TECH ACTION ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY ALUMNI MAGAZINE | WINTER 2015 SURTEVALL SHINES IN NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT WITH NCAA HONOR Tech’s Fight On Spirit Evident As you receive this issue of Tech Action magazine, the holiday Arkansas Tech finished the regular season is well underway. It is a time of year when we focus on season 8-3 overall and earned an family and the joy of giving. invitation to a postseason bowl game. The spirit of giving swept the Arkansas Tech Family early this year, as evidenced by the tremendous support that you gave to the As we prepare to turn the calendar inaugural SignATUre Weekend of Giving during Homecoming 2015. to 2016, how will you Fight On? Will you encourage a prospective More than $30,000 was raised, the vast majority of which was student in your hometown to take designated for the new Fight On Fund. This initiative is designed to a campus tour? Will you attend assist students who have experienced unforeseen changes in their a basketball doubleheader to life circumstances and thus no longer have the resources necessary cheer on the Golden Suns and the to persist to graduation. Wonder Boys? Will you make a gift Gifts to the Fight On Fund will allow students to do just that — to the Arkansas Tech Foundation to benefit the next generation of Fight On — and maintain their pursuit of the life-changing benefits the Tech Family? Will you proudly wear the green and gold? of a college degree. Thank you for your continued support of Arkansas Tech. Best Examples of the “Fight On!” spirit at Arkansas Tech were all wishes to you and yours for a joyous holiday season and a happy around us this fall. Perhaps the best example was our Wonder new year. Boys football team, which overcame the tragic death of teammate Sincerely, Zemaric Holt just before the start of fall practice to put together Tech’s best season in six years. The 2015 season reached its crescendo on Nov. 14 when the Wonder Boys bounced back from a two-touchdown deficit in the Kelly Davis fourth quarter to defeat Harding University 27-24. With the win, Director of Alumni Relations Alumni Association Board of Directors President: Truman Hill ‘70 President Elect: Kendall Tabor ‘88 & ‘92 Leila Bean Dockery ‘77 12/15 Kendall Tabor ‘89 & ‘92 12/15 Ryan Ritchie ‘03 12/16 Megan Morris ‘09 & ‘14 12/17 Susan McIntyre Dunn ‘83 12/15 Adam Anderson ‘11 12/16 Ross White ‘08 & ‘12 12/16 Betty Snellings ‘62 12/17 Cody Hill ‘07 & ‘10 12/15 Larry Brown ‘10 12/16 Lacie Oels Bohannan ‘10 & ‘14 12/17 Tony Thompson ‘95 12/17 Sherry Nordin Polsgrove ‘81 12/15 Alyssa McTeer Carter ‘02 12/16 Sue Chiolino ‘68 & ‘86 12/17 Jimmy Rofkahr, Ozark Campus Rep. Dustin Parsons ‘10 & ‘14 12/15 Denise Clayton ‘85 12/16 Travis Flower ‘11 12/17 Justin Price ‘01 12/15 Steve Kesner ‘77 12/16 Rick Hampton ‘75 12/17 Melissa Owens Steeves ‘07 12/15 Brad McBride ‘10 12/16 Keith Jesse ‘08 12/17 Tech Action, Volume 51, No. 3. Arkansas Tech University Alumni Association, Alumni House, Russellville, AR 72801 Tech Action is published by the Arkansas Tech Alumni Association, Director of Alumni Relations Editorial Committee Cover Photograph 1313 N. Arkansas Ave., Russellville, Kelly Davis Kelly Davis, Jayne Jones, NCAA AR 72801. It is sent to alumni, Susie Nicholson, Sam Strasner parents, friends and faculty/staff of Coordinator of Young Alumni Contributing Photographers Arkansas Tech University. We welcome & Student Philanthropy Publications/Creative Services Liz Chrisman, Tim Carr, Travis Clayton, manuscripts and photographs from Alison Parks Taylor Felisha Weaver Joshua Mashon, Elijah Moreno, our readers. Please include a self- Coordinator of Alumni Shelby Jones, Howard Ritchie addressed, stamped envelope if you Communications & Events Director of New Media would like your originals returned. Aaron Jones Carrie Harris Phillips E-mail address Parents, if your son or daughter [email protected] attended Tech and is no longer living Alumni Office Administrative Assistant Director of Athletic at this address, please notify our office Terry Holland-Finley Communications Website of his or her new address. Address Paul Smith www.techties.atu.edu updates can be submitted to the Arkansas Tech Office of Alumni Services by calling 479.968.0242 or by sending e-mail to [email protected]. WINTER 2015 02 TECH ACTION WINTER 2015 HOMECOMING 03 WINTER 2015 04 HOMECOMING HOMECOMING 2015 A season-high crowd of 6,976 fans watched as Arkansas Tech University earned a 30-12 Homecoming victory over nationally 20th-ranked Ouachita Baptist University at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field in Russellville on Saturday, Oct. 10. It was the Wonder Boys’ first win over a nationally-ranked opponent since 2009, and it helped Arkansas Tech go on to its first winning football season in six years. Stephanie Carter of Van Buren was crowned Homecoming queen 2015 during a pre-game ceremony. Carter is a senior rehabilitation science major. She is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Greek Programming Board. Carter has served the campus community as a resident assistant, orientation leader and summer student ambassador. Her parents are Sherri and Tony Carter. Also selected for the 2015 Arkansas Tech Homecoming court were senior Toni Cody of Sulphur Springs, Texas, junior Haley Owen of Subiaco, senior Hailey Robinson of Okmulgee, Okla., and senior Bailey Taylor of Rogers. WINTER 2015 HOMECOMING 05 WINTER 2015 06 HOMECOMING WINTER 2015 HOMECOMING 07 Hemba/Young/Wojo Davis/Gunter/Possage Parker/Bittle/Lievsay Steuber/Abington/McCoy Murphy/Brown/Ritchie/Hill Abington/McCoy/Steuber Wins 2015 Homecoming Golf Classic The three-man team of Chris Abington, Matt McCoy and Scott First place in the senior championship flight went to the team of Steuber fired a 13-under par round of 59 to win the championship Jim Gray, Tommy Hindsman and Bob Manry. They shot 57. flight in the 2015 Arkansas Tech University Homecoming Golf Bill Curtis won the closest to the line driving prize. Gregg Grant Classic at Chamberlyne Country Club on Friday, Oct. 9. won the closest to the hole competition. Abington, McCoy and Steuber won the title in a card-off, a process A total of 26 three-person teams participated in the 2015 of comparing hole-by-hole scores that is regularly used to break Homecoming Golf Classic. The annual event helps provide funds ties in charity golf tournaments. As a result of the card-off, the for the Arkansas Tech Alumni Association Scholarship. team of Toppy Owens, Tommy Papasan and Max Sherry finished in second place with a score of 59. Proceeds from the Homecoming Golf Classic have helped the Arkansas Tech Alumni Association fund more than $112,000 in Adam Anderson, Clay Anderson and Dusty Bonds took third place scholarships over the past five years. in the championship flight with a round of 61. | 2015 Arkansas Tech Homecoming Golf Classic, Chamberlyne Country Club – Par 72 Championship Flight Third Flight Chris Abington/Matt McCoy/Scott Steuber 59 Steve Dixon/John Newton/Jamie Sorrells 69 Toppy Owens/Tommy Papasan/Max Sherry 59 Kent Bartlett/John Feltner/Mike King 69 Adam Anderson/Clay Anderson/Dusty Bonds 61 Ruben Camacho/Matt Fleming/Alan Ward 70 Matt Cooper/Adam Waldron/Jared Wood 62 Jerry Bridges/Rick Canada/Robbie Hudson 80 Scott Dorminy/Bryan Fisher/Heath Styles 62 Senior Championship Flight Alec Hemba/Todd Wojo/Jamey Young 62 Jim Gray/Tommy Hindsman/Bob Manry 57 Bill Curtis/Wyn Norwood/David Rollans 59 Second Flight Chris Boudreaux/John Reno/Earnest Taylor 63 Gregg Grant/John Grant/Tom Steward 62 Jimmy Cunningham/Nelson Ennis/Dan Lovelady 64 David Gatling/Jerry Gatling/David Robinson 62 Abby Davis/Mary Gunter/Niki Possage 65 Senior Second Flight Danny Hipps/Hayden Hipps/Russ Wright 67 Aaron Duvall/Ronnie Higgins/Truman Pew 64 Kevin Coleman/Kyle Johnson/Colten Wiles 67 David Fuller/Mike Fuller/Richard Thompson 65 Chris Cooper/Keith Moore/Alex Pipkin 67 Randy Bittle/Alvin Lievsay/Jim Parker 65 Todd Dennis/George Jones/Dan Nicholson 65 Larry Cotton/Larry LaFevers/Bob Ratchford 66 Bo Funderburk/John Rommel/Wendall Woodard 68 WINTER 2015 08 HOMECOMING SignATUre Weekend of Giving Tops $30,000 Members of the Arkansas Tech University community joined together to provide emergency assistance funds for students during the 2015 SignATUre Weekend of Giving Oct. 8-11. In all, more than 260 individuals donated more than $30,000 to the Arkansas Tech Foundation over the course of the event. Of the funds raised, more than $28,000 was designated to help Arkansas Tech establish the Fight On Fund. The new fund will provide emergency assistance for students facing unforeseen changes in their life circumstance that could prevent them from reaching graduation. The Arkansas Tech Foundation received a matching gift of $10,000 from an anonymous donor because members of the Tech family were able to raise $10,000 during the four-day event. “We are so appreciative to everyone that took part in our SignATUre Weekend of Giving,” said Caroline Vining, coordinator of annual giving programs. “Arkansas Tech is a family, and that is shown by the willingness of members of the Tech community to join together to help students facing difficulties. I know the students that receive assistance from the Fight On Fund will know exactly what it means to be part of the Tech family.” Individuals wishing to make a donation to the Fight On Fund may do so by visiting www.atu.edu/signaturegift. | Caroline Vining & Jerry the Bulldog Todd Receives Fall 2015 Third Floor Caraway Girls Scholarship The meaning and power of and they have returned to the phrase “pay it forward” Homecoming for a reunion was on full display during every year since.