ODU`s Physician Assistants: First Class

President’s Report
{ spring 2015 }
ODU’s
Physician
Assistants:
First Class
ODU Day 2015
Table of Contents
1 President’s Letter
9 University Notes
2 First Physician Assistant Graduating Class 13Center for Dominican Studies
6 ODU Giving
14Panther Corner
15Class Notes
7 Fall Commencement
20Calendar of Events
8 Spring Commencement
On the cover: Stephanie Westrick, MSPAS, PA-C participated in Ohio Dominican University’s first White Coat
Ceremony. Westrick is one of the graduates of ODU’s inaugural Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program.
Dear Alumni and Friends,
The past few months have provided several illustrations of the
remarkable progress for which our University has been preparing
in recent years. We also have seen powerful examples of our
commitment to our mission and the accomplishments of our alumni.
In December, we celebrated the graduation of our first class of
Physician Assistants (PA), a master’s program that was little more
than a dream three-and-a-half years ago and quickly came to fruition. Ohio
Dominican’s PA program was the first in Central Ohio and is now the largest in the
state. Two days before the December Commencement ceremony, I watched with
pride as these men and women participated in our first White Coat Ceremony to
receive their coveted embroidered lab coats that will show their patients and
colleagues in the years to come where they received their expert training.
We were blessed to have two outstanding Commencement speakers this year. Our
fall keynote speaker was the Most Reverend Frederick F. Campbell, D.D., Ph.D.,
Bishop of the Columbus Diocese. Bishop Campbell delivered inspiring remarks
to our graduates. We are tremendously blessed to have the bishop on our Board of
Trustees. He is a tireless advocate for our University and for the cause of Catholic
education. His insights and reflections on his academic experiences resonated with
our graduates.
This May, we were honored to have Ohio Governor John R. Kasich address our
graduates. Governor Kasich shared the story of his amazing personal connection to
our beloved late President, Sr. Mary Andrew Matesich, OP, Ph.D., while exhorting
our new alumni to be persistent and purposeful in their efforts to change the world.
This issue also includes exciting news about alumni success, and outstanding support
for our scholarship initiative. Our academic theme for the year – the Common
Good – has truly enriched the lives of our campus community through dialogue,
service and reflection. And our athletic teams continue to excel, both in and out of
the classroom.
Enjoy the good news in this issue of the President’s Report, and thank you for your
ongoing support for Ohio Dominican, Central Ohio’s Catholic university.
Warmest regards,
Peter Cimbolic, Ph.D.
President
Spring 2015 | 1
First Class
Our Inaugural Physician Assistants
Ohio Dominican University awarded
master’s degrees to the inaugural graduating
class from its Master of Science in
Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program
during its fall Commencement on
Dec. 13, 2014. The class of 45 included
two Ohio Dominican alumni, Ben
Vulhop and Kami Perdue. The graduates
took the Physician Assistant National
Certification Board Exam in January,
posting an outstanding 98-percent passage
rate. The class now has a 100-percent
pass rate.
“We are dedicated to fulfilling our program mission of graduating competent
physician assistants who will collaborate
with physicians and impact health care in
Central Ohio and beyond,” said Shonna
Riedlinger, assistant professor and director
of the MSPAS program.
Ohio Dominican launched its PA program
– the first PA program in Central Ohio
and the largest in the state – in July 2012.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital supports
the program with lecturers and internship
opportunities for our PA students.
2 | Ohio Dominican University
The Association of American Medical
Colleges predicts that the United States
could experience a shortage of more than
130,000 physicians by 2025. This is one
of the reasons physician assistants are in
such demand and why they’re so important
to remedying the shortage of primary care
physicians.
“Surveys and studies consistently show
that there’s a growing need for professionals
trained in the sciences,” said ODU
President Peter Cimbolic, Ph.D. “Ohio
Dominican University is dedicated to filling
that void in Central Ohio and beyond.”
The United States Bureau of Labor
Statistics predicts an estimated 39-percent
increase in job opportunities for physician
assistants in the United States between
2008 and 2018, and a 35-percent increase
in the state of Ohio.
We’ve interviewed three of our inaugural
graduates, Ebenezer Aluma, Megan Barker
and Greg Avellana. They shared their
impressions of the program, and how the
experience and ODU impacted their lives.
Ebenezer Aluma ’14,
Ph.D., MSPAS, PA-C
Achieving His Dream
Ebenezer Aluma has wanted to practice
medicine for as long as he can remember.
Life put him on a different path and he
ended up in academia instead.
“As the years passed, it became less and
less feasible to make the seven-year
commitment to go to medical school,”
explained Aluma, who has a doctorate in
Biological Sciences from Ohio University
in Athens.
Then he read about the increasing
demand for physician assistants. He did
some research and learned that a
physician assistant (PA) program has
a much shorter training period than
medical school.
“The PA profession provided me with an
opportunity to realize my lifelong dream,”
Aluma said. “The ability to change
specialties without having to go back and
do a new residency – as a medical doctor
would – sealed it for me.”
Aluma, who originally is from Lagos,
Nigeria, has lived in Columbus for five
years. The proximity of Ohio Dominican’s
Master of Science in Physician Assistant
Studies program appealed to him because
he could remain with his family while
earning his degree.
“
My favorite memory is when a patient walked up to
me at my local grocery store to thank me for the care
that I had provided to her son two months prior during
a clinical rotation. That really was gratifying.
”
“The dedicated cadaver lab at ODU was
also a big draw for me,” Aluma added.
Ohio Dominican’s supportive community
helped him throughout the rigorous
program.
“I had good experiences with everyone
from the faculty to the janitorial staff,”
he said.
Aluma passed the national licensing
examination in February. He’s now a
physician assistant with the Chillicothe
(Ohio) VA Medical Center.
He credits the rigorous intensity of the
didactic phase of the program, the great
clinical experiences offered as well as the
excellent preceptors for preparing him for
his new career – and helping him to realize
his lifelong dream.
Spring 2015 | 3
Megan Barker ’14,
MSPAS, PA-C
“
Endless Possibilities
My best memories are of the people I’ve met along
the way. I have felt fortunate to know such caring
faculty, been taught by smart, openhearted preceptors,
and learned alongside classmates who have become
lifelong friends.
Like many people, Megan Barker didn’t
know what a physician assistant was
until she was in college. Once she was
introduced to the profession, she knew
it would be a great fit for her.
The Physician Assistant Studies faculty is
a key reason Barker would recommend
the program.
“The flexibility of the career was a huge
draw,” Barker said. “Physician assistants
can work in nearly any area of medicine
and, better yet, can change their area of
specialty without additional education.
The possibilities are endless.”
Barker liked the fact that Ohio Dominican’s
Master of Science in Physician Assistant
Studies program was close to home for
the native of Dublin, a Columbus suburb.
Its newness also appealed to her.
“There was something special about being
part of the inaugural class,” Barker said.
“Our class had a unique bond with the
faculty as we were the only ones in
the program for the entire first year.”
4 | Ohio Dominican University
”
“I doubt one can find any group of faculty
as committed as the group at ODU,” she
asserted. “They will advocate for your
success, and prepare you to become an
outstanding PA.”
The profession has a great potential for
growth, especially in Ohio, and Barker
recognizes that ODU is equipped to
train future physician assistants for those
opportunities.
“I think most of my preceptors were
pleasantly surprised by how well-prepared
ODU students were for our clinical year,”
Barker commented. “With such a strong
foundation and start, I can say with
confidence that it is a great program and
will only get better.”
Greg Avellana ’14,
MSPAS, PA-C
Winning Combinations
Greg Avellana was enjoying a rewarding
career as a registered dietitian. Then he
learned about Ohio Dominican University’s Master of Science in Physician
Assistant Studies program. Enrolling in
the program was a big commitment and
Avellana shares the credit for his success
with his family.
“As a husband and father of two, it was
a challenge to balance family and school
responsibilities,” said the Wellsville, Ohio,
native. “I’m thankful for having such a
supportive family.”
In addition to his family’s support,
Avellana explained that the program –
from the faculty and staff to ODU’s
location – combined to prepare students
for successful careers as physician
assistants.
“The faculty had diverse background
experiences in education and the clinical
field,” he said. “They taught their
students, utilizing classroom and clinical
lab experiences.”
“
For me, becoming a PA not only was a good step in
my professional development but the ideal way for me
to care for even more patients and in more ways. It
was an opportunity to contribute even further.
”
“She knew exactly what the program
needed to prepare us for our clinical
rotations, our certification exams and our
future careers as PAs,” he said. “Her insight
and dedication to meet these needs cannot
be overstated.”
Avellana also noted that ODU’s location
in Ohio’s capital city of Columbus is a
key element in the PA program’s ability
to deliver a first-class medical education.
Being just minutes away from downtown
Columbus gives the program access to the
city’s major medical centers and surrounding
community centers, which Avellana noted
is an advantage for rotations and career
options after graduation.
Avellana gives credit for the PA program’s
success and rigor to its director, Shonna
Riedlinger.
Spring 2015 | 5
With Their Generous Support
Donors are Key to Students’ Success
The financial support of Ohio Dominican’s
alumni and friends is more essential than
ever. Many donors have stepped forward in
recent months to help us make significant
progress toward the funding priorities
identified in our mini-campaigns: scholarship, technology, theater renovations and
athletics.
Dr. Adolph V. Jr., L.H.D. ’11, and Anne
T. Lombardi, L.P.C.C., B.C.P. C. ’03
want to help Ohio Dominican students
faced with financial challenges stay in
school. To that end, the couple pledged
$250,000 to establish The Ohio Dominican Academic Retention Fund. The fund
is available to students in good academic
standing who are experiencing financial
issues that could prevent them from
re-enrolling. The scholarship provides
eligible students with extra money to help
pay for fees, textbooks and other educational materials. Adolph is a renowned orthopedic surgeon. Anne is the University’s
associate director of Counseling Services.
Ohio Dominican Board of Trustees
member Nancy Recchie ’73 and her
husband, Jeff Darbee, established The
Recchie-Darbee Families Endowed
Scholarship, which will grant awards to
students who have not participated in a
study abroad program. The aid will allow
them to experience an international trip.
Margie Corbett Sullivan, ODU Board of
Trustees member and niece of former faculty
member Sister Thomas Albert Corbett, OP
’35, and her husband, Michael Sullivan,
established The Michael and Margie Corbett
Sullivan Endowed Scholarship to support
students from Cristo Rey Columbus High
School who elect to attend ODU. If there
are no eligible applicants in a given year,
other students from economically disadvantaged families who demonstrate qualities of
intellectual curiosity, spirituality, hard work,
professionalism and service may apply for
the award.
Double Dominicans Michael J.
Wagenbrenner ’68 and Pauline “Polly” A.
Russ Wagenbrenner ’68 established The
Michael J. and Pauline A. Wagenbrenner
Scholarship Endowment Fund to provide
need-based assistance to deserving students.
Michael received a Distinguished Alumni
Award from ODU in 2002 and Polly has
served on the ODU Alumni Council
since 2006.
A gift from the estate of Frank Damian will
fund the installation of new turf in Panther
Stadium, as well as the construction of a
media center at the Panther Valley baseball
field. Frank was a longtime supporter of
Panther athletics. In honor of his generous
estate gift, the field at the football stadium
will be named Frank Damian Field.
Nancy Recchie ’73 and Jeff Darbee escort students
during the Spring Break 2015 trip to Rome. They
enjoy introducing ODU students to the history and
culture of Rome, Florence, Venice and Paris.
6 |
Fall Commencement
102nd Graduating Class
Congratulations, Graduates!
Ohio Dominican University welcomed
approximately 200 new alumni during
our 102nd Commencement exercise
Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014, in Alumni Hall.
The Most Reverend Frederick F. Campbell,
D.D., Ph.D., Bishop of Columbus,
delivered the Commencement address.
Bishop Campbell, who serves on ODU’s
Board of Trustees, was awarded an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters,
honoris causa.
The Commencement included the
graduation of 45 students from ODU’s
inaugural Master of Science in Physician
Assistant (PA) Studies class – the first
and largest PA program in Central Ohio.
ODU launched the program in 2012.
View photos from our fall 2014
Commencement on our website.
Spring 2015 | 7
Spring Commencement
Congratulations, Class of 2015!
Ohio Dominican University celebrated its
103rd Commencement exercise on May 9,
2015, as 278 new alumni were conferred
degrees in Alumni Hall. The ceremony
followed the Baccalaureate Mass, which
the University held in Alumni Hall earlier
that morning.
8 | Ohio Dominican University
The Commencement keynote speaker
was Ohio Governor John R. Kasich. The
University conferred on Gov. Kasich the
Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa
for his career in public service to the
people of Ohio and the nation, and his
commitment to the common good.
View photos and a video of our spring
2015 Commencement on our website.
University Notes
Addressing the Common Good
The Common Good was Ohio Dominican
University’s theme for the 2014-2015
academic year. In support of this theme,
we welcomed author, civil rights lawyer
and legal scholar, Michelle Alexander,
J.D., to campus Sept. 18, and on Feb.
12, author, motivational speaker and
children’s rights activist Conor Grennan.
Both authors autographed copies of their
books following their presentations.
Alexander’s presentation was based on her
book, “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness,”
which examines the United States’ War on
Drugs and its impact on communities of
color. “The New Jim Crow” has appeared
on The New York Times’ best-seller list
and won the 2011 NAACP Image Award
for best nonfiction. View photos and the
video from Alexander’s presentation on
our website.
Grennan is the author of The New York
Times’ best-selling memoir “Little Princes:
One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the
Lost Children of Nepal.” The book documents his efforts to reunite children who
are victims of human trafficking with
their parents. Grennan is president and
founder of Next Generation Nepal, which
is a nonprofit organization dedicated to
reconnecting children who are victims of
trafficking with their families. To date,
the organization has helped reunite nearly
300 families. View photos from Grennan’s
presentation on our website.
ODU’s Vice President for Finance,
Administration
Clair Knapp, MBA, CPA,
CBMA, joined Ohio
Dominican as its vice
president for Finance and
Administration. Knapp
manages the University’s
operating budget and
financial operations. He also oversees
several departments, including Human
Resources, Financial Aid and Auxiliary
Services, which includes the bookstore,
and conference and food service
operations.
Spring 2015 | 9
University Notes
Welcome New Faculty
Carol Blaine, Insurance & Risk Management, is a 35-year insurance industry
veteran. Her experience includes technical,
management and executive leadership
roles at Nationwide Insurance, Century
Insurance Group, Automobile Club
Insurance Company and JCPenney
Casualty Insurance Company. She earned
her MBA from the Kellogg School of
Management at Northwestern University.
John “Jack” Edwards, Accounting, has
served government and not-for-profit
organizations as chief financial officer
with an emphasis on strategic planning,
accounting, financial reporting and
analysis, legal contracting, internal/
external auditing, risk management
and procurement. A certified public
accountant and licensed attorney,
Edwards has assisted individuals and
small businesses in taxation, financial
planning and legal issues.
Julie Fetch, Physician Assistant Studies,
has taught in ODU’s Physician Assistant
Studies program since the fall of 2013.
She earned her bachelor’s degree at
St. Mary’s College and her Master of
Science in Physician Assistant Studies at
Philadelphia University.
Dawn Hill, Accounting, started as an
adjunct with Ohio Dominican in 2011.
Hill has taught accounting courses such
as Accounting for Financial Decision
Making and Accounting for Managerial
Decision Making. She is an active
member of the Ohio Society of CPAs
and the American Institute of CPAs.
10 | Ohio Dominican University
Aimee Simonet-Haywood ’11, ’13,
Sport Management, started as an adjunct
in 2012. She is an experienced soccer
coach, having coached the women’s
teams at Denison University and Ohio
Dominican. As an undergraduate at
ODU, Simonet-Haywood served as
team captain and was an All-Conference
Selection for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
For more information on our distinguished faculty, please visit our website.
New Members on Board
Karen S. Days is president of The
Center for Family Safety and Healing. A
Columbus native, Days holds a bachelor’s
degree in Criminology/Criminal Justice
from The Ohio State University and an
MBA from Ohio Dominican University.
She was elected to ODU’s board in
December 2013.
Annie T. Gallagher is president of
Gallagher Consulting Group, a strategy
and communications firm in Columbus.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Journalism from The Ohio State
University, and a master’s degree in
Communication and Leadership Studies
from Gonzaga University.
James (Matt) Yuskewich ’74, CPA, PFS,
CGMA is a partner with the local public
accounting firm Winterset CPA Group,
Inc. His role at the firm involves managing client audit and tax engagements
particularly with closely held businesses.
Yuskewich is a member of the American
Institute of CPAs and the Ohio Society of
CPAs. The University honored him with
a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2014.
University Notes
ODU’s Executive Director of
Leadership & Major Gifts
Ohio Dominican
welcomes Steven A. Miller
as its executive director of
Leadership & Major Gifts.
Miller, who grew up in the
St. Thomas the Apostle
community close to ODU,
is responsible for identifying
and cultivating major and planned gifts to
benefit ODU students, and advancing the
University’s mission.
VITA Program Returns
For the ninth consecutive year, ODU’s
Accounting students and faculty
participated in the Volunteer Income
Tax Assistance (VITA) program. They
prepared 203 state and federal income
tax returns, and processed $113,088 in
refunds. VITA is a community service
that offers free tax help to people with
low-to-moderate income (generally
$51,000 and below). Through this
program, Accounting students assist with
special credits, including earned income
tax credit, child tax credit and credit for
the elderly. The service saved clients an
estimated $50,000 in tax preparation fees.
This year, Accounting professors John
Edwards and Dawn Hill supervised the
program. Since first offering the
VITA program in 2007, ODU faculty
and students have helped prepare 2,336
tax returns.
Encounter Columbus at ODU
ODU hosted Encounter Columbus
Eucharistic Worship Nights on Jan. 21
and May 2. More than 400 college and
high school students from across the
Diocese of Columbus attended the free
events. Dan DeMatte ’07, director of
Youth Ministry at St. Catharine of Siena,
served as the event’s January keynote
speaker. ODU chaplain, Father Thomas
Blau, OP, resided at the exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament in Matesich Theatre.
Brendan O’Rourke was the May keynote
speaker. Read more about the events,
and view the video and pictures on our
website.
Spring 2015 | 11
University Notes
Alumna Earns Award from Catholic
Colleges & Universities
Sandra M. Estanek ’73, Ph.D. received
the 2015 President’s Distinguished
Service Award from the Association
of Catholic Colleges and Universities
(ACCU). The award is presented to an
individual whose personal service is of
exceptional quality to Catholic higher
education, someone who has significantly
promoted Catholic higher education
through public advocacy, and has
advanced Catholic higher education
through philanthropy or voluntary
development activities.
Estanek is a professor of graduate
education and leadership, and director
of the College Student Personnel
Administration Program at Canisius
College in Buffalo, New York. She was
the founding director of what is now the
Association for Student Affairs at Catholic
Colleges and Universities. Estanek was
the driving force behind the Principles
of Good Practice for Student Affairs at
Catholic Colleges and Universities
project, for which she worked with
ACCU to secure a grant and lead a retreat
to draft the principles. Estanek then
co-wrote the first and second edition of
the resulting document, which continues
to serve as the gold standard among
student affairs professionals at Catholic
institutions.
Alumnus Named Among Insurance
Industry’s Hot 100
Jonathan Michael ’77 made Insurance
Business America magazine’s Hot 100 list
for 2015. This annual list recognizes the
100 most influential people in the
12 | Ohio Dominican University
insurance industry throughout the past
year. Peers nominate the industry
professionals and Insurance Business
America magazine’s editorial panel
chooses honorees for the list.
“These are true thought leaders and
influencers in our industry,” said IBA
senior journalist Caitlin Bronson. “This
list is very much a who’s-who of power
players and innovators in insurance.”
Michael, who came to Ohio Dominican
from Bishop Ready High School
(Columbus) is president, chairman and
chief executive officer of RLI Corp., a
specialty insurance company based in
Peoria, Illinois. He also is a member of
Ohio Dominican’s Board of Trustees and
a leading benefactor to ODU Athletics.
Alumnus Ordained as Transitional
Deacon
The Most Reverend Frederick F. Campbell,
D.D., Ph.D., Bishop of Columbus,
ordained Ohio Dominican alumnus
Mr. Reverend Jeremiah Guappone ’10 as
a transitional deacon for the Diocese of
Columbus on May 1, 2015, at St. Joseph
Cathedral. Guappone served his first
Mass as deacon in the University’s Christ
the King Chapel in Sansbury Hall on
May 2. Guappone is very involved in
many capacities at Ohio Dominican,
including his service as a member of
the Alumni Association Council. In the
program for his first homily, Guappone
wrote that it was during his time as a
student at ODU that he first heard our
Lord’s call to pursue a vocation to the
holy priesthood.
Center For Dominican Studies
Living the
Dominican Charism
This academic year closes out the 10th
anniversary of the Center for Dominican
Studies. We continue to support the
mission of promoting the Dominican
charism of preaching in its many forms.
During the 2014-2015 academic year, we
hosted a variety of programs centering on
the Common Good, this academic year’s
core value, in collaboration with other
University departments.
We continue to focus on the Dominican
motto, “To contemplate truth and
to share with others the fruits of this
contemplation.” To further this end, we
relied on University professors for our fall
series of lectures. Outside speakers of
national and international prominence
joined us for Dominican feasts: St. Albert
the Great, St. Thomas Aquinas and St.
Catherine of Siena.
initiative was to swell that number
and we did. Seven members of the
ODU community stepped forward
to join us to further the Dominican
charism at Ohio Dominican in a more
specific way. The group consists of three
faculty members, three staff persons and
one graduate student.
Ohio Dominican was founded as a
Catholic Dominican university by the
Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the
Springs (now the Dominican Sisters
of Peace) 104 years ago. The spirit of
St. Dominic and his search for truth are
the driving forces of the University.
Peace to all.
Sister Matthias Sterner, OP, M.A., director
of the Center for Dominican Studies
Sister Joan Franks, OP, Ph.D. ’64, vice
president for Mission & Identity
Other endeavors included our annual
Essay Contest for which students
reflected on our common core theme
for their papers.
During the Lenten season, we hosted
eight brown bag gatherings. For each
gathering, participants viewed a program
from a “Living the Questions” DVD
series as the basis for our discussions.
We introduced a faculty and staff retreat
inviting reflections on “Catholic Identity
in a Cross Stressed World,” led by Father
John Corbett, OP, S.T.B., S.T.L., Ph.D.
On our faculty, we are blessed to have
five members who are Associates of
the Dominican Sisters of Peace. A new
Spring 2015 | 13
Panther Corner
Softball Swings to 800th Win
With a 5-1 victory over the Wayne State
University Warriors on April 24, 2015,
ODU’s softball team won its 800th game
in the program’s 31-year history. The team
wrapped up its season on Senior Day,
April 25, 2015, against Saginaw Valley
State at Panther Field.
College Football Coach of the Year, behind
The Ohio State University’s Urban Meyer.
Conley earned one first-place vote and 24
total points to Meyer’s 22 first-place votes
and 67 points. Head coaches across the
state vote in the Dispatch poll.
Save the Date: Aug. 6, 2015
Four softball Panthers earned All-GLIAC
awards: Taylor Kline (Bellville, Ohio) is
the GLIAC Freshman of the Year and
was joined by sophomore Kelly Wallace
(Oshkosh, Wisconsin) as a First-Team
All-GLIAC selection. Seniors Brandis
Fishel (Gahanna, Ohio) and Taylor
Thomas (Bellville, Ohio) earned Honorable Mention All-GLIAC accolades.
Gerry Faust to Keynote Black &
Gold Club Kickoff
Read more about the Panther softball
season on our website.
When: 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015
Where: ODU’s Alumni Hall
1216 Sunbury Road
Columbus, OH 43219
Football Back in Playoffs
ODU’s football team ended its season as
one of the top eight teams in the nation,
after qualifying for the playoffs for the
second consecutive year. The team
concluded its 2014 season with an 11-2
record. The 11 wins represent the most
for the team since joining NCAA Division II in 2010 and the most by a Panther
team since 2007. However, the Panthers
fell 31-28 at No. 8 Colorado State-Pueblo
in the NCAA Super Region Four final on
Dec. 6.
Going into next season, Ohio Dominican’s
football team is ranked No. 4 in the final
D2Football.com Top 25 poll.
Conley Runner Up for Football
Coach of the Year
Football Head Coach Bill Conley finished
as the runner up for the Dispatch Ohio
14 | Ohio Dominican University
Legendary high school and college
football coach Gerry Faust headlines Ohio Dominican University’s
sixth annual Nationwide Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Black &
Gold Club Kickoff dinner and auction
celebrating student-athletes.
From 1962 to 1980, Faust was the head
football coach at Moeller High School
in Cincinnati where he won four High
School Football National Championships.
His record and sound ethics convinced
the University of Notre Dame to hire him
as its head football coach in 1981. Faust
led the Fighting Irish until 1985. He later
served as head football coach at the University of Akron from 1986 to 1994.
The Black & Gold Club Kickoff supports
ODU student-athletes, coaches and teams.
Bid on a variety of auction items, including vacation packages, hotel stays, themed
gift baskets and more.
Visit our Black & Gold Club Kickoff
website for details, and to view photos and
video from the 2014 event.
Class Notes
Send Us Your News!
Alumni, have you been promoted recently?
Have you received a professional or
community service award? Do you have
any other news you’d like to share? Please
let us know. We value your submissions
and want to keep in touch with you. You
can submit your news by:
• Email; or
• Online; or
• Phone at 614-253-3502.
The following Class Notes were received
between November 2014 and May 2015.
NEWS
70s
Martha Johnson Miller ’71 has been
elected to serve as the 2015-2017 Thurber
House board president. Miller is most
inspired by the Thurber House mission:
where laughing, learning and literature
meet.
Gregory Hugh McDonald ’72 joined the
organ staff at the Marion Palace Theatre,
providing concerts for tour groups.
Linda Nowak Casey ’73 retired from
Marathon Petroleum Company after
40 years of service.
Jori Jex ’77 is executive director of the
Valentine Theatre in Toledo, Ohio. Jori
is a member of the University’s Sr. Mary
Andrew Matesich, OP, Theatre Restoration Committee, which is securing $3.8
million to renovate the historic site.
Mona McKinniss ’78 was named one
of 20 Outstanding Women by Sunny
95 radio station in Columbus for 2015.
In 2009, Mona opened Colony Cats
Adoption Center, where she took in feral
or stray cats. Now, six years later, she has
175 volunteers. Her center has helped to
sterilize 9,500 cats and find permanent
homes for 7,500 cats.
Spring 2015 | 15
Class Notes
Carolyn Givens ’79 is executive
director at Neil Kennedy Recovery Clinic
in Youngstown, Ohio. The clinic helps
people recover from alcohol and drug
addiction. Carolyn was featured in a news
article in the Youngstown Vindicator,
discussing her work and what she hopes
to accomplish as executive director.
Givens’ work and her passion are to “help
people with behavioral issues.”
80s
Lt. Col. William Clayton Bennett Jr.
’82 is chief deputy of Operations at the
Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office in Chesapeake,
Va. This promotion makes him the
highest-ranking African American of all
time in that office.
Maureen Mock Beck ’84 is principal of
Lancaster Fisher Catholic High School.
90s
Michelle Brown Glickman ’93 is
producing a documentary about health
care and children.
Steve Polovick ’94 was re-appointed
for a three-year term to the Association
of Social Work Board Bylaws and
Regulations Committee. Polovick, an
adolescent therapist with Pomegranate
Health Systems, is finishing his final term
as board chair with the State of Ohio,
Social Worker, and Marriage and Family
Therapists Board.
John V. Stewart ’98 published a book,
“The Piping of Being Human.”
00s
Lisa Burns Tinsley’s ’00 first book,
“Mixed Emotions,” was released Feb. 10,
2015. Lisa also is seeking her doctorate
of Education in Teacher Leadership from
Walden University. Her dissertation is on
novice teacher attrition.
Paula Frey Vertikoff ’02 is assistant
principal for Indian Trail Elementary
School in Canal Winchester, Ohio.
Celia Emmelhainz ’05 has received the
August Alpers Award from Kent State
University’s School of Library and
Information Science. This award is given
to a student who contributes the most to
the school, while maintaining a good grade
point average.
Latasha McGee Thelemaque ’07 is
assistant vice president in the Compliance
Department at BankUnited in Miami.
16 | Ohio Dominican University
Class Notes
Bradshaw Rescola ’07 is an auditor and
bank officer with FirstMerit Corporation’s
audit services section.
Michael Robinson ’07 is a senior
consultant for Strategy & Planning with
Nationwide Retirement Institute.
Theresa Ebbrecht Jenkins ’08 is the
religion teacher/campus minister at
Bishop Rosecrans Catholic High School
in Zanesville, Ohio.
Phillip Hankins ’08 coached his former
high school tennis coach, Ron Derry, to
the Blind Masters golf championship in
Mount Kisco, New York.
Jessica Carrier ’09 studied the
ecosystems, unique desert plants and
diversity of life at the Bahía de los Ángeles
UNESCO World Heritage site, and in the
crystal blue waters of the Sea of Cortez.
Jessica, a ninth-grade and AP chemistry
teacher at Korean International School in
Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea, also
took the graduate course in pursuit of her
master’s degree from Miami University’s
Global Field Program.
Jonathan McKay ’09 was elected to
Wilmington, Ohio, City Council’s 1st
ward in the May 5 election.
10s
Brittany Browne ’10 began her studies
at Capital University Law School in
Columbus.
Lauren Wertz ’10 accepted a position in
development with an art museum in San
Francisco.
Kayla Walton ’11, a sixth grade teacher
at St. Mary School in Columbus (German
Village), will serve as interim principal
beginning July 1, 2015. In addition, Kayla
wrote the column “Childlike Faith” for
the Feb. 22, 2015, edition of the Catholic
Times. It appears on page 11. You can
access the newspaper here.
Katie Hoelscher ’12 earned her master’s
degree in Pastoral Ministry from the
University of Dayton. She is now the
director of Religious Education with Sacred
Hearts Church in Cardington, Ohio.
McQuetta Williams ’13, is the founder
and editor-in-chief of EnVision Proven
Success, a forum for disadvantaged
women to share struggles and successes,
and to strengthen their resources.
Nellie Krumlauf ’13, founder and
president of Nellie’s Catwalk for Kids, is
one of Columbus Business First’s 2015
Forty Under 40.
ENGAGEMENTS
Evan Chaloupka and Kayla Grise ’12 are
engaged. They will be married on June
27, 2015.
Nellie Krumlauf ’13 and Jared Corriveau
are engaged and planning a September
2015 wedding.
BIRTHS
Amelia Morgan and Anna McKenna,
Dec. 8, 2014, to John Sutherland ’93
and Jennifer Myers Sutherland ’95
Spring 2015 | 17
Class Notes
IN MEMORIAM: Alumni
Mary Adams Brooks ’77, Dec. 23, 2014
Sister Nancy McAward, OP ’58,
Nov. 14, 2014
Patricia “Patsy” Coll Morrow ’49,
Dec. 3, 2014
Margaret McNary Ilg ’48, Jan. 18, 2015
Victoria Culp ’74, Jan. 11, 2015
Ann Davis Shover ’70, Jan. 2, 2015
Catherine Fox Londergan ’49, Feb. 9,
2015, mother of Erin Londergan Morris
’79
Carole Frommeyer ’08, Dec. 4, 2014
Mary Gaines Kestel ’80, March 14, 2015
Joseph Gallen Jr. ’71, May 3, 2015
Richard Golden ’69, March 8, 2015
Steve V. Hall ’98, Feb. 17, 2015
Ruth Harwick Naegele ’36, Dec. 21,
2014, mother of Don Naegele ’71
Carolyn Haas Farrell ’59, Jan. 18, 2015
Robert Henry Jr. ’08, Jan. 11, 2015
Patricia Lacey O’Donohue ’48, Dec. 11,
2014
Marcella Nolze ’73, Jan. 27, 2015
Patricia Ann Preston ’52, Jan. 9, 2015
Julia Alicia Ratti ’50, Nov. 29, 2014
Martha Allison Rieser ’47, Dec. 25,
2014
Isabel Trosper Siers ’85, Dec. 21, 2014,
mother of Donna Siers Goodhart ’81
and of Matthew Siers ’13; and grandmother of Nicholas Siers ’06 and of
Kathryn Siers ’12
Sister Mary Michael Spangler, OP ’45,
Nov. 22, 2014
Bill Sprit ’97, March 21, 2015
Martha Sullivan ’43, Jan. 24, 2015, former
member ODU’s Board of Trustees
Robert “Bob” A. Vogel Sr. ’68, Jan. 28,
2015, husband of Anita Schussler Vogel
’66
Martha Lang Carter ’64, Feb. 19, 2015,
sister of MaryAnn Lang McCarrick ’51
Magdaline “Maggie” Weiland Rieser
’45, Dec. 25, 2014, sister of Rose
Weiland Crane ’54
Deborah Lemly Jones ’14, Nov. 24,
2014
Sarita Wyland Wollenhaupt Blantz ’45,
Nov. 21, 2014
Amy Longar ’96, Dec. 26, 2014
William P. Wood ’69, May 4, 2015
Sister Rita Agnes Masse, OP ’53,
Nov. 16, 2014
Mary Catherine Zang ’53, Jan. 25,
2015, sister of Margaret Zang Kozelek
’55 and Agatha Zang Gary ’57
Kevin Mathias ’08, Nov. 30, 2014
18 | Ohio Dominican University
Cornelia “Connie” Zeier Cashman ’63,
Jan. 19, 2015, sister of Toni Zeier ’59
Class Notes
IN MEMORIAM: Friends of ODU
Ann Doyle, Dec. 26, 2014, mother of
Christopher Doyle ’76 and grandmother
of Jennifer Doyle Wilson ’05
Jeanine Emrich, March 20, 2015, mother
of Scott Pharion ’74
Maxine Gehring, Dec. 21, 2014, mother
of Chuck Gehring, ODU Board of
Trustees member
Jim Lawler, Jan. 29, 2015, brother of
Pat Lawler Sullivan ’44
Anthony Luzio Jr., July 4, 2005, son of
Anthony ’73 and Carla Decker Luzio
’76
Fr. William Metzger, Nov. 4, 2014,
brother of Mary Anne Metzger ’60
Gerald L. Robinson, Feb. 24, 2015,
husband of Anna Marie Robinson
Frederick H. Simmonds Jr., father of
Rick Simmonds ’85 and father-in-law of
Beth Bohley Simmonds ’85
Dick Snide, April 30, 2015, father-in-law
of Lisa Ritchey Snide ’86 and father of
Tom Snide
Kathryn Squeo, March 13, 2015, mother
of Jane Squeo Beale ’69
Louise Matesich, March 14, 2015,
mother of John and Jim Matesich
Spring 2015 | 19
Calendar of Events
Calendar of Events
Contacts
Alumni: Christie Flood Weiner ’90
614-253-3502
[email protected]
Center for Dominican Studies
Panther Sports
Wehrle Gallery
Mark your calendars!
24/7/365: Ohio Dominican
Fund-A-Need
Alumni and friends are essential to Ohio
Dominican’s success. Please help ODU
remain strong and vibrant by making an
online gift to help ODU’s Greatest Needs.
A gift at whatever level you are most
comfortable would be appreciated. Your
online gift is safe and secure. You can mail
a check or money order made payable to
Ohio Dominican University. Please write
“ODU Fund” in the memo line and mail
it to Ohio Dominican University, Office
of University Advancement, 1216 Sunbury
Road, Columbus, OH 43219. Your
degree is enhanced with national
rankings that gauge alumni support and
total alumni participation.
May 3-June 28
Senior Art Exhibition: Details
Wehrle Gallery
June 26-27
Reunion Weekend
Class years: 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960,
1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990 and
1995
20 | Ohio Dominican University
Aug. 6
Sixth Annual Black & Gold Club Kickoff
6 p.m., Alumni Hall
Oct. 2
ODU Athletics Hall of Fame Induction
Oct. 3
Homecoming Weekend 2015
Panthers v. Lake Erie
Oct. 5
Happy 104th Birthday, ODU
Day of Giving
Donate Online
Oct. 8
Founders Day Mass
Christ the King Chapel
Sansbury Hall
Dec. 1
Tree Lighting & Lessons and Carols
6 p.m., Christ the King Chapel,
Sansbury Hall
Dec. 12
104th Commencement Exercises
11 a.m., Alumni Hall
Dec. 25
Have a Blessed & Joyous Christmas.
1216 Sunbury Road | Columbus, Ohio 43219-2099 | ohiodominican.edu | 614.251.4500 | 800.955.6446
Founded by the Dominican Sisters of Peace.