INDIANA UNIVERSITY–PURDUE UNIVERSITY FORT WAYNE ALUMNI MAgAZINE www.ipfw.edu/alumniIPFW Volume 12, Number 1, Fall 2008 COvER STORy «12 Happy hobbyists share their stories Inside «1 Getting personal with our new brand «11 Theatre schedule in the limelight «25 Chancellor: “We’re growing up.” IPFW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Extending the Personal Touch Director’s letter WhAT’S your story? Contents Dear Fellow Alumni, 1 Brand Rollout What’s your IPFW story? It seems each time I meet alumni, 4 Class Notes they have stories to tell about their time at IPFW. There are the stories of couples who met as students and 10 Cover Story Alumni talk about their married as graduates, and are now bringing a new crop of “legacy” hobbies. It’s quite an students (their children) to enroll at IPFW. Sometimes the alumni eclectic collection of avocations. office receives calls from people seeking a way to find that one special someone who was the “one who got away.” Where is she now? 20 Alumni Profile Will he remember me? What should I say? 22 Alumni Escape Then there are the fun stories, like the one about Greek alumni who say they’d hop in the elevator in Kettler Hall, stop it between floors, and open the doors so Inside back cover: Chancellor’s Letter they could write on the walls of the elevator shaft. And there are tales of the all-nighters pulled Chancellor Michael Wartell by the staff of The Communicator during its early days, with sleeping bags littering the newspaper talks about how IPFW and its alumni are “coming into office floor—that’s still going on today. their own.” Plus, there are alumni stories of faculty impact: a kind word to keep the then-student going strong in her studies, a phone call to open a corporate door so a grad could embark on his career, and traveling overseas with an alumna entrepreneur for her first foray into that global market. My story? IPFW provided me with a multitude of things: • My favorite professors—Dave Switzer, whose classroom stories hammered home communication points I would need when I started my own newspaper, Hermione VanNuis, who made the minutia of Shakespeare’s writings sink in so I can usually get all the answers right in that Jeopardy! category, and Dave Maloney, who made physics a not-so-scary subject! • My chance to be in on the ground floor of creatingThe Communicator student newspaper and watching it take hold, delighting through the years as it continued to publish, and now, still reading it weekly on campus. • Real-world advice from adjunct faculty, helping me launch my own weekly newspaper business. So many shared their “been there” advice, which saved me lots of start-up grief and © 2008 IPFW allowed me to succeed. Alumni Association • And most importantly, the degree that led to my being able to find a decent job so I could Published by IPFW University raise my three children as a single parent … and watch them all earn their own college degrees! Relations and Communications So, what’s your IPFW story? Share it with me at [email protected]. I’d really like to hear it! Executive Director of University Relations and Communications: Sincerely, Irene Walters Director of Alumni Relations: Jennifer Bosk Produced by The Nichols Company Jennifer R. Bosk, B.A. ‘87, M.L.S. ‘01 On the cover: (Clockwise from top left) Linda Buskirk, Kelly Klinker, Leah Chester, and Lisa Merriman are among alumni with interesting avocations. Brand rollout IPFW Alumni • Fall 2008 STAyINg ‘IN TOUCh’ With the objective of connecting the past, present, and future, the IPFW Alumni Association offers our new brand. What is a brand, anyway? Why do we need it? Why expend the effort? These are some of the questions we received when we sent a test market e-mail to 7,000 @S]SYX IPFW alumni. UÊÊ/ iÊÛÃÊvÀÊÌ iÊ*7ÊÕÊ A brand is not just a logo or catchy tagline. It represents a total Association is to be an engaging experience, articulates values, and communicates commitment. The organization that attracts membership, involves and serves IPFW Alumni Association undertook a process for developing a new the interest and diversity of IPFW vision and direction, one that would be more responsive to the diverse alumni, and creates personal, population of our more than 44,000 alumni. The brand implementation social, and enriching opportunities for alumni to stay connected and plan provides us with a road map to deliver on our brand promise. support the university. We started with engaging a market research class to conduct a formal study for the association. Three student groups conducted research /b^OXNSXQ ^RO with members, non-members, and future members (students). Results :O\]YXKV >Y_MR showed that 72 percent of dues-payers are over age 40, and benefits, UÊÊ,iiLiÀÊÌ iÊ*iÀÃ>Ê/ÕV Ê such as discounts, are not significantly related to satisfaction with the you received as a student. association, whereas connection to and support of the university rank UÊÊ ÝÌi`ÊÌ iÊ*iÀÃ>Ê/ÕV Ê somewhat relevant to highly relevant. by sharing your story and There was one theme that resounded in conversations with current reconnecting. and future alumni. The defining element that characterized the IPFW UÊÊ ÝÌi`ÊÌ iÊ*iÀÃ>Ê/ÕV Ê through involvement in activities experience was the personal attention, encouragement, guidance, and of personal interest to you. support that students received from advisors, professors, coaches, and UÊÊ ÝÌi`ÊÌ iÊ*iÀÃ>Ê/ÕV Ê friends. The differentiating factor for an education from the IPFW and make a difference by campus versus other campuses was having more extensive access volunteering. to work directly with professors, to opportunities to perform and UÊÊ ÝÌi`ÊÌ iÊ*iÀÃ>Ê/ÕV ÊÌÊ compete, and to job connections. Nearly everyone has a personal story future students by supporting an area of personal importance to you. about an IPFW relationship that influenced his or her life — and some married that person. sh)WASNOTANUMBER BUTAPERSONTHEYTOOKANINTERESTINHELPINGv sh)AMABSOLUTELYCERTAINTHAT) ASADYSLEXIC COULDHAVENEVERGRADUATEDWITHOUTTHEVERYPERSONAL ONE ON ONEASSISTANCE)RECEIVEDFROMSOMANYCARINGPEOPLEONTHISCAMPUSv sh)STILLCONSIDERTHEPROFESSORSOFMYDAYTOHAVEHADANINTEGRALPARTOFWHO)WASTOBECOME ANDPOSSIBLY EVENMYVERYSURVIVALv sh9OUCOULDSAY@PERSONALTOUCHISALL)HAVEKNOWNANDCOMETOEXPECTFROM)0&7 v sh)HADANACCOUNTINGPROFESSORWHOREALLYHELPEDMEGETASUMMERINTERNSHIPANDMYlRSTJOBv Thank you to all who participated in the research surveys and to all who responded to the brand test (75 percent voted yes), and thank you for the great suggestions, such as having an alumni blog with students, and challenges (such as connecting with out-of-state alumni). IPFW alumni are all professionals who are proud of their nationally recognized degree from Indiana University or Purdue University, and they value the people who empowered their educational experience. Alumni Marketing Team Louise Teague Andrew Welch "! COMMUNICATION "3 BUSINESS +6?783 Kelly Klinker,"! ECONOMICS!3 BUSINESS +==9-3+>398 Daysha Jackson -"!"! PSYCHOLOGY /b^OXNSXQ ^RO :O\]YXKV >Y_MR Debbie Branfield "'3 ).$)!.!5.)6%23)49n052$5%5.)6%23)49&/247!9.% Dennis Emley "3 PUBLICAFFAIRS IPFW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Extending the Personal Touch 1 » Alumni update UPCOMINg EvENTS 10th Annual For food count purposes, and Dental hygiene Mastodon Roast & because alcohol is served (your Alumni Luncheon Alumni Fountain first drink is free), your name Saturday, Nov. 15 • 11 a.m. Dedication and guest’s name(s) must be on to 1 p.m. • Pine Valley Tuesday, Oct. 14 • 5:30 to the entrance list. RSVP with Country Club, 10900 Pine 8 p.m. • Tent by Walb Student your name and IPFW grad year Mills Road Union, near Alumni Plaza and major at [email protected], or All IPFW dental hygiene IPFW graduates and faculty call 260-481-6807. alumni are invited to this are invited to this well-attended delightful luncheon during (more than 400 alumni and Dining Etiquette which the following graduating faculty every year) annual event and Networking classes will be honored: 1968, for food, conversation, and Dinner 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, networking. Dinner, including Oct. 22 • 6 to 9 p.m. • 1998, and 2003. Return to see roasted hog carved by Chancellor Holiday Inn at IPFW and the many of your favorite faculty Mike Wartell, is free for grads, War Memorial Coliseum members and share your fun faculty, and guests. IPFW grads in a variety of and funny dental stories with This year’s event includes careers are needed to advise the group. There’s lots of the dedication of the new and network with students camaraderie, prizes, great food, Connie and Dan Dickey who will soon be graduating. and fun. For details, contact Alumni Fountain in Alumni Students and alumni will be Brenda Valliere at 260-481-6902 Plaza. Come see the water— grouped together by career Nearly 400 alumni and friends or [email protected]. gathered at the Indianapolis Motor illuminated blue and white— for an evening of intense career Speedway to enjoy Pole Day in May. flow from the jets. Check conversations. It will be a great Economic Outlook Eight universities, including IPFW, out all the alumni engraved chance for you to find a Luncheon joined together for this exciting event as we saw Scott Dixon claim cobblestones surrounding the student worker or intern, too! Wednesday, Nov. 12 • the pole position. Other highlights fountain—and order yours To sign up, call Cassie in the 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. • included our alumni seeing Helio Castroneves, Danika Patrick, and now (see page 23). Mastodon Advising Center at Walb Student Union Ballroom racing legend A. J. Foyt. 260-481-4114. Once again, the IPFW Alumni Association, in general Studies conjunction with the e-Mentoring Northeast Indiana IU Alumni Tuesday, Nov. 4 • 5:30 to Chapter, will host the 8:30 p.m.