Chicago Egyptian Issue 15 - Southern Illinois University

EgyptiaN
The Chicago
April 2012
In this issue...
Francine Spacek, SEWonderful Quilts
Celebration of Dr. Alexander Lane
Advertising Exec Ken Lakowske
Megan Monroe, Quill.com
A publication of the Southern Illinois University Foundation • www.siuf.org
Britten Follett: Reporter Becomes Child Abuse Advocate
Six years ago, Britten Follett was a 24-yearold FOX television reporter just beginning her
career in Oklahoma. But Britten was given a
story assignment that forever changed her
view of the journalism profession. And it’s a
story that is very relevant this month because
April is Child Abuse Awareness month.
On Oct. 11, 2005, two-year-old Kelsey
Smith Briggs died amidst allegations of child
abuse. The television station had received
previous e-mails from Kathie Briggs,
Kelsey’s paternal grandmother, who had
repeatedly expressed concern for the child’s
welfare to authorities, who dismissed the
case as a custody battle. Despite 10 months
of documented abuse, a judge sent Kelsey
home to live with her mother and stepfather. Three months
later, Kelsey died, just days before her biological father was
scheduled to come home from Iraq.
The medical examiner ruled Kelsey’s death a homicide.
Kelsey died of a blow to the stomach. Her biological father
arrived home from war to attend his daughter’s funeral.
“I reached an interesting conclusion. While that initial e-mail
didn’t cross my desk, it’s journalists like me who did nothing.
Therefore, I feel we were responsible for
Kelsey’s death,” Britten says. “We’re all
guilty of avoiding discussions about child
abuse because it isn’t pleasant to talk about.
But child abuse prevention needs to be a
dinner table and political topic as well.”
A 2002 Summa Cum Laude graduate of
SIU Carbondale, Britten travels across the
country, educating the public about child
abuse, with hopes of eliminating, or at
least minimizing, the reoccurrence of cases
like Kelsey’s. Britten is a member of the
National Child Protection Training Center’s
Speakers Bureau. Last year, she spoke
at SIU Carbondale as part of the Tenney
Distinguished Lecture Series.
Britten co-authored a book, Who Killed Kelsey, that tells the
story behind Kelsey’s murder. The SIU Carbondale graduate’s
investigative reporting broke the case open, uncovering
corruption in Oklahoma’s Department of Human Services.
Her Facebook and Twitter pages (@WhoKilledKelsey) are
devoted to news and developments regarding child abuse
prevention.
continued on page 2
Issue 15
Matt Reavill: Building the
World’s
Best Stethoscope
A device that is referred
to as “too simple” by its
inventor could ultimately
save 250,000 lives on
an annual basis. “Too
simple is actually the
problem,” says Matt
Reavill, a 1988 SIU
Carbondale
graduate.
“Complex
problems
aren’t supposed to have
simple solutions.”
The complex problem
Matt refers to is an
extremely
deadly
reaction to what are often Photo by Paul Newton of The
routine infections. This Southern Illinoisan
reaction is called sepsis,
during which the body literally collapses in an all-out attempt to
fight off the infection. Sepsis is often the actual cause of death
when you hear “complications of” cancer, pneumonia, stroke,
heart attack, or surgery, etc. The complication is an infection
that exacerbates the problem. The death comes from sepsis.
“The problem clinicians have with finding and treating sepsis
is that stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs almost diagnose
it,” Matt says. “The only diagnostic device accurate enough to
confirm sepsis is a central line catheter that might cause death.”
In 1994, Matt’s father, Fred Reavill, died when his central line
catheter became infected.
continued on page 2
Britten Follet
Matt Reavill
Continued from page 1
“It was a bit daunting when the story was
assigned to me because I didn’t
know anything about the child
welfare system,” Britten says.
“As a reporter, I had to become
an expert on a deadline because
I certainly had never been a part
of a child abuse investigation.
It’s not a topic you learn to
cover in school.”
Once Kelsey’s death was ruled
a homicide, the media was
intrigued, not only due to the
deliberate pattern of reported
abuse, but because Kelsey’s
grandmother had taken a
myriad of photos and home
video of the child. One striking image
shows Kelsey smiling while playing in her yard
… with two broken legs.
“This was a huge failure in our system.
Clearly, if the authorities had listened to the
grandmother’s e-mails, Kelsey would still be
alive today,” Britten says. “Instead, because
of her murder, the state fell in love with this
beautiful, blonde-haired girl who looked like
a child you would see on a magazine cover.
Everyone constantly wanted more information
on how this could happen.”
Britten spent her five years in Oklahoma
covering Kelsey’s stories and discovering
various issues in the child welfare system in the
state and across the country. Kelsey’s mother
and stepfather are currently serving time in
prison for enabling child abuse, although, they
weren’t convicted with Kelsey’s death.
April 2012
“Kathie is the only one who continued to report
something was wrong. She wrote hundreds of
e-mails and letters to every
politician, media outlet, or
advocate in the state she
thought could help,” Britten
says. “She tried to shield
Kelsey’s biological father
from what was happening
due to his service in Iraq. She
didn’t force herself into the
spotlight. Kathie was trying to
get Kelsey’s story out to the
public before her death became
news headlines.”
Britten’s investigative work
in Oklahoma earned her the
prestigious Emmy and Edward
R. Murrow awards, along with six state and
regional broadcasting awards. She has since left
broadcast journalism and returned to Chicago,
where she serves as International Marketing
Manager for Follett Corporation, a business her
family founded five generations ago. But when
she’s isn’t marketing the family business, her
work for child abuse prevention continues.
“Kelsey’s case forced Oklahoma and other
states to take another look at their child abuse
prevention statistics and how they handle child
abuse cases,” Britten says. “What it did more
than anything else is raise awareness and force
the media to examine things more closely.
“My challenge to everyone is to make child
abuse prevention not only a political topic, but a
social issue. That is how we can better address
the issue.”
continued from page 1
Matt’s company and device he invented ReavillMED CVP - are named in his father’s
honor. Matt’s invention uses the patient’s
existing IV line to infuse a central line catheter
to measure central venous blood pressure of the
heart safely from the arm instead of the neck. It
was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration
in December 2010 and is estimated for a full
Photo by Paul Newton of The Southern Illinoisan
launch by the first part of 2013.
accurate, doesn’t take any longer, protects the
Fred Reavill didn’t have sepsis. He had survived patient and allows a doctor to share the results.”
a delicate heart procedure at one of Indiana’s The ReavillMED CVP isn’t necessarily a
top heart hospitals. A central line was needed stethoscope; it’s still a central line. However,
to monitor his heart during the recovery. It kept Matt says it hopefully has all the positive
him alive and helped the doctors confirm he qualities of the best stethoscope. It is still an
would need a heart replacement. But before a infusion device and will enable new life-saving
donor heart could be found, the very catheter procedures like induced hypothermic therapy by
that was keeping him alive became infected. delivering cold water directly to the heart.
Fred Reavill developed sepsis from the central
line used to save his life and died 20 days later Whether he’s right or wrong, Matt realizes
in a coma, just after his 60th birthday.
that changing medical practice isn’t easy. Matt
has received support abroad. ReavillMED
Matt insists his invention isn’t a vendetta won Omnicompete’s inaugural Health Pitch
against central lines. He’s actually identified Battlefield in London last October. The global
stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs as the search was for best new medical device
bigger problem.
technology to improve healthcare delivery.
“My dad was one of 28,000 U.S. deaths per year
from central lines. Sepsis kills 250,000 each year
in the U.S. by not getting a central line placed
(in time),” Matt says. “Clinicians have been
made so aware of central line infections and
deaths that they have to provide an explanation
whether they use a line or not. Either way, it’s
still time lost at the most critical first hour for
the Sepsis patient.
ReavillMED and BrainScope were the two US
companies selected as finalists. Brainscope is
backed by AOL founder Steve Case, whose
brother Dan Case died of brain cancer in 2002.
Brainscope and ReavillMED both work to
improve the accuracy of initial assessment on
the brain and heart, respectively.
“Pain is an incredible motivator. Fear is a frantic
search for options. A mission is relying on them
“The world’s best stethoscope doesn’t hurt; it’s both.”
The Chicago Egyptian
Page 2
A Saluki You Should Know
Francine Spacek: A Passion That Keeps Giving
155 N. Michigan Avenue in Chicago. She
opened Francine Spacek Interiors, Inc. 25
years ago. But it is another passion that
perhaps provides Francine a little more joy.
While shopping at the Merchandise Mart
for her design clients, Francine was taken
aback by the waste of beautiful fabric
samples – which had been discontinued
– and tossed in the dumpster. The SIU
Carbondale alumna decided to put this
discontinued fabric to good use. And six
years ago, she founded SEWonderful
Quilts, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization
that recycles new, but discontinued fabric
into unique, one-of-a-kind quilts. These
quilts are gifted – free of charge - to
children, ages 0-21, with life-threatening
illnesses.
The holiday season is an annual event for
most. However, Francine Spacek is in the
spirit all year long.
“It’s a win-win because when a child receives
a SEWonderful Quilt they are ecstatic, and
also, we’re keeping the planet greener,” she
says. “Something as simple as selecting a
quilt for themselves is truly empowering for
these children, because they feel powerless
under the circumstances.
Francine aspired to be an interior designer
since she was eight years old. She followed
through with that passion, earning her
degree from SIU Carbondale in 1970.
She has been an interior designer for 35
years, and opened her own design firm —
Francine Spacek Interiors, Inc., located at
“I really don’t think they would be any
happier if you gave them a million dollars.
I had no idea the quilts would have the
impact they do. There are no two alike each quilt is as unique as each child. And
although none of the quilts are sold, they
are all priceless.”
April 2012
Once Francine collects the material,
she assembles quilt kits for volunteers.
Each kit consists of enough coordinated
fabric to make a crib-sized quilt, custom
SEWonderful Quilt label and set of
guidelines. Francine recruits volunteers
from various organizations willing to
support this effort, including: churches,
senior citizen centers, quilt guilds, boy and
girl scout troops, other civic organizations,
in addition to word of mouth. The only
stipulation is that the quilts need to be
100 percent cotton and made on a sewing
machine. And in Francine’s words, “anyone
who can sew a straight line on a sewing
machine can make a SEWonderful Quilt.”
Carbondale, Francine says her sorority
purpose is to give back to the community.
But Francine feels that she gets back tenfold more than she gives.
About 50 percent of the volunteers are
quilters and the rest
are people who like
to sew, according to
Francine. “We have
children who use
SEWonderful quilts
as their community
service projects, as
well as grandmothers
who
have
been
quilting for 65 years
or more making quilts
for us,” Francine says.
Continued on page 7
“It is so rewarding to realize how
appreciative these children are when they
receive a SEWonderful Quilt,” she says.
Currently, SEWonderful Quilts is gifting to
10 hospitals, two hospices and two sexual
abuse centers in the Chicago and central
Illinois areas. Francine either mails the
quilts or delivers them personally. She sent
a box of quilts to New Orleans in the wake
of Hurricane Katrina, and did the same after
the tsunami in Japan last year.
As a member of
the Alpha Gamma
Delta sorority at SIU
The Chicago Egyptian
Page 3
Student Spotlight
Nicole Kmiotek Wants to Make a Difference at SIU
who have a demonstrated
financial need, a solid
academic record, and are
the child of parents who
have no education beyond
high school.
“I learned about the
First Scholars program
when I was searching for
scholarships,” Nicole says.
“One of the requirements
was that your parents
never attended college. It
was perfect for me.”
With the help of a new program at SIU
Carbondale, Nicole Kmiotek is pursuing
her college degree without the fear and
uncertainty that often comes with being
a first-generation college student.
Nicole is part of the First Scholars
program, which helps first generation
students transition into college life.
Established by the Suder Foundation,
the program offers support for students
April 2012
Although Nicole was
born in Chicago, her
parents came to the city
from Poland when they
were young adults. Their
minimal knowledge of the
English language helped
Nicole become bilingual
in both English and Polish.
She hopes to further
her expertise in foreign
languages at SIU Carbondale. She plans
to minor in French and major in public
relations.
“I’d love to work for a Europeanbased company, handling their public
relations,” Nicole says.
Nicole says the First Scholars program
has provided amazing opportunities to
her already. In addition to preparing her
for college, it also helped her make new
friends on campus, and encouraged her
to join registered student organizations
and get involved in the community.
“Service work is one of the requirements
of the program. I volunteer at the animal
shelter in Murphysboro and assist during
registered student organization fairs and
orientation,” Nicole says. “I’m also in
Delta Zeta and Habitat for Humanity.”
Habitat for Humanity made a strong
impact on Nicole. The not-for-profit
organization relies on volunteers to build
homes for families who can’t afford their
own house or recently lost their home in
a natural disaster. During a spring break
trip to Tennessee for the organization,
she saw just how important it is to help
others in need.
“While in Tennessee, we worked on two
different houses, and we got
to meet the families who were
going to live in the homes,”
Nicole says. “It was amazing
to meet them and show them
that someone cares. It was
really fulfilling.”
program’s requirements. The scholars
are also assigned mentors to assist
the students throughout their college
career. As freshmen and sophomores,
the participants are mentored by a
fellow student. As juniors and seniors,
the scholars have the opportunity to
be mentored by faculty, staff or even
alumni.
“Mentors are very important to the
program and it’s a great way for alumni
to get involved with current students,”
says Christina Gilroy, First Scholars
Program Coordinator. “You can be of
service to these students, even if you
don’t live near the Carbondale campus.”
For more information about the First
Scholars program or to learn how to
get involved, contact Christina at (618)
453-1843 or [email protected], or visit
firstscholars.siu.edu.
She enjoyed the experience
so much, she plans to travel
to Alaska during her summer
break to build another home.
Community involvement is
only part of the First Scholars
The Chicago Egyptian
Page 4
Upcoming Events in Chicago
Pre-Cinco
de Mayo Happy Hour
The Chicago Chapter of the SIU Alumni Association will host a PreCinco de Mayo Happy Hour at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, at the Saluki
Bar (1208 N. Wells St). Drink and appetizer specials will be available.
A raffle and giveaways will also take place. RSVP by May 2 to Vanessa
Matheny at [email protected].
SIU
Day at U.S. Cellular Field
The SIU Alumni Association and the Chicago Steering Committee
will host the Annual White Sox day at U.S. Cellular field featuring the
Chicago White Sox versus the Houston Astros. Game time is 3:10 p.m.
on Saturday, June 9. A pre-game gathering is planned, with details to be
determined at a later date. Tickets are available online (www.siualumni.
com) and by phone (618-453-2408).
Chicagoland
Saluki Golf Scramble
The 23rd Annual Chicagoland Saluki Golf Scramble will be held Friday,
July 27, at Chevy Chase Country Club in Wheeling. Registration begins
at 7:45 a.m., with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Dinner will follow the event.
For more information, contact Brad Taylor at (618) 453-7251 or by
e-mail at [email protected].
SIU Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute hosted a reception
at Rush University during Black History Month to celebrate the life and
legacy of SIU Carbondale’s first black male student, Alexander Lane.
Lane, who was born a slave but became an educator, physician and state
representative, is the focus of a research paper by Dr. Pamela Smoot
and has been honored with an endowed internship in his name. For
more information, contact Institute associate director Matt Baughman
at (618) 453-4001 or [email protected]. Pictured are (L-R), Lane’s
great-grandson Winston Mardis with Dr. Smoot; SIU alumnus and state
Rep. Will Davis (D-Hazel Crest) presenting the Lane family with a
proclamation from the Illinois House; Dr. Smoot with former students
who came to the program; and an early 1900s photo of Dr. Lane.
SIU
Day at Wrigley Field
The SIU Alumni Association and the Chicago Chapter will host the 35th
Annual SIU Day at Wrigley Field featuring the Chicago Cubs versus the
St. Louis Cardinals. Game time is to be determined on Sunday, July 29.
A pre-game gathering will be held two hour prior to game time at the
Cubby Bear Lounge (1059 W. Addison), hosted by George Loukas.
Game tickets are $53 per person, with seats located in the Terrace
Reserved Outfield (Sections 206-209). The cost of the pre-game meal at
the Cubby Bear Lounge is $12 per person.
Tickets are available online (www.siualumni.com) and by phone (618453-2408). Due to the popularity of this event, tickets are open to SIU
Alumni Association members only (limit of 6 per member).
April 2012
The Chicago Egyptian
Page 5
Advertising Exec Ken Lakowske’s Competitive Edge
As Ken Lakowske sits in his office on
Wabash Avenue reflecting on the success
of his advertising agency, he uses terms
and phrases often associated with sports.
Ken mentions “hustle,” “home-field
advantage” or even “special teams.” And
Ken says this recipe for success works
even during the leanest of times in our
economy.
healthcare entities and various nonprofits.
Granted, the Chicago Cubs are among the
impressive list of clients for the Michael
Walters Advertising Company. And
Ken has a dog named Wrigley. But his
philosophy goes beyond balls and strikes.
Ken says nothing has ever been given to
him. And the 1983 SIU Carbondale radiotelevision graduate hires professionals
who strive to “hustle” for their own
success.
“The No. 1 edge with this agency is people
like to work with us. They trust us. An air
of confidence exists within our team that is
south of cocky, but north of humble,” he
says. “The recession made us analyze our
operation and become a smarter business.
Ninety percent of our clients aren’t under
contract. We believe a contract makes you
lazy.
“I look for people who are self-starters
and aspire to be the Michael Jordan of
their position,” says Ken, who founded
Michael Walters 23 years ago. “I’ll take
ambition over intelligence any day. With
the blessing of God and a lot of hard
work, we just continue to out-hustle the
competition.”
Michael Walters is one of few Chicagobased agencies with its own sales
department, which allows it to actively
and aggressively pursue clients. The firm
has landed the Cubs and Morton’s Steak
House, which Ken refers to as dream
clients, in addition to Comcast SportsNet,
The Chicago Tribune, Ace Hardware
and Valvoline. It also has formed a niche
working with higher education institutions,
April 2012
While the recession caused some businesses
to eliminate advertising, Ken says Michael
Walters is proactive in its ongoing
communication with prospective clients.
Therefore, when their advertising budgets
are approved again, his firm was prepared
to serve their needs.
“I never want our people to lose their edge
or take anything we do here for granted.”
Ken says another edge for Michael Walters
is its office layout and environment. A grand
piano sits in the entryway, and the walls are
decorated with numerous paintings and
original artwork featuring the talents of
renowned figures such as Henri Matisse,
Salvador Dali, Peter Max and Andy Warhol.
Ken also collects historical documents.
His office collection includes letters
written and signed by George Washington,
Abraham Lincoln and John Hancock; he
also possesses one of five copies of Albert
Einstein’s original theory of relativity.
“We spend more waking hours at work
than home. Therefore, I’ve always wanted
Michael Walters to be an incredible
environment
for
my
employees and me,” he
says. “When potential
clients walk in here, they
immediately feel confident
in our organization.
“When we’re vying with
other agencies for a client’s
business, special teams
make the difference. We
try to bring something
different to the table that
gives us an edge over
competition. It’s about
being a pioneer and
visionary. That is the key
to our success.”
Ken exhibited this same
ambition while learning
the tricks of the trade in the
radio-television department
at SIU Carbondale. His
motivation was apparent
when he set his alarm for 2
a.m. to produce television
updates, or sacrificed
good times with friends to
complete year-end projects. He was one of
two students selected to receive a WGN-AM
radio internship among 1,200 candidates for
the positions.
Ken’s first role after graduation
was production assistant at Tribune
Entertainment, where he was selected over
1,000 other applicants.
These experiences perhaps gave Ken the
The Chicago Egyptian
confidence to turn down a position that
would have guaranteed him a salary of
$300,000 over three years, to pursue his
dream of establishing his own firm.
“SIU taught me that if you want to get
ahead, it’s up to your ambition. I learned
how to be a professional representative
of SIU. And, of course, I’m currently
an ambassador for Michael Walters
Advertising Agency. The knowledge I
attained at SIU continues to influence me.”
Page 6
Megan Monroe:
Marketing Office Products for Quill.com
Networking skills are deemed essential to receiving
professional opportunities. Perhaps no one is more aware of
this than Megan Monroe.
A 2002 radio-television graduate,
Megan’s initial employment occurred
through a fellow Alpha Gamma Delta
pledge. Megan was completing her
undergraduate degree requirements
at SIU Carbondale when her sorority
sister reached out to her.
Quill.com seeks to make office supplies fun. The company
is partnering with NBC Universal to produce and distribute
DunderMifflin paper, a signature
product of The Office, the station’s
hit television show. Reams of
paper showcasing the company’s
logo and slogans, “Limitless paper
in a paperless world” and “Quabity
First” is available to shoppers.
Megan says while DunderMifflin is
an everyday copy paper, packaging
and other aspects of its presentation
is designed to connect emotionally
with fans of The Office.
“My sorority was being promoted at
US99.5, so she told me to consider
interviewing for her vacated
position,” Megan says. “My No.
1 goal was to get a job before
graduation. I was hired two days
before graduation. So my mission
was accomplished.”
Megan’s role with the station was
in broadcast sales, which was her
area of focus in Carbondale. Her
responsibilities shifted to promotions
and on-site station appearances before
transitioning to the traffic department.
After four years with US99.5, Megan
was seeking another challenge. She
was aware that another fellow SIU
Carbondale alumna had a role in the
human resources department for Quill.
com, a leading office products company
in Lincolnshire, owned by Staples.
Megan contacted her friend to express an
interest in a marketing position.
“The career path at Staples is well defined
and you move up quickly,” Megan says.
“Once again, it was a matter of getting
my foot in the door. It is so important to
make connections. It’s a great job, and
I’ve been here ever since.”
April 2012
“It’s a nice change of pace to
introduce a fun product now
because we’re in the midst of such
stressful times with budgets being
cut. Everyone is on the edge of
their seats,” Megan says. “This can
make the office atmosphere a little
more light-hearted.”
Megan also enjoys herself away
from the office. Highland Dancing, a
Scottish version of River Dance, has
been an avocation since her childhood.
After a stint of dance teaching, Megan
has continued her involvement as
the national fundraising chair for the
Highland Dance Organization.
Megan says the Alpha Gamma Delta
has influenced her participation in
various organizations, and urged her
to grow professionally and personally.
“You attain news skills and it benefits
you in various aspects of your life,”
she says. “I have learned a great deal
about living a balanced personal and
professional life.”
The Chicago Egyptian
Francine Spacek
continued from page 3
The SIU alumna displays some quilts in a
showroom that the Merchandise Mart provides
to SEWonderful Quilts, free of charge.
Francine says SEWonderful Quilts has received
approximately 3,000 quilts, most of which have
been distributed to date. The quilts are gifted free
of charge to children, most of who are battling
cancer, AIDS, HIV, or awaiting a transplant.
“You have no idea how therapeutic these
quilts can be to the children and their parents,”
she says. “Children take their quilt with them
to chemotherapy sessions, MRI, spinal tap
and other tests or doctor appointments. It’s
heartbreaking to watch these children go through
this at such a tender age.”
Francine says she hasn’t made any quilts herself
(or even owned one), although she enjoyed
sewing in high school and college. While her
interior design business is based in Chicago, she
has clients nationwide – including California
and New York.
“I’m not paid to operate SEWonderful Quilts …
it’s truly my passion. But SEWonderful Quilts
wouldn’t have been possible without my career
in interior design,” Francine says. “Furthermore,
SEWonderful Quilts allows me to merge my
love of children with my creative ability. I am
blessed to have discovered two passions in my
life.”
Because SEWonderful Quilts is a nonprofit
501(c)3 organization, it will gladly accept
100 percent tax deductible contributions. If
you would like to donate, have an interest in
volunteering to make a quilt, or know a child
eligible to receive a quilt, please contact
Francine Spacek via phone at (312) 307-7733,
or e-mail [email protected].
Page 7