new facility and Frank Navarro Field.

Glee Club Concert

The homecoming concert featured plenty of favorites including the beloved “Old Wabash” under the leadership of Director Sarin Williams.

SUNDAY photo by Kim Johnson

Soccer vs. Grinnell College

Seven senior members of the 2021 Little Giant soccer team were recognized prior to its match. Wabash got a late goal to claim a 3–2 victory.

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Homecoming

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HALL OF FAME INDUCTION

From the Hall of Fame acceptance speech of Russell D. Harbaugh ’06, Football

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n the preseason of 2005 , we scrimmaged Wheaton at their place. Early in the game we were driving just across midfield and we got into a third and long—third and eight maybe. I don’t remember the play call but I remember seeing a corner very deep on the far side—too deep—and an outside linebacker on that same side who had crept up close enough to ensure a hard time getting out and underneath something thrown over that way.

So I changed the play to an Orlando black back. I did it without really thinking. I would roll to the left and then throw a comeback on the right. I had never done anything like this, not even in practice—changing the whole play to something other than a run or a quick pass.

I remember being thrilled, like I was breaking a rule. Is this allowed? I knew it would work. I hadn’t even really decided to do it.

It was just happening.

I take the snap, take my drop, pop my shoulders around and boom! I miss on the throw.

Incomplete. Fourth down. I see the punt team come on. I hustle to the sideline certain that I’m about to get an earful. But when I get to Coach (Chris) Creighton he’s clapping, and he gets close to me and he said, “Good call,” and told me that if I see something like that I’m never wrong to take advantage of it.

I think this moment altered the identity of our offense and shaped the course of our season—which is to say that it changed my life.

I am not naturally confident. And while I’m a dreamer and more than a little prone to fantasies of heroics, I do not naturally believe in things before they happen.

“

At its very best, football can introduce to its players profound ideas regarding how we might choose to live. I think football can introduce the “experience” of accountability and what it feels like to earn the trust of a large group. It can teach you how to set goals with others— not just for game day and not just in-season—and also how to draw meaning and nourishment in the pursuit of those goals, a process not without pain and struggle and defeat. Like any sport played with seriousness, football can teach you how to fail without sacrificing your capacity to succeed.

Football can teach you these things, though I think it’s possible to play football without learning them. I do not believe that the best lessons of football are transferred or internalized automatically. They have to be seen, pointed out. They have to be taught. They have to be heard.

Coach Creighton built a program around us, with us, that forced us to encounter and experience ideas about life and passion and purpose that I continue to draw from on a daily basis: Pursue a challenge; do things right and do them hard; take what they give you; get big in moments of sudden change; be first-class; commit to excellence; finish. Above all, he challenged us—truly—with his example— to believe in things before they happen.

He also oriented us to a truth that has grown loud and clear with each passing year—that the meaning of life is outside of yourself and found in other people.

From the bottom of my heart, I am truly humbled to further represent this championship team and our theme of Unfinished Business.

...THE MEANING OF LIFE IS OUTSIDE OF YOURSELF AND FOUND IN OTHER PEOPLE.”

42 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

I feel it was the luck of my life to meet this team, to play for Coach Creighton, and to live and learn in this community.

You reinforced thinking critically and challenging one’s assumptions. You taught me how to be active in the construction of a personal identity. You taught me how to be active in shaping the days ahead. You taught me how to work—how to remain alert and decisive, even, or especially in chaotic situations.

To the team, I want to tell you that I think about you every day. For the rest of my life, you have provided a reference for things going right when things going right isn’t certain. Or expected. I love you.

Thank you.

The 2021 Athletics Hall of Fame inductees: (from left to right) Christopher C. Whitfield ’88, Clifford J. Bell ’76, Gregory E. Birk ’77, Russell D. Harbaugh ’06, William L. Cannon ’79, Michael D. Brown ’76, Jacob R. Waterman ’13, James W. Pursel ’73. (Not pictured, the 2005 Football Team)

Clifford J. Bell ’76, Basketball I learned everything about myself playing basketball at Wabash. I learned to practice.

I learned it’s ok to make mistakes, but you can’t stop the game. You have to keep going.

I learned how to be a good teammate. I learned we have different roles depending on who we play. I learned to anticipate what’s happening. You don’t play the game that’s going on right now. You see what’s developing and find a place to fit yourself where no one else expects you. That’s how you get open in basketball and in life.

Gregory E. Birk ’77, Track and Field and Cross Country I know I’m up here with a huge asterisk. I am not an All-American. I don’t have any of the credentials of these other inductees. But I do love this college. I’m honored. I’m humbled.

This means the world to me. I love Wabash.

Michael D. Brown ’76, Baseball My favorite coach was my very first. He’s been with me the whole time. He put the first baseball bat in my hand, probably when I was barely longer than the bat. Dad, it was great.

Thank you for all you did for me.

Fifty years ago, Wabash College began to shape my life in every aspect. Baseball was an important part, not necessarily the moments or the games, although the eight wins over DePauw were pretty good. But more memorable were the things we did as teammates and the things we did as friends.

William L. Cannon ’79, Football I am standing before you because I came on the shoulders of many. I was carried here.

Frank Navarro walked into my high school in 1974 and he was wearing plaid pants and a striped shirt. He had this huge white belt and three hooks in three holes. He said, “I want you to come to Wabash College and play football for me.” I had never even heard of Wabash College. I am so happy that I graduated from Wabash. It’s just been the biggest blessing of my life.

James W. Pursel ’73, Track and Field and Football There are many great things about Wabash College: the academic excellence, the tremendous faculty, and administration.

But as we all know, the greatest thing about Wabash is the relationships you develop and the friendships that last a lifetime with the men that will be with you for the rest of your life. So, while it’s a tremendous honor for me to be inducted into the Wabash College Hall of Fame, the greatest honor is to be a Wabash man.

Jacob R. Waterman ’13, Track and Field and Cross Country When I was a freshman, I had a somewhat successful indoor season, but I got injured in the outdoor season—had a pretty embarrassing end of the year. Coach Clyde Morgan sat me down and said, “Jake, I’m going to write this down. You will be a national champion. I want you to borrow my belief in you until you believe in yourself.”

Christopher C. Whitfield ’88, Basketball So here I am, wet behind the ears, a very naive kid from Detroit on my way to Wabash College. Coach Mac Petty said, “Listen, I want to stop, I want you to meet a friend.” So we stop at Rem Johnston’s place. Rem, you could not have been a bigger influence on me. The impression you left and the love you have for this place easily transferred to me.

Thank you very much for the opportunity.

Chris Ogden ’06, Captain 2005 Football Team In thinking about what I would say tonight, my heart took me to being in the tunnel with you guys. Being in that tunnel, getting ready to do the chant, kneeling down and putting your hand in the hand of the guy next to you.

It didn’t matter who the guy was, he was your brother and someone you loved.

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Homecoming

| continued

ALUMNI CHAPEL “Today is a special, special day. We get to recognize incredible contributions by our alumni to society, professions, humanity, to Wabash College. We also get to celebrate being in this chapel once again.

Welcome home. ”

—Kip Chase ’03, NAWM President

Marion Powell H’55 Honorary Alumna in the Class of 1955 You spent 70 years as an active member of the campus community. By active, we mean that you set the bar for generations of faculty spouses and partners who followed your example of commitment, devotion, and dedication to the College and its students.

You did all of these things with grace, class, and integrity.

Eric M. “Rick” Cavanaugh ’76 Frank W. Misch Alumni Distinguished Service Award You have been a steadfast and die-hard reunion leader for the Class of 1976, and your class always seems to be among the College’s leaders in reunion attendance and annual giving. Your brothers in Phi Gamma Delta applaud your service as a chapter advisor, as president of the Psi Chapter Housing Corporation, and as a founding member of Wabash Fraternity Advisors. You served on the board of the Indianapolis Association of Wabash Men, including leading our largest regional association as its president. Your service grew to include eight years on the National Association of Wabash Men Board of Directors where you served as president from 2015 to 2017. When Wabash needs a volunteer, we call and you show up.

44 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

John R. Roberts ’83 and Scott K. Douglas ’84 Fredrick J. Urbaska Distinguished Civic Service Award As family medicine practitioners in Crawfordsville, you have done so much to care for the sick and improve the health of our community. You model service through your work for the Montgomery County Health Department and the Mary Ludwig Free Clinic, and as team doctors for countless high school athletic teams. At Wabash, we are particularly proud of your leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic when the two of you have been the voices of science and reason for this community. Together and individually, you have literally been on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week for over 18 months. You helped us develop all of our successful plans last year, including our “test, trace, and isolate” program, which allowed us to maintain full operations against tremendous odds.

Steven A. Zusack ’06 Jeremy R. Wright Young Alumnus Distinguished Service Award After four years and much soul-searching, you left a high-paying job at Enterprise and followed your dream of building rocket ships.

Rich experiences were gained through a slew of impressive internships, including with NASA at its Huntsville, Marshall, Johnson, and Langley facilities—you even helped design a robotic arm for the International Space Station. Today, you are living your dream as a systems engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where you work with the project formation and architecture team.

Joseph R. Impicciche ’80 Clarence A. Jackson Distinguished Career Achievement Award Today you preside over a sprawling network of 2,600 healthcare sites, including 150 hospitals in 20 states, and nearly 200,000 employees.

Nearly 15 million people sought care in your hospitals in 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, you have provided steady and consistent leadership as the pandemic surged, retreated, and surged again.

Engaging in new ways of communicating across your vast network of facilities, your team supported Ascension’s frontline providers, secured supply chains, created employee hardship programs, and developed a successful telemedicine program—all with a focus on your employees and the patients they serve.

Dan Susie ’68 Alumni Admissions Fellow For decades, you have been “Mr. Wabash” in the Dallas– Fort Worth area, and the College knows it can count on you to organize anything. In the simplest terms, Dan, you are our “go-to” guy in Texas.

You have met with prospective students and parents, helped the College cultivate important relationships with high school counselors, built and sustained the strongest regional alumni association outside the Midwest, and you are a great friend and mentor to younger alumni, including our Texas-based recruiter.

Chad Cleaver ’00 Alumni Career Services Fellow There seems to be nothing you aren’t willing to do as you mentor our men. You are the lynchpin in our very successful Professional Immersion Program in Chicago. You have hosted students for externships and “Career Test Drives,” which are short-term, highly focused immersions into investment management. One of your mentees called his time with you “the best three days” of his college life and said you helped shape the direction of his career. You’ve done classroom visits, taught a financial fitness class, and participated in roundtable discussions; and last spring you led and moderated a virtual panel talk on investment banking, private equity, and emerging markets with our students.

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Homecoming

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LITTLE GIANT STADIUM DEDICATION

24 members of the Navarro family attended the Homecoming game and Little Giant Stadium dedication. The new field is named in memory of their family patriarch, the late Frank Navarro, who coached at Wabash College from 1974 to 1977.

Ben Navarro, son of the late Coach Frank Navarro I felt like when we moved here Crawfordsville was my home. We had absolutely no idea what to expect. We came to Crawfordsville from Columbia, which was frankly the most difficult time in my father’s career.

In the late ’60s and early ’70s student unrest and racial tension were centered there. The job became more about crisis management than about coaching.

It wasn’t a terrific situation. Then along comes real community. The Wabash culture, I think still to this day, matched our family culture.

My father had the audacity to believe that an allmale school in the middle of nowhere, where nearly 15% of its students play football, could establish a tradition of excellence. It wasn’t as much about recruiting and money and politics; it was really about motivating young men to selflessly become part of something where the whole was greater than the sum of the parts.

I know this day is a tribute to my father, but it is us, the entire Navarro family, who wants to say thank you to Wabash College. Thank you for those amazing years and thank you for an opportunity to be part of all of this.

46 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

Kevin Clifford ’77 If you reflect back on the world at large, the state of higher education, the game of football in 1974, I say the world was a mess. It was upside down. It was the end of the war. We were in the middle of the oil embargo. And the list goes on.

There was serendipity that happened. Frank’s career at Columbia ended. Wabash had lost its coach. I’m pretty sure Frank and Jill and their family needed Wabash, and Wabash needed Frank, Jill, and their family. It was the start of something special that continues to this day.

Scott Feller, 17th President of Wabash College When Frank Navarro was here, he really did put Wabash football on the map. When I talk to the alumni who played for Frank, I hear about a lot more than just winning. I hear words like discipline, sacrifice, teamwork.

When I think about the success his former players have had after their time at Wabash, I know that the traits he instilled in a group of 18- to 22-year-old men were really lessons for life, not for the next opponent.

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS OF LITTLE GIANT STADIUM 50,000+ total project man-hours » 35,000 Wilhelm Construction man-hours 290 tons of steel » 1,715 cubic yards of concrete 24,935 concrete masonry units/blocks » 35,375 modular bricks 235 pieces of cut limestone » 54,500 lineal feet of conduit » 175,000 lineal feet of wire Total seating capacity: 3,500 » Chairback seats: 245 Playing surface: FieldTurf Revolution 360 » Track surface: Beynon Sports Surface

“ It was fun to play quarterback for the Little Giants one more time. Thank you all very, very much.”

—Kevin Clifford ’77

Kevin Clifford shared thoughts on success at a special Friday-evening Chapel Talk. Clifford’s $10 million commitment was the lead gift for the new stadium project.

Halftime Dedication Scott Feller Kevin Clifford and his family made a generous gift that launched the planning and fundraising for this incredible facility. Kevin, we are so grateful for your vision, leadership, and unwavering generosity to your alma mater. Current and future generations of Wabash athletes will look to you with admiration and thanks for the role that your philanthropy plays in offering them a life-changing living and learning experience.

Kevin Clifford When you play quarterback, you get more credit than you should when you win, and more blame when you lose. This project, led by my college roommate and dear friend of almost 50 years, Gary Reamey ’77, was the consummate team effort. I just want to say thank you to Gary, the administration, and every single person who committed to this project from day one, to make it a reality. Finally, I want to thank my family. When we sat down as a family to have our conversation about supporting this project, we came to the conclusion that by volunteering and joining the team, we had an ability to secure the future of Wabash College athletics while honoring its rich, rich history and past. It was fun to play quarterback for Little Giants one more time. Thank you all very, very much.

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Speaking of Sports

| FALL 2021

A HISTORY OF LITTLE GIANT STADIUM

1904 Scene from the Wabash–IU game from 1904.

Baseball was the first sport played on campus. In this view from the 1870s, the diamond is seen in the upper-left corner of campus, roughly the spot where Little Giant Stadium stands today.

post-WWI An undated photo of the first-ever bleachers, which were erected post-World War I. During this time, the field was oriented north to south. The house pictured behind the bleachers sat on Crawford Street and was torn down to build the Allen Center. It sat about where the west end of the Knowling Fieldhouse is today.

1870s

1929

1908

1923

The Little Giants of 1908 on Philistine Field, so named for its disreputable appearance. As seen, there are 11 players pictured and no grass.

Game action from 1923. Note Lee Norman “Pete” Thorn ’24 is playing without a helmet. Thorn was the only Wabash man to earn 16 varsity letters in his college career and received the John Maurice Butler Prize given to a senior with outstanding scholarship and character.

Photo of the 1903 Wabash football team. Pictured third from the left is William M. Cantrell of Danville, Illinois, Wabash College’s second Black player.

1903

48 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

In 1929, Athletic Director Harry Scholler was determined to light the field for night football, an experiment that had worked well in the states west of Indiana. The lighting experiment was successful.

The first game or two to be played at night attracted sufficiently large crowds, mostly due to the novelty.

As the season went on and the weather grew colder, it became a chore for all but the most eager lovers of football to stay out in the damp cold of an autumn night.

Game action from the Wabash–Butler game of 1939 at Ingalls Field.

1939

1960s Ingalls Field (1928–53) ran parallel to Crawford Street. This photo shows pregame warm-ups from a game there in 1951.

Construction of Little Giant Stadium in the mid-1960s as the grandstand supports rose from the ground.

Pioneer Chapel looms in the background.

1928–53

A rendition of Little Giant Stadium used at the facility dedication in 1966. From The Bachelor on October 7, 1966: “The 4,200-seat stadium, which looks down on historic Ingalls Field, is the anonymous gift of a Wabash benefactor who donated most of the $165,000 needed to make the permanent stands a reality. Outstanding features of the stadium include an all-weather press box and bright scarlet seats to match the college colors.”

The first artificial turf playing surface at Hollett Little Giant Stadium was dedicated in memory of David Hunter Sewell ’76 and named Sewell Field from 2010 to 2019 through the generosity of Gary ’77 and Joanne Reamey.

1966

2010

1956

late 1960s

Wabash College hosted the 1956 U.S. Olympic Decathlon Trials on June 13–14. Rafer Johnson and Milt Campbell finished 1-2 in the event. Campbell went on to win gold at the Olympics in Melbourne, while Johnson won gold in the event in Rome in 1960.

Aerial photo taken in the late 1960s.

The new stadium was dedicated in 1966. The McCanliss Athletic Center [left] was dedicated in 1968.

Bleachers were installed in the main seating area of Little Giant Stadium in 1966, as construction of the McCanliss Athletic Center continued in the background.

1966

Little Giant Stadium and Frank Navarro Field Dedication on Saturday, September 18,

2021.

On September 26, 1998, Wabash’s former stadium was dedicated in honor of Byron P. Hollett ’36, trustee of the College for three decades and president of the Board of Trustees from 1975–84.

1998

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Wabash College President Scott Feller and First Lady Wendy Feller at the inauguration celebration after Scott was officially given a copy of the College’s charter and became the 17th president. Feller is the first person to rise directly from the faculty to the presidency since Byron K. Trippet was elected president in 1956.

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IN GRATITUDE W

abash has been my home for over 20 years and few college presidents have the benefit of such a long association with the institution they lead. I come to my office every day thankful for the relationships I have developed here and an appreciation for what Wabash means to its students and alumni. our core values: the road map to success

The roadmap to achieving the mission of Wabash College can be found in our core values—what we believe. All of us who love and care about Wabash would be wise to revisit them from time to time.

The past 18 months have given me many opportunities to reflect on them.

Some of the things we believe in are: • A rigorous liberal arts education that fosters an appreciation for the intellectual and physical aspects of a good life and an understanding of, and appreciation for, other cultures.

• A personal context to teaching and learning that encourages candid, respectful, face-to-face conversations and freedom of thought.

• Individual responsibility and trust based on moral and ethical awareness, which are required for leadership and teamwork, and are expressed so eloquently in the Gentleman’s Rule.

• We especially value a socially, economically, and ethnically diverse student body characterized by a dedication to the serious pursuit of learning. making wabash accessible for all

The headwinds facing good small colleges like Wabash are real. Think about the pending “birth dearth” that followed the Great Recession; the very real population declines in the Northeast and Midwest,

where most liberal arts colleges are located; and specific to Wabash, the recent articles published by the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Forbes on the declining number of young men who are enrolling in college.

There is a perception that the rising cost of tuition is the reason so many students can’t access a private college education. But the truth is, it is a family income problem more than a college cost problem.

When I was a college student in Oregon a little over 30 years ago, I worked hard on a farm in the summer and earned a couple of dollars above minimum wage. By the end of the summer, I had earned about $5,500 to contribute to my education at Willamette University. That was quite a bit of money in the mid-’80s.

Adjusted for inflation, I would have earned more than $13,000 this past summer. Can you imagine if students could work hard for one summer to earn $13,000 to help pay for their education?

This college access problem has been growing for some time, though it gained much more attention after the Great Recession of 2007. The demographic shifts in our country are going to force us to address the problem head-on if Wabash and other quality liberal arts colleges are to survive and thrive.

I believe that the only way to meet our enrollment goals—and our nation’s need for an educated society—will be by increasing the number of college-bound young people from groups historically underserved by private higher education: low-income, first-generation, and students of color.

Demography is not destiny. We can chart our own future by making Wabash accessible for the many young men who need us. And just as we have for the past 189 years, we will meet those young men

by

Scott Feller

photos by Kim Johnson

where they are. We will maintain our historic commitment to being an engine of opportunity.

Many of our alumni were the firstgeneration sons of factory workers, farmers, custodians—from Gary, Hammond, Kokomo, and New Castle— or descendants of coal miners and steel workers in Western Pennsylvania. Many went on to become leaders of business, industry, law, banking, education, scientific research, and the ministry.

All they needed was a chance. Wabash provided it through generous financial aid, a rigorous education, and a community that cared about them as individuals.

I pledge to you that our commitment to the education of promising young men, regardless of their socioeconomic status, will be the touchstone of my presidency. higher education in crisis

Mixed in with the newspaper opinion pieces predicting colleges will close are the perhaps even more concerning essays questioning the value of a college education.

Exceptional small colleges like Wabash provide enormous value—value added in exponential proportion to our size.

If you combine the total number of living alumni of, say, Wabash and DePauw, over our nearly 200-year histories, the total is far less than the current enrollment at Indiana or Purdue universities.

And yet think about the disproportionate number of high-placed graduates of our two tiny colleges in every walk of life—from titans of business to school board presidents; from civil rights leaders to pioneering surgeons. Small colleges make an enormous difference in our communities, our nation, and this world.

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IN GRATITUDE

| continued

Residential liberal arts education, with small classes taught by full-time, tenuretrack faculty, and with championship athletics and strong student support networks, are never going to be the lowcost option.

But even more concerning to me is the continued questioning of the value of higher education, and in particular, the devaluing of the liberal arts and the residential college experience.

We are seeing an attitude that higher education is a commodity, that students are consumers, and that colleges and universities are simply delivery networks.

I already see some of this even at Wabash, when some people want to bargain over financial aid—or even worse, when I hear someone say, “I pay $40,000 a year to go here so I deserve X.” Wabash College runs on relationships, not transactions. The commodification of higher education is dangerous to students.

It will be fatal for Wabash. The reason is that treating higher education as a commodity encourages the unbundling of the college experience into individual components so that the consumers can choose just the pieces they want…and want to pay for.

At Wabash, a philosophy course is not a product to be consumed, independent of other courses, independent of a student’s discussions with peers, or independent of

52 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

conversations and programs sponsored by the Career Center.

Can you possibly put a price on the hundreds of life-changing conversations that Coach Clyde Morgan has with students in any given month? Now multiply that by roughly 250 members of the faculty and staff, not to mention thousands of alumni, who are fully focused on the success of each and every student.

That’s value for which there is no price tag. resilience

Make no mistake, Wabash College is on an enviable trajectory. We understand our mission better than any other college I know. The commitment of our faculty, staff, alumni, and friends is unrivaled.

This campus is a place of beauty.

And our endowment, the accumulated philanthropy of generations of giving, is at the highest point in our history. But I will argue that our greatest asset at this moment in time is our resilience, and the ability it gives us to tackle the hard problems head-on.

There may have been a time that “Wabash Always Fights” was simply an athletic slogan, but after more than a year of providing an exceptional residential liberal arts education in the midst of a pandemic, Wabash Always Fights has proven to have much broader relevance.

And if you are going to tackle big problems head-on, the first thing you have to do is to acknowledge what you are up against. We face real headwinds, but we will face them head-on.

I realize that we are all anxious to move on from COVID-19, but it will be tragic if we don’t reflect on and learn from our experiences over the past year-and-a half, as individuals, as a society, and as an institution. Some questions we could reflect on: How did we, as a College with little experience with online learning, pivot in a single week during March of 2020 to virtual classes?

How did we, with a one-person Student Health Center, develop a comprehensive test-trace-isolate program that was the envy of much larger schools?

And how in the world did we put on a vaccination clinic for students, faculty, staff, and dependents within days of the state making vaccines available?

How did we make study-abroad opportunities available for students last year? How did we find ways to acknowledge the milestone events in our students’ lives?

How did we put on Chapel Sing? How were we the first school in our league to welcome fans into our athletic contests? How did we offer an in-person commencement for the classes of 2020 and 2021 that their families and friends could attend?

How did we manage through a pandemic without a single layoff or furlough?

And finally, the question I pondered when I rang in the Class of 2025: How did we recruit a promising class of young men to the College who never experienced a Wabash classroom, a football game, or an overnight visit on campus?

The keys were exceptional faculty and staff and a shared commitment to mission. But without a Wabash Always Fights attitude, and a willingness to make some bold moves, it never would have happened. These are just a few of the lessons learned that we can apply to the big challenges we face. listening to make wabash better

The past year taught us additional lessons that will also serve us well as we move forward. We learned that we must work individually and as a College to be more inclusive, and to understand and work against the ways that racism and other forms of bias keep members of our community from feeling the sense of belonging for which we strive.

One of the goals I set for myself when I began in July of 2020 was to be a better listener, and I have been rewarded with enormous personal growth. I have

benefited by attending Chapel Talks, witnessing a moving protest by the young men of the Malcolm X Institute of Black Studies, reading the words of alumni in Wabash Magazine, attending Black Studies classes and MXIBS events, listening to thought-leaders like Clint Smith and Jerome Adams, and having many, many conversations with students.

The authenticity and vulnerability of members of this community demonstrated through their thoughts, stories, and experiences was life-changing for me; they helped me focus my vision.

I have also benefited from conversations with faculty and staff colleagues, many of which were focused on ideas for programming to make us better and chart our future toward a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable Wabash.

These conversations culminated with the highlight of my first year as president when, early last spring, Lilly Endowment awarded Wabash a series of grants totaling more than $5.5 million that will fund our innovative “Restoring Hope, Restoring Trust” programs. These grants provide our college unprecedented resources to enhance student success and develop a stronger sense of belonging for all. This is work that touches our entire college, from

living units to classrooms, across every office, and out into the broader world.

And, most important, it positions Wabash well to welcome the rising new majority students who, like those young men from Gary, Kokomo, and Pittsburgh half a century ago, are seeking access to a liberal arts curriculum led by a faculty that is engaging and accessible, and to an overall educational program that will give them the support they need to succeed. the challenges we will face together

We have much to celebrate here at Wabash, because we have proven to be both resilient and innovative in the face of this pandemic.

We will draw on everything we have learned over the last 18 months—indeed, over the last 189 years—to strengthen our college and the life-defining opportunities it provides for our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends.

While we have a clear vision of the kind of college we want Wabash to be as we approach our bicentennial in 2032, it is only through a careful study of—and commitment to—our historic beacons that will allow us to be successful in all that we strive to do.

“In Gratitude” was excerpted from President Scott Feller’s inaugural address given on October 8, 2021. To read the address visit wabash.edu/news.

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IN GRATITUDE

| continued

This is a time where courageous and visionary leadership is needed most, and Scott, you bring this leadership. You are the leader Wabash needs now; you are a leader higher education needs now.

Greetings from Higher Education Michael McDonald, President of the Great Lakes Colleges Association

hold fast to your dreams, because when dreams die, they are like a broken-winged bird that cannot fly. In this moment we invite all of the good fortunes of the past to come to guide us forward to be our light in darkness, to be a beacon that calls us to be a steadfast rock as we try to do our best to lead this ship of Zion to the shores of the 21st century. There are multiple pandemics facing us. The pandemic of racial hatred, the pandemic of economic disparity, the pandemic of ecological disasters, the pandemic of health.

And then there is the hope that is this college. The hope that stands to show forth the symbol of what is possible. We ask that the best wants of our nation become our guiding principles as we seek to educate men who will be critical thinkers, in a world so in need of courageous, spirited, and hopeful leaders.

Inauguration Celebration Blessing Timothy Lake, Associate Professor of English

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i wish to express gratitude for your

scott e. feller, on behalf of

at Wabash.

First, gratitude for your ongoing initiatives to make Wabash more inclusive, more accessible to new majority students, to increase diversity among the faculty, staff, and student body. Gratitude for your esteem of the liberal arts: You are a natural scientist who speaks passionately about the value of the social sciences and the humanities. Gratitude for your work in forging connections not only within Wabash but also outward. You, perhaps more than any other president of Wabash College, have nurtured enduring ties to the local community, having put down roots, quite literally, in Crawfordsville. Many of us have seen you and your wife, Wendy, actively contributing to this city, whether at the farmer’s market or Four Seasons Market or 4-H. You know us, and yet you want to know us better: inviting students, staff, and faculty to the table to share our concerns, our challenges, our visions.

Gratitude that you are a talented problem solver. In these times of great change, as we emerge from more immediate threats of the pandemic and round out our second century as a college, we very much need a good problem solver with heart and vision. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, panta rhei: all things flow or change. Change is a given.

Much as we might like to, there is no going back to pre-COVID Wabash. We have changed, our students have changed. What is next for this institution?

We can embrace this moment of accelerated change to think about how we enact our mission. What can we do better to support the education of young men, especially now when fewer men are choosing to attend college? If Wabash always fights, what should we be fighting for? Whom should we be fighting for? We must all hold these questions in the forefront of our minds as we move quickly toward the third century of this mighty college.

the trustees

leadership

Greetings from the Faculty Bronwen Wickkiser, Professor of Classics, Department Chair

of Wabash College, I present to you this symbol of an honored past and future filled with promise and possibility. On this inauguration day, we rededicate ourselves to the mission of Wabash College—to educate men to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively, and live humanely.

In doing so, we place our trust in your ability to carry on that mission sustained by good men before you, and confident that the Wabash College we love will be led and guided by the wisdom of your mind and the generosity of your heart.

Presentation of the Wabash Charter Jay R. Allen ’79, Chairman of the Board

With many of my own years of experience working on a sheep farm, it is clear that you have the grit, determination, and patience to effectively lead our college based on the patience it requires to put a herd of sheep through a foot bath and trim their hooves.

This is the least glorious and the toughest process of being a sheep herder. I can think of no better training for a president leading a college of 850 young men.

Greetings from the Student Body Daniel Bass ’22, President of the Wabash Student Body

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some might suggest that we were “lucky” to have scott and, by some definition of “lucky,” we were. However, as Thomas Jefferson said, “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”

I hope it is not presumptuous to suggest that Scott and Wendy are in many ways a product of Wabash College, and the personification of what Wabash is and what this college does to and for its constituents. While Scott has accomplished much in his role as teacher, researcher, department head, division head, and dean of the College to shape his students and co-workers, Wabash has also played a formative role in making Scott and Wendy, who they are today.

Scott brings together keen analytical expertise and strategic insights with a broad and deep understanding of the key drivers of long-term success for outstanding liberal arts colleges like Wabash. Further, Scott has an innate ability and eagerness to engage with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and his academic colleagues. He is an excellent listener, decisionmaker, communicator, and leader. In other words, a true Wabash man.

While maintaining strong connections and roots in their native state of Oregon, Scott and Wendy are woven into the fabric of the Wabash and Crawfordsville community.

Their warm, down-to-earth personalities, broad civic involvement, and deep understanding and passion for the history and culture of Wabash College perfectly position Scott and Wendy to be our leaders. They embody Wabash in everything they do, and work tirelessly and enthusiastically to carry on the great traditions and mission of Wabash.

And for all of that we are both “lucky” and grateful.

photo by Brent Harris H’03

Inauguration Celebration Toast Jay R. Allen ’79, Chairman of the Board

If you know my dad, you know that he shows his affection and his love for something by his action and his service. And so the fact that he has come into this leadership position at Wabash should show that this is the greatest expression of his love for the students, faculty, staff, trustees, and alumni. He’s going to be very successful leading this college into the future. And while I consider Wabash College very lucky to have him, I consider Jake and I more lucky to have him as a father.

Four generations of Wabash presidents and their wives: 16th President Gregory Hess and Lora, 17th President Scott Feller and Wendy, 15th President Patrick White and Chris, and 14th President Andrew Ford and Anne.

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Inauguration Celebration Amanda Murphy, daughter of President Scott and Mrs. Wendy Feller

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“Parent of all Virtues”

by Dirk Caldwell ’93

The love of wisdom has led philosophers to explore the questions that relate to who we are and what our purpose is for ages. The love of wisdom urges us to think about the meaning of life, acquiring knowledge, our own sense of morality, and reality. Philosophy informs our political, religious, and economic lives, as well as how we perceive art and language.

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P

hilosophy has been broken up into six major themes

and inevitably we spend time thinking about all of them.

Metaphysics helps us think about the expanse of the universe and the idea of reality. Logic helps us create valid arguments. Epistemology is the study of knowledge and how we acquire it. Aesthetics focuses on art and beauty. Politics directs our attention to political rights, how to govern, and the role of citizens within a political system. Finally, ethics forces us to think about morality, how to use our moral compass—or how we should live our lives. It’s easy to see how philosophy reaches into each part of our lives, whether we’re aware of it or not. When we begin to think of those parts of our lives, we are essentially budding philosophers. ethics is something that can be applied to all parts of our lives. Using ethics allows us to make decisions and then execute those decisions in a

morally “right” way. We must wrestle with medical ethics, business and professional ethics, political ethics, and social ethics. What makes a decision and then a behavior, “right?”

The answer to that ethical question is fundamentally focused on the idea of happiness—one’s own happiness and, even more broadly applied, the happiness of others.

Any discussion of ethics must begin with two critically important questions, why and how. The “why” is concerned with the fundamental principles of ethical standards. Virtue, behavior, consequences, and happiness are some examples that guide us to those principles, and they strive to be as ideal as possible.

The “why” of ethics pushes us to think about what could or should be considered “norms.” Because of that, ethicists spend time thinking about normative ethics, or moral ethics, and that effort brings us to the idyllic, exemplary moral standard.

You’re probably thinking that a moral standard is impossible because opinions are subjective and impractical to apply across the entire population of humanity. That’s why ethicists have raised the second question, “how.”

How humans act, how they interpret and adhere to a standard moral code or not, is a completely different situation altogether. One culture might consider a standard moral code to be insufficient when it’s applied to their own lives. Their interpretation and application might be different from another cultural perspective. How we apply any ethical standard arises from the perspective of the community to which we belong. Consider a community to be a collection of people that voluntarily associate with each other, and they do so because they agree to abide by generally accepted norms.

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“PARENT OF ALL VIRTUES”

| CONTINUED

A few examples: A city becomes a community because its citizens subscribe to the laws they put in place.

A community of fans agree to cheer on the same sports team. A community of worshipers assemble to worship the same divinity. How we obey the laws, how we support a team, how we worship the divine are descriptions of each of those communities. Adhering to all the norms becomes even more complex when we understand that each of us belongs to a variety of communities. The actions that result from normative ethics fall into the category that ethicists have identified as descriptive ethics. Our behavior, what we say and do, describes what we hold to be our ideal, moral standard.

If philosophy in general—and a cursory search on google with ethics more specifically—can help “gratitude” fueling the search engine us realize our own happiness and reveals that the idea of gratitude behave in ways that make us happy, is anything but new. Philosophers, is there an appropriate response that theologians, economists, psychologists, should come from that experience? politicians, clergy, and even pop Can something that clearly affects us culture icons throughout millennia in such an overwhelmingly positive have been thinking about and way go unnoticed, unrecognized? If wrestling with all that gratitude is or happiness abounds in each of us and is not. in all parts of our lives, is there an In the sixth century, Buddha said, ethical response that each of us should “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if be able to express? Is it possible to we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we have an “ethics of gratitude” whereby learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a a standard moral code of gratitude little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if or thankfulness can be a norm in a we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so let community, or even better, a norm us all be thankful.” that can be applied to a culture or even across cultures? If so, how would that manifest descriptively in each of those cultures?

IF THE GRATEFUL PERSON RECIPROCATES THE FAVOR, THEN THE OTHER PERSON IS MORE LIKELY TO RECIPROCATE THE NEW FAVOR, CAUSING AN UPWARD SPIRAL OF HELPING AND MUTUAL SUPPORT. 60 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

Roman philosopher Cicero, in the first century BCE, said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues, but the parent of all the others.” A spirit of gratitude birthed in us a desire to share that thankfulness with others. When we have benefited from another’s gifts for us, we confront them with thanks.

For Cicero, gratitude gave birth to other virtuous behavior, all of which led to a greater sense of happiness in the individual and in others.

Marcus Aurelius, considered among the greatest Roman Emperors, offered his thoughts on gratitude. “Take full account of what excellencies you possess and in gratitude remember how you would hanker after them, if you had them not.” This advice seems to be most apropos in our collective experience with the COVID pandemic.

With our lives altered in every way, many of us realized that we hankered after many parts of our lives that we had been denied.

I was first introduced to the 19thand 20th-century theologian, organist, musicologist, writer, humanitarian, philosopher, and physician, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, by my Wabash academic advisor, Dr. Raymond Williams.

Dr. Schweitzer recognized the benefit of expressing our gratitude as well. He said, “Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude.”

We must be intentional, thoughtful, even courageous when it comes to speaking or demonstrating how thankful we are. Seek out those who have acted as benefactors in your life and express your gratitude to them, either through a conversation or by reciprocating kindness and becoming a benefactor yourself.

GRATITUDE IS SOMETHING THAT ARRIVES IN US DIFFERENTLY AND THEN COMES FROM US IN UNIQUE EXPRESSIONS. Oprah Winfrey has a unique platform from which she influences millions of people. “I live in the space of thankfulness—and for that, I have been rewarded a million times over,” said Winfrey. “I started out giving thanks for small things, and the more thankful I became, the more my bounty increased. That’s because—for sure—what you focus on expands.

When you focus on the goodness in life, you create more of it.”

Modern psychologists agree. From a study by Wood, Linley, and Joseph in a 2007 issue of The Psychologist (“Gratitude—Parent of All Virtues”), gratitude may have one of the strongest links to mental health. “Gratitude was more strongly related to this measure of happiness than all but two strengths, even after controlling for several demographic variables.”

Their research seems to imply that a spirit of gratitude is blind to demographics. Age, race, gender identification, ethnicity, and income levels shape who we are, and despite those demographics, gratitude plays an important role in helping people maintain happiness. They report that “people who feel more gratitude in life should be more likely to notice they have been helped, to respond appropriately, and to return the help at some future point. If the grateful person reciprocates the favor, then the other person is more likely to reciprocate the new favor, causing an upward spiral of helping and mutual support.”

Whether an “ethics of gratitude” exists or not is up for debate. Arriving at a universally recognizable expression of thanks is nearly impossible.

Gratitude is something that arrives in us differently and then comes from us in unique expressions.

Based on all of those who have gone before us, it’s safe to conclude that being able to express our gratitude is essential. It’s imperative that we give thanks to those who have acted as benefactors to us—who have blessed us with something. It’s necessary that we must demonstrate our thankfulness to the situations that have taught us something or have moved us deeply.

We have captured a taste of what it might be to not have something that we’ve grown to appreciate. That hankering brings with it gratitude.

Gratitude, when felt and then reciprocated out into the world, lifts up others, and motivates them to be grateful. With all the challenges we face today, being grateful for the blessings we receive and experience should be cherished. More than that, they should motivate each of us to act in the world in such a way that brings about more and more gratitude.

Bless someone else, offer kindness, sacrifice something of yourself so that others around you might experience some much-needed happiness, and then let us be grateful.

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Class Notes

| FALL 2021

1961

Dave Bohlin is no longer professionally active, but he presented three talks at his retirement village in Denver. He reports, “They have a ‘science club’ consisting of about two dozen members. Several of them worked on NASA programs and knew of me from my position at NASA HQ.”

1969

Brad and Sue Mullendore celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on June 6. They have two children, Nathan ’07 and Amber, and four grandchildren.

1971

Our condolences to Phil Rifner on the death of his wife, Norma, on March 16. They were married for more than 52 years. He writes, “Her smile and laugh are greatly missed. While we were at Wabash, she worked briefly in the Admissions Office.” Stephen Covey retired as director of research and development for Deep Space Industries Inc. in 2018. Jon Pactor has written a book, Becoming Gentlemen and Responsible Citizens in Times of Turmoil: A History of Student Life at Wabash College, 1967–1971. The book covers the Vietnam War, the military draft, racial tensions, integration of fraternities, the founding of the Malcolm X Institute of Black Studies, controversy over coeducation, a student strike, challenges to the curriculum, President Thaddeus Seymour, Dean Norman Moore, many professors, campaigns by two presidential candidates in Crawfordsville, a police raid of Martindale, sports, the Glee Club, new buildings on campus, and more.

1972

Tom Pulver is the library director of the Fairfax Public Law Library.

He writes, “After graduation, I spent a few years as a Roman Catholic seminarian (sponsored through Wabash Newman Center).

I was then sent to Catholic University in Washington, DC, to complete training. In short, I dropped out and finally completed a joint law/library science degree in 1980. I never practiced law or took the bar. I spent my career in libraries in various courthouses, law firms, and academic institutions in the DC area. I blessedly stayed single.”

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Larry Zommick has been retired for five years. He writes, “Still living in the Seattle area. I really enjoyed the Hemingway book club put on by the College.”

1974

Jim McDaniel retired on September 10 after 35 years with Interstate Batteries. He writes, “Celebrating with my wife on a three-week driving trip across west Texas, New Mexico, and the canyonlands of southern Utah.”

1977

Ed Menso writes, “I finally learned to swim two years ago (the only one in the family that didn’t swim) and completed my first half Ironman the same year. I completed the Chicago Marathon in 2019. My wife, Becky, is a swim official at the national level and has been competing in Ironman races for several years. We met in Indianapolis when we both worked for the Navy. We moved to Barrington, IL, in the mid-’90s, somewhat reluctantly, to take new jobs. I’m an assistant scoutmaster and took my son to both Florida Sea Base and Philmont Scout Ranch. I have a couple of master’s degrees now and have been working as a principal network architect for AT&T for over 20 years.” His middle child is a Division III All-American swimmer.

Gary Reamey announces his new album, Things She Did To Me, dedicated to his wife, Joanne. He writes, “I had fun co-writing all the songs on the album with some great Nashville songwriters. My buddy, Wabash man Dan Couch ’89, has three songs on the album with me.”

1978

Bob and Melody Grand were presented with the IUPUI Spirit of Philanthropy Award. The Grands were recognized for having loyally supported Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. Bob is a member of the law school’s board of visitors.

Frank Sellke received the 2021 Brown University Distinguished Research Award in Medicine and Biologic Sciences. He is only the second physician at Brown to receive this award. A few years ago, he received the Indiana University School of Medicine Distinguished Alumni Award. He is the Karl Karlson and Gloria Karlson Professor and Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Brown Medical School.

1979

Robert “Big Bob” Klee and his wife, Cindi, hiked the historic Camino Frances this fall. The route is 500 miles long. The two hiked 35 days and averaged 12 to 15 miles per day. This is the fourth Camino for Bob and Cindi. Alan McLaughlin was appointed as regional office managing shareholder at Littler’s in Indianapolis and San Diego.

Fred Neuhouser was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He holds a chair in German and philosophy at Barnard College.

1982

Chris Carr is in his second year as the director of performance psychology and the team behavioral health clinician for the Green Bay Packers. He started consulting with the Packers in 2018 and began in his full-time role in May 2020. Chris and his wife, Kelli, live in Suamico, WI.

1989

Brian Campbell reports, “After a long year of the pandemic, I celebrated my survival on May 18, 2021, by marrying Heather Hester-Campbell in Las Vegas! We live in Crawfordsville, as I am working for the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security in Montgomery County.” Kurt Snyder received the 2019–20 Stanford University School of Medicine Inspiring Change Leadership Award. Kurt is the executive director of the Stanford Center for Continuing Medical Education.

1991

John Cheek moved to Bloomfield Hills, MI. He writes, “After 20 years at Caterpillar in Illinois and overseas, we moved to Ann Arbor in 2017 when I became Chief Intellectual Property Counsel for Tenneco, a global Tier 1 and aftermarket auto parts supplier.

Any Wabash men out there that need legal advice on innovation or brand protection, give me a shout. Happy to say that I’ve been back playing jazz music again for about 11 years now after taking a long time away from the horn after graduation 30 years ago.” Jeff Grabill joined University of Leeds in England as its new deputy vice-chancellor: student education.

Michael Langford joined The Mediation Group LLC, an Indianapolisbased law firm, as a mediator and arbitrator.

1992

Kenyatta Brame was promoted to executive vice president at Cascade Engineering. Alonzo Weems was named Eli Lilly and Company’s new senior vice president and chief ethics and compliance officer.

1993

Rob Reimondo was named a 2021 Indiana Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters in alternative dispute resolution (mediation). Rob is an attorney in Crawfordsville.

1995

Steven Pfanstiel was hired as the chief financial officer for Marinus Pharmaceuticals Inc., a pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative therapeutics to treat rare seizure disorders. Our condolences to Roy Sexton on the death of his mother, Susie Sexton, on August 6.

1997

John Cole qualified for The Million Dollar Round Table in 2021. The Million Dollar Round Table is a global, independent association of the world’s leading life insurance and financial services professionals from more than 500 companies in 70 nations and territories. Marcus Doshi writes, “In August, I designed the lighting for Pass Over at the August Wilson Theatre, which was the first new play to open on Broadway post-pandemic. It was my first show in 18 months, and what a way to get back at it! In October, I designed the lighting for the Wagner opera Tannhäuser at Los Angeles Opera. In the meantime, I continue as associate chair of the theatre department at Northwestern University, where I teach in the MFA programs. And I scuba dive whenever I get the chance!”

[Photo from technical rehearsals for Pass Over] Mark Grossenbacher was named principal at Woodland Middle School in North Port, FL.

1998

Jason Bridges was named executive director at Fairwinds Counseling Center in Nantucket, MA. Peter Prengaman was a co-author on a published book of the 2016 impeachment of then Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. He reports, “Tim Padgett ’84, who was a mentor early in my career, read an initial draft and gave really good insights that we incorporated.”

1999

Jacob Isaacs was selected

by University of Minnesota at Crookston as its new student success and academic advising director. Jacob will be working with programs in student success, academic advising, tutoring, multicultural education, career services, and first-year experience. Along with Marianne and Lucy, Jacob transitioned to the Crookston area this summer.

John Sowers is pastor at the First Christian Church in Leavenworth, KS. He writes, “It would be fair to say that the last year has not been without its challenges, but all things considered, things are going well. We had in-person worship on March 15, 2020, and then on March 22, we worshiped on Zoom. The first worship service was a little rocky, but we have continually improved our digital ability.”

2001

Doug Kowalski was named an associate at Kroger Gardis & Regas in Indianapolis.

2002

Theodore Kieffer joined Blood Assurance as regional medical director, based in Nashville, TN.

2003

Todd Bertrand was hired by Franciscan Physician Network as an orthopedic surgeon specializing in orthopedic oncology. Kip Chase was named vice president of H.R. for all Pharma Business Units and Lilly USA. Peter DeYoung was selected to the Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation fellowship program. The goal of the program is to drive positive change in Indiana.

2004

Joe Heller joined coreVISION, a financial consulting firm in Shelbyville, IN, as advisor support assistant.

Jacob Pactor and his wife, Stevie, first-time parents, welcomed their daughter, Orly, in November 2020. Jacob is an assistant principal at Shortridge High School in Indianapolis. While becoming parents, they made Andrea and Jon Pactor ’71 firsttime grandparents.

2005

Rob Love was named Michigan City Area Schools’ new diversity, equity, and inclusion coordinator. Jacob Rump was awarded tenure and promotion to associate professor of philosophy at Creighton University in Omaha, where he resides with his wife, Dr. Lisa Chinn, and their cats, Ella and Nina.

2006

Last May, Marty Brown ran the OneAmerica Indy 500 Festival Virtual MiniMarathon dressed as James Whitcomb Riley, the Hoosier poet. Marty wrote the children’s book ABCs of Indianapolis, which features the Indy Mini on the “M” page, “Mini-Marathoners Moving.”

Aaron Cook is an attorney with Allstate Insurance. Last fall, he was placed with another attorney for joint national leadership over Allstate staff counsel in the subrogation department. Aaron and his wife, Audra, live with their two children in Brownsburg, IN. Leo Priemer was named one of this year’s Michiana Forty Under 40 honorees. Leo opened his Edward Jones office in 2008 in South Bend, IN. Tamarco White completed coursework for a master’s degree in organizational leadership from York College. He will graduate in December 2021.

2009

Travis Janeway was hired as a strength and conditioning coach at La Porte (TX) High School in the greater Houston area. Konnor and Kate Hayes— children of Dr. Kyle M. Hayes ’09 and Erika Hayes.

Michael A. Venezia ’16 (Grey shirt)— Cooke Medical Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Konnor M. Hayes future class of 2043, and Dr. Kyle M. Hayes ’09— Anesthesiologist Community Health Network

2010

Jacob Cole Jeffries was named to the family law firm of Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson in the Frisco, TX, office.

2011

After years of pushing out thousands of witty one-liner T-shirts from his basement, Joe Johnson expanded his Obvious Shirts with the launch of a storefront in late July, a block from Wrigley Field.

Joe’s new moves with the business, which he started four years ago, were highlighted in a recent article by the Chicago Tribune.

Congratulations to Michael and Maggie Myers on the birth of their daughter, Norah Ann Myers, born May 14. At birth, she weighed 8 lbs., 4 oz. She was welcomed home by a brother, Joseph (2).

Maternal grandparents are Charlie and Louisa Blaich.

2012

Zach Rohrback was the November 2020 WISH-TV (Indianapolis) Golden Apple winner. The award is presented to a teacher for making a crucial difference in the lives of students. Zach has been teaching physics at Avon High School since graduating from Wabash.

(Photo from WISH TV) Kelvin Burzon’s art exhibition titled Noli Me Tangere was displayed from August 30 to December 10 at Syracuse University’s Point of Contact Gallery. Noli Me Tangere, meaning “touch me not” or “don’t tread on me” (Latin), is a series of photographs that examines an internal conflict of homosexuality and Catholicism.

2013

Daniel Allen has joined The Kids’ Dentist in Crawfordsville as a pediatric dentist.

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2014

Sam Bennett finished his Ph.D. in ancient philosophy from Purdue University in July 2020. He writes, “Since then, I have been fortunate to have the chance to teach for Purdue’s Cornerstone Program as a visiting assistant professor.” Its goal is to replace the old model of introduction to the liberal arts (a composition course and an elective, usually) with a more effective and inspirational approach that combines diving through foundational texts with intensive writing instruction. I teach four sections of this course a semester and began last August. I’ve also had the good fortune of teaching ancient philosophy. I’m instructing and grading for five courses this semester on my own—the workload is tough, but the joy is immeasurable.” He is also a caretaker for a 70-acre property just outside of Lafayette for a family. His duties involve landscaping, keeping various plant species alive, and tending to a pumpkin patch. Scott Campbell has joined Ambassador Enterprises as corporate counsel.

Based in Fort Wayne, IN, Ambassador Enterprises is a private equity firm engaging with leaders and organizations committed to creating a lasting, positive impact on people and communities.

2015

Will Folsom was hired with Swanson Russell. Will is a public relations associate and works in the Lincoln, NE, office.

Austin Jarrett was named the new head coach of Indiana University’s men’s lacrosse program.

Jia (Alex) Qi continues his Ph.D. astronomy graduate research on galaxy formation and evolution at University of Florida. The pandemic prevented him from going to Harvard to work with his collaborators, but his computational work on cosmological simulations can be conducted at home.

2016

Graham Redweik graduated from Iowa State University in May, earning his doctorate in microbiology and a minor in immunology. While at ISU, Redweik was awarded the ISU Presidential Assistantship, the National Institute of Health Graduate Research Fellowship, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Predoctoral Fellowship, and the American Association of Immunologists Young Investigator Award. He served as president of the local American Society for Microbiology chapter. Graham will be starting his postdoctoral studies at University of ColoradoBoulder, where he will be investigating the role of genetics and the gut microbiome in Parkinson’s Disease.

2005 Football Team at the 2021 Hall of Fame Induction.

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2017

Riley Lefever was hired as an assistant wrestling coach at Indiana University.

Buddy Lobermann graduated from Indiana University Robert H. Maurer School of Law in May and plans to take the Indiana bar examination soon. Jared Staudenmeier graduated from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law and passed the Indiana bar examination in 2020. He is working as an administrative law judge for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

He and his partner, Kellyann Glenndenning, live in downtown Indianapolis. Rory Willats is in California working toward a master’s in fine arts at University of California, Santa Cruz. He writes, “It’s a strange program—and a perfect fit for me. The Digital Arts and New Media Lab has three branches: ‘experimental play’ (focused on new forms of video game design), the ‘Isaac Julien’ wing (focused on art film and moving images), and the ‘future stages’ wing (focused on developing new modes of crossmedia theater). While I’m one of the two students in the ‘future stages’ cohort, the different wings of the lab have lots of cross-over.

It's also only two years and fully funded! I plan to get in there, grab as many tools and insights as possible, and get back to work!"

2018

Zach Campbell writes, “The next few months, I’m doing away with rotations! Currently, I am in Dayton, OH, at Wright State University. Then I’ll be back at Indiana University. After that, I’ll be in Texas. I was fortunate to be selected for a medical clerkship at NASA, and I am looking forward to working with astronauts and medical personnel there!” Tim Riley accepted a physics teacher position at Scecina Memorial High School in Indianapolis.

2019

Austin Hoover has joined The Farmers Bank in Frankfort, IN, as a trust investment officer.

Congratulations to Dalton Vachon and Lacey Garret on their engagement on July 3 in Austin, TX.

2020

Nick Grujanac started his first year of law school at Northern Illinois University. CJ Ramsey is serving as assistant football coach at Wabash. Ramsey works with the linebackers and special teams.

Spencer Shank is a software engineer in the aircraft simulation division of FAAC, Inc., in Ann Arbor, MI.

2021

Jackson Albrecht has joined R.T. Insurance in Crawfordsville as a licensed insurance specialist.

Wade Ripple was hired as assistant wrestling coach at Brother Martin High School in New Orleans.

In Memory

| FALL 2021

1945

David A. Feemster, 98, died August 23 in Cambridge City, IN. Born June 21, 1923, in Crawfordsville, IN, he was the son of Elizabeth and Allison “Max” Feemster 1915.

Feemster was a 1941 graduate of Lincoln High School. While attending Wabash, he was a member of the Glee Club and Sigma Chi. In 1943, he left college to serve in U.S. Army Air Corp in World War II. After the war ended, he enrolled at the Indiana University Law School in Bloomington and graduated in 1950.

Upon graduation, he returned to Cambridge City and began practicing law at Feemster & Feemster.

Feemster was preceded in death by his parents; three grandchildren; and cousins, David Gerard ’31 and Franklin Davidson ’41.

He is survived by his children, Deborah Gettinger, and David Mark Feemster ’73.

1948

John Lewis “Jack” Naylor Jr., 93, died May 23 in Chapel Hill, NC. Born November 16, 1927, he was the son of Margaret and John Naylor.

After graduating from Western Reserve Academy, he continued his education at Wabash and the University of Michigan Law School.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta.

Naylor served in the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General's Corps at the Pentagon. He returned a year later to Cleveland, where he joined the Falsgraf, Reidy, and Shoup law firm and then Calfee, Halter, and Griswold, where he was a partner. He retired from Calfee in 1992.

Naylor was predeceased by his wife, Margaret “Twink;” and an uncle, William Naylor ’31.

He is survived by his daughters, Laura, Sandra, and Gwenn; six grandchildren; and five greatgrandchildren.

Charles C. Petty, 96, died May 1 in Peabody, MA. Born November 26, 1924, he was the son of Mary and McKendree Petty.

While attending Wabash, he was an independent and graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

He interrupted his studies to join the U.S. Army in 1943 and served in combat as an infantryman with the 12th Armored Division in France and Germany during the winter of 1944–45 in support of the Battle of the Bulge. For bravery in combat, he was awarded a Bronze Star Medal.

He was recently honored with a plaque and citation by the 12th Armored Division Association for his wartime service and his vivid published account of that experience.

After the war, he continued his education, graduating with Phi Beta Kappa honors from Wabash, and then earned a master’s degree from the California Institute of Technology in 1950. He was employed by the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC, during which time he participated in the first test of an H-bomb at Eniwetok in the Pacific.

Petty earned a Ph.D. in physics from Johns Hopkins University.

After completing his doctorate in 1956, he accepted a position with Avco-Everett Research Laboratory. During this period of the Cold War, a U.S. concern was to develop defenses against incoming missiles, and Petty's career centered on this area.

When Avco extended its missile monitoring activities, Petty served as technical director of the field station in Maui, HI, from 1969–70.

He is survived by his wife, Elsie; sons, David, Alan, and Wayne; and two grandchildren.

1951

Daniel E. McLaren, 92, died April 1 in Indianapolis, IN. While attending Wabash, he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta and was the captain and quarterback for the football team.

McLaren began his medical career as a family doctor and enjoyed a private practice. He retired at the age of 80.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corp and also volunteered his medical services in Vietnam.

McLaren was preceded in death by his wife, Marie; and son, John.

He is survived by his son, Jim; five grandchildren; and two greatgrandchildren.

photo by Anna Tiplick

1952

David Thomas Austin “Tom” Vernon, 90, died August 9 in Columbia, MO. Born October 1, 1930, in Chicago, he was a member of the Sphinx Club and Lambda Chi Alpha while attending Wabash.

After service in the U.S. Army, he completed his education at the University of Chicago, receiving his Ph.D. Vernon moved to Boulder, where he joined the psychology faculty at University of Colorado, and then to Columbia, where he served on the faculty at University of Missouri School of Medicine from 1972-86.

Vernon was preceded in death by his wife, Marilyn.

He is survived by his children, Sarah and Paul; and three grandchildren.

1954

Stuart K. Jacobs, 91, died June 8 in Miami, FL. Born December 21, 1929, in Cleveland, OH, he was the son of Jan and Stanley Jacobs.

He served as student body president at Miami Beach Senior High.

While at Wabash, he was a member of the tennis team and was an independent.

Jacobs was an agent with Mass Mutual and was a member of Pi Lambda Phi at the University of Miami.

He is survived by his wife, June; children, Doug, Suzy, and Stan; nine grandchildren; and five greatgrandchildren.

John Henry Lehman, 98, died March 5 in Frederick, MD. Born June 26, 1922, Lehman joined the U.S. Navy, serving as the first radar operator on the Medal of Honor submarine, the USS Barb. He was the last known survivor of the World War II crew.

He attended Wabash but was called out for the Korean Conflict.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the Glee Club, Concert Band, and Sigma Chi. Lehman worked for the C&P Telephone Co. for 43 years.

He sailed across the Atlantic from the Chesapeake to Bermuda, then the Azores and Ireland in 1983. Four years later, he brought the boat home from Gibraltar by way of the Canaries to Grenada, later to the Chesapeake Bay. He is survived by his wife, Anne; children, Michael, Judith, and Bill; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Joseph B. Matuga, 89, died July 6 in Highland, IN. Born July 3, 1932, he was the son of Irene and Andrew Matuga.

While at Wabash, he was a standout baseball and basketball player and captain of the basketball team. He was also senior class secretary and a member of Phi Gamma Delta.

He earned his law degree from Indiana University.

Matuga was a longtime attorney with offices in East Chicago, Griffith, and Highland and served as a Lake County Probate Commissioner with over 30 years of service.

He is survived by his children, Kathy, Matthew, and Janis; and two grandchildren.

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In Memory

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John David Proffitt, 88, died June 30 in Carmel, IN. Born August 10, 1932, he attended Kentucky Military Institute in Louisville. He played basketball and swam.

While attending Wabash, he served as president of Phi Gamma Delta.

He then joined the U.S. Army for two years.

Upon discharge from the Army, Proffitt went to University of Chicago Law School and received his law degree in 1959. He was an honorary member of Phi Alpha Delta and associate editor of The University of Chicago Law Journal.

His first legal job was with Stinson Morrison and Heckler, Kansas City, MO. After he moved to Indiana, he practiced the rest of his 50-plusyear legal career at Campbell, Kyle, and Proffitt, the firm he cofounded, and served as managing partner for over 35 years.

Proffitt was listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Indianapolis Monthly Magazine’s Best Lawyers in Indiana each year since their first publication.

In 2007, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels recognized him as a Distinguished Hoosier, and in 2017, Governor Eric Holcomb appointed him a Sagamore of the Wabash.

That same year he was recognized by the Indiana Bar Foundation as a Legendary Lawyer.

He is survived by his wife, Judy; daughters, Michelle and Melissa; and five grandchildren.

1955

Wayne C. Broshar, 88, died July 1 in Saint Paul, MN. Born May 3, 1933, he was an independent and graduated Phi Beta Kappa while attending Wabash.

Broshar was professor emeritus at Ripon and Macalester colleges.

He is survived by his sons, Mark and Kenneth.

1956

Donald Hugh Dinwiddie, 86, died October 5, 2020, in Gainesville, FL. Born August 29, 1934, in Crawfordsville, IN, he was the son of Ernest Dinwiddie ’27.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the Glee Club, French Club, and Phi Gamma Delta, and performed in Scarlet Masque.

66 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

Dinwiddie served in the U.S. Marine Corps 1956–1968. His last assignment was 14 months in Chu Lai, Vietnam.

He attended the Southeast Episcopal seminary, where he graduated with a master’s degree in divinity and was ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church.

He began his profession as an Episcopal priest in Ardmore, OK. In 1973, he moved to Managua where he was assigned as vicar of San Francisco de Managua and El Buen Pastor de Puerto Somoza.

Upon returning to the U.S. in 1975, he served St. Matthew’s, Sand Springs, OK, and St. Martin’s in Pryor, OK. In 1986, he moved to Fort Worth, TX, where he served at Christ the King. In 1995, he moved to Greenville, TX, where he was vicar at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

While in Greenville, he earned a master’s degree in counseling from the University of North Texas.

He retired in 2001 to Jacksonville, FL. He served part-time at the Church of Holy Comforter in Crescent City, FL. In 2010, he moved to Federal Point, FL, where he was assigned to St. Paul’s Church. A couple of years later, he moved back to the Jacksonville area to Atlantic Beach, where he celebrated at Fleet Landing Retirement Community, St. Paul’s, and several other parishes throughout the diocese of Florida.

Dinwiddie was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Ann, in 2010; father; grandfather, Charles Whittington 1894; and brother, Ernest Dinwiddie ’51.

He is survived by his wife, Frances; children, Jacqueline, Nancy, Lee, Ann, and Donald; six grandchildren; and 10 greatgrandchildren.

Ronald Ray Grimes, 86, died April 24 in Grosse Pointe Woods, MI. Born December 14, 1934, in Indianapolis, he was the son of Helen and Raymond Grimes.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the football team, Sphinx Club, and Delta Tau Delta.

He was a U.S. Army veteran and had a 32-year career at Uniroyal Tire Co. Grimes was preceded in death by his wife, Sandra, in 2018.

He is survived by his son, Randy; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

James Kevin Zachary, 86, died May 29 in Warsaw, IN. Born July 26, 1934, in Crawfordsville, he was the son of Elsa and Jesse Zachary.

He graduated from Crawfordsville High School in 1952.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of Concert Band and was an independent.

Zachary worked for R.R. Donnelley & Sons for many years.

He later worked for Bertsch Vending in Warsaw.

Zachary was preceded in death by his wife, Charlotte; and fatherin-law, George Stoker ’54.

He is survived by his children, Lisa, Dan, and Cathy; eight grandchildren; and six greatgrandchildren.

1957

William Burchard “Burch” Day, 89, died March 6 in Arlington Heights, IL. Born September 5, 1931, he was the son of Hazel and Edward Day. While attending Wabash, he wrote for The Bachelor and was a member of Phi Kappa Psi. He had a long career in sales at Handy Button Machine Company and retired in 1996.

Day was preceded in death by his parents; and wife, Donna.

He is survived by his sons, Edward and Scott; and four grandchildren.

Edward Preston Elliott, 89, died May 2 in Sister Bay, WI. Born November 28, 1931, in Crawfordville, IN, he was the son of Geneva and B. Esmond Elliott.

Elliott attended high school in Terre Haute, IN, and worked at a local funeral home, helping clean and maintain the funeral vehicles and drive the hearse.

Upon graduation, he attended Indiana State University for one year. But Elliott’s childhood dream was to attend Wabash, and he transferred for his sophomore year. While attending Wabash, he was employed as an estimator for printing jobs at R.R. Donnelley & Sons during the night shift. He also lived in Mud Hollow and received the John N. Mills Prize in Religion.

He went on to earn his master’s degree in education from Harvard University.

Elliott went to teach American history at New Trier (IL) High School. He also served as sophomore boys advisor/ chairman, but his true passion was in teaching.

He retired in 1987 and moved to Door County, WI. Elliott was a substitute history teacher at Gibraltar High School and occasionally taught at Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College in Sturgeon Bay. Elliott was preceded in death by his wife, Pat, in 2016.

He is survived by his children, Peggy, Marjorie, and Jeffrey; four grandchildren; and four greatgrandchildren.

Robert L. Hobson, 85, died March 8 in Lafayette, CA. Born July 10, 1935, in Gary, IN, he was raised in Crown Point, IN. He graduated from Crown Point High School in 1953.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the football and baseball teams and Beta Theta Pi. Hobson joined the U.S. Navy and attended Officer Candidacy School in Newport, RI. He spent two years in active duty, first in Coos Bay, OR, and later in Point Sur, CA. After his active duty, Hobson continued to serve in the Naval Reserves for 30 years, primarily at the Treasure Island Base, ultimately earning the rank of captain. He was honored to be appointed to the Naval Reserve Policy Board by the Secretary of the Navy.

Hobson attended UC Hastings College of Law in San Francisco 1961–64.

He worked for the Internal Revenue Service in the estate tax division for a few years before leaving to create and lead the Charitable Trust Services division of Bank of America’s trust department.

In 1986, Hobson began a private practice, focusing on planning and administration of charitable trusts and estate planning.

Hobson was preceded in death by his wife, Mary, in 2010.

He is survived by his sons, Steven and Michael; and three grandchildren.

1958

Thomas G. Reetz, 84, died July 1 in Atlanta, GA. Born May 28, 1937, in Barrington, IL, he was the son of Helen and Wilfred Reetz.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the Sphinx Club, baseball and basketball teams, and Sigma Chi. He attended Cornell University’s graduate school of business and public administration, where he received his MBA in 1960.

Reetz worked for IBM for 27 years, last as director of business practices in Atlanta, until his retirement in 1987. That year, he helped begin to grow the small retailer Custom Signs Today into a 26-location, 12-state enterprise.

The franchise part of the business was sold in 1992. Reetz then joined the Spectrum Research Group in Atlanta as its CEO, retiring in 1997.

In 2000, he launched his creation, Four Furlongs, Inc., designing and creating PC-based software.

His first product, now widely known in the racing community as TicketMaker, was acquired and launched by the Daily Racing Form in 2005 and was followed by more than 10 companion products that endure today.

He is survived by his wife, Phyllis; and daughter, Karen.

1959

David L. Bechtold, 83, died June 1 in Mishawaka, IN. Born February 25, 1937, he was the son of Dorothy and Samuel Bechtold.

He grew up in South Bend, IN, and graduated from WashingtonClay High School in 1955.

While attending Wabash, he was active in plays and a member of the Glee Club and Phi Gamma Delta.

He attended University of Notre Dame before going to Indiana University School of Medicine, graduating in 1966. After medical school, Bechtold served as a captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corp until 1969.

Residency and internship took Bechtold to San Francisco for a few years before he returned to South Bend, where he established his medical practice.

He is survived by his daughters, Amy and Heidi; and three grandchildren.

Arturo “Art” Fontanes died October 10.

Arturo came to Wabash as a freshman from Caguas, Puerto Rico, in September 1955. He had a warm personality and an easy smile. It was amusing to see his amazement as he frolicked in his first snowfall. Art sang in the Glee Club and perhaps is best remembered as the featured soloist in the humorous song “Marry a Woman Uglier Than You.” He was a studious and dedicated pre-med and was grateful that his Wabash education enabled him to be admitted to Indiana University School of Medicine in 1959. Initially he roomed with Sherm Franz and Dick Jack. He graduated in 1963. He then served a two-year residency in internal medicine followed by a fellowship in cardiology. Uncle Sam interrupted his career by drafting him into the army. He spent two years giving physical exams to men he called “draft dodgers.”

Moving to Southern California, he joined Kaiser Permanente but left to start his own practice in 1971 after being dissatisfied with their type of practice and politics.

Art was board-certified in both internal medicine and cardiology.

His practice was immediately successful as the only local cardiologist, attracting referrals from the Laguna Beach medical community. He later moved to San Clemente when the community hospital opened. There he served as director of the ICU and cardiology department until his retirement in 2009.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Linda; and five children by three previous marriages, Arturo lll, SuAnn, Juan, Brian, and Marissa.

In remembrance he asks that you go to a local Puerto Rican or Cuban restaurant and lift a glass in his memory.

Ray H. Riddle, 82, died September 27, 2020, in Saint Charles, MO. Born November 22, 1937, he was a member of the Glee Club and Phi Gamma Delta while attending Wabash.

Riddle owned Alegria International Holdings.

He is survived by his sons, James ’86 and John ’90.

Robert K. Wild, 83, died September 9, 2020, in West Carrollton, OH. Born August 8, 1937, he was an independent and a member of the Glee Club and performed in Scarlet Masque while attending Wabash.

Wild had retired as vice president from Merkel Composite Inc. He is survived by his wife, Carole; sons, Jonathan ’92, Robert, and Matthew; and two grandchildren.

1960

Brian N. “Mike” Blackmore, 82, died September 4, 2020, in Worthington, IN. Born May 30, 1938, in Bloomfield, IN, he was the son of Rosanna and Charles Blackmore.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the baseball and basketball teams and Beta Theta Pi. Blackmore was a school teacher, farmer, and coached basketball at Shakamak, Switz City, and White River Valley (IN) high schools.

He also taught at North Daviess (IN) High School, where he was athletic director.

Blackmore was preceded in death by his wife, Darlene, in 2018.

He is survived by his children, Janell and David; and two grandchildren.

1961

John David Currier Sr., 81, died May 17 in Plainfield, IN. Born December 9, 1939, in Rockford, IL, he was the son of Ruth and Laurence Currier.

Currier was a graduate of Rockford West High and Rockford College.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the golf team and Phi Delta Theta and wrote for The Bachelor.

He worked as an administrator in two retirement communities, Wesley Willows in Rockford and The Holmstad in Batavia, IL. Currier served as a moderator, deacon, Sunday school teacher, and basketball coach at Second Congregational Church in Rockford.

He is survived by his wife, Janet; children, John Jr. and Mary; and five grandchildren.

Stephen Jackson Dysert, 80, died June 15 in South Bend, IN. Born July 25, 1940, in Indianapolis, he was the son of Freda and Robert Dysert.

He grew up in Johnson (IN) County and attended Pine Village High School.

While attending Wabash, he was an independent.

He transferred to Butler University, where he earned a B.S. in pharmacy.

Over the years, Dysert held management positions with many pharmacies.

He is survived by his wife, Sheryl; children, Diane, Renee, and Robert; and five grandchildren.

1963

John H. La Bounty, 79, died on May 4 in Westville, IN. Born July 19, 1941, he was the son of Lilly Pierce and Hamel Goodin.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the Glee Club and was an independent.

La Bounty retired as a teacher from Hobart (IN) Twp. Schools and Portage (IN) Adult Education.

He is survived by his wife, Marcia; children, Martha, Richard, and Michael; and four grandchildren.

James Terence “Terry” Quinn, 79, died June 25 in Rancho Murieta, CA. Born December 23, 1941, in Pittsburgh, PA, Quinn served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves during Vietnam.

He attended Wabash for two semesters.

He received his degree at Sacramento State University. He worked for the State of California for over 40 years.

He is survived by his wife, Marcia; children, Alison, Terry, Danny, Elizabeth, Loren, Phil, and Ali; and eight grandchildren.

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Hoff’s Corner

| FALL 2021

WHERE DO I START? i’ve written about a dozen pieces for

the past five years, but this has been the toughest one to write yet.

It’s not because I struggled to come up with something to put on paper about gratitude, but rather because too many people come to mind. My brain has flooded with memories of the people who have made my Wabash history rich and helped develop me into the person I am today. So the problem hasn’t been, “Oh no, where do I start?” The problem has been, “Wow, where do I start?”

The event-filled fall of 2021 brought several moments for me to witness overwhelming gratitude. One of my favorite Wabash events, the Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, occurred on the Friday evening of Homecoming Weekend after a year’s postponement.

The inductees always provide such honest and heartfelt remarks as they share their appreciation for coaches, teammates, and others who helped them succeed at Wabash and beyond. This year, roughly half of the inductees expressed their gratitude to one person in attendance: Rem Johnston ’55, the Big Cookie.

I could write pages on how important Rem has been for decades of Wabash men, and that includes yours truly in a huge way. Rem makes a great effort in getting to know Wabash students and provides wise counsel, even when he doesn’t realize he’s doing it. And he hasn’t let up. Just this past summer, I introduced Rem to a Wabash student at the Big Cookie golf outing in Fort Wayne. Rem asked how things were going, and the student-athlete talked in detail about getting ready for his sports season. Rem cocked his head, looked up toward him with a look I’ve seen countless times, and said, “And how about your classes?”

The message was loud and clear— student-athlete.

With the Athletics Hall of Fame, the Little Giant Stadium and Navarro Field Dedication, and the Inauguration, this

WM

68 W A B A S H M A G A Z I N E

Rem Johnston ’55

fall has been somewhat of a who’s who in Wabash history, and I am so indebted to many of them. I am fortunate to provide color commentary during football games in the Dimos Broadcast Booth, named in memory of my fraternity brother, Jim Dimos ’83. I was able to see Laura and Greg Carlson, who coached me as a player and mentored me as a young coach. Cal Black ’66 helped lead his 55th reunion effort, which raised $3.3 million that led to the dedication of the Class of 1966 Lodge. I ran into John Goodrich ’68, who has recruited more than 100 students to Wabash. He is still recruiting.

He and his son, J.B., had two more prospective students with them that day.

Legendary coaches Mac Petty H’82, Rob Johnson H’77, and Gail Pebworth H’91 not only appear on pillars in the Hall of Giants at Little Giant Stadium, but all attended the Inauguration Dinner.

Think about the lives they touched over their combined nine decades of coaching.

These words are inadequate in both description and thoroughness. I know they can’t express my deep thanks, and I’m certainly leaving out so many teammates, fraternity brothers, coaches, colleagues, and former players I coached.

Having all these relationships for which to be grateful is the norm here. When you get the chance, thank the Wabash people who’ve been important in your life.

Be ready, you’ll likely find many more to thank than you expect!

Steve Hoffman ’85 | Director, Alumni and Parent Relations hoffmans@wabash.edu

In Memory

| FALL 2021

1964

Val Edward Harris, 79, died August 5 in The Villages, FL. Born February 14, 1942, in Marion, IN, he was the son of Hazel and Charles Harris 1923.

Harris graduated from Marion High School.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of Concert Band and Tau Kappa Epsilon. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

He earned his master’s degree in divinity at Perkins School of Theology and returned to Indiana to serve in the North Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church for 23 years.

He served Grace UMC in Anderson, Stull UMC and Immanuel UMC in South Bend, Forest Park UMC in Fort Wayne, Daleville UMC, and Grace UMC in Kokomo, IN. Harris later worked in the financial investment industry.

After retiring to The Villages, Harris was active with New Covenant United Methodist Church. He also led a genealogy interest group and was an active member of Friendship Force, a group dedicated to encouraging peace through international personal connections with travel and hosting.

He is survived by his wife, Eleanor; children, Dawn and Diane; and five grandchildren.

Harold Eugene “Hal” Miller Jr., 79, died May 30 in Captiva, FL. Miller was born April 26, 1942, in Lakeville, IN. While attending Wabash, he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta.

In 1967, he moved to St. Louis, MO, where he was the owner of Binder Design Inc. He is survived by his wife, Susan; children, Brady and Emil; six grandchildren; brother, Kirk Miller ’81; and nephew Miles Miller ’91.

David Alexander Scott, 78, died July 28 in Philadelphia, PA. Born November 16, 1942, he was the son of Jack Scott ’26.

While attending Wabash, he wrote for the Wabash Review and was an independent.

He was president of Ecopagui Finance Ltd. in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Scott was preceded in death by his brother, Jack Scott ’53, and cousin, Eugene Wilder ’37.

He is survived by his daughter, Evelyn.

1965

Harrison W. Parker, 77, died May 10 in Mequon, WI. Born November 10, 1943, in Knightstown, IN, he was the son of Onabelle and Dwight Parker.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the Sphinx Club, track and baseball teams, and Delta Tau Delta. He won the Norman E. Treves Science Award.

He graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine.

In 1969, Parker moved to Milwaukee, where he had been offered a one-year rotating internship at Milwaukee County General Hospital.

A year later, he joined the U.S. Air Force as a General Medical Officer stationed in Rantoul, IL. He then returned to Milwaukee in 1972, completing the Internal Medicine program and a two-year gastroenterology fellowship program at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

He entered private practice and was a founding partner of Milwaukee G.I. Specialists.

Parker was proceeded in death by his parents; and brother, Ossie Parker ’51.

He is survived by his wife, Susan; children, Christa, Mary, Lisa, Janice, and David; and 10 grandchildren.

1966

Stephen G. Hildebrand, 77, died August 1 in Knoxville, TN. Born April 14, 1944, he was a member of the Sphinx Club, football team, and Beta Theta Pi while attending Wabash.

Hildebrand was retired from Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

He is survived by his wife, Gail; and children, Jessica and Eric.

James L. “Cody” Roeder, 77, died August 31 in Auburn, CA. Born April 23, 1944, he was a member of the Sphinx Club, football team, and Beta Theta Pi while attending Wabash.

Roeder had served as a federal court judge in Auburn. He was also the owner of Roeder Cattle Co. He is survived by his wife, Babs; and children, Lisa and Brad.

1967

Phillip T. Deamer, 76, died July 24 in Louisville, KY. Born January 19, 1945, he was the son of Doris and George Deamer.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta.

He was the founder and CEO of Mission Critical Systems and was at the forefront of computer technology. He developed a data management system which was recognized in 1992 by Computerworld’s Smithsonian Awards competition. This technology was the basis for Sweden’s national retirement system and General Electric’s consumer appliance processing.

He is survived by his wife, Jennifer; and brother, Robert Deamer ’62.

Steven P. Hopper, 75, died February 7 in Glen Ellyn, IL. Born June 14, 1945, he was a member of the Glee Club and Delta Tau Delta while attending Wabash.

He graduated cum laude and with Phi Beta Kappa honors.

Hopper had been a professor at Benedictine University and retired as a consultant at SafePool Inc. He is survived by his wife, Karen; and children, Heather and Colin.

1969

Verne Elliott Dentino, 73, died March 24 in Peoria, IL. Born August 12, 1947, in Peoria, he was the son of Arnita and Michael Dentino.

Dentino graduated from Spalding Institute.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the soccer team and was an independent.

Dentino graduated from DePaul University College of Law. His legal career began with the Illinois Attorney General’s office, and he later worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney for Peoria (IL) County. He then spent over 30 years as a solo practitioner.

He was preceded in death by his parents and son, Caesare.

He is survived by his wife, Ann; daughter, Andrea; and two grandchildren.

1971

David R. Schreiber, 71, died July 20 in Elkhart, IN. Born September 23, 1949, in Madison, WI, he was the son of Kathryn and Edgar Schreiber. He grew up in Evansville, IN. While attending Wabash, he was a member of Student Senate, the wrestling team, and Phi Kappa Psi. After graduation, he and a fraternity brother spent three months hitchhiking through Europe.

Schreiber began his newspaper career as a reporter and editor for the Mount Vernon Democrat (IN). In 1978, he started working for The Elkhart Truth as a courts and crime reporter and later as a business reporter. In 2000, he became a public relations specialist for TaigMarks Agency in Elkhart until his retirement in 2011.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra.

photo by Kim Johnson

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In Memory

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1977

William A. Salo, 65, died June 11 in Red Creek, NY. Born June 16, 1955, in Jersey City, NJ, Salo graduated from Sullivan (IN) High School, where he played baseball and football and earned the distinction of All-American.

While attending Wabash, he played football and baseball and was a member of the Glee Club and Sigma Chi. Following graduation, he served as a database administrator in the Upstate area for four decades.

Salo was preceded in death by his grandson, Christopher Jr. He is survived by his wife, Marcia; children, Carrie, Christopher, Cole, Kyle, and Kailey; and eight grandchildren.

1978

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photo by Anna Tiplick

Thomas Rhea Hamilton, 65, died April 24 in South Bend, IN. Born December 17, 1955, in Muncie, IN, he was the son of Jacqueline and William Hamilton.

He graduated from Monroe Central High School in 1974.

While attending Wabash, he wrote for The Bachelor and was a member of Concert Band, Student Senate, and Delta Tau Delta.

He graduated from Valparaiso University School of Law. Hamilton worked in Muncie, IN, and eventually moved to South Bend and continued practicing law for Daniels, Sanders and Pianowski; Kalamaros and Associates; and Hunt, Suedhoff, and Kalamaros law offices. In June of 2014, he opened his own practice.

Hamilton was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Emmy.

He is survived by his wife, Edie; children, Matt, Tammy, Courtney, and Mark; stepchildren, Bryan and Justin Palmer; and five grandchildren.

Gary Wayne Simmons, 65, died August 3 in Indianapolis following a short battle with COVID-19.

Born July 8, 1956, in Elwood, IN, he was the son of Marjorie and Phillip Simmons.

He was a 1974 graduate of Frankton High School.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of Speakers Bureau, Pre-Law Society, and WNDY Radio Station, and was an independent.

He received his law degree from the University of Tulsa School of Law. Simmons worked as the county extension director for Madison (IN) County through the Purdue Extension Office for 19 years.

He was devoted to the Madison County 4-H program and recently worked in the 2021 fair activities just weeks ago before his illness.

Simmons served as the pastor of Shiloh Friends Church for over 20 years. He formerly practiced law in Elwood at Simmons and VanBriggle law office and worked as a deputy prosecutor for Madison County early in his career.

He raised livestock all of his life on his family’s farm. Simmons also worked as an auctioneer for many years, both independently and with Maurice Wittkamper Auctions. He was a former board member and past president of the Frankton-Lapel School Board.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia; daughter, Brittany; and twin granddaughters.

1979

John Martin Wile, 63, died January 31 in Smyrna, GA. Born December 30, 1957, in Ossining, NY, he was the son of Carol and Wayne Wile.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the soccer team, Glee Club, and Lambda Chi Alpha.

His career of 35 years was with Delta Airlines, Worldspan, and Travelport, eventually retiring as a senior software developer.

He is survived by his wife, Danette; and children, Nicholas and Elizabeth.

1981

Douglas Ward Haywood, 62, died July 11 in Indianapolis, IN. Born May 1, 1959, in Tell City, IN, he was a son of Joyce and David Haywood ’49.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi. Haywood was an accountant for the Edgewater Tax Group.

He is survived by his wife, Donna; daughters, Elizabeth, Rachel, and Rebecca; and brother, John Haywood ’75.

Douglas Arnold Wieneke, 59, died August 16 in Sedona, AZ. Born September 27, 1959, he was a member of Beta Theta Pi, while attending Wabash.

He was the owner of Lark Art Gallery in Sedona.

Wieneke was preceded in death by his wife, Catherine, in 2017.

He is survived by his children, Kate and Elizabeth.

1989

Daniel Patrick Flynn, 54, died August 25 in Bloomington, IL. Born December 2, 1966, in Davenport, IA, he was the son of Jerrilyn and Michael Flynn.

Flynn was a 1984 graduate of Central Catholic High School. While attending Wabash, Flynn studied for one semester at American University in Washington, D.C. He began his career under U.S. Representative Edward Madigan (IL), and concluded his career with U.S. Representative Tom Delay (TX).

He is survived by his parents; sister, Jennie Hoekstra; and brothers, Brian, Jeff, and Kevin Flynn.

David Michael Relue, 53, died March 12 in Fort Wayne, IN. Born May 12, 1967, in Fort Wayne, he was the son of Marilyn and Ralph Relue.

He graduated from Homestead High School in 1985. While attending Wabash, he was a member of the football team and Sigma Chi. Relue served as managing partner of DeHayes Insurance since 2006.

He is survived by his wife, Rebecca; and children, Caleb, Jack, and Phoebe.

From the Archives

| FALL 2021

GRATITUDE IN THE WABASH COUNTRY in thinking on the theme of this issue,

I was taken back to our college’s very first occasion for gratitude—which even preexists the “kneeling in the snow” event with which we are all so familiar.

Often, while giving a presentation or speaking to a group, I am asked why we are Wabash College. We are not on the Wabash River, nor are we located in the town of Wabash, so why then Wabash College? The simplest answer is that we are located in an area of the Midwest that in pioneer times was known as the Wabash Country, as all of our streams drain to that river.

The longer answer is that a generous offer of 15 acres here in Crawfordsville was made by Williamson Dunn.

Dunn is a name familiar to those with an interest in higher education in Indiana. Williamson Dunn also donated the land that became Hanover College. The Dunn family is still honored on the Indiana University campus with a small stone chapel and a little cemetery. As the desire to found a college dedicated to creating teachers and preachers became an idea, Dunn wrote to John Thomson with the offer of a piece of land here, along with an option to buy more at a cut-rate price.

By January of 1833, the tiny group of founders had raised $1,000, which was to be used to construct a frame building— they could not afford bricks. That building we now call Forest Hall. That they were able to get that much started is largely due to the gift of land at the founding. This was indeed a cause for gratitude, a cause for celebration, even. Yet they did not pause to celebrate; they put forth all the more effort.

By December of that year, our fledgling college opened to students with Caleb Mills ringing a humble bell to call the first class to order. We still call our young men as they start here with this little bell. Then when they have finished their work here, we also ring them out.

Gratitude is such a fitting topic for Wabash—gratitude for the gifts of those like Williamson Dunn, or to the city of Crawfordsville for their donations in 1838 when it looked like all was lost due to a fire in the new college building. Gratitude for the gifts of our alumni who support this little college, and perhaps a little extra gratitude for those like Williamson Dunn, who, though not an alum, was a good friend to Wabash.

Gratitude for all those members of the faculty who taught here over the course of the last 189 years. And gratitude for the often-unsung work of the staff and all who serve Wabash. It’s true that without all of these pieces, Wabash College would cease to function. So, to all, past and present, who have given of time, treasure, or talent, may we say a hearty thank-you!

Artist’s depiction of Forest Hall in its original location.

Watercolor by Richard E. Banta, 1932.

Beth Swift | Archivist for the College

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In Memory

| FALL 2021

2012

Wesley Dewayne Williams-Ray, 32, died May 17 in Atlanta, GA. Born August 22, 1988, in Indianapolis, IN, he was the son of Yvonne Williams and Wendell Ray. Williams-Ray was a member of the first graduating class of Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School in Indianapolis.

While attending Wabash, he was a Malcolm X Institute Student Merit Award recipient. WilliamsRay was the men’s basketball team manager and a letterman in 2009, 2010, and 2011. He was a member of a student group that toured Japan and Kappa Alpha Psi (Xi Rho Chapter). He was instrumental in bringing the chapter back to Wabash in 2011.

Williams-Ray furthered his education in 2017 by receiving a mini-MBA in digital marketing from Rutgers University School of Business.

While living in New Jersey, Williams-Ray was employed by Rakuten Inc. and later Adobe Inc. In 2018, Williams-Ray moved to Atlanta, GA. He became a PPC strategist for Thomson Reuters, a multinational media conglomerate, and was pursuing an MBA at Georgia State University when he died from cerebral hemorrhages.

He was a member of a charitable organization that started in late 2019 known as “The Brotherhood.”

Through The Brotherhood, WilliamsRay volunteered at retirement communities and adopted families during the holidays.

Williams-Ray was preceded in death by his mother, Yvonne, in 2012.

He is survived by his father and stepmother, Falisa; stepbrother, Aaron; and grandmothers, Lucinda Carson and Geraldine Griffin.

2014

Kevin James Clendening, 28, died November 23, 2020, in Joliet, IL. Born June 4, 1992, in Hinsdale, IL, he was a son of Lynette and James Clendening.

Clendening graduated in 2010 from Neuqua Valley High School.

After he attended Wabash, he received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Lewis University. He served with the Joliet Police Department and received the 2019 officer of the year award for his dedicated service.

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He is survived by his wife, Kristina; parents; and brother, Michael.

2016

Shariff Anthony Harrison, 27, died May 19 in Philadelphia, PA, from a hit-and-run accident.

Born September 14, 1993, he was the son of Renee Evans. He graduated from the Charter High School for Architecture and Design.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the track and tennis teams and Tau Kappa Epsilon.

He is survived by his mother; sister, Nadiah Evans; and brother, Zahir Rawls.

2023

Tyler Jordan Scheidt, 21, died August 18 in Highland, IN, due to a traffic accident.

Born June 9, 2000, he was the son of Donna and Damon Scheidt.

Scheidt was a 2019 graduate of Highland High School. While in high school, Scheidt played basketball and tennis and was a high jumper on the track team. He was also a member of the National Honor Society and the German National Honor Society.

While attending Wabash, he was set to begin his junior year as a history major and German minor.

He was also a member of Delta Tau Delta. This past spring, Scheidt put his German-speaking skills on display at a comedy night on campus, where he took home the prize for best joke. His trophy was a pair of crazy socks, which he wore proudly and often.

Scheidt was preceded in death by his grandmother, Kay Bossung.

He is survived by his parents; brother, Camden ’25; grandparents, Gene and Judy Scheidt; and grandfather, Ed Bossung.

Kyle Jeffrey Suico, 20, died May 21 in Zionsville, IN. Born June 4, 2000, in Indianapolis, IN, he was the son of Carol and Jeffrey Suico.

Suico was a graduate of University High School.

He rode horses for 12 years at Morning Dove Therapeutic Riding in Zionsville.

He is survived by his parents; maternal grandmother; and sister, Ginelle.

H1965

Joseph O’Rourke Jr., 93, died August 18 in Des Moines, IA. Affectionately nicknamed “Papa Joe” by his adoring students, O’Rourke joined the Wabash faculty in 1960 and taught continuously until his retirement in 1997. Together with Vic Powell H’55, they produced generations of articulate communicators and brilliant lawyers, as well as state and national debate champs. O’Rourke chaired the speech department (now rhetoric) for 20 years.

Born May 11, 1928, in Davenport, IA, he was the son of Adell and Joseph O’Rourke Sr. O’Rourke was raised in St. Louis, MO, and graduated from Southwest High School in May 1946, after which he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as part of the General HQ staff during the occupation of Japan.

After his service, O’Rourke returned to attend University of Missouri for undergraduate studies and enlisted in the ROTC program. Upon graduation in 1952, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and served as an information and education officer with multiple assignments stateside.

O’Rourke began his career teaching speech and theater at University of Hawaii, Hilo, 1954–56. He returned to University of Missouri to teach and finish his graduate-level courses, earning a master’s degree and ultimately a doctorate in philosophy.

Joe and his wife, Bev, moved to Crawfordsville in 1960 for what Joe described as “a temporary assignment.” But the two of them fell in love with West Central Indiana and would spend the rest of their lives at Wabash.

O’Rourke was preceded in death by his wife, Bev, in 2018.

He is survived by his son, Jerry; and three grandsons.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Joseph O’Rourke Jr. Award in Rhetoric, which is presented to the graduating senior with the best senior project in the rhetoric department. Gifts may be made through the Wabash Advancement Office, 301 W. Wabash Ave., Crawfordsville, IN 47933, online at wabash.edu/give, or by phone at 877-743-4545.

A celebration of Papa Joe’s life will be held in Spring 2022.

Fred L. Granger Former Fishers, IN, resident Fred Lee Granger, 78, died November 9, 2020, in Hudsonville, MI. The son of Lee and Patricia (Lynch) Granger, he was born March 14, 1942, in Hammond, IN. He was raised in Munster, IN. In 1956 he attained the rank of Eagle Scout with Boy Scouts of America.

He graduated from Hammond High School in 1960 and Wabash College in 1965.

His early careers were in retail management and small business ownership. He was in his 50s when he became a public school teacher. He spent 16 years teaching A.P. U.S. history, psychology, sociology, geography, and economics at Mt. Vernon High School in Fortville, IN. He retired from teaching in 2015.

He said teaching was the most important and rewarding career he’d ever had.

He also assisted his wife Elizabeth, a travel writer, by taking photos “and carrying the suitcases.”

In 1964 he married Suzann Saville. Together they had four children. They divorced in 1990.

In 1993 he married Elizabeth Jacobson.

Mr. Granger is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; his four children, Suzann, Patricia, Fred Jr., and Charles; two stepchildren; 10 grandchildren; one stepgrandchild; a brother; a sister; a niece; and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, a niece, and his former wife.

WM apologizes for our error.

We inadvertently printed an incomplete obituary for Mr. Granger in our last issue.

Sherman G. Franz ’59

Sherman G. Franz, 83, died June 19 in Columbus, IN. Born August 6, 1937, in Newton, KS, he was the son of Martha and Peter Franz.

He graduated from Scottsburg (IN) High School.

While attending Wabash, he was a member of the Glee Club, basketball team, Sphinx Club, and Sigma Chi. He received the Dorman Hughes Award in 2009 and the Alumni Award of Merit in 2001.

He received his MD from Indiana University, followed by a master’s in medical management from Tulane University. He served as a major in the U.S. Air Force from 1967 to 1970.

Franz practiced psychiatry in Columbus for over 50 years. An avid traveler, he also lived and practiced medicine in Libya, Australia, and New Zealand.

He served as vice president and chief medical officer at Columbus Regional Hospital and as medical

director of behavioral health at SIHO and at the Stress Center of Columbus Regional Hospital. For several years, he served as clinical professor of psychiatry at Indiana University School of Medicine and taught family medicine residents at Methodist Hospital. He was a past president of the Indiana Psychiatric Society.

A co-founder of the first halfway house for the mentally ill in Columbus, Franz also helped found Our Hospice of South Central Indiana and Volunteers in Medicine of Columbus.

Franz was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Loren ’55 and John.

He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline; sons, Sherman, Stephen, and Michael; six grandchildren; and two greatgrandchildren.

A Remembrance I don’t recall exactly when I first met Sherm Franz, but I’m sure it was at a Wabash function. Though we didn’t spend a lot of time together, it turned out he would play no small part in the trajectory of my life.

The uninsured kids in Montgomery County had historically received medical care from volunteers at the Christian Nursing Service “Well Baby Clinic.” Keith Baird ’56 was the last volunteer physician to staff that clinic, and there were no local physicians willing or able to fill

Keith’s NASA flight surgeon shoes.

Wabash biology professor Bill Doemel H’74 was the president of Christian Nursing Service when Doc Baird retired. The board was considering dissolution of the clinic and Bill was on the prowl for a solution.

Bill recruited me to brainstorm after he and I attended a lecture at my 25th Big Bash reunion titled “How Philanthropy Can Rescue the Health Professions,” delivered by my classmate Dr. Richard Gunderman. We decided to attempt to reinvent the Christian Nursing Service Clinic, but where to begin; were there any other Wabash people who might be able to assist us?

Bill knew Sherm was involved with a Volunteers in Medicine clinic in Columbus, IN. Bill gave him a call and he invited us to take a road trip for a visit that would be the start of our five-year journey. While Sherm did not set up a Wabash tailgate in the clinic parking lot, he maximized our time in Columbus, making sure we met all the key players, including Dr. Charles Rau, Jackie Franz, and the clinic pharmacist. We also met with Keith Weedman, who had been the director of Medicaid in Montgomery County. Sherm also used his psychiatric superpowers to implant the VIM spirit into our subconscious minds. We came away from that visit ready to slay the world.

Franz at the MCFC open house in 2013.

Sherm remained in contact with our steering committee as we worked through the nuts and bolts of clinic design and fundraising over the winter of 2008–09. He remained a valued sounding board through the years until Montgomery County Free Clinic Inc., d/b/a the Dr. Mary Ludwig Free Clinic, opened its doors in the spring of 2013. It was only fitting that Sherm took time out of his busy life to come to our open house, where he was able to meet many of the lives he indirectly touched.

Sherm had a long and illustrious career in both psychiatry and philanthropy. Our team was blessed to have been able to tap into his knowledge, allowing us to serve the patients of the Dr. Mary Ludwig Free Clinic. Sherm was Some Little Giant!

—John Roberts ’83

photo by Anna Tiplick

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From the NAWM

| FALL 2021

SOME WABASH STUFF it has been an exceptional fall marked

with momentous occasions despite out-of-the-ordinary circumstances. We rang in a freshman class recruited almost exclusively virtually. We welcomed two 50th-reunion classes. We hosted our first football game in the new Little Giant Stadium. We celebrated an accomplished group of athletes at the Hall of Fame Induction. We recognized the outstanding career, service, and personal achievements of several alumni at our Homecoming Awards Chapel. And we inaugurated Dr. Scott Feller as the 17th President of Wabash College.

As president of the National Association of Wabash Men, I am grateful to have had the privilege of representing our more than 14,000 alumni at each of these momentous occasions—in-person gatherings we took for granted two years ago.

Being back on campus, I heard stories from alumni from their days as students, about friendships that have weathered the test of time, about incredible teamwork, and difficult challenges. Those lessons learned taught us to navigate life today and are all reminders of what Wabash has provided in our lives—a bedrock of grit, joy, and gratitude. in the spring of 2021, I had a surprise visit. While working from home during the pandemic, I was on a virtual meeting when my doorbell rang. I got in the habit of ignoring the door while working from home unless I was expecting someone.

But a subsequent knock on the door got my attention.

As I opened the door, I was greeted with a warm smile and familiar face of Susie Cumming, wife of the late Dr. Jim Cumming ’61. We hadn’t seen each other in more than 18 months due to the pandemic. It was emotional for both of us. Susie, Jim, and the Cumming family have been special to my family since we moved to Indianapolis in 2005. They welcomed us at church, and Dr. Cumming was our boys’ first pediatrician. Not only did he care for the boys, but he also lovingly supported Nicole and me as we navigated parenthood.

Jim and I both grew up in the small town of Bedford, Indiana. I’ve always thought this is a reason why he and Susie looked out for us. We shared a generational gap, but as we all know, it’s not uncommon at Wabash to have relationships that cross generational boundaries.

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After Susie and I hugged and chatted for a few minutes, she handed me a bag and a note. The note read, “Some Wabash stuff to share with you...we’ll be happy if you can use it—if not pass it on!” As she turned to leave, she said, “Jim would have wanted you to have this.”

Inside the bag was a copy of These Fleeting Years, a 2002 Wabash College yearbook, beautifully framed memorabilia, and a piece of the old floor from Chadwick Court. I’m so grateful that I stepped away from my meeting. I’m so grateful that Susie stopped by, that I got to hear her voice, and see her smile.

This moment with Susie highlights for me how fortunate we are to be a part of Wabash College. The words “some Wabash stuff to share with you” are with all of us. They are in the stories we retell about our living unit, or a lecture we recall decades later. They are in the walk across the campus we take with our children and loved ones as we point out Pioneer Chapel, Lilly Library, or Center Hall—places where we took classes we still remember, spent countless late nights studying, and developed our intellectual curiosity.

Whether it is stopping in a building on campus, reconnecting with an old classmate, introducing a loved one to a professor, or engaging with current students—Wabash College has “some stuff to share with you.”

While back on campus this fall, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the generations of generosity I witnessed— the people who guided me when I struggled, who celebrated me when I achieved, and those who are doing the same for so many others both on campus and in their communities.

My hope for each of you is that you join me in Susie’s call in her note and “pass it on.” Wabash is a special place because each of us have moments that tie us back to the College and the relationships that have changed our lives. Let’s continue to “pass it on” to a classmate, a loved one, a potential new student, a professor, or someone in your community in need.

M. Kip Chase ’03 | President of the NAWM

In Memory

| FALL 2021 He was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his sisters, Sherri and Alaine; brothers, Robert, Ronald, Raymon, Randal, Rodney, and JD; and 36 nieces and nephews.

Roland D. Morin ’91

Roland D. Morin, 52, died August 27 in Carmel, IN. Morin was associate dean for professional development and director of the Center for Innovation, Business, and Entrepreneurship (CIBE) at Wabash.

Born September 30, 1968, he was the son of Velma and Robert Morin.

Morin majored in political science at Wabash and performed in several theater productions. He later earned a master’s degree from Northeastern University and a law degree from the University of Melbourne.

After graduating from Wabash, he served as a media officer for Governor Michael Dukakis (MA), and later entered the world of corporate marketing as senior vice president with Porter Novelli in Australia and senior vice president at Ketchum Worldwide. He was a founding partner of Innovate Consulting Group in his hometown of Mishawaka, IN. Morin returned to his alma mater in 2014 as director of entrepreneurial programs, and two years later was named the first director of the CIBE. Before stepping into his full-time role at Wabash, Morin spent many years as an instructor in the Schroeder Center’s Marketing Immersion and Liberal Arts Bridges to Business programs, all while constantly mentoring Wabash men on how to succeed in business and life.

Morin’s leadership of the Schroeder Center—guiding it to become a top-10-ranked career center with the nation’s toprated internship program—was recognized when he was named associate dean for professional development in 2020. Under his leadership, Wabash annually ranked among the top colleges in the country for the first destination rates of its graduates.

A Remembrance I can’t say Roland Morin and I really knew each other as students.

It happens, even on a small campus.

We were part of what I dubbed “the largest class to matriculate and graduate from Wabash College.” We ran in different circles: him at Martindale, me at Phi Delt; him at Ball Theater, me at McCanliss Pool.

But true friendships need not be forged during our four years here. Roland knew me as his class agent while he made his mark in marketing, consulting, and construction. Later, when he ran the business immersion and Liberal Arts Bridge to Business programs, he looked me up to meet with the students for dinners.

Our friendship truly tempered when I joined the staff in 2017. I count myself lucky to be—rather “to have been” as I sadly switch to a past tense—one of the few people completely unfazed to waltz into his office, plop down, and chat.

In that Schroeder Center office, he gave me a glimpse of how very different we were as Wabash students. While I was tipping my pot to upperclassmen as a Phi Delt pledge and trying my best to fit in, Roland was withstanding the abuse of refusing to be anything other than his true self. Imagine being one of the few openly gay students on the Wabash campus in the fall of 1987 where upperclassmen would yell a gay slur at him across the mall as easily and vigorously as Sphinx Clubbers would yell “Air raid!” to a Rhyne.

Roland recalled that he “couldn’t wait to get out of here.”

But after a successful career, he came back. Even with all he’d been through, something about this place stuck with him.

Roland Morin exacted his revenge on his alma mater by insisting that Wabash rise to the promise of its mission and solitary rule. As associate dean for professional development and director of the Center for Innovation, Business, and Entrepreneurship, Roland’s high expectations belied a real love for Wabash students. Woe to the poor senior who waltzed into Career Services in the fall expecting Roland to “find me a job.” Pity the poor senior who pulled that trick in late April. But in the end, he always gave help to those who asked for it.

That went back to when Roland, as a senior, would chide feckless underclassmen, “Every time you miss class, you’re throwing $600 away!”

His high expectations also applied toward the workings of our little college. A few times when I’d visit his office, he’d threaten to quit out of frustration with something futzing up the cogs of academia.

Last year, though, as an email exchange flared up around the Student Senate’s AntiHomophobia Resolution, Roland messaged me, “I need to check in with someone who is sane.” I popped in next door.

He was near tears, upset by some callous words. They had ripped the scab off a deep wound, and he was truly ready to quit.

I calmed him down, reminding him of the impact he was making, of all those who looked up to him, and that he shouldn’t let them win.

(I relate this with no intent for self-aggrandizement; I think he needed a sounding board for what he already knew.)

Roland never did quit Wabash.

Each fall Professional Development announced a 100% knowledge rate in reporting its first destinations for the recently graduated class. You knew damn well that Roland had contacted and tracked down every last newly minted alumnus to make sure they were landing somewhere.

Some students found crossing the river of lava that is Wabash Avenue difficult. He brought the mountain to Mohammed by inviting alumni and recruiters to Coffee & Careers outside the 1832 Brew before Chapel Talks.

A few years ago, Roland saw that my fraternity had the lowest number of visits to Arnold House and broke his vow never to walk into the Phi Delt house.

(He wouldn’t tell me so, but I’m very sure some of the bullying our freshman year came from upperclassmen in my house.) He asked to come to dinner, and the guys served salmon. Impressed but undaunted, he gave them hell, telling them of his long-standing resentment, how he had to do a shot before even walking in the house, and how he just had to get over it.

The next week, he exclaimed to me in feigned exasperation, “Now, my office is overrun with Phi Delts!”

In the time before Roland, recruiters would say, “Wabash is too small to spend the time and travel to find good candidates.”

They don’t say that much anymore.

So how can we truly honor Roland Morin’s impact on Wabash? We should all commit to continuing his work to motivate, prepare, and connect our students to internships; to job and grad school opportunities; and to alumni, spouses, parents, and friends. We should support the continued growth of the CIBE and TEDxWabashCollege.

Maybe, though, we will truly honor Roland when we stop going along to get along and start being unapologetic in living as our true selves—just like he always did.

— Hugh Vandivier ’91, originally printed in The Bachelor

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Faculty Notes

| FALL 2021

Dress for the job you want? WM found these members of the faculty, staff, and student body trick-or-treating on campus in late October. Shout out to these sweet and scary few who brought smiles and laughter to an otherwise drizzly day. From left to right: Senior Associate Dean of the College and Professor of Chemistry Ann Taylor, Professor of History Stephen Morillo H’91 , Professor of Chemistry Lon Porter, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Colin McKinney, Associate Professor of Economics Christie Byun, Associate Professor of Political Science Ethan Hollander, Isaac Byun Hollander, Professor of English Agata Szczeszak-Brewer, Academic Administrative Coordinator Pam Sacco, Academic Administrative Coordinator Rachel Barclay, and Sam Kinnett ’22.

Quick Notes New Books:

Shamira Gelbman’s new book, The Civil Rights Lobby: The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and the Second Reconstruction, hit bookstore shelves this fall.

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Recent publications: Maria Cristina Monsalve’s compilation of La mano desasida (The Loosened Hand) includes 150 pages of yet-unpublished fragments, and it was awarded funds for its publication by the Peruvian government, Secretary of Culture in 2020. La mano desasida is a long and neglected poem by Peruvian Martín Adán (1908–85) about the stones of Machu Picchu. It was written in fragments around 1950 on a variety of unusual surfaces, including napkins, cigarette papers, and notebook pages that the poet himself never put together. Collecting the fragments of La mano desasida has been a challenge for decades. Portions of the poem were published in the 1960s, with a more but not entirely complete version of 200 pages produced in 1980.

Brian Tucker ’98 recently published his book, Theodor Fontane: Irony and Avowal in a Post-Truth Age.

Krause, Dennis E., M.H. McDuffie, M.J. Mueterthies, C.Y. Scarlett. 2021.

Significance of compositiondependent effects in fifthforce searches. Physics Letters A 399: 127300.

Castro, C., R.J. Johnson, B. Kieffer, J.A. Means, Taylor, Ann, J. Telford, L.K. Thompson, J.L. Sussman, J. Prilusky, K. Thiers. 2021.

A practical guide to teaching with Proteopedia. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education 49: 707–19.

Richmond, T., and Tompkins, Nate. 2021. 3D Microfluidics in PDMS—Manufacturing with 3D Molding. Microfluidics and Nanofluidics 25: 76.

Wabash Welcomes New Faculty: Chris Anderson, WDPD Program Associate/Visiting Instructor of Rhetoric

Jordin Clark, Visiting Assistant Professor of Rhetoric

Tom Keedy ’77

Ledina Imami, Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology

Jessica Mohl, Visiting Assistant Professor of Art

James Proszek, WDPD Program Associate/Visiting Instructor of Rhetoric

Tom began his work at Wabash in 1990. During his Wabash career, he managed procurement, rental properties and leases, stenographic office and campus mail distribution, telephone system and switchboard operation, Commencement planning, motor pool, and outside use of College facilities. He processed more than 70,000 purchase orders.

His work spanned the tenure of four treasurers, Donald Sperry, Deanna (Dee) McCormick, Larry Griffith, and Kendra Cooks, and five presidents, F. Sheldon Wettack, Andrew T. Ford, Patrick E. White, Gregory D. Hess, and Scott E. Feller.

Tom was described by his colleagues as calm; unflappable; dedicated to the College community; one who quietly got everything accomplished with a “can do” attitude; generous in his time, talent, and treasure; and a Wabash gentleman.

Best wishes to Tom as he enjoys new adventures!

Newly Retired:

Congratulations to Wabash faculty and staff upon their retirements during the 2020–21 fiscal year: Tom Keedy, Director of Business Auxiliaries Bill Burke, Chemistry Stockroom Manager Gary Phillips, Emeritus Dean of the College and Professor of Religion Ken Brady, Campus Services David Karstens, Campus Services John Frye, Campus Services

(above) College Physician John Roberts ’83, Kim Roberts, College Counselor Jamie Douglas, and College Physician Scott Douglas ’84 at the Homecoming Awards Chapel. (directly above) Associate Professor of Psychology Eric Olofson and his daughter, Quinn, pose with Wally at Homecoming. (left) As first-generation college students themselves, members of the faculty and staff participated in the National Day of Celebration of First-Generation College Students in November.

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Voices

| FALL 2021

The Glass Eye

for Tyler Scheidt

For a year we careened through the air over Wifi, unwrapping each other’s boxed faces in class, for coffee, at lunch. The days ran bald like old tires. We huffed our own breath.

And if I walked through my classrooms after hours— when those athletic voices leapt at last from the quad—I saw the faces of the absent fill the seats like new moons. That’s where the freshman sits waiting, his hometown tucked into his pocket like a bandana.

That’s where the catcher will write forever about the father who’d run him round the bases— full gear, flood lights, in June—when he made an error at home. That’s where the wrestler keeps his ear crooked still toward the state line.

Today, though, is a day in October.

Fox sparrows pockmark the suet; the birdbaths fill with sky. And from a high window that will soon frame the evening, in a notebook that looks more like an island each week of the year, I write We are all living in our students’ nostalgia— then I turn the page’s blue lines to the sunset and write again, write the name of my student—a young man killed in August— because of an old impulse to disprove grand statements and because, just this morning, my email auto-filled his three syllables with the speed of a flashbulb that sears the back of the eye.

I need to tell you about this young man not because he held his books with two hands like a kickboard (I loved this) or because at 6' 6" he scraped the eaves of our buildings during a winter webbed with dragnets of ice.

You already know what that winter felt like.

You already heard how he donated his corneas to another, succeeding where I still struggle daily: to help others see.

No, I want to tell you about one paragraph that he wrote in one paper, about one character in one novel that he saw with the clarity of a monk.

That character had a glass eye and a real one.

He had a son who’d died and a son still alive.

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And for my student, this was all metaphor— the glass eye was the dead child and the trauma that held him like a statue’s reflection.

The glass was his past—immovable, fixed. The socket, my student wrote, still wept.

I want to tell you how this reading bore through me like hunger. I want to tell you how I held it, luminous and improbable, before finally grading the next. I want to tell you that I would—in the months that followed—mail it to his parents, fumbling through the stock phrases we keep handy for those oublietted by grief.

I want to tell you how, that evening, I watched my son sleep with a book on his chest.

Mostly, though, I want to tell you that I felt lucky to know this student, as I often feel when I’m out West and a breeze sweeps through the eucalyptus and anoints all my clothes.

There are more metaphors for teaching than for hope, I imagine, though the latter is lodged within the former like a quarter hidden somewhere in the magician’s big hand.

When I think of them both and I think of last year, when I think of the semesters turning like the seasons they hew to so well, I think of that paragraph—alive in the margins of that novel—greeting me once a year. It reminds me of a desk I saw once with a different name—a boy’s now— etched into its blonde wood. And as I picture the hours the boy spent carving, tucked into the silence that sometimes defines the back row, I feel oddly thankful. Here I am, he tells us from inside the projector’s bright glare: I survived an isolation I never imagined would end.

As night tips its inkwell across Western Indiana let us imagine our students processing onward, giant as redwoods ascending some vertiginous slope.

Their cool shadows fall back through a silence we are no longer obliged to fill.

Sometimes the forest floor will flare up beneath them.

Sometimes their branches will block out the sun.

Derek Mong is an assistant professor of English at Wabash College.

Tyler Scheidt ’23 was killed in a traffic accident on August 18, 2021. photo by Maya Wendt

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Members of the Wabash soccer team celebrate a kick by Solomon Davis ’22 at the 65:18 mark to take the lead over DePauw.

Neither team would score again giving the Little Giants a 2–1 victory over the Tigers. photos by Jacob Paige ’23

“This was just a great example of the toughness and grit that our players and our student body have—it’s what we teach here,” said Head Football Coach Don Morel, who rallied the students in Chapel two days earlier, calling for “some Monon Bell Magic.”

photo by Becky Wendt

With fans chanting “Wabash Always Fights,” the Wabash College football team fought back from a 21–0 first-quarter deficit to win the 127th Monon Bell Classic 42–35.

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LAST GLANCE Even when things looked bleak— down 21 points in the first 13 minutes of the 127th Monon Bell Classic— Wabash quarterback Liam Thompson ’24 never stopped telling his offensive line, receivers, and backs, that things were going to be ok. Thompson was relentless in that belief early on.

“At that point, it’s just one play at a time,” Thompson explained. “We‘re not going to get it back all at once. There‘s no 21-point play. We say, ‘chop wood, one play.’ That’s our attitude for the whole game. One play. We’ve got to finish.”

© Michelle Pemberton – USA TODAY NETWORK

And they did. Thanks for bringing the Bell back home.