contact - adrian college alumni magazine

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� CONTACT MAGAZINE

President’s Message

The abundantly successful Renaissance I campaign closed this spring. This campaign, you may recall, raised over $15 million to support our plan to grow enrollment, attract more highly qualified students, beautify the campus, and construct more contemporary facilities.

We accomplished all of these goals nearly three years ahead of schedule. This fall we will enroll over 1,400 students from 29 states and five foreign countries. Our 500 first-year students form the most academically qualified class in recent memory with nearly 40 percent

having graduated in the top 25 percent of their senior class. When they arrive on campus these students will find beautiful new academic and athletic facilities and a rejuvenated campus atmosphere alive with energy and optimism. They will be supported by a College budget that has grown from $24 million in 2005 to nearly $43 million, and a faculty that has grown by 25 positions in this same period. Your College is thriving!

But our work is not complete. We now embark on Renaissance II: A focused and dedicated effort to enhance every aspect of academic life at Adrian College. I told the faculty during my State of the College address in March that Renaissance II will create the most exciting, innovative, life-transforming academic experience at any college or university in this region of the country. These high aspirations will be guided by a plan, con-ceived and implemented by the College community and dedicated to excellence in all we do.

We know various elements of this plan already. In the years to come alumni and friends will read about a rejuvenated pre-medical and health sciences program that prepares students to enroll in the finest medical schools in the country. You will read about our new Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies that will teach stu-dents to be nimble and creative in their professions, adaptable to a changing America, and innovative in their career choices. You will read about Ethics Across the Curriculum, a campus-wide effort that requires students regardless of their major to reflect on the importance of honesty and integrity in their professional lives, to seek genuineness and meaning in their personal lives, and to make a positive difference in this world by doing more than simply passing through this life.

You will read about professors who teach students through unique experiential learning opportunities out-side our campus lecture halls, experiences that induce discomfort and self-reflection in students in order to identify insights that can only be realized when they move outside their daily rituals and habits of mind.

These changes, and many others, will elevate our academic profile to new heights. It is all very exciting!One piece of this plan that I anticipate will be a signature program is international education and study

abroad. I believe study abroad is the single greatest educational experience that undergraduate students can avail themselves of during college. It is incumbent upon educational leaders to encourage and inspire all of our students to leave campus in order to learn about people in distant lands.

In moving beyond our national boundaries students learn about more than simply free trade, the flattening world economy, international ecological sustainability, and the underpinnings of war, hunger, and disease. While these lessons are valuable and necessary for professional success, students learn something much more important when they study abroad: The commonality that links humankind, the similarities of our hopes and dreams, the oneness of purpose that guides our behaviors, and the parallel joys, fears, and longings of people in all nations to rise each morning and seize each day.

In my own study abroad I learned that people throughout the world want the same basic things from this life: To find love in their relationships, joy in their children, health for themselves and others, meaning in their work, and deep understanding that is revealed through spirituality and reflection.

These are the human emotions, motivations, and desires that unite us as one species; these are the insights that students will gain when they study overseas. Just as our biology professors teach us that all structures of life are built on the same six chemical elements from the Periodic Table, so do most human beings share the same handful of emotions and aspirations to guide their behavior.

In making this assertion I am not naïve to the exceptions that undermine this belief. The nightly news is filled with headline-grabbing radicals who terrorize others, kill indiscriminately, and seek to destroy human

Life-Transforming Education

LettersHat trick

I became a big Red Wings fan while living in Michigan from 1988 to 2000. I had moved to Michigan in August 1988 to start working at Adrian College as the equipment manager, assistant women’s basketball coach, and assistant softball Coach. I had never really followed hock-ey until I moved to Michigan. I moved to the Dallas/Fort Worth area in June 2000 after accepting my current position.

I watched every game of this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, especially since the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars were contenders. Game Three, which was played here in Dallas, I saw the Red Wings get off to a great start. The Red Wings were up 3-0 after the first period, and 4-1 after the second. Pavel Datsyuk scored twice in the first period, and I was very aware that his next goal would give him a hat trick.

Late in the game, I vividly recall Dat-syuk getting the puck and thinking, “This is a very good scoring chance”. I remem-ber standing up during the play, and as soon as the puck was in the net, I launched my hat onto the ice.

The hat I was wearing was a white Adrian College hat! While there may have possibly been an Adrian College hat thrown onto the ice for a hat trick that oc-curred at Joe Louis Arena, I think it is safe to say that it was the first to be thrown onto the ice for a Red Wings hat trick in Dallas, Texas!

Doug McDanielDallas, TX

Pittsburgh ConneCtionOn the back page of last issue, is the story of the Pittsburgh Pirates/Adrian College connection. The player in the back row, far right is my uncle J. William (Bill) Geisler who was from Tarentum, Pa., graduated from AC in ‘61 and was on the admissions department staff at AC from 1962-64. My father, Henry Geisler, and my mother, Geraldine “Gerry” Stanley Geisler were also graduates of AC. John GeislerAdrian, Mich.

continued on page 21 continued on page 21


Letters PoLicyUnless noted as “not for publica-tion,” communications to the editor are considered for publication (often in a condensed version) when space is available. Include your name, address and phone number and limit your com-ments to Contact or topics mentioned in the magazine.

Mail: Editor, Contact110 S. Madison St. Adrian, MI 49221Email: [email protected]: 517-264-3810Online: contact.adrian.eduAC Switchboard: 517-265-5161www.adrian.edu

Vol. 112, No. 2Summer 2008

Adrian College Alumni Magazine

editorMellissa BoydDirector of Public Relations

AssociAte editorAshley LeeCommunications Assistant

contributorsTricia Bach ’06Michelle Groleau Engel ’97Marsha Fielder ’00Darcy Gifford ’91Carolyn Jones ’94Kate Lambert LeeLamya Mahfoudh Sarah MiesleHeidi Rennhack Spence ’02Eric Swanson ’07Ryan Thompson Brad WhitehouseConnie Williams

chAnge of AddressMail: Carol Carson, Records Clerk 110 S. Madison St.Adrian, MI 49221Email: [email protected]: 517-264-3331

Table of Contents

Features Contents

contact strives to keep alumni and friends informed about the lives of their friends and classmates and about the changing face of Adrian college today. this full-color magazine is an emotional link between alumni and their alma mater, and therefore serves an informational purpose and is not a medium for direct solicitation. stories focus on the alumni, faculty and students that make Adrian college a lively and challenging campus community while also examining issues that people face in everyday life. The editor makes the final determination of suitability of the published content of this magazine. Letters, articles and pictures which are questionable in content will not be accepted for publication. Wedding announcements will be published as long as the wedding is recognized under the laws of the state of Michigan and is consistent with the policies of the united Methodist church. Announcements that do not conform to those guidelines will not be accepted for publication. Please note, however, that the views expressed in the publication are not necessarily the views of this magazine or the views of Adrian college.

12 Turning Adrian College Students into Global CitizensPresident Docking highlights the importance of study abroad and travels to the U.A.E. By Ashley Lee

13 The Possibilities are EndlessStudy abroad enhances education, provides professional preparation. By Tricia Bach ’03

16 Going GlobalAdrian students have the world at their fingertips.

23 Fame-ous in FlexographyAlum inducted into FTA Hall of Fame. By Michelle Groleau Engel ’97

24 All the Right Moves Adrian College Alumnus takes the steps necessary to be-come superintendent of Adrian Public Schools. By Darcy Gifford ’91

2 President’s Message

4 Around the Mall

8 Faculty Notes

8 Faculty Spotlight

11 Sports Round-up

21 From the Alumni

26 Class Notes

34 Alumni Announcements

Board


Executive Vice President Rick Creehan throws out the first pitch at the Nicolay field dedication.

Hal Craft ’61 addresses the crowd at the official dedication ceremony of the Craft tennis complex.

Around the MallNews and Notes

The new baseball stadium at AC, Nicolay Field, was offi-cially dedicated on Saturday, April 5, during a ceremony be-fore the M.I.A.A. doubleheader against Tri-State University.

Before this season, the College played home baseball games at Riverside Park for nearly 60 years. Thanks to a generous gift from Bud and Betty Nicolay and their family foundation, base-ball has finally returned to campus. Frank and Shirley Dick, who donated the funds for overhead lights, as well as the con-tractors, were also honored.

Nicolay Field features all the amenities critical to the suc-cess of a baseball program in the 21st century. Some of these state-of-the-art features include a field completely covered in turf by Pro Grass, an inning-by-inning scoreboard, an under-ground drainage system, pro-baseball caliber dugouts, bull-pens and batting cages.

The stands above each dugout are covered and hold 280 chair-back seats. Along the right and left field lines are bleach-ers and areas for spectators to stand. A dirt hill, which will eventually be grass, is behind center field, allowing more room for spectators. Locker rooms, a heated press box, rest rooms, and a concession stand are also in place. Be sure to check out a game next season!

The Craft Tennis Complex featuring Strowger Champion-ship Court was also officially dedicated during a ceremony on Saturday, May 10. The Craft Tennis Complex featuring Strow-ger Championshp Court was also officially dedicated during a ceremony on Saturday, May 10. Trustee Hal Craft ‘61 was recognized for his generous contribution as well as trustee Dick Strowger and wife Patricia Strowger. Other guests in-cluded Karen Caine, former tennis coach and wife of President Emeritus Stanley Caine as well as several College trustees. The Caines and Eva Megerle ‘65, named the adjacent courts.

Craft, a former tennis player here at AC, spoke fondly of his deceased parents. They were never able to see a single match of his so he dedicated the complex in their memory. Craft was also an active member of the ATO fraternity during his years on campus. Many of his ATO brothers as well as former tennis players were present at the dedication.

The complex includes twelve courts split into six units, two courts per unit. It includes a perimeter drainage system instead of an underneath structure. The creative and unique designs of the tennis complex are based on breaking up the playing surfaces into two-court units. Studies by national leaders in the tennis industry show that this helps reduce the impact of freeze-thaw damage.

DedicatedBaseball returns to campus, College serves up new tennis complex

The flurry of facility dedications con-tinued this spring with the ribbon cut-ting ceremonies of the new baseball stadium and tennis complex.


Batter Up!Baseball makes first appearance in Division III College World Series

The talk of the town this spring was the rise of the Adrian College baseball team, who won their first NCAA regional title in Terre Haute, Indiana, with a thrilling 8-7 comeback win over Heidelberg College. The Bulldogs scored three runs in the bot-tom of the ninth inning to claim the school’s regional crown.

In addition, Adrian College represented the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) as the first team ever in MIAA history at the National Tournament which was held in Appleton, Wisc. The Bulldogs soon became Appleton’s favorite team to watch. In game two they knocked out last year’s defending champs, Kean University, to continue on in the Division III College World Series. In game three, the Bulldogs claimed a 3-2 win over the Scott Brosius-coached Wildcats of Linfield College and advanced to the final four. In the end, they took a tough 13-11 loss to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, finishing fourth in all Division III baseball. Congratulations on an outstanding season, Bulldogs!

Adrian College is proud to announce its newest scholarship program, which benefits disabled American veterans. The program, which is called ‘Operation Education’, will offer a disabled American veteran, who was injured during combat in Afghanistan or Iraq post Sept. 11, 2001, a full scholarship toward earning his or her college degree. The College will offer the

fundamentals: books, housing, meals, a laptop and school supplies, as well as physical and emotional support. If the soldier has a spouse or family, they, too, will be provided for through the College’s benefits.

Operation Education comes to the College as a blueprint from the University of Idaho. The Uni-versity of Idaho is the founder of the scholarship and officially launched it in July 2006. This is the only program of its kind in the country at this time and Adrian College is the first college or university to offer it in the state of Michigan. The program is designed to help those who return from combat to adjust to civilian life. Many veterans’ plans will change now that they are returning with permanent injuries. By offering these heroes a free college education, they will not only be able to adjust to civilian life, but they will now be able to provide for their families. AC is happy to say that the College has several applicants awaiting review. One of these outstanding persons will be awarded as the first recipient of the scholarship and will begin classes this fall.

Operation EducationAC devoted to honoring disabled veterans

Rainey Earns �00

On April 2, the baseball team played Tri-State University splitting the doubleheader with a 3-1 win in the first game and a 4-2 loss in the night-

cap. The one win marked a milestone in Coach Craig Rainey’s 14-season career, giving him an even 300 Bulldog wins. Congratulations, Coach Rainey!

Athletic director Mike duffy ’82 congratulates coach rainey ’89 on his 300th win.


President Docking offered some of his thoughts about Adrian and its future during “The Vision for Renaissance II” his 2008 State of the College Address, presented on Friday, March 28.

He opened his address by discussing the successful efforts and completion of Renaissance I. During the Renaissance I campaign, a five-year goal was reached in just its second year of existence.

He praised the College faculty, students, administration, Board of Trust-ees, and community for their support, patience, hard work and dedication to the College that helped to create a “better Adrian College.”

The President focused the majority of his speech on Renaissance II. The main component of this campaign is facility enhancements. He said the enhancements are not to improve curb appeal but rather for educational reasons.

Within the next several years his hope is that every academic department and every academic facility on campus will be enhanced to “look distinc-tively better than it does today.”

President Docking discussed the implementation of institutes and new majors. He emphasized the importance of learning outside the classroom with enhanced study abroad and internship opportunities as well as senior capstone experiences.

A whirlwind of change continues at the College thanks to the success of the Renaissance I program, which has grown freshmen enrollment by nearly 90 percent and added $15 million to the College budget, and the beginning of Renaissance II.

Witnessed in beautiful new academic and athletic facilities, the College is booming at a pace unmatched by other colleges and universities through-out the country. With the Renaissance II plan set forth, we are succeeding but the work is far from over.

To read or listen to the full speech, visit www.adrian.edu.

AC receives grant to assist first-generation students

Adrian College has received a $100,000 grant to help with enrolling, retaining, and graduating first- generation college students.

The College is one of 20 selected by the Council of Independent Colleges to receive the Wal-Mart College Suc-cess Award. The Wal-Mart College Success Awards program is administered by the CIC and made possible by a generous grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation.

More than 200 institutions applied for the competitive grant, which is intended to assist institutions committed to educating students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college.

Adrian will use the money to expand programs for provide faculty and staff mentors who were first-generation college students themselves as well as workshops about college suc-cess.

Only 24 percent of first-generation students complete a bachelor’s degree, compared to 68 percent of students whose parents received a bachelor’s degree, statistics show.

Docking gives 2008 State of the College

“The Renaissance II faculty committees propose several wonderful institutes: The Institutes for Public Policy, International Education, Entrepreneurial Studies, Experiential Edu-cation, and Ethics Across the Curriculum.”

Send us your photos, memorabilia and oral histories (in writing, of course)! We’re collecting those special moments from your AC experience for the College’s sesquicentennial - our 150th anniversary. Email ac150@adrian.

edu or mail to: Alumni Relations, Adrian College, 110 S. Madison St., Adrian MI 49221.

Some of these may be included in Dr. Stephanie Jass’s commemorative pictorial history book.

BOOK CONTESTS: Essays addressing the ques-

tion, “What is the Adrian Col-lege experience?” and that “per-fect” picture representation for the cover (portrait orientation; high quality/resolution) may be submitted for the history book by January 31, 2009, to [email protected]. Winners will receive a cash prize!

Help AC celebrateRequesting memorabilia for the sesquicentennial

News and Notes


Merillat Sport & Fitness Center Upgraded Exercise Science instrumentationAdditional, temporary space due to growth in Athletic Training/Exercise Science New roof added Summer 2008

Jones HallBusiness board room completed

Peelle HallScience instrumentation refreshedElectrical upgradeHuman Anatomy Lab addedUpgrades to water/filtration systems

Mahan Hall (recently renamed: The Mahan Center for the Visual Arts)

Interior Design moves to Mahan from ValadeDance floor moves to Mahan from Rush Substantial building reconstruction

Valade HallEnglish department moves to first floor of Valade from MahanKnight Auditorium has been remodeled with technical upgradesStephenson Alumni Lounge refurbished Other first floor enhancements

The Transformation Continues…Renaissance II begins

Renaissance II has taken over at AC. Its goal is to create the most exciting, innovative experience of any college or university in the Midwest. The upgrading of academic facilities and classrooms will

enhance the learning experience of our students. Due to the enormous growth spurt in enrollment, these enhancements are essential for keeping AC on the cutting edge.

Herrick Chapel Sound system upgradesGeneral repairs

Goldsmith HallTotal building reconstructionModern Languages moves to Goldsmith from MahanNew health and counseling centers move to Caine Student Center

Rush HallCommunication Arts & Sciences moves to Rush from MahanTotal building reconstruction

Downs HallStructural reinforcementNew electrical, flooring, and seating in theatre

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ToM NElSoN – PsychologyThis summer when Professor Tom Nelson was working in his garage, the

fact that he had retired had not sunk in. “In September, I’ll probably think, ‘Hey, I should be going back to campus like I have for 34 years.’ I think it will hit me then,” he said.

Tom has never regretted going into psychology because using the scien-tific method to study human behavior intrigues him. He started teaching at Adrian in 1974 after finishing his doctorate at the University of Maine. He became a dedicated professor with a genuine concern for the development of his students.

“One of the best things about young people from age 18 to 22 is that it’s such a critical time when they move from being an adolescent teenager to a young adult,” he said. “It’s exciting to interact with them then and to af-fect some of them.” He loved seeing a few of his students go onto graduate school and professions within the field of psychology.

We Bid Thee Farewell Three of Adrian’s finest retire. By Brad Whitehouse

Tim lawson ’85, a psychology professor at Col-lege of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio, said Tom was a generous professor who agreed to teach-ing an independent study in the summer when Law-son was in graduate school. He said that he is grate-ful to his former professor and the other psychology faculty for his outstanding education.

Tom thinks one of the things he will probably miss most about Adrian is the interaction with his colleagues. Gordon Hammerle, professor of psy-chology, had lunch with Tom more days than not since Hammerle arrived at AC in 1976. Hammerle notes that students appreciated Tom’s easygoing style and dry wit.

“He taught topics that weren’t necessarily ones students look forward to, like statistics, and made them more appealing and less threatening,” Ham-merle said.

Hank Cetola, retired professor of psychology, noted that while Tom was a rather private person outside the classroom, another side of him would sometimes come out, like the time they were look-ing for elk and three large bucks crossed their path. “Tom got really excited and wanted to get out of the

car and follow them into the woods!” he remembers.Now that he’s retired, Tom and his wife Irene will probably travel, and

may move from their home in Blissfield, Mich., to be closer to Irene’s par-ents in Texas or his in Minnesota.

“He (Nelson) taught topics that weren’t necessarily ones students look forward to, like statistics, and made them more appealing and less threatening...”

Faculty NotesCollege chaplain and director of church relations Chris Momany ’84 published another installment in the Daily Bible Study series of The United Methodist Publishing House for spring 2008.

Dr. Agnes Caldwell, associate professor of sociology, social work and criminal justice, accepted a newly es-tablished position as assistant dean of academic affairs at the College. She will assist with faculty-administra-tion relations, coordinate responses to accreditation and

evaluation agencies, establish innovative academic programs including a faculty mentorship program, and lead effective faculty and staff train-ing techniques.

Faculty Spotlight


JuDiTH RoES HaMMERlE Psychology

If experience in the field can enhance learning, then Judith Hammerle has been an exemplary professor. She has taught half-time for 31 years while working as a clinical psychologist-16 of those years were spent as director of the counseling center at the College. She also has spent what is now 12 years in private practice.

“They say the best way to learn is to teach. My clients benefit from the case information that I bring back from the classroom,” she said. In turn, her actual experience enriches and inspires her teaching.

Judith has tried to focus on service learning with her students, getting them involved in actual projects in the community. “My major goal was to help them develop empathy for people with emotional problems,” she said.

She remembers when a student in her abnormal psychology class visited a domestic violence shelter and a young person there got mad and kicked him. She asked him if he would go back, and thought his answer taught an important lesson to the class.

“He said he needed to go back, to show them that a man can react to violence without violence,” Judith recalled.

Agnes Caldwell, a professor of sociology, said Judith pioneered service learning on campus and served as a mentor to her as a young female fac-ulty member. She said that Judith’s dedication to Adrian and her profession were inspiring.

Hank Cetola, retired professor of psychology, said that one reason Judith was so popular with students is because she was tough and pushed them to do their best. She brought an important perspective to students as the only female member of the department for many years. He said she has all the qualities that Carl Rogers listed for a good counselor—active listen-ing, empathetic understanding and unconditional positive regard—and that these qualities also make her a great friend.

While at Adrian, Judith developed the Sexual Assault Trained Advocates as well as PALS, an athlete peer education and referral group focused on substance abuse and wellness. She developed a strong interest in sexual as-sault and eating disorders through her work with students. This has contin-ued through her clinical practice and through her membership with Zonta International, a service club with the goal of advancing the status of women worldwide.

She admits that leaving the College has been hard, including missing the exciting academic changes from the ongoing renaissance plan. Now that she’s retired, her private practice has grown to be more than half-time. However, she will continue to be active in the community and hopes to have more time to spend with her daughters, including Christine Ham-merle ’03 who lives in Arizona with her husband Greg Gnepper’02.

“My major goal was to help them develop empathy for people with emotional problems...”

Dr. Thomas Hodgman, associate professor of music, recently organized the first professional conference in Michigan specifically designed for college music educa-tion students which took place in October on the cam-pus of Michigan State University. The conference was

attended by more than 100 college students from at least 10 different colleges and universities from across the state. Tom has served as state advisor for the Michigan Collegiate MENC, the national association for music educators.

Bill Tregea’s book The Prisoners’ World: Portraits of Con-victs Experiencing the Incarceration Binge was accepted in February by Lexington Books’ editorial board as part of the Issues in Crime and Justice series. Dr. Tregea is a professor of sociology, social work and criminal justice.

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Spotlight

GEoRGE aiCHElE – Religion The first time you see George Aichele, professor of religion, there is

nothing assuming about him. Catch a glimpse of him in his office in Valade Hall in his signature baseball cap and jeans, and it is hard to imagine that he is one of the most published and celebrated scholars in Adrian College history.

A few years after earning his doctorate at Northwestern University, George came to Adrian College. He had applied some time before and never got an interview, but when the department needed to fill an opening quickly it went through old resumes and he got a call. He said he doesn’t know if he attracted notice by coincidence or because the resumes were filed alphabetically, but he ended up staying at AC for 30 years.

George writes about heady stuff. He is known as a lucid writer, but the

topics are very esoteric. His research and publications have focused on problems of meaning and referentiality in texts and on other metaphysi-cal and theological aspects of semiotic theory. He has written six books, including The Control of Biblical Meaning (Trinity Press International, 2001), in addition to co-authoring another and editing or co-editing eight more. His work isn’t something you’d read at the beach, but has made an impact in his field and helped make him well-known among an elite group of academics around the world.

Fred Burnett, a professor of religious studies at Anderson University in Indiana and a longtime colleague and friend, said the most obvious thing about George is his scholarship. “George’s work is not only evidence of his dedication to his professional responsibilities, but to Adrian College as well. He could have gone to teach elsewhere, but he chose to stay and work in a setting where his scholarship was peripheral except in his own classroom,” he said.

Burnett said there will be a session held in George’s honor at the Society of Biblical Literature meeting in November, which he says is perhaps the best evidence of his legacy.

George said his best moments at AC were with “a number of excellent students who are still good friends.” He said he shared a deep respect with them not only because they were willing to ask themselves difficult ques-tions, but were unafraid to challenge him as well. “I appreciated that a lot,” he said.

George has been teaching half-time since 2000, which allowed him more freedom to write and, in turn, improved his teaching.

George said he has many fond memories of his good friends on the fac-ulty. He doesn’t have any specific plans for his retirement except for con-tinuing his writing and editing projects. He attended a scholarly conference in New Zealand this summer, and is book review editor for The Bible and Critical Theory one of the major journals in his field.

The Adrian College community would like to thank these three individu-als for putting AC on the map. The three of them combined have devoted 95 years to our College and to our students. We wish them the best of luck in all of their future endeavors.

Professor Diane Henningfeld ’74 also retired this summer; watch for next issue’s spotlight on faculty to read her profile.

“George’s work is not only evidence of his dedication to his professional responsibilities, but to Adrian Col-lege as well.”

george Aichele with friend and collegue religion professor, Melissa stewart.

Sarah Hanson, associate professor of earth science, led a Southwestern U.S. Geology class to Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado over spring break. Sarah has published a summary of her work on volcanoes from last summer in Gaea, an American Women Geo- sciences publication.

Jim Martin, assistant professor of biology, was among the presenters at the National Monitoring Conference in Atlantic City, N.J., in May. The conference was orga-nized by the National Water Quality Monitoring Council in cooperation with the Water Environment Federation.

Brad Whitehouse, former editor of Contact, is an associate editor at the Uni-versity of Michigan. He lives in Tecumseh with his wife and two children.

SUMMER 08 WWW.ADRIAN.EDU ��

Sports Round-up

FooTBallAdrian College continues to provide all of its students with the opportu-

nity to expand their minds and think about our globe rather than just about where we live in the state of Michigan. It is one thing to listen and read about other countries and their rich heritage and cultures, but to actually visit and soak up everything for yourself puts a vivid memory in your mind that lasts a lifetime.

There are three different experiences involving the past, present and fu-ture as the Bulldogs spread goodwill in Europe. The football team had the opportunity to travel to Italy for nine days in May, where they were able not only to do some sightseeing, but also to put on the pads and both practice and play a game against a local team in Rome.

“For me the most unique thing about our trip was playing against guys who love football and come from different walks of life,” said assistant coach Jim Deere ’90. “The team was comprised of gentlemen from 17 to 46 years of age who paid to play against us. There were guys who were doctors and lawyers on the field who love the game of American football

GlobetrottersBulldog students and staff travel to Europe. By Ryan Thompson

and play because they love it. Our kids got to see that enthusiasm and it struck a chord with them.”

This was the third trip overseas for the football squad, who also visited Spain and Ireland. The team plans to travel every three years and has talked about going to the Greek Islands for their next adventure. The trip began in Venice, where the team rode on the famous gondola boats and watched the world-famous trade of glass blowing. From there, it was off to Florence where the team saw Michelangelo’s David statue and made a visit to Ponte Vecchio, also referred to as the Old Bridge.

The highlight of the trip for many was visiting the city of Rome and tour-ing the ancient ruins and the Colosseum. The Colosseum is the benchmark for all stadiums, and the Romans certainly enjoyed their sporting events inside the famous landmark.

“The Colosseum was such a remarkable place full of intrigue,” said head coach Jim Lyall. “To think of all the gladiators stepping onto the floor of the arena gave me chills. The history of Rome is so unique to anything we have in America. The Sistine Chapel and Vatican were also highlights for me. The guys really enjoyed themselves. I wonder why more teams don’t travel. The coaches and players develop trust during an experience like this.”

BaSEBallNo sport has become more international than baseball. Assistant coach

Luke Harrigan ’05 had the chance to travel to Germany this summer to participate in the Major League Baseball Envoy Program. The program is designed to help develop baseball around the world which allows Harrigan to offer his coaching skills and expertise to a variety of players. Harrigan usually lives in a city for two weeks and then moves on. He has worked a lot with the German Baseball Academy and helps with the selection of players to represent Germany in international competitions.

Harrigan has also worked with a professional league and organizes and runs their practices. “German baseball has really made a leap forward,” says Harrigan. “There are quite a few players from the German pro league that are in the minor leagues in the states. My main goal is to have an im-pact while I’m here and give the teams a plan to succeed in the future.”

HoCkEyThe men’s and women’s varsity hockey teams are also getting into the

spirit of visiting a foreign land as they plan for a trip to Finland in Decem-ber 2008. They will be staying at the Finnish National Training Center in the city of Vierumäki, where they will practice and play exhibition games. The women’s squad is scheduled to play three games against the Finnish National Under-18 team while the men’s squad is currently looking for their opponents.

Bulldog Sports OnlineDid you know that AC has an exciting sports Web page? Stay up-to-

date with all the Bulldog action no matter where you are!The web site offers team schedules and rosters, sports news and re-

sults, as well as sports archives. You can also order season tickets and get the latest information on events.

Follow the Bulldogs all season long at adrianbulldogs.cstv.com

football players Josh guitar ’08, Matt Johnston ’08, harry bailey and Joseph beehler in florence, italy.

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In March, Adrian College President Jeffrey Docking was presented with an educational opportunity of a lifetime; he traveled halfway across the world to the United Arab Emirates. The President’s trip was part of an educational

tour in partnership with the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C. The M.E.I. searched for colleges in the United States that promote studying abroad and international educational relations.

“This trip is a tremendous feather in the cap of Adrian College,” said Docking. “It’s the greatest single educational experience during one’s un-dergrad years to study abroad.”

The President was the only delegate of AC on the trip. The tour consisted of other university presidents, provosts and deans whose schools are attempt-ing to expand their international reach. Some of the other schools represented on the trip include Colgate University, Hamilton College, Wittenberg Uni-versity, and Valparaiso University. AC was selected because of our incred-

Turning Adrian College Students into Global CitizensPresident Docking highlights the importance of study abroad and travels to the U.A.E. By Ashley Lee

ible progress during the past few years.President Docking feels the trip was a good opportunity to see how the

College could learn about higher learning in the region.“As Adrian College initiates vast academic enhancements through our

Renaissance II program, we will be forging relationships with emerging world economies,” said Docking. “The Middle East, and in particular The United Arab Emirates, is one of these economies. The U.A.E. plays an increasingly important role in our lives as Americans and we believe that contemporary students must understand this culture.”

The U.A.E. formed in 1971 and is composed of seven regions. More than 4.5 million people populate the country, but it is composed mostly of people from other nations who are coming in to literally build the country.

The trip included visits to the Dubai Cultural Center, meetings with lead-ers at The American University of Sharjah, and a tour of Zayed University – an all women’s university in Abu Dhabi.

Through a series of meetings at the aforementioned, Docking was able to gain valuable insights into the educational reforms and economic growth of this dynamic Gulf country. President Docking is optimistic about estab-lishing relationships with foreign countries, especially with the U.A.E.

President Docking believes that the U.A.E. is a dynamic area of the world and it will be a wonderful partner for many academic initiatives

that will blossom in Renaissance II. During his time spent there he learned that the U.A.E. wants to understand the West so that we all may enjoy a prosperous and peaceful future.

“I found a progressive country with strong values, a commitment to family, and a desire to live in peace. I found the people to be wel-coming and kind. Their hospitality was overwhelming.”

The president hopes to set up many student and professor ex-changes with colleges and universities throughout the U.A.E. He believes it is important for both our students and professors to know how to interact with this area of the world. It is an English speaking country so there are no language barriers preventing this interaction. The Middle East economy is quickly expanding and Americans will see increasing amounts of commerce and education taking place.

“International education is the single most transformative expe-rience a student can have during their undergraduate years,” said Docking. “Through exposure to new cultures, languages, and peo-ple through study abroad, prejudice is diminished, cross-cultural understanding is enhanced, old hatreds and stereotypes are washed away, and students begin to see the commonalities that bind us to-gether as a human family and the illogic of war. Only when we see all of us – not only ‘us’ as Americans, but us as people living together on one planet – can we call ourselves educated for the greatest common good.”


President docking visiting the palace of his highness dr. sultan al-Qasimi, ruler of the emirate of sharjah


stefanie georges ’08 at the forum and colosseum in rome.

The Possibilities are EndlessStudying abroad enhances education, provides professional preparation. By Tricia Bach ’06


Before, if a student was interested in studying abroad as part of their AC experience, seeking out the resources proved to be challenging. It involved finding an advisor that could be helpful,

usually a faculty member in the Modern Languages and Cultures department, and from there, following winding directions that could lead all over campus in search of the proper forms, destination informa-tion, and other registration and financial tasks. Now, thanks to many instrumental players who have pushed the ball uphill, the study abroad program has evolved and has achieved a more prominent and visible pres-ence on campus.

Step one of the improvements began in 2006 when Professor Robin Bott was appointed Director of the Study Abroad Program. Up until that time, the program was effective yet vague. With no actual office, official status or central operation, how was it students received the necessary informa-tion? The responsibility of informing and encouraging students about op-portunities to study abroad was shared by many professors. The position rotated amongst them every three years, including Dr. Ron Elardo, who preceded Professor Bott in the position.

In the past, there was no central storage of all study abroad literature or forms and professors were literally working out of their desk drawer files to manage the tangible aspects of the program. Bott was already run-ning the Oxford program, a four- to six- week opportunity for students to travel to England and study at Oxford University. She decided that accept-ing the role of director was a complement to her passion for travel and study abroad. It is often that her enthusiasm and encouragement empowers students to take on the challenge of putting themselves into a new and un-familiar experience.

Bott began planning her responsibilities as director. She decided what long-term and short-term goals there were and which advancements were going to be necessary to give the program a new life. She met with Presi-dent Jeffrey Docking and presented her proposal for the new developments. Her ideas echoed the President’s own plans for change, including the need for a visible and easily accessible office to centralize the program.

With the mutual agreement that an office was a major first step, Dr. Bott was granted 131 Valade Hall as the new office for the Study Abroad Pro-gram. This high-visibility space on the first floor of the building, right next

Michelle Zwolinksi in Granada, Spain; Marcus Schwimmer; Lindsay Vreeland and Emily Domshot at the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion in Greece where the the movie “Ulysses” was filmed.

to Chaplain Chris Momany’s office, is very inviting with colorful inter-national flags that drape down from the ceiling and adorn the walls. The flags represent countries students have visited in the program, as well as a Japanese flag from Bryan Bott’s personal collection. The office is a central location meant to handle all aspects of the preparation and support students will need for studying abroad, including computers that are available for student use while researching for their time abroad. Student workers that staff the office have become a key addition to the efficiency of the office’s operation; they are all upperclassmen that have participated in some AC experience abroad. They are available to answer any questions and to get interested students on the path to their journeys as well as help them search for funding. These upperclassmen are also able to use their working hours in the office as federal work-study time. The office hours are set to accom-modate their academic schedules. “I call them ‘assistants,’” Dr. Bott said, “But they’re really more than that.” The assistants also spend time present-ing to classes and meeting with students outside of the office to talk about the program and their own personal experiences.

Recent donations from members of the Adrian College community have also been important elements of the improved efficiency and accessibility of the program. Margaret Valade donated the Mac computers that furnish the office. George McGinnis ’56 instituted a fund, the McGinnis-Burris Renaissance Travel Award, to help students finance their international op-portunities. After he and his wife traveled on two AC May tours abroad, he recognized the influence the experience had on the students and wanted to contribute towards accessibility of international travel for more students.

Publicity of the new developments in the program was crucial. The information needed to reach not only the campus commu-nity but future prospective AC students. Press releases, an open house, and mass e-mailing about current opportunities have all been important for exposure. Before, the May trips organized

by Robin and Bryan Bott were announced and publicized mainly through an oversized bulletin board they put up themselves or flyers and e-mail blasts that they personally distributed. Now, a Study Abroad website exists where opportunities are detailed, photos from past experiences are on dis-play, and frequently asked questions are listed and answered. There is also a downloadable checklist outlining the steps required to begin the process of studying abroad.

Dr. Bott wants students to understand that they will benefit from travel-ing and studying abroad for the rest of their lives. “This is an investment in your future that will pay you back again and again,” she said. In addition to the enhancement of their academic work, students will be able to build net-work connections and develop new friendships. Their career preparation sets them apart from other students who haven’t had experience living and working in another country. “The market for studying abroad is changing,”


“This is an investment in your future that will pay you back again and again...”

caleb sayles rides an elephant in thailand

she explains. “It’s not just classroom experiences anymore it’s volunteer-ing, internships, teaching opportunities.”

President Docking also recognizes what it takes to give AC graduates one step up on the competition in today’s job market. Due to much of the in-ternational outsourcing that now takes place in America’s economy, having any sort of relative international experience is invaluable after graduation. Graduates are more marketable when they are comfortable in cross-cultur-al situations, especially when languages can differ. It is not only the global economy that needs the help of future graduates. The social problems our world faces continue to grow and it takes more than an ordinary education to prepare for what lies ahead. He explained that it is important for students to see the “bigger picture” of our world. Problems such as famine, poverty, and AIDS are worldwide and productivity to reduce these problems should

be a global effort that they consider themselves a part of. Dr. Docking ex-pects students to have prepared themselves to face these problems. He is also concerned about war and the effect it continues to have on our world. He would like to see each graduating class involved in international efforts working toward prevention of future wars. “Cross-cultural understanding is crucial to mitigate the chances of war,” he said.

Students learn every day in international experiences that are unfamiliar to them; they study not only academically, but anthropologically and intro-spectively. Students are satisfied with this broadening of horizons. They are encouraged to continue studying the language and culture, which can lead to an expansion of their future opportunities. This type of broadening of perspectives is necessary for the changes our world continues to undergo.

“The best thing we do for our students is to send them off campus,” remarked Professor of Modern Languages and Cultures Dr. Don Cellini. “They come back and they say, ‘I am different. I have changed.’ The world is different after you’ve had this experience,” he said. To experience an immersion in another culture proves to be a stimulating and impression-able way to allow one’s self to become educated.

One way that students have become increasingly interested in studying abroad is through the diversification of the campus population; the international student enrollment at Adrian College is on the rise. More money has been included in the College’s budget for recruitment of inter-

national students. When American students, specifically those that have never traveled abroad, meet other students from different countries, they are intrigued, but also inspired. Differences become a uniting factor rather than one that divides; curiosity over the contrasts in culture, language, and homelands are all factors that can lead to a student pursuing a trip abroad.

Both Professor Bott and President Docking have a long-term goal for the program of reaching 100 percent student involvement. They would like to see every AC student have some international experience in the future, whether it is for a few weeks or an entire school year. Part of this 100 percent involvement includes encouraging students who feel study abroad is not for them, whether it is because of language barriers or financial dif-ficulties. Professor Bott wants students to understand that studying abroad is for everyone. “It’s not just students that study languages or rich kids,” she said. “It’s not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Having that experience sets you apart your perspective is broader.”

Professor Bott would also like to further increase the study site offer-ings—there are now more than 20 international sites where Adrian College students can stay and study. Recently, an exchange agreement has been reached with Korea, and study in Japan is becoming increasingly popular. Six students are planning travels to Kansai this fall. Dr. Bott envisions someday establishing an AC International Institute, where students from many sites all over the world can come together and study over the summer months on Adrian College’s campus. She believes that studying abroad is empowering for students, and that it gives them an entirely new perspec-tive on life. “It opens up the world to everyone,” she said. “But it also opens up this attitude in the individual—it’s something they didn’t realize they could do.”

For more information about Adrian College’s Study Abroad Program, please visit www.adrian.edu/Study_Abroad.

Tricia Bach is a 2006 graduate of Adrian College and wrote Branching Out in the last issue. She lives and works in Adrian.

�� CONTACT MAGAZINE �� CONTACT MAGAZINE

Going GlobalWith the growing importance of a global society, it is more important than ever for college students to study abroad. International learning has played an integral part in the lives of many AC students both past and present. The following four stories highlight those adventures.

Adrian students have the world at their fingertips.


Becoming a Brain DoctorStudent athlete travels to Japan, childhood aspirations become reality. By Sarah Miesle

It is by chance that Ashley even decided to attend Adrian College. Hav-ing already enrolled at Grand Valley State University at the completion of high school, she heard about Adrian from her summer softball coach. She visited in July and was back in August for the start of classes.

Since her arrival on campus, Ashley has never looked back on whether or not she made the right decision. In addition to her aforementioned im-pressive GPA, the rising senior has been inducted into the Alpha Chi and Beta Beta Beta honor societies while also garnering Academic All-MIAA accolades.

Ashley knows she is on the right track. She has worked as a transla-tor in the registration area at the Garden City Hospital. This past winter break, Ashley had the opportunity to shadow a neurosurgeon for a day at the hospital.

Little did she know that she would be more than just a face in the crowd. Instead of merely sitting in the back of the operating room straining to see what was going on, Ashley was asked to scrub in for surgery and be a part of the operation.

“‘Incredible’ is the only word I have to describe the experience. It just confirmed my desire to be a neurosurgeon even more.”

She hopes to return to Japan for a medical school rotation. Eventually, Ashley would like to work in the U.S. where there is a need for an M.D. who is fluent in Japanese, since it is a language not many people speak on this side of the Pacific Ocean.

“Usually if you are a patient that needs to see a neurosurgeon, it is prob-ably your last resort for treatment. I hope that I can be that surgeon that patients will feel confident in knowing that I will do everything I can to help them.”

When most children are asked the fa-mous question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” most people anticipate hearing such occupations as

teacher, firefighter, or astronaut. For Ashley Kalinski, however, there has never been much doubt as to

her response to the question. “Since I was four years old, I wanted to be a neurosurgeon, although I’m pretty sure I called it a ‘brain doctor’ then.”

Aspirations of becoming a neurosurgeon are not the only thing the Gar-den City, Mich. native developed at a young age. Since second grade, Ash-ley has been learning Japanese. Moreover, she has been playing softball since she was four.

Ashley has combined these passions and is a biology and Japanese stud-ies double major at Adrian College and is a member of the varsity softball team. Even though she just finished her third year at the College, Ashley already had senior classification based on the number of credits she has completed so far and has maintained a 3.85 GPA since graduating in the top 10 of her high school class.

This fall, Ashley will get to pursue a stronger education in her Japanese studies major when she studies abroad in Japan for the entire semester. While studying in the island nation, she will be fully immersed in Japanese culture. Buddhism and calligraphy classes as well as two classes taught fully in Japanese will make up the academic workload for Ashley. Students are placed into the classes taught completely in Japanese to ensure they are adequately prepared for the courses.


My Experience at Adrian College

Lamya Mahfoudh (right) and her sister Lujayna Mahfoudh enjoy a dinner in Adrian.

An international student studying at AC describes her first year in America.

By Lamya Mahfoudh

give myself a chance to gain first-hand experi-ence of the society and culture that my teachers, peers, and the media had somewhat prepared me for.

AC is exceptionally supportive of international students. I was met at the airport by a college staff member who welcomed my sister and I into the College family. To better adjust to col-lege life, international students were offered an orientation. The international student orientation program was so thorough that by the time it ended I knew my way around the campus. I was also able to get around town as well as the shopping malls! The College is also very supportive academically. Cultural and social support is very high as well. Since most of the foreign students are staying on campus over the vacations, the College organized various trips for us.

Apart from the education itself, which I found to be very use-ful in terms of freeing my mind and allowing me to look criti-cally at many issues of the modern world, the most rewarding aspects to me were living on a college campus and making new friends from other cultures and religions. It has been a great experience to spend time with new friends and to go out for meals as well as doing some sight seeing. As Adrian is only a 90 minute drive to Detroit and 45 minutes to Ann Arbor, we did not miss the opportunity to go and enjoy the atmospheres of the big cities.

Having spent one year studying and living at Adrian College, a change from my home city of Dubai, there were times when I missed my family and friends. There were still some significant differences that I had to get used to, although I did not really feel a severe form of culture shock. There were also no lan-guage barriers to overcome, which made it a lot easier. I took the opportunity to immerse myself in a way of life that was dif-ferent that in the Emirates.

As a business management major, public speaking and pre-sentations are more common in the U.S. higher education sys-tem. At first it was really daunting to give a presentation in front of the class, but I got used to it quickly and everyone seemed to understand my not-so-American accent. Studying in the United States has changed my perspective on a lot of world issues and increased my understanding of American culture and society. It has challenged me to think critically, to analyze issues from all sides, and to see the bias in my opinions. Apart from the education itself, the most rewarding aspects to me is living on a college campus along with other American students. This is an experience that has been highly beneficial and has allowed me to better understand the culture and see that although we come from worlds apart, we share the same human values.

I can fondly say the time I have spent studying at Adrian is one of the best years of my life. There were times when it was challenging and really pushed me to extremes, but the overall depth of my experience as an international student has had a profound and positive impact on my life.

I would advise anyone from my country to pursue their stud-ies in the USA, in particular Adrian College, as it is indeed the best college to attend for international students and newcomers to the American way of life. It offers you the best in education, a family like-environment, and the encouragement to succeed in your endeavors. No matter how hard it was at times, it is an emotionally, culturally and ultimately educationally rewarding experience.

On completion of my high school studies in my home country of the United Arab Emirates, my sister and I decided to pursue our college educations in the United States of America. We prepared for this move to the

U.S. by visiting websites of colleges and universities that were highly recommended by our friends and relatives. We also took the time to talk to students from Dubai who had returned upon graduation and those who came home for holidays. Choosing a place to study that was so far from home was one of the hardest decisions to make. My father, Luay Mahfoudh, who had attended AC in 1987, had encouraged my sister and I all along to study our first year abroad at Adrian College. He commended AC for its high standard of education, the exciting life on the campus as well as the beauty and warmth of the city of Adrian and its people. Given the fact that my educational foundation was based on an American school syllabus, I was eager to move to the States to

Going Global


much more. I was very fortunate to witness an Evensong service in the Salisbury church. The church itself has a bell tower which sits so high that it can be seen throughout the city. The acoustics were next to perfect in that church.

My travels also took me to London several times. I toured Oxford Street, into Leicester Square, Buckingham Palace, and took in a few plays in the famous West End theatre district. The class also featured many excursions that we took together including a trip to Windsor, the home of the current monarch and a tour of the castle grounds. We also took a walking tour of Oxford, and a trip to Hampton Courte, which was the castle of Henry VIII. At the end of my time in Oxford, I chose to stay over for a few days and vacation in Paris. I stayed in Paris for only two nights but saw Notre Dame, walked the entire Champs-Elysees twice, and visited the site where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette lost their heads, Place du la Concord. I climbed several hundred stairs to Le Sacre Coure cathedral and was rewarded with the best view of the entire city of Paris, as well as the Eiffel Tower.

My studies abroad were life changing at the time and continue to make a difference in my everyday life. One time, while interviewing for a job, they asked me to tell them about my experiences in Oxford. This lead to a twenty minute conversation about music, Shakespeare, Europe, and how important it is for a person to see the places I saw. I firmly believe that my studies abroad was a major factor in receiving that job offer. In closing, I feel it is imperative for every student today to get out and see the world!

Eric Swanson is a 2007 graduate from Adrian College. He is the middle and upper school choral director at The Roeper School, in Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham, Mich. He plans to start his graduate degree at Oakland University in the fall of 2008.

Living Music Alum experiences live performances in Europe.

By Eric Swanson ’07

eric swanson ’07 in front of notre dame cathedral.

After four years of planning and saving, I final-ly took advantage of Adrian College’s study abroad program. I wanted to go to Europe, the center of the Western music world. Almost

every major choral piece I had sung, every composer I had learned about, and every site I dreamed of seeing was from, or in, Europe. I decided to study at Oxford Univer-sity because of both its prestige and the positive student/ teacher relationship I had with Dr. Robin Bott. My studies included a Shakespeare class and a writing intensive class titled Evensong, which is mainly a Protestant service that is entirely sung.

The Shakespeare class was structured around a lecture occurring three to four times per week. We also met once a week with an English professor from Oxford University. In Oxford they use the tutor system, which means you meet with a professor one-on-one for a certain amount of time.

After reading the Shakespeare plays, the class would often go and see a production of that play. We saw one production in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s home, and even one performed entirely in Japanese! In ad-dition, we saw plays in Oxford and in London at the famous Globe The-atre. The Evensong class was based around both book and field research. This offered me the opportunity to see over 20 Evensongs performed in churches hundreds of years old.

Aside from my studies, I did much traveling. I went to the city of Salis-bury mainly to see the site of Stonehenge, but I ended up experiencing so


An Influential OpportunityAlumna turns study abroad into a career. By Heidi Rennhack Spence ’02

heidi rennhack spence ’02 in the swiss Alps.

optimistic viewpoint about the world and the opinions of others, even when they may be different from my own.

In my current role as academic adviser at Michigan State University, I have the satisfying opportunity to emphasize to students the importance that study abroad can have on their futures. I am able to use my own experi-ences and stories from abroad as a tangible reality that they can understand and relate to.

Students today are much more globally aware and technologically savvy than I know I was as an undergraduate. Looking at this upcoming genera-tion of young people, it is vitally important that we do not stifle their op-portunities to study abroad. Funding for study abroad is still sorely lacking in higher education today. Academic programs in the sciences in particular still tend to be too restrictive in encouraging and enabling students to study abroad while still allowing for completion of coursework in four years.

I urge all of you to consider ways in which you can promote and en-courage study abroad in the young people around you. Some ideas include hosting a high school exchange student, donating to your alma mater to increase scholarship funding for current students to study abroad, or even learning a new language yourself! Do any or all of these things, but please don’t ever say that students don’t need to study abroad or can have the same experience in the U.S. I don’t even want to imagine how different I would be today if someone had said this to me.

Heidi Rennhack Spence ’02 is currently beginning her doctoral study in Michigan State University’s College of Education in Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education with an emphasis on International Education. She works at Michigan State University in the Department of Linguistics and Languages and resides in Adrian with husband Randy Spence ’02, with whom she is expecting her first baby in September.

I always enjoy contemplating my time at my alma mater and how my experiences at Adrian Col-lege helped to shape who and where I am today. Although there is much about my college edu-

cation that I cherish, there are few opportunities that I consider as influential as my time spent abroad.

I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I spent over 12 full months abroad during my undergraduate career. In today’s society, there aren’t many people who would disagree that studying/traveling abroad is a valu-able life experience; unfortunately, there continues to be a large discrep-ancy in the number of students who want to study abroad and those who actually are able to do so.

It is becoming far too easy to rationalize that students don’t really need to go abroad while in the same breath espousing that the opportunity, nev-ertheless, is well worth the time and costs. With advances in technology, an increasingly diverse population in the U.S., and the prevalence of English around the world, what do students learn abroad that they can’t right here at home?

What, indeed? I left the U.S. three different times as a representative of Adrian College. The first was a two-week tour to the United Kingdom; the second was an 11-month stay in Heidelberg, Germany; and my final adven-ture was a four-week summer course at New College in Oxford, England. Although very different from one another, each of these experiences taught me a multitude of things that I never could have truly learned had I stayed in Michigan.

My outlook on life and people around me was significantly impacted. I gained a great deal of independence and became more adventurous, perhaps even a bit spontaneous. I am more open-minded and have an increasingly

Going Global


Letters ContinuedLife-Transforming continued from page 2

Krug is King

Dear Contact,

My five-year old son, Hunter Allen, recently partici-pated in the field day that Adrian College held on its grounds. My son has been to almost every home hock-ey game. He sits on his father’s shoulders to watch if it’s standing room only. His favorite player, as you may assume, is Adam Krug. Imagine his expression when he found out that the men’s hockey team would be doing the field day with his kindergarten class. Let’s just say he was a little star-struck.

There is a reason that I have told you all of this. My son Hunter is also very competitive. He’s com-monly referred to as a poor winner and loser- immedi-ately taunting you when he wins, throwing a fit when he loses. That was until a talk Captain Krug had with him. I don’t know what he said, but it was the way that he pulled Hunter aside after he had been tagged out during a kickball game and started to cry. Krug talked to him and him alone, for a good four to five minutes. That short amount of time has changed my son’s atti-tude about sports and competition. He says it’s “okay” when someone else wins, or “I’ll get you next time.” He told me that if he practices a lot, then maybe he can be the best.

Whatever Adam said that day taught my son that if you try hard, and practice, you can be one of the best.

I commend Mr. Krug for his actions, his sports-manship, and his leadership. I know that he probably doesn’t remember the five minutes that he spent with one kid on the sideline of a kickball game, but it has changed a five-year-olds’ life, and he should be com-mended for it.

Sheli AllenA very proud mom.

letters continued from page 2

Get Connected! AC Web Site for Alumni Rocks

From the Alumni Board

An Adrian College education is a valuable asset you will use for the rest of your life. But the rewards of completing a degree at Adrian don’t end after you shed your cap and gown. Your alma mater can be of service to you for many years after you graduate, no matter where you live.

One example is a new, wonderful tool that all graduates have access to: the Alumni Con-nection. This online community can serve you in many ways. Open your free account and you will find Web pages that can keep you connected to friends, inform you about Adrian College events, help you promote your business, or even assist other alumni with their careers.

To register, click on the Alumni Connection logo at www.adrian.edu and type in your user name and password to log in (you can request this information by emailing [email protected]).

You can read about College events and campus news online; go to the Photo Gallery to view fun pictures of AC or even read back issues of Contact.

Click on Class Notes to read what your classmates are doing, and then submit your own news about what’s going on in your life! Lose touch with someone? Go to the Directory list-ings to search for a classmate. Set up your own personal profile and leave details about yourself for the Directory so that your former classmates can find you.

Once you are registered, other alumni can contact you through an internal mail room. You will be notified of mail through the email address with which you register. This protects your personal email.

What’s really special about the Alumni Connection, however, are two new features: the Mentoring and Yellow Pages sections.

With the Mentoring section of the site, you can actually volunteer to help new graduates or other alumni with their first or second career. List your skills and experiences and offer to lend a helping hand to those who want to learn what it is really like to work as a businessperson, scientist, artist, politician, computer programmer, consultant, or whatever it is you do.

The Adrian College online community can also help you advertise your business. Go to the Yellow Pages and you can submit a description of your company, add a logo, and complete the listing with a link to your Web site. This is a terrific way to promote your business, as well as offer fellow alumni your patronage.

Don’t wait any longer--join the AC Alumni Connection today!

life. But these people are the exception. Most people throughout the earth rise each morning and do their best to be good stewards of the life they are given, to treat others as they would want to be treated, and to end each day being proud of their efforts to show kindness toward others and to create a better world.

Study abroad infuses these insights. It reveals to students that the differences that separate us are far less important than the commonalities that unite us.

This is what I experience when I travel overseas and this is what I hope our students will learn as they move beyond the comfortable confines of our campus borders.

The mystery of life is at once magical and frightening, wonderful and painful. We under-stand such a small sliver of all that life means and offers. What we do know for sure is that six billion people inhabit a small piece of rock that is traveling 67,000 miles per hour around the sun. By virtue of this shared space, we must find a way to get along. By traveling and meeting and living with each other through study abroad, students learn how to live and to share and how to create a better and more peaceful planet. These are important insights for young adults to gain during their impressionable years of college. Come to think of it, these are important insights for all of us to gain.

Jeffrey R. Docking,President


Howard Vreeland, Jr. ’72 was recent-ly named the 46th inductee into the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) Hall of Fame for outstanding lifetime achievements in the indus-

try. Howard’s interest in the field literally spans his lifetime.

His father, who also worked in the flexography industry, traveled fre-quently. Beginning around age nine, Howard would go to work with him on the weekends he was home.

“On those weekends, the only way I could spend time with my dad was to go out to his office and help him do things he needed to get done before he left again on Monday,” explained Howard. “Pretty much from about that time on, I knew I was going into Dad’s business.”

Flexography, often shortened to flexo, is a printing method that is most commonly used on packaging, particularly for food. Many grocery store packages, boxes, labels, tape and banners are printed flexographically.

In January 1961, Howard’s father and Wesley K. Anderson opened An-derson and Vreeland, a company that distributes and services flexography equipment, and manufactures equipment for making printing plates. How-ard began working there in high school, spending his summers learning all aspects of the business. Even after he began attending Adrian College, Howard spent his summers working at Anderson and Vreeland.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in business, Howard spent 37 years in sales with Anderson and Vreeland. He is currently chairman of the board, as well as the chief operating officer. He manages the company’s nine fa-cilities, and works directly with equipment vendors.

Over the years, Howard has been active in the FTA and currently serves on their awards committee, as well as on their board. So it was quite a sur-prise for Howard at this year’s annual meeting when he learned he would be the newest member of the FTA Hall of Fame.

“You find out in front of about 1,500 people,” Howard explained, “and

Fame-ous in Flexography Alum inducted into FTA Hall of Fame. By Michelle Groleau Engel ’97

they go through this introduction, which, if they’ve done it correctly, the person has no idea, and I didn’t realize it was me until they put a picture of my father and me up on the screen. My family was there unbeknownst to me, too. It was nice having my son, daughter and their spouses as well as my wife be able to watch what went on from the back.”

“There have not been many times in my life when I was really surprised, but this time I was,” Howard added. “My employees, my family, they did a great job of really surprising me. And I was with a group of 1,500 people I’ve known my whole life and consider my friends, so it was a very hum-bling honor.”

Although Howard is frequently on the road for work, he gets involved in community service projects through his church’s men’s group, including building homes for Habitat for Humanity.

“It’s always enjoyable,” said Howard. “It feels good to provide a home for someone who needs it.”

Howard also makes a point of spending quality time with his family when he is not on the road. Sunday dinner is a priority for the Vreelands whenever possible.

“Family comes first,” said Howard. “When my father was alive, it was a good way to get him over to our house to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. That’s a tradition we’ll carry on whenever everyone is home.”

“Our employees are family, too,” Howard added. “There is a crossover between my personal and business life as far as family goes. Our most important asset is our people, so we work hard to maintain that family atmosphere.”

In spite of how busy it keeps him, Howard loves the work that he does.“When your work is something you really enjoy, it’s not really work,”

said Howard. “I’ve been really fortunate to do what I do. There are times when the pressure gets to you, but it just hasn’t really been work. Every day I enjoy coming to work and doing what I do.”

opposite page, howard holds a printing sleeve. Printing plates are mounted or made on the sleeve when the job goes on press, it takes less time to set up the job.

Alumni Profile

“There have not been many times in my life when I was really surprised, but this time I was...”



Alumni Profile

Thirteen years ago, Dr. Sheri Bleam told one of her communication advocacy students: I see you as a teacher, but I see you run-ning the whole show.

She was right. That student, Chris Timmis ’95, was re-cently named superintendent of the 3,600-student Adrian Public School sys-tem and oversees the operation of seven schools, the Head Start program, and initiatives in both alternative and adult education.

“Those words stayed with me,” he said, thinking back to his professor’s premonition and his rapid ascension from teacher to superintendent. “All I ever wanted to do was teach. I loved it. It was a great job. But I knew I could make a bigger impact as an administrator.”

His career path includes stints at schools in four southeast Michigan coun-ties, where he taught math, served as curriculum director and, last year, was the principal at Adrian H.S. During his 13 years in education, he’s worked for eight different superintendents, including Del Cochran, who mentored him at Adrian Public Schools.

“I loved being a high school principal. It was the best job I’ve ever had,” Timmis said proudly. “But when Del decided to retire, I felt that I could help the district. I live in Adrian; I love Adrian. My wife and I bought a house here a little over six years ago, and I’ve spent a third of my life here. This is exactly where I want to be.”

The 34-year old Timmis is confident yet humble, contending that he’s “fall-en into” great opportunities and that timing is everything. While serendipity may play a role, closer to the truth may be that Timmis has “it” – that hard to

All the Right MovesAdrian College Alumnus takes the steps necessary to become

Superintendent of Adrian Public Schools. By Darcy Gifford ’91

define quality that separates visionary leaders from ordinary managers. The “it” is what Bleam saw in her student back in the mid-90s. It’s what Eastern Michigan University saw when they admitted him into a 12-stu-dent doctoral cohort – the only teacher among 11 seasoned educational administrators. And it’s what the Adrian Public School system saw when they entrusted the district to his care.

As an administrator, he’s established himself as a big-picture thinker and a leader who gets results while never forgetting that students come first. “I can never get things moving fast enough,” he said. “Everything I do, I’m always thinking, ‘What’s the next move? Let’s get to the next step.’”

He calls it “mental chess,” and in reality he’s been plotting out his moves his whole life. The oldest child of John Timmis, a machinist, and Nancy Spindler, a sales and customer service representative, he grew up in Wyandotte before coming to Adrian College to study math and com-munications advocacy. He earned advanced degrees at Wayne State and Eastern Michigan University – evidence of a thirst for learning instilled by his parents – and bought a house in Adrian despite working 60 miles away. At times, he wondered if he’d ever be able to both live and work in Adrian. Now he looks to remain a fixture in the community, and there is added incentive to excel as superintendent. He and his wife Lori, the director of distance learning at Siena Heights University, are expecting their first child in October. “What I do and how effective I am is actually going to benefit me, as my child will someday be a student in the Adrian Public Schools. It’s a nice deal to know that for everything you do, you get to reap the rewards.”


“All I ever wanted to do was teach. I loved it. It was a great job. But I knew I could make a bigger impact as an administrator.”


1930sgeorge Yansen ’38 and his wife, Virginia, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in June. they have one daughter, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. george is a retired administrator with the Pontiac school district. the yansens reside in Adrian.

1940s

Oquareitta White Graine ’42 visited cam-pus recently where she met with President Docking. A music major, she made a career of teaching and conducting choirs and re-flected on her association with professor Dr. James Spencer. She lives in New Jersey.

1950sJohn Van Valkenburg ’56, of Prattville, Ala., was featured in his local newspaper recently. John has served as a member of the Ala-bama indian Affairs committee and the Ala-bama heritage society, and gives presenta-tions on native American indian culture. he retired from higher education before moving to Alabama, where he and his wife, Joyce Williamson Van Valkenburg ’64, operate Van’s financial consulting services.

John Fountain ’57 is the author of A View from the Booth to the Board Room published by fountain communications, inc. his book details the transformation of eastern Michi-gan university’s athletic program from ncAA division iii to ncAA major college status. John, now in the midst of his 54th year of calling play-by-play action, has been the Voice of eMu athletics since 1963. in addi-

tion to broadcasting football and basketball contests, he has served the university in numerous administrative capacities. John’s book will be in shipman Library, joining other literary works by Ac alumni. in mid-August, John and his family plan to motor to Midland, Mich., and then embark on their bicycles to Mackinac island.

bob ’57 and Janet hull ohrman ’57, resi-dents of Adrian, celebrated their 50th wed-ding anniversary in June, with family and friends in st. charles, Mo. bob formerly owned bob o’s range & Links, and Janet is retired from brazeway, inc. they have two sons, a daughter and five grandchildren.

Eileen Bovill Colburn ’59, of naples, fla., left, and Darlene Yager Ward ’59, of Swartz Creek, Mich., were reunited at the annual Florida Reunion this past winter. The pair hadn’t seen each other since they were AC roommates almost 50 years ago.

1960s

Jim Hoenig ’60 and his wife, Janis, cel-ebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in

June. Prior to moving to Arizona in 1986, Jim was sports editor of The Daily Telegram in Adrian, and Janis was secretary of the Adrian First United Methodist Church. They have three children, nine grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Larry Patterson ’60 was recently honored at the Michigan Week musical and variety show in sturgis, after directing his 100th per-formance. he has had a hand in drama, mu-sicals and variety shows since 1960 when he was hired as the speech and drama teacher at sturgis high school right out of college.

Linda spengler Murphy ’64 was listed in the Journal gazette’s teacher honor roll for the month of June. Linda is retiring from teaching after 45 years with new haven, ohio schools.

beverly swoish hammerstrom ’66 was recently elected to a three-year term on the 12-member board of the community foun-dation of Monroe county. beverly, a retired state senator, is a consultant with bAsh research Ltd. and an adjunct professor at Washtenaw community college and siena heights university.

terrance robinson ’66 was ordained into the unitarian-universalist ministry at the Lyons universalist church in Lyons, ohio, on August 8. terry completed his master of divinity degree at starr King school for the Ministry in berkeley, calif.

Larry tuttle ’66, currently in his 41st season as Blissfield High School’s baseball coach, led the school to their 15th straight Lenawee county Athletic Association title in May. With his team’s win, Larry became the first-ever coach in Michigan to win 1,000 games.

1970sFolke boman ’72, bentley Jr. high school principal, is retiring after 34 years with bent-ley schools. folke led bentley and the coun-ty in organizing a high school skeet team in 2005, and became the second in the state of Michigan to have such a team. he has also coached basketball and track.

John Weaver ’72, facility manager at birck

Class Notes


nanotechnology center at Purdue universi-ty’s discovery Park, was named a fellow of the institute of environmental sciences and technology in May at the 54th annual techni-cal meeting and exposition in bloomingdale, ill. John was recognized for numerous pub-lications and contributions to the advance-ment of clean room design and construction, particularly in the field of nanotechnology. he and his wife, Janet hudson Weaver ’73, live in newport news, Va.

Mike Minster ’73 sold his companies, the Lincoln Meter co. and Minster Mechanical sales, last october, retiring to saugatuck, Mich. this summer. he plans to tour the country by motor home and motorcycle with his wife, sharon Adams Minster ’73, who retired in June.

1980sbrian Lilly ’80, f.n.b. corporation’s chief financial officer since 2003, will also now hold the post of director of corporate ser-vices. Brian has over 28 years of financial services experience. he is on the board of regency finance company, first national trust company, first national investment services company, first national insurance Agency, Penn ohio, and serves as chairman of the corporate Asset Liability committee. he and his wife, Jyll Aldridge Lilly ’81, and their family reside in gibsonia, Pa.

nate smith ’81 was promoted to senior vice president of business banking at united bank & trust. nate began his career with ub&t in 1984, and is a member of the Ac Alumni Association board of directors. he and his wife, Kathryn Lewis smith ’81, live in tecumseh.

Carrick Craig ’83 was promoted by the Western Michigan university board of trust-ees to deputy general counsel for WMu, ef-fective April 1. carrick has been providing legal counsel to WMu administrators, fac-ulty and staff for eight years. he joined the University’s Office of the General Counsel in 2000 as assistant general counsel, and was promoted to the post of associate general counsel in december 2002. carrick and his wife, Amy, live in Portage.

Longtime Adrian residents, Lydia oprsal ’83 and her husband, Martin, celebrated their

50th wedding anniversary on April 12. Lydia is retired from Ac, where she worked in the academic dean’s office.

Michele Mason Lemon ’85 recently accept-ed a position with north American signs in south bend, ind., as an accountant.

Laurie McCann ’85 accepted the director of finance and operations position at Bangor township schools in bay city, in february. After spending 16 years working at the Mc-esA as the accounting supervisor, the opera-tions side of the new job is an interesting and exciting opportunity, according to Laurie.

Dawn tubergen richardson ’85 received her ed.s. degree in school psychology in december. she is employed by the Lenaw-ee intermediate school district as a school psychologist. dawn and her family live just outside of Adrian.

Jeff Debest ’86 was recently appointed by Johnson controls as vice president and general manager, interiors – north America. in this role, Jeff will have responsibility for all aspects of the company’s interiors com-ponent product business in north America, which includes overhead systems, instru-ment panels, floor consoles and door pan-els. Jeff joined Johnson controls in 1986 and spent the first 12 years of his career at the company’s holland, Mich. technical center and plant locations. Most recently, he served as vice president and general man-ager, general Motors business unit – glob-al. Prior to that, he served in a variety of po-sitions of increasing responsibility within the company. he currently resides in Ann Arbor with his wife, Kathleen.

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero ’86 and wife Teri Johnston Bernero ’85, hosted Adrian College President Jeff Docking and wife

Beth as well as other alumni and friends at a Lansing Lugnuts game in June.

Mark nothdruft ’86 received the outstand-ing effort and dedication Award from the board of education, in recognition and ap-preciation for his exemplary service and commitment to the West branch-rose city Area schools. currently, Mark is a reading first Literacy coach at rose city elemen-tary school and has been with the district for 20 years.

Marcia Veltre ’86 received the doctor of audiology (Au.d.) degree from A.t. still uni-versity’s Arizona school of health sciences on March 8. she lives in san diego, calif., and is employed as an audiologist with the San Diego Unified School District where she serves nearly 100 deaf and hard of hearing students.

roy Wirtz ’86 was recently promoted to Lieutenant colonel in the Michigan Army national guard. he has served the state of Michigan and the country for 20 years. roy is currently assigned as the Anti-terror-ism & force Protection branch chief of the department of Military support. roy and his wife, Karla Flaim Wirtz ’88, continue to live in south bend, ind., with their four children, carolyn, 15, christian, 12, caitlin, 8, and carson, 5.

elizabeth tibbs ’87, a music professor at Arizona Western college, was featured in an article in the yuma sun. beth created the yuma youth choir in 2003, and took them to germany and Austria in 2006, when the choir was invited to participate in the exclu-sive Mozart festival.

tim Creech ’88 has joined united bank & trust as executive vice president of commu-nity banking for the Lenawee and Monroe county markets.

Kevin hile ’88 has been named vice presi-dent of web design and publications for the Lansing media company Media Matters of Michigan. the company, owned by enter-tainment reporter Jim fordyce, specializes in multimedia services for small businesses and nonprofit groups. He and his wife, Janet Crawford hile ’87, reside in Mason.


stan Masters ’88, coordinator for curricu-lum, assessment and school improvement with the Lenawee intermediate school dis-trict, has been named educator of the year by the Michigan council for social stud-ies (Mcss). before coming to the Lisd in 2000, stan was a social studies teacher at Blissfield High School. He also has been a teacher-consultant with the Michigan geo-graphic Alliance since 1994 and has worked with the national geographic society to cre-ate standards-based geography lessons. Stan and his family live in Blissfield.

Kim Anderson small ’88 was promoted to assistant principal of curriculum and instruc-tion for the Lisd Vo-tech center in Adrian. she received the Lisd excellence Award for her work in developing the careers in biochemical technology program which opened for students in the fall of 2007. Kim worked on designing the laboratory and cur-riculum to support this program. Kim lives in brooklyn with her husband, brian, and three children, Kevin, 12, Miya, 11, and blake, 9.

Kristin holappa smith ’88 was recently hired as the new senior planner in the Lee-lanau county Planning and community de-velopment department. she and her hus-band, Mark, live in suttons bay.

1990sbill Kralovec ’90 was named middle school/high school principal of the international school of belgrade, serbia, and moved there with his family in July. bill has been in international education for 15 years and has worked in colombia, bolivia, and Australia. he was most recently director of escuela Anaco, a school servicing the international petroleum industry in eastern Venezuela.

Amy Alison ’92 was one of 15 emerging artists invited to showcase their new Wave craft at the American craft show held in bal-timore this past february. Amy, along with the 14 other rising artists, was positioned among the 700 booths of professional craft artists. the American craft show is the larg-est juried, indoor craft show in the nation and each year attracts upwards of 25,000 craft enthusiasts. Amy uses soda ash or so-dium-carbonate as a component in creating

Peggy Bruff Pappas ’84 and her children have all completed degrees within the past year. Peggy has a strong connection with Adrian College, as she constantly encourages people to attend AC.

“In 1980, one of the ‘themes’ the admissions department used was ‘Adrian College a personal approach to a better life and career.’ I always remembered that phrase because it rang true throughout my time at Adrian,” says Peggy.

Peggy’s sister, Debra Bruff Butz, graduated from Adrian in 1982 with a degree in accounting and is a controller for Snyder’s Drugs in Minnesota. Peggy’s son, Chris-topher, graduated in 2007, with a degree in criminal justice and currently works at the Maurice Spear Juvenile Center in Adrian. Christopher’s girlfriend, lucie Topor, just received a degree in biology from AC this spring. She is currently working at a bank in Adrian.

Peggy also encouraged her cousin, Mary Venturi, to attend Adrian. Mary double-majored in history and political science, graduated from AC in 2007 and just completed her first year of law school at Michigan State University.

Peggy herself graduated from Adrian in 1984 with a biology degree. She then at-tended a nursing program at Wayne State University where she was able to obtain her bachelor’s degree in nursing in just one year. Last spring Peggy earned her master’s degree from Wayne State University in Advanced Practice Nursing. She is currently a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the Plastic/Reconstructive Surgery Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Michigan

As for Peggy’s daughter, Kara, she broke the tradition of attending Adrian by going to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. She, too, graduated last spring, with a degree in neuroscience. Kara just completed her first year of medical school at Wayne State University.

And to keep up her tradition of encouraging kids that she knows to attend Adrian, one of her good friends’ son, Joseph Liberati, will start at Adrian this fall. He decided upon Adrian after just one visit. He said, “I like what I see; this is where I want to go.”

Adrian College RecruiterAlumna encourages everyone she knows to attend Adrian College

Kara Pappas, Peggy bruff Pappas ’84, christopher Pappas ’07 and Lucie topor ’08.

Class Notes


her favorite materials– paper and clay. her homemade paper, cloth, and clay products were featured at the show which includes children’s paper and gifts, as well as home decor and accessory pieces. Amy invites all of her former classmates and craft enthusiasts to visit her website at www.sodabyamy.com. Amy currently resides in chicago.

ryan holtz ’94 was elected managing part-ner of Adamy+company effective Jan. 1. Ryan has been with the firm for over nine years and looks forward to utilizing his lead-ership skills he learned at Adrian. ryan is the second managing partner in the firm’s 29-year history. ryan and his wife, trudy, reside in rockford, with their two daughters, Payton and cassidy.

Jason Melynchek ’97, of fenton, was ap-pointed principal of flushing high school. he previously served as assistant principal at grand blanc high school.

Matthew Wiliford ’97 recently accepted a position at the interlochen center for the Arts, as director of the college of creative Arts. he and his wife, Angela, live in dorr.

Weddings

Daniel Chalk ’94 and Tamara Snyder were married Aug. 4, 2007 at Freeland United Methodist Church. Alumni in attendance were Brad Crosier ’92 and Mark Phlegar ’95. The couple lives in Midland, where Dan is a sports writer at the Midland Daily News. Both volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sis-ters. Dan’s email is [email protected].

birthsbill Kralovec ’90 and his wife, nadia, an-nounce the birth of their daughter, ocean Ana Maria, on sept. 26, 2007. ocean joins brothers owen, 5, and oliver, 3.

David ’94 and Gretchen Goranson Weston ’94 announce the adoption of their daugh-ter, Lana Grace Weston, who was born in Danang, Vietnam, on Nov. 5, 2002. David and Gretchen traveled to Danang and Ha-noi in January 2007 to bring their daughter home. The adoption was finalized on April 26, 2007. Lana joins brother Gabriel, 8. The Westons kept photos and a journal of their adoption journey at http://gretchenfaith.blogspot.com. The Weston family lives in Sylvania, Ohio. The photo of David, Lana and Gretchen was taken in Hanoi.

Mitch blonde ’95 and his wife, dawn, an-nounce the birth of their son, grant Lewis, on March 18. he joins sister grace, 1. the blonde family lives in Adrian, where Mitch was recently named vice president for de-velopment at siena heights university.

Jason ’94 and Susan Stitz Garza ’95 an-nounce the birth of their son, Aaron John,

on May 5. He joins brothers Benjamin, 6, and Jonah, 5. Jason and Susan both teach English at Atherton High School in Burton. The Garza family lives in Davison, and wel-comes email at [email protected] or [email protected].

Dana Parsons Phillips ’97 and her hus-band, Tracy, announce the birth of their son, Caiden Michael, on Dec. 15. The Phillips family resides in Harbor Springs.

Alyssa ’97 and Shane Yerga-Woolwine ’98 announce the birth of twin daughters, Melaine and Cleo, on Jan. 21. The Yerga-Woolwine family lives in Toledo, Ohio.

Courtney Crespo Clontz ’98 and her hus-band, Jeremy, announce the birth of their son, Griffin James, on Nov. 24. He joins brothers Tanner, 4, and Reece, 2. Courtney is a full-time mom. The Clontz family lives in Clio.


Joseph, announce the birth of their son, Jude, May 23. the samo family resides in el cajon, calif., where rafeef works for Jetblue Airways. they can be reached at [email protected].

2000sMatthew Chapin ’01, former assistant principal at Airport community schools in carleton, was recently appointed as Adrian Public school’s new high school principal. he replaced Chris timmis ’95, who was named Adrian Public school’s superinten-dent in May.

Christopher smith ’01 was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing by the barbour group, LLc, a Maryland based commercial insurance agency. The firm operates in 30 u.s. states and internation-ally. in his new role, christopher will be re-sponsible for directing and leading the firm’s property and casualty sales and marketing functions. christopher, previously director of business development at the firm, resides in Maryland.

Jordan broderick ’02 received his juris doctorate degree in May from the university of Akron school of Law.

Kimberly Williams gage ’03 was hired re-cently by the Jackson district Library as the new branch manager at the JdL-brooklyn library in brooklyn. she was previously the youth services librarian for Lenawee county Library. Kimberly, a resident of Adrian, has a master of library and information science degree from Wayne state university.

Michael sell ’03 has been named adjunct professor of photography at Kendall college of Art and design in grand rapids, where he is also a graduate student. in addition, he teaches high school students as part of Kendall’s continuing studies program and at the West Michigan center for Arts and technology. Michael will complete his MfA in Photography in the spring of 2009.

brad barrett ’04 recently accepted the po-sition of assistant to the director of govern-ment relations with oakland university in Auburn hills. he had been working as the

ddA director with imlay city. he received his master’s degree in April from the horace h. rackham school of graduate studies at the university of Michigan-flint.

Michael Fox, Jr. ’04 received a master of arts in organizational leadership from siena heights university in May. Michael is a mem-ber of the Ac Alumni Association board of directors. he and his wife, Leticia Joyner Fox ’99, live in Adrian with their three chil-dren.

Lindsay Crutchfield Trepanowski ’04, Kristin Kepsel ’04, and Amanda Shuffler Moran ’04 were all awarded the title doctor of physical therapy in December, after com-pleting their doctorate of physical therapy program at Oakland University in Rochester. After passing the state licensing board exam-ination, Lindsay is now employed at Beau-mont Hospital in Royal Oak, Kristin at Physi-cal Therapy Specialists in Troy, and Amanda at Henry Ford Hospital/CAM in Detroit.

Kali Lucas ’05 graduated in May from baylor university in Waco, texas, with a masters of science in education in student affairs administration. she has accepted a residence coordinator position at shawnee state university in Portsmouth, ohio.

Anthony Miler ’05 recently opened his MfA thesis exhibition at city college of new york (cuny). he and his wife, sarah Wag-ner Miler ’05, live in new york city. sarah completed paralegal training a year ago and is employed at Alpert & Kaufman Law firm.

Lindsey shartell ’05 graduated in decem-ber with a master’s degree in forest ecology and management from Michigan techno-logical university. she continues research at Michigan tech, pursuing a doctorate de-gree in forest science.

Jennifer Kuchera Harper ’98 and her hus-band, Matthew, announce the birth of their second child, Sophia Louise, on Dec. 31. She joins brother Samuel, who will turn 3 in October.

Amy Jo newland Krawczyk ’98 and her husband, Dave, announce the birth of their second son, Luke David, on Oct. 25. He joins brother Drake Faustyn, 4. The Krawc-zyk family lives in Lake Orion, and Amy is a stay-at-home mom.

Josh Maple ’98 and his wife, Kelly, proudly announce the birth of their daughter, Sarah Josephine, on Jan. 3. The Maple family lives in Fort Wayne, Ind., and may be contacted at [email protected].

rafeef el-hajj samo ’99 and her husband,

Class Notes


Paige hines ’06 successfully completed the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) exam, admin-istered by the institute of internal Auditors. Paige is currently employed by ernst and young, in toledo, ohio. she travels through-out the u.s. and to other countries as an in-ternal auditor, and lives at Lake somerset, Mich.

births

Jim ’00 and Lora Cromwell Mahony ’00 announce the birth of their son, Cameron Blaise, on Feb. 20. He joins brother Aiden, 3. The Mahony family lives in Adrian, where Jim is the director of development at AC.

Phil ’01 and Mandy Wade Jones ’03 an-nounce the birth of their daughter, Eleanora Jane, on Feb. 21. Phil and Mandy are both teachers in the Washington, D.C., area and live in La Plata, Md.

Brian ’01 and Courtney Greene Mason ’02 announce the birth of their son, Dylan James, on Nov. 14. The Mason family lives

in Chicago, where Brian is a manager for Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Courtney is a strategic planner for an advertising agency, DraftFCB, located downtown.

Jill ostroe Koziol ’01 and her husband, todd, announce the birth of their son, na-than thomas, on nov. 23. nathan was wel-comed by brother trevor Andrew, 3. the Koziol family lives in sterling heights, where Jill is a project director for rdA group, inc., a global marketing research firm in Bloom-field Hills.

Christina Paulsen ovall ’02 and her hus-band, Brett, announce the birth of their first child, Zachary dillon, on April 2. the ovall family lives in toledo.

Terra Huffman Brow ’03 and her husband, Anthony, announce the birth of their first child, Vincent Andrew, on April 4. They live in Kalamazoo.

in MemoriamMary VanValkenburg hewes ’35, a resi-dent of youngstown, ohio, died Jan. 18. Mary had been recognized by the former south side hospital for providing over 25 years of faithful volunteer service. While at Adrian, Mary was a member of KKg. she was preceded in death by her husband, richard hewes ’35, and is survived by two sons, six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren as well as brother-in-law bill hewes ’37.

raymond Woerner ’37, an employee of goodyear rubber and tire co. for 40 years, died feb. 23. raymond and his wife moved to green Valley, Ariz., after retirement in 1977. surviving are three daughters, a brother, norris Woerner ’42, a sister,

seven grandchildren and 10 great-grand-children. raymond was preceded in death by his wife, helen, and a brother, Laverne Woerner ’34.

Vivian Mowat sheehan ’38, a pioneer in the field of speech pathology and resident of santa Monica, calif., died feb. 14. she had received a master’s degree in speech pathology from the university of Michigan in the early 1940s. Vivian is survived by a daughter, Kathleen.

Dwight Carey ’41, a resident of ocala, fla., and formerly of harrod, died May 25. he retired in 1973 as a captain with the ohio state highway Patrol. following his retire-ment he was an assistant warden at the Ari-zona state Prison in florence, Ariz., and a special deputy with the Pinal county (Ariz.), Sheriff’s Office.

Alice MacQueen Cox ’43, of LaJolla, ca-lif., died April 14. While a student at Ac, she was a member of Kappa Kappa gamma.

Mary Fleming Downall ’48, of indianapo-lis, ind., died Jan. 16. she and her husband, Donn Downall ’47, who preceded her in death in 2001, had lived in nashville, tenn., for 31 years. surviving are three sons.

William benner ’49, a resident of san di-ego, calif., and sAe member, died Jan. 19. in addition to working in sales for 55 years, he opened a clock shop and taught clock re-pair, and later, opened a doughnut shop. bill held a private pilot’s license in both Michigan and california. he was preceded in death by his brother, robert benner ’44. surviving are his wife, Joan, two daughters, a son and three grandchildren.

robert Wolf ’51, a resident of tecumseh and former owner and operator of Wolf’s tV and Appliance for many years, died March 31. Surviving are his wife, Elizabeth, five children, including ellen Wolf Cartwright ’73 and betsy Wolf Yagiela ’84, eight grand-children, four brothers and four sisters.

Donna gillen ’52, a resident of Jasper and elementary school teacher for 46 years, died June 20.

John scott ’52, a resident of Woodbridge,


Va., and Ato member, died sept. 7, 2007. he received a master’s degree in theology from the reformed Presbyteri-an theological seminary in Pittsburgh in 1953. After receiving his ordination from the united Methodist church, John was pastor at four churches in Pennsylvania, until he began working for goodwill in-dustries in Pittsburgh in 1969. survivors include his wife of 58 years, Lois Free-born scott ’52, four children, including Miriam scott brancato ’80 and John scott ’75, two sisters, 11 grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.

Jerry Andrews ’54, a resident of dear-born and retired school teacher, died Jan. 20. Jerry taught at bryant Jr. high from 1958-1992, and is survived by four children. he was preceded in death by his wife, barbara hiser Andrews ’54.

robert Peverly ’55, a resident of edg-erton, ohio, and retired teacher, died April 1. in 1956, bob began teaching math in the edgerton schools, where he taught for 32 years. during that time, he coached cross country, junior high bas-ketball, high school boy’s basketball, high school girl’s basketball and 17 years of baseball. in 1987, bob received the Lion of the year Award and in 2000, he and his wife, iva ruder Peverly ’55, were recognized as the edgerton citizens of the year. surviving with his wife are four sons, including Dean Peverly ’78, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and one brother.

Consuelo Montoya Cappon ’56, a resident of McAllen, texas and retired teacher, died feb. 4. surviving are her husband, ronald Cappon ’57, two daughters and four grandchildren. con-suelo taught spanish in the canal Zone school division, retiring in 1984.

David hills ’57, former Methodist pastor and resident of cicero, ind., died feb. 4. david later was a design engineer for the daisy bb gun co. in Arkansas, and then was an engineer for general Motors in Kokomo, ind., retiring in 1986. surviv-ing with his wife, helen, are two sons, a daughter, 15 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

Class NotesAlbert “hermann” Lang ’57, a resi-dent of Adrian and former teacher, died April 1. hermann was a dairy farmer for 25 years and also worked in the public school system for 15 years and at big bend community college for 15 years. he received his master’s degree in edu-cation from siena heights. survivors in-clude his wife, Janet bleich Lang ’61, three daughters and nine grandchildren.

Alan King ’60, a social studies teach-er for 29 years at buckeye Valley high school, and resident of delaware, ohio, died feb. 3. he also founded King’s books and published more than 40 vol-umes relating to antique farm machin-ery. Alan was an aviation enthusiast, vol-unteering for more than 20 years at the national Museum of the u.s. Air force in dayton. he is survived by his wife of 50 years, Janet, a daughter and three grandsons.

correction: Fred bennett ’64, a for-mer public defender who served as lead counsel on death penalty appeals cases in Maryland and was regarded as one of the top appellate lawyers in the state of Maryland, died July 1, 2007. fred was a member of tKe fraternity, not theta chi, as stated in the winter issue.

John h.C. thompson, Jr. ’70, a resi-dent of sylvania, ohio, and former Ato fraternity president, died April 8. John was a former business manager for daewoo heavy industries, past commo-dore of the toledo yacht club, and also a longtime member of bay View yacht club. survivors include his wife, berna-dette, three children and three grand-children.

robert henn ’77, a resident of hunting-ton, ind., and member of theta chi, died June 16.

Word has been received of the death of tim Poynter ’79, a resident of howell, Mich., on dec. 4.

beverly barrett sloggett ’83, of Mid-land and longtime Life Management teacher at central Middle school, died feb. 5. bev was a member of Psi iota

On Stage in NYCAlum performs in own production

shaun gunning ’94 (left) stars in “Writer’s block.

Writer’s Block, a play writ-ten by Adrian College alumnus Shaun Gunning

’94, has been selected for production at the 2008 Midtown International Theatre Festival in New York.

Shaun had originally started to write the play in Professor Michael Allen’s playwriting class at Adrian College fifteen years ago. He kept work-ing on it throughout the years and just finished it last year.

Shaun held a reading of the script in February 2008. A friend of his who is a producer was at the reading and suggested that Shaun submit the play to the Midtown International Theatre Festival in New York.

He filed an application for inclusion into this year’s festival. In April he found out it had been selected for production.

The festival runs from July 14 – August 10; Shaun is not sure of the exact dates for “Writer’s Block” but it will have six shows. The production will take place in the June Havoc Theatre at 312 West 36th Street in New York City.

Aside from writing the play, Shaun will also be playing the lead in the production.

Shaun’s brother, kevin Gunning, who is also a 1994 Adrian College graduate, will be acting in the play as well.

Shaun graduated from Adrian in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, theatre and religion. Right after college, he worked at the Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea for a year as an apprentice, eventually making his way to NYC.


in the mid-90’s, was featured recently in the toledo blade. he has spent the last 10 years in sports broadcasting, the past four years at the buckeye cable system. he has two children, including Christy Cole ’98.

William Kressbach, chief engineer for WVAc, Adrian college’s radio station, for approximately 20 years, died May 21. William was a resident of Adrian, and self-employed as a consultant videogra-pher and programmer. in 1988, William received the sister Anne Joachim Award from siena heights university. he is sur-vived by his wife, charlee, two children, including Kara Kressbach Lennard ’98, and a brother.

dorothy coulson-Mitchell, retired secre-tary in the plant division of Ac, died June 19. survivors include her husband, two daughters, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Change of addressMail: carol carson, records clerk 110 s. Madison st., Adrian, Mi 49221email: [email protected]: 517-264-3331

Submit a Class Notesend your news to [email protected] or Alumni Office, Adrian College, 110 S. Madison street, Adrian Mi 49221. Photos and information may be used as space permits. digital images must be of suf-ficient quality. Due to internal deadlines, there may be a delay of up to two issues from the time items are submitted.

Xi sorority, a philanthropic non-profit for the hearing impaired, Alpha Phi, 4-h, the Adrian singers and the tri-city cyclists. she is survived by her husband, todd, three children, her mother, and a sister.

Jennifer Meeker ’96, an account repre-sentative for nifco in troy, Mich., and resident of berkley, died May 27. she had also worked in israel for a year teaching english to Arab students at Jerusalem school. Jennifer is survived by her par-ents, two sisters, including Katherine Meeker Cornelius ’93, and a brother.

Friendsdr. stanley caine, Adrian college’s 16th president, has begun a new role in his life this summer: interim president of Wesleyan college in north carolina. stanley was president at Ac for 16 years before retiring in 2005. Wesleyan is similar to Ac in student population as well as sharing a link to the united Meth-odist church. until a new president is named, dr. caine will provide leadership to the college, working with faculty and staff to maintain Wesleyan’s focus. he has signed onto the role with an under-standing that a replacement for former n.c. Wesleyan college President dr. ian newbould will be hired within a year. stanley and his wife Karen are looking forward to an interesting change and challenge at Wesleyan and in eastern north carolina.

In May, President Jeff Docking and former Professor Penny L. Krampien watched the baseball team compete in the NCAA Div. III Championship in Wis-consin.

tom cole, assistant football coach at Ac

Class Notes

Kevin Stone ’91 will represent the United States in his sec-ond consecutive Paralympic

Summer Games this summer in Bei-jing. Stone was a member of the USA team who won the bronze medal in Paralympic Archery during the 2004 games in Athens. Paralympic Ar-chery is the largest athletic event in the world taking place this summer.

“I thought seeing the Olympic torch lit in Athens for myself, my teammates, and athletes from around the world was the most amazing ‘once in a lifetime moment’ I’d ever witness, until now,” says Kevin.

Kevin has transitioned from shooting to archery in order to become a U.S. athlete- a childhood wish now fulfilled after dreaming of becoming a kayak medalist at the age of seven.

A retired/disabled U.S. Army veteran, Kevin has been serving his country since 1982. In 1985 he broke four vertebrae in his neck and medically re-tired in 1987. He continued to serve as a Lenawee County Veterans Officer and public speaker until making the Paralympic National Archery Squad in 2003 while competing in his first World Champion-ship in Madrid, Spain.

Kevin is a brother of the ATO fraternity, was an intern for the offices of development and public rela-tions as well as a noted artist whose contributions include murals which still adorn the Merillat Sports and Fitness Center today.

“I can honestly say that the seven years I spent on campus covering two degree programs were the best years of my adult life so far,” Kevin said on a recent visit. “I really miss this place; it’s home”.

Beijing BoundAlum competes for team USA in Paralympic Summer Games

See the schedule online at www.adrian.edu/alumni.php


150th anniversary alumni Directory

We want to include you! In a few months, you’ll be hearing more about the directory from Harris Connect. One special feature will be the “Through the Years” photo gal-lery submitted by alumni.

Now’s the time to make sure we have your most current email, phone and mail-ing address, so please take a few minutes to update your information by e-mailing [email protected] or calling 800-264-9063. Thank you!

Alumni Announcements

Egypt - May 2009Highlights include Cairo,Great Pyramid, the Sphynx, the Temple of Luxor, Karnak, Tutankhamen’s Tomb, Alexa ndria , the Catacombs, and a 4-day cruise up the Nile to Aswanand and the Valley of the Kings.

The price for this tour includes roundtrip airfare, all ground transportation, admission fees, guides, breakfast and dinner, and all meals for a four-day cruise.

The tour is 13 days and costs $3,032 for stu-dents, and $3,602 for adults 23 and over.

For applications, itineraries, or more, please contact Dr. Bryan Bott at 517-265-5161 x4288, or e-mail [email protected]

Buy a Bench!Join over 50 alumni & friends in sharing

a bench on campus!

For more information, contact [email protected]

Thursday, November 13

AC Alumni & Friends @ Walnut Creek Country Club

[www.walnutcreekcc.net]

South Lyon, Michigan

Join host Jim Culbertson ’63 for a social evening/reception with

President Jeffrey Docking.

Invitations will be mailed to area alumni.

South lyon Gathering

P I T T S B U R G H C O N N E C T I O N

Join us for a reunion at Homecoming!

For those who came to AC from the Pittsburgh area or live there now:

Saturday, Oct. 4, 4:30 – 6 pm at the ALL ALUMNI & Friends Hospitality Tent.

2008-09 Alumni Association Board of DirectorsBrad Barrett ’04Jim Culbertson ’63Eric Driver ’03Kandi Weinlander Eklund ’51Jessie Ellis ’97Madeleine Lakatos Fojtik ’82Michael Fox Jr. ’04John Geisler ’61Danelle Perkins Gittus ’97Stephen R. Gregg ’68Deanna Baker Hartley ’72D.J. Helser ’71Kevin Hile ’88Julayne Morningstar Hughes ’86Jennifer Kay ’03Mindy Dygert MacDonald ’74Beth Blonde McCaulley ’01Marilyn Munsell McNitt ’73Jill Merithew Ouellette ’89Rick Senica ’72Nate Smith ’81

Special thanks to Duane “Dewey” Hall ’60 for adding the logos to the Caine Stu-dent Center Skyboxes! We’re still looking for photos of ATOs/SAEs to display in the rooms. Please send them to the College in c/o the Alumni Office.

athletic E-News Want to get athletic updates

by e-mail?Send requests with “Athletic

Updates” in the subject line to [email protected]

Eric Sullivan ’61Vicki Eustice Thomas ’80Marilyn Wilson Ward ’83Tracy Warrick ’92Andy Zerkel ’04

Trustees Elected by theAlumni AssociationKurt L. Darrow ’77Lynn A. Schefsky ’70Jack Shimko ’79 James D. Thomas ’84


Last chance to order.

1. Mid East Regional Champions Baseball T-shirt. Available in black only. Sizes S-XXL 50% cotton 50% polyester $10.95

2. Regulation Bulldog Baseball. $5.75

3. Souvenir Wooden Bat. $6.95

4. Fitted Adrian College Baseball Hat. Available in white only. Sizes S-XL $14.95

Call 517-264-3185 to place an order. Visit www.adrian.edu to view merchandise.

Spirit Shop


aDRiaN CollEGEaDRiaN, MiCHiGaN 49221

Visit us at contact.adrian.edu

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Create your legacy.Include Adrian College in your will or trust today and make a powerful impact on tomorrow’s students.Including AC in your long-term financial plan allows you to:

Make a significant gift without affecting your current income

Support the College, program or area of your choice

Provide a charitable tax deduction for your estate

Ensure the best possible education and opportuni-ties for future generations at AC

To learn more about how you can invest in the future of Adrian College, call Jim Mahony, Director of Development and Planned Giving, at 517-264-3104 or [email protected].

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