Winona State University OpenRiver Winona Currents Alumni Fall 9-1-2008 Winona Currents Magazine University Advancement - Winona State University Follow this and additional works at: https://openriver.winona.edu/winonacurrents Part of the Journalism Studies Commons, and the Mass Communication Commons Recommended Citation University Advancement - Winona State University, "Winona Currents Magazine" (2008). Winona Currents. 4. https://openriver.winona.edu/winonacurrents/4 This Periodical is brought to you for free and open access by the Alumni at OpenRiver. It has been accepted for inclusion in Winona Currents by an authorized administrator of OpenRiver. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FALL 2008 CurrentsWinona State University Magazine Shifting Into HighGearHighGear Winona State composite materials engineering alums drive innovation at Trek Bicycles Fall 2008 Winona Currents is published by Winona State University’s Division of University Advancement and is distributed to more than 40,000 alumni and friends of Winona State University. Currents is copyrighted material. Articles may be reprinted with permission. Comments on this publication should be directed by mail to WSU-University Advancement, PO Box 5838, Winona MN 55987-5838; by email: currents@winona. edu; online: www.alumni.winona.edu. Address changes and Class Notes should be directed by mail to the Alumni Relations Office, PO Box 5838, Winona MN 55987-5838; by email: [email protected]. POSTMASTER: If undeliverable as addressed, please send Form 3579 to Alumni Relations, PO Box 5838, Winona MN 55987-5838. Winona State University is an equal opportunity educator and employer. This document can be made available in an alternative format to individuals with disabilities by contacting the magazine staff at the address above. Winona State University is the oldest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. # l Fall 2008 CONTENTS TOUR DE FORCE! Composites alums innovate at Trek Bicycles 7 BY BRETT AYERS POINTING THE WAY The university takes a leading role in the 13 1990s BY DR. TOM GRIER DESIRE to SERVE PEOPLE Mother-daughter nurses make an impact 18 BY ANDREA MIKKELSEN News & Highlights ............................................... 4 My Favorite Professor ...................................... 17 Alumni Relations ............................................... 21 Class Notes ....................................................... 22 Current People: Marty Lueck ........................... 30 ON THE COVER Ten composites materials engineering alums are driving innovation at Trek Bicycles. PHoto: BRADY WHealon PHotoGRAPHY CRYstal CLEAR An ice sculpture (left) was the centerpiece for April’s Sesquicentennial Gala that honored the university’s 150 years. PHoto: BRADY WHealon PHotoGRAPHY Currents TS Grier’s Great Year IGH It’s been a L winning year for Dr. Tom Grier, WSU associate professor of mass communication. HIGH In April, the Winona State University Student Senate named & Grier its Professor of the Year. Students nominate candidates for the award during mid-winter student election balloting and then vote on a short list included on the general spring election Tom Grier’s photograph Sugarloaf Birch Frame is on display in St. Paul. NEWS ballot. “I am honored and humbled to have at Wells Fargo Place in St. Paul, home of information at Winona State, Grier received this distinction,” said Grier, the Office of the Chancellor of Minnesota documented much of campus and who has worked at WSU since 1988 and State Colleges and Universities. regional life through his photography. served as full-time professor since 2006. His selected images were Sugarloaf To view Tom Grier’s photography and “Now I just hope I can live up to it.” Winter Sunrise and Sugarloaf Birch other work by other faculty and staff in Earlier in the year, several of Grier’s Frame. As longtime director of public the MnSCU System, go to: photographs were selected for exhibition www.chancellor.mnscu.edu/displays Window on Warrior Athletics A brief update on Warrior news—find the full story at www.winona.edu/athletics. Basketball recognition continues Warriors bag another NSIC All-Sports Award The honors continue to roll in after a second national Winona State won its fourth consecutive Northern Sun championship in three years Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) All-Sports Award for for the Winona State men’s 2007-08. The Warriors, with 94 points, beat out second place basketball team. Wayne State College with 78.5 points. In a unanimous vote, the The Warriors won four NSIC titles last year, including U.S. House of Representatives football, men’s basketball, men’s golf, and women’s soccer. passed a resolution on In its nine-year history, Winona State and the University of May 14 congratulating the Minnesota-Duluth are the only two schools to win the NSIC Warriors for winning the All-Sports Award. 2008 NCAA Division II men’s basketball championship. Classroom champions, too Rep. Tim Walz sponsored While the Warriors won another the resolution, which was NSIC All-Sports Award, they also proved co-sponsored by a number they can get it done in the classroom. of fellow representatives, Student-athletes on Winona State’s including WSU alumnae Rep. fifteen teams compiled an overall grade Michelle Bachmann ’78. point average of 3.14 for the 2007-08 academic year. Tim Pawlenty, Governor Ten teams had a GPA of 3.10 or higher, led by women’s of the State of Minnesota, golf with a team GPA of 3.53. In addition, four WSU student- declared April 8 “Winona State University Men’s Basketball athletes were named to ESPN The Magazine Academic All- Team Day.” The official proclamation was read at the Warriors’ America teams. They include women’s soccer players Kallie victory rally in honor of the their win over Augusta State Tellefsen and Molly Blum, softball pitcher Kristen Fossell, and University in the title game. gymnast Alexandra Nugent. 4 l Fall 2008 NEWS Flexible Campus Rochester & campus wins Sloan Award Winona State HIGH University- Rochester was recognized as a winner of the 2008 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business L Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, IGH at a ceremony on June 19, 2008. The award distinguishes WSU-Rochester as a leading practitioner of workplace flexibility in Rochester and across the Wellness on the Way TS nation. Integrated Wellness Complex included in state bonding bill The Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace The planned Integrated Wellness share knowledge and experiences with Flexibility are awarded as part of Complex was included in the $717 our community,” said President Judith the When Work Works project, an million bonding bill that was approved Ramaley. ongoing initiative of Families and Work and signed April 7 by Governor Tim The complex will support expanded Institute, the Institute for a Competitive Pawlenty. Winona State is expected to academic and research programs focused Workforce (ICW), an affiliate of the break ground on the complex this fall. on healthcare and wellness; provide U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the The bonding bill will provide $8.4 a platform for developing new degree Twiga Foundation. Through When Work million for the wellness complex, which programs, such as cardiac rehabilitation, Works, these partner organizations is in addition to the $7.1 million already that will help solve the healthcare provide research, resources and raised through student fees and $3 workforce crisis in the region; advance recognition to employers nationwide, million in private donations. The total new healthcare technologies; and invite and share the results of research cost of the complex is $18.5 million. new partners, such as Winona Health and on creating effective and flexible “The facility will serve as a other healthcare, fitness, and wellness workplaces that meet the needs of the comprehensive health and wellness organizations, to collaborate with WSU 21st Century. education resource that will allow us to students, faculty, and staff. “We’re learning to work differently with one of our greatest resources—our Our writers and editors offer recommendations employees,” said Christine Quinn, for more information about stories in this issue of associate vice president for Academic Currents: Affairs. “We are continually looking for For more information on Trek Bicycles ways to accommodate the ever-evolving (“Shifting Into High Gear,” p. 7), including needs of the 21st Century employee, a detailed description of the company’s technology for producing carbon and our faculty and staff benefit from bicycle frames, go to: www.trekbikes.com added flexibility in their work schedules, allowing them to attain both personal Information on the WSU composite materials engineering program can be and professional goals.” found at: www.winona.edu/engineering WSU-Rochester employs 53 resident faculty and staff. Flexibility programs A series of lectures and presentations celebrating Winona State’s of note include phased retirement and sesquicentennial (and other WSU resources, too) are available on the adaptable work schedules for employees university’s site for streaming video and audio. The lectures are part of the pursuing continuing education. Consortium for Liberal Arts and Science Promotion (CLASP) series. Find out more about the When Work www.winona.edu/its/mediaservices/streamingarchive.htm Works initiative at: View a great video produced by the NCAA on Winona State’s fans and www.whenitworks.org positive game environment surrounding Warrior