Illinois State alumni magazine SUMMER 2009 SUMMER • NUMBER 1 • VOLUME 10 Joseph Reynolds ’03 and Kelli Pribel ’09 have people across the country on the run with the Great Urban Race. Run the raceSEE at PAGE 19. Homecoming! Illinois State alumni magazine Volume 9, Number 4, Spring 2009 EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Pete Guither; Amy Humphreys; Brian Huonker ’92; Joy Hutchcraft; Lynn Kennell; Katy Killian ’92; Todd Kober ’97, M.S. ’99; Claire Lieberman; Marilee (Zielinski) Rapp ’63; Jim Thompson ’80, M.S. ’89; Toni Tucker; Lori Woeste, M.S. ’97, Ed.D. ’04 PUBLISHER, Stephanie Epp, Ed.D. ’07 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, Susan Marquardt Blystone ’84, M.S. ’03 ALUMNI EDITOR, Annette States Levitt ’96, M.S. ’02 CLASS NOTES EDITOR, Leisa Barbour, M.S. ’06 COPY EDITORS, Susan Marquardt Blystone ’84, M.S. ’03; Steven Barcus ’06 LEAD DESIGNER, Dave Jorgensen, M.S. ’03 DESIGNERS, Michael Mahle, Jeff Higgerson ’92, Jon Robinson PHOTOGRAPHER, Lyndsie Schlink ’04 The First PRODUCTION COORDINATOR, Mary (Mulhall) Cowdery ’80 WRITERS, Kate Arthur, Elaine Graybill, Tom Nugent, Beth Whisman Word Illinois State (USPS 019606) is published quarterly for members of the Illinois State University Alumni Association at Bone Student Center 146, May is always a time of celebration on campus, 100 North University Street, Normal, Illinois 61790-3100. Periodicals as another class reaches the goal of graduation. Illinois State’s annual postage paid at Normal, Illinois, and at additional mailing offices. spring commencement ceremony is marked by tradition that goes beyond Magazine editorial offices are located at 1101 North Main Street, Normal, academic pomp and circumstance. It is a time when generations gather to Illinois 61790-3100; telephone (309) 438-2586; facsimile (309) 438-8057; e-mail [email protected]; Web site www.IllinoisState.edu/alumni. proudly applaud a major accomplishment in the life of a loved one. Postmaster: Send address changes to Illinois State, Illinois State University, Amidst this joy is always a bit of angst and uncertainty, as our students Campus Box 8000, Normal, IL 61790-8000. transition from the campus to the workplace. Anxious moments are inevi- Voluntary subscriptions of $25 per year to help defray the mounting expenses associated with publishing Illinois State are greatly appreciated. table at the start of any career. This year’s graduating class, however, has Checks payable to the Illinois State Foundation can be sent to Alumni the additional stress of pursuing professional dreams at a time when the Relations, Campus Box 3100, Normal, IL 61790-3100. Call Alumni Relations at (309) 438-2586 with any questions. nation’s economy is faltering. Material may be reprinted with prior approval, provided no commercial And yet I know from conversations with members of the Class of 2009 endorsement is implied and credit is given to the author, to Illinois State that our newest alums are going forward with a spirit of optimism and University, and to Illinois State. determination despite discouraging headlines. They are ready to face the Web site: www.IllinoisState.edu An equal opportunity/affirmative action university encouraging diversity challenges of a recession, eager to become part of the solution by working 09-0015 and leading in their respective fields. ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS We have a student body that sets a high standard for academic perfor- Dan Kelley ’70, President mance, as demonstrated in the statistic that only one in four applicants is Greg Ayers ’90 Jeff Charnogorsky ’85 now accepted to the University. Those chosen complete rigorous degrees, Bob Freitag ’84 as our programs in education, business, science, fine arts, nursing, and Jerry Kerber ’74 Emily Miller Kimmey ’99, M.S. ’01 applied sciences have earned national distinction and international praise. Tom Lamont ’69 Such excellence separates the University from our state and regional Lynda Lane ’66 Larry Little ’69 counterparts. It means Illinois State faculty and staff go beyond the neces- Mary Ann Louderback ’74, M.S. ’80, Ph.D. ’84 sary fundamental curriculum to instill in students confidence and courage Ashley Mayor ’08 Lois (Rademacher) Mills ’62, M.S. ’69 needed to not just survive but thrive, no matter how uncertain the future. Kathy Coyle Murdoch ’86 Alumni are another reason I am assured our newest graduates will suc- Bob Navarro ’91, M.S. ’93, Ph.D. ’02 Marilee (Zielinski) Rapp ’63 ceed. I applaud and appreciate the myriad graduates who, once established Kaci Rollings ’94 in their professions, are willing to stand as mentors. They provide invalu- Don Shafer ’76 Terrence Sykes ’93 able internships, networking avenues, and employment opportunities to Gary Tiffany ’74 our students and young alums. Martin Vanags ’84 Janessa Williams ’89 The University helps graduates and prospective employers find each Mike Willis ’82 other through the Career Center (www.careercenter.ilstu.edu) and online Jerry Wright ’62 Linda Yap ’74 outreach, such as an Illinois State page on LinkedIn (www.alumni.ilstu. Betty Kinser ’73, M.S. ’75, Board of Trustees Alumni Liaison edu/linkedin). Take advantage of these resources to find or fill a position. ALUMNI RELATIONS Confidence in your alma mater is never more apparent than when you Stephanie Epp, Ed.D. ’07, Executive Director Gina Bianchi, M.S. ’99, Senior Assistant Director hire an Illinois State graduate. Alumni who are willing and able to extend Kim Chickering, Assistant Director such a helping hand teach our newest graduates one of their most impor- Kelly Howell, Associate Director Annette States Levitt ’96, M.S. ’02, Senior Assistant Director tant collegiate lessons: the Redbird bond reaches far beyond campus, and Jamie (Kelly) Sennett ’99, Senior Assistant Director continues long after commencement. Al Bowman President, Illinois State University The business of racing Interested in Redbird nostalgia with a twist? Joseph Reynolds ’03 has the challenge for you during Homecoming 2009. As the Great Urban Race creator and owner of Red Frog Events, Reynolds has a dozen clues that will send you across campus and around the community. For you, it’s fun. For him, it’s a successful business. Cover: Chicago was the city Reynolds chose for the first race. 16 Contents 2 UNIVERSIT Y NEWS 8 E MPOWERING PREPARAT ION Illinois State students find multiple opportunities to gain a competitive advantage. For Jamie Siegel and Kim Richfield, the chance to intern at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center was life changing, both personally and professionally. They also made history, as never before have two students from the same campus been chosen for the elite internship. 12 FROM C AMPU S T O C OMBAT 20 As an undergraduate active in the Reserved Officers’ Training Corps and the Big Red Marching Machine, Col. Yvette Nonte ’83 had no idea how her campus activities would influence her career. After serving as director of intelligence in Iraq, Nonte is now a key player in the federal government’s intelligence community. 20 A T IME OF T RANSIT ION Title IX mandated opportunities for female athletes, but it took individual effort on college campuses to open doors. Jill 12 Hutchison, M.S. ’69, and Linda Herman, M.S. ’72, Ed.D. ’83, rose to the challenge as Illinois State implemented significant change. Their leadership was characterized by patience, an ability to compromise, and a vision for the future. 8 24 ALU MNI SERVIC ES 27 H OMEC OMING C ALENDAR 30 C LASS NOT ES UniversityNews The University’s skyline is changing, as construction continues to the west of central campus. Alumni who return to Illinois State for Homecoming this fall will find some major changes to the west side of the Quad, where the Student Fitness and Kinesiology and Recreation Building is taking shape. Located where Dunn-Barton and Walker residence halls once stood, the new building” will fill an entire city block before reaching across University Street to connect with McCormick Hall by an elevated walkway. The new facility will stand three stories, and provide 170,000 ‘‘ square feet when it is completed in the fall of 2010. Estimated to cost $50 million, it is the largest capital project in the University’s history. Approximately $30 million of the project budget is derived from student fees, and the remainder covered by the Univer- sity’s general resources. With basketball courts, an indoor track, a racquetball court, aerobic spaces, and a climbing wall, the building will be appreciated by students as a significant upgrade from the much smaller recreation center cur- rently located off campus. The center will also include classrooms, labo- ratories, and office space for the School of Kinesiology, which has been functioning out of McCormick and Horton Fieldhouse for years. Work during the spring included major demolition at McCormick. The pool addition on the west side of the building was razed, the debris cleared, and the pool filled in. The main building also began to take shape by summer, with three exterior walls in place. The fourth wall was purposefully delayed because it will consist of primarily glass, and will consequently be the final wall WEB EXTRA erected. The building plans and renderings of the finished facility are available at www.facilitiesplan- Construction progress can ning.ilstu.edu/update. be observed by going online Just across the street from the Student Fitness and Kinesiology Recreation Building is another project to www.rec.ilstu.edu, and viewing images from a live drawing the attention of the campus community. The St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Newman Center is Web cam. undergoing a major renovation to update the structure that has stood since the 1960s. While not associ- For an overview of the ated with the University, Newman Center has served as a place of worship for Illinois State students for Newman Center’s history and ongoing outreach, go more than 50 years.