Happy Thoughts Knowledge Is Bliss at NWU from the President
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NEBRASKA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE SMILE! | WINTER 12-13 | VOLUME 13, ISSUE 4 HAPPY THOUGhtS Knowledge is bliss at NWU FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Alumni and Friends, What should I write to you by way of introducing a magazine issue with a lead article about happiness? Here are some verbal morsels on the topic from the famous and notable that I find compelling: “Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected.” —George Washington “So let all give as their hearts guide them, because God loves a cheerful giver.” —2 Corinthians 9:7 “Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.” —Eleanor Roosevelt “To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind.” —The Buddha “True happiness… is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” —Helen Keller “Only buy something that you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.” —Warren Buffett Leading Nebraska “Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.” —John Barrymore Wesleyan University, Wise thoughts from wise people, they all ring true to me in my role. Lead- there is happiness in ing Nebraska Wesleyan University, there is happiness in the formation of minds and the preparation of lives here; happiness in duty fulfilled; happiness in staying the formation of minds a course of excellence in education pursued for 125 years; happiness in shar- ing stories of campus life and learning; happiness in assessing our challenges and and the preparation addressing them; happiness in learning every day about talents, accomplishments, and courageous efforts; happiness in making the case for independent higher edu- cation as a most worthy purpose; happiness in the giving that keeps NWU strong. of lives here. Enjoy all of these pages. Let them bring Nebraska Wesleyan alive in your mind and heart and memory. Let them be a happy source of renewal for your sense of pride and ownership in a school that is so very dear to all of us. Yours truly, —Fred Ohles President 2 | ARCHWAYS 19 23 26 CONTENTS Winter 12-13 | Volume 12, Issue 4 OPTIMISM Departments Happy Thoughts Happiness doesn’t get the thought it deserves. We can fix 2 From the President that. 13 5 Letters The Cameron Effect: Be Nice Rebuilding happiness after tragedy may be that simple. 18 Alumni Pages THE BURN 33 Mystery Photo Physicist on Fire Prof. Dean Sieglaff warms up your winter with some red- hot fireplace physics. 19 35 Alumni News “Number One” Priority 40 Class Notes Dr. Karen Clarke (’89) saves money by fighting the burn of UTIs at her Georgia hospital. 20 47 Calendar ROUNDBALL Prairie Wolves in Print: What the Hoops Junkie Saw Basketball is life for NWU philosopher and blues man John Walker. 11 Here’s My Number. Call Me, Maybe. When soccer players reached out to NWU alumni who once wore their numbers, they dialed up team strength. 30 O Pioneers! Prairie Wolves basketball is first NWU women’s team to go global with trip to Estonia. 32 NWU NWUniverse 7 Financial Overview 28 Father and daughter Hollis Anderson (’69) and Julie Anderson (’97) were among the distinguished alumni recognized at NWU’s Legends and Legacies banquet during homecoming. 37 Z CONTRIBUTORS STA ff Chris St. Pierre (’04) “Prairie Wolves in Print: What the Hoops Junkie Saw” 11 Eric Wendt (’99) Chris majored in English, French and philosophy at NWU; so Editor he naturally makes his living in Information Technology. He [email protected] lives in rural east Tennessee with his wife, daughter, and two dogs, where he works remotely for an educational technology Melanie Falk company based in Brooklyn, N.Y. Art Director [email protected] Peggy Hain Director of Marketing [email protected] Kara Peters (’96) Marketing and Production Manager Barbara Soderlin “A Sound Approach to Restoring [email protected] Musical Instruments” 26 Hannah Selendic Barbara is a business reporter for the Omaha World-Herald Web Content Manager, and previously covered education for the Lincoln Journal Star. nebrwesleyan.edu A Chicago native and graduate of Northwestern University, [email protected] she has lived in five states in pursuit of journalism. She is mar- ried to World-Herald photographer Ryan Soderlin. They live in Amy Vasey ( ’11 ) Class Notes Editor Omaha with their two daughters. [email protected] Alex Linden (’03) Sports Information Director [email protected] Archways Advisory Committee John Greving, Mary Hawk, Sara Olson (’95) “O Pioneers” 32 Patty Karthauser (’75), Shelley Sara has served as Nebraska Wesleyan University’s public McHugh (’91), Judy Muyskens, relations director since 2003. As the university’s spokesperson, Sara Olson (’95), P. J. Rabel, Sara is responsible for public relations, media relations and Gary Reber crisis communication. Prior to coming to Nebraska Wesleyan, Sara worked as a journalist. She lives in Seward, Neb., with her Unless otherwise credited, photos are the property of Nebraska Wesleyan University, or are used with husband, Jerod, and two young sons, Cameron and Creighton. permission. Nebraska Wesleyan University is an academic community dedicated to intellectual and personal growth within the context of a liberal arts education and in an environment of Christian concern. Archways is an examination—and, ideally, a conversation—of how Nebraska Wesleyan University and its people relate to the world around us. That examination is academically sound, socially conscious, and continuously curious. Archways (USPS 074-700) Periodicals Postage Paid at Lincoln, Nebraska Volume 12, No. 4 Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Nebraska Wesleyan University Amy Vasey (’11) “Class Notes” 40 Attn: Address Change Amy is Archways’ new Class Notes editor. The University Advancement Office 5000 Saint Paul Avenue Grand Island, Neb. native was a history major Lincoln, Nebraska 68504-2794 at NWU. She started in Nebraska Wesleyan’s [email protected] Advancement Office as a student worker and Archways is published quarterly by moved into a full-time position following her Nebraska Wesleyan University 5000 Saint Paul Avenue graduation. Amy reads a lot and shares a home Lincoln, NE 68504-2794. with an incredibly klutzy cat. 4 | ARCHWAYS Letters Giving Your Voice Away Fresh off the Bus in 1946 I see you printed my “Your Voice” essay (“The Freedom to Take I enjoyed the latest edition of Archways, which brought back fond Some Risks,” fall 2012). Thanks. Now my mother knows more than memories of my days at NWU. she should! When I was discharged from the U.S. Navy on May 21, 1946, I felt I want you to give my essay prize—the gift certificate for the a desire to go to a college in America’s heartland, so I sat down with steaks—to one of the faculty in the biology or chemistry depart- the pastor of our Methodist church in Yonkers, N.Y., and he gave me ments. Put their names into a hat, pull out a name and then award the names of four schools from them the steaks. which I might choose: NWU, I buy a steer every year from one of our tenants and have plenty Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa of Nebraska beef already. Let me do something to give back in a (now defunct), Albion in Michigan, small way. and another Wesleyan college. I decided on NWU and left Dr. David Jones (’76) home to go by rail to Lincoln Muskogee, Okla. early in September of that year. Upon arriving at University Place, Editor’s NOTE: I stepped off the bus and walked Professor of Chemistry David Treichel extends his thanks. He won with my suitcase up Saint Paul Av- our random drawing for Jones’s prize. enue toward Old Main. A young man came out of the Crescent Fraternity House and introduced Ethel Booth himself as Merle Otto (’49). He later became a medical doc- Good Apples tor. (He and his wife appear in a photo on page 7 of your annual I certainly admire your work on Archways. Your article, “Interview report.) She was surely the with the Vampire,” (fall 2012) was very entertaining: “lustrous slate His friendly greeting led me with the bitten apple,” indeed. to pledge to the fraternity, which essence of what Probably my all-time favorite journalism contribution of yours is today is Zeta Psi National, and your CD-recorded interview with my creative writing professor, Mr. I spent my first two years at it meant to be a William Kloefkorn (“Walk- Nebraska Wesleyan before ing the Campus: A Conversa- transferring to Hartwick College great teacher. tion with Bill Kloefkorn,” 2005). in Oneonta, N.Y. I went on to earn I think some of the alumni, staff Some good things both my M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at NYU. and I once expressed the hope At Nebraska Wesleyan, I was privileged to be a student in Ethel there would be a sequel, and all never change— Booth’s English class. (President Ohles referred to Booth in his of us are sorry that is no longer message [“From the President,” fall 2012].) She was surely the es- possible. including Nebraska sence of what it meant to be a great teacher. I looked forward to We are, of course, holding each class during the freshman course. onto our autographed poetry Wesleyan culture! Other professors who left a and prose collections of Mr. K’s. lasting impression on me included By the way, I enjoyed home- Prof. Barringer of Ameri- coming 2012 events in October.