Fall 2009Sweetland HallDoug Simon Q&A McLean Poetry Award

A m a g a z i n e f o r a l u m n i & f r i e n d s o f S o u t h w e s t M i n n e s o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y

the secrets of

hookTHEOFF

To jumpstart recruitment for

the class of 2014, SMSU

admission publications

received a major facelift.

The SMSU Admission office

unveiled its new publication

package this summer. See

for yourself at

www.SMSU.edu/admisson

to attend Southwest Minnesota State University’s premiere fundraising event to support student scholarships...

2009 University Gala

You areInvited

6:00 pm Social HourBegin with cocktails, hors d’ oeuvres & Silent Auction

8:00 pm Dinner is ServedEnjoy a delectable dining experience

9:00 pm Live Auction & DanceDance the night away with our local favorite, All My Favorites

F R I D A Y , O C T O B E R 9 , 2 0 0 9

Call 800-260-0970 or visit www.smsufoundation.org/gala for tickets. Special rates until Sept. 1.

1FOCUS

A magazine for alumni & friends of Southwest Minnesota State University

Fall 2009 volume 29 number 1

President Dr. David C. DanaharExecutive Director of FoundationBill Mulso ʼ93Director of Alumni Relations andFocus EditorTyler Bowen ʼ95/MSʼ08Senior Writer and PhotographerJim Tate

DesignerMarcy D. Olson, ʼ93/MBAʼ05ContributorsStacy Frost ʼ93Kelly Loft ʼ97Tim GerszewskiMike Van Drehle ʻ08Editorial AssistanceJessica Fokken ʼ05Janice Robinson ʼ09

All hometowns are in Minnesota unless otherwise noted.

Focus (USPS 565-770) is published twice each year for alumni and friends of Southwest

Minnesota State University by the Alumni Office.

Opinions expressed in Focus do not necessarily reflect official University policy. Send corre-

spondence, name changes and address corrections to: Focus, Alumni Office, Southwest

Minnesota State University, 1501 State Street, Marshall, MN 56258 or call (507) 537-6266.

Focus is not copyrighted. Unless otherwise noted, articles may be reprinted without permis-

sion if credit is given to Southwest Minnesota State University.

Southwest Minnesota State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action educator

and employer. Southwest Minnesota State University is a member of the Minnesota State

Colleges and Universities system.

This document can be made available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities.

Please make your request by calling 507-537-6266, 1-800-260-0970, or through the Min-

nesota Relay Service at 1-800-627-3529.

2 Doug Sweetland & Sweetland Hall

5 Q & A with Doug Simon

6 Dr. Jay Brown

8 Campus Views

9 Athletics

11 Alumni Connections

12 Class Notes

Keeping you connected

to the events, news and ac-

complishments of faculty,

staff, students and alumni is

an important function of the

SMSU Alumni Association.

The Focus Alumni Magazine

is one of our opportunities to

reach out to nearly 17,000 alumni and friends and connect you to

campus. I hope you enjoy our new features in this issue of Focus and

we always welcome new story ideas about students, faculty, staff and

alumni.

We also understand that alumni are connecting daily, sometimes

on a minute-by-minute basis, through social networking sites like

Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. The SMSU Alumni Association is

actively participating in these networks to help connect and engage

alumni with other alumni and friends of SMSU.

Don't miss your chance to return to Southwest and see what's new

during Homecoming 2009-Mustang Mardi Gras the weekend of Oc-

tober 9-10! The University Gala will be held on Friday night of

Homecoming and all alumni are invited to attend this great event that

raises scholarship dollars for SMSU. Food Network featured Chef

Emile Stieffel will be on hand throughout the weekend to give all of

the events a New Orleans flavor! Bring the entire family and enjoy a

great weekend of Mustang fun!

On behalf of the Alumni Association and the entire campus com-

munity, I want to thank you for your continuing interest, loyalty and

support. It is great to be a Mustang!

Tyler Bowen’95/’08

Director of Alumni Relations

FOCUS is Going Green!The Spring 2010 edition of FOCUS will highlight the sustainabil-

ity efforts undertaken by faculty, staff and students. Do you have a

story to tell? Contact me at Tyler.Bowen@SMSU.edu. We want to

include stories about the ways our alumni are making a difference.

2 FOCUS

English professor Dr. Susan McLean had an exciting 2008-2009

academic year.

She was named the 2009 winner of the prestigious Richard Wilbur

Poetry Award, and she completed her first full-length book of po-

etry, The Best Disguise (University of Evansville Press), which will be

released this coming winter. The book includes her work of the past

19 years.

“It’s all in rhyme and meter. I have a lot of sonnets and also a num-

ber of villanelles,” she said.

She came to SMSU in 1988 and during a conversation with Eng-

lish professor Phil Dacey mentioned she had written poetry years ago.

“He said that if I wanted to write poetry again, that he’d be willing

to look at it,” she said.

“Phil gave good advice about

ways to improve my poems. It

got me excited about it again, so

I kept writing.”

Dacey is a well-known poet

who retired from the faculty sev-

eral years ago and now lives and

writes in New York City.

McLean also had a chapbook of poetry published in 2006 entitled

Holding Patterns.

McLean received her undergraduate degree in English from Har-

vard University, and her master’s and Ph.D. in English from Rutgers

University.

On July 17, President Danahar

announced that the new resi-

dence hall will be named after retired President Douglas

Sweetland, who served at Southwest from 1994 to his retire-

ment in 2000.

During his administration he led an outstanding effort to

stabilize the finances and enrollment of the University. En-

rollment increased significantly, particularly at the graduate

level, and his restructuring enhanced the number and qual-

ity of the teaching faculty. Sweetland Hall will be an endur-

ing and fitting testimony to his service and commitment to

this University and its students.

Susan McLean Wins Poetry Award

Inside Sweetland Hall· 3 floors

· $11.5 million cost

· 26 accessible rooms

· 252 beds

· 19th of August move-in

SMSU Mourns Doug Sweetland Douglas Patrick Sweetland was born

on March 1, 1939, in Faulkton, SD, the

13th of 14 children born of Frederick and

Rose (Anglin) Sweetland. He grew up in

Orient, SD. From 1957–1961, Doug

served in the U.S. Navy. In 1965, he mar-

ried Karen Kjelden in Clear Lake, SD.

Doug had a life-long passion for educa-

tion. He received his B.S. from Northern

State College in Aberdeen, SD, his M.S.

and Ph.D. in Economics from Kansas

State University. Doug taught economics and finance at several in-

stitutions including Northern State College, Kansas State Univer-

sity, UW-La Crosse, and Winona State University. After becoming

Dean and Vice President at Winona State he ended his career as a

Professor of Economics and President of Southwest State Univer-

sity in Marshall from 1994-2000. Though being in administration

for much of his career, Doug always insisted on teaching at least one

class so he could remain in contact with the students and their

needs.

Doug died on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at his home surrounded by

his family after a two-year battle with cancer. He is survived by his

wife, Karen, children Celine (and Jerrod) Nelson, Shane and Angela

(and Matt) Bass, five grandchildren, one brother and four sisters,

nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Donations to the Doug Sweetland Memorial Scholarship would

be greatly appreciated. Doug requested that this scholarship be set

up for SMSU students majoring in education from the surrounding

area. Donations can be sent to: SMSU Foundation Office c/o Bill

Mulso, 1501 State Street, Marshall, MN 56258.

By the NumbersStudents participating:

2006: 67 students

2007: 143 students

2008: 178 students

Number of oral presentations:

2006: 21

2007: 27

2008: 40

Number of poster presentations:

2006: 27

2007: 56

2008: 73

Number of academic programs represented:

2006: 4

2007: 13

2008: 15

The inaugural conference included: Environ-

mental Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics.

Programs added in 2007: Art, Art History, Ed-

ucation, English, Philosophy, Psychology, The-

ater, Agribusiness, Accounting, Sociology.

Programs added in 2008: Justice Administra-

tion, History, Creative Writing, Wellness &

Human Performance. Lost: Philosophy.

3FOCUS

Amy Heiderscheidt of Redwood Falls didn’t know the paper she pre-

sented at the 44th annual Student History Conference April 23 at the

University of South Dakota would be so timely.

Heiderscheidt’s paper won in the category of regional history and was

entitled, “The Spanish Influenza in Southwest Minnesota.”

A day after winning the top honor, it was announced that the H1N1

virus had hit Mexico. “It was an especially timely paper due to that fact,”

said Associate History Professor Tom Williford. “It just worked out that

way. Amy started her research two years before.”

She did exhaustive research in investigating the county death records

in southwest Minnesota from 1917 to 1920 in an effort to determine

the mortality rate of the region. Spanish influenze claimed nearly 40

million people worldwide, making it the second-worst pandemic in

recorded history.

Her research took her to county courthouses and small town news-

paper offices and even a graveyard or two. Her findings showed that the

influenza affected southwest Minnesota at a rate similar to that of ma-

jor U.S. cities, disproving the assumption that rural areas suffered less

than urban areas from the outbreak.

“She is a history and biology double major, so her paper was pre-

sented in a different way, with more of a biological emphasis,” said

Williford.

Dr. Richard Jones, a 1973 alumnus and the principal at John

Adams Middle School in Rochester, Minn., delivered the com-

mencement address on Saturday, May 9 in the R/A Facility.

A total of 629 seniors graduated during the 41st commencement

exercises, bringing the community of SMSU alumni to over 15,000.

Dr. Jan Loft, Professor of

Speech Communication,

was the 2009 recipient of

the prestigious Cowan

Award, named for the for-

mer psychology professor

Cathy Cowan who was

killed in a car accident in

Dec. 2001.

Andrew Beilke, a Finance/Business Administration major from

Mankato, Minn., accepted the Outstanding Senior Award from the

Alumni Association. This award recognizes a distinguished student

for their academic achievement, campus and community activities

in addition to honors or

awards.

Proud parents, family

and friends packed the R/A

Facility for the two-hour

ceremony which was fol-

lowed by a reception in the

Student Center.

Timely Research on Spanish Flu

629 Students Graduate in May Commencement Exercises

4 FOCUS

Challenging economic times throughout

the country have not spared higher educa-

tion, and Southwest Minnesota State Uni-

versity is no exception.

The University cut $3.2 million to bal-

ance its 2009-2010 fiscal year budget, a fi-

nancial situation that affected, in one way or

another, 68 positions. “How that affected

people varies, from not filling vacant po-

sitions to actual layoffs. There were some

reductions in percent time, early-retire-

ment incentives, things like that,” said

Doug Fraunfelder, Vice President for

Finance and Administration.

“We’re trying to find efficiencies where

we can in our operations,” he

said. That includes implement-

ing utility savings such as oc-

cupancy sensors and keeping

the lights off as much as possi-

ble during the cooling season.

It also includes power manage-

ment tools for computers, imple-

menting travel restrictions and

encouraging more meetings be

conducted over the Web. “Every

little bit helps,” he said.

Tuition will go up 5 percent next

year, but 2 percent of that will be offset by

one-time stimulus package dollars, which

will keep the tuition increase impacting stu-

dents at only 3 percent.

And while legislative support of higher

education has declined over the years, sup-

port of the SMSU Foundation con-

tinues to grow. The Foundation had

its most successful year ever

last year, raising a record

$3.44 million, thanks to the

generosity of 6,109 donors.

That’s an indication of a

growing alumni base, recog-

nition of the impor-

tance of scholarships

in these difficult eco-

nomic times, and loy-

alty to the University,

said Bill Mulso, Execu-

tive Director of the

SMSU Foundation.

“People realize the

importance of a col-

lege education and

that it’s more difficult

for students today,” he

said.

A number of familiar faces an-

nounced their retirement and were

honored at the University Recognition

Dinner on March 23, 2009. These re-

cent retirees, their titles, their depart-

ments and years of service included:

Robert Eliason, Professor,

Chemistry, 40

Connie Evans, Professor,

Humanities, 16

Eunice Herrick, Office & Adminis-

trative Specialist Senior, Business

Administration, 38

Sharon Hulsizer, Customer Service

Specialist Senior, Financial Aid, 36

Deb Johnson, Customer Service

Specialist, Health Services, 23

Kathryn Jones, Assistant Professor,

Mathematics, 17

Ginger Kaufman, Director, Career

Services, 7

Marilyn Leach, Director, Academic &

Diversity Resources, 35

Max Lord, Electrician, Physical

Plant, 29

Robert Moyer, Associate Professor,

Mathematics, 7

Jan Olson, Office & Administrative

Specialist Intermediate, Wellness

& Human Performance, 25

Loren Wood, Refrigeration Mechan-

ic, Physical Plant, 20

We thank them for their service and

dedication to SMSU.

Connect with current and retired

faculty and staff on the SMSU Alum-

ni online directory at www.South-

westAlumni.com

Recent RetireesRecognized

11th Curtler Book Published

Impact of Economy on Campus and Tuition

Retired philosophy professor Hugh Curtler’s 11th book, Provoking Thought, was pub-

lished by the Florida Academic Press and made its debut this

past spring. It started out, he said, as reflections to pass along to

his children and grew from there.

He describes it as an “intellectual biography,” and in it he

shares reflections about the mundane (TV and sports), the ar-

cane (aesthetics and ethics) and ventures into fields such as his-

tory, literature and anthropology.

The book is available at Amazon.com and the publisher. For

reviews and more information, visit www.hughcurtler.com

5FOCUS

Political Science professor Doug Simon

returned in June from a tour of duty in Iraq

with the Minnesota Army National Guard.

Simon, who has a law degree, was a Brigade

Judge Advocate who managed a legal team

and acted as the general counsel for the

brigade commander. It was the second tour

of duty for the 20-year member of the

National Guard. He also served in Bosnia

and Herzegovina. Simon is engaged to

Molly Wright, who he will wed on Oct. 17,

2009. He has a son, Isaac, 4 ½.

How has your experience in Bosnia andHerzegovina and Iraq changed you as aperson? I treasure the classroom experience

more now, and I am very much a mentor

educator more than I ever have been before.

Students need to realize they have an

opportunity for a great education and

should take advantage of it. I think it’s a

great responsibility to deliver to the students

the education they came here to receive. I

appreciate simple things more, like green

grass.

How have your experiences made you abetter professor? As a Brigade Judge

Advocate, I practiced my art. It’s these types

of experiences I can take into the classroom,

whether it is how to deal with Congress in

an appropriations bill or the steps involved

in a court martial—I can take those

experiences and bring them down to a basic

level. Every complex situation starts with a

simple premise, and I can connect the dots.

What are some things about military lifeyou wish Americans knew more about? While

service members and soldiers enjoy being in

the military, it still requires great sacrifice,

and that’s something we should not take for

granted. The sacrifices are made every step

of the way. It’s hard; it’s a challenging

environment. Your entire life is frozen; you

sacrifice your professional career, your

personal life, and your friendships.

What were the three things you missed mostwhile serving in Iraq? My loved ones, wine,

and a good steak.

What do you miss about being in Iraq?Friendships — you have friendships etched

in granite — the work, and the ability to

see the world.

What’s one thing people would be surprisedto learn about you? That I have over 5,000

comic books.

Q & A with Doug Simon ’94

SMSU alumni are increasingly taking advantage of the benefits of-

fered through the University’s Career Services office.

“We’re getting more inquiries all the time from our alumni,”

said interim director of Career Services Sheila Risacher. “We offer

career coaching, career counseling, interview preparation, help with

job searches, résumé critiques and graduate school assistance,” she

said.

Risacher said she has seen an increase in the number of alumni

contacting Career Services during the recent downturn in the econ-

omy. “Most of what we do for alumni, for obvious geographic rea-

sons, is over the phone — distance coaching,” she said. “It’s a free

service, something that’s not typical throughout the country.”

Most college graduates change careers up to seven times before

they retire, she said. And while some areas of the economy are stag-

nant or shrinking, others are showing growth. “Right now, there is

growth in agriculture, agronomy, information technology and health

care,” she said. “There is also an emphasis on the green economy.

Minnesota has been a leader there, so it is well-positioned for

growth in that area.”

According to Risacher there are more people looking for work

than there are jobs. That’s why it’s important for those seeking em-

ployment to distinguish themselves on the résumé and during the

interview process, she said.

Alumni can view all of the areas in which Career Services offers

assistance at www.MustangJobs.com. The phone number is 507-

537-6221. Risacher can be reached via e-mail at

Career Services Available to Alumni

6 FOCUS

There was that one moment that SMSU Chemistry Pro-

fessor Jay Brown will never forget.

After five years and 71 failed attempts, he was able to ex-

tract a pure sample of the electrochemical reduction product

of atrazine, a popular herbicide used for corn production on

many agricultural fields in the Midwest to control weeds.

The results were published in the Journal of Electroanalyt-

ical Chemistry, a leading publication in its field. The work

brought clarity to a scientific question that had surrounded

atrazine for over a decade: what are the electrochemical

properties of atrazine that make it effective on select weeds?

“I was alone in the laboratory, and although I’m not a re-

ligious man, I looked to the sky and said, ‘Thank you!’ At that

moment, I was the only person in the world who knew it had

been done.”

Brown had finally cracked the electrochemical reduction

pathway of atrazine, a research breakthrough that has drawn

much attention to his findings ever since.

Brown was helped in his groundbreaking research by a trio

of SMSU students, including Darlene Guse, Janesville,

Minn.; Matthew Bruzek, Loretto, Minn.; and Paul DeVos,

Marshall, Minn.

Brown is a Queens, N.Y. native who grew up within walk-

ing distance of Shea Stadium. He received an A.A.S. degree

in chemistry from the State University of New York (SUNY)

at Cobleskill. His B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemistry are

from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and

Forestry. His Ph.D. in analytical chemistry is from the Uni-

versity of Vermont. He took a temporary position at St.

Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont before coming to

SMSU in 1997.

It had been known for some time that atrazine was elec-

trochemically active and takes up four electrons per molecule

in an electrochemical process called reduction, said Brown.

But the structure of the reduction product had not been un-

equivocally determined using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

(NMR) Spectroscopy.

NMR Spectroscopy is a powerful technique for structure

determination, but the low solubility of atrazine in water

made this determination difficult. As a result, there were three

competing theories in scientific literature for the atrazine re-

duction process. Brown wanted to settle the controversy.

“We developed our own methods based upon earlier work

found in the scientific literature and eventually extracted

enough pure material to perform the NMR analyses,” said

Brown.

What does it mean in the big picture? “The atrazine bind-

ing site in target weeds was recently identified by another

group in the literature. An important point of their research

was that atrazine displaces an electrochemically active group

in the photosynthetic machinery of target weeds. Our work

demonstrated how atrazine takes up electrons. This adds to

our understanding of how atrazine works on an electro-

chemical level,” said Brown.

Chemistry Professor Jay Brown worked with a trio of students on research to unlock

the electromagnetic properties of atrazine

7FOCUS

The eventual goal is to produce cus-

tomized herbicides that target specific weeds.

But the first step is to fully understand the

mode of action for atrazine.

Brown was able to receive funds for the

electrochemistry equipment through a grant

he wrote to the Minnesota State Colleges

and Universities’ Center for Teaching and

Learning. The NMR Spectrometer was pur-

chased years earlier from a National Science

Foundation grant written by retired SMSU

Chemistry Professor Robert Eliason.

“I was talking with [former SMSU pro-

fessor] Doug Spieles. I mentioned that I

wanted to conduct an electrochemical study

on a pesticide of regional significance. He

immediately suggested atrazine. We didn’t

have the equipment to conduct the research

at the time, so I applied for the grant. After

approval, we purchased the necessary equip-

ment and started the project the following

year.”

Guse was the first student to conduct re-

search on the project. She was referred to

Brown by Eliason. “He saw the potential in

her and asked me to put her on a project,”

said Brown. “She was an unusual student,

majoring in both chemistry and business ad-

ministration and finance. Robert saw her po-

tential.”

A big challenge for the group was devel-

oping an extraction procedure to obtain a

pure sample of the reduction product.

This involved mixing the sample with

the appropriate extraction solvents to re-

move the product and then evaporating

the solvents without decomposing the

product. “We had to

avoid excessive heat during the evaporation

step because that would decompose the

product. Atrazine is not very soluble in wa-

ter, so we had to work with miniscule quan-

tities. You only got one shot at an extraction.

You had to start the two-day process all over

again each time the extraction didn’t work.”

After 71 tries, Brown struck gold.

“Conducting undergraduate research has

become popular nationwide. It’s an excellent

teaching tool for students willing to put in

the time. You can’t get a better learning ex-

perience at the undergraduate level. The time

is well-spent and worth the effort.” Research

has now become the required capstone

course in the chemistry program, he said.

“The journey has really helped me,” said

Brown, who put in plenty of extra time over

the years on the project.

“For me, the focus was always teaching.

[Now] I can use examples of the research in

the classroom. When I say, ‘Darlene did this,

or Matt and Paul did that,’ the students tend

to pay more attention because those are their

peers. I make that connection as often as I

can.”

Brown has expanded his research to in-

clude the herbicides simazine, propazine and

cyanazine. “We want to find out if these

analogs of atrazine have similar reduction

pathways” he said. “This question is for the

next generation of students in the group to

determine.”

Brown works with several top students

each year on the project and is quick to pass

on the credit. “It was very much a collabora-

tive effort,” he said.

Darlene Guse ’05Janesville, Minn.A Chemistry and Business

Administration/ Finance major at

SMSU, Darlene is entering her fourth

year at Mayo Medical School,

Rochester, Minn.

“(Undergraduate

research) provides

students the

opportunity to really

think through

problems and apply

their knowledge. Rather than just

follow a recipe, students are

challenged to create new methods

and protocols.”

Matt Bruzek ’08Loretto, Minn.A Chemistry major at SMSU, Matt

is pursuing a Ph.D. in Organic

Chemistry at the University of

Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.

“The whole reason

one goes to college

is to gain the

knowledge and

experience that will

prepare him or her

for a job. Classroom

courses give students the basic

knowledge required, but they do not

necessarily make the students apply

this knowledge to a real-life problem.

Undergraduate research does that.”

Paul DeVos ’08Marshall, Minn.A Chemistry major at SMSU, Paul

will be teaching

math at Newman

Smith High

School, Carrollton,

Texas, this fall.

“I believe the

research project,

more than anything, helped give me a

taste for what research really is and

gave me a vision of the endless

possibilities that it could lead to.”

Atrazine, 2-chloro-4-(ethylamine)-6-(isopropylamine)-s-triazine, an organic compound consisting of an s-triazine-ring is a widely used herbicide. Its use is controversial due to its effects on nontarget species, such ason amphibians. It is banned in the European Union.

THE CHANGING VIEWS AT SMSU

9FOCUS

2008-09: A Big Year for Mustang AthleticsChalk it up as one of the most successful

years in Southwest Minnesota State University

athletics history. The 2008-09 season saw the

Mustangs land seven of their 11 programs in na-

tional postseason play—highlighted by an Elite

Eight appearance by the men’s basketball team—

and grab 11 different All-America honors.

While the men’s hoopsters advanced the deepest

into postseason play, they weren’t the only squad to

get a taste of the NCAA tournament. SMSU volley-

ball charted a 28-6 campaign and advanced to its fifth

straight NCAA tournament. The Mustang women

golfers drove their way into the national tournament

for the first time since 2006. The SMSU softball team

won its fourth straight NSIC crown and earned its spot

in the NCAA tournament—also for the fourth straight

year. And Paul Blanchard’s baseball team made the

NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.

Hard work on the gridiron turned into SMSU football’s

first winning season since 1999. The Mustangs’ 6-5 record

tied them for sixth place in the newly expanded, nationally

renowned NSIC. It was a successful season in SMSU’s

brand new, $16 million Regional Event Center. Equally

hard work from Jesse Nelson and his wrestlers gained

SMSU its first dual win since the 2006-07 season. Mus-

tang wrestling hosted the NCAA Regional Tournament

and sent two to the NCAA Champi-

onships.

A flurry of all-America accolades

found their way to Marshall, too.

Tyler Reed received a nod for the

D2football.com All-America honor-

able mention team. Kasey Loeslie

was also named All-America honor-

able mention by the American Vol-

leyball Coaches Association. Ross

DeMasi garnered a pair of All-

America honors for men’s basketball

from Daktronics and the National

Association of Basketball Coaches.

Softball saw its first All-American at

the Division II level when Amanda

Burkhart earned the honor from a

duo of organizations, her first-team selection coming from

Daktronics. Derek West and Andrew Kinney represented

the baseball with honorable mention recognition.

The athletics venues at SMSU weren’t the only places

the Mustangs excelled in 2008-09. The classroom was an

equally successful place as 55 student-athletes were named

to the Academic All-NSIC team throughout the year.

Senior baseball player Greg Laughlin was also named Aca-

demic All-America in the spring.

Senior forward Ross De-Masi (Swanton, Vt.)earned a pair of All-America selections as hewas named to both theDaktronics and NationalAssociation of BasketballCoaches squads.

Senior right fielderAmanda Burkhart(Omaha, Neb.) landedon two All-Americateams. She is the firstSMSU softball playerto be named an All-American at theNCAA Division IIlevel.

Senior second basemanGreg Laughlin (EdenPrairie, Minn.) becamejust the second SMSUbaseball player to earnAcademic All-Americahonors when he wasnamed to the 2009ESPN The MagazineAcademic All-Americathird team.

SMSU base-ball made itsfirst NCAAtournament ap-pearance inschool history,after posting a28-15 season.Senior DerekWest received apair of All-America honorable mentionnods from Daktronics and the NationalCollegiate Baseball Writers Association(NCBWA). Junior Andrew Kinney wasnamed All-America honorable mention bythe NCBWA.

For the fourth straight season, the Mus-tang softball team was crowned NSICchampions. They finished the season 32-23 and received a bid to the NCAA tour-nament before falling to Minnesota State,Mankato. Senior Amanda Burkhart dis-

tinguished herself as the NSIC and RegionPlayer of the Year. Senior pitcher AmandaJohnson did the same with her NSIC andRegion Pitcher of the Year honors.Burkhart was also named to a pair of All-America squads, becoming the first SMSUsoftball player to earn such honors at theNCAA Division II level.

The SMSU tennis squad finished theseason 8-14 and fourth in the NSIC.Ananda Ferrari claimed NSIC SeniorAthlete of the Year honors and led herteam to a fourth-place finish at the NSICtournament. The Mustangs also collectedfour top-three finishes at the NSIC indi-vidual championships.

The Mustang golf team participated inthe regional tournament for the sixth timein school history. Senior Abby Oaklandwas the highest placer for SMSU, checkingin at No. 12 spot.

10 FOCUS

· ROUND-TRIP AIRFARE FROM SELECT OCEANIA CRUISES’ CITIES· 10 nights accommodations and cruising onboard Oceania Cruises’

“Regatta” to historic and scenic ports of call· All meals, entertainment & use of the ship’s facilities onboard the cruise

For more information email alumni@SMSU.eduor visit www.SouthwestAlumni.com/travel

Alumni Achievement This award is presented to agraduate in recognition of theirremarkable professional successand the positive reflection madeon the reputation of all graduatesof SMSU.

Dene Thomas ’78LiteraturePresidentLewis and Clark UniversityLewiston, Idaho

Steven Binder ’79Business AdministrationGroup Vice President,

Refrigerated ProductsHormel Foods CorporationAustin, Minn.

Honorary LifetimeMembership This award is presented to an individual who is not a graduateof SMSU, but gives their time,talents, and enthusiasm as if theywere.

Gerald TolandProfessor of Business

AdministrationMarshall, Minn.

Laurie MaeyaertRetired ARAMARKBalaton, Minn.

Eric LutherOwner, Burger KingMarshall, Minn.

Cause for celebrationDuring the SMSU Homecoming weekend on October 9-10, theSMSU Alumni Association will present Alumni Achievementand Honorary Lifetime Membership Awards to distinguishedalumni and friends of Southwest Minnesota State University.

Alumni Plaza UpdateThe Alumni Plaza project fundraising is in full swing. To

date 410 individuals and/or couples have contributed nearly

$69,000 of the $200,000 challenge gift by Deeann Griebel ’80

to finish the project. All gifts to this project go toward sup-

porting the construction and future maintenance of the

Alumni Plaza. Construction on the Alumni Plaza is expected

to begin in May 2010.

To help support this important campus project please con-

tact Tyler Bowen, Director of Alumni Relations at

Tyler.Bowen@SMSU.edu. You can make a gift online at

www.SouthwestAlumni.com/plaza. Your support will leave a

lasting legacy on the campus of SMSU.

To nominate someoneThe Alumni Association is now accepting nominations for bothalumni achievement and honorary membership awards to be given in2010. If you know of an outstanding alumnus, a faculty, staff or com-munity member who deserves recognition, please contact us. Emailalumni@SMSU.edu or call 1-800-260-0970.

October 23–November 3, 2010

JEWELS OF THE Athens, Kusadasi, Rhodes, Santorini, Katakolon, Sicily,

Amalfi/Positano, Sardinia, Corsica, Florence, and Rome

A l u m n i T r a v e l O p p o r t u n i t y i n 2 0 1 0 :

Y O U A R E I N V I T E D

SMSU Alumni Association 2009 Awards LuncheonFriday, October 9, 2009

12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.SMSU Conference Center Ballroom

Cost: $10.00

Lunch will be followed by a short program highlighting the 2009 Alumni Award Recipients.

RSVP by calling 507-537-6266 prior to Tuesday, Oct. 6

11FOCUS

SMSU Alumni Reconnect at Top-Notch Events

Twins vs Cubs at Wrigley Field inChicago: [Top left photo] Back row:

Dan Reitsma ‘01, Ben Butzke ‘02,

Michael Brown ‘00, Tim Neu ‘00.

Front row: Clare Reitsma ‘01, Marie

Brown, Jen Neu, Jessica Arndt.

[Top right photo] Kari Xiong ‘03 and

Keri VanOverschelde ‘ 04.

Alumni Night at Canterbury Park:[Middle left photo] Jess McGaughey,

Tracey Mork ‘06, Sarah Wagoner ‘06,

Jamie Enger ‘07.

Alumni at LA production of “Far-ragut North” starring Isiah Whit-lock Jr. ‘76: (Middle right photo)

Kathleen Martin (attd. 71-73), Bill

Hezlep (retired faculty emeritus), Isiah

Whitlock Jr. ’76, Tyler Bowen ’95,

Dave Schmalz ‘72

Twins v. Yankees at the Metrodome:[Bottom left photo] Tom Moldenhauer

‘90 and Richard Crumb ‘81.

(Bottom right photo) Julie May ‘00 and

Dan Wise with TC at the alumni tent.

T a i l g a t i n g a t E v e r y H o m e F o o t b a l l G a m e !S t o p i n t h e A l u m n i T e n t o u t s i d e M a t t k e F i e l d .

12 FOCUS

1983Tim Jones has been a job trainingspecialist at the Southwest MinnesotaPrivate Industry Council since 1983and was honored in June for Out-standing Customer Service for hiswork with former Bayliner employeesin Pipestone. He also assisted morethan 60 Schwan employees who werelaid off at the same time. His wifeNancy ’82 teaches sixth grade atTracy Area Elementary School. Tom Sahlstrom was recently nameda principal with Edward D. Jones inLaCrosse, Wis.1991In March of 2009, Jay Petersen hadhis painting “St. Ignatia Whale Sanctu-ary, Baja” shown at the prestigious deYoung Museum in San Francisco,Calif. He lives in Tucson, Ariz.1992Marlin and Lisa (Beaner) ’93 Wend-land live in Orrville, Ohio.Lisa is the Home CEO and Marlin is inmanagement for The J. M. SmuckerCompany at corporate HQ. They have2 sons, Mason 11, and Jack, 8, andenjoy coaching and attending theirboys’ sporting activities, golfing andcamping. 1993Loren Toussaint has been grantedtenure as a psychology professor atLuther College, Decorah, Iowa. He isalso a consulting editor for the Journalof General Psychology and is the as-sistant editor for the International Jour-nal of Healing and Caring. Aftergraduating from SMSU, he earnedmaster’s and doctorate degrees inpsychology from the University of Wis-consin-Milwaukee. 1995Greg Wymer (’05 MBA) became theDirector of International Student Affairsat Minnesota State University Moor-head in 2007. His wife Amy works atScheel’s Sporting Goods. They havefour children: Jacob, 11; MacKenzie,9; Leah, 6; and Benjamin, 3. Doug Zwach currently lives inLakeville and is a Training Managerfor Progressive Insurance Company.1996Chad Young is a mortgage loan offi-cer with USBank and lives in Mankato.1998Becky (Evers) Gerdes and husband,Scott, both work for the RochesterSchool District. They welcomed hometwin boys on April 3, 2009.2000Kevin Forde was promoted to Assis-tant Athletic Director for Operations atthe University of Mary in Bismarck NDin July. He began his coaching careerat SMSU as an assistant coach to Tim

Miles and to Greg Stemen. He and hiswife Laura ’01 have two daughters Is-abelle and Addison.2001Kim Sanow is the Family Counselorat House of Hope Minnesota in Mar-shall and also is a writer and speakeron relational aggression in teenagegirls. She and her husband Jerry have4 daughters and live on an acreagenear Amiret.2003Michael Branco recently moved fromhis position as transit manager inKetchikan AK to accept a new positionas transit manager for Eau Claire, Wis.He and wife Michele have three chil-dren: twins Madelynn and Mitchell, 5;and son Marshall is 2. Dr. Melisa Engelson is a chiropractickinesiologist in Prior Lake. She re-ceived her doctor of chiropractic de-gree from Northwestern HealthSciences University in ’07.2004Zeb Prairie was promoted to ClaimsRepresentative for the Auto ClaimsDepartment of North Star Mutual In-surance of Cottonwood. He hasworked there since June 2005.2005Heather (Smith) Bigler (’08 MS) isthe school social worker at MarshallMiddle School, Marshall. She is mar-ried to Brad Bigler ’02. Brad is theassociate head coach of the SMSUMustang’s men’s basketball team.Heather and Brad live in Marshall andhave a daughter, Taleigha, 1½. Tim Schulz lives in Chaska and isworking in Motorcycle Sales at DelanoSports Center in Delano.2006Jason Szczawinski is the owner ofDakota Direct Furniture and lives inBrandon, SD.2007Mindy Rayman married BenjmaninDold on Aug. 16, 2008. She is pursu-ing a master’s in business administra-tion and lives in Maple Grove.Robert Sandquist married LauraMollema on June 7, 2008. He is em-ployed at Reinhart Foods in Marshall.Michele Tomschin and ChristopherRowell were married on Aug. 30,2008. Michele is employed by ClarkPrinting Co. of Tyler. Chris is em-ployed by Explore Information Serv-ices of Marshall.Lisa Peterson married David Chris-tianson on May 17, 2008. They live inrural Spicer. 2008Mathew Davis married Sarah Larsonon May 23, 2009. Ryan Jaeger and Emily Dyste (’09)married on May 30, 2009.

Julie Pohlman and Jeff Kelly (’09)were married on June 6, 2009. Julie isan elementary teacher in Vaxjo, Swe-den, where they will live for 1-2 years. Samantha O’Neill and Joseph Kok-tan (’11) were married on Aug. 7,2009. The two reside in Marshall whileJoseph finishes his degree in publicrelations at SMSU. Samantha gradu-ated with a degree in social work.Gene Wyttenback is the CommunityDevelopment Advocate for Tri-CountyAction Program in Waite Park. Genelives in Sauk Rapids with his daughterHayley, 5, and Sienna the golden re-triever, age unknown.

IN MEMORIAMGwen Marie BeeboutGwen passed away on Nov. 16, 2008after a five-year battle with cancer.She worked in several SMSU officesfrom 1988-2005.Morgan ClineMorgan was a Post Secondary Enroll-ment Option student and passed awayon Nov. 12, 2008 in an auto accident.Sylvan F. Gaul ’71 Sylvan passed away on Nov. 16,2008.Duane Herrick ’71 Duane was the Director of ComputerServices at SMSU from 1967-97 andpassed away on May 26, 2009. Jory L. Isakson ’71 Jory passed away in July 2008. Hewas the executive director of the Min-nesota Association of Plumbing, Heat-ing and Cooling contractors. Ronald J. Jones ’72 Ronald passed away in January 2008. Jack KelleyJack passed away on Jan. 17, 2009.He was a general maintenance workerfor 31 years and retired in 2000.Gleva A. Kronlokken ’71 Gleva passed away on May 19, 2008.Frances McCormick ’87 Frances passed away in December2008.

Sylvia J. Moline ’70 Sylvia passed away on Aug. 11, 2007.She taught fifth grade at West Ele-mentary in Slayton for 22 years. Martha Pieske ’71Martha passed away on Jan. 10,2009.Dee ReisdorferDee passed away on June 20, 2009.She was an employee of SMSU for 26years before retiring in 1997.Douglas SweetlandDoug was the seventh president of theUniversity, 1994-2000. He passedaway on July 21 at his home in Lynd.Loren TesdellLoren worked as a political scienceprofessor for 20 years and passedaway on Nov. 19, 2008.Bruce WilcoxBruce, an Education Department fac-ulty member from 1970-85, passedaway on March 21, 2009. Eugene Vandeputte Eugene was a Physical Plant em-ployee for 27 years and passed awayon March 20, 2009. He retired in 1996.

A group of alumni and friends in Malaysia gathered for a reunion. Front row(seated) left to right: Hui Ning Yap ‘01, Stephanie Choong, Wei Wei, NicoleLeng, Jodie Yan ‘01, Chin's Friend, Chin Yoon Hiung. Second row (standing)left to right: Albert Lau, Albert Lau's Wife, Eric, Thomas Soo, Jeff Ho, NgKem Yong, Pang, Daniel's Friend, Clarice (Ralph Wong's wife). Back row(standing) left to right: Shane, Teck Yew, Hiew, Franky Goh ‘01, Amos Tan,Daniel Goh, Ralph Wong ‘01. Submitted photo.

Send us a noteThe class notes section of Focus

is one of the most important

vehicles by which alumni stay

connected with one another. If

you have news that you would

like to share with classmates,

please let us know. You may

submit your updates to the

Alumni Office by email:

alumni@SMSU.edu

or by visiting us online at

www.SouthwestAlumni.com.

by mail: SMSU Alumni Office,

1501 State St, , Marshall, MN

56258 or call 800-260-0970.

Contact the SMSU Foundation at 1-800-260-0970 or E-mail foundation@SMSU.edu for details.

The Kelsey Eberle Memorial Scholarship was established

by her parents, Roxanne and Terry Eberle of Maple Grove,

Minn. The scholarship will be awarded annually to an

outstanding junior or senior Education major at Southwest

Minnesota State University based upon their academic and

leadership performance. Kelsey graduated from Maple Grove

High School and SMSU. She was killed by a drunk driver in

an auto accident on June 29, 2008.

“The four years Kelsey spent as an Education major at

SMSU could not have benefitted anyone more than our

daughter,” said Terry Eberle. “In her time at SMSU Kelsey

grew into a mature, prepared young woman who could not

wait to get a classroom of her own. Kelsey’s goal was not to

just become a teacher; she wanted to be that special teacher

that you think of when you think back on fourth grade and

say, ‘That Ms. Eberle was the best,’” he said.

Making a difference for future generations of Mustangs

Creating an Endowed Scholarship at SMSUYou can establish a named, endowed scholarship at SMSU by

making a gift of $10,000 or more. A scholarship can be in your

name or in honor of someone dear to your heart. An endowed

scholarship can be funded over one, five or 10 years, depending on

your wishes. You may designate your endowment to academic

scholarships, a specific collegiate unit, or students in need of

financial assistance. In some cases, donors prefer including a

scholarship gift in their will. To find out more, contact Bill Mulso,

SMSU Foundation Executive Director, at 1-800-260-0970.

Consider These Advantages:• Tax deduction for charitable contribution

• Membership in the Heritage Society

• Helping SMSU students earn their degree in today’s challenging

economic environment

• Leaving a lasting legacy at Southwest

Leaving a Legacy

Kelsey Eberle ’08

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For the most up-to-date Alumni Association Calendar of Events and event details visit:

www.SouthwestAlumni.comContact the Alumni Relations Office at 1-800-260-0970 or

alumni@SMSU.edu for more information.

EventsCalendarThe SMSU Alumni Association plans a variety of excitingevents to connect and engage alumni. We hope to see you at a future event!

AgBowl: Celebrating Minnesota AgricultureSMSU Football vs Black Hills StateMattke Field, SMSU, September 05

Step in Time with “Mary Poppins”Orpheum Theatre, MinneapolisSeptember 20

Homecoming 2009: Mustang Mardi GrasSMSU, Marshall. October 4-11

Bert and Ernie Goodnight, World PremierMinneapolis Children’s Theatre, October 25

Tour the Louvre MasterpiecesMinneapolis Art Institute, November 14

Minnesota Wild Alumni EventSt. Paul, February 14, 2010

An enchanted evening at “South Pacific”Ordway Center, St. Paul, May 15, 2010