Northern Now - Master of Public Administration

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.ORTHERN)LLINOIS5NIVERSITY-AGAZINEs Winter 2014
Pride in the Pack!
Kenneth and Ellen Chessick
Practice Center Opens
President’sMessage
Student Career Success: Bold Futures
On Wednesday, November 13, 2013, Douglas D. Baker was inaugurated as the 12th
president of Northern Illinois University. Below are excerpts from his prepared remarks.
At NIU, we have a heritage, we have a place, and we have a wealth of dedicated
people with the capacity to ratchet up our connectivity to this changing world.
In so doing, we can set a new example for shaping graduates who will live fulfilling
lives and provide leadership in our communities and throughout the world.
Student Career Success—you have probably heard me use that phrase. This is the
focus of the “new university” for the new millennium.
Preparing students for career success provides them with a deep and meaningful
body of knowledge and skills to help them succeed. It is more than vocational
education; rather it builds creativity, communication, and critical-thinking skills
that allow students to thrive not only in the workplace but also in life.
Toward that end, we know students thrive when they have mentors to guide
them. So let’s offer a mentor to every student enrolled at NIU; that’s right, every
student enrolled at NIU—from peer mentors for freshmen to alumni mentors for
sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students. This will require galvanizing
our alumni base. It is 225,000 men and women strong and is a tremendous
competitive advantage for our students and university.
Next, research tells us that the number one predictor of student career success isn’t a
student’s major or grades. Rather, it comes down to this: Did the student complete
an internship, preferably a paid internship, during college?
We need to ensure that every student who seeks an internship will get one.
NIU President Douglas D. Baker
Finally, how will we know that we are successful in this environment? Well, student
career success specifically points to jobs. Our goal should be this: Graduates who
so desire will have a job in their area of interest within six months of graduation.
Of course, some may want to go to graduate school, start families, or pursue other
interests, but let’s ensure that those who want a job get the one they want. This is a
bold statement and a big challenge, but we are up to it. We have to be.
The only unacceptable mistake is to accept the status quo.
The good news is, as I pointed out earlier, we have a solid foundation. We are
already an outstanding university—but we can, and we must, be even better.
How can we improve our community? How can we make it more sustainable
and desirable for prospective students? How can we improve on their educational
experiences? How can we assure they are job and life ready? I’m confident these
answers will come—from all of us. I’m confident, too, that…one day the future will
look back upon us with no small measure of Huskie pride.
Thank you, again, for the privilege of being the 12th president of Northern
Illinois University. Together, we are going to think beyond traditional boundaries—
and accomplish great things.
To read the full text, visit www.niu.edu/president/communications/inauguration.shtml.
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.ORTHERN)LLINOIS5NIVERSITY-AGAZINEs7INTER
Features
page 6
The Kenneth and Ellen Chessick
Practice Center
6
NIU celebrates opening of new indoor practice facility
The McKearn Summer Fellows
10
Meet 10 of NIU’s best and brightest
page 10
‘Golden’ Opportunity to Make
a Difference
12
Fifty-year-old public administration program
looks to expand
page 12
Departments
page 9
Northern Letters
2
Inside NIU
3
Supporting Northern
16
Huskie Sports
18
Northern Notes
20
Events
Alumni Travel Programs
Marriages and Births
In Memoriam
Last Look
29
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NorthernLetters
Vo l u m e 13, I s s u e 2
Win ter 2014
Editor
Michael P. Malone
Associate Editor
Lorraine Propheter
Art Director
Jeff Strohm
Business Manager
Lee Ann Henry
Contributors
Pat Anderson, M.S. ’04, Kate Braser,
Andrew Hrubec, ’07, Angela Johansson, M.A. ’05,
Joe King, Colleen Leonard, Mark McGowan, ’92,
Tom Parisi, Matt Scheerer, Donna Turner
Photographers
Robert Banke, Don Butler, ’71, M.S.Ed. ’03,
Wade Duerkes, ’99, M.F.A. ’06,
George Tarbay, ’71, M.S.Ed. ’84, Scott Walstrom
Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees
Robert T. Boey
John R. Butler, ’92, M.A. ’94
Wheeler G. Coleman, ’83
Elliot Echols
Anthony A. Iosco, J.D. ’78
Robert T. Marshall, Jr., ’61, M.S.Ed. ’67
Cherilyn G. Murer, J.D. ’78
Marc J. Strauss
Douglas D. Baker, President
The opinions expressed in Northern Now do not necessarily reflect
the official policies of Northern Illinois University.
Northern Illinois University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative
Action Institution. Printed by authority of the State of Illinois.
11/13 50M F055
Northern Now (USPS 466-480) is published quarterly in
fall, winter, spring, and summer by Northern Illinois University,
DeKalb, Illinois 60115-2828. Periodical postage paid at
DeKalb, Illinois, and additional mailing office.
Postmaster, send address changes to:
Advancement Services, Northern Now,
Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, 60115.
NIU Switchboard: 815-753-1000
Northern Now is published by Northern Illinois University,
1425 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb, Illinois, 60115,
with additional financial support from the NIU Foundation.
www.northernnow.com
815-753-6327
Huskie pride across
the country
I was at the NIU vs. Iowa
game on Saturday, August
31. Needless to say, I was
the only Huskie fan in
my section at Kinnick
Stadium...but that did not
deter my school spirit!
As you can see by the
photo, I stuck out like a sore
thumb when the Huskies
scored...and my friend took
a picture of me celebrating.
The photographer, Graham Hill, is
also an alum from the NIU College of
Law and shoots pictures for the Iowa
Hawkeyes on game day.
—Brendon Gallagher, ’90
I recently spent a week in the Napa and
Sonoma Wine Country. During one of
our wine tours, we decided to stop at this
winery in the
Alexander
Valley. There
was nothing
that indicated
that this was
a must-see
winery, but
we ventured
in anyway. As
with most of
my trips, I usually wear an NIU shirt.
As we approached the wine tasting bar,
the lady serving the wine said that she
had seen this logo before. She then went
over to a display of wine bottles, which I
noticed had college logos on them.
She pulled out the bottle shown
above. I was floored. She had four bottles
left and I bought all four. I had to share
this. What made us turn into this winery?
—Donald Sitarz, ’70
Fall memories
The Alumni Association received the
following responses to a Facebook post
asking for favorite fall campus memories.
Join the conversation at facebook.com/
niualumni.
Watching the corn fields being harvested
from the ninth floor of Stevenson South.
—Allen Seibert, ’90
Homecoming game.
—Traci Stahl, ’99, M.P.H. ’03
Walking to class with the leaves crunching
under your feet and hanging out by the
lagoon watching the leaves float.
—Emily Karwowski Repking, ’88
Corn boils at Phi Sigma Kappa on
Greenbriar were pretty awesome.
—Angie Nessi Gleich, ’79
Send comments to:
Northern Now
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, Illinois 60115
[email protected]
InsideNIU
Alumni choral group
records CD
Cor Cantiamo, a choral group composed of NIU alumni,
has contracted with Centaur Records for their first commercial
recording, a CD of the work of internationally acclaimed
Finnish composer, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi. The group was founded
in 2009 by Eric Johnson, director of choral activities at NIU,
and specializes in performing contemporary choral music.
Noting that the group contains current NIU students,
as well as alumni, many of whom are employed in Illinois as
music teachers and voice instructors, Johnson describes the
impact of the project on the area and beyond: “NIU is this
fulcrum where we bring alumni, faculty, and international
artists together to create this amazing product that will be an
experience for many different communities.”
For more information, visit www.corcantiamo.com.
Watch a video about
the ensemble at
NorthernNow.com
Alumnus promoted to brigadier general
Altgeld grotesque restored
Col. Brian E. Alvin, ’84, is the first NIU
ROTC graduate to attain the rank of brigadier general. Alvin was promoted in a ceremony held on September 7 at Altgeld Hall.
“We’re incredibly proud of Col. Alvin’s
accomplishment,” says Lt. Col. David A.
Dosier, chair of the NIU Department of
Military Science. “NIU has commissioned
555 graduates since the establishment of the
ROTC program here in 1968. This is our
first general.”
After an initial assignment with the
2nd Armored Division in Fort Hood,
Texas, Alvin served in a variety of command and staff positions in the Army Reserve. He also served two tours in
Baghdad, Iraq. As of September 2013, he was assigned as the assistant chief
of staff J4 (Logistics), U.S. Forces Korea.
Vanguard Sculpture Services has restored
the head to the grotesque located in the garden
between Altgeld Hall and Still
Hall. Known as Olive Goyle,
the grotesque is one of several
that stood guard over Altgeld
Hall when it was constructed in
the late 1890s.
The sculpture stood above
Altgeld’s west entrance until
struck by lightning in 1966 and
was moved to its current location
in 1973. In 1996, the sculpture’s
head was chiseled off and it
remained headless for several
years—to the delight of those
who made a tradition of decorating the stump.
Wi n t e r 2014
3
InsideNIU
College of Law opens clinic
The NIU College of Law has launched a free legal clinic in
Aurora to focus on issues that can contribute to health problems in the
area’s indigent population.
The clinic is scheduled to begin taking clients in the spring.
The College of Law has partnered with Aunt Martha’s Health Center
and Hesed House, a homeless resource center.
The clinic will be located at Hesed House.
The NIU College of Law/Hesed House
Community Law Center is a medical-legal partnership clinic comprised of lawyers, law students,
medical professionals, and social workers who will
work together to address the needs of clients.
“Our new clinic will focus on legal issues that
may be hampering the health of clients, such as
Anita Maddali
inadequate or no housing, malnourishment, or lack
of financial benefits—issues that are traditionally beyond the scope of
medical practitioners,” says Anita Maddali, director of clinics and associate
professor at the NIU College of Law.
Maddali anticipates that most of the clinic’s
cases will focus on traditional poverty law issues,
such as housing, public benefits, special education,
and family law.
“The addition of a new, innovative clinic in the
heart of the Aurora area further reinforces NIU’s
commitment to community engagement,” says
Jennifer Rosato, dean of the College of Law.
Jennifer Rosato
“Through such partnerships, the school has
the opportunity to model to its law students the value of using one’s
legal skills to meaningfully assist members of their community,” Rosato
says. “In addition, the clinical setting provides an invaluable experiential
learning opportunity that helps prepare our students to practice.”
Business Passport Program
This fall, the College of Business launched
a program that will help students prepare for their
professional careers. The Business Passport Program
was developed in response to the College of Business
Board of Executive Advisors and Strategic Planning
Council’s interest in providing students with opportunities outside of the classroom to enhance their
business skills, leadership potential, global perspective, and ethical awareness.
The program has an initial enrollment of 700
students who are required to “travel” to seven key
curriculum continents: business communications,
career development, ethics, experiential learning,
leadership, global awareness, and service. Students
can participate in a variety of activities and experiences within each continent, including study abroad,
ethics case competitions, community service projects,
networking events, and internships.
Learn more about the Business Passport
Program at www.cob.niu/passport.
Outdoor Recreation Sports
Complex opens
Students have been enjoying a new outdoor recreation sports complex this
fall. Located north of the Convocation Center, the complex includes multipurpose fields, natural and artificial turf fields, lighted fields, and bleachers
for spectators. The fields can be used to accommodate two softball fields,
three rugby fields, eight flag football fields, five lacrosse fields, five soccer
fields, eight ultimate Frisbee fields, and multiple quidditch fields.
4
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Artist pays it forward
Artist and M.F.A. candidate Danielle Dobies
worked with NIU staff and community volunteers
this summer to complete a mural for the Women’s
Studies Program.
The project, like the art form, brought people from dissimilar
backgrounds together to create something beautiful. The design of the
mural incorporates local imagery with women’s studies themes. In one section, a
hand that represents that of Lucinda Glidden holds a bobby pin. According to legend,
the bobby pin was used to mend broken barbed wire fences. “DeKalb is known for perfecting the barbed wire fence. And so usually, the men are the ones who are credited with that,”
Dobies says. “We wanted to highlight some of the different women who had a part in it.”
She donated leftover tiles from the mosaic capstone project she completed while an undergraduate at Elmhurst College. Her professor, John Pitman Weber, a Chicago icon in public art,
gave her all the tiles so she could afford to complete her undergraduate project. To pay it forward,
she has passed along the good-heartedness that he showed her.
The mural will be hung in the west entry of Reavis Hall next to the Women’s Studies office.
Since the project began, other units on campus have expressed interest in creating murals, says
Kristen Myers, director of Women’s Studies, giving her department a chance to pay it forward.
NorthernNow.com:
Watch a video of the
mosaic’s creation
NIU Press welcomes new
director, celebrates award
NIU anthropologist among scientists announcing
The new director of NIU Press is a
familiar face. Linda Manning, an NIU
alumna, joined NIU Press in 2004 as
marketing manager and was promoted to
assistant director and marketing and sales
manager before her departure in 2010. In the
interim, she served as marketing and sales
manager of the University of Utah Press.
Founded in 1965, NIU Press publishes
scholarly and trade books on topics in the
Linda Manning
humanities and social sciences and books on
American and European history and the Midwest region. Under
the Switchgrass Book imprint, it also publishes a limited number
of novels with Midwestern settings and themes.
Earlier this year, NIU Press won a first-place award at the
23rd Annual Midwest Book Awards for The Blue Kind, in the
fantasy/science fiction/horror/paranormal fiction category. The
book was penned by Kathryn Born, a Chicago writer, artist, and
filmmaker. The competition attracted 187 books, entered in 44
categories, from 75 publishers in the 12-state Midwestern region.
An international team of paleontologists, including
NIU anthropologist Dan Gebo, has announced the discovery
of a nearly complete skeleton of a tiny tree-dwelling primate
dating back 55 million years. The research team described the
fossil in a June edition of the prestigious science journal Nature.
The Eocene Epoch fossil, named
Archicebus achilles, was recovered from
Hubei province in central China. “This is
the oldest primate skeleton of this quality
and completeness ever discovered and one
of the most primitive primate fossils ever
documented,” Gebo says. “The origin of
primates sets the first milestone for all primate lineages, including that of humanity.”
According to Xijun Ni, leader of the
research team, “Our analysis shows this
new primate was very small and would
have weighed less than an ounce. It had slender limbs and a
long tail, would have been an excellent arboreal (tree) leaper,
active during the daytime, and mainly fed on insects.”
Oldest primate skeleton
Wi n t e r 2014
5
The Kenneth
and Ellen Chessick
Practice Center
NIU celebrates opening of new indoor practice facility
The Hall of Champions (above) connects the Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon
Center with the Kenneth and Ellen Chessick Practice Center. Kenneth
and Ellen Chessick cut the ribbon at the opening ceremonies (right).
A grand opening
On Saturday, October 26, 2013, the NIU community celebrated
more than its undefeated football team. That afternoon, Huskie
fans turned out in full force for the ribbon-cutting ceremony and
open house at the Kenneth and Ellen Chessick Practice Center,
NIU’s new indoor practice facility.
“My wife and I are privileged to be a part of this tremendous occasion and hope to see the years of our hard work help
the students at our beloved alma mater, NIU,” Kenneth C.
Chessick said in a statement.
“Providing this training facility for our dedicated studentathletes to continue our winning tradition at NIU is a privilege
for us,” Chessick said. “NIU athletic prowess is an important
element of university life which unites the entire campus—
students, faculty, administration, alums, and fans—and builds
passion, loyalty, and engagement.” The Chessicks say they hope
their gift will enhance the experience of all NIU students,
especially student-athletes.
At the ceremony, NIU President Douglas Baker said,
“Today is a marvelous day for all of us. A few years ago, the
Kenneth and Ellen Chessick Practice Center was the vision of
just a few, and today, it stands here as one of the finest practice
facilities anywhere.”
The state-of-the-art 87,000-square-foot practice center will
be used by all Huskie student-athletes and features a full-size,
120-yard practice field with two end zones. It also contains
batting cages, long jump pits, a retractable center net to allow
multisport use, field goals and wall protection nets, and a fourlane sprint track.
The center’s mechanical and “green” features include direct
and indirect energy-efficient lighting guided by sensors that turn
off fixtures according to natural light availability. An innovative ventilation system moves air at the play level using natural
convection and prevailing winds, augmented as needed by
high-volume fans. Translucent wall panels provide daylighting
without hot spots, and heat captured high in the ceiling cavity is
recirculated in the winter and exhausted in the summer.
From idea to reality
When the Chessicks made the $3 million donation to name the
practice center in September 2011, the gift was the largest ever
made to NIU athletics and the second largest ever given to the
university. The campaign for the Chessick Practice Center was
announced less than a month later on Homecoming. “Following
the announcement of the naming gift, we had enough significant commitments to publicly announce the campaign,” explains
Michael Malone, vice president for university advancement.
NIU held the groundbreaking ceremony for the practice center
on April 21, 2012, and private fundraising, spurred by leadership
donor gifts, reached the $9.5 million dollar goal over the summer.
Construction on the six-story structure began in October 2012.
The Chessick Practice Center is the fourth privately funded
building constructed on the NIU campus in the past 12 years
and the first building project by the NIU Foundation to attract
three gifts of $1 million or more. In addition to Kenneth and
Ellen Chessick, the other million-dollar donors are Dennis and
Stacey Barsema and Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon, whose names
also grace the building.
The Barsema Hall of Champions connects the Jeffrey and
Kimberly Yordon Academic and Athletic Performance Center
with the Chessick Practice Center and is lined with trophy cases
highlighting Huskie achievements. The Yordon Family Huskie
Pride Plaza, the main entrance to the practice center on the east
side of the building, features a statue of three heroic-sized huskies,
as well as bricks inscribed with the personal messages of NIU
supporters (the Legacy Brick Campaign has resumed; see page 8).
Wi n t e r 2014
7
•
KENNETH AND ELLEN
CHESSICK PRACTICE
CENTER LEADERSHIP
DONORS
$1 million and above
Kenneth and Ellen Chessick
Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon
Dennis and Stacey Barsema
$500,000–$999,999
Jeffrey and Doreen Eckmann
Midwest Orthopaedic Institute
Doug and Lynn Roberts
$250,000–$499,999
Gary and Gloria Baumgartner
Brian and Renee Bemis
$100,000–$249,999
Jerry and Jinny Andres
Castle Bank
Linda and Andy Hannigan
Stephen Kalber
KishHealth System
Jill Krueger
NB&T
David and Linda Nelson
David and Lyn Rasmussen
Jerry and Laurie Steinborn
Chet and Teresa Young
$50,000–$99,999
William and Priscilla Boston
Stephen and Carol Goehl
David and Karen Heide
The Kirch Foundation
Joe and Lauren Locke
Linda and James Mason
Michael Pittsley
Sally Stevens
William and Dian Taylor
The Wasowicz/Lawrence Family
8
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A legacy of support
Kenneth Chessick (above), a surgeon and attorney who graduated from the NIU College
of Law in 1984, is the chairman of the board, creator, and majority owner of Restaurant.com.
He received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in
1968. Ellen Chessick, a financial manager, holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the
University of Illinois at Chicago and an M.B.A. in finance from DePaul University.
The Chessicks’ generosity has extended across the NIU campus, including the
College of Business. In 2004, Kenneth established the Kenneth C. Chessick Legal
Training Skills Center at the NIU College of Law. Three years later he created a series of
annual Kenneth C. Chessick Civil Justice Endowed Scholarships, named in honor of his
legal clients.
A few days before the official opening of the center, Chessick was on campus to
deliver the figurative “Last Lecture,” an annual speech sponsored by the NIU chapter
of Mortar Board Honor Society. Chessick’s presentation, “How an Ordinary Guy Can
Do Extraordinary Things,” was given at the Barsema Hall Auditorium. Thanks to the
Chessicks’ inspirational generosity, the NIU community has truly achieved an extraordinary
thing—one that will make a difference for generations to come.
Visit the Chessick Practice Center online at www.niuchessickpracticecenter.com
Brick campaign resumes
From now until April 30, 2014, Huskie fans can purchase a
legacy brick to be inscribed with their personal message and
installed in the Yordon Family Huskie Pride Plaza at the
Kenneth and Ellen Chessick Practice Center. The bricks will
become a permanent part of the “gateway” to the home of NIU
athletics, appreciated by countless NIU students, alumni, and
friends over the years.
Each brick comes with a complimentary keepsake replica
and an individually numbered certificate of ownership. Replicas are made of the same
material as the installed brick and are inscribed with the same message. Fans who
would like to buy a brick for someone else may opt to purchase a gift certificate, allowing
the recipient the opportunity to create his or her own personal message.
Sizes and prices:
4” x 8” brick with replica, includes 1–3 lines of text: $200
8” x 8” brick with replica, includes 1–6 lines of text: $400
8” x 8” Huskie logo brick with replica, includes 1–4 lines of text: $500
To place your order, visit www.niuhuskies.com/fanbricks or call 855-NIU-FANS
(855-648-3267). Visit www.imaginemyniubrick.com to enter your own message on a
virtual brick and see how it will appear.
Huskie Pack Finds Home
By Colleen Leonard
They stride with sagging tongues. Yet their intense eyes, muscular bodies,
and upright tails signal that they are ready to pounce.
They are known as the Huskie Pack, ready for a challenge and full of
spirit and pride. The three Siberian huskies guard the east entrance of the
Kenneth and Ellen Chessick Practice Center, which opened in October.
Renee Bemis created these bronze beauties, which weigh a total of
2,000 pounds and are located in the Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon Family
Huskie Pride Plaza.
“Each dog has a different personality. Each one shows a little
different emotion,” Bemis said. “It’s fun to hear what people choose as
their favorite dog because everyone has one.”
She first designed a maquette, a small-scale
clay model of huskies to share her concept with the
Yordons. Next, she created an armature, the supporting frame of a sculpture. She used metal pipes
and fittings for the framework. Once the frame
was built, she cut foam and placed it around the
pipes. Then she applied clay on top of the foam to
sculpt the outer body of the dogs.
Her biggest challenge was shaping and layering the clay to resemble a thick coat rather than a
heavy appearance. “I put many layers of clay on to give you a depth of the
fur,” Bemis said.
She worked on the clay huskies for six months and then sent them to
a foundry. The dogs were cast at the foundry using the lost-wax method,
an ancient practice of casting a metal sculpture from an artist’s model.
The casting process at the foundry took a year to complete and then the
dogs journeyed to NIU for their permanent home.
The St. Charles resident is self-taught in the
art and has been sculpting for nearly 30 years.
The Huskie Pack has a special place in her
heart for many reasons, including the fact that it
was unveiled on her 55th birthday.
“I was proud to be chosen to do it and I was
honored,” Bemis said.
“It was an amazing experience watching the
Renee Bemis
Huskie Pack being brought to life by Renee
Bemis. She is an accomplished sculptor. And I was privileged to watch
her work on the project from conception to the installation of those
marvelous dogs,” said Alberta Solfisburg, director of development
operations for NIU. “All of us close to the project learned so much about
how such sculptures are developed. The process was complex and
fascinating and Renee guided it every step of the way.”
Brittany Warner
Hometown: Somonauk, Illinois
Major: Communicative Disorders
Project title: A Literature
Linnea Scherer
Review on Transcranial Brain
Hometown: Elburn, Illinois
Stimulation for the Treatment
Major: Marketing
of
Aphasia
Ashley Palin
Project title: Disjointed:
Hometown: Belvidere, Illinois
A Video Game Concept
Major: History/Political Science
Featuring the Positive
Project title: Opposites Attract:
Portrayal of a Female
How NGO Penetration Affects
Protagonist
Repression
Lauren Boddy
Hometown: Lily Lake, Illinois
Major: Psychology
Project title: Risk Factors
for Sleep Problems in Early
Childhood
Patrick Price
Hometown: Kingston, Illinois
Major: Studio Art
Project title: Shifting
Perspectives: NIU Through
the Eyes of an Art Major
Stephanie Zobac
assistant director of
the Office of Student
Engagement and
Experiential Learning
Meet the
McKearn Summer Fellows
This summer, 10 of NIU’s best and brightest students participated in a program featuring a variety of experiential learning
opportunities. Activities included an etiquette training session
and lunch with alumni, a weekend retreat at Lorado Taft, and
a visit with alumnus and renowned artist Bruce Niemi at his
sculpture gallery and garden.
The students were brought these opportunities thanks to
alumni John and Cassandra McKearn, whose support enabled
NIU to offer the pilot session of the McKearn Summer Fellows
Program. The program was developed by the Office of the Vice
Provost, the Office of Student Engagement and Experiential
Learning, and the University Honors Program. The McKearns’
vision was brought to life with the help of Anne Birberick, vice
provost; Julia Spears, associate vice provost of engaged learning;
and J.D. Bowers, associate vice provost of University Honors.
According to Bowers, “The program was designed with the
ends in mind; start with student learning outcomes that result in
the integration of knowledge with practice, innovation, and selfawareness, and apply those outcomes to every experience that
was provided. The result was 10 students who transcended their
own learning capacities in ways that they could not even have
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Northern Now
imagined prior to their involvement in the program.”
The McKearn fellows participated in activities centered on
research and artistry; leadership development; and civic, social,
and global engagement. They also produced faculty-mentored
projects that varied from researching the development of sleep
behavior in young children, to examining how the presence of
non-governmental organizations affects repression in various
governmental structures, to designing a video game featuring a
positive female protagonist.
McKearn fellow Patrick Price says that his project involved
producing detailed scientific sketches of wildlife across campus
and “showed students how beautiful their campus really is and
how much we take for granted.” He adds that he hopes his work
inspires alumni and donors and reminds them “what is beautiful
about their alma mater.”
Fellow Juliana Leprich’s project involved working as an
associate producer on a documentary film being made by Randy
Watch a video about the fellows at
NorthernNow.com
Jeffrey Kamholz
Hometown: Tinley Park, Illinois
Major: Marketing
Project title: Building a
Nonprofit Fundraising Model
in the Community of DeKalb
Kathryn Rupp
Hometown: Aurora, Illinois
Major: Psychology
Project title: Creating
Causal Chains Across
Melissa Woodall
Multiple Documents
Hometown: Wilmington, Illinois
Major: Studio Art
Juliana Leprich
Project title: Visualizing
Hometown: Antioch, Illinois
Psychological and
Major: Communication Studies
Personality Disorder
Project title: A Study of the
Creative Arts’ Impact on Youth
with Disabilities
Caspersen, assistant professor of media studies. “I want to go
into documentary filmmaking, so this experience has been
invaluable,” Leprich says. “We’ve also been able to interact with
alumni, and it has been really cool to hear their stories and make
those connections. I never thought I’d get an experience like this
as an undergraduate.”
President Douglas Baker recognizes the value of the program,
noting how the fellows “have spent the summer immersed in
research projects that have expanded their understanding of
the world, taught them new skills, and helped them establish
new and valuable mentoring relationships.” He adds, “Those
opportunities bring classroom learning to life and prepare our
graduates to succeed in their chosen fields.”
Spears agrees. “These projects can provide unparalleled
opportunities for engaged learning experiences that help
students with academic and career development or in their
preparations for graduate school.” She goes on to note the
program’s lasting impact: “Once the students leave NIU with
their bachelor’s degrees, they are the ones who are leading
change out in the community.”
In addition to Bowers, Spears, and Birberick, the faculty
Kimberly Volmer
Women’s Studies
Program graduate
assistant
Julia Spears
associate vice provost
of engaged learning
Sarah Stuebing
Hometown: DeKalb, Illinois
Major: Biological Sciences
Project title: Evaluating the Role of Frontal
Cortical Structures in Spatial Orientation
During Spontaneous Exploration
and staff members of the “McKearn Team” include Jason Goode,
assistant to the associate vice provost of University Honors;
Kimberly Volmer, Women’s Studies Program graduate assistant;
and Stephanie Zobac, assistant director of the Office of Student
Engagement and Experiential Learning.
The alumni hosts who volunteered their time and resources
to the program include Nancy Baldwin, Howard Blietz, John
and Nancy Castle, Kenneth and Ellen Chessick, David Hewson,
Anthony Iosco, Jess Jankowski, Robin Kelly, Bruce and Suzi
Niemi, and Jeffrey Yordon.
In a letter addressing the fellows, John and Cassandra
McKearn describe their vision for the program: “When we started
to design this fellowship program, we very much wanted to create a
more enriched, more varied, and more world-balanced educational
experience. You already have a great classroom and laboratory
environment—we wanted to bring you learning opportunities and
experience that will be important as you move forward from NIU.”
From the sounds of it, they have done just that. N
Read the complete letter and learn more about the fellows and
their projects at www.mckearnfellows.wordpress.com.
Wi n t e r 2014
11
+
‘Golden’ opportunity to make a difference
Boasting impressive job placement rates and rewarding careers,
50-year-old public administration program at NIU looks to expand
By Tom Parisi
Wanted: Students who are interested in a master’s degree program
that boasts a paid two-year internship and, despite the tough
economy in recent years, has maintained a job placement rate of
about 95 percent.
Program graduates will enjoy excellent starting salaries and
have opportunities to be leaders of leaders, making a direct impact
on the quality of life in the communities where they work.
This isn’t some too-good-to-be-true offer.
Northern Illinois University’s nationally ranked Master of Public
Administration (M.P.A.) program, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is seeking to expand its program enrollment by 50
percent in the coming two to three years to meet growing demand
in the field expected in the face of baby boomer retirements.
Nationally ranked program
U.S. News and World Report ranks NIU’s M.P.A. program fifth
in the nation in the specialty field of city management and urban
policy and 12th in the field of public finance and budgeting.
Those rankings are ahead of programs at all public and private
institutions in Illinois and at many elite schools nationwide.
Indeed, the NIU M.P.A. program produces about onethird of all Illinois municipal managers, as well as administrative
leaders in non-profits, park districts, and police, fire, public
works, and economic development departments across northern
Illinois and southern Wisconsin.
12
Northern Now
“Despite the success of our program across five decades,
we find it increasingly difficult to attract millennials to the
profession,” says professor Kurt Thurmaier, director of the NIU
Division of Public Administration.
“College students today tend to view government with
suspicion and are more attracted to non-profit organizations,”
he adds. “Our challenge, and the challenge of local governments, is to convince them they can feed their passion to make
a difference in their communities with a local government
position.”
Providing ethically inspired leadership
The NIU M.P.A. program is one of the oldest of its kind in the
state. Faculty and alumni have played a major role in efforts
to professionalize municipal staffs statewide and advance the
national good-government movement.
“We stress the importance of a professional M.P.A. degree
to provide high quality and ethical local government services,”
Thurmaier says. “This is especially important in a state that has
grappled with a culture of political corruption among elected
officials. It’s rare to find someone with a professional public
administration degree involved in these situations because the
degree instills ethical responsibility, democratic accountability to
citizens, and obligations of transparency. Those core values help
build public confidence in local government.”
Helping shape our communities
NIU alumni are at the administrative helms of such northern Illinois communities as Addison, Algonquin, Bartlett,
Carol Stream, Clarendon Hills, Crystal Lake, Deerfield,
Elgin, Elmhurst, Flossmoor, Geneva, Glen Ellyn, Hoffman
Estates, Lake in the Hills, Lemont, Lincolnwood, Lombard,
Manhattan, Oak Brook, Oswego, Rochelle, Rockford,
Schaumburg, St. Charles, Sugar Grove, Tinley Park,
Warrenville, Western Springs, Winfield, Winnetka, and
Yorkville.
Counties with NIU administrators or assistant administrators include Boone, Lake, and McHenry. M.P.A. alumni also
hold key public-service posts across the country in such states
as Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, California, Michigan, Wisconsin,
and Florida.
“I wanted to make a difference,” says Valerie Salmons,
Bartlett village administrator, when asked why she pursued an
NIU M.P.A. degree.
“I believe there is value and dignity in government service,”
she adds. “In particular at the local level, you have an opportunity to really improve people’s lives and help them on a day-today basis.”
Hallmark internship program
Salmons says the NIU program prepares its graduates to hit the
ground running. Its hallmark, she and other alumni agree, is a
two-year paid internship program with area municipalities. It
allows M.P.A. students to put into practice what they learn in
the classroom.
“The NIU program was vital in achieving career goals
because of the opportunity to work directly with practitioners,
[including] both your professors and the people you met through
your internship experience,” says Megan Pierce, a 2007 M.P.A.
graduate who now serves as assistant to the village manager in
Winnetka.
“I had professors who also consulted with or had been professionals in municipalities in the past. Then I was meeting a different
set of professionals in my internship experience. The opportunity
to network with those people for two years was critical.”
Jennifer Maltas, a 2007 graduate who now serves as deputy
village manager for the village of Buffalo Grove, agrees.
“As an intern, I actually managed the budget program for
the village of Schaumburg,” she says. “It really gave me a good
foundation for future positions, and I think it was one of the
reasons they ultimately ended up hiring me.”
Strong alumni network
NIU M.P.A. graduates also have a network of alumni to rely on
for professional guidance and advice.
“A lot of the people who I graduated with or who were a
year ahead of me are my best friends today,” Maltas adds. “I talk
to someone from the [NIU M.P.A.] program every day, and I
James Banovetz:
Champion of the NIU M.P.A.
While he is a legend at NIU, James Banovetz isn’t exactly a
household name among Illinois residents.
Perhaps he ought to be, considering the impact Banovetz
has quietly had on the region.
Banovetz first came to NIU in early 1963 as a newly
minted Ph.D. with expertise in local government finance. That
fall, the university’s public administration program was born.
Within a year, Banovetz became its director.
Over its five decades, the M.P.A. program has had more
than its share of outstanding, nationally
recognized faculty—including William
Monat, who later served as the university’s
president. But Banovetz, more than any
other, is most closely associated with the
public administration program’s rise to
national prominence and statewide impact.
“Jim Banovetz and NIU were the bellwethers of depoliticizing and professionalizing local governments in Illinois,” says
NIU alumnus Peter Burchard, who served
as city manager for Hoffman Estates and
Naperville and now runs a management
James Banovetz
consulting business in Geneva.
“Jim built the bridge between higher education and city
halls,” Burchard says. “He specifically showed local elected
officials how to govern based on policy and merit, instead of
politics and favors, and then provided the necessary skilled
professionals through the university’s Master of Public
Administration (M.P.A.) program.”
For most of the program’s first 35 years, Banovetz played
a leadership role, either as its director or as chair of the political
science department, which houses the M.P.A. division. He retired
in 1998 but is still actively involved with the program.
Interestingly, Banovetz had a clear vision from the very start.
“It was my intent to build a program for Illinois that would
rival the existing nationally respected programs,” Banovetz says.
The NIU M.P.A. program initiated and sustained a major
good-government movement in Illinois, whereby its alumni
raised the bar for ethical leadership, particularly in Chicago’s
suburbs, and shaped the region’s growth.
Banovetz also founded the Center for Governmental
Studies, which provides expertise to help decision-makers
implement efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective approaches
to management issues.
“If you look back at Illinois’ city, village, and county
governments that have professional administrators managing
day-to-day affairs, you’ll find no significant corruption,”
Banovetz says. “Given what has occurred in other pockets of
the state, that’s quite a record.”
Wi n t e r 2014
13
Grayslake
NIU Master of Public Administration alumni have
helped shape the Chicago region and currently hold
leadership positions in the following communities:
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think those relationships have helped me personally, but they’ve
also helped me in the profession.”
Matthew Simpson just completed his internship with the
village of Glen Ellyn and will graduate this month with an NIU
M.P.A. degree. As an undergraduate, he studied economics
and finance and then worked in economic development for the
Rockford Area Economic Development Council.
“My work experience in Rockford was my first exposure to
professional public administrators,” Simpson says. “I saw they
were trained professionals who were charged with managing the
services that citizens receive. I understood the importance of this
public leadership, and I decided it was something I could do.”
Continued job placement success
Despite the economic downturn in 2008 and the reduced size
of some local government staffs, NIU’s public administration
program has maintained a job placement rate of about 95 percent
over the past five years.
Many graduates who pursue local government posts start
out as management analysts and then move into assistant-tothe-manager positions.
In the Chicago area, analysts have a mean salary of
14
Northern Now
DeKalb
Sycamore
Woodstock
Sugar Grove
Yorkville
Pingree Grove
Gilberts
Crystal Lake
Cary
Lake in the Hills
Algonquin
East Dundee
Elgin
South Elgin
St. Charles
Geneva
Batavia
North Aurora
Aurora
Montgomery
Oswego
Hanover Township
Streamwood
South Barrington
Hoffman Estates
Hanover Park
Schaumburg
Roselle
Bloomingdale
Carol Stream
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Glendale Heights
Winfield
Wheaton
Glen Ellyn
Warrenville
Naperville
Lisle
Woodridge
Lindenhurst
Grayslake
Mundelein
Lake Zurich
Buffalo Grove
Palatine
Rolling Meadows
Arlington Heights
Elk Grove Village
Addison
Villa Park
Lombard
Downers Grove
Westmont
Lemont
Manhattan
Wadsworth
Beach Park
Gurnee
Libertyville
Lincolnshire
Wheeling
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Prospect Heights
Mt. Prospect
Bensenville
Elmhurst
Berkeley
Oak Brook
Clarendon Hills
Burr Ridge
Lake Forest
Deerfield
Highland Park
Northbrook
Park Ridge
River Forest
Oak Park
La Grange Park
North Riverside
Western Springs
La Grange
Orland Park
Tinley Park
Glencoe
Winnetka
Glenview
Wilmette
Skokie
Lincolnwood
Homewood
Flossmoor
Beecher
$56,593, while assistants to the manager boast a mean salary of
$72,600, according to a 2013 salary survey done by the Illinois
Association of Municipal Management Assistants, an affiliate of
the Illinois City/County Management Association (ILCMA).
A direct assistant manager earns a mean salary of $103,420 and
a village or city manager in the Chicago metro area earns an
average salary of $142,800.
“The Northern Illinois region is fortunate to have the NIU
M.P.A. program,” says Dawn Peters, ILCMA executive director.
“Other states don’t necessarily have programs like this in their
backyards.”
Passing the torch
While many mid-level working professionals pursue the NIU
M.P.A. degree, more young people or pre-career students are
needed in the field.
“We’re doing a lot of outreach to the universities at undergraduate levels because these students typically don’t think of it
as a career choice,” Peters says. “If we don’t continue to promote
it, there will be a crisis.”
According to the International City/County Management
Association, based in Washington, D.C., the local government
management profession is approaching a crossroads as baby
boomers who comprise the majority of local government
managers approach retirement at a quickening pace. Nationally,
there aren’t enough young professionals to fill the void at entry
and mid-level positions.
“Local government is going to go through this exodus of
boomers,” NIU’s Thurmaier says. “So we need to attract young
people to the profession while also continuing to make our
program attractive to mid-career professionals, who actually
represent the majority of our student market.”
Proven track record
Students and working professionals often choose NIU’s M.P.A.
program because of its national reputation, and employers often
hire program graduates because its alumni have a proven track
record.
“Communities know our graduates come to them with at
least two years of experience under their belts,” Thurmaier says.
“They understand budgets, finances, personnel management,
how to work in and change organizations, how to use information technology to improve effectiveness, and how to develop
performance-oriented organizations.
A Purpose-Driven Career
Peter Burchard, ’77, M.P.A. ’79,
describes his experience with the
NIU M.P.A. program
How does a sense of purpose and
excitement grow in a student’s mind
and heart?
There is a consuming reason why
I’ve had an exciting and successful
career in local government: Northern
Illinois University and the university’s Master in Public
Administration program—the much-hailed M.P.A.
Growing up in the Chicago area, my family argued about
baseball and politics practically every evening over dinner. The
family included my parents and nine siblings. We also talked
about our plans for the future. My parents had a single mantra:
“Go to college (they hadn’t) and get a good job.”
Two of my brothers urged me to attend NIU. It was close
to home, its reputation was excellent, and I would be exposed to
career ideas once I started classes.
During my junior year, a representative from the graduate
school visited my political science class to introduce us to the
M.P.A. program. The representative described graduate school,
public service, internships, and employment. I was hooked.
“What’s more, our graduates are grounded in ethical
responsibility and democratic accountability,” he adds. “We have
spent 50 years building this program and nurturing relationships
with students, alumni, partner communities, and now area nonprofits. We don’t take any of those relationships for granted.” N
M.P.A. Program 50th Anniversary Events
50th Anniversary Spring Event
Featuring Professor H. George Fredrickson
Friday, March 28, 2014
NIU Naperville Campus
+
50th Anniversary Gala
Friday, April 11, 2014
University Club of Chicago, Cathedral Hall
76 E. Monroe St.
Chicago, IL
+
+
For more information on the M.P.A. program, visit
www.mpa.niu.edu.
While pursuing the M.P.A., the university assisted me in
landing an internship with a local government—exactly like
NIU does today. The internship transitioned into my first fulltime position. After three years with the village of Woodridge,
I went to work for the village of Hoffman Estates, including 10
years as its village manager.
From 1997 through 2007, I served as the city manager of
Naperville, Illinois, leading an organization with over 1,000
employees and a budget that exceeded $400 million.
Today, students who pursue the NIU M.P.A. program
should expect to build a purpose-driven career in public service—
serving agencies and local governments in need of a professional
workforce with the skills to manage and lead in areas as diverse
as policy development, finance, public safety, transportation,
utilities, technology, human resources, economic development,
land use, and the environment. One of the most rewarding
aspects of public service is knowing that you will be joined in
your effort with elected officials, residents, business leaders, and
other professionals dedicated to a similar vision.
What’s more, a few years after graduating from NIU, I met an
M.P.A. student by the name of Denise Pultorak. Yes—we married
and continue to bask in our combined four degrees from NIU.
Today, Denise is the assistant to the chair for the M.P.A. program.
Peter Burchard runs a management consulting business in Geneva,
Illinois. He also serves his alma mater as a member of the NIU
Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Wi n t e r 2014
15
SupportingNorthern
Gift brings Fazioli piano to NIU
Since October, the
students and faculty
of the NIU School
of Music have been
tickling the ivories of
one of the finest pianos
in the world. Thanks
to a generous donation
from the Agnes Varis Charitable Trust, performers from the
College of Visual and Performing Arts can learn, practice, and
perform on an extraordinary Fazioli grand piano.
The handcrafted Fazioli is played by some of the most
talented pianists in the world and can be found in places such as
the Juilliard School, the Chopin Competition in Warsaw, and
the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.
The College of Visual and Performing Arts and the NIU
Foundation honored those who brought the extraordinary
instrument to NIU at a dedication concert this past fall. The
celebration began with a private dinner at the Barsema Alumni
and Visitors Center, after which guests gathered in the Boutell
16
Northern Now
Above: Faculty and students from the NIU College of Visual and
Performing Arts perform “The Stars and Stripes Forever” at a
dedication concert, held to welcome NIU’s new Fazioli grand
piano (bottom left).
Left: George and Grazia Svokos were presented a crystal replica
of the Fazioli piano that was brought to the NIU School of Music
through a generous donation from the Agnes Varis Charitable Trust.
Memorial Concert Hall for breathtaking performances from
VPA faculty and students. By all accounts, the concert was
magnificent, inspiring performers and audience members alike.
Agnes Varis (1930–2011) co-founded Marsam
Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Aegis Pharmaceuticals. She and
her husband dedicated their philanthropic support to the arts,
especially music. During her lifetime, she gave more than $30
million to various arts programs, many at the Metropolitan
Opera and the Jazz Foundation of America.
Thanks to this generous philanthropist, the halls of the
Music Building will resonate with beautiful melodies for years
to come.
Paul Wright named College of Education’s
first endowed professor
Paul Wright, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and
Physical Education (KNPE), is the first professor to hold the
Elizabeth C. Lane, Ph.D., and M. Nadine Zimmerman, Ph.D.,
Endowed Kinesiology and Physical Education Professorship.
The position is the first endowed professorship in the College
of Education.
“I am truly honored to have the opportunity to promote
the legacy of Drs. Lane and Zimmerman,” Wright says.
“This endowment ensures that their commitment to the field
and the department of KNPE will live on.”
Elizabeth Lane, as part of her estate plan, and M. Nadine
“I will strive to provide highquality, engaged learning
experiences for my students.”
— Paul Wright, professor in the Department
of Kinesiology and Physical Education
Wright says that in addition to his own scholarship and
teaching, he will ensure that the professorship benefits the
department, the college, and the university as a whole.
“I will be working with my department chair, Dr. Paul
Carpenter, and my colleagues to organize activities that support
and elevate the level of scholarship throughout the department,”
he says. “Through publications, presentations, and collaboration
at the national and international levels, I hope to represent our
institution and this professorship well,” he says. “At the same
time,” he adds, “I will strive to provide high-quality, engaged
learning experiences for my students. This was always a core
commitment of Drs. Lane and Zimmerman.”
Some of Wright’s ideas moving forward include hosting
high-profile visitors to present and meet with faculty; fostering collaborations with other departments and the surrounding
community; and organizing writing retreats for KNPE faculty
and graduate students so they can work on writing external
grant applications and publishing their research.
“I am hoping that my efforts will contribute to the growing
reputation and level of scholarly productivity in KNPE,” Wright
says. “I see these as keys to recruiting and retaining top faculty
in our department so we can continue aspiring to honor the
legacy and aspirations set forth by Drs. Lane and Zimmerman.”
Zimmerman, now retired and living in DeKalb, endowed the
professorship with the intent of providing funds to help recruit
and retain top KNPE educators.
The professors were friends and colleagues in the KNPE
department, and their gift will ensure that their respective
legacies will continue for years. La Vonne Neal, dean of the
College of Education, is confident Wright will accomplish the
endowment’s purpose. “Dr. Zimmerman has said that good
teachers attract good students, so I am certain Paul Wright is
the ideal candidate to launch this legacy,” she says.
College of Education graduate students Yara
Santillan (left) and Jenn Jacobs (right) are
pictured with Paul Wright, who holds the
college’s first endowed professorship.
Wi n t e r 2014
17
HuskieSports
Huskie Hoops 2013-2014
Early Schedule to Test Women’s Team
A month into the 2013–14 season, the Northern Illinois
women’s basketball team was happy to return to the NIU
Convocation Center after one of the most challenging nonconference schedules in school history took the Huskies to Green
Bay and Madison, Wisconsin, and Las Cruces, New Mexico, in
November, with a trip to Brookings, South Dakota, in December.
Not only was the travel extensive, the competition added up
to one of the toughest non-conference schedules in recent years,
according to head coach Kathi Bennett, now in her fourth season
at the helm. Bennett believes the harder slate will prepare the
team for a tough Mid-American Conference slate in 2013–14.
“I think we’re crazy,” laughed Bennett. “It’s probably the
toughest non-conference schedule since I’ve been here. We have
a lot of quality opponents and those challenges will let us know
where we stand in the MAC. It’s going to help us get better and
prepare us for league play.”
The gauntlet of talented teams also features matchups versus
regional competition and in-state rivals like Illinois State, UIC,
Bradley, and Northern Iowa.
“We’ll close December against
traditional in-state rivals IllinoisChicago on New Year’s Eve,” said
Bennett. “Northern Iowa will play
here in the Convocation Center just
before Christmas and they are a very
tough Missouri Valley team.”
The Huskies return seven players and welcome seven newcomers
this season. Juniors Amanda Corral
(Hobart, Indiana) and Jenna Thorp
(Hinckley, Illinois) will look to carry
the torch for NIU, along with Elgin
Community College transfer Alex
Dumoulin (Hampshire, Illinois),
Amanda Corral
who was an All-American for the
Spartans last season. Corral and Thorp both started 29 games
for NIU a year ago, and Corral led the Huskies with 12.7 points,
5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. Fellow junior Danny
Pulliam (Indianapolis, Indiana) returns after missing most of
the last two seasons with a knee injury.
Northern Illinois will begin its conference season on
Saturday, January 4, when it hosts MAC East foe Ohio at 1 p.m.
18
Northern Now
Men’s Basketball Welcomes Local Favorite
There are seven new faces on the Northern Illinois University
men’s basketball team this season, but one of those faces, junior
center Jordan Threloff, is well-known to local Huskie fans. A
star at DeKalb High School, Threloff
has returned to NIU after beginning
his collegiate career at Illinois State.
“I think it was big for Northern
Illinois and our program to bring
Jordan in,” said NIU head coach
Mark Montgomery. “He is a highcharacter kid; he had an unbelievable
high school career in this area, and
he has name recognition. People
really supported Jordan when he
Jordan Threloff
was at DeKalb High School. I think
it is a win-win situation, something he is going to be able to
share with the community, and he is going to be able to earn his
degree from Northern Illinois.”
At DeKalb High School, Threloff led the Barbs to backto-back conference titles as a junior and senior. He scored over
1,500 points, pulled down more than 1,000 rebounds, and was
twice named the DeKalb Daily Chronicle’s Player of the Year.
Threloff was also selected to play in the 2010 Illinois Basketball
Coaches Association 3A/4A All-Star Game.
Following his outstanding high school career, Threloff
signed to play at Illinois State. After redshirting his first season at ISU, Threloff played two seasons with the Redbirds,
appearing in 51 games. He scored 148 points and grabbed 139
rebounds while at Illinois, including a double-double with 11
points and 13 rebounds against Norfolk State in December
2011. He shot 54.8 percent from the field while at ISU.
After last season, Threloff decided to return home to
DeKalb and finish his collegiate career at Northern Illinois.
With two seasons of eligibility remaining, Montgomery is
excited about what Threloff will bring to the Huskie roster.
“Jordan is going to take up a lot of space in the lane, and he
can definitely score around the basket,” said Montgomery. “He is
also working on extending his game to about 15 feet; he should
be a good rebounder for us and is a great teammate.”
For tickets, call 815-753-PACK (7225) or visit NIUHuskies.com/
tickets. The NIU Pack is available this season and includes 10
general admission vouchers redeemable for any regular season men’s or women’s basketball game for just $30.
The Huskies are
bowling again!
This year’s bowl game will provide the last chance
to see the most successful senior class in school
history, led by one of the best players ever at NIU,
quarterback Jordan Lynch. Start making your plans
now to follow the Huskies and be a part of more
NIU history. In all likelihood, NIU will learn its bowl
destination on Sunday, December 8.
For complete information on NIU’s bowl prospects,
go to www.NIUHuskies.com and click on the
Postseason Central link at the top of the page.
Postseason Central will be updated before and
after the Huskies’ bowl destination is announced
as information becomes available.
As the thousands of NIU fans who traveled to
Miami for the Discover Orange Bowl learned a
year ago, bowling with the Huskies is a great
way to spend part of your holidays.
Hope to see you there!
Go Huskies!
NorthernNotes
NIU Alumni Association Calendar of Events
Thursday, December 12
Holiday Reception
Chicago, Illinois
Friday, February 21
Tampa Regional Event
Tampa, Florida
March TBD
Cubs Spring Training
Arizona
Thursday, January 30
San Francisco Regional
Event
San Francisco, California
Saturday, February 22
Delray Regional Event
Delray, Florida
Monday, May 19
Annual Golf Outing
Wheaton, Illinois
Saturday, February 1
San Diego Regional Event
San Diego, California
For more information
and to register for any
of these events, visit
MyNIU.com or call the
Alumni Association
at 815-753-1452.
Saturday, March 29
Dallas Regional Event
Dallas, Texas
Chris Westfall
New Member Benefit:
Online career
enhancement series
For more information,
visit myniu.com
or call 815-753-1452
Richard Bolles
Susan Whitcomb
Cardinal & Black and Legacy members of the Alumni Association
have been enjoying our new online career enhancement series.
The series of monthly webinars focuses on career skills and delivers
the nation’s top career authors and experts right to your computer.
The webinars are held on the first Wednesday of each month and
are subsequently archived so you can watch them at any time.
Upcoming webinars will be presented by:
sChris Westfall, author of The New Elevator Pitch
sRichard Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?
A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers
sSusan Whitcomb, author of The Twitter Job Search Guide
Become a member today and continue your commitment to making
your career more productive. Already a member? Keep an eye on your
inbox for an e-mail with a link to the next webinar.
20
Northern Now
Robert Jakeway has retired from
PNC Bank and its predecessors in
Rockford, Illinois, after 44 years.
He will continue to be a member of
the Association of Certified Fraud
George Demos won seven gold medals Examiners.
in the 2013 Senior Olympics this
Gary Koca has published Forgotten
summer in Pasadena, California. The
Movie Stars of the 30s, 40s, and 50s,
Huntington Beach resident was an
available at Amazon.
avid track and field athlete during high James Lentz, M.B.A. ’71, serves as
school, college, and the U.S. Army.
a member of the board of directors
of Big Apple Bagels Inc., a national
company based in Deerfield, Illinois.
Ava Su-Gan Wei creates a weekly
He previously served as director of the
show on Iowa City public access TV.
company’s franchisee training, and
The show can be viewed on YouTube.
he retired as a business professor at
Moraine Valley Community College
in 2000.
Charles H. Eckel, M.B.A. ’69, has
Ken McConnaughay, M.S.Ed., has
retired after a combined 41 years
received the Man of the Year award
at Proctor & Gamble, Buckeye
from the city of Bolingbrook, Illinois,
Technologies, and North Florida
for providing nearly four decades of
Medical Centers as a project director
community service and leadership. He
in electronic health records.
is a senior investment management
Terry A. Williamson retired as
consultant at Morgan Stanley.
chief communications officer from
Frank Tavares, M.A., professor
PJM Interconnection, a regional
of organization communication at
transmission organization in Valley
Southern Connecticut State University,
Forge, Pennsylvania, after a 40-year
has released The Man Who Built Boxes
career in journalism and government
and Other Stories (Bacon Press Books).
and corporate communications. His
career includes stints as an editorial
writer, a gubernatorial speechwriter,
Kenneth E. Albrecht, an internal
and a press secretary. A former U.S.
medicine physician, recently hit five
Marine infantry officer, he is president Amazon best-seller lists with the book
of the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans
Against the Grain: The World’s Leading
Memorial Fund.
Experts Reveal How They Achieved
Positive Results in a Down Economy!
Dave Mattio, M.S.Ed. ’71, was
Bob Porter has retired as director of
honored when Marian Catholic High
Electric and Water Utilities for the city School in Chicago Heights, Illinois,
of Winfield, Kansas.
named its football stadium Dave
Mattio Field. He played four years of
football there, served as head football
Shirley Forpe, M.A. ’75, has been
coach for the Spartans for 37 years,
working with the Illinois Alliance for
and has been athletic director since
Retired Americans to do presentations 1974. He led the football teams to
on Social Security, Medicare, and
playoffs 20 times, winning a 4A state
state pensions. To make the program
championship in 1993.
more entertaining, she presents the
Jim Suttie, M.S.Ed. ’71, a national
information as a “Lucy and Ethel”
award-winning golf instructor, has
script with another alumna, Anne
joined the teaching staff at Mistwood
Spangler Hollenbeck, ’69.
Performance Center in Romeoville,
Illinois.
The following class notes were
received from July through
September 2013.
’51
’65
’67
’70
’68
’69
Wi n t e r 2014
21
NorthernNotes
Houston. She was also the speaker and
presenter at the Fall Rice University
Networking Conference on Algebraic
We’re proud to announce a new partnership that will allow you
Reasoning.
to carry your NIU pride with you wherever you go. The NIU
Helene Kraus, M.S.Ed., has been
named principal of Summit School in
Alumni Association and Discover have recently joined forces to
Elgin, Illinois.
create the official card for
Elizabeth Lowell, M.A., has received
NIU alumni and friends.
recognition in her field by having a
At 225,000 strong,
clinic dedicated in her name. The
NIU alumni are making
Elizabeth L. Lowell Speech and
Language Learning Clinic was
a difference every day in
created in 2009 to acknowledge her
every state in the U.S. and
contribution and years of service. She
abroad. In fact, Huskies
has worked in speech and language
compose the largest alumni
pathology for more than 40 years.
network in the Chicago
Sheldon Sobol was elected to the
area. From New York to
board of directors of Morris Hospital
in 2005 and has served as secretary
Beijing to Anchorage, use
since 2008. He also serves as chairman
your NIU Discover card
of the hospital board’s long-range
wherever it’s accepted.
planning committee.
You’ll receive great benefits, and you never know when
Jack Teboda of Teboda and Associates,
someone will recognize the Huskie logo!
a financial planning business, has cowritten the book Victory!: The World’s
Visit myniu.com for more information.
Leading Experts Reveal Their Secrets for
Winning in Health, Wealth, & Success in
the New Economy (CelebrityPress).
Ensemble Theatre by restaging his
Bruce Wilde was recognized with
first show with the company, Absolute
a Craig Noel Award nomination for
Patrick F. Foley practices orthodontics
Macbeth, at the Greenhouse Theater
outstanding set design for The Sugar
in Lake Zurich, Illinois, and is a partCenter in Chicago.
Witch at OnStage Playhouse in Chula
time clinical professor in orthodontics
Catherine Hart has served as
Vista, California, and received two
at Saint Louis University. He is also
executive director of the Oak Park &
Aubrey awards for set design and
president of the Illinois Society of
River Forest Day Nursery in Oak Park, special effects for the show.
Orthodontists.
Illinois, since 1989.
Gary Wright is the new chief
Dick Wagley has been named recipient
James Kron of Moline, Illinois, and
marketing and sales officer for HMicro
of the 2013 Illinois PGA Golf
Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin, has retired Inc., a technology solutions and design
Professional of the Year Award, the
from Bosch Rexroth Corp. He spent
company.
highest annual honor bestowed on a
36 years in OEM fluid power sales and
PGA professional by the Illinois PGA.
sales management.
He is in his 31st year as PGA head golf
Bob Scarpelli, former chairman and
Janet Pucino has garnered her fourth
professional at the historic Indian Hill
creative chief of DDB Worldwide, has book award for Not in the Club. The
Club in Winnetka, Illinois.
been inducted into the Advertising
book gives her take on how women can
Brett Weiss, a Bartlett High School
Hall of Fame at the Waldorf Astoria in succeed in senior leadership roles and
teacher, has founded the Bernard
New York City. He served DDB for 35 overcome workplace biases.
and Elsie Weiss Scholarship Fund,
years before retiring in 2011.
Larry Roberts, M.S.Ed., has been
which sends poor children from Dago,
hired as operations manager at MC2 in
Kenya, to high school.
Carol Stream, Illinois.
Wilma Klingenmaier Mysak
participated in the Rice University
Richard Engling has celebrated his
School Mathematics Project, which
Steve Peifer was hired as associate
10th year as artistic director of Polarity
was limited to 20 area teachers in
director of college counseling at
Discover what’s ahead!
’73
’76
’75
’74
22
’77
Northern Now
Oxbridge Academy of the Palm
Beaches.
’78
Thomas P. Lally has retired as a
battalion chief from the Chicago Fire
Department. A chief warrant officer
and 23-year veteran in the U.S. Coast
Guard Reserve, he currently serves
on active duty as a lawyer for the Gulf
Coast Incident Management Team in
New Orleans.
David Rapoport, founding partner of
Rapoport Law Offices in Chicago, has
been elected president of the National
Board of Trial Advocacy and National
Board of Legal Specialty Certification.
Tom Thompson, M.A., is teaching
as an adjunct at NIU and doing
consulting work for colleges, including
two community colleges in Illinois.
’79
Debbie Banaszak has joined Globe
Union as brand manager for both Gerber
Plumbing Fixtures and Danze Inc.
Thomas Glaser is senior vice president
of administration and treasurer for
the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn,
Illinois.
David P. Olson, J.D. ’85, of the
national law firm Quarles & Brady, has
been ranked in the 2013 edition of the
prestigious Chambers USA directory.
Sara Tompson has been named
manager of the library, archives,
and records division of NASA Jet
Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena,
California.
Bogdan Vitas Jr., M.P.A. ’82, was
appointed city manager of Key West,
Florida, in July 2012.
’80
Sheila G. Talton has been appointed
to OGE Energy Corp.’s board of
directors.
’82
Mark Lichtenfeld has released a young
adult novel, Line Change, published
by Mazo Publishers. It is available in
print or as an e-book.
’83
Keith Bartholomew has been named
acting dean for the University of Utah
College of Architecture and Planning.
James J. Radous III has been
appointed executive vice president
of sales for UniCarriers Americas in
Marengo, Illinois. He grew sales more
than 200 percent through the end of
fiscal 2012 and increased operating
profits from a loss in fiscal 2009 to
double-digit gains by fiscal 2012.
Before his current role, he served as
vice president of sales and marketing.
Dean A. Rein has joined Ter Molen
Watkins and Brandt as senior vice
president. Before that, he served as
executive vice president for ProHealth
Care Foundation in Waukesha,
Wisconsin, executive director of
the American College of Surgeons
Foundation, and senior vice president
at Carroll University.
’84
Dan Altmayer of Federal Way has
been elected president of the Trustees
Association of Community and
Technical Colleges in the state of
Washington.
Dan Roach is commander of
investigations at the Schaumburg
Police Department.
& Security Inc. security and storage
business, which includes Master Lock
padlocks and Waterloo tool storage
products.
Karen Horting will lead the Society
of Women Engineers as its executive
director and CEO beginning January
1, 2014. She joined the organization
nine years ago and has served as the
deputy executive director.
’87
Gino A. Bonanotte has been named
acting chief financial officer of
Motorola Solutions Inc. He joined
Motorola in 1988 and has held a
number of key global leadership
positions with the company.
Jeffrey Thorsen, M.B.A. ’93, a city
council member of Crystal Lake,
Illinois, is running for McHenry
County treasurer. He has served five
terms on the city council and has spent
25 years in the banking industry.
’90
Edmond Manning has published his
second novel, King Mai. The story
takes place during Corn Fest weekend
in DeKalb.
David Pacwa has received the
Joint Civilian Service Achievement
Award for service in Afghanistan for
successfully executing a national level
plan on time and without incident.
Philip Zepeda has been appointed
director of communications at the
Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
He will oversee the marketing,
communication, and public affairs
functions of the foundation.
’91
Joseph Albrecht, a financial advisor
for Northwestern Mutual McTigue
Financial Group in Northbrook,
Illinois, has received the company’s
Emerald award based on an
outstanding year of helping clients
achieve financial security.
’92
Dan Brandt is the new director of the
chaplains unit of the Chicago Police
Department. He previously served as
pastor of Nativity of Our Lord Parish
in Chicago’s historic Bridgeport
neighborhood.
Susan K. Carter, M.B.A., has joined
Ingersoll Rand as senior vice president
and chief financial officer.
Doug Feldmann has released his 10th
book, Keith Magnuson: The Inspiring
Life and Times of a Beloved Blackhawk,
through Triumph Books. He is a
professor in the College of Education
at Northern Kentucky University and a
statistician for MLB.com.
Jacqueline Hughes is the new
associate provost for academic
personnel at California State
University, San Bernandino.
’93
Susan Johnson, M.A., Ph.D. ’98,
was recently appointed assistant dean
for student success for the College of
Letters and Sciences at the University
of Wisconsin–Whitewater.
Matthew LaCroix, a financial advisor
at Northwestern Mutual McTigue
Financial Group in Northbrook,
Illinois, received the company’s
Diamond award for his outstanding
year of helping clients achieve financial
security.
’94
Angela Zajac is the executive director
of the Eisenhower Cooperative
in Chicago Ridge, Illinois. The
cooperative serves 10 school districts to
educate students with special needs.
’96
Tracy Bogie has been named vice
’85
Chris Nickels, J.D. ’88, was recently
named one of the top 100 litigators
in South Carolina by the American
Society of Legal Advocates. He is
employed by the law firm Clawson
and Staubes in Daniel Island, South
Carolina.
’86
Bruce A. Brennan, J.D., has released
his fifth novel, Hunting for the President
of the United States, available at
Amazon. The book is a murder mystery
involving politicians and government
officials.
Terry Horan has been named
president of the Fortune Brands Home
Wi n t e r 2014
23
NorthernNotes
Alumni Association Travel Programs
Join alumni and friends on an exciting travel adventure to one of these fascinating destinations.
We’ll guide you along the way, provide pre-trip assistance, send an informational packet, and
offer an enjoyable, worry-free travel experience. For more information, visit MyNIU.com or call
the NIU Office of Alumni Relations at 815-753-1512.
Discover Portugal!
March 7–15, 2014
Cost: $3,175
Discover dazzling palaces, ancient monasteries, Roman ruins,
seaside villages, colorful markets, mouth-watering cuisine, and
traditional Fado as we tour sunny Portugal. We’ll see the 16thcentury Roman aqueduct in the medieval walled city of Evora,
visit a family-operated vineyard and cork factory, learn about
the production of the famed azulejo tiles, and experience the
delight of the famous Caves Croft wines from the Douro Valley.
We will overnight in Nazare, Evora, and Lisbon.
24
Northern Now
For more information, visit MyNIU.com or call 815-753-1512.
All prices are per person based on double occupancy;
a limited number of single supplements are available.
Touring itineraries are subject to change.
Holland Tulips
River Cruise
Pacific Northwest Grandeur
June 19–28, 2014
Cost: $3,355
(Limited Availability)
April 24 to May 2, 2014
Cost: Haydn Deck $3,989;
Strauss Deck $4,459;
Mozart Deck $4,689
This river cruise takes you
through picturesque Holland and Belgium during tulip time.
We’ll include a city tour of Amsterdam, discover St. Baafs
Cathedral in medieval Ghent, explore Antwerp, visit the
windmills at Kinderdijk, and tour the famous and brilliantly
colorful Keukenhof Gardens in Utrecht. Enjoy the comfort
of European river cruising with all overnights onboard the
luxurious MS Amadeus Elegant.
Surround yourself with stunning mountains,
ancient forests, rugged beaches, dense rainforest,
and resident wildlife on our Pacific Northwest
adventure. In Seattle, we’ll take in the panoramic
vistas from the Space Needle, enjoy colorful Pike
Place Market, and ride the gondola to the top
of Crystal Mountain. The Victoria Clipper ferry
will take us through Puget Sound to Victoria,
where an old-fashioned seaside-town atmosphere
and Butchart Gardens await. Along the Oregon
coast, we’ll visit Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark’s winter
encampment of 1805, and cruise along the Columbia River.
Coming Fall 2014
Classical Greece: Discover the iconic landmarks, archeological sites, scenic vistas,
museums, and easy-going ambiance of Greece in a land tour that takes you to exotic
places such as the Sacred Way in ancient Delphi, the Meteora Monasteries north of
Kalambaka, and the Acropolis of Athens, the cradle of civilization. We’ll also do
a little island hopping to a couple of our favorites in the Greek Isles.
Romantic Rome: With its historical magnificence, mighty ruins, superb
art, and amazing Italian cuisine, Rome has attracted the world’s people for
centuries. We’ll visit the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica,
the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Coliseum, and the Roman Forum; take a day
trip to Pompeii; and take time to relax at one of the many luxurious cafes.
Wi n t e r 2014
25
NorthernNotes
president of career development for
Coldwell Banker Caine in Greenville,
South Carolina.
Erica O’Rourke’s fourth young adult
novel, Dissonance, will be published by
Simon and Schuster in August 2014.
’03
Juan Martinez is currently a visiting
assistant professor in the sociology
department at North Central College
in Naperville, Illinois.
’04
’97
Melissa Olivero, J.D., has been
appointed an administrative law
judge with the National Labor
Relations Board. She also serves
as the chairwoman of the Illinois
Valley Community College Board of
Trustees.
Beth Summers, M.S.Ed. ’02, M.P.A.
’04, Ed.S. ’08, Ed.D. ’13, has been
named the principal of Freeport
High School. She got her start in the
Freeport School District as a teacher
in 2004. She also served as an associate
principal at Hononegah High School
and as principal at Winnebago High
School.
’99
Joseph Schimmel has been named
division chairman of special education
at East Aurora High School.
Erin Schuleit, a registered nurse, has
become a Rodan + Fields independent
consultant. Her business partners are
the doctors who created Proactiv and
antiaging products.
’00
Matthew Zimmerman is the new city
manager of Hazelwood, Missouri.
He previously served as chief
administrative officer of Emporia,
Kansas.
’01
Julie Angelakos, J.D., has joined
Stewart Legal Services as state counsel
for Illinois.
Steven Bosco, M.P.A., is the new
village administrator of North Aurora,
Illinois.
Shawna Burkhart, M.S.Ed., was a
leader at the recent DASH Conference
in Hinsdale, Illinois. The conference
is held annually to lead women on a
journey to a fuller life.
P.J. Fleck is head coach for Western
Michigan University. He formerly was
a receivers coach at NIU and Rutgers
University.
’05
John Acardo has joined Kishwaukee
College as the director of human
resources.
’06
Matt Konfirst, M.S. ’08, B.A. ’10,
Ph.D. ’11, and his wife have joined the
Peace Corps for two years in Ukraine.
Their service will include teaching
English.
Anita J. Rumage has been appointed
executive director of Circles of
Learning Child Care Centers in
Rockford, Illinois.
’08
Kourtnie Rohrbach has been
named director of marketing for St.
Anthony of Lansing, an assisted living
community in Lansing, Illinois.
’09
Saadia Ahmad, M.S. ’12, is a dietitian
and assistant director of dining services
at Smith Crossing, a continuing care
retirement community in Orland Park,
Illinois.
Liz Botts has published The Hidden
Brian Bacheller has joined IBM
Door, which is about high school
Interactive in Atlanta as a rich-media
students who are in search of answers
architect.
to a legend. Although it is fictional, she
Erin Hall has been appointed the
uses scenes resembling NIU.
’02
26
Northern Now
principal of Seventh Avenue School in
La Grange, Illinois.
’10
Jim J. Barakat has received a Juris
Doctor degree from New England Law
in Boston. While at New England
Law, he was on the dean’s list and
public-service honor roll.
Jay Beaton, M.B.A., is principal of On
the Beaten Path, a consulting firm in
Chicago’s northwest suburbs.
Bradley A. Fuller, J.D., assistant
public defender at the Stephenson
County Public Defender’s Office,
has received the Outstanding Young
Attorney Award from the Illinois
Association of Criminal Defense
Lawyers.
’11
John Bryk has been named director
of business and finance for Minooka
Community High School District 111.
Jamie N. Hogan, an optometrist, has
joined the medical team at Frantz
EyeCare.
Monica Skonieczny was awarded a
full scholarship for nursing school
at the University of Miami and has
received a three-year employment
contract at the University of Miami
Hospital.
Sean Sroka started a new job teaching
instrumental music for Schaumburg
School District 54 and performs with
the 132nd Army National Guard
Band, based in Madison, Wisconsin.
Katrina Sturtevant, M.S.T., has been
promoted to supervisor of the Bank
Response Center at State Farm Bank
in Bloomington, Illinois.
Erik Youngman is the director
of curriculum and instruction for
Libertyville School District 70.
’12
Tim McCole has opened Scoop Vail
in Vail Valley, Colorado. The business
delivers locally made ice cream and
offers catering services.
John Medina, M.F.A., is public
art program manager at San Anto
Cultural Arts in San Antonio. As
part of his job, he teaches high school
students how to work together to create
large murals in the city.
’13
Nabal Jefferson, a former NIU
football player, has been named the
male winner of the 2013 Bob James
Memorial Award by the Mid-American
Conference. The award goes to a male
and female student athlete each year
and each recipient earns a $5,000
scholarship toward graduate school. He
is the first male winner from NIU.
Thomas Smafield has invented Repair
Rebel, a titanium bike tool shaped like a
wheel. As a cyclist, he set out to create a
multitool that attaches under the seat to
fix almost any bike. The tool, funded on
Kickstarter, can adjust brakes, adjust a
seat, and tighten pedals.
Marriages and Births
’97
▲ Christopher Weller and Dana Erickson Weller, ’98, welcomed Declan
Christopher on April 30, 2013.
’98
Todd Carpenter, M.F.A., and Bonnie
Carpenter, M.F.A., welcomed their
daughter, Quinnlyn Marie, on May
8, 2013.
’00
Joshua Bletzinger and Julie Kotalik,
’08, M.B.A. ’12, were married on
August 10, 2013.
’01
Lisa Wrightsell-Williams and
Fredrick Williams welcomed their
first child, Joshua Jalen, on August 23,
2013.
’02
Mary Clemens and Michael Harris
were married on July 3, 2011, and
welcomed their daughter, Katherine
Jeanne, on October 3, 2012.
’03
Michael J. Brady, M.B.A. ’05, and
Lisa A. Johnson were married on
August 3, 2013.
’04
▲ Paul Chadwick, J.D., and Kaycee
Chadwick, J.D. ’05, welcomed James
Michael on March 28, 2013.
’05
Jackie Grumish and James Grumish
welcomed their daughter, Samantha
Marie, on August 1, 2013.
Kristin Wild Nowak and Daniel
Nowak, ’05, M.B.A. ’11, welcomed
their second child, Addison Leigh, on
June 21, 2013.
’07
Ashley Jackson, M.S.Ed. ’10, and
Marcus Williams, ’10, were married
July 6, 2013.
’09
Nicole Kathryn Calmes and Adam
Herold Fehr were married on April 24,
2013, on Hilton Head Island, South
Carolina.
’10
Matthew Schuck, J.D. ’13, and
Stephanie Hill were married on
August 10, 2013.
Lauren Gil and Norbertas Nagys
were married on May 18, 2013, in
Wilmette, Illinois.
Margaret “Peggy” Ellen O’Malley,
29, 2013, in Maitland, Florida.
’67, on September 1, 2013, in Naples,
Thomas C. Thompson, M.S.Ed. ’73,
on March 13, 2013, in Green Bay,
Mary Thermos Sirtaut, ’41, on July 29, Florida.
Burton Michael Solomon, ’67, on July Wisconsin.
2013, in Michigan.
1, 2013, in Marietta, Georgia.
Patricia Ann Zimmer, ’74, on August
Paul L. Alongi, ’44, on August 3,
Kathyrn Williams, ’67, on August 30, 14, 2013, in Sandwich, Illinois.
2013, in Rochelle, Illinois.
2013, in Scotts Valley, California.
Nancy Ellen Blake, ’76, on August
Elizabeth Anne “Betty” Burns, ’46,
Jose Coronado, ’68, on August 3,
28, 2013.
on September 21, 2013, in Rockford,
2013.
Carol Joy Heckman Morrison, M.A.
Illinois.
’76, on September 6, 2013, in Austin,
Virginia Ann Anderson Reinken, ’55, Karen Teuscher MacNames, ’69, on
August 12, 2013, in Crystal Lake,
Texas.
on September 4, 2013, in Scottsdale,
Illinois.
Marlene Araya, ’79, on September 1,
Arizonia.
Arlene Young, ’69, on September 13,
2013, in Maywood, Illinois.
Edward E. Stock, M.S.Ed. ’55, on
2013, in Evanston, Illinois.
Dolores Dee Aloisio, ’80, on SeptemJune 25, 2013, in Elgin, Illinois.
Janet Charlene Jones, M.S.Ed., ’70,
ber 12, 2013, in Woodridge, Illinois.
Kenneth L. Bowden, ’56, on July 12,
on July 1, 2013, in Loves Park, Illinois. Diane Joy Batson, ’80, on September
2013, in DeKalb, Illinois.
Jeffrey T. Robertson, ’70, on July 21,
5, 2013, in New Lenox, Illinois.
Rudolph J. Gron Jr., ’56, M.S.Ed.
2013.
Johanna Rauschert Copel, M.S.Ed.
’58, on August 11, 2013, in Marengo,
Pam Ann Rowley DeJesus Edwards,
’80, on August 1, 2013, in Algonquin,
Illinois.
’71, on August 19, 2013, in Micanopy, Illinois.
Gerald Lee Glawe, ’57, on June 26,
Florida.
Kay Cochran Roddick, M.S.Ed.
2013, in Genoa, Illinois.
Kenneth M. Davis, Ed.D. ’72, on
’83, on August 15, 2013, in Sonoma
Donald Lee Read, ’58, on July 18,
October 1, 2013, in Hershey, PennCounty, California.
2013, in Rockford, Illinois.
sylvania.
Carl Strandberg, ’83, on April 28,
Maynard Louis Roberts, ’58,
Theresa Arlene Egan, M.S.Ed. ’72, on 2013, in Royal Oak, Michigan.
M.S.Ed. ’61, on August 26, 2013, in
August 16, 2013, in Freeport, Illinois. Jean-Pierre Nutini, ’85, on July 10,
South Elgin, Illinois.
Kenneth Gardner, M.S.Ed. ’73,
2013, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Martin C. Kearns, ’59, M.S.Ed.
Ed.D. ’84, on August 15, 2013, in
Karen Taylor, ’85, on July 23, 2013, in
’65, on September 15, 2013, in Lake
Woodstock, Illinois.
Rockford, Illinois.
Geneva, Wisconsin.
Lucille S. Hurrell, M.S.Ed. ’73, on
Harold Nichols III, ’86, on May 3,
Donald J. Lund, ’59, M.S.Ed. ’67, on
2013.
August 6, 2013, in Arlington Heights, July 8, 2013, in Winfield, Illinois.
Dennis Larson, M.S. ’73, M.B.A. ’85, Richard Wilmot, M.A. ’86, in WestIllinois.
on August 24, 2013, in Rockford,
lake, Ohio.
Neil Kenneth Olson, ’59, M.S.Ed.
Illinois.
Stephen J. Fill, ’89, on September 23,
’74, on July 15, 2013, in Geneva, Il2013, in Elgin, Illinois.
Donald T. Sedik, Ed.D. ’73, on June
linois.
Mary Jane Peters, ’60, on August 18,
2013, in McHenry, Illinois.
Ronald J. Hart Sr., ’64, on August 16,
2013, in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.
Don Carlos Purcell, M.S.Ed. ’65, on
August 2, 2013.
Geoffrey B. Goulding, ’66, on
Thursday, December 12, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
September 9, 2013, in Crystal Lake,
The University Club of Chicago
Illinois.
Gail Elizabeth Kistler Zorn, ’66, on
Celebrate the season with your fellow Huskies at this
June 2, 2013, in Brighton, Michigan.
LaVonne S. McDowell, ’66, M.S.Ed
popular free event! Enjoy holiday music, refreshments, and
’74, on July 5, 2013, in DeKalb, Illinois.
a cash bar. An open bar will be provided for Cardinal &
Robert Ivan “Bob” Strand, ’66, on
Black and Legacy members of the Alumni Association.
August 30, 2013, in Schaumburg,
Members will also receive a commemorative ornament.
Illinois.
Melanie Beth Folkman Gregory,
Register at MyNIU.com or call 815-753-1452.
’67, on August 8, 2013, in Denver,
Colorado.
In Memoriam
NIU Alumni Association
Annual Holiday Reception
Wi n t e r 2014
27
NorthernNotes
David Boyd Horsley, M.S. ’89, on July
4, 2013, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Laura A. Crawford, ’90, M.S.Ed., ’97,
on September 30, 2013, in Geneva,
Illinois.
Charles H. Brubeck, M.S.Ed. ’91, on
August 9, 2013, in Grayslake, Illinois.
Mary Frances Volin, ’92, on August
11, 2013, in Barrington, Illinois.
Joanne S. Simes, J.D. ’93, on July 2,
2013.
Jonathan K. Brisbois, ’94, M.S. ’96,
on August 31, 2013.
Beverly M. Tenuta, ’96, on July 13,
2013, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Lori Ann Parrovecchio O’Brien, J.D.
’97, on August 8, 2013, in Rockford,
Illinois.
Elizabeth Howard, ’03, on September
18, 2013, in Peoria, Illinois.
Andre Gomez, ’10, on September 7,
2013, in DeKalb, Illinois.
Morgan J. Chaney, ’13, on September
7, 2013, in DeKalb, Illinois.
Faculty, Staff, Friends
Virginia M. Altmaier, office support
associate, on July 22, 2013, in Geneva,
Illinois.
Melody Lou Amundsen, manager,
Student Employment Office, on August 30, 2013, in DeKalb, Illinois.
Kala Rae Archer, ’70, M.S.Ed. ’75,
instructor, Department of Kinesiology
and Physical Education, on July 31,
2013, in DeKalb, Illinois.
Adalia Dellona Espiritu, building
services worker, on August 23, 2013,
in DeKalb, Illinois.
Carla J. Laws, cook, on September 28,
2013, in Rochelle, Illinois.
Robert W. Pearson, biology professor
and a pre-med adviser, on October 5,
2013, in DeKalb, Illinois.
Curtis “Super” Quitno, distribution clerk, on September 25, 2013, in
Sycamore, Illinois.
Donna Marie Schoo, clerk chief, Registration and Records, on September 7,
2013, in DeKalb, Illinois.
Tammy G. Wilkerson, greenhouse
manager, on October 3, 2013, in
DeKalb, Illinois.
28
Northern Now
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT,
AND CIRCULATION (required by 39 U.S.C. 3685)
1. Publication Title: Northern Now. 2. Publication
No.: 466-480. 3. Filing Date: October 1, 2013.
4. Issue Frequency: Quarterly. 5. No. of Issues
Published Annually: 4. 6. Annual Subscription
Price: none. 7. Complete Mailing Address of
Known Office of Publication: Division of University
Advancement, 1425 Lincoln Hwy, Northern Illinois
University, DeKalb, IL 60115-2825, DeKalb County.
8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or
General Business Office of Publisher: Northern
Illinois University, 1425 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb,
IL 60115. 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing
Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor:
Michael P. Malone, V.P., University Advancement,
Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115,
Publisher; Michael P. Malone, Division of University
Advancement, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
60115, Editor/Managing Editor. 10. Owner: Board of
Trustees of Northern Illinois University, a body politic
and corporate of the State of Illinois, Northern
Illinois University, 1425 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb, IL
60115. 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and
Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent
or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or
Other Securities: None. 12. The purpose, function,
and nonprofit status of this organization and the
exempt status for federal income tax purposes
has not changed during preceding 12 months. 13.
Publication Title: Northern Now. 14. Issue Date for
Circulation Data Below: August 2013. 15. Extent
and Nature of Circulation (Average No. Copies Each
Issue During Preceding 12 Months/No. Copies of
Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date) 15a.
Total Number of Copies: (127,350/200,456). 15b(1).
Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated
on PS Form 3541: (121,307/194,361). 15b(2).
Mailed in-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on
PS Form 3541: (0/0). 15b(3). Paid Distribution
Outside the Mails including Sales through Dealers
and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and
Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS: (0/0).
15b(4). Paid Distribution by Other Classes of
Mail Through the USPS: (0/0). 15c. Total Paid
Distribution: (121,307/194,361). 15d(1). Free or
Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on
PS form 3541: (0). 15d(2). Free or Nominal Rate
In-County Copies included on PS form 3541: (0).
15d(3). Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at
Other Classes Through the USPS: (0). 15d(4).
Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail:
(6,043/6,095). 15e. Total Free or Nominal Rate
Distribution (6,370/6,000). 15f. Total Distribution:
(127,350/200,456). 15g. Copies not distributed:
(0/0). 15h. Total: (127,350/200,456). 15i. Percent
Paid: (94.75%/96.96%) 16. The Publication of
Statement of Ownership will be printed in the Winter
2014 issue of this publication. 17. I certify that
all information furnished on this form is true and
complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes
false or misleading information on this form or who
omits material or information requested on the form
may be subject to criminal sanctions. Lee Ann Henry,
Business Manager, October 2013.
News To Share
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News
Mail to: Alumni Association, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115,
or e-mail [email protected]
Moving? Let us know!
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To ensure that we make the correct changes, please include the mailing label
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Mail to: Advancement Services, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115,
or e-mail us at [email protected]
✃
Last Look
This student has found a fun way to show his NIU pride.
Huskies have so much to be proud of, such as colleges and programs
ranked among the best in the nation and a record-setting football team.
How do you show your Huskie pride? Let us know.
We want to hear from you!
Send comments and letters to the editor to [email protected] or to
Northern Now, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115.
Letters to the editor may be edited for clarity and/or length.
Please include your daytime phone number.
northern
Now
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, Illinois 60115-2828
On November 13, the university community
celebrated the inauguration of Douglas
D. Baker as NIU’s 12th president. Baker’s
remarks focused on the cornerstone of his
strategic vision for the university: ensuring
student career success.
The next issue of Northern Now will
feature more on Baker’s inaugural and his
strategic vision.
Become a mentor and help a student
achieve career success. Contact the Alumni
Association to learn how: 815-753-1452,
[email protected].