No. 2, 2014 I $5
The Seekers Undergraduate researchers set out on life-altering quests
I W ARRIOR A RTIST I O PERA STAR
Contents | March 2014
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20 26 30 COVER STORY The Good Fight Strength of Character Inquiring Minds An Iraq war veteran struggling Mezzo-soprano Phyllis with post-traumatic stress Pancella shares with students Undergraduate Research nds his footing with the help her secrets for success: passion Awards free students to of a KU Wounded Warrior and preparation. experience scholarship’s joy of Scholarship. victory— and agony of defeat. By Jennifer Jackson Sanner By Chris Lazzarino By Chris Lazzarino
Cover image of Holly La erty by Kelsey Kimberlin
Established in 1902 as e Graduate Magazine Volume 112, No. 2, 2014 ISSUE 2, 2014 | 1 Lift the Chorus
Near missus her undergraduate and master’s degrees at KU, and for Your many years was a professor opinion counts Editor’s Note: An online and administrator at KU. Please email us a note invitation for alumni to share their at [email protected] KU love stories for Valentine’s She also had been warned about the Green Hall steps. She to tell us what you think of Day attracted this letter from a your alumni magazine. longtime Kansas Alumni reader was a resident of Douthart and stalwart Jayhawk. Scholarship Hall during the Vietnam anti-war disturbances at KU. A number of we law less I nd this bias in Kansas M I did students volunteered to stay in Alumni o ensive. not meet my sweethearts the old law library one night Surely that boy and girl at KU. and alert the police and re pictured cheering on the team Road trip! I was a law student at KU departments if anyone tried to spend many hours practicing from 1968 to 1971. My rst burn the building down. An and performing, sacri cing I to a Jayhawk wife, Amy Dennis Pierron, alarm went o at Spooner Hall, their own study and social time and we have a daughter who is n’81, passed away in 2000. I which was close by. We to add to the electrifying a freshman at KU. could have met her in 1968 decided to run down and see energy in Allen Field House. I read with interest the item when she was a freshman what was happening. We ran Parents and friends back home about the Airstream trailer at KU. around Spooner and discov- would appreciate seeing their mobile lab for the School of However, any chance of ered it was a false alarm. names in the cutline. Architecture, Design and meeting her was short-stopped Diana and her fellow My Photojournalism II Planning [“Wheel-world during her time Douthartians were in instructor, Wally Emerson, j’76, research,” Jayhawk Walk, issue at KU because of lockdown but could see chastised me for a cutline No. 1]. (1) our di erence Spooner from the hall. mistake of omission and I We live in Kettering, Ohio, in age, (2) the ey saw us running never forgot it. (I took a photo one hour from Jackson Center, fact that she was around like crazy guys of sorority girls with their home of the Airstream warned about the and wondered what we beloved cook and identi ed the manufacturing plant and law students who sat were doing. When we met girls by rst and last name but museum. on the front steps of Old many years later she and I the cook by rst name only.) I am sure that a er the Green Hall (I do not refer to it discovered that she probably I enjoy looking at every issue students nish renovating the as Lippincott) and occasionally saw me that night, but nothing of your beautiful magazine and trailer, the museum would made inappropriate comments came of it. At least not then. reading about happenings on appreciate hearing about the about the young ladies who Joe Pierron, l’71 the Hill. project and seeing photos, or passed by, and (3) she was Lawrence Ann Lowry Sundeen, c’84, j’84 even getting a visit if it can far more interested in her Mission Hills travel the 10 hours to Ohio. thoughts about Mandy Editor’s Note: KU Spirit Squad I am also an engineer and a Patinkin, ’74, (a student at Spirit appreciated coaches prefer that cheer and yell STEMM (Science, Technology, KU at that time) than she leaders remain anonymous in Engineering, Math and would have been in me had A photos. (In fact, the ocial roster Medicine) Coordinator at an she even known me. remains nameless while the for the squad lists students by urban Dayton, Ohio, high I met her on a blind date six athletes are identi ed in an first name only.) According to school, so the whole concept of years later, we compared our otherwise stellar sports photo coach Corey Stone, f’97, “We’re the mobile lab for outreach KU histories and discovered montage on page 19 of issue a bit careful, especially with the e orts especially interests me. our near miss. She later earned No. 1. girls, in terms of stalking. It’s Good luck to the ARC 409 a nursing degree from KU and While I understand the huge loosening up a little bit, but I students working on this all three of our kids got degrees monetary impact athletics have still feel it’s better to err on the unique project! from KU. on the University’s bottom line, safe side on this.” Meg Draeger My present wife, Dr. Diana and thus the spotlight on Kettering, Ohio Carlin Pierron, d’72, g’74, got basketball superstars, nonethe-
2 | KANSAS ALUMNI March 2014
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2 Lift the Chorus Letters from our readers Publisher Kevin J. Corbett, c’88 Editor Jennifer Jackson Sanner, j’81 5 Creative Director Susan Younger, f’91 First Word e editor’s turn Associate Editors Chris Lazzarino, j’86 Steven Hill 6 Editorial Assistant Karen Goodell On the Boulevard KU & Alumni Association events Photographers Steve Puppe, j’98 Dan Storey 8 Graphic Designer Valerie Spicher, j’94 Jayhawk Walk A big-band border showdown, a special delivery Communications Coordinator Leah Kohlman, c’11 at KU Hospital and Aaron Rodgers in the ’house.
Advertising Sales Representative 10 Hilltopics David Johnston, j’94, g’06 News and notes: First Foundation Professors Editorial and Advertising Oce hired; workgroup reviews social media policy. KU Alumni Association 1266 Oread Avenue Lawrence, KS 66045-3169 16 Sports 785-864-4760 Men begin quest for fourth NCAA title; hurdler 800-584-2957 Michael Stigler eyes outdoor championship. www.kualumni.org [email protected] 34 Decade of Dominance KANSAS ALUMNI MAGAZINE (ISSN 0745-3345) is published by the A tribute to KU’s 10 consecutive Big 12 titles KU Alumni Association six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November. $55 annual subscription includes member- ship in the Alumni Association. Oce of Publication: 1266 Oread Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045-3169. Periodicals postage paid at 36 Association News Lawrence, KS. Evenings with Naismith highlight Association’s partnership with academic units. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Kansas Alumni Magazine, 1266 Oread Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045-3169 © 2014 by Kansas Alumni Magazine. Non-member issue price: $7 40 Class Notes
Pro les of a snack food entrepreneur, a teahouse knitter, a rock star manager and more Letters to the Editor: 60 In Memory Kansas Alumni welcomes letters to the editor. Our address Deaths in the KU family is Kansas Alumni magazine, 1266 Oread Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045-3169. Email responses may be sent to the 64 Rock Chalk Review Alumni Association, [email protected]. Statehouse copper becomes Kansas keepsakes; Letters appearing in the magazine may be Henry Fitch recalled in Tracks and Shadows. edited for space and clarity. For letters published, we’ll send a free gift of KU Campus Playing Cards, a $5 value. 68 Glorious to View Scene on campus
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 3
by Jennifer Jackson Sanner First Word
ith a friendly caution—“I might have to dash out to deliver July 1. e broader question of base aid per pupil remains Wa baby”—Shelly Steeples Gruenbacher, c’95, m’99, and her unresolved, because the Supreme Court sent that portion of the husband, Doug, m’99, pause brie y during a busy a ernoon to court case back to the district court for further deliberation. talk about their careers as primary-care doctors in Quinter, a Gov. Sam Brownback, l’82, did not include funding for the Gove County town of about 920, three hours west of Salina. Health Education Initiative in his January budget proposal, but he Shelly, who grew up 80 miles from Quinter in Stockton, and recommended $70,000 for the Kansas Bridging Program, which Doug, a native of Andale, outside Wichita, met as KU medical forgives the medical-school loans of primary-care physicians who students and married during their third year. Both nished their practice in rural Kansas. training at the School of Medicine’s Wichita campus and com- e physician shortage in Kansas is clearly a long-term pleted rural rotations in Gove County Medical Center in Quinter, challenge. KU has taken steps to address the crisis by opening the where Shelly says they fell in love with the community and School of Medicine’s Salina campus and expanding the Wichita created close bonds with the three family-practice physicans, all program from two years to four. Chancellor Bernadette Gray- KU medical school graduates, who were their mentors. e Little has declared KU’s ongoing commitment to health educa- couple chose to settle in Quinter in 2002. “We wanted to raise our tion. “We will continue to work with policymakers to advance family in a small town,” Shelly says. ey now have four children, support for this initiative,” she said in January. “It is central to our Evie, Eli, Ethan and Ella, ages 12 to 5. mission and to the health and well-being of Kansans.” Shelly was naturally drawn to the area. “I felt a pull toward Doug Gruenbacher says he and Shelly chose to specialize in northwest Kansas because I saw the need for doctors growing up,” primary care because of the broad spectrum of patients. “We take she says. When she was in grade school, the family doctor in care of people from babies to folks in the 100-year-old-plus Stockton retired. “We had to travel to Plainville or Hays, about 45 range,” he says. “We enjoy taking care of families. Sometimes we minutes,” she recalls. “My mom delivered her children in Hays will see the grandchild and the grandparents in the same visit. We because Plainville was underserved even then.” know each family and what’s going on in their lives that can aect Since then the shortage of primary-care doctors in Kansas has their physical or mental health.” grown more acute: 89 of the state’s 105 counties now suer a Shelly also enjoys the challenge because “it’s never boring,” she shortage of primary-care providers. Kansas ranks 39th nationally says. “You never know what’s behind the next door.” in doctors per capita, and the state stands to lose 30 percent of its e Gruenbachers are partners in their Bluestem Medical physicians in the next decade to retirement or attrition. practice with three other physicians, two of whom were their To help meet the urgent need, KU has created the Health mentors during their rural rotation. With ve family physicians, Education Initiative, a plan to build new education facilities on Quinter is among the luckiest small towns in Kansas. “Our the Kansas City campus of KU Medical Center and increase class hospital is the only one between Hays and Colby east to west and sizes on all campuses, including Wichita and Salina, by 50 Norton and Scott City north to south that does obstetrical care,” students—from 211 to 261—by fall 2017. KU has raised $35 Shelly says. “We’ve been stable here, so we see patients who have million in private gi s and pledges toward the estimated cost of gotten frustrated with the revolving door of doctors elsewhere.” $75 million, and it seeks state support for the rest. KU is the state’s e Gruenbachers and their partners host 20 students each only university with a medical school, and half of all doctors in year from the School of Medicine’s Wichita campus, which ranks Kansas trained at KU. sixth in the nation in producing primary-care physicians, As this issue of Kansas Alumni went to press, according to the journal Academic Medicine. e students each prospects for state funding of KU’s Health Education spend a month in Quinter. e doctors remain committed to Initiative were uncertain. KU and other universities sharing their rural experience with medical students. rst must advocate for the restoration of higher “We’re always looking to the future,” Shelly says. education funds that were cut last year, and looming “We’ve got partners who aren’t going to practice over the entire budget debate in the Kansas forever, and we won’t want to practice forever.” Legislature is a pivotal court case regarding But small towns in Kansas will always need the state’s funding of K-12 schools. e doctors. Kansas Supreme Court ruled March 7 that two portions of Kansas’ current funding formula are unconstitu- For more on the Health Education tional, calling for legislative Initiative, visit doctors4KS.ku.edu. action on those elements by To join the Alumni Association’s advocacy network, Jayhawks for Higher Doug and Shelly Gruenbacher Education, visit kualumni.org/jhe.
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 5 On the Boulevard
The Wilcox Classical Collection in Lippincott STEVE PUPPE (6) STEVE Hall includes plaster casts and actual Greek and Roman antiquities. This grouping includes (clock- wise from left) plaster replicas of Nike of Samothrace, South Metope 28 and 30, Dancing Satyr, head of Athena and Apollo Belvedere, plus a collection of Greek and Roman coins.
Exhibitions Lied Center events 2 Mark Steinbach, organ Murphy Hall events “James Turrell: Gard Blue,” 4 University Band & Jazz Spencer Museum of Art, MARCH Ensembles II, III MARCH through May 18 25 Joy of Singing/James 6 Symphonic Band 29 Visiting Artist Series: “Conversation XVII: Ralston Memorial Concert Katherine Wolfe, violin Photographic Memory,” 29 Soweto Gospel Choir University 30 KU Chamber Music Spencer Museum of Art, Strings Concert through May 18 Theatre APRIL 30 Visiting Artist “Conversation XVIII: World Series: Corpus 3-4 “Broadway’s Next H!T APRIL War I,” Spencer Museum of Musical” Trombone Quartet Art, through May 18 11-13, 15-17 8 Vadym Kholodenko, Van “ e Other “Albert Bloch: Prints and Cliburn Competition APRIL Drawings,” Spencer Museum Shore,” 11-12 2 Visiting Artist of Art, through May 18 e Cashore directed by Marionettes Alison Christy Series: Jeremy Starr, “Personal Geometry: violin & viola 15 Wind Ensemble 25-27 “Over Here!,” Quilts by 6 Kansas Virtuosi Yoshiko 17 Serkan Cagri Band directed by John Staniunas Jinzenji & 10 KU Saxophone Quartets 26 Madstone presents: MAY Virginia Celtic Woman 19 Visiting Artist Series: Jean Cox 2-4 “Over Here!,” directed Dwight Parry, oboe Mitchell,” MAY by John Staniunas 23 Visiting Artist Series: Spencer Nina Scheibe, bassoon Museum of 2 KU Symphony Art, through Orchestra 24 Tuba/Euphonium May 18 Consort 27 Instrumental Collegium Musicum
6 | KANSAS ALUMNI 28 Trombone Choir 6 Center for East Asian University 29 Helianthus Contempo- Studies Lecture: “‘Believing’ Women’s Club rary Ensemble in Song Dynasty China” 11 Bold Aspirations Visitor APRIL MAY and Lecture Series: Robert 3 DeYoung Malott Room, Kansas 1 KU Youth Chorus Concert Union 24 2 KU Symphony Orchestra Humanities Lecture Series: “ e Supreme Court 2 Visiting Artist Series: Mark in the Age of Obama” Academic Calendar Steinbach, organ 3 e Art of Conducting MAY MARCH Symposium with H. Robert 2 Human Migration Lecture 17-23 Spring Break Reynolds Series: “Pre-Hispanic 3, 6 KU Opera Gala Migrations in Central MAY 10 Hall Center/Lattner America: What We ink 8 Last day of classes We Know and What We Foundation Lecture, Wichita Performances Wish We Knew” 9 Stop day Museum of Art 9 Human Migration Lecture 12-16 Finals week 10-12 Class of 1964 50-Year APRIL reunion Series: “ e Original Boat 18 Commencement 22 KU Jazz Combos I-VI, People: Evidence at the 11 Social Work Day Lawrence Arts Center Intersection of Linguistics 12 Gold Medal Club reunion 25 KU Choirs, Corpus and Pathology” Kansas Honors 12 Mortar Board reunion Christi Church Program 16 KU Night with the MAY APRIL Sacramento Kings vs. Phoenix Suns 7 Jazz Ensemble & KU Jazz 2 Neodesha Singers, Lawrence Arts 18 TGIF, Adams Alumni 2 Center Colby Center 3 Logan 22 South Chapter Banquet Lectures 9 Kingman 22 Denver Networking Breakfast MARCH Alumni events 26 Rock Chalk Ball 25 Tea and Talk Lecture: “ e Future is the Past: MARCH MAY Memory, Nostalgia, and 6 Phoenix Alumni Happy 2 TGIF, Adams Alumni Youth Crisis in Chinese Hour Center Cinema” 12-15 Big 12 Tournament 10 KU Black Alumni Chapter Congratulatory APRIL 20-23 NCAA 2nd/3rd Rounds Graduation Banquet 2 Grant Goodman Lecture 15 Denver Networking Series: “Japan’s Ongoing 3.11 27-30 Sweet 16/Elite 8 Breakfast Nuclear Disaster: Recovery 21 Denver Networking and Resilience” Breakfast 4 Human Migration Lecture Events listed here are high- Series: “Chickens Coming APRIL lights from the Association’s Home to Roost: U.S. Policy 5-7 Final Four busy calendar. For complete Spurring Mexican and listings of all events, watch for 4 KU vs. KSU baseball Central American emails about programs in your tailgate Migration” area, visit kualumni.org or call 800-584-2957
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 7 Jayhawk Walk ‘The most beautiful cry’ E for a reason, Marilee Clites is convinced, so that’s how she now knows why she le work “a little bit early” Dec. 17 and CHARLIE PODREBARAC was standing out front of University of Kansas Hospital, waiting for a shuttle bus to the employee parking lot, when she heard a man making a huge commotion in front of the hospital’s main lobby entrance. His yells were so frantic and confused that Clites, n’83, a transplant nurse manager, couldn’t make out what he was saying. She stepped closer to see whether she could help and, as she approached the open passenger door of his car, Clites saw a woman in labor. “I looked down,” she recalls, “and the baby is crowning. You could just see the top of its h e a d .” studies at MU, a chance to perform with Moving swi ly, Clites threw Jazz showdown each other’s students. o her winter coat, then Gailey sat in as saxophone soloist for removed her suit jacket and ans of the longest-running rivalry west the MU Concert Jazz Band performance used it to cradle Angela Fof the Mississippi take heart: Bill Self of his composition “In A Big Way” and his Fowler’s 6-pound, 14-ounce may have forsworn scheduling Mizzou, arrangement of “Widow’s Walk.” White baby girl, later named Branyla, but someone else has stepped up to joined Jazz Ensemble I on his composition as she emerged into the world. revive the Border Showdown: Dan Gailey, “Tunnel Vision” and his arrangement of A rapid response team arrived within minutes, but not professor of music. “Appointment in Milano.” before Clites faced a crisis for Gailey, who directs jazz studies at KU The historic setting—the and leads the University’s big band, Jazz Blue Room, the renowned jazz Ensemble I, organized a “Jazz Border club at 18th & Vine—and the Showdown” Dec. 7 at Kansas City’s meeting of two really good American Jazz Museum featuring bands college big bands was reason KUMC COURTESY from KU and MU. enough to savor the moment, The friendly matchup—happy holiday rivalry or no rivalry. gesture rather than rabid rivalry—al- “We’re all excited about lowed each school to showcase its stellar doing it,” Gailey told the Daily student musicians and gave Gailey and Kansan before the show, “for good friend Arthur White, director of jazz all the right reasons.”
Marilee Clites with baby Branyla and Angela Fowler
8 | KANSAS ALUMNI script over red paint, last May presented the all-star guest a World. “‘I want to try that guy was defaced with a “G” added No. 12 KU football jersey— at tight end.’” to “love,” then painted blue with “RODGERS” across the It’s doubtful he’d ever
JENNIFER ALDERDICE with a blocky “Risk for back, perhaps hinting at Weis’ actually suit up in the green Adventure” scrawled in white own wish list—but when and gold, but should a profes- spray paint. Rodgers met with coach Bill sional basketball career in the In hopes of discouraging Self, he admitted he’d rather NBA or Europe not pan out, further vandalism, the garage’s have a chance to throw a standing invite from one of owner asked Van Go—a local footballs to 6-foot-9, 260- the greatest quarterbacks in social service agency that pound forward Tarik Black. the history of the game might energizes at-risk youths with “‘I promise you he has a give Black incentive to start colorful arts projects—to paint tryout with us,’” Self said a bucket list of his own: the little door yet again. Van Rodgers told him, as reported catch a touchdown pass in Go administrators and artists by the Lawrence Journal- Lambeau Field. Emily Alderdice visits decided they couldn’t top the the love garage. darling design that had become a campus icon, so on Jan. 19 they arrived with paints Dude, where’s my bus? and stencils and re-created the which her training had red “love” garage—with one timely new service from KU Parking and Transit prepared her well: e baby alteration. A is helping shorten winter waits for buses during wasn’t breathing. e father by Beneath “love,” they added, Mount Oread’s coldest cold season in years. then had calmed down enough “m ore .” With the Where’s My Bus? feature that debuted to be of assistance, so Clites Turns out love endures in January, riders text their stop number to told him to tap the baby’s feet a er all. 785-312-2414 and get back (usually within a minute) while she swatted her bottom. a list of buses and projected arrival times for the stop. “I actually said, ‘Let’s piss this baby o .’” Black to the Textable timetables are made possible by GPS units e baby did not respond to Pack? installed on buses by MV Transportation, which uses the stimuli for 45 seconds or a the data to keep the fleet from running late—or early. minute, so Clites decided she W “Running early is one of the great sins of transit; had to use her mouth to suck dining downtown on a Friday it means you run the risk that someone gets to any blockages from the child’s a ernoon in mid-January, the stop on time and the bus has already gone,” nostrils. But just as she leaned Green Bay Packers quarterback says Danny Kaiser, assistant director of parking in close, “that baby let out the Aaron Rodgers explained that and transit. most beautiful cry I’d ever he was here to nally see a Sharing the information heard in my life.” game in Allen Field House— with riders “is an amenity “It gave me a huge perspec- the much-hyped Jan. 18 game to keep people informed tive on what is important in against Oklahoma State— and make traveling by life,” Clites says. “I had had a and check an item o his stressful day; I was exhausted. bucket list. bus more pleasant,” he But this is what life’s about, this Football coach Charlie Weis says. “If the bus is running little small baby.” late, you can wait inside, out of the cold.”
NICK KRUG But the brrrrreakthrough love conquers all has limits, Kaiser cautions. “It’s not intended for you T “ ” is back. to wait until 30 seconds before As reported in issue No. 5, the bus comes to run out and a tiny garage on Mississippi catch it.” Street whose weathered Running early is a sin only wooden door had been if you’re a bus. transformed over the years with “love” painted in black Rodgers LARRY LEROY PEARSON LEROY LARRY
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 9 Hilltopics by Steven Hill
powering the world; promoting well- being, nding cures; building communi- ties, expanding opportunities; and harnessing information, multiplying knowledge.
“ e Foundation Professors we pro- BEARD CHRISTOPHER COURTESY COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS COURTESY posed to the state as a way of bringing super high-class, world-renowned faculty members to KU to add to what we’re already doing in these areas,” says Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Je rey Vitter. “ at’s the kind of caliber person Beard we’re targeting. ey have to be focused and motivated by one of these four areas.” becoming chair of microbiology and Plans call for adding 12 Foundation genetics at Oklahoma State University. Professors over the next three years. e Returning as Foundation Distinguished rst three hires are: Professor of pharmaceutical chemistry • David Roediger, an internationally June 2, Picking will help start a new center Roediger recognized historian who is currently the to build on KU’s increasing role in vaccine Kendrick C. Babcock professor of history development. at the University of Illinois. Roediger’s Vitter says the hires bolster disciplines Solid foundation scholarship and teaching focus on race, where KU is already strong and add New faculty hires seen as ethnicity and labor. He will join the faculty momentum to areas where interest and the for the fall semester, as Foundation need for improvement have been strong base to build on Distinguished Professor of history and identi ed. in meeting KU’s strategic goals American Studies. “ ere are already great people at KU,” • Christopher Beard, a world-renowned Vitter says. e new Foundation Profes- he University’s plan to hire a dozen paleontologist who is currently the Mary sors “are adding to some core strengths Tleading scholars to join the faculty as R. Dawson chair of vertebrate paleontol- that we have, and they are the foundation Foundation Professors is o to a strong ogy at the Carnegie Museum of Natural for bringing in a whole new cadre of start with the successful recruitment this History. e recipient of a MacArthur people along with those that we already spring of three prominent researchers to Fellowship, Beard will join KU April 1 as h av e .” join the KU faculty later this year. Foundation Distinguished Professor of e plan to add the 12 Foundation e state is providing $3 million a year ecology and evolutionary biology and Professors is part of a multiyear e ort to to support the Foundation Distinguished senior curator at the KU Biodiversity expand the faculty by adding 64 accom- Professors program, which is part of a Institute. plished scholars. ese new positions are larger e ort to develop the kinds of • William Picking, PhD’90, a microbi- in addition to the usual round of annual multidisciplinary research projects that the ologist recognized as a leading authority hirings needed to replace departing faculty Bold Aspirations strategic plan identi es on virulence. Picking previously served on members. as essential to helping KU achieve the the KU faculty from 1999 to 2009, before Not only are Roediger, Beard and longterm vision set out in the plan. Conducted with the input of faculty members, sta , students, business and community leaders, and alumni, the “We really want people who can interact, two-year Bold Aspirations planning process identi ed four strategic initiative collaborate and bring people together to make themes that represent KU’s highest things happen.” —Jeffrey Vitter priorities for research investment for the next few years: sustaining the planet, { }
10 | KANSAS ALUMNI Picking well-suited the whole is greater than the sum of the a ermath of the Navy Yard shootings in to tackle the sorts of parts,” Vitter says. “ ese are not just Washington, D.C., in September that le “grand challenges” people who are renowned in their eld, 13 people dead. identi ed by the but they’re people who have vision and A er the policy was announced, faculty Bold Aspirations attract others to come join them in those members across the state and groups COURTESY WILLIAM PICKING COURTESY plan, Vitter says, but pursuits. ey’re magnets for getting representing faculty nationwide objected they also make it things going.” that it was too broad and could have a easier to attract other chilling eect on academic freedom. On highly regarded Dec. 31 the Board of Regents addressed Picking scholars, who in turn those concerns by asking Andy Tompkins, attract high-achieving students. In fact, Social mediation EdD’77, president and CEO of the Board, Beard and Picking both bring with them to work with university presidents and spouses who will add their research and Regents-appointed workgroup chancellors to put together a workgroup teaching talents to the faculty. Sandra with representatives from state campuses Olsen, a frequent collaborator with Beard, recommending changes to policy to review the policy. will be a professor of museum studies and that raised faculty concerns e dra recommendation was released senior curator at the Biodiversity Institute. Feb. 28. e workgroup will take public Wendy Picking, c’85, g’90, who will be a workgroup asked to review the Board comments on the recommendation professor of pharmaceutical chemistry, Aof Regents new policy on social through March 28. Comments are not will bring her multidisciplinary research media use at the state’s public universities restricted to faculty and sta; the group skills to the new Kansas Vaccine Develop- has released a dra recommendation that welcomes input from alumni. To read and ment Center. Additional hires will likely seeks to shi the policy from a disciplinary comment on the current policy and the follow to bolster the research environment to an advisory role. dra recommendation, visit governance. in ways that support the work of the Approved by the Regents on Dec. 18, the ku.edu/work-group-dra -policy. Foundation Professors. policy gives chief executive o cers at state “ e board asked us to suggest ways to at power to leverage talent to attract universities “the authority to suspend, amend or improve their policy,” says more talent is a big part of the program’s dismiss or terminate any faculty or sta Chuck Epp, g’89, a professor in KU’s appeal, and one that made generating member who makes improper use of School of Public Aairs and Administra- support from the state and matching it social media” and outlines what consti- tion and co-chair of the workgroup. “So with gi s from private donors a bit easier. tutes improper use. e policy is widely what we’ve done is tried to re ne and “We really want people who can viewed as a response to controversy that clarify and improve in ways that we think interact, collaborate and bring people arose a er David Guth, KU professor of bring it more into line with protections for together to make things happen, so that journalism, sent an anti-NRA Tweet in the academic freedom and the First
UPDATE
tudio 804, the yearlong professor of architecture, Like Studio 804’s recent Scapstone class in the students began preparing projects, the Forum will be School of Architecture, the site last fall by built to LEED Platinum Design and Planning that demolishing the Builder’s standards. In January the COURTESY STUDIO 804 STUDIO COURTESY puts students to work Yard behind Marvin Hall. U.S. Green Building Council building a structure of their The Forum, as the new awarded LEED Platinum own design, is completing structure is called, will designation to the Hill its third on-campus project, include a 120-seat lecture Engineering Research and an addition to Marvin Hall hall that extends Marvin’s Development Center, the that will give the school second floor with a KU EcoHawks headquarters much-needed lecture and ventilated facade, an on West Campus commons space. advanced construction type completed in 2013 [“A Led by Dan Rockhill, J.L. thought to be the first of its home for ‘Hawks,” issue No. Constant distinguished kind in the Midwest. 4, 2013].
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 11 Hilltopics
on any other kind of expression.” e workgroup will take a couple of weeks to review public comments before
STEVE PUPPE STEVE cra ing a nal dra to present to the Board of Regents’ governance committee April 16. en it will be up to the Regents to decide if a change in the policy is needed. “At this time, we feel it would be most appropriate not to comment on the dra policy, given that it has been made available by the workgroup in order to solicit comments from the campus communities and we want to be respectful of their process,” said Breeze Richardson, c’02, associate director of communications and government relations for the Board of Regents, when contacted by Kansas Epp and Steadham Alumni. “ ey’ve asked us to give them our best Amendment. At the same time, our discipline for social media communication thoughts on how to revise this and we’re in recommendation includes an acknowledg- that is ‘contrary to the best interests of the the process of developing those,” Epp says. ment of faculty and sta responsibility in university,’” Steadham says. “It can also “I very much hope that at the end of the making expressions.” subject faculty or sta to discipline for process they will accept our More than 80 distinguished professors social media communication that ‘impairs recommendations.” from KU and Kansas State University discipline by superiors or harmony among Before its December action, the Board published an open letter to the Board of co-workers.’ e general feeling is that of Regents had no policy governing the Regents in January expressing concern those provisions are so broad that they use of social media at Kansas universities. about the policy and asking for its have could have—and some would say While some parts of the policy have suspension. e University Senate at KU already have—a chilling e ect on free caused concern, most agree that the debate approved a resolution dra ed by the speech and the free communication of is worth having. A March 25 panel Council of Faculty Senate Presidents (a ideas in the marketplace of ideas. discussion at e Commons, “What is group of faculty governance o cials from “People are concerned about how Free Speech in the Age of Social Media?” the state’s public universities) formally materials they use in class might fall within will address the issue. Comment on the announcing opposition to the policy and the scope of these provisions, or contro- workgroup’s dra policy is another forum asking the Regents to suspend it until the versial scholarship that challenges the for spreading the debate from the board- workgroup nished its review. status quo in some way, that the breadth of room to the campus community and “When the policy was passed, there was the policy can create a chilling e ect.” beyond. a quick reaction from faculty at all the Epp says the workgroup took an “I think the discussion that you see Regent’s institutions that felt it was extensive look at the nature of social starting to take place is a healthy one,” unnecessarily punitive and in fact could media, its role in advancing the mission of Steadham says. “From what has been a have a chilling e ect on free speech at the higher education institutions, and guide- somewhat negative situation there can be universities,” says Chris Steadham, c’01, lines in place at other universities around positives that come out of having this l’04, director of the Wheat Law Library the country. discussion and asking what is free speech and Faculty Senate president at KU. “ e “We found that universally they are and academic freedom in this new era of general feeling was this represented the far advisory rather than disciplinary,” Epp social media and electronic communica- end of the spectrum as far as social media says of guidelines used by other schools. tion, and how do we dene the rights and policies at public universities, that it was “ at is, they give advice or suggestions responsibilities of public university faculty more restrictive and punitive than what for proper use of social media, how it and sta in this kind of new era? you would nd elsewhere.” may be used to serve university missions, “ ere is a lot of healthy discussion e Regents declined to suspend the and in the course of giving that advice coming out of this, and in some ways it policy and it remains in place. these guidelines o en remind faculty illustrates that a lot of time the solution to “ e policy that’s on the books right and sta of existing laws and policies free speech issues is more speech rather now includes provisions that allow for that might place some restrictions than restricting speech.”
12 | KANSAS ALUMNI Milestones, money Thrifty stores: KU Surplus, which sells unneeded campus furniture to other KU o ces and other matters or gives it to local nonprofit groups, donated its 20,000th item on Feb. 20. Started in 2007, the Center for Sustainability PUPPE STEVE program has diverted 200,000 pounds of material from landfills in the past year alone, and has helped the University avoid an estimated $300,000 in new furniture purchases. n A $1.25 million gift from Kent, b’80, g’81, and Missy McCarthy, c’86, s’88, will help fund construction of the new School of Business building. The long- PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Set up in 1973 to take KU’s MPA time KU donors also gave the lead gift Brown v. Board of Education program to state government workers, the for financing Phase I of the Fieldhouse Apartments project, which will house school hosting KU classes school’s Topeka program eventually added professional development to the academic men’s basketball players and other KU T S P A o erings. e new location allows KU to students. A in January began o er both in an inspiring setting, Jones o ering academic and professional develop- says. n Jonathan Earle, associate professor ment programs at Topeka’s Monroe “To me it’s a powerful symbol that KU of history, is the new director of the Elementary School, home of the Brown v. o ers education programs at the Brown v. University Honors Program. He suc- Board of Education National Historic Site. Board of Education Museum. It represents ceeds Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett, Charles Jones, director of the public the sympbolic connection between g’73, PhD’77, who retired at the end of management center, the professional education and equality. the fall semester. Earle has participated development wing of the KU school, says “I also think it’s wonderful that the site in the program for 15 years in a variety classes target working professionals, with is back in the active business of educating of roles, including advising and teach- o erings in the No. 1 ranked MPA degree, the citizens of Kansas. e National Park ing honors students and serving on the Kansas Certi ed Public Manager Pro- Service is thrilled the school is back in the advisory committees. gram and the Emerging Leaders Academy. teaching business.” n The School of Pharmacy earned eight-year accreditation, the maximum accreditation from the Accreditation
STEVE PUPPE STEVE Council for Pharmacy Education. A five- member evaluation team of pharmacy faculty and administrators from around the country visited the Lawrence, Kansas City and Wichita cam- STEVE PUPPE STEVE puses for three days in October to assess the school. In granting an eight-year designa- tion the team cited the school’s high-quality academics, strong basic science, outstanding leadership, excellent facilities and eective self- evaluation. Jones
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 13 Hilltopics
in Texas,” says Waitman, who is director of medical informatics and assistant vice chancellor for Enterprise Analytics at KU Medical Center. “ is project is a huge step forward, and
COURTESY KU MEDICAL CENTER KU COURTESY we’re looking forward to helping to lead the national conversation about ways to advance scienti c knowledge faster.”
CAMPUS Mount Oread’s eastern slope makes National Historic Register D C, eight scholarship Waitman halls and the chancellor’s residence have been added to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historical Places. RESEARCH for a project led by L. Russell Waitman to Collectively referred to as the University Med Center lands $10 million establish a network of medical centers in of Kansas East Historic District, the newly seven states that connect electronic recognized zone on the eastern slope of for ‘translational’ projects medical records to make patient data Mount Oread includes 15 buildings and A from the available for answering research objects related to housing and student life, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research questions. all dating to the years 1912 to 1963. Institute will fund three projects at KU “We’ll be able to see in real time if what’s As reported in issue No. 2, 2013, of Medical Center that aim to speed delivery working for breast cancer patients in Kansas Alumni, the heart of campus—Jay- of new cures and therapies. Minnesota is leading to better results than hawk Boulevard, roughly from the Chi e largest award provides $7 million what’s working for breast cancer patients Omega Fountain to the 13th Street
VISITOR Press prize became executive editor of its board of advisors in 2013. roPublica founder and During his tenure as managing Pformer Wall Street Journal editor at the Wall Street managing editor Paul Steiger Journal, from 1991 to 2007, received the 2014 William Allen newsroom sta members won
White Foundation National 16 Pulitzer Prizes. OF JOURNALISM SCHOOL COURTESY Citation. ANECDOTES: In his speech, WHEN: Feb. 7 “Toward a New Golden Age of Journalism,” Steiger oered his the next golden age, which news scoops involving an WHERE: Alderson thoughts on what he saw as involves moving the traditional original fact or two, a trenchant Auditorium, Kansas Memorial journalism’s golden age: the era journalism model online. analysis of finance or politics or Union from the mid-’50s to the sculpture, video of Miley Cyrus mid-’70s, which saw titanic QUOTES: “Creating millions or Taylor Swift nuzzling their BACKGROUND: Steiger was public struggles over Civil of lone-wolf, single-person latest boyfriends, or possibly founding editor-in-chief of Rights, the Vietnam War and bloggers doesn’t get us to a some movie or book reviews ProPublica for the investigative Watergate. But his greater golden age. It can give us cat worth trusting. All nice to have, news site’s first four years, and focus was on looking ahead to photos that make us giggle, but not game-changing.”
14 | KANSAS ALUMNI entrance, and both the northern and “It doesn’t prevent development, but if Milestones, money southern slopes—was added to the we do develop it, we do it in a smart and Register of Historic Kansas Places in appropriate manner,” University Architect and other matters February 2013 as the state’s rst historic Jim Modig, a’73, told Kansas Alumni in campus district, and the National Register 2013, “and not do something that would in April 2013. e East Historic District be devastating to the character of campus.” n Frederick “Beau” Gould, l’89, and was named to the state register in Novem- Work toward KU’s historic-district his wife, Julie, donated $1 million to ber before also being named to the designations began in 2006 with a the School of Law. Gould, who lives in National Register in January. $130,000 study grant from the Getty Seattle, followed the KU law legacy of “I can’t tell you how many alumni have Foundation. at led in 2008 to the KU his grandfather, George R. Gould, l’22, shared with me their fond memories of Campus Heritage Plan, which in turn and father, George R. Gould Jr., l’52, and living in a scholarship hall, or of getting motivated University administrators, the his gift establishes the Gould Family married in Danforth Chapel,” says Campus Historic Preservation and Scholarship. It is the largest outright Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little. “ ese Heritage Advisory boards and Historic gift in the school’s history. places are central to the lives of so many Mount Oread Friends to pursue state and Jayhawks, and we’re pleased to be able to national designations for the University’s n A $1.2 million grant from the U.S. preserve these buildings and landscape so historic districts. Department of Education’s O ce that current and future students can have Historic designation also comes with a of Special Education Programs will similar experiences while at KU.” tangible bene t: Tax credits for costs help establish a KU intiative to help Historic designation does not prevent incurred in preservation work can be sold American Indian children with speech- the University from making changes to on the open market for 90 cents on the language impairments. Led by Matthew protected structures and landscaping, but dollar, generating more income for Gillispie, clinical assistant professor of it does require careful consideration and much-needed restoration and repair. speech-language-hearing, the Cultural- approval from oversight boards. —Chris Lazzarino ly-Responsive Early Literacy Instruction program will fund about 20 graduate students pursuing master’s degrees in speech-language pathology while also
DAN STOREY DAN gaining specialized skills to work with children from American Indian/Alaskan Native backgrounds who have disabili- ties related to language and literacy.
n Blake Peterson, distinguished profes- sor of medicinal chemistry, was named a 2013 Fellow of the American Associa- tion for the Advancement of Science in honor of his contributions to sicence. Peterson’s lab works in the fields of organic chemistry and chemical biology to create compounds that can be used to probe cellular biology, understand mechanisms of disease pathways and discover new therapeutic agents.
n Garmin co-founder Min Kao donated $1 million through the Kao Family Foundation for programs and scholar- ships at the School of Engineering. Half “If it sounds like I’m trying to restore the primacy of will create the Min H. Kao Engineering Design Studios, and half will establish the print newspaper, I’m not. That train has left the the Garmin Excellence Scholarship in station. Instead, it’s time that we embrace the the department of electrical engineer- ing and computer science. {}dominance of the Web.” —Paul Steiger
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 15 Sports by Chris Lazzarino
Third season NCAA championship begins. Tarik Black, a senior transfer from “ e whole focus is, what do we want to Memphis State, was asked to describe his Another Big 12 title is good, but give to make this good become great, and emotions following the nal regular-sea- what are we going to give to try make great son game of his career. As Black, a 6-9, Jayhawks aiming for special become special?” Self asked. “We’ve got a 260-pound mountain of muscle, long way to go. It’s really hard to get from responded by sharing heartfelt memories e lost all ve starters from a year ago, good to great, and it’s really hard to get about his short stay at Kansas, a lithe, Hand still Bill Self coached the men’s from great to special. superstar freshman seated to his le basketball team to a Big 12 champion- “Although we’ll be evaluated on what dropped his chin to his chest and seemed ship—the Jayhawks’ 10th consecutive— happens postseason, you can’t say the kids to be mulling through his own thoughts won so handily that the Jayhawks secured haven’t done well. You can’t say they about his memorable, all-too-brief Allen their place atop one of the country’s haven’t had a good year. When you win Field House sojourn. toughest conferences with three games le your league that’s a good year, but good “It has gone too fast,” Wiggins to play, on a day they actually lost a game. years aren’t good enough.” responded when later asked whether he’d And still he did not win Big 12 Coach of A er a raucous 82-57 victory over Texas spent the day thinking about it being his the Year, an honor given to Texas’ Rick Tech on Senior Night, March 5, forward nal home game. “I wish I had more time Barnes. to stay here, do my thing and be with Freshman sensation Andrew Wiggins the team, the coaches and all these led the league’s best team in scoring, at wonderful fans. I am happy, yet sad it is
16.8 points a game, and closed the PUPPE STEVE my last game. I have enjoyed my time season with 41 at West Virginia, the here. I am thankful for everything. I most by a Jayhawk since Terry Brown have been blessed with a good team, scored 42 against North Carolina State great coaches and the greatest fans in 1991. And still he did not win Big 12 anyone could ask for.” Player of the Year, edged out by Iowa As Kansas Alumni went to press, the State’s Melvin Ejim. Jayhawks were preparing for the Big 12 To be sure, there were plenty of conference tournament at Kansas City’s honors dispersed among the Jayhawks Sprint Center without Embiid, who at the close of the regular season. missed the nal two regular-season Wiggins was named Big 12 Freshman of games with a bad back. He made a quick the Year and First Team All-Big 12; trip to Los Angeles to get diagnosed by a 7-foot freshman center Joel Embiid, spinal specialist, a er which Self perhaps Wiggins’ top competition to anticipated sitting Embiid during the become the NBA’s No. 1 overall dra conference tourney and rst weekend of selection should he decide to turn pro, the NCAA Tournament. was named Big 12 Defensive Player of “I don’t see a scenario where he the Year and Second Team All-Big 12. doesn’t play in the [NCAA Tourna- Sophomore forward Perry Ellis was named to the Big 12’s third team, and freshman guard Wayne Selden Jr. and junior guard Naadir arpe were named Andrew Wiggins averaged 17.6 honorable mention All-Big 12. points in 18 conference games While the big prizes eluded them, none around the Kansas basketball and was the only Big 12 finalist program will give it much thought. e for the Wooden Award, the time has come for what Self calls the highest individual honor in third season—“A season that’s far more important than our second season”— college basketball. when the push toward a fourth
16 | KANSAS ALUMNI ment],” Self said. “He seems to be respond- ing really well to what we’re doing. He’s pain-free now, but pain-free does not mean [he will be] the rst time he gets hit “What do we want to give to make this good under the basket posting up or going for a become great, and what are we going to give to try rebound, so we don’t know how he’ll react to that.” make great become special?” —Coach Bill Self Regardless of Embiid’s status, the {} Jayhawks were hungry to nd the edge they’ll need to turn something good into something great, and perhaps even special. advanced to the nals of the 2012 U.S. Dixon, now a senior, who won a gold “Only one way,” arpe said when asked Olympic Trials, where he nished a medal at the 2012 London Olympics as a how he envisioned the season ending, “and respectable seventh with a time of 50.63. member of the U.S. 4x400-meter relay that’s with a national championship. at’s “ e 400 hurdles is a very technical team, who provided a good portion of his race. It will take time to perfect,” says motivation. Stigler, of Canyon, Texas. “I’m learning “When she got back, obviously every-
STEVE PUPPE STEVE step by step, but I’m not great at the 400 body wanted to see the medal,” Stigler hurdles yet. I’m getting better. I’m working says. “I didn’t hold it, but I got a good my way up to greatness right now.” glance at it, and that medal is something e 400 hurdles is, by any measure, one that I want. Right now I’m never going to of the most di cult events in track and settle. Even if I run under 49 [seconds] eld. It is what many consider the toughest this year it’s not going to be good enough. sprint distance—an all-out dash around a Winning nationals and making it on the full circuit of the oval—with, in Stigler’s world stage are de nitely goals of mine, words, “just a couple of barriers in the and I’m praying it happens soon.” way.” It is an event that requires physical, Senior pole vaulter Alex Bishop has also technical and mental maturity, which is been inspired by an Olympic gold medal- Self why Stigler’s Big 12 championship as a ist: 2000 winner Nick Hysong, who freshman came as such a shock. coached Bishop at his Scottsdale, Ariz., why I came to this school, to be able to get “ at de nitely popped up out of high school. ey share a passion for to that point. And with these guys and this nowhere,” he says. “I think I shocked skateboarding, and still make time to skate coaching sta , we’ve got the best chance of myself, too.” together when Bishop is back home. making it happen. As long as we come out It’s the sort of breakthrough that every night and stay focused, I don’t see us the elites need, a leap forward that not being able to make it happen.” convinces a good athlete that greatness is within reach. Although JEFF JACOBSEN he entered the nals with the fastest preliminary time, Stigler was not Gold rush is on favored to win. A “horrible start” le him near the back of the eld Track stars point to outdoor aer 200 meters. Big 12, NCAA championships And then, everything changed. “I somehow found a kick,” he ichael Stigler, perhaps the best KU recalls, “and aer that, I actually Mathlete yet to become a household gured out how to run the race.” name, gures it’s time to change that. e Stigler—who in February won the junior hurdler, KU’s 2013 Male Track Big 12 Indoor 600 hurdles, an event Athlete of the Year and two-time First not contested at the NCAA Indoor Team All-American, last year ran second meet, in Big 12 and KU record at the NCAA Championships with a time—says sprints and hurdles personal best and KU record time of 49.19 coach Elisha Brewer equipped him seconds in the grueling 400-meter hurdles. with the skills and endurance He won the event at both of his Big 12 needed to excel in the 400 hurdles. outdoor championship meets and But it was teammate Diamond Stigler
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 17 Sports
“One of the things he told me was, if you with the Texas Relays March 26-29. e you can take pressure o yourself by just can’t be the fastest guy out there, maybe Kansas Relays open the new track stadium saying, ‘Do what you did to get there,’ not the strongest guy out there, you do at Rock Chalk Park April 16-19. and usually that will put you in a pretty have the ability to adjust,” says Bishop, e big goals are the Big 12 Outdoor, good spot.” who placed second at the Big 12 Indoor May 16-18 in this year a er winning the event as a Lubbock, Texas, junior. “I come from a skateboarding and and the NCAA gymnastics background, and I feel like I’m Outdoor, June able to adjust midair, mid-takeo , mid- 11-14 in Eugene, JEFF JACOBSEN everything, just to make the bar.” Ore., the site of the From Tom Hays, ’89, his renowned KU KU women’s team pole vaulting coach, Bishop learned the championship in importance of starting “very, very small at 2013. the beginning, doing the little things right “Last year was a rst and making sure it adds up at the good experience right time.” He tied for 15th at the NCAA [at the NCAAs], Outdoor last year at 17 feet, 2.75 inches, but we’re always and quali ed at the West Preliminary with hungry to do a personal-best 17-8.5. better,” Bishop As Kansas Alumni went to press, Bishop says. “One thing was preparing for the NCAA Indoor coach Hays talks Championships March 14-15 in Albuquer- about is that when que, N.M., a er which he’ll turn his full you get to some of focus to the outdoor season, beginning those bigger meets Bishop
UPDATES program,” says 5-0 victory over Houston four seniors are Amy Clark Campbell, Baptist March 1 in Grand Prairie, Barnthouse, Claire Dreyer, d’93, named Texas. Forced to make multiple Paulina Los and Dylan Coach of the schedule changes due to winter Windom. ... Coach Charlie Weis
LAURA JACOBSEN (2) JACOBSEN LAURA Meet, “and we weather, baseball opened its hired former University of are on the way to season 12-3. Among the Washington oensive doing that.” ... highlights was a 4-2, 13-inning coordinator Eric Kiesau to Junior pitcher victory March 8 at Stanford. ... coach wide receivers. The Miller Alicia Pille threw Tennis opened its season 8-3 spring football game is set for 1 Sophomore Chelsea Miller her first career no-hitter Feb. 22 and climbed to No. 33 in the p.m. April 12 in Memorial won KU’s first Big 12 swimming in KU’s 9-0 victory at Jackson Intercollegiate Tennis Stadium. ... Women’s basketball championship, taking the State. “Alicia was dominant,” Association poll. Before junior guard Chelsea Gardner 400-yard individual medley by says coach Megan Smith. “She entering the poll at was named All-Big seven seconds in a school- got better and better as the No. 45, KU’s 12 First Team. ... record 4 minutes, 7.97 seconds, game went on.” Sophomore previous national Men’s basketball Feb. 28 at the Jamail Texas Kelsey Kessler on March 9 ranking was at No. signee Cli Swimming Center. Miller, threw her second-consecutive 52 in 2001. “We Alexander, a named Swimmer of the Meet, shutout, and as of press time, have come a long, power forward helped score 87 of KU’s 617 the Jayhawks were 15-7 in long way,” says from Chicago, was points, good for second overall, nonconference play. ... Senior first-year coach named the the Jayhawks’ highest right-hander Frank Duncan Todd Chapman, “in Naismith Boys conference finish. “We wanted needed 98 pitches to throw a a short amount of High School Player to change the culture of the complete-game shutout in KU’s time.” The team’s Dreyer of the Year.
18 | KANSAS ALUMNI Sports Photographs by Steve Puppe
Thrills of a 10th-consecutive Big 12 championship included (clockwise from top left) Perry Ellis (34) and Wayne Selden Jr. (1) celebrating in the paint; big man Tarik Black (25) showing o his jumper; Joel Embiid (21) with a sensational slam; Andrew Wiggins (22) with a soft touch from the wing; Black, with his mother, Judith, greeting coach Bill Self at Senior Night; and Naadir Tharpe driving the lane during KU’s payback victory over Texas.
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 19 Inquiring Minds
he forgotten little chapel nestled in Undergraduate researchers a roadside grove northeast of TOttawa has been through this discover expanded opportunities before. In its earlier lifetime, the turn-of- the-century limestone sanctuary o ered its pulpit to Baker University students to learn and explore studying to one day preach in a parish of their own. en came a lightning strike or perhaps a prairie re, a er which the by Chris Lazzarino chapel was probably repaired just enough to get demoted to farm shed. It was nally abandoned in the 1950s, le to sink into Photograph by Chuck France its itself. More than a half-century later, Center Chapel, as it was known back when it was still beloved and cared for and carried a
20 | KANSAS ALUMNI nquiringInquiring Minds Minds
name, is once again opening itself to University Honors Program class on really understand their discipline and the education. undergraduate research, omas last thing that they’re learning in class,” says “I remember going out there with my spring prepared a detailed research John Augusto, g’95, PhD’09, assistant vice family and looking at it,” says Paul prospectus and submitted it for an provost and center director. “It’s not omas, a KU anthropology and classical Undergraduate Research Award. something new. We have a long, strong antiquity senior from Ottawa. “It was e program has been around for more tradition here at KU of students getting really pretty in the fall, the leaves were than 20 years, but has begun a new era of involved with research. But while under- falling and the sun was going through the prominence. Last spring was the rst time graduate research has always been a strong windows. Now it’s covered in trees and it was administered by the recently created tradition, it’s never been very visible grass and kind of beat up, but I always Center For Undergraduate Research. Paul outside of the individual departments. e thought it was really interesting. omas and 57 other students each center gives us a platform to o er a “But there’s not a lot of evidence about received $1,000 to fund their extracurricu- Universitywide approach to supporting it. Not a lot of people have studied it.” lar forays, and, more important, encour- undergraduate research.” omas chose to follow his curiosity. agement to learn, discover and share. With advice from Associate Professor Encouraged by psychology professor “Undergraduate research galvanizes the Philip Stinson, an architecture specialist in Michael Vitevitch, with whom he’d taken a KU experience as the students start to the classics department and omas’
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 21 research mentor, omas purchased draing equipment to accurately draw the STEVE PUPPE STEVE chapel’s stones and tools needed to measure the structure’s dimensions. As he set about mapping and investigat- ing, the forlorn country church began to reveal its secrets. Based on charred remains of wood and discolored rocks, and a jumble of rotting artifacts suited to a farm building, omas developed a hypothesis that the chapel had burned at least once, perhaps twice, and for an unknown period of time probably o ered sanctuary to livestock rather than worshippers. He continued his research by examining historical documents and interviewing area residents who could o er snippets of memory about Center Chapel. “I’ve always been interested in the cultural side of archaeology,” he says, “and this is a similar experience: talking to people, nding out what they know, Center for Undergraduate Research sta members Dyan Morgan (l-r), John Augusto and Nicole researching documents, going out and Perry say it’s their job to demystify the research process for interested undergraduates—not just looking for the artifacts, trying to gure how it’s done, but why. “It’s a complete shocker to a lot of students,” Perry says, “that we don’t out where they t into the time frame and already know everything.” where they’re from. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the drawing and measuring and everything, but it was the analysis of know what this career would be like. I actually very possible. You just kind of ask history that was very much what I’m de nitely enjoyed it. It was fun and I can around and formulate an idea and you’re drawn toward, so it did rea rm what I see myself doing it.” on your way.” want to do, and it gave me a good chance omas encourages his fellow students to practice it before I go out in the real to seek similar opportunities. Reach out to hen students nd their way to 151 world or apply for grad school. faculty, ask questions, formulate an idea, WWStrong Hall—the east-wing space “Otherwise, I wouldn’t really know what take a chance. that 1980s-era alumni will remember as I was getting into. is allowed me to “ ese research projects don’t have to be the dreaded destination to sign up for super complex or expen- classes in the cumbersome early years of sive,” he says. “You can computerized enrollment—they are start out simple, which I greeted at the Center for Undergraduate de nitely recommend. e Research by enthusiastic sta members chapel that I was doing who do their best to make every visitor wasn’t the most complex; feel welcome. CHUCK FRANCE it was actually kind of a While undergraduate research does simple project. It cost a indeed have a strong tradition at KU, it little bit of money, but it was previously a realm reserved for the wasn’t unmanageable. A best of the best. lot of people think “In the past, maybe it was for the honors research is translating students, or the Summer eld Scholars, and Latin scrolls or uncovering that’s ne; it was a great experience for the pyramids. It’s not, and them,” Augusto says in his tidy o ce there’s so many professors overlooking the lawn between Strong and and organizations that are Bailey halls. “What’s di erent now is that willing to help you. it’s available for all students. We see Thomas “It’s not impossible. It’s students from all disciplines, from
22 | KANSAS ALUMNI rst-semester freshmen to last-semester of their education before, academic year, and seniors, and students who quite honestly and teaching that competition is have di erent abilities when they arrive resiliency is ...” intense. is spring’s here. And that’s a cool thing, I think. We’re “It’s a life-changing PUPPE STEVE awards attracted 101 trying to portray the center and the skill,” Augusto says, two-to-four-page students we work with as accessible.” completing Perry’s proposals, “and they It is not an accident that the center thought, to which were all great,” shares its space with the Oce of First- Program Coordinator Morgan says. “ ey Year Experience, and that the neighbor Dyan Morgan, c’05, all would have been across the hall is the Center for Civic and immediately adds, “It’s a A or A-plus work if Social Responsibility, commonly known as paradigm shi for them.” it was for a class.” service learning. As part of the strategic e dialogue on failure, One who came up plan known as “Bold Aspirations” and the the excitement of uncer- short in her rst new KU Core Curriculum, the University tainty and risk-taking, attempt last fall was intends to encourage all undergraduates to energizes the trio, and Julia Reynolds, an art build a foundation of academic and social they rush to esh out the history sophomore success as they earn their degrees. concept. from Knoxville, Reynolds Interestingly, Augusto and his colleagues Perry: “It’s so much Tenn. Reynolds see the Center for Undergraduate Research more reective of what transferred to KU best encouraging success by also encour- scholarship is actually like. When you say from Georgia Tech to immerse herself in aging failure. Or, the possibility of failure, that to faculty, they say, ‘Yeah, we fail all KU’s renowned art history program and since failure is a fundamental aspect of the time. at’s real life.’” museums, and shortly a er arriving here choosing to push toward the unknown Augusto: “ e success stories get on the she launched her quest to land an Under- and uncertain. front page of the website, they get in the graduate Research Award. “ e Undergraduate Research Award alumni magazine, but for every success With encouragement from her adviser, winners come in and meet with us, and story that all the KU faculty have, they Celka Straughn, director of academic the thing that’s so striking is they are all have 10 stories behind that where things programs, and Nicole Perry, Reynolds like, ‘Oh my gosh, I tried to do this and didn’t go right. Where they didn’t get the sought out curator Susan Earle, and my worms died,’ or, ‘I tried to do this grant, where they didn’t get the award. together they thumbed through the new aluminum casting technique and it And the students don’t see that part unless Spencer Museum of Art’s sculpture didn’t work,”’ says Nicole Perry, c’05, g’09, they get involved with the research.” catalog. Reynolds found herself captivated the center’s assistant director. “ ey e center awards more than 70 by a 15th-century depiction of Mary haven’t had to experience failure as part Undergraduate Research Awards each Magdalene, from Spain, about which little is known. She spent six weekends develop- ing a proposal to study the enchanting statue, attended workshops at the Center for Undergraduate Research, and sought KELSEY KIMBERLIN out advice from faculty and librarians for editing and methodology. She wrote a two-and-a-half page proposal, submitted it to the center in November, then crossed her ngers and waited. During Finals Week she found out she was not chosen. She will try again. “I guess part of it is, I just had a question and I wanted to nd out the answer,” Reynolds says. “And it seemed like doing an undergraduate research project was the best way to do that.” Holly La erty keeps tanks of minnows to compare with minnows she nets in the Kansas River near Lecompton (cover). “A really good way to examine aquatic ecosystems is to look at their olly La erty, a Fairway senior in nitrogen isotope ratios,” she says, “because that can tell you where they fall within a food chain HHecology and evolutionary biology, and how important they are to that particular ecosystem.” last spring won an Undergraduate
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 23 Research Award to nd out whether starvation occurs among minnows in
Kansas rivers and how that starvation CHUCK FRANCE a ects their tissues. “It’s very important not only to the aquatic ecosystem,” La erty says, “but it also a ects everything else. e water in these rivers helps support all the terrestrial ecosystems around it, as well as eventually it ends up in the ocean and it ends up a ecting the marine ecosystem.” With funding from her award, La erty acquired nets to collect minnows from the Kansas River, which are then compared with minnows in her laboratory that are kept on di erent feeding schedules. “Aquatic ecosystems are very important to study,” she says, “especially as we start Ana Villanueva, a sophomore already on her second funded research project, spends at least adding pollutants to them.” two hours of every afternoon in a fifth-floor Learned Hall laboratory. She also works as a Jacklyn Baillergeon, a senior from residence hall adviser. “It gets busy,” she says, “but it doesn’t feel like a burden. I like it.” Lansing majoring in journalism and political science, is using her research award to examine how “big data,” or funded research project. e rst, which he once was utterly lost. massive electronic banks of personal she won as a freshman, allowed her to “Before I started doing research, I was information, can be used by campaign spend last summer working in Associate under the impression that most of the organizers to inuence elections. Bailler- Professor Lisa Friis’ lab, studying and important information had already been geon sought guidance from numerous validating a spine-testing machine. Now discovered,” Waters says. “Once you start faculty and Mark Sump, c’13, the current she is working with Distinguished doing undergrad research and making Dole Fellow and president and CEO of Professor Paulette Spencer on a study that your own novel ndings that no one in Activate, a political consulting rm that analyzes the mechanics behind the human history has ever found, you begin uses technology to encourage participa- durability and integrity of dental to appreciate just how much we don’t tion in campaigns and organizations adhesives. k n ow.” across the country. “Taking on these projects, I can see a “I’m really happy that I had this oppor- pattern,” Villanueva says. “What I enjoy ith so much yet to learn and so tunity, and KU has are projects that I know WWmany opportunities yet to create, supported me so much are going to improve the Center for Undergraduate Research in doing so,” she says. people’s health. To was forced to acknowledge limits of the “I wouldn’t have been combine engineering Undergraduate Research Program. able to do it just on my with medicine and ough the experience is immensely own. I think that was a PUPPE STEVE improve people’s lives, rewarding, it also requires one-on-one major factor when I that is what I want to collaboration with faculty. decided to start the d o.” While the great majority are eager to project and apply for Chris Waters, c’97, assist and are generous with their time— the research award. If I assistant professor of Augusto says the biggest surprise he’s were somewhere microbiology at encountered since opening the center where I didn’t have Michigan State Univer- nearly two years ago is “the willingness of that support, I don’t sity, researched E. coli very busy faculty to do a little bit more”— think I would have bacteria while a KU it would be di cult to expand the pro- gone through with it.” undergraduate, and gram much beyond its current stature. So, Ana Villanueva, a also took on research in not content to limit these research mechanical engineer- chemistry and toxicol- opportunities to 70 or so undergraduates a ing sophomore from ogy. He readily con- year, the center this spring launched what Lima, Peru, is already cedes that even an it calls the Graduate Research Consultant working on her second Baillergeon academic star such as (GRC) program, under which graduate
24 | KANSAS ALUMNI students are hired to assist faculty in “It’s interesting for me to see how directing students through classroom and students have already engaged with the laboratory research projects. objects that they have chosen to work Cynthia Siew, a master’s student in on, even at these initial stages of their cognitive psychology, is the GRC for the research,” Minton says. “Sometimes PUPPE STEVE cognitive neuroscience class taught by academic research can be seen as assistant professor of psychology Lila something that’s really hermetic and Chrysikou. In a class of 40 to 50 students, kind of sealed o from people. But about 10 have chosen to take on research when you start doing it, a lot of people projects of their own, with Siew’s assis- get really, really into the topics they tance. ey will not be graded, but will have picked.” present their ndings to the class at the eir research will ultimately be end of the semester. graded for the course; that task will fall One student, for instance, is examining only on Hedeman. But Minton sees memory di erences that occur when herself as the “access point” who o ers studying di erent languages—in this case, the advice, both in person and with words in English and Chinese. Another written assessments, that helps students enlisted friends to study how meditation grow into competent researchers. might improve cognitive function. It’s a mentoring role that Hedeman “ ey are doing it for the experience, sees as vital. When she tackled her rst and I think that in itself is important,” big research project, while a senior at Siew says. “It’s a lot of work, and the Princeton University, one of her faculty Hedeman rewards might not seem huge right now, advisers steered her toward a woman in but I think it has the potential to send town who was an expert on the medieval them o to do bigger things and to nd French Book of Hours that she chose out more about themselves and what they to study. and service learning in shaping the are interested in doing.” “She came and looked at the manuscript undergraduate experience at KU. Anne Hedeman, Judith Harris Murphy I was working on, asked me questions, “I’ve spent 15 years working with grad distinguished professor of art history, is taught me some stu , then let me go and I students here at KU,” Augusto says, “and I teaching a new course this semester on worked and worked,” Hedeman recalls. think one of the things I like about medieval manuscripts and early printed “And I stayed in touch with that woman undergraduate research is the willingness books. She is assisted by art history until she died, three years ago. I loved the of students and faculty to be open to master’s student Laura Minton, who helps work, I loved the research and I learned a possibilities.” students in the advanced class through a lot, but there’s also the notion of going to Paul omas acknowledges that before series of “sca olded projects” that will human resources. It’s asking for help. It’s he began researching the life and ultimate ultimately lead them to their nal papers, being part of a community of scholars. ruin of a country chapel, he, like most which will be part of their course grade. “It prepares you for a eld, but also just undergraduates, had little grasp about With an enrollment of just eight in the in general for going out and seeking out what it is that researchers do, or even why. course, Hedeman and Minton chose to opportunities and going o and doing He has since learned more about the also add what Hedeman calls a “research them. It’s a nice step between university chapel, research and himself. fair,” at which students will learn yet and the kinds of things that smart people “Sometimes students struggle, thinking, another skill required of researchers: do in life. ey’re curious, they pursue ‘Oh, I’m not good enough,’ or, ‘I don’t have public presentation. things, they have con dence that they can what it takes to do research or to do “It’s an ideal of education,” Hedeman do them and that they can take risks.” something that’s not necessarily required,’” says, “that would be lovely if every student omas says. “But when I was done, it was coming out of Kansas had.” he Center for Undergraduate just really a nice kind of satisfaction, eir students have spent hours TResearch carries as its motto “Claim feeling like I did this, all on my own. examining both medieval and modern Tyour curiosity.” Augusto hopes that 20 to “It obviously made me a better student books and manuscripts in Spencer 25 percent of all KU undergraduates will of archaeology. It made me appreciate it Research Library and online archives, and, ultimately have exactly that opportunity, more and it made me understand the although they were given the option of whether through one-on-one research or basics. But it also boosted my self-esteem. focusing their research on either, all in-depth classroom and laboratory I knew I could do this. I knew I could do ultimately chose medieval, which sur- projects, and that research will take a full research and it’s accessible to the masses.” prised both Hedeman and Minton. place alongside study abroad, internships Fortune favors the brave.
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 25 Wounded Warrior scholar forges his new future as award-winning visual designer who intends to change the world
by Chris Lazzarino STEVE PUPPE STEVE
26 | KANSAS ALUMNI he U.S. Marine Corps’ armored assault vehicle weighs 27 e path he traveled to reach this better place was yet another tons, yet was designed to drop into the ocean o the back challenging journey. Tof a ship. It was intended to power through shoreline Schmiedeler returned from his second combat tour in spring waves and deposit its payload of 20 infantry ri emen onto a 2008. He spent a year stateside, and by the time he le the beach, yet hit 45 mph on paved roads. It rides on two tank tracks, Marines, in May 2009, he was wearing three sergeant’s chevrons. but is controlled with a steering wheel. He returned to his native Kansas City, Kan., and promptly is is the vehicle of contradictions that Anthony Schmiedeler enrolled at Johnson County Community College, where he drove as a Marine, but his missions were never amphibious. e oundered. only sand his AAV encountered was in Fallujah, Iraq. He arrived for his rst combat tour in winter 2006. e Battle of Fallujah, the bloodiest combat of the Iraq war, raged two years earlier, but the Fallujah that Schmiedeler encountered was perhaps even scarier. e enemy no longer stood its ground and engaged in conven- tional combat; instead, the furtive terrorists furiously hid roadside bombs—so-called “improvised explosive devices”— attempting to destroy American lives, equipment and morale. “I’m the No. 1 IED spotter because I’m the driver,” Schmiedeler explains. “Now, the other guys are looking out as well, but they’re also watching the anks and watching the rear. So all the pressure was on me.” e job of keeping Fallujah’s supply roads clear and safe fell to Schmiedeler and his brother Marines. Patrol shi s lasted eight hours, during which a driver’s concentration could not waver for even a second. “It ... uhh ...” Schmiedeler pauses brie y, as he does o en, clearly intending to convey his message precisely, before continu- ing: “It got old pretty quick.” One day during the rst of two seven-month combat tours, Schmiedeler’s unit was on standby as a quick reaction force. When the radio squawked with news that another squad had hit an IED and sustained injuries, Schmiedeler’s unit headed out. His was the second AAV in a three-vehicle convoy; the lead vehicle, driven by Schmiedeler’s best friend, crested a culvert and, in an instant, disappeared in a plume of smoke 200 feet high. ey found the vehicle on its side; thankfully, none of its Marines were dead, but they were wounded, including the driver. During his time in Iraq, Schmiedeler spotted more IEDs than he’ll ever remember and his vehicle encountered enemy assaults. But it was the moments when others were in peril, the unknown fate of close comrades, that stuck with him. “It’s kind of surreal when you’re actually there,” Schmiedeler War Was Easier poster says, his so voice calm, without in ection. “You know getting hurt or killed is a possibility, but that’s not really what’s on your He discovered that mixing with crowds in con ned spaces mind. You’re more concerned with everyone else.” rattled him, as did class bells and other loud noises. He felt profoundly isolated and made no friends. Although he was studying illustration, his passion, he found no academic footing. nthony Schmiedeler is in a good place now. He will walk He was drinking and partying, not to celebrate but to escape. A down the Hill this spring with a degree in visual communi- Schmiedeler explains that his father, who le the family for cation. He plans to make a career as a visual communicator, and good when he was 13, was a military man whose service severely he fervently hopes it will be in what he calls public-interest changed his personality. More than any battle eld wound, design, or design for social change, “basically any kind of design Schmiedeler’s greatest fear was “to come back a dierent person. where you’re trying to eect positive change in the world.” at was the scariest possible outcome.”
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 27 His twin brother, Ehren, joined the Marines with Anthony, and “and immediately fell in love with it.” also served two tours in Fallujah, as a tank crewman. ey At Camp Fallujah, Schmiedeler had delighted his Marine returned to Kansas City together and enrolled at JCCC together. buddies by designing cool tattoos and making portraits of wives But while Ehren con dently worked toward his goal of becoming and girlfriends, drawn from photographs with pencil and paper an engineer, Anthony had not yet gured out how to make a his mother had mailed from Kansas City. As a KU visual commu- career of his artistic skills. More important, he had yet to face the nication major, he found the same success, but on a career- fact that combat had wounded him. His private fears were in making trajectory. His list of awards and honors includes winning danger of being realized. a Spencer Museum of Art juried show and recognition for a “I was de nitely concerned,” recalls Ehren Schmiedeler, e’14, a December civil engineering graduate who has launched his career in the Lenexa o ce of an international rm that specializes in power-plant design and construc- tion. “He was just in this party mode, and you could tell that he only did it to not have to worry about anything, you know?” With a push from his brother, Anthony sought help at the veterans’ issues poster campaign. (His concept showed a uni- Kansas City VA Medical Center. ere he was diagnosed with formed arm struggling to get free of a mass of red tape, under the post-traumatic stress disorder, given medication and, far more headline “War Was Easier.”) crucial in Schmiedeler’s estimation, counseling: “ey opened up Despite the honors, Schmiedeler’s KU idyll was threatened. His my eyes and made me realize I wasn’t the only one dealing with rst-year troubles at JCCC le him a year short on his G.I. bill these problems.” scholarship funds. He feared he could not nish school while working full time to support himself and pay tuition. Last spring, his brother suggested that he apply for a new opportunity o ered n fall 2010, both Schmiedeler brothers enrolled at KU and, by the O ce of Graduate Military Programs, the privately funded Iwithin a day or two of arriving on campus, attended a meeting KU Wounded Warrior Scholarship for veterans, primary caregiv- of the KU Collegiate Veterans Association. Making new friends ers and surviving spouses and children. over a big spread of pizzas, they sensed they had nally found Schmiedeler says he was hesitant to apply because he judged his their rst true sanctuary since leaving the Marines. PTSD to be a lesser sacri ce than those su ered by so many “We had been home for more than a year and hadn’t really others. e scholarship committee did not agree. talked to any veterans,” Schmiedeler says. “So it was cool to get “Everybody can see the visible wounds of war,” says Director back into the life and tell some stories.” Mike Denning, c’83, a retired USMC colonel and president of the Schmiedeler immediately signed up for illustration classes, and Alumni Association’s KU Veterans Alumni Chapter. “But it’s the his military experience was quickly evident to one of his instruc- invisible wounds of war that are every bit as debilitating—and tors. Paramount in Marine training, Schmiedeler explains, is the potentially even more so, because they are invisible and people ability to independently identify and solve problems; the instruc- may not give them the accommodation that they would other- tor saw that Schmiedeler brought a problem-solving approach to wise. Anthony identi ed for us a vision of what he wanted to do illustration and counseled, “at’s what visual communication is with his life and how the scholarship would contribute to that.” a b out .” Anthony Schmiedeler and Jennifer ornton, a social work “So I started taking those classes,” Schmiedeler recalls, master’s student whose Army veteran husband su ers from
28 | KANSAS ALUMNI PTSD, in fall 2013 were named the rst recipients of the new $10,000 scholarship. ree more will be named this spring. “Once that came through,” Schmiedeler says, “I was worry-free again. It gave me another push, just knowing that this school is behind me, trying to help me graduate and ful ll this career path.” As he slides an un nished portion of his lunch sandwich across the counter at a popular new Mass Street restaurant— lled with the sort of bustling crowd that once unnerved him—Schmiedeler is asked which will mean more to him: his USMC sergeant’s chevrons or walking down the Hill in May? “ at’s tough. ... ey’re actually pretty close. ... I don’t know.” Again, he pauses. en: “Probably the diploma, to be honest. It might have been harder to get the sergeant’s chevrons, but I’ll feel more proud about graduating college. at’s a big accomplish- ment that me and my brother have been talking about doing for years and years and years.” In Fallujah, Schmiedeler faced more than the horrors of war. He also took to heart the living conditions of people who had nothing, less than nothing, and yet yearned only for security. He recalls the day an Iraqi man waved down his convoy. Schmiedeler expected that the stranger would tell them where to nd some bad guys. Instead, he o ered a small meal that for Schmiedeler remains a spiritual feast. “It was chicken. Some really crazy sauce and really dry bread. But it was ... it was awesome. I was really happy about that. It was cool to see when Iraqis appreciated you being there. It was really weird just seeing how they lived, the lack of everything that they deal with and that they have no problem with. at was eye-opening. “Some of that is probably what pushed me toward the public- Clockwise from top left: War Was Easier website; Sayso app; interest design, just knowing that we don’t really need everything Backyard Creatures; Hitchcock book cover; Without Water campaign that we have and there’s a lot of people out there who need help.” posters; Blacktop Creative tote designs; logos for the Kansas City e tools of his trade will be far di erent this time around, but Repertory Theatre, Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center clearing the path so others might nd a safe road to travel is a 10th anniversary and Jumpstart Lending calling this warrior-artist has already proven he’ll embrace.
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 29 30 | KANSAS ALUMNI Mezzo-soprano Phyllis Pancella can captivate without singing a note By Jennifer Jackson Sanner
ith only 15 minutes to learn explains. “She depicts the scene, and the honor of teaching.” As a teacher in her from a master, voice perfor- suddenly a storm is brewing—not only in own right, she is “spot on,” he says. “To Wmance major Katherine Dick the sky but also inside her heart.” have someone talk so clearly about the prepared to make every moment count. Pancella helped Dick convey the turmoil mechanics and the planning and the One of three students chosen to solo on a with more urgency in her expressions and architecture, most people don’t go there. December morning in Murphy Hall, she movement onstage. “She was so helpful ey just talk about feelings without sang for fellow students and John and kind,” Dick says, “but she really kept making a plan.”
Stephens, professor of voice, but mostly for pushing me. You think you’re doing Katherine Dick, a Lawrence senior in voice Phyllis Pancella, c’86, an international something right, but it’s not reading for performance, says Pancella put her at ease: opera and concert performer who the audience; it’s not coming across. I liked “She’s down to earth. She’s not flouncy.” returned to KU to present a chamber that she focused on character.” concert and master class. is spring, Dick draws on those intense Pancella intricately plots every element Master classes require students to rise to minutes with Pancella as she prepares for of her performances. “I love the music of the occasion. “You want to know the piece her senior recital. “I look back on that language, the architecture of language and and feel comfortable with the story,” Dick morning and smile. A er working with the interplay between the architecture of says. “You want to do the extra polish and her, ‘Il Barcaiolo’ is one of my most the poetry and the architecture of the exploration with someone like Phyllis.” prepared pieces. ... She helped me have a music,” she says. For her brief tutorial, she sang Italian highlight for my recital.” roughout her career, she has composer Gaetano Donizetti’s “Il Bar- Pancella, who majored in philosophy employed her lush, powerful voice and caiolo” (“ e Boatman”), portraying a while studying voice at KU, was among the nuances of language, expressions and young woman among the cheering crowd Stephens’ rst students when he began his gestures to convey the heartbreak or at a boat race. “One of the boatmen is her career here 31 years ago. He praises her as humor in memorable characters: the love, the one she wants to win,” Dick “one of the most talented people I’ve had warm, wistful Mrs. Gibbs in an opera of
Photographs by Steve Puppe
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 31 ornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” the spend the next few conniving Despina in Mozart’s “Così fan months immersed in tutte” or the murderous Mrs. Lovett in her favorite role: room Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd”—a parent for her son’s role she rst played as a KU senior. seventh-grade class. Pancella’s zest for exploration also “We’re fundraising for extends to concert repertoire. For more their eighth-grade trip than a decade, she has presented concerts to Washington, D.C.,” with violist Paul Neubauer; their Dec. 2 she explains. Nathaniel, performance at KU featured works by who is 12, traveled with Czech composers. “I’m not uent in her through age 4, but Czech,” she says, “but I love singing it. I a er he began school, picked it up from a Czech bakery owner Pancella swore o when I lived in Chicago.” She reviewed her operas during the translations of the songs with a Czech school year. Her friend and colleague of her husband’s; her husband, Matthew Lata, John Stephens spotted Pancella’s emerging talent in the 1980s, when friend changed one word. professor and stage she was his student. For her next language challenge, she director for the Florida yearns to sing the works of a favorite State Opera at Florida State University, March 25, joining fellow School of Music Polish composer. “ ose are the pieces I also travels in his career, so the two make alumni to perform in the James “Doc” want do with the accordion,” she says. sure one parent is always home. Ralston Memorial Concert at the Lied “Wish me luck nding an open-minded “I’m so happy about my choice,” she Center, honoring longtime professor accordion player.” She hopes to entice says. “I like going back and forth. I like Ralston, d’52, g’58, PhD’73, who directed audiences by translating the Polish into coming home and having the mental space KU’s choral music program from 1966 to English. Does she speak Polish? “I have as to come up with my own interesting 1994. “I still love ensemble singing better much Polish as I do Czech,” she says. “I am projects.” than anything,” she says. not a linguist at all. e only thing I can Neubauer, an international performer As her son has grown, Pancella revised get by in is French—and only under who teaches at e Juilliard School in New her “no opera during the school year” rule duress. I’m a mimic and ... I have a great York City, says their collaboration suc- to allow one opera; this fall it will be a ection for poetry and language. I want ceeded from the start: “Phyllis is extremely “Sweeney Todd” with the Virginia Opera to make it delicious and understandable well prepared. She comes with all the for seven dates in September and October for other people.” goods, so there are no worries. ... e in Fairfax, Norfolk and Richmond. She Returning to Lawrence is always an easy recitals were through her instigation. She will reprise the role of Mrs. Lovett, which choice. “I have friends here. I don’t need to really had a de nite game plan. We went she has performed only once since her KU make converts to the church of Phyllis all back and forth and we were both pleased years. Nostalgia played a part in her over the world,” she says. “To walk into a with the results.” decision, but the challenge ultimately warm situation, where people are ready to And they do not always take themselves persuaded her. “You can take no breaks have a good time and laugh with me and seriously, he says. “We have a certain mentally,” she says. “ ere are some be taken along for an evening, that’s plenty similar humor, and that is part of what we situations in opera or musical theatre for me. We all have those places and we all perform onstage. We’re doing a number where you can wing it. You can’t do that have those people. at’s the way I like it of things. We’re representing the compos- with Sondheim. He requires that you have right now.” er’s intentions. We’re the salesmen. We your highest game dramatically without A er three days at KU in December, she have to sell their piece as the best piece sacri cing your highest game ew to Hong Kong, where she presented ever written. ... If you don’t really love the intellectually.” the Bach Christmas Oratorio with the songs, the audience is going to know it.” A er weeks in Virginia, Pancella will Hong Kong Bach Chorale. She then Pancella’s various passions will guide her return home, happy to resume her role returned home to Tallahassee, Fla., to through 2014. She returns to Lawrence as room parent. Nathaniel’s class will still need to earn money for that trip to Washington, so fans will nd her at the “ ... I have a great aection for poetry and language. concession stand during school events. “Come mid-October,” she says, “you’ll I want to make it delicious and understandable for see me selling hot chocolate and {other people.” —Phyllis Pancella } hot cider.”
32 | KANSAS ALUMNI
Association
Events with KU Libraries are part of DAN STOREY DAN a growing number of academic oerings for alumni chapters nationwide. Among the Association’s more than 450 events each year, 80 percent highlight various academic disciplines or student recruitment.
has the opportunity to educate alumni on the important role they play for the University.” Rachel Karwas, j’08, events coordinator for KU Libraries, says the large crowds in nearly every city have a rmed the importance of the Libaries for alumni. Naismith still draws fans “We welcome the opportunity to connect with alumni and learn how they used the Association, Libraries share coach’s treasured keepsakes libraries during their time at KU.” in latest e ort to connect alumni with varied academic programs Rebecca Smith, assoc., the Libraries’ executive director of communications, s history enthusiasts and fans of the ing San Diego, Denver, Dallas, Topeka, advancement and administration, also has AKU Libraries, sisters Holly, c’83, l’86, Oklahoma City, Minneapolis and New traveled to many of the events.“Our and Kristen Zane, e’78, were naturally York. Many of the sessions have sold out, partnership with the Association has drawn to “An Evening with Naismith: and the series will continue through 2014. allowed us to signi cantly grow the base of Artifacts of a KU Legend” Feb. 6 in e Naismith events are the Associa- support for KU Libraries, and we are Topeka. “It was a great opportunity to see tion’s latest collaboration with the libraries; grateful for the many KU alumni who Kansas history, speci cally KU basketball other programs have included “ e provide private contributions to support history, up close and personal and to ask History of the Jayhawk,” “Preserving our e orts,” she says. questions of knowledgeable librarians,” Family History” and “Wet or Dry: Our e Association’s partnerships with Holly says. She especially appreciated the Prohibition Past.” academic programs across chance to view and, in some cases, reach e organizations will campus have continued out and touch the artifacts up close: create other joint programs to increase in recent STEVE PUPPE STEVE “Photos, documents, medals, awards and to highlight other library years. In fact, 80 percent striped 100-year-old player’s socks were all collections, says Heath of the more than 450 there on display within inches of us.” Peterson, d’04, g’09, the events each year focus on e event, which included more than 50 Association’s vice president academic areas or student alumni along with sta from the Alumni for alumni programs. “ is recruitment. Programs Association and KU Libraries, was part of is one of many examples of have highlighted the KU a series featuring memorabilia from the the importance of collabo- Debate Team, the Jayhawk University Archives related to Naismith, ration with our academic Motorsports team from inventor of the game and KU’s rst partners on campus,” he the School of Engineering basketball coach. Since May 2013, the says. “ e content is fresh and Musical eatre for Association and KU Libraries have taken and interesting for alumni Kansas with students from the exhibit to more than 20 cities, includ- chapters, and KU Libraries Eland the School of Music. Brad
36 | KANSAS ALUMNI DAN STOREY(4) DAN
University Archivist Becky Schulte (opposite page) explained the Naismith artifacts to alumni during the Topeka event; the items included the 1952 NCAA Championship plaque along with other awards, photos and correspondence. Alumni enjoyed an extra dose of KU basketball lore from longtme KU coach Ted Owens (above and left), who was on hand to sign copies of his book, At the Hang-Up, which includes memories from his life and career.
Eland, d’09, g’11, who joined the Associa- taken its show on the road in addition to tion sta in 2012 as assistant director of hosting the popular summer college on Kansas programs, now directs academic campus. “Dean Anderson and the Col- programs, working with various schools lege drive the content, while we help wih and departments. the logistics and the venue for the alumni “It has been a win-win, because we have reception,” Eland explains. the expertise in reaching alumni, and our San Antonio’s curriculum included academic colleagues have the expertise in classes on Alzheimer’s disease, U.S. creating content for new programs,” Eland conspiracies and “How Limestone Saved says. “We always get great feedback from the World,” taught by Robert Goldstein, alumni when we take these programs on professor of natural sciences. Alumni the road, because they combine the social also took a eld trip to tour the Institute aspect with the learning aspect. Everyone of Texan Cultures and meet with Lupita loves a basketball game and a watch party, Barrera, g’92, the institute’s director of but these events are special. Alumni get a education and interpretation. “She loved lot out of them, and they particularly enjoy telling stories about her time at KU as a seeing what’s going on with the students master’s student,” Eland says, “and she was and the faculty.” happy to host fellow Jayhawks and explain Eland stays in constant contact with her work.” deans and their sta members to discuss For the Mini College and other aca- ideas for content and target key geo- demic programs, Eland is enthusiastic graphic areas where the schools can reach about the possibilities to attract alumni Jayhawks. From Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, he was in of many interests to events that are part San Antonio with Danny Anderson, g’82, reunion and part reconnection with the PhD’85, dean of the College of Liberal KU educational experience:“We’re build- Arts and Sciences, and his sta to help ing on what’s already been successful here host a Mini College for about 35 alumni. in Lawrence, and there’s a lot of room for is is the second year the College has growth.”
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 37 Association
TAG! YOU’RE A JAYHAWK! Kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews and friends can be members of the KU Alumni Association too! Future Jayhawks is for ages 0-18. Join before April 30 and your Future Jayhawk will receive a basketball tag to show o their Jayhawk Pride. Display it on a backpack, lunch box, diaper bag—so many options! Future Jayhawks receive an exclusive KU-themed age specific gift upon each annual sign-up, a special birthday card from Baby Jay, other communications and goodies to keep them connected to KU traditions. Sign up today! $15 for members and $20 for non-members.
www.kualumni.org/futurejayhawks 800-584-2957
Get your derby hat! Life Members
e Association thanks these Jayhawks, who began their Life memberships Jan. 1 through Feb. 28. For information, visit kualumni.org or call 800-584-2957. Zachary D. & Jennifer C. Allee Robert J. Chudy Christopher A. Arnett Kevin S. Cochran Steven L. Bartkoski Katherine McClure Coleman Lu Ann Becklo Thomas W. Dickinson Greg Billips Jay Dillman Don C. & Lucie M. Black Katherine Holmes Dosenbach D. S. Blakely G. Thomas & Jean Kygar Robert L. Brown Jr. Eblen Mark J. Browne Stephen A. English Michael A. Cain Sierra M. Falter James B. Camey Stephanie M. Farha Jason S. Campbell David H. Ferdman Dwight B. Cavender Katie M. Ford Jack C. Chambers Jr. & Clint A. Freeman Jennifer L. Chambers Matthew D. Freeman Susan Hamilton Chisolm George F. Grieb
38 | KANSAS ALUMNI Everything we do strengthens KU. Your member- ship in the KU Alumni Association is the single most powerful way to make all of KU stronger, including the value of your own degree. Board of Directors n DIRECTORS TO 2018 John W. Ballard III, b’73, Overland Park, n CHAIR Kansas Je Kennedy, j’81, Wichita Aaron R. Brinkman, j’98, Dallas, Texas n CHAIR-ELECT Debi Dennis Duckworth, d’79, Houston, Camille Bribiesca Nyberg, c’96, g’98, Texas Wichita Jill Simpson Miller, d’01, Webb City, Missouri n EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Ray D. Evans, b’82, g’84, Leawood Jerry D. Skillett, b’81, Altadena, Je Kennedy, j’81, Wichita California Douglas C. Miller, b’71, l’74, Mission Hills Administrative Sta Debbie Foltz Nordling, d’79, Hugoton n PRESIDENT Adams Alumni Center Camille Bribiesca Nyberg, c’96, g’98, Kevin J. Corbett, c’88
Wichita n Michael D. & Debra M. Ryan E. Neeland ALUMNI CENTER Richard E. Putnam, c’77, l’80, Timothy E. Brandt, b’74, Director of Grimes Charles M. & Catherine M. Omaha, Nebraska Adams Alumni Center Rita L. Guettermann Newell Scott R. Seyfarth, b’83, Hinsdale, Donald J. Hall Jr. & Jill S. Hall Andrew M. Palmer Illinois n ALUMNI, STUDENT & MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS Barbara J. Hazelton Stephen W. & Denise M. n DIRECTORS TO 2014 Michael Davis, d’84, g’91, Senior Carol Walker Henderson Pierson Douglas C. Miller, b’71, l’74, Vice President for Donor and Jennifer M. Hudson Melissa L. Plouvier Mission Hills Membership Programs Kathryn L. Istas Matthew R. Riel Debbie Foltz Nordling, d’79, Hugoton Heath Peterson, d’04, g’09, Bret A. Johnson Wesley A. & Haiqiong Wu Camille Bribiesca Nyberg, c’96, g’98, Vice President of Alumni Programs Kenneth & Amy Johnson Riggs Dallas, Texas Nathaniel P. Johnson Dennis A. Riney Richard E. Putnam, c’77, l’80, n COMMUNICATIONS Carlo C. Jurani & Danielle R. Mary E. Ryan Omaha, Nebraska David Johnston, j’94, g’06, Director Stebbins Kathryn L. Schippers Larry D. Stoppel, c’73, Washington of Internet Services and Marketing Chris Lazzarino, j’86, Associate Stephanie L. Kalahar Katelynn M. Scott n DIRECTORS TO 2015 Editor, Kansas Alumni magazine Derek B. & Sarah Patch Vicki Jean Selzer & Duke Paul L. Carttar, c’76, Lawrence Jennifer Sanner, j’81, Senior Vice Kleinmann Neeland Scott R. Seyfarth, b’83, Hinsdale, President for Communications and Patrick A. & Jenny Samuel B. Short Illinois Corporate Secretary Brenda Marzett Vann, c’71, g’72, Buontempo LeGresley Wesley E. Skinner Susan Younger, f’91, Creative Director Brett L. Leonard Shari B. Sokol Kansas City Nels P. Lindahl & Joni R. Andrew T. & Amy Blosser Je L. Wolfe, b’83, Meridian, Idaho n DEVELOPMENT Angela Storey, b’04, g’07, Jorgensen Spikes n DIRECTORS TO 2016 Associate Development Director Darren M. & Denise A. Long Ian W. Staples James Bredfeldt, c’70, m’74, Bellevue, Courtney A. Longino Brian F. & Laura Pennington Washington n FINANCE Ashley R. Loomis Sullivan John Jeter, c’77, m’81, Hays Jodi Nachtigal, Controller John R. Lutzker Blair & Jon R. Taylor Shelle Hook McCoy, d’73, Topeka Dwight Parman, Senior Vice Angela C. Mai Melinda Navis Taylor Lori Anderson Piening, b’92, Austin, President for Finance and Human William T. Marshall Brian G. Teefey Texas Resources and Treasurer Timothy B. Massey Cody J. Tenbrink & Mark Randall, j’03, Englewood, n HOSPITALITY SERVICES Christopher Y. Mellem Madeline R. Tritsch Colorado Bryan Greve, Senior Vice President Adam R. Miller Kristen V. & Ryan M. Toner n DIRECTORS TO 2017 for Hospitality Jeanne L. Mitchell Stacey L. Townsend Donald R. Brada, c’61, m’65, Lawrence n LEGACY RELATIONS Matthew D. Monical Trent S. Ulrich Luke B. Bobo, e’82, Ballwin, Joy Larson Maxwell, c’03, j’03, Director Missouri Joseph P. & Molly Stout John & Jennifer Weeks n Kevin E. Carroll, assoc., Palm Beach RECORDS Moore Sara E. Welch Bill Green, Senior Vice President for Gardens, Florida Sandra Lenihan Mostyn Rodney C. West Information Services Marci K. Deuth, e’05, Washington, D.C. Steve J. Munch Grant A. & Peggy Witcher Stefanie Shackelford, Vice President for Gregory E. Ek, b’76, Overland Park Alumni Records
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 39 Class Notes by Karen Goodell her husband, Don, make their home in Prairie Village. Sirisak Suebsiri, g’66, a retired engi- neering consultant, lives in Bangkok, Glee, c’43, l’47, and Geraldine President Barack Obama and was named a ailand. 43 Buhler Smith, c’43, celebrated their Distinguished Kansan by the Topeka 70th anniversary last December. ey Capital-Journal. Dean coached basketball MARRIED continue to make their home in Lawrence. at the University of North Carolina and Barbara Funk, d’66, to John Kimmel, played at KU. He and his wife, Linnea, live Oct. 1 in Oskaloosa. ey live in McLouth, Bernice Alexander West, c’47, and in Chapel Hill. and she works as a substitute teacher. 47 her husband, Ollie, live in Oakland, Calif., where she is retired. Norman Arnold, b’57, manages Larry Friesen, c’67, wrote Betrayal/ 57 customer service for Hy-Vee in 67 Battle/Storm, a collection of three William Turner, b’52, l’60, wrote A Overland Park, where he and his wife, Iola, science- ction novellas published by 52 Christmas Friend, which was live. Firefall. He and his wife, Martha, live in published last year by Xlibris Publishing League City, Texas. Co. He lives in Los Angeles and is working Carolyn Jeter, d’60, is an adjunct Janet Miller Steury, d’67, serves as on a novel and another children’s book. 60 professor at Johnson County president of the Missouri State Chapter of Community College in Overland Park, the P.E.O. Sisterhood. She and her William Pittman, p’53, a retired where she lives. husband, Jack, c’67, make their home in 53 pharmacy owner, received a St. Joseph, Mo. lifetime achievement award from the Kenneth Lyons, c’62, is retired in Thomas Whaylen, c’67, is president of Southwest Tulsa Chamber of Commerce. 62 Annapolis, Md., where he and his the Sheppard Military A airs Committee Dean Smith, d’53, received the Presiden- wife, Sharon Serio, make their home. and a member of the Texas Military tial Medal of Freedom last year from Preparedness Commission. He and his Robert Guenthner, c’64, l’67, chairs wife, Judy Nichols Whaylen, assoc., live in 64 the board of Morris, Laing, Evans, Wichita Falls. School Codes Letters that follow names Brock and Kennedy in Wichita, where he indicate the school from which alumni earned and his wife, Susan, make their home. Michael Silverglat, c’68, m’72, is degrees. Numbers show their class years. Michael McDowell, d’64, g’67, retired as 68 medical director at Sleep Health general manager and CEO of Heartland Montana in Missoula, where he and Ellen a School of Architecture, Consumers Power District. He and his Spector Silverglat, s’79, make their home. Design and Planning b School of Business wife, Barbara, assoc., make their home in Robert Smith, p’68, a retired dentist, c College of Liberal Arts Olathe. lives in Overland Park with his wife, and Sciences Joan Prott Page, g’64, retired as chair of Tamara. d School of Education the math department at Onondoga e School of Engineering Community College in Syracuse, N.Y., Jerome Hellmer, d’69, was reap- f School of Fine Arts where she and her husband, Lawrence, 69 pointed by the Kansas Supreme g Master’s Degree g’64, make their home. Court to a two-year term as chief judge of h School of Health Professions j School of Journalism the 28th Judicial District. He and his wife, l School of Law Stephen Matthews, b’65, lives in Susan, live in Salina. m School of Medicine 65 Leawood. He’s retired chairman of Larry Kershner, PhD’69, a retired n School of Nursing the board at Haviland State Bank. chemist with Dow Chemical, lives in p School of Pharmacy Carol Olson, f’65, a retired ight Midland, Mich., with Marilyn Wagner PharmD School of Pharmacy attendant with TWA and American Kershner, assoc. s School of Social Welfare Airlines, lives in Laguna Niguel, Calif., James Krehbiel, p’69, retired as phar- u School of Music DE Doctor of Engineering with her husband, Mitchell Margaretich. macy director at Hutchinson Clinic DMA Doctor of Musical Arts Pharmacy, where he worked for the past EdD Doctor of Education John Butler, PhD’66, retired from 38 years. Jim and his wife, Patricia, live in PhD Doctor of Philosophy 66 the microbiology department at the Hutchinson. (no letter) Former student University of Iowa’s Carver College of Thomas Stephens, e’69, a retired assoc Associate member of the Medicine. He lives in Iowa City. engineer with Burns & McDonnell, makes Alumni Association Beverly Tjart Freberg, n’66, g’86, had a his home in Lenexa with Barbara Machala 34-year career as a school nurse. She and Stephens, d’69.
40 | KANSAS ALUMNI
Class Notes
Joseph “Jo Jo” White, ’69, was inducted elementary schools, she now teaches a last fall into the St. Louis Sports Hall of class in music education at KU and directs Fame. He’s director of special projects for a children’s choir at Trinity Episcopal the Boston Celtics, and he lives in Middle- Church in Lawrence. ton, Mass., with his wife, Deborah. Andrew Russell, e’70, g’79, is senior Mark Snyder, d’71, is a retired college principal engineer at Solar Turbines in San counselor. He and Karen Guese Snyder, Richard Henderson, c’70, retired Diego. c’70, g’72, live in St. Louis. 70 last year as archivist at the National Norvel Smith, e’70, g’72, is general Archives in College Park, Md. He lives in manager of Bridgestone Tire. He and John Nixon, j’72, was inducted into Laurel. Linda Lecture Smith, d’71, make their 72 the New Mexico State University Kenneth Johnson, g’70, owns Johnson home in Aiken, S.C. Athletics Hall of Fame. He lives in Las Insurance Services in Des Moines, Iowa, Cruces and has been the “Voice of the where he and his wife, Colleen, live. MARRIED Aggies” for 34 years. Stanley Morain, PhD’70, former Richard Stevenson, e’70, to Alice Joseph Timmons, c’72, chairs the board director of the University of New Mexico Riggins, Oct. 10 on the island of St. Lucia. of Garry & Associates in Kansas City. He Earth Data Analysis Center, was selected ey live in Dallas, where he is a com- and Sharon Manley Timmons, d’72, live in as an honorary member of the American puter-security specialist at Boeing, and she the Village of Loch Lloyd, Mo. Society for Photogrammetry and Remote operates All In One Tour Services. Sensing. He and Marilyn Marshall Morain, Manuel “Manny” Berman, b’73, is f’67, make their home in Albuquerque. Stephen Dickerson, c’71, received the 73 president and chief operating o cer Susan Frederick Ralston, d’70, g’78, will 71 Arthur C. Hodgson Award from the of Tuality Healthcare. He and his wife, be president of the University Women’s Kansas Association for Justice. He is Karen, live in Portland, Ore. Club for 2014-’15. Retired since 2007 from founder of the Dickerson Law Group in Robert Breunig, PhD’73, is executive a career teaching music in Kansas public Overland Park. director of the Museum of North Arizona in Flagsta , where he and his wife, Karen Enyedy, make their home. William “Bernie” Herpin Jr., e’73, was elected last fall to the Colorado State Senate. He lives in Colorado Springs with his wife, Linda. Richard Hughey, j’73, recently became assistant track coach at Blue Valley North High School. He and his wife, Martha, ’95, live in Overland Park. Benjamin Mann, c’73, managing partner of Husch Blackwell’s Kansas City o ce, is a 2014 Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. He and laine Scheib Mann, ’87, live in Overland Park. Carmen Colby Rosser, g’73, EdD’75, is a retired elementary-school principal. She lives in Las Vegas. Timothy Rosson, b’73, is president of BBVA CompassBank in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where he lives with his wife, Susan.
Cynthia Steineger Blair, a’74, is a 74 partner in Urban Project Services. She and her husband, Martin, g’76, live in San Diego, where they own Kansas City Barbeque. Allan Eckelman, d’74, is principal at Sumner-Fredricksburg High School in Sumner, Iowa.
42 | KANSAS ALUMNI John Glick, j’74, serves on the board of SIRIUS Microtech in Claremont. Mathews, live in Falls Church, Va. TETRA Technologies, a geographically Richard Fladung, e’75, is a partner in diversi ed oil and gas services company. Charles Boyd, c’75, g’76, was named Straburger Law Firm in Houston, where He and his wife, Karen, assoc., make their 75 a Distinguished Kansan of the Year he and his wife, Leslie, make their home. home in Lu in, Texas. by the Topeka Capital-Journal. He’s a Patricia Hirsch, c’75, l’79, s’98, directs William Grist, e’74, owns Grist retired four-star U.S. Air Force general information services and customer service Consulting Services in Upland, Calif., and is president and CEO of Business for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commis- where he and Lisa Forrester Grist, Executives for National Security in sion in Rockville, Md., where she lives. d’74, live. He’s also vice president of Washington, D.C. He and his wife, Jessica Patricia Aylward O’Sullivan, g’75,
PROFILE by Carol Crupper
Gunning’s cheese creation silk-screened logo, assembled delicious by design with 96 hand-hammered
copper rivets—made for a BRIAN GUNNING (2) COURTESY ith a dash of humor and deep roots single orange. Win design, Brian Gunning, f’95, has Employing that idea of Wisconsin’s cheese world abuzz. special packaging, Gunning One taste of his Wausome Wafers and created an eye-catching you’re hooked, raves Jeanne Carpenter in container, sturdy enough to her blog, Cheese Underground. “ ink protect his delicate crisps. Parmesan crisps, only better, using Designing his product front di erent kinds of cheese made only in to back, he considers touch, Wisconsin.” color, font choice, how the Snacks he’s baking at his new business in “un-boxing” feels. He Gunning perfected his baked crisps in his Wasau, Wis., home Wausau may be awesome—but Gunning’s scrutinizes every point of kitchen, and after going commercial still uses only one design-driven marketing campaign, built contact, “from stock boy to on lessons learned at KU, is even better. party guest.” ingredient: Wisconsin cheese. e Chicago-area native was happily For retailers, he created a studying architecture at Kansas when a display-ready hexagonal chance campus encounter altered his life. 24-count case that entertains stockers with discover and share, to allow them to “I bumped into some students trying to slogans such as “Something Wausome this become ambassadors of the Wausome decide what color to make a toaster,” way comes” or “All we are saying is give br an d .” Gunning recalls. e idea of industrial cheese some pants.” Gunning’s early e orts have focused on design fascinated him, spurring a change Svelte triangular boxes carry pithy tales retail stores and companies specializing in to ne arts. Graphic design, industrial of Wisconsin dairies—just begging gi baskets. Direct online sales will follow design, illustration: All stirred his customers to pick them up. Once they do, as Soupa Gouda, Party Havarti and other imagination. research indicates, 70 varieties join Clever Cheddar and Hug & One early class percent will buy, Kiss Colby/Swiss in his product lineup. challenged students Gunning says. “And In his edgling business, Gunning does to create a series of once they taste them, everything from marketing to manufac- graphics related to they will come back turing to packaging to distribution. “I’m fresh foods and then for more.” still very active in the kitchen now,” he apply one of those e wafers are says. He has four employees but expects to designs to packag- gluten-free, carb-free, have 12 by year’s end. “We’re anticipating a ing. Gunning still low cholesterol and big growth phase to meet demand for our has his project: a low sodium. But, says Wausome experience.” brushed aluminum Gunning, “We leave —Crupper, d’67, is a Lawrence crate adorned with that for customers to freelance writer.
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 43 Class Notes was reappointed to a three-year term on She and her husband, David, live in North Appraiser’s O ce in Great Bend. She the Kansas State Board of Accountancy. Manchester, Ind. received a lifetime achievement award She’s the Barton School Lecturer at from the Kansas Association of Mappers. Wichita State University in Wichita, where Charles Allred, m’78, m’81, is a she and her husband, Timothy, ’69, make 78 faculty physician with Salina Health Caitlin Goodwin Hendel, j’80, was their home. Education. He and Janda Fearey Allred, 80 named CEO and president of the Karen Sawyer, g’75, manages and is ’78, make their home in Salina. National Catholic Reporter Publishing part-owner of Boss Sawyer Inc. She lives in Ronald Baker, c’78, h’78, g’90, is CEO of Company. She and her husband, John, Kitty Hawk, N.C. Allen County Regional Hospital in Iola. j’77, live in Overland Park. Mora Powell Zinn, d’75, is retired from a He and Eleanor Brainerd Baker, ’78, live in Jay Hinrichs, c’80, g’83, works as a career with the Iowa State Education Concordia, Mo. development consultant at the University Association. She and her husband, Gary, Debra Morrow Ingram, j’78, has been of Denver’s Richie Athletic Center in live in Milford. appointed executive director of the Tulsa Denver. He and his wife, Julie, live in Opera. She lives in Tulsa, Okla. Greeley. Edward Bouker, l’76, was reap- Laura Pinkston Koenigs, c’78, m’82, Charles Peckham, l’80, owns Brown, 76 pointed by the Kansas Supreme directs the pediatrics residency program at Creighton & Peckham in Atwood, where Court to a two-year term as chief judge of Baystate Medical Practices in Spring eld, he and his wife, Connie, make their home. the 23rd Judicial District. He lives in Hays. Mass. She and her husband, Kenneth, c’78, He recently was reappointed to a two-year Richard Butin, c’76, m’83, has been m’82, live in Longmeadow. term on the Kansas Solid Waste Grants promoted to associate professor at the Frank Komin, e’78, is president and Advisory Committee. UMKC School of Medicine, where he general manager at ums Longbeach Elaine Smith, b’80, was promoted to serves as a docent in the department of Company & Tidelands Oil Production. He director at Cli onLarsonAllen in St. internal medicine. Rick and his wife, and his wife, Sharon, live in Huntington Joseph, Mo. Donna, live in Leawood. Beach, Calif. James Triplett, PhD’76, was reap- pointed to a two-year term on the Kansas Mark Copeland, b’79, manages IM 81 Erich Bloxdorf, b’81, founded Live Solid Waste Grants Advisory Committee. 79 services for Rexam in Chicago. He Wire Strategies. He and Mary Coombe He’s a professor of biology at Pittsburg and his wife, Melanie, assoc., live in Bloxdorf, e’81, live in Spring eld, Ill. State University. Wauconda. Lori Bockman, c’81, recently became Brett Coonrod, l’77, owns Plaza Stephen Doocy, j’79, was named a general counsel for Armstrong Teasdale in 77 Mediation and Smith Coonrod Distinguished Kansan of the Year by the St. Louis. Mohlman. He lives in Kansas City. Native Sons and Daughters. He’s host of Robert Kiely Jr., g’81, is city manager of Keith Kellogg Jr., g’77, is vice president Fox News in New York City, and he lives Lake Forest, Ill., where he and his wife, of strategic initiatives at the Cubic in Wycko , N.J., with his wife, Kathy. Alison, make their home. Corporation in Arlington, Va., where he Randy O’Boyle, j’79, is president and Deb Stilgenbauer Miller, f’81, is a and his wife, Paige, make their home. CEO of ICE Corp. in Manhattan, where he principal at Boulevard Stategies in David King, c’77, l’80, was reappointed and his wife, Jane, live. Columbus, Ohio. She and her husband, by the Kansas Supreme Court to a Cinda Osness Peck, d’79, received the Je , live in Dublin. two-year term as chief judge of the 1st 2013 Pro les in Music Education Award Robert Moser Jr., p’81, m’85, was Judicial District. He and his wife, Debra from the San Diego Youth Symphony and appointed to a two-year term on the Heidgen, c’76, m’79, live in Leavenworth. Conservatory. She teaches music for the Midwest Stem Cell erapy Center Galen Oelkers, b’77, g’78, is president of Del Mar Union School District and lives in Advisory Board. He’s secretary and state the Zeist Company in Atlanta. He and his Solana Beach, Calif., with her husband, health o cer for the Kansas Department wife, Lynn, live in Sandy Springs. Roger. of Health and Environment. Bob and Jo Young Switzer, g’77, PhD’80, Donna Roths Sweet, m’79, serves as Dalene Gooch Moser, h’81, h’82, live in president of Manchester University, president of the Medical Society of Tribune. received the 2013 Chief Executive Leader- Sedgwick County. She’s a professor of Mary Ann Romski, PhD’81, is associate ship Award from the Council for the internal medicine at the KU School of dean of research and graduate studies at Advancement and Support of Education. Medicine in Wichita and a physician at the Georgia State University. She makes her KU Wichita Internal Medicine Midtown home in Tucker. Clinic. She and her huband, George, g’62, Shirley Klenda Sicilian, c’81, l’84, g’84, is PhD’65, live in Wichita. national director of state and local tax Bettejane Wooding, c’79, works as a controversy at KPMG in Washington, D.C. cartographer for the Barton County Caroline Bilkerback Sosin, n’81, is nurse
44 | KANSAS ALUMNI Set your new graduate up for success with a KU Alumni Association membership!
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Recent Grad Annual $25/year $30/year Membership manager at the neonatal intensive care He and his wife, Annette, live in Chester- unit at Banner underbird Medical eld, Mo. Center in Glendale, Ariz. She and her Steven Koppes, g’82, is associate husband, Howard, live in Phoenix. director of the University of Chicago news oce. He and his wife, Juliet, live in CertTech in Lenexa. He and Pamela Winn Shari Feist Albrecht, c’82, was Homewood. Shaw, c’82, m’86, live in Shawnee. She’s a 82 elected chair of the Kansas Corpo- Phyllis Marshall-Hartman, g’82, professor of pediatrics at the KU Medical ration Commission. She and her husband, recently became assistant town manager of Center. Martin, l’83, live in Topeka. Belmont, Mass. She and her husband, Brett Woods, j’82, has been appointed Bradley Keller, PhD’82, is vice president Michael, live in Canton. presiding judge of the Denver Juvenile of research at Lumena Pharmaceuticals. Greg Shaw, e’82, is a sta engineer at Court. He lives in Denver.
PROFILE by Chris Lazzarino
Knitters, tea drinkers find Osbourn-Gille le her Paris marketing job a er two years to open L’Oisive é. refuge in Paris shop By the time her import orders for custom-made yarn began arriving, the tea
imee Osbourn-Gille concedes that shop had been open for six months and (2) AIMEE OSBOURN-GILLE COURTESY Abefore she opened L’Oisive é (“ e was already building its base of neighbor- Leisurely Tea”) in 2008, she knew little hood residents and knitters from across about tea other than her own preferences. the French capital. She did know yarn and knitting, though, “A er plugging through the rst year,” and, emboldened with entrepreneurial she says, “I felt like it was going to work.” drive and marketing expertise, she As word continues to spread in online fashioned what had yet to be seen in Paris: forums and knitting journals, L’Oisive é a tea salon, vegetarian cafe and bakery, has become a must-stop for tourists eager and hand-dyed yarn store, all tucked to spend time among fellow knitters, yet inside a cozy, 40-square-meter shop in the the corner shop with colorful murals 13th arrondissement. painted by a neighborhood artist contin- “It’s like this mash-up of three di erent ues to also be enlivened by its diverse and Aimee Osbourn-Gille says she wants her cozy kinds of clientele,” Osbourn-Gille, c’00, loyal regulars. Paris shop to feel “welcoming and warm” to says from her Paris home, “and it’s fun to Osbourn-Gille recalls watching a young regulars and tourists alike. see when they overlap.” man and woman glancing at each other Osbourn-Gille, an Olathe native, while sipping tea at nearby tables; he received her KU allegiance from her eventually mustered the courage to father, James, c’71, d’75, g’83. From her approach her and begin a conversation, spot. An Australian woman even chose the late mother, Tae Un, she learned knitting. and a year later he proposed marriage at Butte-aux-Cailles neighborhood a er She spent her junior year at KU’s Study what had become their regular brunch moving to Paris to live near L’Oisive é. Abroad program in Besançon, near Osbourn-Gille hopes to one day open a Strasbourg, and a er graduation returned second, larger store, with room enough to for a year as the KU program’s sta liaison. o er knitting classes. She and her husband She also taught English at a local univer- are also considering opening a bilingual sity, where she met and began dating a preschool of the sort they’d like to have for local man, Julien Gille. their own two children. A er she worked for a year in interna- “But I’m having a lot of fun doing what tional marketing for a Kansas City rm, I’m doing right now,” she says. “So I’m they married in Danforth Chapel and going to continue like this and then when moved to Paris. Inspired by her knitting it’s not fun anymore, move on and do group and a lack of artisan yarns, something else.”
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 47 Class Notes
Charles Taylor, c’83, is senior Albert Rettenmaier, e’84, is vice his wife, Nancy, assoc., live in Plano, 83 manager of the Raytheon Company. president of projects and technology for Texas. He and Becky Gray Taylor, h’85, live in Cool Planet Energy Systems in Denver, Carl Yaeger, a’85, g’94, is president of Falls Church, Va. where he and his wife, Pamela, make Yaeger Architecture in Overland Park, Keith Worley, a’83, manages projects their home. where he and Sheila Everhart-Yaeger, c’79, and is an architect at WDG Interior Mary Weber Strickell, b’84, works as an make their home. Architecture in Washington, D.C. He accounting specialist at KU. She and her and his partner, Eric Sparks, live in husband, Earl, live in Oskaloosa. Kelly Allender, c’86, manages the Alexandria, Va. Sue Foster Wilsman, d’84, teaches 86 Learning Center for FlightSafety physical education at Lakeland Christian International in Dallas. Michael Born, m’84, is chief School in Lakeland, Fla. Denise Bennett, c’86, works as a sales 84 medical o cer and chief quality and service agent for UMB Bank. She lives o cer for the Swedish American Health Sperlynn Byers, c’85, supervises in Independence, Mo. System in Rockford, Ill. He and Jo Ellen 85 information technology for the Venida Chenault, s’86, s’90, PhD’05, Wahl Born, h’82, live in South Bend, Ind. Kansas City Board of Public Utilities. He recently became president of Haskell Robert Hayes, b’84, is president of received a Black Achievers in Business and Indian Nations University in Lawrence. Open Road Brands in Valley Center. Industry Award from the Southern Isaac Holland, c’86, received a Cherokee He and Catherine Cate Hayes, ’88, live in Leadershiop Christian Conference of Medal of Patriotism from the Cherokee Wichita. Greater Kansas City and the Black National Tribal Council last December. He Leon Liebl, j’84, is Achievers Society. is city administrator for Chillicothe, Mo. sports anchor for the Tammy Dodson, j’85, g’91, practices law Jennifer Bowen Schmitendorf, c’86, KSN News team in in Lee’s Summit, Mo. She lives in g’11, is an assistant program manager for Wichita. Independence. KU Continuing Education. She and her Dale Goss, g’85, is senior vice president husband, Tom, live in Lawrence. of development for Jamba Juice. He and
48 | KANSAS ALUMNI
Class Notes
Richard Hall, b’87, is president of Timothy Patterson, d’90, is a quality- Group in Los Angeles. He and his wife, 87 B&R Insulation in Lenexa. He and assurance auditor for XenoTech in Lenexa. Sheryl, live in ousand Oaks. his wife, Ann Allen Hall, assoc., live in He and his wife, Melinda Baker, make Prairie Village. their home in Olathe. Nicola Heskett, c’93, is executive Mary Longhofer, n’87, g’94, works as a 93 director of the Children’s Center for sta nurse at Mercy Hospital in Portland, Elizabeth Moneymaker, c’91, l’96, the Visually Impaired in Kansas City, Maine, where she lives. 91 has become a partner in the law rm where she and her husband, Walter Cofer, Cathy Bleiler Lueers, j’87, serves on the of Dickinson & Gibbons in Sarasota, Fla. l’81, make their home. Hampton Township School Board. She Nancy Epp Hohmann, d’93, is program and her husband, Jim, f’87, live in Allison Donald Clark Jr., c’92, owns director for the Leemay Housing Partner- Park, Pa. 92 Personal Financial Group in ship in St. Louis, where she and her Donald Schreiner, c’87, recently was Leawood. He and Nancy Eberth Clark, husband, Paul, a’93, live. He’s project named director of development at the c’02, live in Olathe. manager for E&A Architects. Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Amy Davis Coopman, c’92, l’95, Kansas City. practices law with Foland, Wickens, James Day, c’94, practices medicine Darren Sextro, c’87, is senior operations Eisfelder, Roper & Hofe in Kansas City. 94 at Children’s Mercy Hospital in manager at the American Academy of She and her husband, David, b’92, g’03, Kansas City, where he and his wife, Kristie Family Physicians in Leawood. He and live in Shawnee. Hobbs-Day, make their home. his partner, John Rensenhouse, live in Michelle Coulter-Morrell, c’92, s’13, Suzanne Johnson, a’94, manages design Kansas City. works as a KIPP therapist with KVC in for Hensel Phelps in Chantilly, Va. She and Pittsburg, where she and her husband, her husband, Stanley Crocker, are resi- Kevin Brouillette, b’90, is vice Brian, ’95, make their home. He manages dents of Reston. 90 president of sales and marketing for special projects for Celltron. Allison Lippert, j’94, is a freelance Canyon Bakehouse. He and his wife, David Murdock Jr., b’92, is managing trainer, implementation specialist, editor Kimberly, live in Littleton, Colo. director of Silvercrest Asset Management and writer in Spanish Fork, Utah.
50 | KANSAS ALUMNI Tanya Honderick, n’96, g’04, School of Engineering. He and Melissa 96 directs the MPH program at KU Brickman Rockford, c’97, m’01, live in Medical Center’s Preventative Medicine De Soto. She’s an assistant professor Michelle Slavik Martin, l’94, works as Department in Kansas City. She lives in of anesthesiology at the KU Medical executive director of Catholic Charities of Shawnee. Center. Northern Kansas in Salina. She and her Jennie Tashe , g’97, is executive husband, Robert, l’94, live in Solomon. Judith Lessenden, c’97, g’00, is a director for First 5 Sonoma County in Mark Slyter, d’94, g’96, recently became 97 practice administrator at Hellman & Santa Rosa, Calif. She and her husband, president and chief executive o cer of Rosen Endocrine Associates in North Steve, a’93, g’93, live in Sebastopol. Baton Rouge (La.) General Medical Center. Kansas City. She lives in Overland Park. Samuel Rockford, d’97, g’01, teaches Xavier Avila, c’99, is managing Keri Kish, c’95, directs government math at St. James Academy in Lenexa. He 99 director of Deutsche Bank Securi- 95 relations for NAPSLO in Kansas City. received an Educating Excellence Award ties. He lives in New York City. She lives in Lawrence. from Perceptive So ware and the KU Mark Meinhardt, b’99, practices law
PROFILE by Steven Hill MARK KATZ
Roosa follows his own beat ing record, and Roosa pulled out all stops in music business career to book a show in the Kansas Union Ballroom for Oct. 17. hough he came to KU to study By then the iconic album “Nevermind” Tjournalism, Brad Roosa soon gured was in its third week on the charts and, out his strengths—and his passion—lay propelled by the surprise hit single “Smells elsewhere. Like Teen Spirit,” well on its way to No. 1. “I came because the journalism school e band came to Lawrence in a Ford was so strong, but I realized how abso- Econoline and le in their rst tour bus. lutely outgunned I was and how mis- “ at was an amazing moment in time, guided I was in thinking I was a good for me and for music in general,” recalls journalist just because I wrote for my high Roosa, who also helped bring to campus school paper,” Roosa says. “And I realized Pearl Jam, e Pixies, Fugazi, Primus, e I’d probably end up in Sugarditch, Miss.,” Violent Femmes and Soul Asylum. he adds with a laugh, “making no money.” “Everything was changing. It was revolu- Instead he pursued a career in music tion music.” “One of the biggest rushes is when a band goes promotion and management. Now artist A er earning his degree, Roosa went on onstage and for a couple of hours people forget manager and vice president of touring for the road as tour manager for Paw, the everything that’s wrong or right in the world Union Entertainment Group in Houston, Lawrence band led by Mark Hennessy, and just enjoy themselves in the moment,” he represents Nickelback, Kevin Costner c’02, ’14, considered the heir-apparent to Roosa says. “I was part of that, even if it’s and Modern West, Cinderella and other Nirvana. at gig led to a job booking behind the scenes, and I’m probably as excited bands established and up-and-coming. rock shows for a Texas promoter. Roosa as the guy onstage.” It’s a line of work that Roosa, j’93, switched employers a few times while discovered when he and friends from working his way up to artist manager. Hashinger Hall started booking groups “To me, it’s really the top rung of the into small venues like the Outhouse. One ladder, because you’re responsible for whipping boy, you name it.” of those bands was a then-unknown everything from setting up recording What keeps it interesting now is the Seattle trio called Nirvana. sessions to launching a tour,” Roosa says. same thing that made it interesting then. By 1991 Roosa was music coordinator “My specialty is touring, but I do “I still get that feeling when a song for Student Union Activities, and he spent everything with the artists we represent, comes on and I hear something that spring break in Los Angeles meeting with all facets of their career and business resonates, something that’s undeniable,” music agents. Nirvana’s agent played him management: baby sitter, spiritual Roosa says. “It’s the universal eect of demos of tracks from the band’s forthcom- advisor, shoulder to cry on, blame funnel, music. I still love that.”
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 51 with Meinhardt Law Firm in Phoenix. bariatric program at the University of New professor of general and Jessica Zellermayer, j’99, is an associate Mexico Sandoval Regional Medical Center geriatric medicine at KU producer with ABC News in New York in Rio Rancho. Medical Center, and they live City. She lives in Brooklyn. Howard Olson, g’01, recently became in Lenexa. executive director for Kansas City Crusad- Bradley Hallier, j’00, was promoted ers in Overland Park. Lauren Bechdoldt Bishop, n’03, is 00 to sports editor of the Hutchinson Khemarat Suthiwan, c’01, manages 03 community case manager for News. permitting for Slawson Exploration United Healthcare. She makes her home in Jack Martin, c’00, g’08, directs strategic Company in Denver. San Diego. communications for KU’s O ce of Public Kenneth Schmidt, c’03, works for A airs in Lawrence, where he and Sarah Katharine Milberger Haynes, c’02, McGrew Real Estate in Lawrence, where Jackson Martin, c’02, live. 02 b’02, l’05, is associate general he and Stephanie Spratt Schmidt, d’97, counsel for NIC in Olathe. m’05, make their home. Lori Dillehay, p’01, is a sta Gerhart Kloiber Jr., b’02, g’10, is an Amy Wong-Thai, c’03, is a cytotechnolo- 01 pharmacist at Roberts Drug adviser for Renaissance Financial in gist at BioReference Laboratories in Store in Baldwin City. She lives in Leawood. He lives in Lawrence. Campbell, Calif. She and her husband, Lawrence. Aimee Martinez, j’02, manages business Binh, e’02, live in San Mateo. Laura Kissel, c’01, lives in Houston, development for Clair Foundation/ where she’s a partner in Gibbs & Bruns. Conscious Recovery in Santa Monica, MARRIED Tamara Signer Niles, l’01, practices Calif. She lives in West Hollywood. Carrie Nodgaard, c’03, to Joshua law in Arkansas City, where she and her Helland, Nov. 16 in Los Angeles, where husband, Lance, ’93, make their home. BORN TO: they live. She’s vice president of project She recently was appointed to a three-year Julie Henning Pal, h’02, and Aroop, c’98, management and manufacturing for term on the KU School of Law Alumni m’02, son, James, Oct. 22 in Kansas City, CytRx, and he’s founder of With A Board of District Governors. where he joins three sisters, Ava, 9, Leah, Purpose. Jennifer Ogden, n’01, manages the 8, and Maya, 6. Aroop is an assistant
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 53 Class Notes
Michael Dalbom, c’04, works as a at the KU Alumni Association in Law- Katie Moyer Coman, j’06, g’10, is a 04 supply-chain representative for rence, where she lives. client partner with Spotlight Analyst Cardinal Health in Leawood. He and Robert Tobias, a’05, works as an Relations. She and her husband, Jacob, Emily Peterson Dalbom, c’04, j’04, live in architect with the General Services c’06, live in Lawrence, where he’s a Olathe. Administration’s Design and Construction manager in KU’s information technology Collette Pomeroy, j’04, g’11, Division in Philadelphia. department. supervises accounts for Saatchi & Saatchi Megan Winter, l’05, is a partner in the Tristan Moody, e’06, g’08, PhD’13, is a in Overland Park. Her home is in San Diego rm of Fisher & Phillips. She systems engineer with Boeing. He and Shawnee. and her husband, Matthew Beckman, live Krista Miller Moody, c’08, g’10, live in in Encinitas. Houston, where she is an early childhood BORN TO: special-education teacher. Benjamin, c’04, g’06, and Jessica Kirby, Stefany Samp, b’06, g’08, works as a c’04, daughter, Cora, June 5 in Dallas, senior internal auditor at Koch Industries where she joins a brother, Charlie, 2. in Wichita. BORN TO: Susan Young Whalen, c’06, is an Monica Delaorra, j’05, g’10, directs Colin, c’05, and Hayley Dool Dutton, administrative assistant in KU’s depart- 05 recruitment at KU’s Edwards d’06, twin sons, Sullivan Douglas and ment of mechanical engineering in Campus in Overland Park. Her home is in Rowan Timothy, Aug. 8 in Overland Park, Lawrence, where she and her husband, Olathe. where they join a brother, Calvin, who’s Kurt, make their home. Terri Cooper Swanson, g’05, PhD’13, is nearly 3. Colin is a claims supervisor at an education instructor at Pittsburg State Farmers Insurance Group. BORN TO: University. She and her husband, Nolan, Rob, b’06, g’06, and Courtney live in Olathe. Grant Bussard, e’06, g’13, is a Keating Werling, ’06, daughter, Sadie Tegan Thornberry, d’05, g’10, recently 06 system engineer at the Wolf Creek Layne, Sept. 1 in Lenexa, where she became assistant director of membership Nuclear Operating Corp. in Burlington. joins a sister, Peyton, 3.
54 | KANSAS ALUMNI Ashley Chitwood, j’07, directs Elizabeth Harmon, c’08, l’11, is assistant Sophie directs development for Kansas 07 marketing for Southwest director of enforcement for the NCAA in Wesleyan University, and Je is controller Florida College and Platt College in Indianapolis, where she lives. for ISG Technology. Fort Myers, Fla. Laura Stiles, e’08, works as an aerospace Shannon Layman, c’07, f’07, is a lecturer engineer with Blue Origin in Kent, Wash. Maxx Hickey, c’09, is an associate in the psychology department at the Neva Sedorcek Thiessen, g’08, works as 09 attorney at Swier Law Firm in University of Texas. She and her husband, a youth-education specialist at Botanica in Sioux Falls, S.D. Joseph Miller, ’01, live in Arlington. Wichita, where she and her husband, Lindsay Lazar, j’09, works as ne-wine Walter, make their home. retail manager for E&J Gallo Winery. She Brian Carmitcheal, b’08, works as a lives in San Diego. 08 real-estate agent for Platinum BORN TO: Nicholas Pellant, d’09, serves as a Realty. He and Mary Schultz Carmitcheal, Sophie Blackwell Lamb, c’08, Je, b’04, U.S. Navy petty o cer second class ’10, live in Olathe. son, Ford Blackwell, July 3 in Salina. in Ellicott City, Md., where he and his
PROFILE by Phil Scott
Alaska detour becomes “Ketchikan is the rst stop on the ferry,” life path for Wilhelm he says, “and the next day I had a job there.” Signing on with a ship’s crew, he WILHELM CHRISTOPHER COURTESY his year marks the 25th anniversary hauled supplies to more than 11,000 Tof two globe-rocking news stories: the workers in Prince William Sound scraping 1989 collapse of the Soviet Union and the crude o the ocean and the beaches and Exxon Valdez oil spill, which poured 11 scrubbing oil-saturated wildlife with dish million gallons of crude onto the pristine soap. Two months later he met Tia Alaskan coast near Prince William Sound. Antonsen, a native of the area. For Christopher Wilhelm, c’87, the two e two married and settled in Ket- events proved fateful. chikan. “It was just chance that I arrived Banking on a government career as a here and I’m spending the rest of my life Soviet analyst, the gregarious Lawrence here,” Wilhelm says. native earned his bachelor’s degree in He piloted a ship in Prudhoe Bay, shed German language and literature, and was commercially, dived commercially and While his career track ultimately veered far just six hours from completing his master’s drove a tour bus. “It was three times a day, from his college plan, Wilhelm (with his wife, in East German and Soviet culture. every day, and it didn’t pay as well [as Tia) says the training wasn’t wasted. “From my “I was studying something that was piloting a ship], but I loved giving tours time at KU I have the appreciation that I can do rapidly disintegrating, so there was and pattering with tourists.” anything.” nothing waiting for me in Washington,” In 1991 Wilhelm started Ketchikan City Wilhelm says. “And then, the Valdez. It Tours to conduct sightseeing excursions was heartbreaking. I’d see footage of these through Alaska’s h-largest city, which com), which leads hikers through the birds obviously not going to make it. stretches along the state’s southwestern 17-million-acre forest—the largest in the “A few months into the disaster Exxon coast on 30 miles of paved road that United States. was completely helpless and they needed a includes Totem Pole Park, a salmon “It was like getting a divorce and hand from everybody—including me. I hatchery and Creek Street, once a red-light winning the lottery same day,” Wilhelm thought, ‘I have a car, I use oil products, district home to famed “sporting woman” laughs. “I’m still in business for myself, I and I’m not afraid to get dirty.’” Dolly Arthur. live in the house my wife’s grandparents Wilhelm drove his ’84 Datsun 2,500 Fourteen years later he sold City Tours, built, I’m alive, life is good. I’m not getting miles to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, focusing his semi-retirement on raising rich but I’m happy.” then took a ferry nearly 120 miles north to free-range chickens and running Tongass —Scott, c’86, j’86, is a freelance writer a place he’d never heard of before. Rainforest Expeditions (ketchikanhike. in Rockaway, N.Y.
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 55 Class Notes
wife, Caitlin, make their home. University in Rock Hill, S.C. Joseph Boothe, c’12, works as a Whitney Reed Roberts, b’09, g’09, is a Megan Lemon, b’10, g’11, works as a 12 writer and producer in North senior nancial analyst for WireCo nancial analyst for the Kansas City Star. Hollywood, Calif. WorldGroup in Kansas City. Juliette Nguyen Osler, b’10, l’13, is a Parker Corrin, p’12, is a clinical sta Katharine Sangha, c’09, l’13, is an claims analyst at AIG. She and her pharmacist at Stormont-Vail HealthCare associate with Polsinelli in Kansas City. husband, Ian, b’10, g’11, live in Mission. in Topeka. He lives in Lawrence. Joseph Schremmer, c’09, j’09, g’13, l’13, He’s a senior tax associate for Trista Hageman, s’12, lives in Fort practices law with Withers, Gouth, Pike, PricewaterhouseCoopers. Worth, Texas, and is a social worker with Pfa & Peterson in Wichita. the Alzheimer’s Association. Drew Case, j’11, c’11, is a volunteer Michael Lavieri, j’12, covers community Brent Blazek, d’10, g’12, is assistant 11 and client resource associate at sports for the World Company in 10 director of alumni and constituent Bering Omega Community Services in Lawrence. His home is in Kansas City. relations for Rockhurst University in Houston. Michael Wagner, b’12, works as a Kansas City. Leigh Gernsbacher, c’11, manages sales representatiave for Paycom. Mallory Christian, c’10, works as a projects for Chain Link Services. She lives He lives in Denver. brokerage underwriter for All Risk Ltd. in in Dallas. Austin, Texas, where she lives. Shelton Heilman, e’11, works as a design John-Michael Angotti, j’13, is a Brittany McCrorey Gonser, c’10, teaches engineer for EN Engineering. His home is 13 professional-services consultant for fourth grade at Turner Elementary School in Olathe. Perceptive So ware in Shawnee. in Kansas City. She received a Horizon Brent Nye, b’11, manages accounts for Gregory Barry, g’13, is on the architec- Award from the Kansas Department of C.H. Robinson in Chicago. tural sta at Wiencek & Associates in Education, which is given annually to 32 Maria Neal Soleimani, l’11, g’11, Washington, D.C., where he lives. new teachers in the state. practices law with Neal Soleimani Law in Eric Baum, e’13, works as a mechanical Elizabeth Krebs, d’10, is an Charleston, S.C., where she and her designer for the DLR Group in Overland assistant athletic trainer at Winthrop husband, Ali, g’08, PhD’11, live. Park. His home is in Lawrence.
56 | KANSAS ALUMNI ISSUE 2, 2014 | 57 Class Notes
Spenser Bennett, d’13, is a buying designer with Western Forms in Kansas sta attorney for Kansas Legal Services in assistant with Sampler Stores Inc. He lives City. He lives in Olathe. Kansas City. He lives in Leawood. in Kansas City. Ashley Detmering, a’13, is a graphic Jordan Katzfey, b’13, is an inside-sales LeAnn Bova, c’13, is a manager at W 6 designer for Colorado Mountain News representative for Flextronics. He makes Ranch in Spring Hill. Media in Gypsum, Colo. his home in Eudora. Ryan Boyer, l’13, practices law with Eric Devlin, e’13, works as an engineer Douglas Keane, l’13, practices law with Sprint in Kansas City. with the Paric Corp. in St. Louis. He lives Shook, Hardy & Bacon in Kansas City. Russell Brown, l’13, works as a in Ballwin. Paul Lillig, g’13, owns Picaso Design sta accountant for MarksNelson in David Dullea, b’13, is a compliance Build in Kansas City, where he lives. Kansas City. manager and coordinator for H&R Block Lindsay Long, l’13, is contracts and Jack Campbell, c’13, is a project in Kansas City. He and his wife, Shelby, grants manager for the AIDS Taskforce of associate for PRA. He and his wife, Megan, live in Lawrence. Greater Cleveland. Her home is in live in Kansas City. Olubukola Faseru, n’13, is a nurse at KU Fairlawn, Ohio. Andrew Coggins, j’13, works as an Medical Center in Kansas City. Kelli Tre Lucas, b’13, manages reserva- associate for ISN. He lives in Dallas. Camille Fittell, e’13, is a process engi- tions for U-Haul of Kansas City. She and Laura Conde, b’13, manages accounts neer with CRB Consulting Engineers in her husband, Philip, make their home in for StoreFinancial. Her home is in Kansas City. She lives in Shawnee. Virginia Beach, Va. Overland Park. Jacob Gentillon, c’13, works as a Jerey Coppaken, l’13, practices law chemist at Yulex in Phoenix, with Vincent Fontg Hansen in Kansas where he lives. City. He lives in Overland Park. Erin Gill, c’13, is a veterinary Ebonie Davis, l’13, practices law with assistant at Fox Hill Veterinary Clayborn & Associates in Kansas City. She Clinic in Overland Park. He lives lives in Raytown, Mo. in Prairie Village. Andrew DeLapp, e’13, is a senior Casey Johnson, l’13, works as a
58 | KANSAS ALUMNI Katherine MacCormack, c’13, works Yaokun Yang, g’13, is an assistant Bradley King, g’14, works as a petro- as a beverage quality-control technician professor of music at Liaoning Normal leum geologist with ConocoPhillips in for Lab Solutions. She lives in University in Dalian Lioning, China. Houston. He lives in Katy, Texas. O’Fallon, Mo. Dylan Lysen, j’14, is a sta writer for the Jennifer Booth McLiney, b’13, does MARRIED Ottawa Herald in Ottawa. technical recruiting for TriCom Technical Adam Lauridsen, c’13, and Lauren Brandon Woodard, c’14, works as a Services in Overland Park. Deaver, c’13, Nov. 2 in Lawrence, where family-practice admissions representative Jill Mitchell, l’13, serves as assistant they live. He is a program manager at the at Lawrence Memorial Hospital in district attorney for the 18th Judicial Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence, and she’s Lawrence, where he lives. District of Kansas. She lives in Wichita. an administrative assistant at the Profes- Douglas Mowery, s’13, works as a sional Renewal Center. ASSOCIATE college-access assistant for Public Allies Clarice Penzler, j’13, to Brian Orzokie- Gene Budig, assoc., co-wrote George Connecticut-AmeriCorps. He lives in wicz, Aug. 2 in Danforth Chapel. eir Norris, Going Home: Re ections of a Wilmette, Ill. home is in Raeford, N.C. Progressive Statesman, which recently was Leslie Novosel, PhD’13, is an assistant published by the University of Nebraska professor of education at the University of Aly Boyer, ’14, is chief operating Press. Gene is chancellor emeritus at KU. Hawaii at Manoa. She lives in Honolulu. 14 o cer of SpineEx. She lives in He and Gretchen VanBloom Budig, assoc., Katherine Ottoson, b’13, is a corporate Overland Park. live in Isle of Palms, S.C. auditor at Union Paci c in Omaha, Neb. Rebecca Miller Eck, g’14, is a nurse Francis Park, PhD’13, serves as a practitioner at Children’s Mercy Hospital The Jayhawk figurines adorning these strategic policy adviser to the commander in Kansas City. She and her husband, pages have been donated by alumni of the International Security Assistance Jonathan, live in Roeland Park. and are from the collection at the Force in Kabul, Afghanistan. His home is Amy Gairns, a’14, is a marketing Adams Alumni Center. in Spring eld, Va. administrative assistant for Keller-Wil- Anna Qin, c’13, works as a math tutor in liams Realty Inc. She lives in Lawrence. Denver, where she lives. Matthew Rader, c’13, co-owns ManaBar Artesian Teas in Lawrence, where he makes his home. Kevin Ruprecht, g’13, works as a data analyst for Cerner in Kansas City, where he makes his home. Eric Sader, s’13, l’13, is a therapeutic case manager with KVC Health Systems in Lawrence, where he lives. He recently was appointed to the board of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Open Roads LGBT Community Center. Jamea Sale, g’13, is a vocal coach at JameaSale.com in Olathe. Jenna Sander, g’13, is a certi ed nurse midwife at Rooks County Health Center in Plainville, where she and her husband, Darrell, make their home. Sheridan Stewart, c’13, works as a research manager at the University of Arizona. He lives in Tucson. Margaret White, c’13, d’13, is a math instructional support assistant with the Lawrence school district. Michelle Williams, s’13, works as a team supervisor at St. Francis Community Services in Great Bend. She makes her home in Ellinwood.
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 59 In Memory Richard Houts, b’49, 90, July 31 in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., where he was a retired engineering specialist with Boeing. He is survived by his wife, Charlene Turner Houts, ’51; three daugh- Phillip Boxer, b’38, 97, Jan. 13 in earlier was known as the Houston Oilers. ters; two sons; six grandchildren; and a 30sEnglewood, Colo. He was dean In 1959, he and Dallas businessman Lamar great-grandchild. emeritus of liberal arts at the Metropolitan Hunt co-founded the American Football Carl Kresie, b’42, 93, Jan. 16 in Topeka, State College of Denver, where he taught League. e Adams Alumni Center in where he had been vice president of Blue English literature, philosophy and religion Lawrence is named for his late father, Cross & Blue Shield. He is survived by his for more than 20 years. Earlier he owned K.S. “Boots” Adams, ’21. Two daughters wife, Mary Jane; a son, Karl, e’73; three Boxer’s Steakhouse. Surviving are his wife, survive. daughters, Jan Kresie Barger, d’75, Sharon Florine, two daughters and a grandson. Edward Andrisevic, b’49, 91, Jan. 11 in Kresie Schenewerk, c’77, and Annette Barbara Tupper George, c’38, 98, Jan. 7 Kansas City, where he had a career in Kresie Evanson, c’86; and eight in Estes Park, Colo., where she was a business. He is survived by his wife, grandchildren. retired school teacher. A memorial has Velma; a daughter, Rose Andrisevic Milton Lebsack, e’41, 96, Dec. 15 in been established with KU Endowment. Sampson, c’84; and two grandchildren. Englewood, Colo., where he had a career She is survived by a son, Michael George, Edward Blincoe, e’49, 88, Dec. 17 in in the oil business. He is survived by two ’75; a daughter, Paula George, c’71; three Highlands Ranch, Colo., where he was sons, three daughters, two granddaughters grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; retired from a career in the oil business. and two stepgrandchildren. and a great-great-grandchild. He is survived by his wife, Betty Arm- Arthur Oatman Jr., e’48, 86, Nov. 3 in Fern Baker Meek, d’34, 102, Dec. 15 in strong Blincoe, ’51; two sons, one of whom Shawnee Mission, where he was an Blue Springs, Mo. She lived in Lee’s is William, m’79; two daughters; a brother, electrical engineer for Black & Veatch. He Summit, where she was the rst librarian Robert, b’50; a sister, Elizabeth Flournoy- is survived by his wife, Norma; three sons, at Longview Community College. Surviv- Rivera, ’41; seven grandchildren; and a two of whom are Ray, ’82, and Roger, ’80; ing are two daughters, six grandchildren great-granddaughter. 10 grandchildren; and 22 and ve great-grandchildren. Mildred “Miki” Bringman, g’47, 97, Oct. great-grandchildren. William Keith Swinehart, c’38, 97, Dec. 13 in Lake Lotawana, Mo. She taught Marjorie Vogel Reynolds, ’49, 86, Dec. 18 in Hilton Head, S.C., where he was high-school English and literature in St. 29 in Ottawa, where she was secretary of retired. He had lived in McPherson and Joseph for more than 40 years and nurses at Ransom Memorial Hospital. She was vice president of the plastic-pipe volunteered more than 20,000 hours in is survived by her husband, Cli ord, b’44; division of Certain Teed Products and Kansas City hospitals. four sons, three of whom are Greg, b’72, president and CEO of Vanguard Plastics. Helen Stark Caron, c’47, c’48, 89, Dec. Brad, ’75, and Barry, b’92; a daughter; and Surviving are a son, W. Keith II, b’64; a 17 in Danvers, Mass. She worked as a seven grandchildren. daughter, Dinah Swinehart Brock, c’72; bacteriologist and as a medical secretary Delmar Robertson, b’49, 87, Oct. 31 in and two grandchildren. and is survived by her husband, Alexis, Neosho, Mo., where he was a CPA and a Gilbert Towne, d’39, 96, Sept. 5 in two sons, two daughters, a brother and cattle rancher. He is survived by his wife, Sherwood, Ore. He had coordinated eight grandchildren. Dortha Jean, three daughters, seven services for Portland General Electric and Sally Blake Gille, c’47, 90, Oct. 17 in grandchildren and three had owned and operated a hazelnut and Leawood. She was active in community great-grandchildren. cane berry farm east of Salem. Survivors a airs. A memorial has been established John “Jack” Robinson, e’49, 86, include two daughters, four grandchildren, with KU Endowment. She is survived by Dec. 26 in Prairie Village, where he eight great-grandchildren and two two daughters, Jennifer Gille Bacon, c’71, was retired from more than 40 years great-great-grandchildren. l’76, and Julia Gille Anderson, l’82; a son, with Black & Veatch. He had served as Viola Gordon Winchell, c’39, 98, Dec. 9 Gregory, j’74, g’76; and four national chair of the KU Alumni in Lawrence, where she was a retired grandchildren. Association and was a recipient of KU’s teacher. She is survived by a daughter; a Floyd Grillot, c’48, m’51, 95, Jan. 8 in Distinguished Engineering Service Award son; a stepdaughter; a stepson, Robert Blue Eye, Mo. He practiced medicine in and the Alumni Association’s Fred Winchell, c’71; 14 grandchildren; and 16 Wichita for many years. A memorial has Ellsworth Medallion and Distinguished great-grandchildren. been established with KU Endowment. He Service Citation. His wife, Patricia Odell is survived by his wife, Peggy; four sons, Robinson, assoc., died Nov. 24. ey are Kenneth “Bud” Adams Jr., e’44, two of whom are Michael, m’88, and survived by two sons, John Jr., e’72, g’74, 40s90, Oct. 21 in Houston. He owned Stephen, m’96; 16 grandchildren; and ve and Clinton, e’85, g’92; two daughters, the Tennessee Titans football team, which great-grandchildren. Patty Robinson Campbell, n’76, and
60 | KANSAS ALUMNI Donna Robinson Bales, h’79; a brother, Jack Allen, e’54, 81, Jan. 14 in of Arizona. He is survived by his wife, Arthur, c’42, m’44; 12 grandchildren; and 50sWichita, where he was a retired Nancy Longwood Greenlee, f’61; three two great-grandchildren. civil engineer with ARCO Pipeline. He is daughters; and six grandchildren. Lila Reetz Self, ’43, 91, Nov. 28 in Burr survived by his wife, Anna Mae; two Susan Smith Hamble, c’56, 78, Dec. 11 Ridge, Ill. She and her late husband, Al, daughters, Julie Allen Sturteant, e’86, and in Houston, where she was retired from e’43, established a graduate fellowship Amy Allen Soschinske, h’89; a son; a sister; Continental Oil. She is survived by her program for KU doctoral students and the and six grandchildren. husband, William; a brother; Robert Smith SELF Engineering Leadership Fellowship Jody Anderson, c’55, m’59, 81, Jan. 17 Jr., c’53, l’55; and a sister. Program. Two sisters and two grandsons in Salina, where she practiced medicine. A Louise Heim Hamilton, ’54, 81, Dec. 5 survive. memorial has been established with KU in Topeka, where she was an artist and E. Kathrine Eberhardt Selma, c’41, g’67, Endowment. She is survived by a sister, former vice president of the Kansas Arts 93, Nov. 2 in Leawood, where she was a Nancy Anderson Matthews, j’52; and a Commission. She is survived by her retired elementary-school teacher and brother, Robert Anderson, ’59. husband, John; six sons, two of whom are principal. Warren Baker, m’56, 88, Aug. 18 in Robert Brock Jr., ’72, and Darin Brock, ’87; Carl Sutton, e’43, 91, Oct 24 in Tulsa, Livermore, Colo., where he was a psychia- a daughter; a sister; and eight Okla., where he was retired executive trist and a writer. He is survived by his grandchildren. secretary of the Gas Processors Associa- wife, Wynne, assoc.; and two daughters. Robert Hollis, b’52, 83, Jan. 1 in tion. He is survived by his wife, Doris William Banner, c’57, 78, Oct. 25 in Lawrence. He founded the Olathe CPA Wright Sutton, ’46; two daughters; a son; Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., where he was rm of Hollis, Kuckelman & VanDeVeer six grandchildren; and seven a computer programmer at Douglas and later was the chief nancial o cer for great-grandchildren. Aircra and later at TRW. He is survived an international nonpro t organization in Warren Taylor, c’49, 88, Oct. 17 in by his wife, Shirley Hawkins Banner, c’57; Colorado. He is survived by his wife, Bradbury, Calif., where he was a retired three daughters; a brother, Robert, ’62; and Judith; two daughters, Anne Hollis manager for the Burroughs Corp. He is nine grandchildren. Tramposh, h’76, g’89, and Laura Hollis, survived by his wife, Argie, a son, two Mary Hansen Benson, ’54, 81, Dec. 17 ’83; three sons, one of whom is John, ’89; a grandchildren and two in Marietta, Ga., where she was retired stepson; two stepdaughters; 13 grandchil- great-granddaughters. from a 42-year career with Hewlett- dren; and a great-grandson. Willis “Tom” Tompkins, b’43, g’48, 91, Packard. A memorial has been established John Ivie, b’52, 83, Nov. 4 in Joplin, Mo., Nov. 4 in Kansas City, where he was with KU Endowment. She is survived by where he was president and general retired from a career in higher-education two brothers, the Rev. Paul Hansen, c’58, manager of Union Transfer & Storage and administration and had been a resource- and John Hansen, e’57; and a sister. later worked for the Joplin Public Library. development consultant with Marts & Hazel Davis Bigsby, d’53, 82, Dec. 10 in His wife, Mary; two sons; a brother, Jerry Lundy. He is survived by his wife, Marie Richland Hills, Texas, where she was a Ivie, b’55; and two grandchildren survive. Larson Tompkins, b’46; three daughters; a longtime Sunday school teacher. She is Howard Kizer Jr., p’55, 81, Dec. 28 in brother, Wendell, c’43; and six survived by her husband, Harold, b’55; two Paris, Mo., where he owned and operated grandchildren. sons; two daughters; a brother, Kenneth a pharmacy for 35 years. He is survived by Robert Van Citters, c’49, m’53, 87, Dec. Davis, c’60; and ve grandchildren. his wife, Rose; a son; a brother; two sisters, 7 in Edmonds, where he was former dean Jack Dalton, c’50, l’53, 85, Dec. 12 in one of whom is Mary Kizer Culp, f’56; and of medicine and a cardiovascular Dodge City, where he practiced law and two grandchildren. researcher at the University of Washing- was active in civic a airs. He is survived by John Kuckelman, d’51, 85, Oct. 9 in ton. He is survived by two daughters, two his wife, Janol Lee Dalton, assoc.; a Keokuk, Iowa. For many years, he lived in sons, a brother, eight grandchildren and daughter, Mary Dalton Shultz, ’76; two Aurora, Colo., where he was a public- three great-grandchildren. sons, John, ’82, and Ross, j’83; a sister, school counselor. He is survived by his Keith Wolfenbarger, c’49, g’51, m’58, Helen Dalton Call, ’56; six grandchildren; wife, Wilma, three daughters, two sons, 86, Oct. 12 in Arapahoe, N.C., where and two great-grandchildren. ve brothers, a sister and seven he was retired physician. He is survived Marilyn Kulp Endsley, d’58, 79, Oct. 1 grandchildren. by three daughters; a stepson; two in Beloit, where she was a private piano Robert Kulp, m’52, 88, Oct. 26 in Brush, stepdaughters, Susan Brunell, a’79, teacher. Among survivors are her husband, Colo., where he was a retired physician. and Ann Bitter, j’84; and two Ernest, assoc.; a daughter, Mary Lynn He is survived by his wife, Arlene, two granddaughters. Hodgson Blacklock, d’85; a son; two daughters, a son, ve grandchildren and Ina Belle Zimmerman, h’46, 91, Aug. 4 stepsons; and a grandchild. three great-grandchildren. in Godfrey, Ill., where she was a retired William “Marty” Greenlee, c’58, g’59, Joanna Mitchell MacLaughlin, c’52, 83, dietitian. She is survived by a sister, PhD’67, 77, March 11 in Tucson, where he Oct. 8 in Leawood. She had chaired the Margaret Zimmerman, n’47. was a professor emeritus at the University board of United Way of Greater Kansas
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 61 In Memory
City and was active in the Junior League. wife, Rosalie; two daughters, one of whom Engleman. He is survived by his wife, She is survived by her husband, Jay, assoc.; is Anne Rouse Maraccini, c’80, d’82; ve Marsha, assoc.; four daughters, one of a son; a daughter, Virginia MacLaughlin sons, one of whom is omas “Jon,” c’85; a whom is Marina Stewart Maimer, d’78; McCoskrie, c’79, h’80; three sisters, two of sister, Mary Jo Rouse Smith Jones, c’57; two sons, one of whom is Steven, ’84; and whom are Jeanne Mitchell Menuet, c’52, and many grandchildren and 11 grandchildren. and Helen Mitchell Starnes, d’56; and seven great-grandchildren. Nina Wray Boatwright Trekell, n’52, 82, grandchildren. Robert Sauder, ’50, 87, Jan. 16 in April 1 in Maryville, Tenn., where she was Anna Marie Gunner Mapes, n’50, 84, Emporia, where was a retired executive a retired nurse. Among survivors are a Nov. 3 in Overland Park. She had been a with ermal Ceramics and had founded daughter, Melissa, m’78; a son, Stanley, nurse and later was a nancial planner and Sauder Tank Co. Surviving are his wife, j’81; two sisters, Shirley Boatwright a stockbroker. Surviving are a son, Je rey, Polly, assoc.; a son, Paul, b’75; two daugh- Westwood, f’55, and Sharon Kay Boat- c’79; a daughter; and a sister. ters, Anne Sauder Wall, d’76, and Julia wright, ’62; and a granddaughter. Stephen McCorkle, b’50, 85, Nov. 10 in Sauder Werner, f’89; a sister; a twin Roeland Park, where he worked for brother; 10 grandchildren; and three Frank Bono, b’61, 80, Dec. 1 in Westinghouse and for Ford Motor Com- great-grandchildren. 60sOverland Park, where he was pany. A memorial has been established with Norbert Schneider, b’59, 86, Oct. 24 in retired owner of Bono’s Restaurant. An KU Endowment. He is survived by three Wichita, where he was a retired electrical aunt survives. sons, two of whom are Michael, ’82, and engineer. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Boxberger, PhD’63, 93, Sept. 8 in Russell, ’76. Margaret Zimmerling Schneider, c’59; Great Bend, where she retired from a Dean Melkus, ’54, 81, Dec. 4 in Topeka, three daughters, Suzanne Schneider Haag, career as a professor of music at several where he was a retired dentist. He is ’83, Joan Schneider Richardson, h’85; and universities. Two sisters survive. survived by his wife, Kay; a son; a daughter, Sheila Schneider, ’90; a sister; and six George Brewer, g’67, 76, Jan. 17 in Megan Melkus Urban, ’86; three grandchil- grandchildren. Olathe, where he was a former teacher and dren; and two stepgranddaughters. Farrokh “Frank” Shahrokhi, c’59, 77, principal. He is survived by two sons, a Harry Newby, b’52, 82, Oct. 9 in Lenexa, Jan. 14 in Leawood. He was a chemist for daughter, a sister, a brother and six where he was retired from a career with 20 years and later owned Advance Printing grandchildren. Western Auto Supply. A brother, Daniel, in Olathe. He is survived by two sons, one Florence “Danny” Daniels Drury, d’67, ’55, survives. of whom is Paul, b’88; a daughter, Mary 93, Dec. 8 in Lawrence, where she was a Dwayne Peaslee, ’55, 81, Nov. 19 in Shahrokhi Devlin, f’01; two brothers; and teacher. She is survived by a son, Jon, c’70; Lawrence, where was a pipe tter and ve grandchildren. two daughters, one of whom is Ann Drury former business manager of the Plumbers Richard Slater, e’56, 79, Oct. 27 in Heyse, c’79; and eight grandchildren. and Pipe tters Local Union. In 2012, the Shawnee Mission, where he was retired Roger Geery, e’62, 76, Dec. 27 in South Lawrence Chamber of Commerce named from a career at IBM and Compuserve. Padre Island, Texas, where he was director him Citizen of the Years. He is survived by He is survived by a sister, Beverly Slater of international property management for his wife, Ruby; a daughter, Valerie Peaslee Cha ee, g’78. the Fluor Corp. He is survived by his wife, Earhart, ’80; and a son, Kyle, c’82. Kenneth Smith, e’50, 87, Aug. 5 in Susan, a son, two daughters, a brother and Donald Potter ’56, 83, Jan. 12 in Law- Boise, Idaho, where he was a former ve grandchildren. rence, where he owned three service geological engineer and vice president of William Geiger Jr., m’66, 90, Jan. 19 in stations, a body shop and Hertz Rent-a-Car. exploration and production for Sinclair Leawood, where he was retired from a He is survived by his wife, Marie Galluzzi- Oil. He is survived by his wife, Donnie career in anesthesiology. He is survived by Potter, assoc.; two daughters, one of whom Jones Smith, d’50; a daughter; a son; and his wife, Bette; three sons, one of whom is is Stacy Potter Orr, e’82; a son, Donald four grandchildren. omas, ’84; two daughters; one of whom Lindell Potter, ’91; three stepsons, Gregory Jane Murdock Snaidas, c’55, g’66, 80, is Suzanne Geiger Duncan, c’73; and ve Galluzzi, g’80, Daniel Galluzzi, ’78, and Oct. 26 in Piscataway, N.J., where she was grandchildren. Gary Galluzzi, l’89; 20 grandchildren; and a retired teacher. Two daughters survive. Karen Wright Gould, d’67, 68, Oct. 19 in 10 great-grandchildren. Paul Staats, a’52, 84, Oct. 18 in Sausalito, Calif. She had lived in Kansas Virginia Rose, c’52, 83, Dec. 14 in San Shawnee Mission, where he was a retired City and Lawrence and was assistant vice Bruno, Calif. She taught school in San architect and co-founder of the rm of president and interior designer at Gould Francisco for 37 years and is survived by a Nearing, Staats, Prelogar and Jones. He is Evans A liates. She organized an educa- brother, Jim Rose, assoc. survived by his wife, Barbara, two sons, a tion program at Spencer Museum of Art Wallace Rouse, e’50, 86, Jan. 18 in daughter and four grandchildren. that earned recognition from the National Delavan, Wis., where he was an engineer Jack Stewart, b’51, g’52, l’55, 84, Oct. Endowment of the Arts. Surviving are her and a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. 21 in Salina, where he was a partner in the husband, Bob, a’67; two daughters, Mischa Army Reserves. Among survivors are his law rm of Hampton, Dunham and Gould Buchholz, c’97, and Kira Gould,
62 | KANSAS ALUMNI j’90, c’91; and three grandchildren. daughter, Amy Stultz Tysseling, b’00; his husband, John, a son, her mother and a Bobby “Gri” Grith, e’60, 77, Dec. 19 mother, Beryldine Stultz, assoc.; two brother. in Aurora, Ill., where he was retired from brothers, one of whom is Gregory, g’72; a 38 years with Caterpillar. He is survived by sister, Jennifer Stultz Knowles, f’82; and a THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY his wife, Martha; a son; a daughter; a grandson. Harry Buchholz Jr., 65, Nov. 17 in brother, Tom, e’57; and two Roxanne Speise, a’77, g’00, 59, Oct. 3 Lawrence, where he was an instrument granddaughters. in Redondo Beach, Calif., where she was technologist at KU. Two brothers survive. Corneilus “Con” Helling, m’67, 70 in retired from Alexandria Real Estate Bonnie Caldwell Byers, s’82, 58, Dec. 23 Plano, Texas, where he was an OB-GYN. Equities. She is survived by a son; her in Lawrence, where she had been assistant He is survived by his wife, Molly; two sons; father and stepmother; a brother, Steven to the dean of business at KU for eight a brother, omas Helling, c’69, m’73; a Speise, g’81, g’98; a sister; and two years. She is survived by her husband, Bob, sister, Jane Helling Grutzmacher, b’75, g’86; granddaughters. s’79; a son, Chris, ’01; and a sister, Brenda and ve grandchildren. Caldwell Pierce, ’87. Katherine “Betsy” Woods Luder, c’60, Martin Alvarez, c’88, 64, Sept. George Farha, 86, Jan. 7 in Wichita, 75, Nov. 9 in Arkansas City, where she was 80s21 in Gilbert, Ariz., where he was where he co-founded the Wichita Surgical a homemaker. She is survived by her retired from AFG Glass. He is survived by Group and chaired the surgical residency husband, Stu; two sons, Bob, j’83, and Pat, his wife, Cindy; a daughter, Celeste program at the KU School of Medicine. e ’87; and ve grandchildren. Alvarez Plitz, ’96; a son, Martin, ’00; three school’s library is named for him, and in Judy Sheaks McKenna, c’63, 72, Jan. 3 sisters, one of whom is Anita Alvarez Abel, 1999 he was honored with the George J. in Fort Collins, where she was a family- ’82; two brothers, one of whom is Stephen, Farha Surgical Chair. He is survived by his resource management professor at Colo- ’79; and four grandchildren. wife, Brenda; four daughters; a sister; a rado State University. She is survived by Lillian King Clark, d’81, d’82, 90, Oct. 31 brother, Jim, m’59; and six grandchildren. her husband, Bill Kruse; three sons; two in Lawrence, where she taught piano for Douglas Horbelt, 67, Jan. 21 in Wichita, daughters; her father, John Sheaks, b’37, many years. She is survived by ve where he directed the OB-GYN program g’43; a sister, Susan Sheaks Hammons, c’66; daughters, two of whom are Mary Clark and the division of gynecologic oncology at a brother; and nine grandchildren. Giles, ’78, and Jenny, h’90; ve sons, three the KU School of Medicine. He is survived Patricia Crawford Meyer, d’69, 67, in of whom are Victor, c’89, g’96, John, c’87, by his wife, Patricia, two sons, a brother and Hampton, Va. She worked for the Morgan and Patrick, d’87; a sister; 14 grandchil- three grandchildren. Marrow Co. and is survived by her dren; and ve great-grandchildren. Joseph Marzlu, 92, in Beaufort, S.C. He husband, Jim, two sons and four Douglas Douthit, m’84, 59, Dec. 5 in was a KU professor emeritus of naval grandchildren. Wichita, where he was a partner in science and a commanding o cer of the Sharon Edgar Van Dyke, d’60, 75, Wichita OB-GYN Associates. He is NROTC unit. ree sons, eight grandchil- Jan. 12 in Leawood. She is survived by her survived by his wife, Denise; a daughter; a dren and seven great-grandchildren husband, Tom, c’60; a son, Je rey, ’91; a son, Sam, c’13; his father; three sisters; a survive. daughter, Jennifer Van Dyke Winters, ’85; brother; and two grandchildren. Carol Nalbandian, PhD’90, 69, Jan. 7 a brother; and nine grandchildren. Lynn Ann Guenther-Alexander, f’87, 50, in Lawrence, where she had worked in Dec. 14 in Lawrence, where she was a professional-management education at Jaclyn Robertson Huber, g’77, nurse at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. She KU Continuing Education and the School 70sPhD’88, 84, July 13 in Baton is survived by her husband, Jim, c’89; a of Business. She also had been a manage- Rouge, La. She is survived by three sons, daughter, Sydney, ’15; a son; her mother, ment consultant and was active in civic one of whom is Mark, c’78; a brother; ve Norma Waddell, assoc.; and two sisters, a airs. Surviving are her husband, John, grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; and Jane Guenther Buss, c’88, and Susan assoc.; a son, John, ’90; a sister and two seven stepgreat-grandchildren. Guenther Brown, b’93. grandchildren. Virginia Lovett Shain, EdD’72, 82, May S. Douglas Witt, c’67, g’70, PhD’77, 69, 25 in Maryville, where she was a retired Janice Wantland LaHue, c’93, 66, Dec. 29 in Lawrence, where he was a continuing-education specialist at Missouri 90s Sept. 25 in Leawood, where she lecturer in KU’s department of psychology. Western State College. She is survived by a sold real estate for Reece & Nichols. She is He also was a retired clinical psychologist at son, a daughter, four grandchildren and six survived by her husband, Ron, ’68; two the Bert Nash Community Mental Health great-grandchildren. sons, Colby, j’94, and Patrick, c’07; a Center. Surviving are a son; a daughter, Mark Stultz, j’72, 63, Dec. 26 in daughter, Jennifer LaHue Smith, f’94; her Laura Witt Bogart, s’07; four stepdaughters, Leawood. He worked at Stultz Manufactur- father; a brother, James Wantland, ’71; and three of whom are Deborah Shaw Schwartz, ing and was a senior sales executive with six grandchildren. c’79, Risa Shaw, ’82, and Jennifer Shaw, Reece and Nichols Realtors. He is survived Dawn Christian Thomas, PhD’99, 53, g’99; a stepson; two grandchildren; and by his wife, Janie Ratchford Stultz, d’79; a Jan. 8 in Fairfax, Va. She is survived by her seven stepgrandchildren.
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 63 Rock Chalk Review
Britta McKee and Bailey Marable are two of the three KU artists who create distinctive jewelry STEVE PUPPE STEVE from the copper of the old Statehouse dome. Following a massive renovation of the landmark, the Capitol now sports a sparkling new copper crown.
Bailey Marable, f ’04, d’04; and Britta McKee, f ’09. An art teacher at Royal Valley High School, Marable was in class when she got the news that she had been selected. “I just ran to the choir teacher,” Marable recalls with laughter. “I couldn’t believe it. I just thought, ‘I am so glad I’m going to be a part of something so stinkin’ cool.’” A er foundation leaders approve proposed sketches and Holt places orders, the artists begin cutting huge sheets of project as they pondered potential uses for scrap copper into more manageable sizes, Capitol ideas the gi of nearly a ton of scrap copper. sanding away years of dirt and grime. Any “Jewelry seemed like a natural thing to le over bits are dutifully returned to the Artists create distinctive jewelry make out of metal,” she says. state. from Statehouse copper Holt, c’11, scoured the local area, Many of Marable’s necklaces and looking for jewelry artists whose work earrings are shaped like the state and leaming under glass cases in the caught her eye. She approached a couple at include cutouts of wheat or hearts. GKansas State Capitol gi shop are art fairs and found others on the cra McKee says she lets ideas for her jewelry gorgeous bracelets, necklaces, earrings, tie marketplace website Etsy. ree of the ve ow naturally without planning. She clips, brooches and cu inks. ey vary in artists chosen were Kristen Haug, f ’02; describes her process as organic. “I like shape, size and detail, yet all share a spearmint-green hue familiar to anyone
who has glimpsed the dome of the PUPPE STEVE Statehouse throughout the past century. A er a 13-year, $325 million faceli of the Capitol, the iconic green that domi- nated the Topeka skyline is gone, replaced by a topper as shiny as a new penny. But the former dome’s green remnants remain in the gi shop’s unique jewelry. ree KU graduates were among a handful chosen to create Kansas keepsakes from the copper of the former dome. e stunning pieces start at $20; the history that comes with them is free of charge. Marla Holt, retail coordinator for the Kansas Historical Foundation, says foundation leaders conceived the jewelry
64 | KANSAS ALUMNI playing with chemicals,” she says, describ- “A lot of people are amazed and thrilled ing how she applies various treatments to to have something so special,” McKee says. Tuned in the copper for di erent looks. Haug, who has made about 700 pieces of Haug’s inspiration was a window dome jewelry, agrees. “Everyone I talk to Case for music in schools a overlooking a garden. Her pendants loves this idea,” she says. matter of student engagement, feature elaborate silver frames with the No one’s thinking about the inevitable green copper visible in the background. end of the project; the artists are having researchers find She thinks the best part of the project is too much fun. “I could make 1,000 pieces the ability to turn scrap into wearable art. and still love making them,” Marable says. hanks to the “Mozart E ect,” chances “A person only has so much wall space,” “It’s so beautiful to think that patina took Tare good that lots of current KU she says. 100 years to create. I can’t imagine students heard their rst sonata before Demand for the jewelry was so intense anything being more exciting than this in they learned to walk. that inventory intended to last for months my career.” Twenty-one years ago researcher was gone in a few weeks. Kansas Day, Holt anticipates having enough jewelry Frances Rauscher found that people did Jan. 29, was a particularly busy day at the to sell for a year, she says, “but it is a nite better on a spatial reasoning test a er gi shop. project.” listening to 10 minutes of Mozart. e And when the copper is gone, three KU temporary boost in spatial reasoning artists will treasure the memory of skill—dubbed the Mozart E ect—was preserving Kansas history. widely misinterpreted to mean that —Lauren Beatty classical music makes you smarter. Beatty, j’03, directs communications Up sprang a multitude of baby-friendly COURTESY KRISTEN HAUG KRISTEN COURTESY for a Topeka nonpro t organization. CDs, as parents scrambled to expose their She lives in Lawrence. children to classical music. e governor of Georgia provided a classical CD for every new mother, while a Florida law required state-run preschools to play Marable’s pieces (opposite page) feature the classical music for their charges every day. state’s shape and motto. The iconic green Never mind that Rauscher’s subjects serves as backdrop in Kristen Haug’s work were college students, not infants. Or that (left); Britta McKee’s designs (below) highlight gains were temporary. Or that the skills tested—complex spatial reasoning and varied shades of copper. The jewelry is multistep problem solving—were more available only in the Capitol gift shop on the suited to architects, engineers, physicists ground floor of the Statehouse. The store is and mathematicians than babbling babies. open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; proceeds e 1993 study helped popularize the benefit the Kansas Historical Foundation. notion that learning (or simply listening to) music helps kids do better in school. Now two KU researchers have com-
STEVE PUPPE STEVE pleted a study that provides data to bolster the case for music education in the curriculum and for the rst time, they say, refutes a common counterargument: that music students do better because they were smarter to begin with. Becky Eason of the Center for Public Partnerships in Research, and Christopher Johnson, professor of music education and director of the Music Research Institute, were commissioned by the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools to establish a baseline for middle- and high-school students’ experience with music education while painting a picture of its potential e ect on academic achievement and
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 65 Rock Chalk Review
Researchers Becky Eason and Christopher status as true art, rather than trendy Johnson (below right) analyzed school records academic x. STEVE PUPPE STEVE and held focus groups with students in “If the only reason music exists in Nashville, Tenn., to find evidence that music schools is to get better test scores, they’re education helps all students remain more going to gure out that more math and involved academically and socially in school— English classes will help do that better regardless of background. “The common than music,” Johnson says. “And then comment about music is, ‘Music kids do better music will be back out. in school because all the smart kids are in “I think there’s a whole lot of engage- music,’” Eason says. “Our study was able to ment activity here that can’t be overlooked. Kids show up, well-behaved, caring about level the playing field for the first time and still their classes. at’s something you want to find noticeable dierences across the board in encourage, and I don’t think you can kids who participate in music.” encourage that with another math or English class.” student engagement. e 82,000-student —Steven Hill district is launching Music Makes Us, which builds music education into the curriculum for all K-12 students. ey found compelling evidence that Harry’s wild years doing so improves student performance and raises graduation rates. Examining Reflections on a life afield, school records for Nashville high school in and out of science seniors, they found higher attendance rates, grade point averages, ACT scores fourth grade and used a statistical adjust- efore he became one of the world’s and graduation rates and fewer discipline ment to remove that variable. “So if kids Bleading snake experts, Harry Greene problems in the 35 percent who received started o really, really bright, it didn’t was a “science nerd” who loved the music education. ose who received matter because we just kind of subtracted outdoors and thrilled at handling the more music training posted better results. it at the end,” Johnson says. frogs, lizards and snakes that were one In addition to those hard numbers on ey also adjusted for socioeconomic constant in a peripatetic military child- academic success, Eason and Johnson also status. ey found that across a range of hood that led him to attend schools in ve gathered qualitative data by doing focus categories—socioeconomic, intelligence, states and one foreign country. By 13 he groups with current students to learn that, ethnicity—students who get more music had abandoned dreams of becoming a for many, music is their strongest source of classes demonstrate higher academic cowboy or explorer and announced he engagement with school, socially and achievement and engagement than those would be a zoology professor instead. By academically. who get only a little or none. 17 he’d written a letter seeking eldwork “ e kids do identify themselves as A former high-school musicians, and they perceive themselves as teacher who says he’ll “always learning both the discipline of music and be a band director at heart,” STEVE PUPPE STEVE self-discipline,” says Eason, c’88, g’91, Johnson was surprised and PhD’03. “ eir friends are other band pleased that the ndings kids, and the band room is a haven. Some endorse the idea of promot- said they get out of bed because they don’t ing music from an elective to want to disappoint their director, don’t an essential piece of the core want to miss band.” curriculum. at’s exactly Critics have claimed that music students what the Nashville schools are are high achievers because more are good doing by upgrading tradi- students to begin with. tional music classes (chorus, “For all the data they had at that point, band and orchestra) and they were perfectly justi ed in saying that,” o ering new classes designed Johnson says. “Our data shows it’s not to involve a broader spectrum t r u e .” of students in music. Johnson and Eason reviewed partici- At the same time, he pants’ standardized test scores from the cherishes music’s special
66 | KANSAS ALUMNI conceptual biology. e book is also a as evidenced by the cave drawings le by staunch defense of the essential role nature prehistoric man, who “accurately recreated Tracks and Shadows: can play in modern life. For Greene it what they saw for others to contemplate,” Field Biology As Art functioned as tonic for early work as an Greene writes, “and in so doing le us the ambulance driver and Army medic that earliest recorded examples of nature by Harry W. put him face-to-face with death. “Animals study.” Henry Fitch’s own titanic life’s Greene are the focus of my teaching and research,” work, he maintains, proves that high-tech he writes, “but eldwork has also been tools aren’t necessary. Anyone with a University of contemplative, inspiring me to pay notebook and a willingness to pay California Press, attention more fully. e practice of attention can practice natural history. natural history, I have learned, fosters at may be so. But Greene’s evocative, $29.95 peace of mind.” ese moments of “paying attention fully” are
advice from the man who would become the book’s most transcen- DELESIE AARON his most important early mentor, KU dent. Researching snakes at ecology professor and prominent herpe- La Selva Biological Station tologist Henry Fitch. in Costa Rica (upon Fitch’s High school stints at the Natural History recommendation), Greene Museum summer science camps and a beholds a curious sight: subsequent internship with Fitch “set my “Rounding a trail curve I’m life’s course,” Greene writes in Tracks and ba ed by a shimmering Shadows: Field Biology As Art. at course lavender stripe, dozens of ran parallel to his mentor’s in many ways, yards long and a half-inch and Greene’s artful meditation on a life’s tall; then I drop to my work in natural history is partly an knees and contemplate intertwined story of two lives: his and thousands of leaf-cutter Fitch’s. ants, each carrying a single Stephen Weiss Presidential Fellow and delicate ower petal.” professor of ecology and evolutionary is pattern of ba e- biology at Cornell University and a ment followed by epiphany recipient of the E. O. Wilson Award from threads throughout Tracks the American Society of Naturalists, and Shadows, as Greene Greene spent his early career at California- puzzles out the riddles of Berkeley’s Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, evolution and his own where Fitch earned his PhD under existential quandaries. eminent biologist Joseph Grinnell. Like Struggling to answer a Fitch—widely admired as one of the student who asks, “What world’s leading herpetologists and does it all mean?” he Henry Fitch, who from 1950 until shortly before his death in renowned for his 50-year study of snake quotes Senegalese environ- 2009 lived and worked at the KU Natural History Reservation ecology at the KU Field Station and mentalist Baba Dioum: that now bears his name, set the standard for the field biologists Ecological Reserves north of Lawrence— “We will conserve only who followed in his tracks, says Harry Greene. In an issue No. 6, Greene, 68, devoted much of his career to what we love, we will love 2002, Kansas Alumni cover story on Fitch, Greene called his eldwork, gathering data through decades only what we understand, mentor “one of the pioneer natural historians, the premier of expeditions to prairies, deserts and and we will understand reptile natural historian of the 20th century.” tropical rainforests. only what we are taught.” For both men, eldwork grew from a Field biologists provide childhood passion for the outdoors, and data, Greene argues, but it’s up to society heartfelt account of his life a eld demon- Greene’s exploration of his personal quest to use that information to coexist with the strates how the discipline’s straightforward for wildness (what he calls “the seductive creatures we share the planet with. us aims of observation, description and joys of nature study”) makes Tracks and education—of his Cornell students and of interpretation can rise to the level of art Shadows more than an academic treatise policymakers and citizens worldwide— when practiced with the rigorous mind of on the continued relevance of natural becomes essential work. a scientist and the soul of a poet. history in an age of theoretical and Natural history is a democratic pursuit, —Steven Hill
ISSUE 2, 2014 | 67 Glorious to View Photograph by Tim Brandt
Tim Brandt, b’74, director of the Adams Alumni Center, saw this rocky likeness of our beloved mascot while he was running around the Troon North Golf Course in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was struck by the shape of an outcropping of rock, and sent us this photo. “All you need is a little paint, and it would look just like the Jayhawk,” he says.
68 | KANSAS ALUMNI
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