Flight, Fall 2018
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Wright State University CORE Scholar Alumni Publications University Archives Fall 2018 flight, allF 2018 Office of Marketing, Wright State University Wright State Alumni Association Wright State University Foundation Follow this and additional works at: https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/archives_alumni Part of the Mass Communication Commons Repository Citation Office of Marketing, Wright State University , Wright State Alumni Association , & Wright State University Foundation (2018). flight, allF 2018. Dayton, OH: Wright State University. This Magazine is brought to you for free and open access by the University Archives at CORE Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Alumni Publications by an authorized administrator of CORE Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A PUBLICATION FOR WRIGHT STATE flight ALUMNI & FRIENDS LOST IN PRESERVATION Wright State seeks new home for university’s priceless Special Collections and Archives FALL 2018 Goin’ Dancin’ The Wright State men’s basketball team won the 2018 Horizon League Tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007. Here they celebrate the championship at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit with teammate Ryan Custer, who was injured in an accident in the spring of 2017. Senior Grant Benzinger was named the Most Valuable Player of the Horizon League Tournament, and redshirt freshman Loudon Love was selected as the conference Newcomer of the Year. II FALL 2018 WRIGHT.EDU/ALUMNI III MOTIVATE INSPIRE EMPOWER INNOVATE RESONATE IMPRESS CREATE IN THIS ISSUE FASCINATEWhat can COMFORT your gift SUPPORT do? 4 From the President AROUND THE QUAD EDUCATE ACCEPT ACTIVATE AWAKEN5 Trust the Process 6 By the Numbers EMBOLDEN FORTIFY STRENGTHEN10 A Big ASK 12 Raise Wright STIMULATE INFLUENCE ENERGIZERAIDER NATION 13 Making a Difference EXCITE CAPTIVATE COMPEL FOSTER22 Stage Craft 25 Home Sweet Health SHARE ENLIVEN VITALIZE ENCOURAGESPECIAL SECTION 30 Homecoming 2018 Preview SECURE ASSURE HEARTEN REASSURE STORIES 32 Events Calendar SHOW OPTIMIZE ACCOMPLISH FULFILL33 In Memoriam 8 Built for Success 34 Class Notes The Rise. Shine. campaign helped create new spaces where students are 40 From the Stacks able to thrive. Explore the new Creative Arts Center, the Student Success HEAL ACCELERATE DISCOVER ENABLE Center, and the Neuroscience Engineering Collaboration (NEC) Building. EXPLORE ENLIGHTEN FOCUS GUIDE 14 Bringing History to Life Wright State launches $6.5 million fundraising campaign to create the Wright State University Archives Center to house the priceless Special IMPROVE LEAD NOURISH STABILIZE Collections and Archives, which includes the renowned Wright Brothers Collection. TRANSFORMThe possibilities TRIUMPH CULTIVATE 24 “Alexa, Who is Joe Jessup?” Raj Soin College of Business grad Joe Jessup ’98 is paving the way for GROW MOTIVATE INSPIRE EMPOWER greater innovation at tech giant Amazon as the senior manager of software are endless... development for the company’s Alexa engine, a cloud-based voice device. INNOVATE RESONATE IMPRESS CREATE ON THE COVER 26 Mission Accomplished Priceless artifacts and Air Force veteran and Wright State graduate Jonathan Granata ’15 finds a FASCINATE COMFORT SUPPORT pieces from Special new duty in giving back to Wright State’s Office of Veterans Affairs and the Collections and Archives university’s Veteran and Military Center. On October 1, join Raiders around the world as we at Wright State University, currently housed on the top celebrate our founders’ day with a 24-hour giving day. floor of the Dunbar Library. 28 Take Me to Wakanda Alumna Hannah Beachler, who earned a B.F.A. from Wright State in 2005, GIVE on October 1 to help our students soar! Above: Quill pen and ink creates her vision for the fictional world of Wakanda as the production well from the desk of designer in Marvel’s blockbuster filmBlack Panther. Orville Wright, Broadway Laboratory. wright.edu/wrightday2give #WrightDay2Give 2 FALL 2018 WRIGHT.EDU/ALUMNI 3 FROM THE PRESIDENT FALL 2018 Trust the PRESIDENT Cheryl B. Schrader, Ph.D. Process VICE PRESIDENT Wright State community FOR ADVANCEMENT Rebecca Cole Near or Far, embarks on strategic planning EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, process to create The Wright ALUMNI RELATIONS It’s Who We Are Path to 2025 Greg Scharer BY BOB MIHALEK EDITOR Nicole L. Craw WELCOME TO flight, a special publication produced by the Wright DESIGN HUNDREDS UPON HUNDREDS of Amanda J. Earnest-Reitmann State Alumni Association and the Wright Wright State University community State University Foundation for our COPY EDITORS members have worked together to shape Andrew Call esteemed alumni and friends. We are the university’s future through an inclusive Katie Halberg ’12 happy to bring you up to speed on what’s strategic planning process. Tiffany Johnson ’11, ’16 happening around campus and share Most importantly, the process has graduates with opportunities to excel in Monica Snow ’84 The university’s new strategic plan with you many heartwarming stories started an ongoing dialogue among fields that define the future. Ron Wukeson ’78 will tie priorities with resources and use about our students and alumni. community members that encourages It will include metrics to ensure CONTRIBUTING WRITERS metrics to measure the outcomes of those Whether you live near campus or continuous reflection while strengthening accountability and measure the Dawne Dewey ’80, ’84 strategies. The plan—The Wright Path to Jim Hannah thousands of miles away, I hope you the institution’s social infrastructure. effectiveness of initiatives in the plan. The 2025: Pride. Transformation. Potential.— Bob Mihalek know how important you are to the strategic planning process that is Over time, this dialogue will help the university will review the plan annually, will guide decisions at Wright State on a Kim Patton success of Wright State and our students. currently under way. community shape both Wright State’s ensuring the community remains engaged. day-to-day basis. PHOTOGRAPHY You are and always will be a valued Many of our alumni and friends culture and future. In spring 2018, more than 300 people President Cheryl B. Schrader said the Erin Pence member of the Wright State family. Since have already given their feedback by “Strategic planning includes specific participated in a series of insightful Chris Snyder strategic plan will reflect “our shared you are family, you are always welcome to participating in a community dialogue plans, but really, it is an ongoing effort,” dialogues, sharing stories of success that priorities, our strengths, and where we are SPECIAL THANKS TO come home and meet the students who or by serving on our Strategic Planning Bright said. “A good Dawne Dewey ’80, ’84 going as a university.” will one day follow in your footsteps. Steering Committee. Thank you. You process allows for Wright State University’s strategic planning Holly Gersbacher The process Wright State is using makes As alumni, you are Wright State’s have been invaluable to this process. adaptation and Cristie Gryszka this strategic plan different from past process will guide the university into the future Cheryl Hutchinson ’11 greatest ambassadors. Your success is the For those of you not yet acquainted revision. It is not efforts. The process is inclusive and starts by providing a vision and focus that directly links Amy Jones ’06 best testimony for the quality education with the strategic plan, you can learn static.” Kathy Kuntz at the grassroots. Any student, faculty Wright State provides. Let a prospective more about The Wright Path to 2025: Schrader resources to our values and strategic priorities. Elaine Pruner member, staff member, alumnus, and student know why you chose Wright Pride. Transformation. Potential. emphasized that Sarah Runyan ’14, ’15, ’19 community member can participate. And Dave Stuart ’04 State and how this university changed in this publication and online at the planning process allows community they or others experienced and identifying it involves lots of reflection and dialogue. Melissa Tan ’21 your life. wright.edu/strategicplan. Your members to engage with others in the values those experiences represent. Nick Warrington ’12 As David Bright, co-chair of the It has been such a pleasure to meet contributions are vital as we boldly lead meaningful ways. “The most important That dialogue led to proposed mission, Chris Wydman ’94, ’97 Strategic Planning Steering Committee, so many of our alumni during my first Wright State University into its next 50 part of this process is that it will allow us vision, and values statements, as well as Wright State Alumni Association Board explains, the planning process is designed Wright State University Foundation Board year as president of Wright State. Thank years! to reconnect with each other and with the areas that deserve priority in the plan. to produce meaningful engagement from you for giving me a warm welcome to I look forward to meeting many more broader community,” she said. Over the summer, participants self- representatives of the entire university flight is a publication of the Wright State the Wright State family. It’s wonderful to of our proud Wright State graduates in The strategic plan will guide Wright organized into working groups to develop University Foundation and the Wright State system. see how engaged you are with your alma the months and years to come. Hopefully, State by creating a vision and focus action items to include in the plan and Alumni Association for the alumni, donors, “When we’re done, the strategic plan that directly aligns resources with the metrics to judge their effectiveness, and mater, and I share your great love, pride, you’ll be able to join us for Homecoming ON DARK BACKGROUND / FULL COLOR MATERIAL (DIGITAL, PRINT) and friends of Wright State University. will be a collectively generated document,” and enthusiasm for Wright State. on October 5 and 6. See you then! community’s values, strengths, and the then to assemble the strategic plan. Submit information, comments, and said Bright, chair of the Department of Wright State would not be the vibrant, strategy built around them.