Illinois State 2018 AUGUST •

1 NUMBER • 19 VOLUME

Against all odds Redbird Tristen Sharp lives and learns despite extensive

brain trauma. RedbirdsRising.IllinoisState.edu EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Susan Marquardt Blystone ’84, M.S. ’03

ALUMNI EDITOR Rachel Kobus ’09, M.S. ’11 FirstWord LEAD DESIGNERS Dave Jorgensen, M.S. ’03 At first glance, it may seem that selection of a Michael Mahle collegiate home is primarily dependent on a student’s chosen field of study. As those DESIGNERS Jeff Higgerson ’92 students who are entering Illinois State for their first semester this fall realize from Sean Thornton ’00, M.S. ’17 Evan Walles ’06 having completed their own search, there is much more to be considered when selecting

WEB EDITOR where to pursue a degree. Kevin Bersett, MBA ’17 This is true because not unlike individuals, universities have unique traits that set PHOTOGRAPHER them apart from other institutions of higher learning. It is often these distinct attributes Lyndsie Schlink ’04

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR and traditions that are weighted heavily by prospective students. Tracy Widergren ’03, M.S. ’15 Graduates of Illinois State, for example, can attest WRITERS to the fact that ISU is set apart because of the outstand- Kate Arthur John Moody ing individualized attention given to students despite an enrollment that exceeds 20,000. This fundamental Illinois State (USPS 019606) is published four times annually for donors and members of the Illinois State approach to teaching and learning always amazes in- University Alumni Association at Alumni Center, 1101 N. Main Street, Normal, Illinois 61790-3100. coming students and family members, while remaining Periodicals postage paid at Normal, Illinois, and at a point of both pride and gratitude for alumni. additional mailing offices. I would like to share what I consider another Magazine editorial offices are located at 1101 N. Main Street, Normal, Illinois 61790-3100; telephone significant difference at Illinois State, which is the (309) 438-2586; facsimile (309) 438-8057; email [email protected]; Website IllinoisState.edu/ perspective taken at the University with regard to Magazine. Postmaster: Send address changes to strategic planning. Too often the task of setting goals far Illinois State, Illinois State University, Campus Box 8000, Normal, IL 61790-8000. into the future becomes an obligatory exercise, with the Material may be reprinted with prior approval, efforts shelved until the next mandated update. provided no commercial endorsement is implied and credit is given to the author, to Illinois State At Illinois State, strategic planning results in a University, and to Illinois State. working blueprint that guides decisions made with regard to everything from curricu- Website: IllinoisState.edu Illinois State University, as an equal opportunity/ lum changes and facility upgrades to student enrichment experiences and recruitment affirmative action employer, complies with all efforts. Accountability is key to progress, with attention given to the pursuit and comple- applicable federal and state laws regarding affirmative action, nondiscrimination, and anti-harassment. tion of each objective through specific action. Illinois State University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not Educating Illinois has been the University’s comprehensive plan since 2000, with discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, order of updates made regularly. The most recent plan was approved by the Board of Trustees on protection, gender identity and expression, ancestry, May 11, 2018, putting into place Educate • Connect • Elevate: Illinois State —The Strategic age, marital status, disability, genetic information, unfavorable military discharge, or status as a Plan for Illinois’ First Public University 2018-2023. veteran in employment, educational programs and activities, or admissions. Inquiries or complaints This revised plan positions the University to take bold steps forward, while remain- may be addressed by contacting the director of the ing true to our history and identity. Highlights include four strategic directions that Office of Equal Opportunity and Access by email at [email protected], by calling (309) involve enhancing ISU’s strength and stability, fostering innovation, nurturing diversity 438-3383, or by mailing to the office at Illinois State University, Campus Box 1280, Normal, IL 61790. and inclusion, and enriching engagement. 19-5989 . This document is available in alternative Educate • Connect • Elevate emerged after extensive consultation with campus formats upon request by contacting Alumni Engagement at (309) 438-2586. groups, community representatives and partners. It is written broadly to provide guidance versus constraint so that every aspect of ISU will continue to flourish into ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS the future. There are also 47 specific action items identified. I encourage you to read Doug Reeves ’69 Danny Mielneczek ’11 President Susan Nelson-Brown ’78 the document at StrategicPlan.IllinoisState.edu. As you do, I have no doubt you will be Walter Brandon Jr. ’82, Tim Pantaleone ’07 M.S. ’85 encouraged and impressed that Illinois State remains committed to its mission, vision, Scott Preston ’10 Kathryn Bohn ’74, M.S. ’80 Stacy Ramsey ’92, M.S. ’94 and values, while ensuring and expanding its unique traits that set it apart from other Lisa Castleman ’96 Marsha Reeves ’78, ’03 institutions of higher learning. Tyler Clark ’09 Kaci Rollings ’94 Fellicia Foster ’08 Steve Smith ’89, M.S. ’93 Elizabeth Garcia ’91 Alice Spann ’78 Ryan Gilbert ’03 Leah Walton ’88, M.S. ’92 Michele Guadalupe ’01 Ron Whitton ’80 Dave Horstein ’08 Julie Jones ’90, Jerry Kerber ’74 Board of Trustees Larry H. Dietz, Ph. D. Daniel Lopez, Ph.D. ’02 Alumni Liaison Joe McGuire ’77 President, Illinois State University Volume 19, Number 1, August 2018

FEATURES 8 Doctor’s orders ISU alumna Dr. Sarah Hallberg goes against com- mon thinking when telling patients managing Type 2 diabetes to reduce carbohydrates and take in more fat. Hallberg’s research and work with weight-loss patients convinces her the right diet eliminates blood sugar issues in Type 2 diabetes before it advances and insulin is prescribed.

12 Toughest test For sophomore Tristen Sharp, the challenges of com- pleting a degree go far beyond finishing class projects and taking exams. Her collegiate experience—and life in general—is more complicated because two accidents within 20 months caused irreparable brain damage. She inspires as she challenges everyone to realize their 18 decisions change lives. 18 ISU’s individualized attention Michael Thomas ’85 knows the University’s pledge 8 to meet each student’s need despite an enrollment of more than 20,000 is a promise fulfilled. A faculty mentor challenged him to complete his degree and reach his potential. Now an executive with Toyota Engineering Manufacturing of America, Thomas is helping other students soar.

22 Baffled by bitcoins? As the popularity of cryptocurrencies increases, so does confusion. Each media mention of bitcoins—the first cryptocurrency created—raises questions about buying, using, and mining this alternative to typical 22 dollars. Information Technology Professor Glen Sagers shares the basics about cryptocurrencies.

DEPARTMENTS 2 University News 6 Redbird Athletics 26 Homecoming 28 #Redbird Proud 30 Class Notes

On the cover: One of Tristen Sharp’s struggles is that few understand how a brain injury alters daily life, as there Let us hear from you! Your feedback is appreciated. Send comments or suggestions,12 are no visible signs of trauma. Class Notes, Letters to the Editor, How We Met and Legacy stories, as well as Where Are They Now and Reggie Reads submissions to Susan Blystone at [email protected], or mail to Campus Box 3420, Normal, IL 61790. UniversityNews

Educate • Connect • Elevate Campus moving forward with new strategic plan

ince the introduction of Educating The approved plan evolved over nurture diversity and inclusion, and Illinois in 2000, the University has months of consultation with campus enrich engagement. Soperated under the umbrella of a stakeholders. A committee of faculty and “Educate • Connect • Elevate will strategic plan that serves as a guide when staff representing all areas of campus led serve as a guide for divisions, units, and all financial and academic decisions are the work, which involved seeking input offices in planning and resource allo- made. As of July 1, the blueprint for going through surveys and open forums. cation decisions,” said President Lar- forward has been updated and renamed. The document strengthens ISU’s ry Dietz. He praised the new strategic Educate • Connect • Elevate: Illinois core values by adding respect and col- plan for its clear “desire to build on State—The Strategic Plan for Illinois’ First laboration to the existing list of lead- the strengths and successes of Educating Public University 2018-2023 articulates ership and scholarship, individualized Illinois, and to emphasize Illinois State’s the University’s mission to serve citizens attention, civic engagement, and integ- broad educational reach.” of Illinois and beyond. rity. Whereas Educating Illinois included Thirteen objectives with 47 spe- ISU’s vision to remain a national diversity, the new plan expands the value cific actions have been identified in the leader offering premiere undergraduate to diversity and inclusion. plan, which can be seen at StrategicPlan. and graduate programs is also stated in The plan also includes four stra- IllinoisState.edu. Progress made in each the plan that was approved by the Uni- tegic directions, which are to enhance area will be noted in the online docu- versity’s Board of Trustees in a spring strength and stability, foster innovation, ment, as accountability remains a key meeting, shown above. factor to the plan’s success.

2 Illinois State August 2018 International push will up ISU’s global enrollment Illinois State University and INTO University Partnerships have signed a long-term agreement to enhance cam- pus diversity and bolster international enrollment. ISU’s goal is to increase the international campus student enrollment to 10 percent within 10 years. INTO is an independent company that enables universities to increase international enrollment, while sup- porting students as they transition into studying at an American university. INTO Illinois State University began in the spring. The first students enroll this fall, joining current interna- tional students who make up two percent of ISU’s overall enrollment and represent 67 countries. “Through this partnership with INTO, we aim to provide talented and ambitious students with even more opportunities to study alongside those from other countries,” President Larry Dietz said. “We believe Illinois State will play a full role in the creation of the Latasha Papalal is an international student from India who is completing graduate work in information technology. next generation of global citizens and leaders.” are Family and Consumer Sciences Laura Vogel led the effort to obtain fund- Admissions decisions will be deter- Chair Ani Yazedjian, Stevenson Cen- ing for the equipment, which will enable mined by the University, which has part- ter Director Frank Beck, and National research not previously possible at ISU. nered with INTO to develop programs Board Resource Center Director Debra A mixture of cells pass though the for international students to improve Kasperski. cell sorter’s lasers, where they are puri- their English comprehension and suc- Other new inductees are Teaching fied and collected as particles available ceed at ISU. Academic English, Interna- and Learning Professor Tony Lorsbach; for study. The instrument can examine tional Year One, and Graduate Pathway Assistant Biology Professor Rebekka such parameters as cell morphology, sur- programs will be taught by Illinois State Gougis; and Research Associate Brad face and intracellular protein expression, faculty. Christensen with the Center for Math- gene expression, and cellular physiology. ematics, Science, and Technology. Both faculty and students will use it for their research across disciplines. Cell Faculty gain millions sorters are commonly used in health sci- with external grants Unique tool acquired ences professions to diagnose diseases. using federal funding Research and sponsored programs at Illi- Chemistry faculty will explore parasites nois State depend heavily on external Research will advance markedly across and the cell cycle of microbes. grant funding. During the past decade, campus with the acquisition of a flow In biology, the equipment will faculty and staff have captured nearly cytometer cell sorter. The instrument be used in research of aging and the $217 million to support teaching, service was obtained with a $316,778 Major immune system, reptile and turtle immu- initiatives, and a wide array of research. Research Instrumentation grant from nity, immune cell signaling, bumble bee The University’s Million Dollar the National Science Foundation. parasites, purification of pollen grains, Club was established in 1990 to honor Hundreds of grant proposals were insect cells, neurons, and avian blood every individual who secured at least submitted from across the country, with cells. $1 million in external funding. Among only the top 16 percent of applications the most recent to reach that milestone funded. Biological Sciences Professor

August 2018 Illinois State 3 Where are they now? Illinois State was the perfect academic home for Distinguished Professor of Psychology Laura Berk. She joined the faculty in 1969 after completing her doctorate at the University of Chicago, flourishing as a published scholar and stellar teacher until her departure in 2001. “I love the blend of teaching and research,” said Berk, who taught child development courses her entire career and educational psychology courses as well. “I had wonderful students who went on to do great things in child development, and to be enormously suc- cessful in applied work and as faculty.” Berk remains a respected expert, having conducted leading research programs on how school environments affect children’s development, the significance of children’s pri- vate speech, and the role of make-believe play in development of children’s self-regulation. “I have a certain passion for doing research that has applicability to children’s everyday lives,” Berk said. She has written Awakening Children’s Minds, a book for parents and teachers on young children’s development, along with seven textbooks on child and lifespan development. Her ongoing scholarly endeavors make Berk an “independent academic” instead of a true retiree. She continues to write intensively, has served as an associate editor of a journal in the field, and is actively engaged with nonprofit endeavors. She is the board educational director for Artolution based in New York, which initiates community-based Distinguished Psychology Professor Emerita Laura Berk public art projects around the world to help children and youth cope with trauma and spark positive social change. Berk remains closely connected to Illinois State where her husband, Ken, taught mathematics. She established the Berk Developmental Graduate Teaching Fellowship and the Berk Undergraduate Student Writing Award in the Department of Psychology; and most recently, she is founding donor of the Art Station, an inter-college collaborative initiative through the College of Arts and Sciences. Much like the mission of Artolu- tion, the Art Station will provide children, youth, and their families with a wide array of hands-on art-making experiences, guided by artists and art educators, with a special focus on reaching underserved populations in the surrounding community. Berk resides in Normal and can be reached at [email protected].

Grad programs rise in by our dedicated faculty,” Vice President Leadership (TEAM Lead), will involve annual national rankings and Provost Jan Murphy said. “They are public and private schools in high-need also a validation that Illinois State Uni- regions ranging from rural areas to urban Three graduate programs have been rec- versity continues to be a higher educa- settings. Three other Illinois universities ognized as excellent in the U.S. News & tion leader in the United States.” are participating. World Report’s 2019 edition of the Best Data for the list comes from statis- The goal is to develop leadership Graduate Schools rankings. All three tical surveys sent to administrators at support systems in schools, allowing advanced in the rankings, which are more than 1,970 graduate programs, and time for principals to increase their focus based on expert opinions and statistical from reputation surveys sent to more on working with teachers and problems indicators measuring faculty, research, than 16,500 academics and professionals of practice. The results will be evaluated and students. in the disciplines. by the American Institutes for Research. College of Education graduate pro- grams moved to 108 compared to 120 in 2018. The part-time MBA program U.S. grant to improve Two faculty named as offered through the College of Business principal performance outstanding researchers is ranked at 92, up from 143 in 2018. The U.S. Department of Education has Psychology Professor Thomas Critch- Mennonite College of Nursing awarded ISU’s Center for the Study of field and Department of History Chair ranked 98 in Best Graduate Schools Mas- Education Policy a $12.5 million grant Issam Nassar, D.A. ’97, have been named ter’s listing. It was at 115 in 2018. For the over a three-year period. The funds will Outstanding University Researchers. first time, the college was included in be used to increase principal effective- Critchfield received his doctorate the Doctor of Nursing Practice category, ness in performance areas that lead to in psychology from West Virginia Uni- with a rank of 105. increases in student achievement. versity, and completed a postdoctoral “These rankings are a testament to The project, titled Together Every- fellowship at Johns Hopkins University the excellent education being provided one Achieves More Through Integrated Medical Center. His research interests

4 Illinois State August 2018 include general topics in behavior analy- as an associate provost, and held the sis and learning. provost position on interim basis in 2008. Beyond the honor of fellowships She has been honored by ISU for out- with the American Psychology Associa- standing teaching and research. Mail tion and Association for Behavior Analy- sis International, Critchfield is a prolific To the Editor, author and has been in an editorial posi- Faculty chosen to be I am thrilled that ISU has recognized a lesbian tion with nine of the top 10 journals in University Professor couple’s marriage (Redbird Romance, April the field. Geology Professor Eric Peterson has 2018). Times have changed since I was there Nassar completed a doctorate in his- been named a University Professor. The in 1974. tory at the University and taught inter- title honors professors whose research Go Redbirds! nationally. His research focuses on Pal- has gained national recognition, or who Nanette Gratkins ’76 estine and Greater Syria in the Ottoman have been identified as a stellar teacher. and colonial periods. He is co-editor of Peterson has a distinguished record Jerusalem Quarterly. in teaching and research. A specialist in To the Editor, physical hydrology, he has researched Thank you for including a lesbian marriage on groundwater systems and how they are Provost is selected page 12 of the April 2018 ISU alumni magazine contaminated. He has secured nearly $2 (Redbird Romance). After serving as interim vice president million in external funding. I’m an officer in the Peace and Freedom for Academic Affairs and provost since Pivotal in development of the Party (http://peaceandfreedom.org). Your January 2017, Jan Murphy has been hydrogeology graduate program, Peter- including the marriage of Anita Smith and named to the position permanently. Her son is a past recipient of the University’s Chelsea Oakes advances the goal in the party Illinois State career spans more than 30 Research Initiative and Service Initiative platform of equality for women and the LGBT years. awards. He has received the Outstanding community. Teacher award from the College of Arts Also, I’m grateful for the clinical psychology and Sciences. training I received at ISU, which included how to relate to others with more compassion and Smartphone research kindness. advances with funding Eric Bergman, M.A. ’78 The National Science Foundation has awarded School of Information Technol- To the Editor, ogy Assistant Professor Jianwei Lai and I am a proud alum of ISU, having earned her team members $718,000 to develop degrees in 1986 and 1987 in communication a way to log into and use smartphones disorders. At that time, I was a closeted gay with one hand. man who struggled to find my place on cam- The work, done through a partner- pus. Reading your recent story about the love ship with faculty at University of Mary- bench (April 2018) that included a same sex land, will detect unauthorized access to married couple made me even more proud to a mobile device through creation of an say I’m a graduate of ISU! authentication process that can also be From the bottom of my heart, I want to “Illinois State has been a wonderful used by people with visual impairments. express my sincere gratitude for your effort to academic and professional home for me, Her goal is to develop a system that be inclusive with your story. This small gesture and I am proud to continue serving in can differentiate users’ identities based means the world to so many of us! this leadership capacity,” Murphy said. on thumb biometrics. The strokes users She joined ISU in 1986 as faculty in Fam- make with their thumbs on their smart- Michael Barla ’86, M.S. ’87 ily and Consumer Sciences. She served as phones “can be very unique,” Lai said, the department’s chair, and held various and can be used “to identify different positions in the College of Applied Sci- users. This is what we call thumb bio- ence and Technology dean’s office. metrics.” A University of Nebraska doctoral Beyond increased phone security, graduate in nutrition research, Murphy Lai sees the research making it feasible is a past director of Campus Dining Ser- to have the convenience of logging into a vices. She worked more than a decade phone with one hand.

August 2018 Illinois State 5 RedbirdAthletics

Play and protect Golf club gains prestigious environmental status

he Weibring Golf Club at nois State alum and PGA Tour champion “To achieve recognition for environ- Illinois State University has D.A. Weibring ’75. He finished first in 13 mental stewardship through the Audu- achieved designation as a tournaments as a Redbird, and made two bon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for certified Audubon Cooper- appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Golf Courses is an extreme honor,” said ativeT Sanctuary, making it one of 897 An All-American honorable mention, Travis Williams, who is the course super- golf courses internationally to earn the Weibring set team scoring records. intendent. He noted the team effort in designation. Endorsed by the United As a professional, Weibring earned gaining the certification, which requires States Golf Association, the Audubon 13 victories on the PGA Tour and Cham- environmental excellence in several cat- program for golf courses helps preserve pions Tour. His firm, Weibring/Wolfard egories. and enhance wildlife habitat. Golf Design, created plans for renovation Areas examined include environ- ISU’s course “has shown a strong of the ISU course and oversaw the proj- mental planning, wildlife and habitat commitment to its environmental pro- ect to completion in 2001. management, outreach and education, gram,” said Audubon International More than a place of leisure and rec- chemical use reduction and safety, water Executive Director Christine Kane. She reation, the course is home to a variety conservation, and water quality manage- commended the University’s efforts “to of turf and ornamental species. Vegeta- ment and community education. provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the tive landscapes, aquatic features and a The recognition places ISU on par golf course property.” diverse population of wildlife exist on with courses in Africa, Europe, Southeast Located on the northern edge of the course. Asia and beyond. Learn more about the campus, the course is named after Illi- course at ISUgolf.com.

6 Illinois State August 2018 The Pantagraph The Photo courtesy of courtesy Photo

Redbirds end season with classroom win

Student-athletes set a new semester they are on the field,” said Paul Downey, departmental grade point average (GPA) senior associate director for academics record of 3.24 during the spring 2018 and life skills in Athletics. semester. Three 2018 teams tied or beat “Setting a new GPA record is icing Hancock Stadium’s center field their previous team GPA records. on the cake, and a sign of the collec- In addition, 295 of ISU’s 410 stu- tive efforts of the Athletic Study Center Turf replacement completed dent-athletes were named to the AFNI staff and our Athletics department as a Having withstood a decade of practices and Honor Roll. Every member of the wom- whole,” he said. game-day competition, the playing field at en’s golf, soccer, tennis and volleyball The women’s programs combined Hancock Stadium was replaced during the teams earned the AFNI recognition. for a 3.49 cumulative GPA. The men’s spring semester. The existing artificial turf There were 85 student-athletes who and women’s tennis programs were the had been installed in 2007, along with an posted a perfect 4.0 during the spring team spring GPA winners, scoring 3.61 underground drainage system. semester. and 3.83 respectively. The softball team Extensive use of the field in the years “It’s clear that our student-athletes also set a new record with a 3.59 team since resulted in a rough turf that was so tired, are competing in the classroom as hard as GPA. athletes had a hard time not slipping when making a play. ISU Athletics Director Larry Lyons is confident the new field will improve the ability of student-athletes to compete. “I’m very pleased with the project from start to finish,” Lyons said. “I’m very pleased REDBIRD with the look of the turf. It will be a very good playing surface for us moving forward.” Fans will notice alternating shades of green every five yards up to center field, where the logo is boldly displayed in a larger size than existed before the upgrade was completed. The TICKETS sidelines are red, while the end zones have red and white lettering outlined in black. Available now! (309) 438-8000 Heart attack on court takes former Redbird ISU Hall of Fame 2018 inductees chosen Zeke Upshaw, who played ISU basketball from 2010 to 2013, died in March of cardiac arrest. He collapsed while playing for the Grand Rapids Four alums will be inducted into the Smith was an MVC champion twice and Drive NBA G-League team. An autopsy showed Illinois State Athletics Percy Hall of also competed in the 2012 U.S. Olympic that Upshaw, 26, had an enlarged heart with Fame during Homecoming. They are trials. abnormalities. Tim Glover ’14, Brittany Smith ’14, Kevin Tokarski played baseball and was “He was a great teammate, and an abso- Tokarski ’12, and Julie Morgan, M.S. ’94. the Illinois State Athlete of the Year for lutely wonderful human being,” said head coach Glover was on the track and field the 2009-2010 season. He set six single- Dan Muller ’98. “He had a legitimate, success- team. An All-American and two-time season records, and was honored in 2011 ful professional career because of all the hard NCAA javelin champion at ISU, Glover as the MVC Joe Carter Player of the Year. work he put in.” was the first Redbird to defend a national Morgan was head volleyball coach title since 1987. He qualified for the 2012 from 1987 to 1999. During her years at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials. helm, the team won six MVC Conference Smith also competed in track and titles and made eight NCAA postseason field, where she dominated the throwing appearances. circle. A 10-time NCAA All-American, August 2018 Illinois State 7 FOOD FIGHT

8 Illinois State August 2018 Battle diabetes with diet BY JOHN MOODY

arah (Dran) Hallberg is a physician on Sa mission to reverse Type 2 diabetes. She is convinced it can be done without using medicine—read insulin—to treat what she terms “a food problem.” A published scholar, Hallberg’s research stands as evidence for her passionate belief that refined and processed carbohydrates are the root cause of diabetes. She consequently advocates a low-carb, high-fat diet as treatment for diabetes. Her message is a consistent plea: “Stop using medi- cine to treat food.” Hallberg ’94, M.S. ’96, studied exercise sci- ence as an undergraduate before completing her FOOD master’s in exercise physiology. Both fit her passion for exercise. She worked at BroMenn while earning both degrees. Her next step was completion of one year in cardiac rehab in Chicago. Her plan had been to complete a doctorate in exercise physiology until an argument with a cardiologist at the facility over FIGHT a patient’s exercise regimen convinced Hallberg to become a doctor herself. The goal was achieved in 2002, as Hallberg graduated from Des Moines University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. She spent years as an inter- nal medicine physician in a primary care setting be- fore getting board certified in obesity medicine and clinical lipidology. She then founded the obesity program at Indiana University (IU) Health Arnett in Lafayette, Indiana. It was there she found her calling in the battle against Type 2 diabetes. “IU knew that I had this exercise background, and they asked me to start a weight-loss clinic,” said Hallberg, who still serves as medical director

August 2018 Illinois State 9 tes,” she said. “We confuse dietary fat with the fat that we carry on our bodies.” Hallberg said that since diabetes is a problem with elevated blood sugar and carbohydrates are what cause blood sugar to rise, carbs need to be cut, or at least cut down. She notes more physicians are agreeing with the idea of carb restrictions. But she also readily acknowledged that it’s not a meal plan readily embraced among people committed to los- ing weight, at least not initially. “There’s a lot of misconception out there about what to eat,” Hallberg said. She faults corpo- rations, the government, and the medical commu- nity in part for the dilemma—as well as America’s John Terhune, Journal & Courier resulting obesity issue and the accompanying rise of Type 2 diabetes. Sarah Hallberg ’94, M.S. ’96, stands against traditional thinking in promoting a diet that cuts The United States Department of Agriculture, carbohydrates and increases fat as a way to eliminate Type 2 diabetes. for example, makes dietary and nutritional recom- mendations that are designed to help Americans of the program that began in 2011. To Hallberg’s learn how to eat a healthy diet. The agency has surprise, she recognized an “epidemic of Type 2 encouraged consumers to follow the Food Guide diabetes” among patients striving to lose weight. Pyramid, which breaks food into six categories. Diabetes is a condition where the body’s blood “The food pyramid—plain and simple—is bad glucose exceeds a normal range, according to the advice,” Hallberg said, explaining that it labels fat American Diabetic Association (ADA). The most as a negative while promoting carb consumption. common form is Type 2, which typically develops She calls the guidelines “rubbish,” convinced they in adulthood and does not usually require insulin are not based on appropriate evidence. initially. Without intervention, it can worsen to the “The dietary guidelines are sometimes called point the drug is needed. an evidence-free zone,” she said. “The horrible, The deeper Hallberg delved into diabetes re- unintended consequences gave us the diabetes search, the more she became a proponent of a low- and obesity epidemic.” Hallberg’s depiction of the carb, high-fat diet to treat the disease. The stand problem’s scope is not an exaggeration. is a reversal from the standard low-fat diet, which The ADA reports that more than 30 million Hallberg admits she Americans have diabetes, was preaching “like which is slightly more than 9 everyone else, just “The food pyramid—plain and percent of the population. Of as you are taught in simple—is bad advice… It labels that number, about 1.25 mil- medical school.” fat as a negative while promoting lion have Type 1 and must take Her thinking insulin. changed as she stud- carb consumption. The horrible, There are 1.5 million new ied the war on fat in unintended consequences gave us diagnoses each year, making America. She focused the diabetes and obesity epidemic.” it the seventh leading cause on what happens to of death in the United States. food when the fat is Medical costs and reduced removed, discovering that taste is also eliminated. productivity in 2017 in the U.S. reached $327 bil- This leads people to eat sweets and carbs. Hallberg lion, according to the association. consequently concluded “the notion that the more The medical community fights diabetes with we restrict fat the better off we are is not true.” prescriptions, which Hallberg calls the “vicious This finding is critical to Type 2 diabetes, cycle of the insulin merry-go-round.” She advocates because most believe fat should be avoided when attacking carbs instead, and compares ignoring fighting the disease. Hallberg takes a radically dif- them while opting for insulin as akin to putting a ferent stance. “Fat is more than just acceptable to Band-Aid on a bullet hole. eat, it can in fact be key to reversing Type 2 diabe

10 Illinois State August 2018 Why cut carbs? Tips for Type 2 diabetics Sarah Hallberg’s work helping individuals lose weight resulted in her determination to reverse Type 2 diabetes through diet. Her top tips for individuals interested in taking this approach to fight the disease include the 1 cup brown rice 9 tsp of sugar following. 45 g carbohydrates • T he “No GPS” rule, which means eliminate grain, potatoes, and sugar from your diet. Each of these Eat foods compromises metabolic health. Carbs • L earn how to eat fat, and how to substitute with fat in your diet. Hunger Glucose • Exercise is important. Pick an activity that you enjoy. Fat Storage Up • R emember the importance of managing both your activity and food choices because no one Insulin can out-exercise a bad diet. Up

Hallberg explains to patients that carbohydrates are bad because they convert to sugar, which impacts insulin levels and leads to the body storing fat. The cycle is broken when carb intake is lowered or eliminated from the diet.

“The standard of care is just to give insu- published in peer-reviewed publications, including lin—which is a fat-storage hormone—so you gain The British Journal of Sports Medicine and Diabetes weight,” Hallberg said. Her aversion to drug pre- Therapy. scriptions fits the treatment offered through Virta Hallberg also shares the results of studies Health, where Hallberg is now a medical director. through podcasts. In 2015 she gave a TEDx talk, An online medical clinic founded in 2014 in which can be viewed online. “My research and California, Virta’s mission is to reverse 100 million findings need to be available to millions of people cases of Type 2 diabetes without medication by struggling with Type 2 diabetes, and not just to the 2025. To that end, the company has secured $45 patients who come to see me in the clinic,” she said. million in new funding. Regardless of how patients find her, they all Remote offices are located around the country, hear the same advice, which Hallberg conveys including near Hallberg’s home in West Lafayette, through the words of Hippocrates: “Let food be thy Indiana. She lives there with her husband, Brad ’95, medicine, and medicine be thy food.” and their three children. Now 46, Hallberg describes herself in three words: passionate, mother, wife. Redbird Prime She advances through Virta her other roles as an educator, physician, and researcher. She became An alumni network dedicated to graduates connected with the company via one of its found- 55 years and older, Redbird Prime offers ers. IU and Virta teamed to do a study of diabetes, several services tailored to individuals in this with Hallberg later joining the company “because active stage of life. To learn more about the they were solving the problem,” she said. Redbird Prime Alumni Network, visit Alumni. “We treat to reverse Type 2 patients, using a IllinoisState.edu/Prime. To get involved in technology-enabled, remote-care clinic,” Hallberg the planning of programs and activities for said in describing Virta. She remains the medical the network, contact Stephanie Duquenne at director at IU, but research in her role at Virta is [email protected] or (309) 438-2586. her primary focus. She’s had a number of papers

August 2018 Illinois State 11 12 Illinois State August 2018 From Bleak to Blessed

FROM TO

BLESSEDby Susan Marquardt Blystone Student rebuilds life after twice defying death

ike every young child, Tristen Sharp went through that toddler phase of incessantly asking ‘why.’ Now as a Lyoung woman, the question is one she has every reason to ponder. endured a range of pain beyond description—from physical Why did she suffer a traumatic brain injury when hit to emotional and psychological. It was, in fact, while walking by a car while a high school junior? Why was her recovery into a Wednesday evening church event on October 14 in 2015 thwarted months later when a car crash caused a second brain that the first accident happened in Tristen’s Southern Illinois bleed weeks after graduation? Neither accident was her fault, hometown of Mt. Vernon. but both radically changed her life. She now walks a different “I was just crossing the street and beyond that, I don’t and extremely difficult path, one that involves navigating life remember,” Tristen said. Phone records show that she was not with a brain that will never be whole. using her phone, and witnesses confirm she looked for cars Why? before crossing. “Why didn’t it happen to me? It’s just as legitimate a The fact she has no memory of being launched by one ve- question,” counters Tristen, a sophomore criminal justice hicle into another stopped in traffic is a blessing. Her mother sciences major. “There is a reason, and there is a plan. Good has vivid recall of every harrowing detail. things will come out of this.” “I remember getting the call from a woman at the church The words reflect the solid faith in God that has strength- and just screaming,” Brandy Sharp said. “I asked if Tristen was ened Tristen, her parents, and two siblings as they have all going to be OK. She just said to get to the hospital.”

August 2018 Illinois State 13 An emergency helicopter was en route for Tristen, who tears from pain, frustration and anger. I had to work to regain was airlifted to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. who I was before.” Louis without Brandy having very much time with her. At age Tristen had been an exceptional high school student with 16, Tristen was admitted to a pediatric trauma care unit. enormous aspirations well within reach because of her deter- “They didn’t even guarantee Tristen would make it mination, work ethic and incredible intelligence. A community through the flight,” Brandy said. Tristen’s injuries included a volunteer and friend to all, she was ranked at the top of her punctured lung, three pelvic fractures, a fractured sinus cavity, class and on track to complete an associate’s degree with her and a brain bleed so severe emergency surgery was needed to diploma. remove the right side of her skull to allow for swelling. “I loved to learn,” Tristen said. Classes were easy, requir- Even with that procedure, there was still no guarantee ing minimal study time to grasp material in advanced place- Tristen would survive. The first 72 hours were the most tenu- ment courses at Mount Vernon Township High School or Rend ous, with the initial 21 made more tense for Brandy because Lake College. her husband and Tristen’s dad, Sean, was on the road. A truck By contrast, everything was a struggle after the accident. driver with a load in Texas, he needed almost a full day to She was in physical, occupational and speech therapy for nine reach the hospital. months. She worked with homebound tutors to complete her They and their other children, Haley and Trey, were junior year. She needed 24-hour care because of dizziness joined by extended family and friends in keeping vigil as Tris- and vomiting, the possibility of seizures, and an inability to be trusted with simple tasks such as turning off the stove. “Tristen had the men- tality of a 9-year-old when she came home,” Brandy said. Her daughter had very little memory of her previ- ous life. The family patiently worked with her as she re- built her memories. She also had no ability to maintain her academic success. “She could not write full sentences,” Brandy said, recalling Tristen working for three hours on an essay. The result was one sentence written at the level of an Tristen Sharp went from an energetic high school cheerleader to fighting for her life after being hit by a car in 2015. The accident caused permanent brain damage that was made worse by additional trauma from another accident 20 months later. elementary student. “School was suddenly ten remained in a coma nearly a month. No brain stimulation hard work,” Tristen said. “My learning comprehension was was allowed, meaning no touching Tristen or speaking to her. damaged. I had to repeat information and repeat it again to get She remained on a ventilator for several weeks, and it in my long-term memory.” suffered a setback when it was removed. Tristen could not Beyond the support of friends from school, church, and breathe without the support of a machine. With time, she the community as a whole, Tristen’s motivating force was her began to respond with limited movement. When she did finally passion for cheerleading. She cheered from age 4 on through open her eyes, there was a blank stare. She could not speak. high school. Competitive dance was another childhood joy, but “The doctors said there was a very good possibility we cheer was her first love. may have to accept what function she had at that point,” “The sport was the driving force in Tristen’s recovery,” Brandy recalled. “It was an emotional roller coaster. We were Brandy said. She witnessed Tristen’s hard work to rebuild her brought to our knees very quickly.” physical strength, as she had dropped below 100 pounds and Hope returned when Tristen was transferred for rehabili- lost the majority of her muscle mass. She also had to overcome tation to Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in Maryland a mental block to cheer again, as she worried of another injury Heights, Missouri. while performing flying stunts. “I had to learn how to walk, talk and swallow all over “I finally realized that I can’t live in fear,” Tristen said. again,” Tristen said. “At first, I was just in shock. Then I was in “That’s not living.”

14 Illinois State August 2018 Tristen consequently had the courage and stamina to worked through ISU’s Student Access and Accommodation return to high school full-time as a senior. She was back on the Services to arrange a note-taker. During her first semester, she cheer squad. Her schedule included advanced calculus and struggled to retain information from just one chapter of text- statistic classes, along with human anatomy. book reading. And yet, she was determined she would not quit. She applied to five universities and was admitted to each. “My professors were helpful, always looking at what’s A visit to ISU convinced Tristen she wanted to be a Redbird. best for me,” said Tristen, now 19. They allowed her to use Just weeks after finishing high school, that plan was put in notecards for exams and granted extra completion time, as jeopardy when Tristen was in a second, equally devastating she still has short-term memory issues. She joined Zeta Tau accident. Alpha sorority at ISU, where she arrived with 22 credit hours “What I’ve been told is that I was going to get ice cream completed. Despite all of her setbacks, Tristen will graduate in with my best friend,” Tristen said. It was June 11, 2017. The shop was a 20-minute drive on a sunny afternoon by way of Interstate 57, which is where tragedy literally hit. A driver, who has entered a guilty plea to being under the influence of drugs, crossed the interstate median and hit the vehicle in which Tristen was a passenger. The seatbelt kept her secure in the car that flipped and landed on its side down in a ditch. “Devastating is an understatement,” said Brandy, who again raced to the hospital to see her daughter airlifted, this time to St. Louis University Hospital trauma center. The neu- rological team from the first accident was summoned. This time the doctors found three brain bleeds on the opposite side of Tristen’s first injury. Her neck was broken just above the spot where paralysis would have occurred. She had cuts to her face and shoulder, with her nose broken in multiple Tristen’s parents, Sean and Brandy, have been her anchor as she has worked through extensive rehabilitation. Struggles continue as portions of her brain are places. Once again, a head injury compromised her memory. forever dead. “He tore my life apart all over again,” said Tristen, who has no memory of the accident. Her hospital stay was miracu- three years. Determined from a young age to be a lawyer, she lously only nine days, with medicines controlling the brain envisions a career handling personal injury cases. swelling. A plastic surgeon repaired her face, and she wore a Unable to work during the recovery periods of both neck brace for 16 weeks. Back home she faced another round accidents, Tristen seeks scholarships to help fund her educa- of extensive therapy to regain strength and simple life skills tion. She is a recipient of ISU’s Redbird Scholarship, as well as lost with the additional brain trauma. numerous financial awards earned in national competitions. “She did not know the basics, not even how to operate “Defeat is not in my vocabulary,” Tristen said. She does a shower,” Brandy said. She dropped down to the functional not hold anger toward the drivers or seek pity, but rather level of a 13-year-old, with the family noticing subtle changes. focuses on helping others understand brain injuries. She also “Most people don’t realize that brain injuries change your is very vocal about how individuals need to understand that personality. For 16 years as Tristen’s mother, I knew everything their decisions can have devastating consequences that impact about her. One day, I had to learn to love someone else because others as much as themselves. personality wise, the way she thinks, acts and talks, is different. “Mine is a sad story in that no one wins. I will have the Every single thing about her is different in so many ways.” effects of both accidents with me the rest of my life,” Tristen The explanation is simple. Brain trauma is lifelong and said. She makes the conscious choice to focus on the fact she made more complicated because it is one of life’s most invis- still has life after being told she should not have survived ible injuries. either accident. “Tristen’s scans show dead spots on her brain that will “I may never know why, but I know both happened for a never live again. All of her functions are rerouted around those reason,” Tristen said. “I look at the road ahead, and I know that dead spots,” Brandy said. Titanium plates in Tristen’s head are something good is coming. God has a purpose for me.” there forever. The struggles are daily, which is why Brandy and Sean gave Tristen the option of delaying college. Learn more of Tristen’s story and follow her “I never thought I wouldn’t go on to school,” said Tristen, progress on Facebook at Tristen Tough. who arrived as a freshman with a neck brace still in place. She

August 2018 Illinois State 15 2

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Inside Look The University Residence is more than students, faculty and staff, to legislators, The board authorized the 4,000 just the house where Illinois State trustees, donors, graduates, international square-foot residence be built on University presidents live. It is also dignitaries, and notable campus speakers. five acres that were then part of the the site for myriad events involving Among those recently invited to University Farm northwest of campus. approximately 2,000 guests annually. the home were Nobel Prize winner The house, which sits adjacent to the Keeping a balance between making Muhammad Yunus, actress and alumna Weibring Golf Club, was designed as a home and being the location for special Jane Lynch, Robert Kennedy Jr., actor a “farmhouse type of residence.” The university activities is a challenge for and alum Sean Hayes, actress Patricia cost was not to exceed $150,000. President Larry Dietz and his wife, Arquette, historian David McCullough, Marlene. The University’s “First Lady,” and fashion guru Tim Gunn. 1. Sunporch Marlene knew when the two arrived The list is extensive when going The Dietzes love the home, and each at 1000 Gregory Street in 2014 that the back decades to when the home was built has a favorite spot. For Marlene, it’s house would need their personal touch. in 1972. The Board of Regents approved the enclosed sunporch equipped with “It takes getting used to, but you construction, with the understanding both heating and cooling options. It was have to add your own art and mementoes every president would live in the added on after the original construction. from travels to make it into your home,” residence as a condition of employment. Larry enjoys the private den on the first Marlene said. The intent has always been that the floor, where the two relax during rare President Dietz concurs, and praises property would also be used for official moments of down time. Marlene for making the residence in university business and entertainment. The home is comfortable but not Normal “feel like our home.” That’s The second floor remains the family’s opulent, which suits them both just fine. not easy to accomplish given the litany private residence. Like the presidential couple, the space is of visitors that range from stellar

16 Illinois State August 2018 5

open, welcoming and warm. There is an 3. Piano 5. Entertaining abundance of natural light throughout The focal point of the upper living room “When this public space is filled with the home, which has 133 windows. is a Kawai grand piano purchased by the people, I love it,” Larry said, gesturing A total of 50 are on the porch alone, Dietzes in memory of Marlene’s mother. toward the open first floor. For a shorter according to Fran Kaufmann. Employed Faculty and students are invited to event with appetizers and drinks, the by ISU as the housekeeper, she has perform at events, which creates another guest list is between 70 and 100 people. served four presidents and their families opportunity to appreciate Redbird talent. A sit-down dinner is usually capped at 50 for nearly 19 years. University Facilities individuals. Management employees maintain the 4. Silver The social calendar is fairly crowded property and its landscaping. A tradition in recent years is to make use throughout the year, with an event or of a set of Gorham sterling silver flatware two often scheduled each week. April 2. Student work deeded to the University by Central is the busiest. This year there were six Much of the artwork displayed Illinois socialite Doris Strange upon events in seven days during the month. throughout the main floor was created her death in 2013. By design, the home Homecoming week is another heavy by artists who are College of Fine Arts is a great venue for welcoming guests, season for guests, who are guaranteed a students or faculty. The work of local which is an experience both Larry and delightful interaction with the Dietzes artists and University Gallery pieces are Marlene enjoy. and other loyal Redbirds. also featured. This is just one way the “I’m honored that people see this Dietzes make the home a showcase of house as a special place to come to,” ISU’s excellence. President Dietz said. “We’re delighted that people feel comfortable here.”

August 2018 Illinois State 17 —THE— POWER —OF—

by Kate Arthur 18 Illinois State August 2018 A tough hallway conversation made all the difference for Michael Thomas. He was well into his construction management major as a junior, but his grades were slipping and he was losing his focus. His technology professor noticed.

“He was not taking things seriously here,” Hank Campbell recalled. “He was distracted by other things. We had this heart- to-heart conversation. I told him unless you get things together and really start performing, you’re not going to make it.’” It was a risky conversation for the professor and the student, who was raised by two generations of women. Campbell didn’t see his student in Turner Hall for awhile after that blunt exchange. When they did connect again, Campbell noticed a difference. Thomas had made a decision. He was going to get that degree. “He recognized something in me I didn’t see myself,” said Thomas, whose study was concentrated in plastics technology. He graduated in 1985 and went to work on the assembly line at Mitsubishi Motors Manufacturing of America. He was promoted to engineer, and then senior engineer. But that wasn’t the end of the story for the student and the professor. Campbell found reasons to drop in on Thomas at the plant, bringing students along for field trips. “It was really just an excuse to see him,” said Campbell, who taught in the Department of Technology from 1976 until retiring in 2004. “He said that had a real effect on him,” recalled Campbell, who remains proud of all Thomas has accomplished. “Culturally, The mentorship that began this was quite different for him. Saying yes to a professional between Michael Thomas, left, when he was an ISU student and position in a large automobile company in a Midwest location his professor, Hank Campbell, is the same as saying no to your friends and your neighborhood.” evolved into a lifelong friendship. Thomas, of Kentucky, is now in a leadership position with Toyota Engineering Manufacturing of America. He manages the machine/equipment group, which serves all Toyota plants in the United States and Canada. Thomas still remains in touch with Campbell. Although more than 30 years have passed, Thomas still remembers that hallway talk.

August 2018 Illinois State 19 Campbell is committed to supporting the scholarship, just as he has Thomas “Sometimes you have to throughout the years. Campbell wrote nominations that earned Thomas the Department of Technology’s Distinguished follow your instincts.” Alumni award in 2011, and a place in the College of Applied Science and Technology Hall of Fame in 2017. “It was a conversation that was needed, created the Michael Thomas Family Thomas laughs when recalling the and it definitely turned my life around. Scholarship for underrepresented students brief biography he had to write for last Dr. Campbell was not only a friend and who want to study engineering education. year’s ceremony. a mentor, he was really my first male Education allowed his spouse to “You get a little older and you look role model. I grew up without a father,” follow her dreams too. The couple met back and say, ‘Oh wow, I’ve been doing Thomas said. while working at Mitsubishi, where she all this.’ I thought I was just getting up “Sitting me down and having that became a senior vice president—making and going to work.’” conversation straightened me out and her the highest-ranking woman in the Thomas is doing so much more. He had me looking at things in a different company’s history. She was voted Top is encouraging his friends, Omega Psi light. I knew I needed to get an education, 100 Women in the Automotive Industry Phi Fraternity brothers, and coworkers and getting that education changed the two years in a row. to join him in supporting the next trajectory of my life.” While attending a vocational high school, Thomas didn’t realize the field of engineering existed. He knew he had “I knew I needed to get an a mechanical aptitude, so he focused on carpentry. He was accepted at the education, and getting University of Wisconsin. A friend mentioned a planned visit to Illinois State University, and Thomas tagged that education changed the along. He found his fit. “Sometimes you have to follow your trajectory of my life.” instincts,” he said. “It turned out to be one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made. I truly, truly enjoyed my Thomas was inspired by Campbell’s generation of engineers. He anticipates experience at ISU. The campus, the scholarship efforts. He raised more than getting to know his scholarship family atmosphere, the professors, and $1 million with his colleagues and friends recipients, just as his professor got to the people I met, lifelong friends.” for the Department of Technology in 2014. know him. He also plans on sharing He established roots for a family legacy He also created the Dr. Hank Campbell their stories on The Michael Thomas on campus. Three of his children are Endowed Scholarship for Global Vision Family Scholarship Facebook page. Redbirds. Veronique Hunter ’08 teaches and Problem Solving. “I want to have a relationship with seventh grade science in Indianapolis; Being able to similarly support, them,” he said. “I want to get to know Jules Hampton earned his master’s in 2016 encourage and inspire the next generation who they are, and for them to get to and teaches geometry at the high school means a lot to Thomas. know who I am.” where he graduated and will be teaching “Besides being a father, this is by far Such a desire extends and exemplifies in Brooklyn, N.Y.; and step-daughter the greatest thing I’ve ever done, and I’m the impact of Illinois State’s commitment Tiffany Boyd graduated with her bachelor’s excited about the experience,” he said. to provide individualized attention, in 2000. His son, Julian Hampton, is “I’m older, my kids are grown. They’re which as Thomas attests, can make all finishing his degree at Chicago State. off in their professional careers, and I the difference in a student’s life. Thomas’ success enabled him to send have the resources to put some money his children to college. And now he wants toward helping someone come to ISU to do more as a result of, yet again, another and fulfill their dream of becoming an conversation with Campbell. Thomas and engineer. If I can have an impact, it’s his wife, Sandra Gillespie Thomas, have going to be an awesome experience.”

20 Illinois State August 2018 $150 M $120.7M Fundraising goal Progress into August 2018

AREAS OF INVESTMENT

STUDENT FACULTY FACILITY PROGRAM SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT $52.6M $9.1M $13.8M $45.2M

“ I want to say thank you to all the donors. Even though you may not know us personally, I feel like you know what we’re going through in school. It’s really heartwarming to be part of a community and a school that supports you so much.” Rachel Miller Senior music education major and scholarship recipient

August 2018 Illinois State 21

MYSTERYmoney A beginner’s lesson in cryptocurrency

BY SUSAN MARQUARDT BLYSTONE

echnology is both a blessing and imagination of some, struck fear among What that means, explains Informa- a bane. While it’s wonderful to others, and confused the heck out of the tion Technology Professor Glen Sagers, Thave the world at our fingertips, rest of us,” Carper said. is that cryptocurrencies allow for pur- figuring out the latest versions of com- The basic definition is not helpful in chases to be made anonymously using puter software and upgraded smart- bringing clarity. In the simplest of terms, digital money and without involvement phones exhausts anyone who grew up cryptocurrencies are a virtual medium of of a financial institution. using typewriters and landlines. exchange. Bitcoin—the most recognized Check ledgers and credit card state- Even what once seemed a tangible from among more than a thousand cryp- ments are no longer needed to verify national foundation—the monetary tocurrencies and the first one created— expenditures. Evidence of any pur- system established under the U.S. De- began with Satoshi Nakamoto. The name chase or money transfer instead comes partment of the Treasury with physical is a pseudonym for a person or group through a tracking system known as the dollars and coins—now faces competi- that has never been identified. blockchain, which Sagers explains is the tion in the cyber world. “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic strength of cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin Cash System” was written in 2008 by “Fraud protection is the best argu- are increasingly researched, debated, Nakamoto and is considered the cur- ment,” he said. “It’s a really good idea, used for purchases and considered an rency’s launch. The article explains that and is what appeals to a lot of people. investment option internationally. One Internet commerce relies on financial There is proof that a transaction has universal surrounding cryptocurrencies institutions, with fraud easily occurring. occurred.” is that most people struggle to under- “What is needed is an electronic The blockchain has been described stand them, as U.S. Sen. Thomas Carper payment system based on cryptographic as the Internet, with a bitcoin analo- from Delaware aptly surmised. proof instead of trust, allowing any two gous to an email. Sagers explains the “Virtual currencies, perhaps most willing parties to transact directly with blockchain as a database with no central notably bitcoin, have captured the each other,” the article states. administrator. Every transaction is time

August 2018 Illinois State 23 stamped and recorded, with multiple copies on millions of servers around the world. “There is no way to fake the fact that a transaction has occurred, whereas a signature can be forged,” Sagers said. Any coin transfer is permanently re- corded because data cannot be altered or erased from myriad computers scattered across countries. This cryptocurrency feature at- tracts individuals eager to better protect their financial transactions. The need for improved safeguards overall resulted in creation of a cybersecurity degree program at ISU. Enrollment has grown Banks of thousands of computers, some filling warehouses, run continuously around the world to mine bitcoins. to approximately 200 since its start last fall. Sagers, who helped launch the de- Chair David Cleeton. isted. There is a global limit of 21 million gree, understands people feeling leery as “Bitcoin markets are very poor total that will be created, with expecta- corporate credit card database breaches alternatives to well-regulated banking tions that cap will be reached in 2140. escalate. and payment settlement systems. The The race to create bitcoins does not He acknowledges that others are exchange rate volatility of the bitcoin guarantee financial gain, however, be- made equally nervous by the fact cryp- currency, the high fractional transaction cause of the energy required. Hundreds tocurrencies are not regulated and users costs and extremely low acceptability of thousands of computers are running are only known by a digital address. mean bitcoins are of no measurable around the clock globally to solve the Circumventing the traditional financial influence in monetary systems,” Cleeton equations, which then adds to the block- sector leads many to contemplate if said. chain and results in the bitcoin award. cryptocurrencies are tied to or encour- There is limited research on the As more mining is done, more comput- age illegal acts. subject within the department because ers are used. The math problems become harder to crack, meaning more energy is needed to power more computers. “Bitcoin could ruin the planet.” “It could all go bust because no- body wants to mine and confirm transac- “Virtual currencies have been “economists rely on data to perform anal- tions,” Sagers said. There are predictions linked to criminal activity in the past,” ysis of economic effects, and you simply that is inevitable, as mining has led to Sagers said. The anonymity may, for can’t do any reliable data analysis.” banks of computers in warehouse build- example, be an incentive for some to By comparison, scholarly interest is ings that require enormous electricity to engage in illicit behavior that would be high within Sagers’ area of information power. embarrassing if discovered in a way that names were exposed. Another troubling aspect of no “The underlying technology is regulation is the fact that the currency fluctuates widely in value. “It is defi- a good thing, and it’s here to stay.” nitely the gambler’s market,” Sagers said, pointing to trends of rapid gain followed technology. This is understandable given “Bitcoin could ruin the planet,” said by huge collapse before another rally. computers are needed to verify transac- James Jones, executive director of the For example, one bitcoin equated tions by creating the blockchain, which Center for Risk Management, Insur- to $2,900 in U.S. dollars in September of is also how bitcoins are created. ance, and Financial Services within the 2017, rose to $17,900 by December 2017, Computers collect pending bitcoin College of Business. “The crazy energy was $6,200 in February 2018 and up to transactions, which are turned into consumption by bitcoin miners is grow- $7,635 in June. This radical variation is mathematical riddles. The first whiz to ing at a staggering rate, to the point it is just one reason cryptocurrencies are not find the solution receives 12.5 bitcoins greater than the energy consumption of deemed a good idea by scholars in the once the answer is verified by other min- some entire countries.” Department of Economics, according to ers. As of June 6, 17 million bitcoins ex-

24 Illinois State August 2018 In South Korea, for example, it takes approximately $26,000 in energy expenses to mine a single bitcoin. The cost is around $3,000 in Louisiana, which is the cheapest state for miners in BITCOIN the U.S. Jones, who is focused on the ethi- stats cal implications of cryptocurrencies, presents a solid argument both for and against bitcoin. Beyond the energy issue, he notes that the nation’s financial insti- Total bitcoins in circulation tutions could be destroyed. “Central banks will lose control, 17,078,675 overturning centuries of monetary policy,” Jones said. And while indi- Total bitcoins to ever be produced vidual transactions may be more secure, cryptocurrencies can still be hacked. He points to $530 million lost when a 21,000,000 cryptocurrency exchange in Japan was breached earlier this year. Percentage of total bitcoins mined There is the positive side of an investor potentially gaining significant 81.33% profit, but Sagers cautions that bitcoin earnings are taxable under capital gains. The odds of a windfall are not great Total bitcoins left to mine given the variability in value, yet Jones notes that there is a growing interest 3,921,325 among students investing in bitcoin as a way to cover college expenses. Total bitcoins left to mine until next blockhalf They could end up making money with such a payment plan, or they could spend exponentially more than the 1,296,325 actual total cash bill for their degree depending on when the coins are bought Bitcoin price (USD) and sold. There are online currency exchanges to do both, with the largest $7,635.20 and most reputable being Kraken and Coinbase. Both Jones and Sagers have invested Market capitalization (USD) minimally in bitcoins, in part to remain knowledgeable of the issues surrounding $130,399,099,360 digital currency. They agree that the bur- den of finding ways to spend it is a huge Bitcoins generated per day deterrent limiting current use. “It is not widespread enough to be a cash or credit card replacement,” Sag- 1,800 ers said, at least not yet. But there are, as Jones points out, plenty of experts Bitcoin inflation per day (USD) across disciplines convinced a global currency will emerge. Neither he nor $13,743,360 Sagers make such a prediction. “It is too soon to know if it is the future,” Sagers said. “But the underlying Stats from bitcoinblockhalf.com as of June 6, 2018 technology is a good thing, and it’s here to stay.”

August 2018 Illinois State 25 SCHOLARSHIP LEADERSHIP INNOVATION

Homecoming.IllinoisState.edu @ISU_Homecoming RISE to the OCCASION OCTOBER 13

5K and 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk

Parade

Tailgate/Football

#REDBIRDHOMECOMING

Download the official Illinois State University App for free from the App Store or Google Play Store and use the Homecoming Guide for schedules, maps, and more.

August 2018 Illinois State 27 RedbirdProud

Working for you Alumna Kris Harding leading Alumni Engagement

loyal alumna and long-time specialist before being promoted to assis- State, as well as learning of their accom- Illinois State employee has tant director and later associate director. plishments as graduates,” Harding said. been chosen to lead the Uni- Harding transitioned in 2014 to the Col- She is a 2015 recipient of the Univer- versity’s Office of Alumni lege of Education, where she became the sity’s Administrative Professional Distin- Engagement.A Kristin “Kris” (Meseth) director of constituent relations. guished Service Award. Earlier this year Harding began as executive director in Her endeavors on campus include she received the Crystal Award for ser- the spring following the retirement of serving as the co-chair of Transfer Coor- vice from the Association for Women in Doris (Liefer) Groves ’81. Harding, far dinators, the Illinois Association for Communications. She is president of the left in front row, leads a staff of nine. College Admission Counseling’s Project Bloomington-Normal chapter. She completed her master’s degree Reach, and the Teaching in the 21st Cen- An alumna of Leadership Illinois, in educational administration and foun- tury Conference. She also served on the Harding was a member of the 2018 class dations in 1994. She has worked at Illi- planning committee for the New Teacher of Leadership McLean County. She is nois State for nearly 20 years, beginning Conference in the College of Education. an active community volunteer, and has as an academic advisor in University Harding is honored to lead Alumni worked several years with The Baby College. Engagement efforts for the University’s Fold’s Festival of Trees. In 2005, Harding joined the Office more than 215,000 graduates. “I look for- Harding and her husband, Jamie of Admissions staff. She served as a ward to meeting many proud Redbirds ’94, M.S. ’96, met at ISU. They have two transfer coordinator and communication and sharing in their memories of Illinois children, Kaleb and Emma.

28 Illinois State August 2018 Alumni News

Alums join board Five alumni were elected to three-year terms on the Alumni Association board of directors. They are Walter Brandon Jr. ’82, M.S. ’85, a juvenile and family court judge; Elizabeth Garcia ’91, a bilin- gual corporate education trainer; Susan Nelson-Brown ’78, managing director of Brown Taxes; Marsha Reeves ’78, ’03, a retired hospital administrator; and substitute teacher Leah Walton ’88, M.S. ’92. Doug Reeves ’69 is president. Lisa Castleman ’96 is vice president/presi- dent-elect. Steve Smith ’89, M.S. ’93, is secretary, and Michele Guadalupe ’01 past president. For more information on the asso- ciation and how to get involved, visit Alumni.IllinoisState.edu/Association.

Grads across America With an alumni base of more than 215,000, graduates have settled in most states. Illinois has the largest Redbird count, with more than 129,000 in the state. Florida comes in second with 4,405, with California close behind at 4,104. Rhode Island and West Virginia have the fewest Redbirds, with 58 and 67 respectively. See state totals online at IllinoisState.edu/Magazine. Get to know fellow Redbirds in your area by joining or starting a regional net- work. Go to Alumni.IllinoisState.edu/ Networks or email Alumni@Illinois- State.edu for more information.

Legacy families recognized From the archives The tripling of ISU’s enrollment from the 1950s to the 1960s resulted in the construction of Anyone whose sibling, parent, or Watterson Towers. The first students moved in during October of 1968 with the look of rooms grandparent attended ISU is in a legacy changing from 1969, above, to today. The $14.4 million building stands nearly 300 feet. Suites are family. Legacy families with current named after the first 10 U.S. secretaries of state, with the building named for Arthur Watterson. He was a professor and head of ISU’s Department of Geography in the 1950s. Alumni are invited students attending will be recognized at to a celebration marking Watterson’s 50 years from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, October 12. Register at the Legacy Brunch on Sunday, October Alumni.IllinoisState.edu/Watterson. Post your favorite Watterson memories on the Illinois State 28. Registration is available at Alumni. Watterson Towers Facebook group. IllinoisState.edu/Legacy-Brunch.

August 2018 Illinois State 29 ClassNotes

A mother’s love Alumna’s breast milk nourishes premature newborns by Leia Atas

en thousand ounces of milk. He supported her in the effort that came to Disney, where the family photo above That’s what Monique (Wit- with numerous restrictions and rules. No was taken. kowski) Borzick ’06 provided medication was allowed, blood work was “My husband was fantastic during to premature newborns as a taken every 123 days, and a disciplined the whole process,” she said. “He helped resultT of pumping for 10 months follow- pumping schedule had to be followed. me box all of my bags. He dropped them ing the birth of her third child. “I would wake up and pump at 7:30, off at FedEx.” She made the donation of more than again at 10:30, at 1:30, and pump again at There were frequent trips needed 78 gallons to the Tiny Treasures Milk 5, 8, and around 11 or 11:30 right before I during the 10 months, as Borzick spent Bank, completing the effort last fall. went to bed. I was up at 1:30 a.m. again more than 208 hours pumping. Her “My inspiration was to help preemie to pump, then again at 4. I did that every donation filled 1,700 bags that were kept babies,” said Borzick, who knows breast day,” Borzick said. in three deep freezers. Fifty hours were milk contains enzymes that are crucial The routine was exhausting, as she needed to prepare those bags for ship- to the development of infant immune is mom to three and works full-time as ping. systems. the aquatics director at Lockport Town- “It was very trying,” Borzick said. “I Borzick majored in physical educa- ship High School in Illinois. And yet she sucked it up and knew what I had to do. I tion and was on the Redbird swim team. did not waiver, even when the family had a goal in my mind. In the end, it was She met her husband, Tristan, at ISU. traveled from their home in Plainfield so rewarding.”

30 Illinois State August 2018 board member and volunteer in 40s continuing education classes for Ruthelma (Benjamin) Wankel-Fricke adults at the college; resides in ’46 received the First Citizen Florence, Oregon. Pause for applause Award in 2017 from the Chamber David Beran ’63, M.S. ’64, is retired of Commerce of Petersburg, where as a math professor at the Univer- Best on Broadway she resides. sity of Wisconsin-Superior; resides College of Fine Arts alumna Laurie Metcalf with his wife, Lillian, in Duluth, ’76 had a repeat performance at the 2018 50s Minnesota. Tony Awards. She was named best featured Ann (Bastian) White ’63, M.S. ’69, is actress in a play for her portrayal of character Dorothy (Coatney) Bentz ’51 is an retired from teaching; program “B” in Three Tall Women. Metcalf won the administrative assistant in her director for Heartland Theatre’s leading actress Tony category in 2017 as Nora daughter’s medical practice, Red senior acting troupe, Young at in A Doll’s House, Part 2. She has captured Mountain Weight Loss; resides in Heartland; founding member of accolades across mediums in recent months, Scottsdale, Arizona. Vladimir/Canterbury Sister City with an Oscar nomination for best performance actress in a supporting role in the 2017 film Lady Bird. She also appeared as Jackie in the revival Paul Rosene ’51, M.S. ’56, is professor of Bloomington-Normal; resides in emeritus of ISU’s School of Music; Normal. of the Roseanne sitcom that aired on ABC through much of this year. received the Maquis Who’s Who David Dueringer ’65 is career center Lifetime Achievement Award; interim director at the College Ruling the court resides with his wife, Doris, in of Agriculture and Life Sciences Basketball fans who know the name Keita Orlando, Florida. at University of Arizona; resides Bates-Diop may not realize the 2018 NBA Mary Ann (Augsburger) Kristiansen with his wife, Jill, in Scottsdale, pick and Ohio State standout is a University Eng ’52 worked as speech and Arizona. High School alum. He graduated in 2014 from language clinic supervisor/direc- Richard Manahan ’65, M.S. ’71, Ed.D. U-High, which is part of ISU’s Laboratory tor at the University of Wyoming; ’75, is a member of the Scholars Schools. Heavily recruited after his success authored 11 articles in genealogy Circle of the Tennessee School as a Pioneer, Bates-Diop worked to overcome for the Mennonite Family History Board Association; retired vice injuries during his collegiate years at Ohio. He and is contributing editor to the president of East Tennessee State was named the 2017-2018 Big Ten Player of the Year, was a semifinal- magazine; resides with her hus- University; resides in Johnson City, ist for the Naismith Player of the Year honor, and a top-five finalist for band, Raymond, in Green Valley, Tennessee. the 2017-2018 Julius Erving Award. He begins his NBA career with the Arizona. Robert Baker ’66 is retired as dean Minnesota Timberwolves. Bill Donnan ’57 retired after 35 of students at Waubonsee Commu- years of teaching math, coaching nity College; resides in Sarasota, Movie magician baseball and cross country at Lake Florida. Much of what makes a film fantastic is the Zurich High School; retired Ela Robert Moore ’67, M.S. ’68, is an Eng- visual wizardry. Doug Spilatro ’79 has the Township clerk; resides with his lish professor at the University of talent to make Hollywood movies magical wife, Barbara, in Lake Zurich. Arkansas; author and poet under as the vice president of special effects for Pat (Stange) Poskocil ’57 received pen name Red Hawk; latest book Technicolor. The former TV-10 student takes the Lifetime Achievement Award titled Return To the Mother: A a screenwriter’s or director’s vision and then from the Historic Preservation Lover’s Handbook; resides in Mon- figures out how to make it real on set and in Commission of Lombard, where ticello, Arkansas. post-production. Spilatro can remove wires she resides. Barbara (Johnson) Snell Suelter ’67, from a stunt scene, or add to an action film stunt scene blood splatter Donald Stagen ’58 is retired from M.S. ’72, Ed.D. ’86, is retired as and gunfire. Among his credits are Black Panther, Doctor Strange, The teaching and his work as a princi- superintendent of United Town- Revenant, and Bridge of Spies. Avengers: Infinity War was released in May pal; resides with his wife, Mary, in ship High School District in East of this year. Armstrong. Moline; active community volun- Gary Hodgson ’59 retired in 1994 teer; resides in Jacksonville. Single sensation as the director of community, Brad Salley ’68, M.A. ’71, completed Competition is nothing new for Colton Under- vocational education and applied 50 years of teaching high school wood ’17, who played Redbird football from arts at Libertyville High School; Spanish in May; resides in Belvi- 2010 through the 2013 season. He faced a coached boys’ varsity track and dere. different kind of opponent during the recently field; worked as guidance counsel- Roger Brooks ’69 is retired; volun- concluded season of The Bachelorette, where or; resides with his wife, Marcia, in teers with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Underwood went up against 27 men to win Mundelein. Refuge in Florida each winter; the heart of Becca Kufrin. Underwood, 26, travels in motor coach each sum- made it to the show’s final four. This was not mer with his wife, Janice; resides his first time in the spotlight, as Underwood is a tight end who has been 60s in Delray Beach, Florida. signed for the practice squad by three NFL teams since leaving ISU. Martha Lehr ’60 retired from Lane Currently a free agent. Community College; is an advisory

August 2018 Illinois State 31 How we met Nothing about Mike Caringello’s Illinois State Normal University experience was anticipated. He never planned on attending, or expect to find his soul mate on campus. This month he celebrates 71 years of marriage to his love, Norma (Donnan), and their romance that started with a blind date. That magical moment happened in the spring of 1946. Norma was in her first year of education classes. Mike was a nontraditional freshman who served in WWII as a Marine. “I had no interest in going to college because I didn’t have the money,” he said. The GI Bill removed the financial obstacle. Mike headed to the Uni- versity on a high school counselor’s recommendation, and because of rail service to campus from his home near Chicago. The family did not own a car. The roommate Mike shared an off-campus apartment with was dat- ing a lady who was friends with Norma. The duo arranged the blind date that consisted of a movie. “We hit it off pretty good,” Mike said. “I was attracted to her good looks and personality.” There were additional movie dates, time spent with Norma’s family in their Bloomington home, and an occasional dance in McCormick’s gymnasium. “There was always hired staff there to supervise. If you danced too close, they were there to say back off,” Mike said with a laugh. The dating led to a wedding on August 16, 1947. Mike was 21 and Norma 19. She left her studies to work at State Farm Insurance Company. Mike graduated with a business education major in 1949, and a master’s and specialist certification in educational administration in 1955 and 1965, respec- tively. He had a career as a teacher, coach and educational administrator. Now in their 90s, the couple lives in their Pekin home. They have a daughter, Linda Cooper ’73, and two grandchildren. While campus visits are no longer frequent, the two enjoy reminiscing about their days at Illinois State. “It was the right decision as it turned out,” Mike said. “In some ways, it still seems like it was only yesterday.”

Carolyn (Bryer) Ronholm ’72 retired Northern Iowa; resides in Water- Kansas City; completed 36 years 70s as a surgical nurse after 49 years loo, Iowa. on faculty at several universities; in the field; she and her husband, resides with his wife, Susan, in Raymond Bruzan ’70 and his wife Michael Jarrell ’74 is retired from the Maynard, have four children, five Prairie Village, Kansas. Pamela authored Cotton, Violins, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago; grandchildren; resides in Pacific, and Shots in the Night: A Timeline resides with his wife, Patricia, in Stephen Yarnall ’76, M.S. ’83, retired Missouri. Visit to Rochester, Illinois; taught Naperville. in 2012 after 26 years with Deer 42 years, retiring as chemistry pro- Linda Ball ’73 has retired as execu- Creek-Mackinaw CUSD 701; Katherine (Curry) Derry ’75, M.S. ’82, fessor at Benedictine University; tive director of publishing for worked as teacher, principal, and is a licensed professional counselor couple resides in Rochester. the American Heart Association; superintendent; vice president of with a private practice; resides in resides in Geneva. the school board; treasurer on the Billiamin Alli ’71, M.S. ’72, is chancel- Rosenberg, Texas. Deer Creek-Mackinaw Education lor of the Royal College of Physi- Roger Breternitz ’73 is seen in a John Wingate ’75 authored Lost Boys Foundation board of directors; cians and Surgeons; distinguished national commercial for Copper of Hannibal: Inside America’s Larg- resides with his wife, Pamela, in professor of medicine and surgery; Fit Back Brace; resides in Laguna est Cave Search; resides in Minne- Mackinaw. recipient of Congressional Gold Niguel, California. apolis, Minnesota. Medal; resides in Grosse Pointe, Arlene Farmer ’78 is an office assis- James Carter ’73 is a retired plant Michigan. Louis Butler ’76 is deputy general tant for DeKalb County Recre- personnel director for General counsel for the State of Illinois; ation, Parks and Cultural Affairs; Stanley Morris ’71 retired after 23 Motors; widowed and resides in resides in Oak Park. actress who played the elder Grace years with Peabody Coal Company, Romeoville. and another 23 years with Gilster- Randy Henry ’76 is a news producer/ character in 2017 Almost Christ- Janet (Janulis) Look ’73 teaches Mary Lee Corporation; resides in director with WDIV-TV 4; active mas movie; resides in Lithonia, English at Joliet Junior College; is Coulterville. in community service; resides in Georgia. an English education supervisor Detroit, Michigan. Ronald Krbecek ’78 worked nearly Thomas Meek ’72 is a consultant for ISU students; resides with her 40 years in information technol- process engineer with Shell Global husband, Jim, in Frankfort. Denis Medeiros, M.S. ’76, is dean Solutions; resides in Burlington, emeritus of the School of Graduate ogy; spending 27 months as Peace Susan (McIntee) Schwieger ’73, M.S. Washington. Studies and professor emeritus of Corps agriculture community ser- ’76, is the director of graduate stu- molecular biology and biochemis- vices volunteer in Tanzania. dent life at the University of try at University of Missouri-

32 Illinois State August 2018 Donald Staniszewski ’78 is president/ Northern Iowa; resides in Cedar Russell Moore, Ed.D. ’84, is professor Kim Glas-Castro ’86 is a planning, CEO of National Home Delivery Falls, Iowa. emeritus of criminal justice, St. zoning and building director for Association; completed two Iron- Ambrose University; resides with the Village of Palm Springs, Flori- Dawn Conway ’81, M.S. ’92, retired man triathlons; resides in Gallatin, his wife, Janice, in Fort Madison, da; resides in Lake Park, Florida. as executive director of special Tennessee. Iowa. education for Livingston County Angela (Washington) Davis ’87 is a Bertha Cohen, M.S. ’79, is the payroll Special Services; served nearly 37 Janell (Gathmann) Durdle ’85 is a resource professional with the manager for Lettuce Entertain You years in education; resides with laboratory director with Advocate University of Illinois-Urbana; Enterprises; resides in Chicago. her husband, Brian, in Normal. BroMenn Medical Center; resides resides in Champaign. with her husband, Ron, in Bloom- Christie (Hobbs) Davis ’79 retired Julie Holmen ’81 is the director of Jeff Hines ’87 is the global lab direc- ington. from Riverview Gardens School network management for Harken tor for Eli Lilly; resides with wife, District; taught elementary school Health; resides in Brooklyn Park, Gregory Hill ’85 practices with the Patricia, in Carmel, Indiana. music 31 years; teaching privately; Minnesota. law firm of Kozacky, Weitzel, and Tammie Kennedy ’87, M.S. ’95, resides with her husband, Drew, in McGrath; teaches radiology as an Mark Drake ’82 is a senior manager received CCCC Outstanding Book Chesterfield, Missouri. adjunct professor at the Medi- with IBM Corporation; resides Award in the Edited Collection cal College of Wisconsin; resides Janet Hebeler ’79 retired after teach- with his wife, Kimberly, in Stilwell, category for Rhetorics of White- with his wife, Mary, in Milwaukee, ing middle school 26 years; resides Kansas. ness; is associate professor of Wisconsin. in Hanford, California. Allison Renaud ’82 is a Lake County Arles (Hendershott) Love ’79 is forest preserve deputy ranger; development director of Milestone resides in Kenosha,Wisconsin. Inc.; named one of 75 people in Stan Shingles ’82, M.S. ’88, is assis- the Rockford area to watch by the tant vice president of Central Rockford Register Star because of Michigan University; resides with her work for 27 years on the board his wife, Rene, in Mount Pleasant, of CrimeStoppers; resides with her Michigan. husband, Joe, in Rockford. Lamouria Boyd ’83 is an attorney; resides in Newark, New Jersey. 80s Sabiena (Hudson) Foster ’83 is the Timothy Como ’80 is a technol- central region communications ogy instructor for Department manager for FedEx Express; of Defense Education Activity in resides with her husband, Rich- Europe; resides in Brussels, Bel- ard, in Bartlett. gium. Denise (Weathersby) Jones ’83 Tony DiLeonardi ’80, M.S. ’81, worked started the nonprofit organization Four decades later Assistance Institute and remains nearly 30 years in sales and mana- After 40 years apart, three friends who met during their collegiate days as president/CEO; resides in gerial leadership; founded Third reconnected and rekindled Illinois State memories last October. The Anniston, Alabama. Quarters Advisers; author with lat- ladies toured campus to take in the many changes, and visited each est book, Legacy Letters, released Renae (Rupp) Novak ’83, M.S. ’93, place they had lived while students. They are, from left, Patty (Tobias) this year; resides in Wheaton. is the event coordinator for the Rolleri ’74 of North Carolina; Mary Cay (Lammers) Hahn ’73, M.S. ’74, of Janis (Rowe) Grondalski, M.S. ’80, is Archdiocese of St. Louis vocation Illinois; and Karla (Schaer) Withrow ’73 of Washington. McKinleyville High School head office; independent demonstrator volleyball coach; director/coach of for Stampin’ Up!; resides with her husband, Gregory, in St. Louis, Lost Coast Volleyball Club; resides LuAnn (Viehweg) Underwood ’85 English, University of Nebraska- Missouri. with her husband, John, in Blue retired after teaching 30 years; Omaha, where she resides. Lake, California. Jami Simon, M.S. ’83, co-starred on founder/director of Southeast Troy Thiel ’87, M.S. ’90, and his NBC’s The Blacklist and HBO’s Wisconsin Scholastic Writing Jill Prosser ’80, M.S. ’82, is the volun- wife, Karen, are real estate agents High Maintenance; resides in New Region; Kenosha-Racine Walk to teer and bereavement coordinator and developer consultants with York, New York. End Alzheimer’s volunteer; owner for UnityPoint Hospice; resides Windermere Yarrow Bay office in of antique business; resides with with her husband, Stan, in Good- Sharon Wilson-Taylor ’83, M.A. ’89, Kirkland, Washington, where they her husband, Michael, in Racine, field. Ph.D. ’06, is vice president of stu- reside. dent affairs at Columbia College in Wisconsin. Levon Richmond ’80 retired as a haz- John Wagner ’87 is a lieutenant with Chicago; resides in Evanston. Cindy (DeWolf) Weller ’85 is coordi- ardous materials inspector with the fire department in the city of nator of the joint and spine center the Illinois Department of Trans- Patricia (Meltzer) Maree ’84 is an Chicago, where he resides. portation; wife is Lisa (Coplen) ’81, enrichment teacher at Carle at McLaren Hospital-Flint; resides Gerald Headd ’88 is a deskside tech- M.S. ’83; resides in Springfield. Auditory Oral School; resides in with her husband, Dan, in Flush- nical engineer with Tata Consult- Tuscola. ing, Michigan. Mary Chipman ’81 is a writer; com- ing Agency; resides with his wife, Christine Dunham ’86 is a dentist; pleting master’s creative writing Susan (Sefcik) Martin ’84 is a special Denise, in Euclid, Ohio. program at the University of education teacher with Joliet Dis- resides in Channahon. trict 86; resides in Minooka.

August 2018 Illinois State 33 Redbird legacy Mary (Hynd) Schrock ’82 grew up in Moline with five sisters. Four of them followed her to Illinois State, creating a strong family legacy that deepened further when two of their children also chose to attend the University. Accepted at two Iowa universities, Mary ultimately decided to study in Illinois. ISU rose to the top, and she enrolled as an English major. “I worked at the Vidette, which is where I met my husband,” Mary said. Cliff Schrock ’81, was also an English major. Mary’s memories of happy campus moments include sharing a dorm room with her sister, Eileen (Hynd) Saksa ’84, an education major. “She roomed with me for one semester, just to help her get acclimated,” Mary recalled. That sisterly help was continued down the line of siblings, as Eileen was still enrolled when Patricia (Hynd) Scott ’86 came to ISU to study elementary education. Patricia had not yet graduated when The Hynd sisters include, from left, Mary Schrock ’82, Eileen Saksa ’84, Patricia the next sister, Karen (Hynd) Fitzgerald ’88 became an accounting Scott ’86, Karen Fitzgerald ’88, and Janet Gibson ’91. Seated is Patricia’s son, Alex, major. The last of the sisters to graduate was Janet (Hynd) Gibson beginning his sophomore year. Not included are Cliff Schrock ’81 and Christopher ’91, who studied administrative systems and office technology. Saksa ’16. “There was always an overlap. They all felt it was the best school in the state,” Mary said, with the location a perfect distance from their Moline home. “We are a very close family, so it was awesome.” The bond strengthened when Eileen’s son, Christopher, also chose Illinois State. He graduated in 2016 with a degree in organizational and leader- ship communication. The family currently has another member enrolled, as Alex is entering his sophomore year as a criminal justice major. He is the son of Patricia. The campus bond is one special way the sisters stay connected, as they are now scattered across the country. Mary is in Connecticut; Janet in Florida; and Eileen, Karen, and Patricia live across Illinois.

Ira Neal, M.S. ’88, Ph.D. ’92, is a Kathy Campbell ’91 is an associate Wendy Sutter ’91 is a physical thera- retired school administrator; 90s engineer with Walgreens; resides py assistant at Rock Valley Physical resides with his wife, Judith, in Christy Broccardo-Grove ’90 is the in Woodstock. Therapy; resides in Rock Island. Summerfield, Florida. digital media manager for Illinois Bryan Eyrich ’91 is retiring after 26 Tami (Johnson) Vandenbark ’91 is a Sharon (Reynolds) Panozzo ’88 com- Realtors; resides with her husband, years with the Illinois Department designer with Closets by Design; pleted her 30th year teaching in Mike, in Springfield. of Corrections; worked with the resides in Plainfield. the Ridgeland Public School Dis- parole re-entry group in Chicago; Amber (Blaser) Jones ’90 completed Dave Woesthaus, M.S. ’91, received trict; daughter is an ISU student; resides with wife, Amy, in Glen a master’s in nursing in 2017 from a 2017 Emerson Excellence in resides in Frankfort. Ellyn. Chamberlain University; works at Teaching award for dedication to Melinda Walwer ’88 is artistic direc- OSF Healthcare Pontiac Primary Elizabeth Garcia ’91 is a bilingual field of education; resides in Bel- tor of Another Octave: Connecti- Care; resides in Bloomington. corporate education trainer at leville. cut Women’s Chorus; works at Combined Insurance; resides in Douglas Taylor ’90 is a traffic man- Domenico De Bellis ’92 is a coach, Shoreline Arts Alliance to promote Carpentersville. ager with Milport Enterprises; entrepreneur, educator, author and the arts in Connecticut; resides in resides with his wife, Christel, in Wayne Hoover ’91 owns Wicklander- public speaker; owns the firm Dom Shelton, Connecticut. Waukesha, Wisconsin. Zulawski & Associates and the De Bellis International; resides in Carla Stokowski, M.S. ’89, is retired William Wille ’90 is the media and International Association of Inter- Niles, Michigan. after teaching elementary students viewers; resides with his wife, Ste- public relations manager for the Rob Festenstein ’92 is the executive for 33 years; resides with her hus- fanie, in Sugar Grove. Academy of Osseointegration; director of the Center for Indepen- band, Jerry, in Dunlap. resides with his wife, Jennifer, and Sarah Janssen ’91 is a senior physi- dent Living Options in Cincinnati, Darrell Wells’ 89 is an administra- their two children in Yorkville. cian with The Permanente Medical Ohio, where he resides. tion assistant in IT support for Group; resides in San Francisco, Dennis Zirkelbach ’90 is a global Ann O’Neill ’92, MBA ’94, is an IT Aphesis House, a nonprofit tran- California. program manager with Abbott governance, risk and compliance sitional facility; resides with his Laboratories; resides with his Michael Schnell ’91 owns an Alpha- analyst with State Farm Insurance wife, Pamela, and their daughter in wife, Kristin, in Pleasant Prairie, Graphics Printing franchise; Company; resides in Normal. Old Hickory, Tennessee. Wisconsin. resides with his wife, Kim, and their two children in Homer Glen.

34 Illinois State August 2018 Kent Studet ’92 is director of cor- Jennifer (Baker) Glickley ’96 is prin- her husband, Russell, in Watkins- Embry Riddle Aeronautical Uni- porate relations for the College of cipal of Gurnee School District 56; ville, Georgia. versity; resides in Ormond Beach, Engineering at the University of resides with her husband, Kevin, Florida. Rod Githens ’99 is the assistant Illinois-Urbana; resides with his in Lake Villa. dean and an associate professor Zack Hendricks ’01 is an attorney wife, Anne, in Savoy. Sally Arnett-Hartwick ’97 is an associ- of leadership and organization with Howard & Howard; resides Heather (Loudenburg) Terry ’92, M.S. ate professor and program coor- development with the University with his wife, Kristin, in Naper- ’94, is a speech language patholo- dinator in Family and Consumer of the Pacific; resides in West Sac- ville. gist in Champaign Unit 4 School Sciences teacher education at ISU; ramento, California. Julie Marlatt ’01, M.S. ’06, is associate District; resides with her husband, resides with her husband, Trevor, vice chancellor of enrollment man- William, in Champaign. in Carrollton. agement for the Tennessee Board Jim Walters ’92 is executive direc- Teresa Faulk ’97 is a registered 00s of Regents; resides in Nashville, tor of Habitat for Humanity of nurse in the Digestive Disease Timothy Bill ’00, M.S. ’02, is execu- Tennessee. McLean County; resides with his Endoscopy Center; resides with tive director of marketing and Teresa Morris ’01 is a paralegal wife, Brandy, in Oneida. her husband, Jeremy, in El Paso. public information at Heartland specialist with the Department of Cynthia Hay ’93 is a data analyst Kelly (Fox) Gentsch ’97, M.S. ’02, Community College; resides with Justices; resides with her husband, with Health Trust Workforce teaches fifth grade at St. Mary’s his wife, Mandy, in Bloomington. Mark, in Germantown, Tennessee. Solutions; resides in Midlothian, Catholic School; resides in Normal. Matthew Kellam ’00 is a member of Kathy (Wilson) Anderson ’02 is the Virginia. Sarah (Mueller) Jones ’97, received the Laner Muchin Ltd. law firm; marketing manager for Veterans Misty (Johnson) Sierens ’93 works as a 2017 Emerson Excellence in practices as a labor and employ- Care Coordination; husband Robert a sanitarian with the Rock Island Teaching award for dedication to ment attorney; resides in Western ’02 is an occupational health and County Health Department; there the field of education; resides in Springs. safety specialist; parents of two more than 22 years; resides with Highland. Marc Knepp ’00 is associate division sons; reside in Lake Saint Louis, her husband, Michael, in Rock Missouri. Julie (Helmstetter) Mazzola ’97 is head of pediatric cardiology at the Island. manager of marketing and com- University of Illinois College of Aimee (Hale) Butcher ’02 and her Margaret Swanson, M.S. ’93, Ph.D. munications for Ronald McDonald Medicine-Peoria; resides with his husband, David ’86, own a State ’09, is retired as interim provost at House Charities of Chicagoland wife, Stacie, in Dunlap. Farm Insurance Company agency Illinois Central College; resides in and Northwest Indiana; resides Barbara Feeney Abendschein, M.A. ’01, office; parents to a daughter and East Peoria. with her husband, John, in Oak teaches English composition at son; reside in Galena. Jeff Benware ’94, M.S. ’95, is a psy- Park. chologist with the Department of Julia (Georgas) Smeaton ’97 is a sup- Veterans Affairs; resides with his ply chain manager with Apple, wife, Allison, in Troy. Inc.; resides with her husband, Eric Olson ’94, M.S. ’01, is a senior Richard, in San Jose, California. research scientist on physical and Dan Washburn ’97 is an auditor for chemical characterization team the state of California; resides of PPD; resides in Madison, Wis- with his wife, Mary, in Roseville, consin. California. Carl Try Jr. ’94 is involved in a Hugh Williams ’97, M.S. ’99, is a multi-year ERP application imple- lawyer operating The Williams mentation in State of Illinois; Law Firm; authored novel titled several Redbirds are part of imple- The Rixey Files: The Quest for menting the business application Caesar’s Medallion, with a portion in the state; resides in Chatham. of every sale going to help ISU’s Erica Corbett, M.S. ’95, Ph.D. ’99, is nontraditional students; resides in a biological sciences professor Carbondale. at Southeastern Oklahoma State Kristi (Peterson) Hoffman ’98 is a Withstanding tests of time University; resides in Durant, master dispatcher with PJM Inter- Eight young women met on the eighth floor of Hamilton Hall as fresh- Oklahoma. connection; controls the electric men in 1965. Their friendship blossomed quickly, and they soon became Jeffrey Lehman ’95, M.S. ’98, graduat- grid on the East Coast and runs the known as “the elite eight.” They have remained close through life events, ed from Southern Illinois Univer- energy markets; resides with her including the loss of one in the group. They reunited in Florida last year sity School of Medicine; practices husband, Joe, and their two sons in to celebrate their 70th birthdays and 52 years of friendship. It was the with Southern Illinois Healthcare Pottstown, Pennsylvania. first time since graduation that they were all able to attend a planned Medical Group in Carbondale; Erick Mund ’98 is a senior proba- reunion. They are, front row from left, Penny Clodfelter ’86 of Overland resides there with his wife, Kelly tion officer in Livingston County; Park, Kansas; Kathy (Nerad) Van Eyndhoven ’69 of Motueka, New Higgins, and their two children. resides in Odell. Zealand; and Holly (Treadway) Rabbe ’69 of Normal. Back row from left are, Shirley (Hall) Hill ’69 of Zion; Paula (Chodakowski) Smith ’69, M.S. Kerri (Peceniak) Ciesia ’96 is a Pam- Dawn (Vavrik) Palmer ’98, M.S. ’00, is ’71 of Nokomis; Penny (Nix) Pelkey ’69 of Crystal Lake; Maggie (Paine) pered Chef independent advanced the administrative specialist in the Thompson ’69 of Normal. Cynthia (Osborne) Tar, who attended 1965- director; resides with her husband, office of the dean of students at the 1967, died in 2002. Tim, in Shorewood. University of Georgia; resides with

August 2018 Illinois State 35 Katharine Bettendorf ’06 works for Nicole (Nalls) Wiesman ’08 is com- a college-access nonprofit sup- pleting a master’s in counseling porting first-generation college psychology at North Park Univer- students; resides in San Jose, Cali- sity; resides with her husband, fornia. Maxwell, in Lombard. Danielle (Schweigert) Brink ’06 is the Elizabeth (Strain) Gonzalez ’09 is a director of community relations health educator at Lurie Children’s with DuPage High School District Hospital; resides with her hus- 88; resides with her husband, band, Ricardo Jr., in Chicago. Gavin, in Round Lake Beach. Elizabeth Hauck ’09 is the associate Elizabeth (Ellison) Nathan ’06 is clini- director of human resources for cal coordinator with Rosecrance; Marcfirst; resides in Normal. married August 2017 to Joshua; Stephanie Murphy ’09 is assistant resides in Chicago. professor of acting and voice at Alicia Gullidge ’07, M.S. ’14, is the Stephen F. Austin State University; assistant director of Millikin Uni- actress, voiceover artist and dialect versity’s Career Center; resides in coach; resides in Nacogdoches, Team of teachers Assumption. Texas. There are six Illinois State alumni on the teaching and administrative Kristina (Torbik) Hanacek ’07 is the Jacqueline Oram-Shortt, Ph.D. ’09, staff at Glenbrook South High School in Glenview. They connected to senior marketing specialist for teaches in the Miami Dade County show their Redbird pride by posing at the school during Homecoming United Airlines; resides with her Public School district; served as last fall. They are, from left, Mark Knoeppel ’14, Mark Dec ’92, Caitlin husband, Edward, in Chicago. a college professor and graduate Reichert ’13, Leah Maskin ’16, Matthew Lucchetti ’15, and Stacey (Fried- school dean; resides with her hus- Amy (Heinrichs) Jahnel ’07 is an ath- man) Wolfe ’99. band, Brian, in Miami, Florida. letic trainer with Carle Foundation Hospital; resides with her hus- Genevieve (Sanderman) Owens ’09 is band, Jeff, in Tolono. a reading specialist at Round Lake Aimee Davis ’02 is the Field Muse- play “A Stepper’s Story;” resides in High School; she and her husband, um volunteer and public learning Normal. Christine Loconti ’07 has lived six Brad, have one son; resides in Lake experiences administrator; teacher years in Spain, teaching English Kelly (Reis) Zlatic ’03, MBA ’05, is a Zurich. of improv for creative pedagogy and writing for tourism blogs; development officer at A Nun’s classes and workshop for The Sec- resides in Barcelona. Lora (Barker) Phillips ’09 is a health Life Ministry; resides with her ond City; resides in Chicago. information technology and medi- husband, Steve, in Westchester. Amy Outland ’07 is a freelance cal coding programs instructor at Brad Malloy ’02 is a detective with writer and editor; works part-time Jaimie Abney-Giraldo ’04 is fine arts Rend Lake College; resides in Belle the Glendale Heights Police as a service excellence representa- coordinator for School District Rive. Department; resides with his wife, tive at Franciscan Health; resides U-46; resides in Elgin. Cathy, in Lake Zurich. in Frankfort. Tom Ponce ’09 is a high school Eng- Adam Burling ’04 is the corporate lish language development teacher Fayyaz Poonawala, M.S. ’02, is a prin- Ashley Petrey ’07 founded AP Law and foundation giving officer for through Teach for America; resides cipal software engineering man- Ltd. law firm focused on criminal St. Louis College of Pharmacy; in Lakewood, Colorado. ager in the Azure Cloud Platform defense; resides in Glenwood resides in University City, Mis- division at Microsoft; resides with Springs, Colorado. Alexandra Rigo ’09 is an emergency souri. medicine resident at Cook County his wife, Fatima, in Sammamish, Jorie (Glassner) Bernhardt ’08 is Michael Durr ’04 is a freelance vid- Hospital; resides with her hus- Washington. the director of youth and family eographer/photographer; he and band, Erwin Secretov, in Chicago. Angela Bernard ’03 owns Stocker programming at Temple of Aaron; wife, Lindsay, are parents of Logan and Associates; resides with her resides with her husband, Aaron, Adrienne Wilson ’09 teaches world James, born September 2017; husband, Aaron, in Port Charlotte, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. history at Carver Military Acad- resides in Indianapolis, Indiana. emy; resides in Chicago. Florida. Christie (Khalid) Lewis ’08, M.S. ’11, is Brooke (Weishaupt) Lieder ’04 is a Dana (Schulte) Burns ’03 received the coordinator of residence life Jennifer Zang ’09 is an attorney senior communications repre- a 2017 Emerson Excellence in at Columbia College in Chicago, with Dodd & Maatuka; resides in sentative with Caterpillar Inc.; Teaching award for dedication to where she resides with her hus- Bloomington. resides with her husband, Andy, in field of education; resides in St. band, Jamel. Normal. Charles, Missouri. Douglas Meyer, M.S. ’08, is associate Bryan Ernst ’05 is the vice presi- David Hermann ’03 is the registrar/ director of residential life for hous- 10s dent of sales and procurement for director of admissions and regis- ing operations at Illinois Wesleyan Mallory Alekna ’10 Omnitronix; resides with his wife, is a teaching tration at Kankakee Community University; resides in Bloomington. Megan, in Geneva. assistant and completing a doctor- College; resides in Kankakee. Ashley Thomas ’08 is a nurse clini- ate at Arizona State University; Amy (Mills) Pons ’05 is a digital Phyllis McElroy ’03 is an actress, cian in the neurosurgery depart- resides with her husband, Ryan marketing manager with Discover singer and comedian; appeared in ment of Northwestern Medicine; Borden, in Tempe, Arizona. Financial Services; resides with several movies and starred in stage completing MBA; resides in Chi- her husband, Travis, in Mundelein. cago.

36 Illinois State August 2018 Katharine Bettendorf ’10 taught in resides in Beardstown with his U.S. Cellular; resides in Sun Prai- Julia Evelsizer ’14 is secondary edu- Republic of Korea for three years; wife, Ashley, and their daughter. rie, Wisconsin. cation reporter at The Pantagraph; is program coordinator at The Pen- resides with her husband, Jose Paul Goedjen ’12 is the supervisor of Celsy Martindale ’13 is marketing insula College Fund; resides in San Perez, in Bloomington. adult hockey and MB Ice Arena for and communications coordinator Jose, California. the Chicago Blackhawks; resides for The Center for Prevention of Derrick Harris ’14 is an officer in the Scott Guerrero ’10, M.S. ’12, is the in Chicago. Abuse; resides in Peoria. McLean County Juvenile Deten- assistant director of financial aid tion Center; resides in Normal. Dominique (Jordan) Perry ’12 is a Megan Scholl ’13 is a marketing for the University of Missouri- medical lab scientist at Advocate coordinator for KSB Hospital; Joseph Hlavaty ’14 is a junior man- Kansas City, where he resides. Christ Center; models with Factor resides in Dixon. ager in the international relations Denisse Martinez ’10 completed a Chosen Modeling Agency; resides office of the WHU-Otto Beisheim Corey Sharp ’13 is a marketing strat- master’s degree in social service with her husband, Kevin, in Calu- School of Management in Vallen- egist in the Office of Public Affairs administration at the University of met City. dar, Germany, where he resides. at the University of Illinois-Urba- Chicago; resides in Chicago. Allison (Burke) Reeder ’12 is an na; resides with his wife, Taylor, in Michelle Janisz, Ph.D. ’14, is the Juan Perez ’10 is an operations audit English teacher and curriculum Champaign. director of student activities at specialist with U.S. Bank/Syncada; director at University Lake School; Western Illinois University; resides Brooke Terranova ’13 is the legal serves as secretary of local Toast- resides with her husband, Kyle, in in Macomb. advocate at the Sauk Valley YWCA; masters Club; resides in Aurora. Waukesha, Wisconsin. resides in Dixon. Brandon Jeralds ’14 is an industrial Libby (Norcross) Torbeck ’10 is the Kaitlin (Hernandez) Schneider ’12, M.S. hygienist with Liberty Mutual Jonathon Tillis ’13 is a testing special- Challenger Learning Center flight ’14, is a speech language patholo- Insurance; he and his wife, Kellie, ist with College of Lake County; director at Heartland Community gist with Livingston County Spe- reside in Birmingham, Alabama. resides in Gurnee. College; resides with her husband, cial Services Unit; resides with her Jacob Kreutzer ’14 is an assistant Carl, in Normal. husband, Daniel, in Normal. Ashley Carboni ’14 is a CPA; techni- state’s attorney in the Will County cal associate with the IFRS Foun- Rachel Wayne, M.S. ’10, is a regis- Dayna (Grismanauskas) Brzezowski State’s Attorney’s office; resides in dation; resides in London. tered dietitian and certified diabe- ’13 is a Hines Veterans Affairs blind Westmont. tes educator with OSF St. Francis rehabilitation specialist; resides Jenna Cusumano ’14 event manager Megan Nelligan ’14 teaches family Medical Center; resides with her with her husband, Scott, in Chi- at the civic center in Peoria, where and consumer science at Lockport husband, James, in Normal. cago. she resides. Township High School; resides in Crystal Amendola ’11 is a human Andrew Burgess ’13 is a registered Aria Drexler, M.S. ’14, is training spe- Crestwood. resources administrator for Annex- operations leader with Ameriprise cialist with Weld County School Tierra Reed ’14 is a bilingual case us; resides in Phoenix, Arizona. Financial; resides in Milwaukee, District Nutrition Services; resides worker with the Illinois Depart- Wisconsin. in Fort Collins, Colorado. Emily (Hopkins) Auffenberg ’11 ment of Human Services; resides received a 2017 Emerson Excel- Adam Cameron ’13 is a techni- in Springfield. lence in Teaching award for dedi- cal operator with Metal Flow cation to field of education; resides Corporation; resides in Holland, in Swansea. Michigan. Brandon Harnack ’11 is a senior sys- Spenser Cullumber ’13 is percussion tems analyst with Kohl’s Depart- director for Webb City School Dis- ment Stores; resides in Wauwatosa, trict; resides with his wife, Dawn, Wisconsin. in Joplin, Missouri. Lauren Patsos, M.M. ’11, is a music Kevin Drews ’13 is director of pro- teacher at Oneco Elementary in fessions brokerage at Insureon; Manatee County School District; resides in Downers Grove. resides in Sarasota, Florida. Rachel Haney ’13 is a clinical appli- Tim Putlak Jr. ’11 is a financial con- cations analyst with Loyola Uni- sultant for Navistar, Inc.; resides in versity Health System; resides in Wheaton. Batavia. Eric Vinsel ’11 is learning advisor Zachary Harms ’13 is a chemist at team manager with Cisco Systems; Exelon LaSalle Nuclear Power resides with his wife, Jennifer, in Station; previously worked for Bloomington. the Illinois Department of Natu- ral Resources Fisheries Division; Talented or lucky? Adisn Dankha ’12 works for a Swed- resides in Streator. Richard Wisner ’59, M.S. ’64, has had the thrill of sinking a hole-in-one ish engineering company creating five separate times. He remembers each one, starting in Bloomington in and designing conveyor systems Ross Leary ’13 is a golf professional 1968. The most recent was in Petersburg in 2010. He confesses that the used in the automotive industry; at Austin Country Club; resides in repeated feat is “98 percent luck.” A retired school administrator, Wisner resides in Skokie. Eden Prairie, Minnesota. served 16 years with the Illinois Association of School Boards. His wife, Rich Eckert, M.S. ’12, is vice president Jess Manier ’13, M.S. ’15, is a senior Arline (Nelson) ’57, is also a retired educator. They reside in Springfield. of Beardstown Savings Bank; operation and control analyst with

August 2018 Illinois State 37 Heather Bayer ’15 is a trainer and Brooke (Egeland) Farmer, M.S. ’16, is quality assurance specialist with a research assistant at Creighton Pet Health Inc.; resides in Elk University; resides in Bellevue, Grove. Nebraska. Ashley Brehmer ’15 handles member- Danny Gaytan, M.S. ’16, is facilities ship support for the Greater Madi- program coordinator for Arizona son Chamber of Commerce; is State University; coordinates sport under contract with BMG Models; programs and kids’ camp; resides resides in Verona, Wisconsin. in Tempe, Arizona. Laureen DiLorenzo ’15, M.S.W. ’18, is a Taylor Orr ’16 is a registered nurse marriage and family therapist with at Memorial Medical Center; the Center for Youth and Family resides in Springfield. Solutions; resides in Normal. Allyson Raymundo ’16 is a marketing Elisabeth Hollander ’15 is a music coordinator with Egret Consulting teacher at Peking University Group; resides in Mundelein. Experimental School in Jiaxing, Sara Sneyd ’16 is the middle school China. band director for Herscher Com- Taylor McCormick ’15 teaches sixth munity Unit School District; grade math at Plainfield Commu- resides in Bourbonnais. nity Consolidated School District Tori Streitmatter ’16 works in human 202; named the school’s 2018 resources and recruiting for Grow- Teacher of the Year; resides in mark Inc.; grand prizewinner of Lockport. 2017 Thrive#RootedinAg contest Kyle Pass ’15 is an associate broker through Syngenta; resides in with Arthur J. Gallagher; resides in Bloomington. Elk Grove Village. Katie Wiedenski ’16 is a pediatric Jeremy Spaso ’15 is an account exec- and neonatal registered dietitian Together again utive with Lipman Hearne; resides working in a children’s hospital Homecoming 2017 was the perfect opportunity for five sisters of the in Chicago. in the Chicago suburbs; resides in Pi Beta Phi sorority to reunite. They appreciated the opportunity to Orland Park. Rachel (Manago) Tutko ’15 is a music reminisce about the years they shared as students. They are, from left, therapist with Seasons Hospice Becca Young ’16 is a program advi- Samantha (Hooker) Blake ’09, Shannon (Murray) Sundberg ’08, Lauren and Palliative Care; resides with sor for IES Abroad; resides in (Foerster) Platt ’09, Tricia (Berryhill) Banach ’08, and Nicole (Rousakis) her husband, Jonathan, in Frank- Palatine. Felke ’08. fort. Alleana Fuentes, M.S. ’17, is an outpa- Alysha Biemolt ’16 is a program tient therapist with Lincoln Prairie central manager with Ruffalo Noel Behavioral Health Center; resides Laurielle Wandland ’17 is an account Jeff Burchfield ’98 is a U.S. Army Levitz; resides in Indianapolis. in Springfield. manager with Uber Corporate; air defense officer; resides with Alex Clayton ’16 works in the course Jaylon Joyner ’17 is an athletic resides in Blue Island. his wife, Lynn, in Queen Creek, properties division for the PGA trainer with Decatur Memorial Arizona. Tour; resides in Jacksonville, Hospital; resides in Decatur. Michael Verdun ’10 is a helicop- Florida. Nicole McGill ’17 is an OSF Health- Troops ter pilot with the Illinois Army Matthew Druffel ’16 is the human care medical laboratory scientist; Lawrence Layden ’81 retired after 33 National Guard; an investigator resources administrator with the resides in Morton. years of service in the U.S. Army with the Rochester Police Depart- Auto Truck Group; resides in St. and the U.S. Treasury Department; ment; resides in Rochester. Kelly Mohler ’17 is a peer recovery Charles. resides with his wife, Susan, in specialist with Memorial Behavior- Normal. Kelli Erickson ’16 is a medical social al Health; resides in Springfield. worker with Fresenius Kidney Craig Osborne ’89 serves in the U.S. In memory Faith Petkus ’17 is a special educa- Care; resides in Naperville. Army as chief of staff at National tion teacher in the public schools Faculty/Staff Defense University; resides in of Chicago, where she resides. Haymarket, Virginia. Judy J. (Smithson) Boehle ’62, Ed.D. ’80; Student Access & Elizabeth Roxworthy ’96 is a major in Accommodation Services; 3/18 the Illinois Army National Guard; Sherman E. Peck ’74, Art; 3/18 stationed at Fort Leavenworth, studying at U.S. Army Command Susan A. Westbury, History; 2/18 and General Staff Officer College; Tsang Chiao Liang Joseph, Chem- master’s degree student at Univer- istry; 4/18 sity of Kansas; resides in Kansas City, Missouri.

38 Illinois State August 2018 Ming-Gon John Lian, Special Edu- Richard B. Ferree ’53, M.S. ’60; Dwight J. Feryance ’65; 3/18 James H. Cherry III ’68, M.S. ’69, cation; 3/18 2/18 Harry E. Hagerman Jr. ’65; 3/18 Ed.D. ’75; 4/18 Michael Macesich, Chemistry/U- Roland D. Spaniol ’53, M.S. ’56; Carol D. (Bellinger) Hinkson ’65; Carla J. Hale ’68; 2/18 High; 12/17 2/18 3/18 James H. Lander ’68; 3/18 Joan R. (Hodel) Summer ’53; 1/18 Carol A. (Ecker) Krumwiede ’65; Freda L. (Baker) McGee, M.S. ’68; 30s Laverne G. Weidler ’53; 1/18 3/18 9/17 Viola (Crone) Nelson ’37, ’63; 1/18 Robert G. Anderson ’54, M.S. ’66; Nancy C. (Gilmore) Lane ’65; 1/18 Charlene M. (Getson) Molnar ’68, Louise E. (North) Schreck ’37; 1/18 1/17 Karen A. (Sevland) Allen ’66; 1/18 M.S. ’84; 2/18 Virginia H. (Ihlenfeldt) Streeper Paula M. (Zalewski) Kerr ’54; 12/17 Alan J. Andreasen ’66; 1/18 Terry L. Stevig ’68; 4/18 ’38; 4/18 Betty L. (Schaefer) Pratt ’54; 2/18 David L. Coss, M.A. ’66: 4/18 James L. Trudeau ’68, M.S. ’69; 1/18 Lois L. (Johnson) Leonard ’39; 1/18 John C. Watson ’54; 1/18 Gary S. Kephart, MBA ’66; 1/18 Gary R. Westen ’68; 1/18 Doris J. (Griffin) Ayers ’55; 3/18 Cheryl L. (Walton) Triefenbach 40s Edwin C. Carpenter ’55, M.S. ’56; ’66; 4/18 Patricia M. Barrowman ’69, M.S. 4/18 ’94; 3/18 Lela M. (Loper) McDaniel ’41; 2/18 Jan E. (Essenpries) Weaver ’66; Elaine E. Eickmeyer ’55; 12/17 4/18 Sally J. (Pace) Emery ’69; 1/18 Madeleine M. (Lowell) Porter ’41; Margaret L. (Allison) Janssen ’69, 3/18 Russell E. Finley Jr. ’55; 3/18 Larry J. Woods ’66; 3/18 M.S. ’81; 12/17 Mary V. (Swartz) Sutherland ’42; Donald S. Hartman ’55; 4/18 Diane R. (Wolf ) Bussan ’67; 4/18 Patricia L. (McCann) Long ’69; 1/18 Richard J. Myers ’55; 4/18 Connie P. Canham ’67; 3/18 4/18 Ellsworth A. Donovan ’43; 10/17 Barbara J. (Noren) Pelati ’55; 3/18 Emily L. (Loftus) Gallivan ’67; 2/18 Jeanne M. (Vallazza) Zilm ’69, M.S. Dorothy E. (Rutledge) Riley ’43; William E. Bonham ’56, M.S. ’62; Bonnee L. Harris ’67, M.S. ’73; 1/18 ’77; 1/18 12/17 1/18 Ruth V. (Wittler) Holmes, M.S. Mary A. (Goode) Lair ’45; 2/17 Patricia A. (Coen) Kafer ’56; 2/18 ’67; 4/18 70s James W. Prange ’45; 2/18 James A. Wiltz ’56; 12/17 Donald E. Reed ’67, M.S. ’73; 1/18 Barbara E. (Baker) Barton ’70; 2/18 Mary E. (Tucker) Waters ’46; 1/18 Phyllis A. (Winkler) Caneva ’57; Charles W. Sorensen, M.S. ’67; 2/18 Paul L. Goodwin ’70, M.S. ’70; Margaret K. (Hinshaw) Graff ’47; 3/18 Royleen M. Tipton ’67; 2/18 12/17 3/18 Marjorie L. Dunlap, M.S. ’57; 10/17 Oren E. Wright ’67; 12/17 Jerry A. Merrick ’70; 1/18 Roy A. Kiiskila ’48; 1/18 John D. Frattick ’57; 3/18 Marilyn J. (Hardimon) Buchanan L. LaVonne (Cotherman) Morgan, Betty J. (Hall) McClaflin ’48; 3/18 Donald R. Pearson, M.S. ’58; 2/18 ’68; 4/18 M.S. ’70; 3/18 Berta Jean “BJ” (Lee) Fredenha- Gary White ’58; 2/18 gen ’49; 3/18 Richard L. Fisher ’59, M.S. ’64; Joseph L. French ’49, M.S. ’50; 1/18 10/17

50s 60s Robert E. Glenn ’50, M.S. ’51; 1/18 Paul W. Batty ’61; 12/17 Vivienne V. (Lucas) Hertz ’50; 3/18 John Robert “J.R.” Black ’61; 2/18 Lillian M. (Schnehage) Mellors C. Richard Blakley ’61; 3/18 Three easy ways to submit your information ’50; 1/18 Patricia A. (Berberet) Kane ’61; Margaret L. (Eggenberger) Parke 3/18 1) Go online to Alumni.IllinoisState.edu/ClassNotes and click on ’50; 1/18 Phyllis R. (Joost) McAuliffe ’61; “class notes.” Information submitted using this method will Marian E. (Redfern) Roemer ’50; 3/18 also be posted online. 3/18 Clifford A. Scott Jr. ’61; 11/11 Virginia L. (Ely) Berger ’51; 1/18 Sue A. (Murphy) Alexander ’62; 2) Email your news to [email protected]. Norma G. (Waters) Mackey ’51; 2/18 3) Mail your news to Class Notes, Illinois State University, 4/18 Stephen R. France ’62; M.S. ’63; Alumni Engagement, Campus Box 3100, Normal, IL 61790- Romeyn M. Oyer ’51; 1/18 2/18 Harlow Swartout Jr. ’51, M.S. ’58; Edward Linder ’62; 1/18 3100. Please include your graduation year, major, maiden 11/17 James W. Entwistle ’63, M.S. ’64; name when applicable, and daytime phone number for James A. Estergard ’52; 12/17 12/17 verification purposes. News releases and information from Muriel Jarrett ’52; 2/18 Carl G. Lonnquist ’63; 1/18 published news clippings may also be used. Engagements and Charles D. Marler ’52; 2/18 Irma J. (Lahr) Miller ’63; 4/18 pregnancies will not be published. Wilbur “Bill” F. Storey Jr. ’52; 3/18 Charles W. Chap ’64; 3/18 For additional information, contact Alumni Engagement at (309) Shiloh “Shi” L. Strouse ’52; 4/18 Peggy J. (Spencer) Jones ’64; 1/18 438-2586, or by email at [email protected]. Thomas Wiltshire ’52; 3/18 Michael Crawshaw ’65, M.S. ’71; Virginia (Anich) Bonham ’53; 4/18 2/18

August 2018 Illinois State 39 RiseRisetoto thethe CChallengehallenge ISU’s $150 million campaign will lift the University for decades to come. Such significant private support will impact the entire campus, from high-tech labs essential for applied learning to activities that strengthen students’ leadership skills.

Your help is needed to make sure Redbirds continue to soar. Join the more than 44,000 ISU donors and make a gift by calling (309) 438-8184, or by visiting RedbirdsRising.IllinoisState.edu

/ISUGiving

Mary A. (Thalmann) Bingen- Walter “Chick” L. Bishop, Ed.D. Edward J. Didier ’79; 12/17 Keith A. Sprouse ’92, M.A. ’94; heimer ’71; 12/17 ’75; 11/17 Barbara Reimers ’79; 3/18 10/17 Margaret (Russell) Dewey ’71; 4/18 Charles A. Grover ’75; 4/18 Jill S. (Godfrey) Rister ’79; 10/17 Tracey L. (Borders) Wilber ’92; 1/18 Ronald S. Hert, M.A. ’71; 2/18 Gilbert J. Hobneck ’75; 12/17 Harvey Steele ’79; 12/17 Connie S. (Lanzotti) Young ’92; Ruth Ann (Akright) Marseilles, Kathleen Holt ’75; 3/18 Ronald E. Thompson ’79; 12/17 M.S. ’71; 4/18 3/18 Judith (Howell) Lazar ’75; 3/18 Dean Wirtz ’79; 2/18 Frances L. Delrose, M.S. ’93; 1/18 Mildred I. (White) McRell ’71; 1/18 Mary Beth (Fitzpatrick) Ripa ’75; Wayne R. Milling ’71; 12/17 3/18 Lara J. (Moehling) Strzempa ’95, 80s M.S. ’00; 1/18 Loretta Sigler ’71; 3/18 Linda J. (Hansen) Brushaber ’76; Patricia M. (Harnish) Yordy, M.S. 3/18 Arthur “Kris” Giese ’97; 3/18 Samuel E. Achord ’72; 2/18 ’80; 10/17 Kathleen (Reilly) Lencioni ’76; 6/17 Kevin L. Nelson ’99; 12/17 Jane E. (Whited) Anderson ’72; Philip C. Schafer, MBA ’81; 12/17 2/18 Elizabeth A. (Brown) Leonard ’76; Linda K. (Bottin) Fiorenza ’83; 12/17 00s Julie A. (Buck) Drije ’72; 10/17 12/17 Mitchell C. Potter ’76; 3/18 Gary Shepard ’01, ’04; 2/18 Jerilyn C. (Herman) Dubeau ’72; Richard D. Vitters, Ed.D. ’83; 2/18 4/18 Peter S. Pressman, MBA ’76; 3/18 Lucas A. Schrampf ’02; 12/17 James W. Winkler ’83; 3/18 Patsy A. Mailand ’72; 10/17 Beverly (Bailey) Stitt Stone ’76, June E. Allison, M.S.W. ’05; 12/17 Cheryl J. (Kraucunas) Klein ’84; ’83; 1/18 Katherine L. (Goetz) Runion ’72; 3/18 Heather L. (Reum) Meister ’05; 12/17 Julie A. Tomlianovich ’76; 3/18 10/17 Raymond Rients ’84; 12/17 Laura (Schumacher) Garrett ’73; Brian R. Bollman ’77; 2/18 Frank D. Patula ’05; 1/18 Jon G. Oakley ’86; 12/17 3/18 Janice C. (Watson) Bradley, M.S. Meghan A. Bowers ’07; 3/18 Arthur J. Rudnicki ’86; 4/18 Keith K. Goodman ’73; 2/18 ’77; 3/18 Vincent A. Sanzotta ’88; 2/18 John P. Peecher ’73; 1/18 Sheron (Moore) Carter ’77; 2/18 10s John Bekker ’89; 12/17 Thomas H. Pruitt ’73; 1/18 Marilyn R. (Putney) DePauw ’77; Donna (Waymire) Inyart ’89; 2/18 Zeke Upshaw ’13; 3/18 William A. Savage, M.S. ’73; 5/16 10/17 Mary J. Palley ’89; 2/18 Demetrius D. Dandridge ’14; 10/17 Michael W. Williams ’73; 1/18 Mary Lou Miller, M.S. ’77; 3/18 Joseph E. Joria, M.S. ’14; 1/18 Mark B. Gradberg ’74; 3/18 Harley M. Peckham ’78; 9/17 90s Taylor D. McClain ’17; 2/18 Jay E. Kemerling ’74; 2/18 Charles W. Pohlman Jr. ’78; 3/18 Rex E. Presson ’74, M.S. ’75; 3/18 Kenneth W. Robertson, MBA ’78; Joan (Feld) McGuire, Ph.D. ’90; 12/17 11/17 Edith L. (Brehman) Voights ’74; 3/18 Steven J. Sypult ’78; 1/18 Thomas M. Soderlund ’92; 9/17 Rose M. Bushno ’79; 2/18

40 Illinois State August 2018 A legacy of generosity

Larry and Patricia (Hunkler) Stagen were committed to education throughout their lives. Even now, when both Larry and Patricia are deceased, their legacy continues through the Hunkler-Stagen Teaching Scholarship, originally established within the College of Education in 2008. The Stagens bequeathed $600,000 of their estate Larry Stagen, 1938–2015 Patricia (Hunkler) Stagen, 1939–2017 to the principal of their scholarship fund. Their gener- ous gift supports Redbirds Rising: The Campaign for Illinois State, and guarantees assistance to generations meet Larry and Patricia, as she was able to express her of ISU students on the path to becoming educators. thanks in person. Created as a memorial to her parents and grandpar- “I was amazed at how excited the Stagens were to ents, the scholarship helps undergraduates majoring in meet me and get to know my ambitions,” Fioretto said. education meet a financial need. It pleased both Larry “I am reminded of the Stagen gift each time I see my and Patricia to know they were able to help aspiring student loans. I know they are so much smaller thanks teachers complete their degree. to them.” A 1961 elementary education graduate, Patricia taught third grade for 32 years. Larry, who finished his Will you make a difference by supporting your passion? Make a con- degree in English in 1960, taught the subject in high tribution to Redbirds Rising: The Campaign for Illinois State by going online to RedbirdsRising.IllinoisState.edu, or calling (309) 438-8184. school before working as a guidance counselor for 27 For information about supporting Illinois State through your estate years. With more than six decades combined in the plans, visit GiveTo.IllinoisState.edu, or call (309) 438-8184. field, the couple actively encouraged others to pursue a career in education. Melissa Fioretto ’15 was chosen as the scholarship recipient in 2013. She welcomed the opportunity to Advancement Operations Campus Box 8000 Normal, IL 61790-8000

Construction zone Ongoing renovation work has changed the look of the Bone Student Center’s interior and exterior, where construction is underway at the main entrance and the building’s northeast section adjoining the visitors’ parking lot, shown below. The $33 million project began in September 2017, with completion expected in 2020.