Tigers Roar into NAIA IW TACKLES THE CHALLENGES OF PG.34 COVID-19 PG.16 AN INTERVIEW WITH President Christine Plunkett PG. 10 VOL NUM FALL 61 01 20 FEATURE Strengthening International Bonds 4 Growing Forward Forging Meaningful Partnerships 10 Christine Plunkett: An Introduction Learning & Community Faith & Service SPECIALS 16 Discovery & Action Learning in the midst of COVID-19 20 Courage & Passion “Our Front Porch” Campaign 21 Athletics / Hall of Fame Susan Mosely Grandison Fund 22 Class Notes Agribusiness & Philanthropy: A Family Affair at Iowa Wesleyan 46 Valerie Unkrich Retires MISSION Iowa Wesleyan University is a transformational learning community whose passion is to educate, empower and inspire students to lead meaningful lives and careers. VOL NUM FALL 61 01 20 ON THE COVER: Eric Bonds, Jr '24. IN THIS SPREAD (left to right): Ryan Hutchison '21, George Chapple '21, Kara Krieger '24, Trinity Nolan '23, Gwyneth Williams '23 2 IOWA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | FALL 2020 President IN EVERY ISSUE Christine Plunkett 25 [email protected] Graduate & Professional Studies University Provost 26 Dr. DeWayne Frazier Student Success [email protected] 30 Academic Innovations Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing, and 32 Alumni in Action Communications Meg Richtman 34 Athletics [email protected] Vice President for Student 47 Class Notes Development and Title IX Coordinator Dr. Rebecca Beckner [email protected] EVENTS Vice President for Advancement and Athletics 24 Lessons & Carols Virtual Event Derek Zander [email protected] Director of Marketing and Communications Amanda Rundquist [email protected] CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Courtney Carl Kendra Hefner Jen Koch Meg Richtman Delaney Van Ness Anna Villareal EDITOR Meg Richtman LAYOUT & DESIGN Jen Koch PHOTOGRAPHERS Amy Becker Courtney Carl Kendra Hefner TELL US WHAT YOU THINK Story ideas? Comments? Questions? Corrections? We want to hear from you! E-mail [email protected] IW.EDU 3 FEATURE In recent years, higher education institutions have experienced a dramatic shift. Enrollment and retention for universities have experienced major downfalls. In order to be sustainable, universities must invest in institutional and regional strengths. Iowa Wesleyan University has been proactive in approaching these issues and has identified key opportunities that will help the University to grow forward. The opportunities will not only allow the institution to grow in financial sustainability but will revitalize the core of what we are: a learning community filled with passionate individuals striving to make personal connections. IW Agribusiness students in the field. The IW Agribusiness program will prepare students for careers in a Agribusiness number of fields, including seed, grain, livestock and equipment sales, agricultural finance, quality control, agricultural journalism, policy analysis and more. Tim Furlong joined the Tiger family in March 2020 with the goal of helping “What I do is take things I’ve learned, Professor Furlong and Dr. DeWayne Iowa Wesleyan grow an Agribusiness and say this is what I’ve seen work and Frazier, University Provost, agree that program. Professor Furlong worked in this is how you need to look at it, but the Agribusiness concentration is likely the Agribusiness field for over 30 years you need to make up your own mind.” to grow to over 50 students within the before he started teaching. Having Professor Furlong intends to work next few years, recognizing that the Professor Furlong on campus means that with students on how they can apply average major offered by Iowa Wesleyan students get to learn from somebody classroom knowledge to the field. hosts approximately 70 students. “I who has worked in the field and can share real-life experiences. Professor “One out of every 12 jobs in the economy is connected in some way, shape, or form to what happens on the farm.” Furlong notes of his teaching style: Tom Vilsack, former US Secretary of Agriculture. 4 IOWA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | FALL 2020 FEATURE think this program has the chance to on this planet in 30 years and we have to be one of the fastest-growing,” said Dr. feed them so we need agriculture people, DeWayne Frazier. “Iowa is one of the and that doesn’t mean just farmers. But most important states when it comes to there’s some tremendous... opportunities agriculture.” Professor Furlong notes in agriculture.” Iowa Wesleyan is that in order to grow, “We have got to encouraging students to learn about and get in front of these students... and that’s experience agribusiness outside of the not by email. You don’t date anyone over classroom through internships. an email, and this is the same thing.” Iowa Wesleyan has been reaching out to Learn more at local schools and FFA programs to make iw.edu/agribusiness connections with prospective students. Iowa Wesleyan is also pleased to welcome Kansas State Fulbright Scholar and Ag Economist, Dr. Agness Athletics Growth Mzyece as an Assistant Professor of Agribusiness. A Fulbright Scholarship The presence of athletics has long is one of the highest honors of been a cornerstone of Iowa Wesleyan, academia. Iowa Wesleyan recognizes and with over 77% of the fall 2020 that farming, particularly within Iowa, incoming class being involved in is a global industry and Dr. Mzyece will Kailyn Clay '24 with IW Wrestling Head Coach athletics, and a total of 341 student- Shawn Contos. Read about IW Wrestling on page 36. demonstrate the global impact and the athletes, it’s not hard to see the strength diversity involved in the agri-world. of that community. In an effort to Additionally, IW alumna and FFA expand the number of athletic teams, “Athletics plays a unique member Gail Kunch, who successfully IW considered the growth of high role at Iowa Wesleyan worked as a high school biology teacher school wrestling in the region and across for the past several years, has joined Iowa the entire country. In April of 2018, University. A large proportion Wesleyan as an Assistant Professor of Iowa Wesleyan publicly announced the of our students compete in Biology. Kunch is the only person in addition of both men’s and women’s Iowa who has taken every certification wrestling with the intention of starting intercollegiate athletics. The for teaching in the Curriculum for the program in fall 2020. This made tools they learn within their Agriculture in Science Education. Iowa Wesleyan the first NCAA Division Dr. Frazier states that “our students will III university in Iowa to sponsor athletic experiences assist with be privileged to learn from these highly women’s wrestling. their efforts in the classroom, qualified and experienced faculty." ” Mark Willis, class of 1970, and 2017 In addition to the fantastic faculty inductee into the IW Tiger Athletics and life after Iowa Wesleyan.” Derek Zander, Vice President for Advancement and Athletics involved in the new Agribusiness Hall of Fame, and his wife, Sandy Willis, program, Iowa Wesleyan provides donated $250,000 to the creation of a a unique curriculum. Currently, state-of-the-art wrestling training center. Coach Contos serves as the head men’s Agribusiness is a concentration within The Mark and Sandy Willis gift was and women’s wrestling coach and is the Business major, allowing students given as a challenge to other alumni and joined by Jake Kadel, assistant coach, to focus their education on leadership IW Tiger fans to continue to add and Stephen Holloway, graduate assistant, and sales skills while still addressing expand athletic programs on campus. and Cash Wilcke, graduate assistant. the biological components. This The facility was renovated fall 2020 and These three assistant coaches come to business-first approach is better suited currently serves over 40 student-athletes Iowa Wesleyan after successful careers to meeting the needs of local companies who enrolled at IW in the first recruiting wrestling at the University of Iowa. based on market research conducted by class. The Tigers wrestling program is Dr. Frazier. He noted that, “we have a Iowa Wesleyan is pleased to not the only program that is creating moral obligation to be involved in the welcome Shawn Contos as the Head a buzz on campus and across the economic development of the region.” Wrestling Coach. As a four-time Mount Pleasant Community. The The new Agribusiness program seeks USA All-American Wrestler with 20 Iowa Wesleyan football program has a to connect IW graduates with local years of experience coaching wrestling, long-standing history and tradition and employers in Southeast Iowa. Professor Contos will help Iowa Wesleyan build a is known at the Division I and NFL Furlong adds, “From a world standpoint, successful wrestling team and program. we’re going to have 2 billion more people level for being the home of the Air Raid IW.EDU 5 FEATURE offense. In December of 2019, Coach NAIA, where we have so many great Success & Inclusive Support (OASIS), Marvelander Daniels was appointed memories of tradition and success. Our located on the top floor of the campus as the new head football coach. Coach Tiger fans across the country should get library. “This is where a lot of students Daniels and his staff have hit the ground ready for an exciting ride.” hang out,” Aranda states. “I think running and brought in a talented group through the relationships we have built of student-athletes in just 8 months at Increasing Retention: with the students, they see us as a safe the helm. place to ask questions.” “This is an exciting time for Student Success Students often would go to the Iowa Wesleyan University and Tiger OASIS with questions about financial Athletics,” said Derek Zander, Vice Center aid or how to choose a major, which President for Advancement and showed Aranda and her team that there Athletics. On October 5, the National Iowa Wesleyan University has always was a need for a more structured student Association of Intercollegiate Athletics offered support to students through success initiative.