June 2002 - Frederick D. Hill Archives

Portico
Portico
June 2002
A publication of the University of Indianapolis
Joanna Skotadis of Hammond,
Indiana, shows off a winning
smile and a commemorative
Centennial Coke after the
University’s 97th Commencement
exercises on May 4, 2002.
Joanna, who graduated with a
Bachelor of Science degree, was
among the more than 700
graduates to earn a University of
Indianapolis diploma this year.
After the ceremony, each graduate
was handed a souvenir CocaCola bottle emblazoned with the
Centennial logo, courtesy of the
Alumni Association. For more on
Commencement, see page 16.
Help us blow out our 100 candles!
It’s hard to believe, but we are almost halfway through our Centennial year. As I write, we are just days away from
one of the milestone events of any year on campus, but especially of 2002: Alumni Weekend, May 31–June 2, is the
first opportunity for many of you to come back for a Centennial-specific event, and Alumni Director Monica Woods
and her staff are hard at work attending to the myriad details that will make the weekend another great success.
One of the highlights of Alumni Weekend this year is the “Celebrating the Presidents” dinner and reception,
where each of my six predecessors in the president’s office will be honored for their innumerable contributions to
the University. We have invited representatives of the family of John T. Roberts (1905–1908), I. J. Good (1915–1944),
and I. Lynd Esch (1945–1970) to join us that evening. Unfortunately, no family members can be found for our
second president, Lewis D. Bonebrake (1909–1915). But emeriti presidents Gene E. Sease (1970–1988) and G.
Benjamin Lantz, Jr. (1988–1998) will be with us to share memories of their time in office and will be joined by
members of their families for the occasion. A beautifully framed and matted print has been created in honor of
each president; it displays our Centennial logo, the names and tenures of each president, and a specially cast
presidential medallion.
Another special gift for the presidents or their families is an autographed copy of Dr. Fred Hill’s book,
‘Downright Devotion to the Cause’: A History of the University of Indianapolis and its Legacy of Service. Completed just in
time for the Centennial celebration, ‘Downright Devotion’ is an impressively researched and written work that
illuminates the incredible challenges, sacrifices, and successes of the individuals who have led and supported the
University throughout its first century. A more fitting gift for the “Celebrating the Presidents” event or more
illuminating glimpse of our history would be difficult to imagine. I commend this book to you; it is available in both
hardback and paperback editions at the university bookstore. Dr. Hill, history professor emeritus, will be signing
copies at some Centennial functions as well.
Whether or not you were able to join us for Alumni Weekend, I fervently hope you’ll come to campus for our
many October events the week of the 6th to the 14th. Dubbed “Homecoming: The Centennial Edition,” the week
will be launched when alumni are invited to join the congregation of the University Heights United Methodist
Church for a worship service at 10 a.m. Sunday, October 6. We’ll then commemorate the University’s founding with
a plaque to be installed on the lawn of Good Hall on what will be the 100th anniversary of the date our first trustees
signed the articles of incorporation (followed by coffee at the Stierwalt Alumni House). After a week of mostly
student-oriented festivities, Homecoming Day on October 12 will feature a number of reunions of academic
departments and organizations, the traditional football game, and a picnic on Smith Mall for the University family
and guests, where a DJ will play music from every era of our history. Then we’ll pause to dedicate a Centennial
sculpture, rendered in glass by artist Beverly Precious (a work specially commissioned by a donor who wishes to
remain anonymous), in a Centennial garden on the Krannert Memorial Library lawn. Finally, Homecoming will
culminate in an evening dedicated to the arts in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center.
As you no doubt know by now, I have issued a challenge to all of our 18,000 alumni to “touch” campus at least
once during our Centennial year, either with a real or virtual visit. If you need even more incentive to return, remember that if you haven’t seen this changing, flourishing campus lately, you haven’t seen it at all! You have much reason to
be proud of your alma mater, and as the University’s stature continues to grow, so does the value of your diploma.
You’ll soon be hearing much more about the October celebration. You are an important part of our history. I
hope you’ll be on campus for this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Portico
Portico
Portico is a quarterly publication
of the University of Indianapolis
for alumni, parents of students,
and friends of the university.
University Editor
R. Peter Noot ’77 ’84
Art Director
Jeannine R. Allen
Assistant Director, Publications
Jennifer L. Huber
Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s
Director, Alumni Relations
Monica Woods
Alumni Relations Coordinator
Rosalie Fletcher
Departments
Alumni News
Activities of the Alumni Association
4
Campus Life
What’s happening on campus
11
Sports Update
News of the Greyhound athletic program
18
Portfolio
Lynn Youngblood is back! Or is he?
21
Class Notes
22
Amy Alexander ’03, Dawn Debona ’04,
Class Notes
Births, obituaries, weddings, and more
Features
‘The Full Monkey’
Elliott Feltman’s career path has been wildly unpredictable
13
2002 Commencement Highlights
University graduates more than 700 from 18 degree programs
16
Reflections from a board president
Shelley Voelz looks back at her two-year term
21
Please address correspondence and changes of address to the
Office of Alumni Relations, 1400 East Hanna Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46227
2002-2003 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Oscar Gardner ’74, President
Cindy Blackburn Bickel ’94 ’98,
President-elect
Shelley Armstrong Voelz ’80 ’83,
Immediate Past President
James Wernke ’80 ’87, Secretary
Mark Adams ’78
Steve Boggs ’82
Haldon Cole ’54
Tamiko Madden Grier ’90
J. D. Hamilton ’94
Mariel High ’99
Brian Martin ’88
Lora McCormick ’97
James McGovern ’93
Julie Seward ’89
Jamie Melfi Shellenberger ’90
Shariq Siddiqui ’96
Kelli Carr Silcox ’97 ’98
Gena Atwood Smith ’97
John G. Smith ’97
Amber Harrison Stearns ’95
Vicky Swank ’78 ’80 ’99
David Swift ’72
Todd Sturgeon ’94
Brett Williams ’94
James Wilson ’69, ’87
John Winkler ’63
Amy Buskirk Zent ’58
H i g h l i g h t s
o f
r e c e n t
CAMP ALUMNI: ‘FINDING OUR TRUE NORTH’
March 9
Stierwalt Alumni House
Alumni
News
Celebrate the Centennial
a l u m n i
e v e n t s
university (built on green stuff which represents
money). There is a learning foundation for the
students and alumni reach out to them also. When they
reach out and work together combining love (red clay),
optimism (white clay), money (green clay), passion
(pink clay), and authority (black clay), they rise to new
heights of success.” John added an antenna on the top
of this foundation representing U of I rising to new
levels on the solid foundation alumni build upon.
Oscar Gardner ’74, president-elect, put it more simply
by shaping colored pipe cleaners into the message
“We love U of I.”
By the end of the daylong retreat, a draft vision
and mission statement had been crafted as had retooled
goals and objectives. And the dialogue did not stop
there as directors continued their self-analysis through
the use of Blackboard, a campus Web-based software
teaching tool, where on-line discussions ensued. A final
draft of the new vision and mission statements, as well
as goals and action plans, is expected soon.
by ordering your copy of
“‘Downright Devotion to the
Cause’: A History of the
University of Indianapolis
& Its Legacy of Service,”
by Dr. Fred Hill, professor
emeritus of history. To
order, call (317) 788-3228
or 1-800-232-8634 and
ask for the bookstore. Better
yet, visit campus and drop by
the bookstore in person!
4
The Alumni House was transformed into a campsite as
the 26-member Alumni Association board spent a day
at “Camp Alumni,” where the theme was “Finding Our
True North.” A facilitator led directors through a fun
and introspective day of examining the future of the
Alumni Association. With the help of Galyan’s Sporting
Goods, a makeshift campfire awaited the day campers
in the lobby of the alumni house. The campers dined
on ready-to-eat camp food and energy bars to sustain
them through the day.
And, as at any camp, directors did a craft project
in which they had to “design” the vision of the U of I
Alumni Association using clay, pipe cleaners, construction paper, and colored Popsicle sticks. The exercise
was designed to get creative juices flowing.
John Smith ’97 expressed his creativity as he
presented his vision. Said John, “Alumni are the pillars
of the community who are built on financial success
and the success they’ve had from the university. They
reach out to each other, to themselves, and to the
SENIOR SALUTE: HONORING THE CLASS OF 2002
April 7
Fountain Square Theatre, Indianapolis
President Israel, the Alumni Association and faculty
representatives honored the Class of 2002 in a special
dinner program at the beautiful Fountain Square
Theatre. The event was an opportunity to reflect on
student life at the University and to celebrate the
seniors’ academic achievements as they make the
transition at U of I from students to alumni.
Highlights included a nice dinner and music
provided by Tommy Boy Entertainment. Amber
Harrison Stearns ’95, a member of the U of I Alumni
Association board, welcomed the Class of ’02 into the
Alumni Association and encouraged them to stay
involved in their alma mater. Brian Tomlinson ’02
launched a new senior class tradition, a “senior toast,”
as they raised their glasses in honor of the moment.
Brian addressed his classmates in a heartfelt speech
urging seniors to cherish their U of I memories.
Carrie Dankoff ’02 and Nyaradzo Madzongwe ’02
presented the senior class gift to university provost
Everette Freeman, that being $8,000 of a $10,000 goal
to fund benches, in a project nicknamed “the Seat of
the Century.” The benches will be installed in a
Centennial garden for October Centennial Celebration
events on campus. On hand to present the Harvey M.
Showalter Award was Iris Showalter, widow of Harvey
Showalter ’41. The recipient, chosen from among five
finalists, was Kelly Thompson ’02, a senior from
Fairland, Ind., graduating with a degree in social work.
97TH ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES
May 4
Nicoson Hall, campus
of English and acclaimed poet. All graduates received
a commemorative Coca-Cola bottle (imprinted with
the University Centennial logo and their graduation
year) from the Alumni Association. A reception on
Smith Mall followed Commencement ceremonies.
President
Israel issues
‘Centennial
Challenge’
to alumni
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY CLASS OF ’02
GRADUATION DINNER
May 25
Rathskeller Restaurant, Indianapolis
President Jerry Israel has
challenged all alumni to
“touch” the U of I campus
at least once during the
Centennial Celebration
year, January 1 through
December 31, 2002. And
you have! Alumni visitors
have been signing the
alumni guest registry book
in the Stierwalt Alumni
House as well as being
“virtual visitors” by visiting
the Centennial Web site.
During the first quarter of
2002, the top ten highest
percentages of alumni
visitors per class, in
descending order, are.
The Alumni Association helped send the Occupational
Therapy class of 2002 off in style. The class gathered
for probably the last time, as new grads will complete
clinical academic requirements at sites all over the
country before seeking employment. Joining in the fun
were families as well as faculty members.
‘CELEBRATING THE PRESIDENTS’ CENTENNIAL DINNER
May 31
Schwitzer Center, campus
Alumni and friends gathered in Ober Dining Hall for a
Centennial Celebration honoring the University’s seven
presidents, three of whom are still living. Descendants
represented the presidents who have passed away.
Alumni who served as student presidential assistants
were also special guests. Watch the next issue of Portico
for more on this event.
ALUMNI WEEKEND 2002
June 1-2
Campus
The 97th Annual Commencement Ceremony was
held in Nicoson Hall, with overflow seating in the
air-conditioned Ransburg Auditorium via a live closedcircuit broadcast. Delivering the Commencement
address was Alice Friman, U of I Professor Emerita
Due to Portico’s production schedule, a full summary of
this event must wait until the September issue. In the
meantime, we invite you to visit the alumni Web site to
see highlights of this event including the annual
Honors and Recognition Luncheon, reunion dinners,
the dedications of the Cory Bretz Residence Hall
(formerly North Hall) and the Sease Alumni Suite
inside the Stierwalt Alumni House.
1 ................................. 1940
2 ................................. 1955
3 ................................. 1952
4 ................................. 1957
5 ................................. 1931
6 ................................. 1949
7 ................................. 1960
8 ................................. 1961
9 ................................. 1963
10 ............................... 1937
Visit campus or log on at
http://centennial.uindy.edu,
and help your class make
the top ten list!
5
U p c o m i n g
A l u m n i
E v e n t s
YOUNG ALUMNI NETWORKING RECEPTION
June 18, 5:30–7:30 p.m.; Champps Americana, Indianapolis
FOUNDERS DAY CEREMONY AND COFFEE
11:00 a.m.–12:45 p.m , campus
Join fellow young alumni, graduates of the last 10
years, for a fun networking reception from 5:30–7:30
p.m. at the popular northside Indianapolis sports
restaurant Champps Americana. Come to enjoy
complimentary hors d’oeuvres on the outdoor deck
facing the lake and reconnect with your old friends.
This event is free, but RSVP to the Office of Alumni
Relations, (317) 788-3295, [email protected], so
that we may plan accordingly.
Join us for a brief ceremony on the lawn of Good Hall,
at noon, as we dedicate a Founders plaque celebrating
the University’s religious heritage and church affiliation,
which has endured for one hundred years. Prior to the
ceremony, gather at the Stierwalt Alumni House for
coffee and social hour. For more information, contact
David DeWitt, (317) 788-3923; [email protected].
U OF I ALUMNI NIGHT AT VICTORY FIELD
Saturday, August 17, Victory Field
Join in the fun at beautiful, award-winning Victory
Field in downtown Indianapolis for a picnic and
baseball game. This family outing at the nation’s best
minor-league ballpark, just across the street from the
brand-new Indiana State Museum and White River
State Park, has perennially been one of the favorites
among alumni of all ages. Fees include the cost of an
outdoor picnic buffet at the stadium and reserved
seating for our group. Fees are $18 for adults, $12 for
children ages 3-12; kids under age 3 are free. Registration deadline is July 31.
WELCOME WEEK FRESHMEN/ALUMNI ICE CREAM SOCIAL
2–3:30 p.m.; Saturday, August 24, campus
Come help extend a special alumni welcome to the
approximately 600 U of I freshmen during their
Welcome Week festivities with an ice cream social on
Saturday, August 24, 2:00–3:30 p.m. Served on the lawn
of the Stierwalt Alumni House, alumni and students
alike will enjoy a relaxing afternoon of music and cool
treats. This event is free, but RSVP so that we may plan
accordingly. Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at
(317) 788-3295, [email protected].
CENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION &
HOMECOMING 2002
October 12, campus
Watch your mail this summer for details of the big
birthday party celebrating our Centennial! Highlights of the day will be the Homecoming football
game at 1:00 p.m. versus Northwood, a post-game
dinner on Smith Mall, the unveiling of a specially
commissioned Centennial sculpture on the lawn of
Krannert Memorial Library, and an evening of art,
music, and and theatre in the Fine Arts Center.
Several alumni gatherings are being planned, too,
including those for Nursing, Art, Theatre, Philosophy/Religion graduates and cheerleader alumni.
KRANNERT SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL THERAPY CLASS OF
1982 BRUNCH & REUNION
Saturday, September 14; 10:30 a.m.—Noon; Stierwalt Alumni
House; campus tour immediately following; $7 per person
It’s been 20 years for the KSPT Class of 1982 alumni
and a great day of fun on campus has been planned.
Gather first at the Stierwalt Alumni House for a
delicious brunch in the new Alumni House followed
by a campus tour. Register with the Office of Alumni
Relations at (317) 788-3295 or 1-800-232-8634. For
additional information, contact your class reunion
coordinator, Dennis Whitesell at (302) 731-9100.
Web Site
Want to know what’s happening in your Alumni
Association? Get your answers 24/7 on the alumni
Web site at http://alumni.uindy.edu.
6
Send a UIndy WebCard, a virtual postcard,
to anyone with an e-mail address
Download UIndy desktop and backgrounds
Alumni e-mail directory. (Nearly 1,100 alumni
have signed on—have you?)
Alumni E-newsletter; distributed monthly
to E-mail Directory registrants
Live Campus Web Cam
View an interactive USA alumni map
On-line alumni career resources and
job postings
Take an on-line trivia quiz about your
alma mater
View current and past issues of Portico
Order U of I bookstore merchandise
Review highlights of recent alumni events
Get information about upcoming alumni events
Learn about service and discount programs
especially for alumni
Te l l P o r t i c o a l l a b o u t i t !
2002-03 officers, board members
elected to Alumni Association
The University of Indianapolis Alumni Association
recently elected new officers and four new directors
and re-elected four directors for a second term
beginning in June 2002.
Meet the new officers to lead the more than 18,000
U of I Alumni Association members: Oscar Gardner
of Murfreesboro, Tenn., will serve as U of I Alumni
Association president. Gardner is president of Professional Financial Group, a subsidiary of Indianapolisbased American United Life. He graduated from
U of I in 1974. Cynthia Blackburn Bickel of Fishers
will serve as president-elect. She is a project manager at
Made2Manage Systems in Indianapolis and is a 1994 and
1998 graduate. James Wernke of Indianapolis will serve
as secretary to the association. He is a strategic account
executive at AES Inc./IPALCO, Indianapolis, and was
graduated from U of I in 1980.
Joining the board are: Vicky L. Swank ’78 ’80 ’99 of
Lake Suzy, Fla. Swank is a nurse practitioner at Harborside Internal Medicine in Punta Gorda, Fla., who
earned three nursing degrees from U of I. James D.
McGovern II of Indianapolis is a sales executive for
Cigna Group Insurance in Indianapolis and graduated
in 1993 with a degree in business. Mariel Elizabeth
High ’99 of Lawrenceburg, Ind., is an elementary
teacher in Lawrenceburg Elementary Schools; Gena
Atwood Smith ’97 of New York City is a consultant for
Ray & Berndston, an executive search firm in Manhattan. Atwood majored in international business.
Re-elected for a second term are directors James
Wernke ’80; Kelli Carr Silcox ’97 of Knightstown, Ind.,
an occupational therapist at Hancock Memorial
Hospital in Greenwood; James Melfi Shellenberger ’91
of Indianapolis, a clinical rehabilitation manager at
Methodist Occupational Health; and Tamiko Madden
Grier ’90 of Indianapolis, a training team leader at
American Funds Group in Indianapolis. Outgoing
board members honored during Alumni Weekend
ceremonies include president Shelley Armstrong
Voelz ’80 ’83 and directors J. Todd Vaught ’98 and
Chris Walsh ’91.
Alumni board meeting dates for 2002-03, open
to all alumni, at the Stierwalt Alumni House and
are as follows:
August 24, 2002, 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
November 16, 2002, 9:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
February 15, 2003, 2:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
April 9, 2003, 3:00–5:00 p.m., via conference call
Tell us about the important milestones in your life and we’ll pass the news on to your
classmates! Use this form to submit information about a wedding, new child, new job or
promotion, honors and achievements, and any other news you want to share. Photos are
welcome and may be published if space allows. When you send news of weddings, please
include wedding date, spouse name, and occupations. When you share birth announcements, please include the baby’s full name, birth date, and any siblings at home.
First, Middle/Maiden, & Last Name: ___________________________________________________________________
Grad Year: _______________ E-mail Address: ____________________________________________________________
Please include me in the alumni E-mail directory.
Preferred Mailing Address:
home
work
NEW HOME INFORMATION
Street Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip Code: ________________________________________________________________________________
Country: ______________________________________ Phone: (_______) ___________________________________
Fax: __________________________________________ E-mail: _____________________________________________
NEW EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
Employer Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________
Job Title: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Street Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip Code: ________________________________________________________________________________
Country: ____________________________________________ Phone: (_______) ______________________________
Fax: ________________________________________________ E-mail: ________________________________________
NEWS TO SHARE:
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Check if a photo is enclosed.
RETURN TO:
Office of Alumni Relations / University of Indianapolis
1400 East Hanna Avenue / Indianapolis, IN 46227-3697
(317) 788-3295 / Fax: (317) 788-3300
1-800-232-8634 / [email protected]
PORT0602
Graduate heeds film advice that
his future is in ‘Plastics’
“I went to I.C.C. because of
professor emeritus of art Earl
Snellenberger,” said Rockhold.
“He was my high school art
teacher at Arlington High
School in Indianapolis and
I followed him to I.C.C.”
8
Remember the famous advice given in the 1967 movie
The Graduate? Benjamin Braddock, portrayed by actor
Dustin Hoffman, was told emphatically that his future
was in “Plastics!” For Douglas Rockhold ’73, this was a
solid piece of advice.
Today, Rockhold and his partner, Hugh Mras,
operates his 12-year-old business, D & H Acrylic Designs,
a plastic fabrication specialty company on Indy’s near
east side. With only four full-time employees, the two
partners have carved out a unique niche, one of only
a few in the country to fabricate acrylic by hand rather
than by injection molding.
“I worked several jobs after graduating from I.C.C.
(now U of I), having earned a B.S. degree in art in
1973,” said Rockhold. After a series of desk jobs, he
went to work for a local plastics company in the 1980s.
“I enjoyed the work and thought I could do this on
my own, so I started my own company,” he said. “I like
keeping the company small and personal. It also allows
me to be flexible and responsive to my customers’
needs,” he added. This strategy serves him and his
clients equally well.
He relies on his design work combined with his
skills as an artist to match his client’s ideas of what they
are asking for. “I listen carefully to my clients, do some
sketches, and fax back and forth to get close to what
they are desiring,” he said. “Then I create a threedimensional custom acrylic design prototype. Once I
determine a price per unit, and the client gets their
approval to purchase, we go into production mode,”
said Rockhold. Some jobs are as simple as 15 minutes,
while others take several weeks.
“I like working with plastic,” Rockhold says. “I’ve
toyed with making acrylic sculptures, but the problem
is that in a few years, the extractive oil ingredients used
in the manufacturing process turn the design a dingy
brown. Most clients choose acrylic over glass because it
does not cost as much and makes for a nice display.”
His designs are as unique as his client list. He has
created acrylic custom shelving and merchandising
displays for the Finish Line retail stores. And when the
Indianapolis Museum of Art needed display cases for
an exhibit of ancient Oriental scrolls, they came to
Rockhold and his fabricating company for help. IMA
needed 65 10' by 4' cases that would not compromise
the integrity of the precious artifacts inside. The cases
were so customized for that specific exhibit that they
could not be used again; the museum recycled the
cases when the exhibit was over, as do most of his
clients once their displays have run their course.
About 30 percent of his business comes from the
sale of NASCAR collectible cases that hold miniature
racecars. “These nationwide customers find us through
word of mouth, but mostly through our Web site,” he said.
No two jobs are alike, judging by the wide variety
of custom jobs that have challenged Rockhold and his
company. These include such diverse projects as acrylic
pulpits for churches, a lobster tank for a grocery store,
acrylic trophies, sports memorabilia cases, and
merchandise display units in retail and banking outlets.
“We also created an electrical wire encasing unit
used in the assembly process at GM Truck and Bus in
Detroit,” said Rockhold. And when the Blind Foundation needed a special frame to aid blind artists in the
creation of oil paintings, he created an outer shell with
notches to help the artists navigate around the art
palette. The paintings created by blind artists in
Indianapolis will be on display in this summer in
Chicago’s Marshall Field’s department store with
proceeds of the sales going to benefit the blind.
“I went to I.C.C. because of Art Professor
Emeritus Earl Snellenberger,” said Rockhold. “He
was my high school art teacher at Arlington High
School in Indianapolis and I followed him to I.C.C.
I can’t imagine anyone not going to college, especially
at a liberal arts institution,” he said. “Those who don’t
go to college just don’t understand how this type of
education can enrich one’s life. I can discuss
Shakespeare and understand Freud because of my
liberal arts studies,” he added.
Rockhold's wife, Jennifer (Gearries), is a ’71 grad.
They met in New Hall while both were students. They
married at the University Heights United Methodist
Church in 1970 and have a son, Christian. Jennifer
works at National City Bank of Indiana as an AVP Float
Manager. The Rockholds have three relatives at the
University; niece Samantha Southlerland, a junior
studying special education; Jim Gearries, a senior music
major and member of Crimson Express, and great-niece
Emily Hammes, a junior studying communications on
the women’s basketball team.
“My wife and I plan to retire in a couple of years,”
said Rockhold. "We enjoy collecting rare books,
autographs, and original art, as well as golf and the
Indiana Pacers,” he said. He is also looking forward to
spending more time on his original love, painting
landscapes. Perhaps he is now listening to an inner
voice that's planning his future, much as Benjamin
Braddock's would-be mentor did: “Doug, two words.
Oil paintings!” —Monica Woods
License to Brag!
DO YOU HAVE YOUR 2002
UINDY GREYHOUND LICENSE PLATES?
As you make your summer plans, don’t forget to renew
your Greyhound license plates for 2002. All you need is
an authorization form issued by the Alumni Association
and a $10 fee, and you will be able to get your Greyhound plate for your Indiana-licensed automobile. Your
$10 fee goes directly to fund the annual Senior Salute, a
special event sponsored by the Alumni Association that
is held annually to honor the graduating class.
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has released
its first quarter sales of university and college plates. We
are on pace to once again be the fifth-highest in volume
sales behind only IU, ND, PU, and BSU. So tell your
friends, parents, co-workers, classmates, greyhound
dog owners, and other university supporters to get their
Greyhound license plate today! Let’s be sure we keep
our fifth-place spot in university plate sales by filling the
highways and roads in Indiana with cars sporting our
U of I Greyhound plates. Contact the Office of Alumni
Relations for more information at (317) 788-3295,
[email protected], or stop by the Stierwalt Alumni
House on campus 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. weekdays.
Issued in conjunction with the Indiana Bureau of
Motor Vehicles, the special plate is available to all
interested alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students, and
friends of the university, and can be used for passenger cars, recreational vehicles, and trucks weighing
Greyhound
License
less than 11,000 pounds. Indiana BMV will charge an
additional $15 at the time of issuance for each plate.
For alumni and friends living in Indiana,
Greyhound plates are a great opportunity to support
the U of I!
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
Fill out the order form
To order, complete this form. If you have vehicles
registered in different family members’ names, you
must submit a separate form for each plate
requested (you may make copies of this form).
Mail it today with your check or call the Office of
Alumni Relations to place your phone order with
MasterCard or VISA.
Return this form, your $10 payment, and a selfaddressed, stamped envelope to: University of
Indianapolis, Office of Alumni Relations, 1400 East
Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46227-3697. We
will promply return the validated form(s) to you.
Take the validated form(s) to your license branch
Take the validated form(s) to your license branch,
along with your other paperwork, and get your
Greyhound plate! It’s that easy! This form is
needed for new or renewal plate applications.
Questions?
Call the Office of
Alumni Relations
at (317) 788-3295
or 1-800-232-8634.
Questions? Call the Office of Alumni Relations at
(317) 788-3295 or 1-800-232-8634.
Plate
Order
For m
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For credit card orders, you may fax to (317) 788-3996.
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(317) 788-3295 / [email protected]
Check all appropriate boxes:
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9
‘My
Centennial
memory’
“When I left the farm to
matriculate at Indiana
Central, the president
asked, in his stern tone,
‘How much money do you
have for college?’ Well, I
had $32 and the college
got most of it. You already
guessed that this was a notfor-profit institution.
Working in the college
kitchen and other campus
places for 30 cents an hour
left me with a long climb to
solvency, a hill I did not
scale until after the war. . . .
A highlight of my campus
career came when the
college treasurer asked me
to take over the washroom
maintenance in Buxton
Hall. ‘I am confident you
can handle this,’ he said,
and I almost burst with
pride. My future wife,
Martha Dennis (class of
1947), was a student there,
and by the time she
enrolled two years after me
I had become a truly big
man on campus. She was
the most interesting subject
I ever studied, and still is.
Some dear friends from
those days continue to
enrich our lives. That $32
portfolio brought me
blessings beyond the price.”
—Carrroll Vertrees ’47
Hobart, Indiana
10
Get involved with your alma mater
Here are six ways to volunteer your time and talent to
your university by working directly with students and/
or fellow alumni.
ALUMNI / ADMISSION VOLUNTEERS
Alumni volunteers help the Office of Admissions by
contacting and congratulating students admitted to
the University of Indianapolis. These contacts allow
alumni to share their experiences and make a positive
impression on a students considering enrolling in the
University of Indianapolis. Last year, 67 alumni
volunteers made 411 potential student contacts.
Alumni also play a valuable role in the Alumni
Scholarship process. The application process
includes a letter of recommendation, preferably from
an alumna or alumnus, and many alumni proudly
fulfill this requirement and enjoy the connection
with the students. Additional alumni supporters can
also volunteer to connect with those students
awarded an Alumni Scholarship without a graduate’s
recommendation. These alumni volunteers have the
pleasure of making a personal contact to congratulate these award recipients. This personal touch often
makes the difference for a student deciding to enroll
in U of I. Annually, the alumni volunteer and the
incoming scholarship recipients and their families
are invited to the annual Alumni Chili Supper prior
to Pack-the-House Night.
ALUMNI LEGACY PROGRAM
Do you have a high school-age child, niece, nephew,
brother, sister, or other relative? If so, we would love
to help your family member become a future
University of Indianapolis graduate. Through the
cooperative efforts of the Office of Alumni Relations
and Office of Admissions, we are looking for family
members of University of Indianapolis alumni to be a
part of the larger University family. Please inform the
Office of Alumni Relations with the following
information: family member’s name, relation to you,
their complete address with e-mail if known, their
high school, and year in school. Also include your
name, grad year(s), address and e-mail.
YOUNG ALUMNI
This group is designed to meet the needs of
graduates of the last 10 years. This sector of the
alumni population comprises about one-third of the
total alumni population. They plan social events of
interest to the younger alumni population and also
work to establish an outreach program geared toward
increasing participation of recent graduates in the
annual fund. Other initiatives include supporting the
transition from undergraduate to alumni by participating in the new Senior Salute event.
ACROSS THE MILES
As a volunteer for “Across the Miles,” you would
serve as an alumni contact in your geographic area.
If your area’s alumni population is large enough,
we can discuss a gathering planned with your
assistance. Occasionally we have requests from
alumni who are relocating and want to talk to fellow
alumni in their new town. The Office of Admissions
may need help with a college recruitment fair in
your town. Academic departments sometimes need
an alumni contact in another city. These projects
are sporadic and are on an as-needed basis.
ALUMNI WELCOME AMBASSADORS TO
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
This unique Alumni Association program serves
the needs of new arriving international students.
This program, which was formerly known as the
Home-Away-From-Home Program, directly affects
international students as they are new both to this
University and to the United States. Alumni
International Ambassadors augment the services of
the University’s Office of International Programs in
extending a warm welcome to newly arriving
international students at the start of fall and spring
terms. Volunteers may be called upon to host an
international student for a holiday meal in their
home, extending hospitality while providing a living
example of American culture. The International
Ambassadors program also increases student
awareness of the Alumni Association.
GREYHOUND CONNECTION PROGRAM
Are you interested in being an alumni contact
within your organization or profession? Would
you be able to recommend U of I grads for job
openings or be a source of internships for undergraduates? As a Greyhound Connection volunteer,
you may be asked to provide a brief one-hour-orless mentoring session to a U of I student or
alumnus/a who seeks employment in your
profession. Help be the eyes and ears for your
alma mater in finding jobs and internships for
U of I students and alumni.
Faculty/staff update
Dr. Bill Ayres (director, International Relations)
presented a paper titled “Differences in Media Coverage
of Foreign Policy Objectives: A Comparison of New York
Times Coverage of Bush’s Gulf and Panama Crisis
Decisions” to the Annual Convention of the International Studies Association in New Orleans in March. The
paper was written with Nathalie Frensley of the De Witt
Wallace Center for Communications and Journalism at
Duke University. Dr. Ayres also chaired a panel at an
International Symposium on “The Cyprus Problem and
Cyprus’ Accession to the European Union” held at
Intercollege in Nicosia, Cyprus, in April.
During the 2001 fall semester, Jo Ann Domb
(chair, Music) served as an accreditation team chair
to the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and to the
Universidad de Montemorelos in Mexico, representing
the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
She is in her second term as secretary of NASM. She
also served as a consultant to the Bluffton College
Music Department in Ohio. Dr. Domb was a co-leader
of a workshop for new music executives and was the
moderator for open hearings on “Current and Future
Policy Concerns.”
Dr. Beth Domholdt (dean, Krannert School of
Physical Therapy) has been named a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy
Association. She was recognized for this accomplishment
at the Annual Conference of the American Physical
Therapy Association in Cincinnati in June.
English professor emerita Alice Friman (pictured
above with English professor emeritus Erling Peterson)
won the James Boatwright Prize for Poetry from the literary
magazine Shenandoah, published at Washington and Lee
University in Virginia. Her poem, “Otma Rood,” was
recognized as the best poem published during 2001 by the
magazine. Other poems by Friman have recently appeared
in the Georgia Review, Boulevard, and Gettysburg Review. She
was also named to the Georgia Poetry Circuit for 2001–
2002 and gave eleven readings at colleges and universities
throughout Georgia. She was the 2002 Commencement
speaker at the University of Indianapolis.
Dr. Rick Holigrocki (School of Psychological
Sciences) and Dr. Trish Kaminski from the University
of North Texas presented a paper, “Using the ParentChild Interaction Assessment to Explore Possible
Mechanisms for the Intergenerational Transmission
of Psychopathology,” at the Society for Personality
Assessment Midwinter Meeting in San Antonio, Texas,
in March 2002.
Dr. Sharon Isaac (dean, Nursing) was appointed
to the Board of Directors for Heritage Place in
February 2002.
Dr. Wesley Jones (Business) has become a faculty
advisor for the newly created campus chapter of the
American Marketing Association. Dr. Jones has also
become involved in multicultural diversity work on
campus over the past few years. Recently, he and Dr.
Bonnie Cameron (Teacher Education) presented a
paper on diversity to a national conference held at
Arizona State University.
Dr. Ellen Miller’s first article in Physical Therapy
appeared in the January 2002 issue. The paper is the
case report that she did with entry-level students Matt
Quinn and Tricia Gawlik Seddon prior to implementing her dissertation. Results from her dissertation were
published in NeuroRehabilitation in 2001.
Leslie Oleck (Nursing) successfully obtained a
grant from Midwest Health Professions Service
Learning Consortium.
Dr. Gregory Reinhardt (chair, Social Sciences)
recently returned from the 29th annual meeting of the
Alaska Anthropological Association, where he presented
his paper “Sex and Violence in Depictions of ‘Indians’,”
and a two-hour workshop titled “Artifact Photography
for Presentation and Publication.” He was also chosen
as one of two keynote speakers at the opening of the
University of San Diego’s first American Indian Festival
in April. His hour-long presentation was titled “American Indians as Non-Indians Imagine Them.”
Kelly St. Angelo (Center for Aging and Community; Nursing), Dr. Jan Cise, Dr. Kathy Koval, and Dr.
Karla Backer (Nursing) were successful in obtaining a
$25,000 grant from the Health Resources and Service
Administration to increase geriatric content in the
baccalaureate nursing program. Dr. Cise was also
awarded certification by the Biofeedback Certification
Institute of America.
Michelle Stoneburner (Modern Languages) has
completed her two-year tenure as president of the
Indiana Chapter of American Association of
Teachers of French.
Elizabeth Weber (English) was invited to read her
poetry at the IUPUI International Women's Day event
in April. Her poem “Take My Body” was quoted in an
exercise on writing in Fruitflesh: Seeds of Inspiration for
Women Who Write (San Francisco: Harper, 2002). She
also led two book discussions, one on Toni Morrison’s
The Bluest Eye in February and one in March on Rudolfo
Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima for the Speedway Public Library.
Marylynne Winslow ’99 (Admissions) spent time on
the DePauw University campus assisting students as a Red
Cross volunteer after a recent fire in a residence hall.
Campus
Life
11
Center for Aging & Community (CAC)
Nine months. That’s how long the Center has formally been in existence. After a year of strategic planning and the
completion of the Center’s feasibility study, the University has birthed the CAC, and exciting growth is underway.
Faculty from History/Political Science, Sociology, Social Work, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy,
Nursing, and Psychology are represented. Supported by a contracted Project Manager, this group works in three
teams that reflect the three focus areas of the Center:
1. Research and Consulting
2. Curriculum Development and Professional Education
3. Community Partnership: Development and Collaboration
Centers of
Excellence
HIGHLIGHTS FROM WORK ACCOMPLISHED THUS FAR:
A student/faculty lecture series presenting Gerontology topics of interest
A funding award from the Health and Human Services Administration to support gero-specific Nurse education
A CAC internal grant award to the Music Department for a special Senior Matinee presentation, with approximately 200 Seniors in attendance
Development of a “Campus Directory” that highlights services and opportunities on campus available to Seniors
The Certificate in Gerontology program has been approved, and recruitment for student enrollment for the
fall of 2002 has been initiated
The Master’s Degree in Gerontology program is almost ready to be submitted for the approval process
A poster presentation by Steering Committee Chair Beth Domholdt (Physical Therapy) and Sue Merryfield
(CAC Faculty; Occupational Therapy) was accepted for the Sixth Annual Community Campus Partnerships for
Health Conference in Miami, Florida, in May
The SouthEast Partnership with U of I continues to move forward and a team is meeting to put the use of the
building into operation
Two CAC newsletters have been published, with the third in development. This quarterly newsletter has proven
to be a great way for us to notify the community about the Center and its goals.
Leslie Oleck (CAC Faculty; Nursing) was awarded funding to conduct “A Survey of the Perceptions of Quality of
Life and Health Care Needs of Older Adults in the Fountain Square-Twin Air Area” from the Midwest Health
Professions Service Learning Consortium. This survey has been conducted by her ASN students and has been a
real demonstration of education meeting community in a very positive way.
Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL)
The Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) is expanding existing relationships and building new
ones with area school district leaders and with others focusing on student achievement.
On January 17, CELL hosted a conference, Raising Our Sights—No High School Senior Left Behind, on the U of I
campus, where 76 attendees heard from elected officials, school administrators, and teachers about successful
efforts in Kentucky and Indiana to transform the senior year. Speakers included Kentucky Governor Paul E.
Patton; Heather Macek, Executive Assistant for Education in Indiana Governor Frank O’Bannon’s office; Rex
Bolinger, Assistant Superintendent, MSD Steuben County; Cheryl Zuckschwerdt, Anne Edds, and Lisa Nunn,
Columbus East High School; and Stan Jones, Commissioner, Indiana Commission on Higher Education.
In March, CELL leaders met with the superintendents of all metropolitan Indianapolis school districts to explore
opportunities for collaborations between CELL and the districts and among the districts themselves. The area
selected for initial cross-district collaboration is developing a “train the trainers” program for mentor teachers to
meet new Indiana Professional Standards Board (IPSB) requirements for mentoring new K-12 classroom teachers.
The Assessment and Induction Model requires mentoring of new teachers for their first two years and submission
of a portfolio at the end of the second year. The University’s Student Teacher Mentor Training is a successful
example of preparing mentors to use portfolio evaluation that can be adapted to develop a model for area school
districts to meet IPSB induction criteria. U of I professors Deb Sachs and Beverly Reitsma are working with a
group of school district representatives to define the model for collaboration.
Faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Education are submitting proposals for funding of
projects seeking to advance the leadership of learning through CELL’s recently launched mini-grant program.
A maximum of 10 awards of up to $6,000 each will be made for research into practice proposals and schooluniversity collaborative projects.
12
‘The Full
Monkey’
E L L I O T F E LT M A N ’ S L I F E S T O RY I S A S VA R I E D A S H I S W I L D ‘ S I D E S H O W ’
Take one degree in anthropology. Add a degree in psychology. Throw in a
teaching license and a master’s degree in occupational therapy. Include experience
managing bakeries in Oregon, selling rodeo calendars in New York, and working
with carnivores in Jerusalem. But that’s not all. Become an expert juggler, find
friends who like to swallow swords and walk on glass, and create a traveling
sideshow. Sound unbelievable? Then you don’t know Elliot Feltman.
Elliot Feltman started his college career when he was just 16. At an age
when most kids were deciding what to do on a Saturday night, Elliot was
deciding to major in biochemistry at the State University of New York
at Albany. He later switched to a social sciences major before eventually
deciding to study anthropology and psychology. It was in college that he
began working with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation on campus,
taking care of students with disabilities. It was also in college when he
began to discover his talent for juggling.
As a young teenager, Elliot had taught himself how to juggle.
“It was pretty basic,” he said. “Just your average three-ball cascade.”
At SUNY, Elliot met a student named Tim who began to teach him
more complicated routines, such as juggling clubs, fire, multiple balls,
and the ominous-sounding “devil sticks.” Tim and Elliot began to
perform together, not only on campus, but also out in the city. His first
street-performance show was on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum
of Modern Art, a popular and sought-after place for street performers.
“People are yelling at you and you get nervous while juggling and
start dropping things,” said Elliot. “It was really very challenging.”
As Elliot neared the completion of his college career, he was asked
by a friend to accompany him to Berkeley, California. His friend was
physically handicapped and needed some help getting around out West.
Elliot agreed, hoping that he could continue his street-performing career
as well. However, Elliot discovered that the competition in California for
street performers was too difficult. “The performers were just too good
out there,” he said. “There aren’t too many places in the country where
you can perform, and you have to audition for the good places in New
York, Boston, and California.”
Continued on following page
13
Elliot Feltman (front) is the ringmaster
of the Blue Monkey Sideshow.
Photography by Katie Murphy/KMPD
‘ D O
O N E
‘I was nearing the finale
and was juggling fire when
five soldiers burst through
the crowd screaming with
loaded Uzis.’
14
In lieu of juggling for a living, Elliot began to work at a
Mrs. Field’s cookie store at night and take care of his
friend during the day. It wasn’t long before Elliot
quickly rose to management level at Mrs. Field’s and
began to oversee several stores. About a year after
arriving in California, Elliot went on to open the first
Mrs. Field’s store in Portland, Oregon, which led to the
opening of dozens more. “I went from mopping floors
to running three stores in about six months,” he said.
“The timing of everything was just right.”
S T U P I D
T H I N G
A N D
Elliot stayed in Oregon for nine months before
leaving to return to the Bronx in New York. He began
to work with his brother in a store that sold calendars
featuring pictures of rodeos and cowboys from Texas.
“I was cold-calling people in Texas trying to sell the
calendars over the phone,” said Elliot.
But his sales career was used merely to pass the
time before leaving for Israel. Saying it was just
“something to do,” Elliot decided to travel to Israel
to live on a kibbutz, a collective farm where members
worked together and took classes. With people from
all over the world, Elliot studied Hebrew for four hours
each day, and then spent four hours working at the
kibbutz. “I spent a lot of time in the chicken hatchery,”
he said. “We hatched about 100,000 chickens each
week, so we were pretty busy.” Elliot also continued to
juggle and do street performances as well as shows for
weddings and birthday parties in Jerusalem and
surrounding cities. “I was very well received in Israel,”
he said. “You can sometimes have problems in the U.S.
with street performing, but not so much in Europe.”
On one occasion, however, after having been in
Jerusalem for about two months, Elliot was performing
for several hundred people outside of the Jaffa Gate,
which is the principal entrance to the Old City. “I was
nearing the finale,” he said, “and was juggling fire when
five soldiers burst through the crowd, screaming, with
loaded Uzis. They forced me to leave, so I never even got
to pass the hat.” He laughed and added, “Guess they
didn’t like fire being used that close to the Old City.”
In order to help supplement his income during the
winter months, Elliot took a job on the recommendation
of a friend: working at the Jerusalem zoo feeding the
carnivores. His pay? A dollar and a quarter per hour.
“I have so many stories from that place,” he said, “from
panthers and elephants getting loose to being chased
up a fence by alligators. It wasn’t uncommon to arrive
in the morning and find an animal wandering around.”
His stint at the zoo lasted about three months. “When I
thought about it,” he said, “I decided that $1.25 wasn’t
worth risking my life for.”
Israel turned out to be the best place for Elliot to
visit. Not only did he meet Barbara, his future wife, in
Israel, but he also reunited with his college friend, Tim.
Leaving Barbara in Israel with her family, Elliot and
Tim traveled all over Europe for six months doing
street performances and shows in countries such as
Egypt, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Amsterdam,
and Belgium. “What I liked best about Europe was their
openness to perfomers,” said Elliot. “Every town had a
square in the middle where you could perform, and
you were guaranteed at least one performance a day
Y O U ’ R E
S T U P I D .
when people gathered to watch the sunset.” Language
barriers were not a problem. “I enjoyed doing my
shows in different languages. I knew enough German,
Spanish, and French to get by, and I was able to do my
whole show in Hebrew,” he said.
After reuniting with Barbara and traveling
through Spain with her, Elliot returned to New York,
and Barbara began to work on moving to the U.S. as
well. Falling back on his bakery experience, Elliot
began working for Mrs. Field’s once more in the Bronx
and substitute teaching. It wasn’t long before Elliot
decided to earn his full-time teaching license and then
began teaching fourth grade at the same school where
his mother was teaching. Elliot began to work with kids
who had learning disabilities but were not in a specialneeds classroom.
Using unconventional techniques, Elliot utilized
magic and juggling to teach reading. “I was a cool
teacher,” he said with a smile. His students’ test scores
nearly tripled in one year. Because of his hard work
and dedication, Elliot was awarded a Bronx Rookie
Teacher of the Year award in 1989 and chosen to be the
grade leader for all fourth grade teachers at his school.
“My mom taught fourth grade as well,” he said, “and we
had a lot of fun working and planning together.”
After teaching in the Bronx for three years, Elliot
and Barbara left New York to move to Indianapolis in
1991. They now had two children and wanted a smaller
D O
city to call home. Barbara continued her work as a
physical therapist, and Elliot took the opportunity to
stay home with his kids: Daniel, who was three, and
Rachel, who was one.
“It was great!” he said. “I got to see the first smile
and the first steps. It was a wonderful gift.” Elliot
continued to work on his magic tricks and juggling
by working at restaurants and other performances
in the city. However, he was beginning to think about
working with kids again. “I liked what my wife was
doing with physical therapy,” he said, “but I knew
that I could never do her job as well as she does it.”
He began taking night classes at Marian College in
anatomy and physiology so he could still stay at home
with his kids during the day. In 1992, he started to
work on his master’s of occupational therapy at the
University of Indianapolis.
“After working with so many kids in one classroom
in New York,” he said, “I wanted to work more one-onone with the kids.” Two years later, Elliot graduated
from U of I with his master’s degree and tried several
therapy jobs before settling on one with the Pike
Township school district in Indianapolis. “I became
their first in-house therapist,” he explained, “and I
T H R E E
S T U P I D
T H I N G S
worked with elementary, middle, and high school kids
who were learning disabled or mildly handicapped.”
Using his juggling and magic as therapy tools,
Elliot worked for three years with students at Pike.
“Magic and juggling really helped their eye-hand
coordination and spatial skills. Sometimes a great
milestone was reached with students when they could
just throw the ball in the air and catch it.” When Elliot
left Pike, two people had to be hired to perform the
work that he had been doing.
With magic and juggling playing an important
role in his life, Elliot and a couple of friends started a
performance group called Circus Mondo. “We thought
about making it really macabre and dark, but then we
realized that we were just too full of life to do that. We
were fun people, and our show had to reflect that.”
Circus Mondo became the training ground for
the Blue Monkey Sideshow, incorporated in 1998.
(“Do one stupid thing and you’re stupid.” says Elliot.
“Do three stupid things and you’ve got a show.”) When
asked about the beginnings of Blue Monkey Sideshow,
Elliot responded with a smirk. “It started with a dwarf
and a bottle of champagne. That’s all I’m allowed to
say about that.”
With five performers in the troupe, the “Monkeys”
began to amaze and dazzle audiences with feats of
human endurance and bravery. “Our show has
something for everyone,” said Elliot, who becomes
“Krembo” during a show. “We have over thirty skills,
including sword swallowing, glass walking, body
piercings, and contortionist acts. And it’s all real—no
magic tricks or illusions are involved.” Elliot joked, “Do
not try these things at home; go to a neighbor’s house.”
When the Blue Monkey Sideshow was created, the
performers wanted it to be a throwback to the sideshows
of vaudeville times. “We are truly one of the most unique
sideshows in the world,” Elliot said. “We didn’t start by
biting heads off chickens or being grotesque. We are all
performers, many with theatre backgrounds, who direct
all of our energies into the show.” During a show,
audiences may see skills including the “Human Ostrich,”
“Bed of Nails,” or “Rubberman.”
When Krembo arrives on stage, he may juggle
clubs, knives, or fire, balance objects on his nose, or
demonstrate his whip artistry. “The sideshow is
transgenerational,” he said. “Grandparents bring
grandkids and are just as fascinated as the college
kids.” Since Elliot is the narrator and barker for the
show, he has a lot of time to watch the audience and
gauge their reactions.
“My favorite part is watching people’s faces,” he
said. “Some people can’t watch the sword swallowing.
A N D
Y O U ’ V E
G O T
A
S H O W . ’
Others squirm at the glass walking or razor blade
eating. It’s great to see people cover their faces with
their hands and peek out from between their fingers.
Parents try to shield their kids’ eyes only to have them
wiggle away so they can watch.”
Shows can last from 15 minutes to “The Full
Monkey,” which is two hours long. “We take you on an
emotional roller coaster,” said Elliot. “We’ll shock you,
make you laugh, then take your breath away. People
see acts like this on television, but when you see it
performed in person, it’s wild.”
When the sideshow is on the road, performances
can be at colleges, state fairs, festivals, or circuses. The
sideshow also sponsors a Little League team in Indianapolis and performs for various charity events. “When
the audience walks away from the show,” Elliot said, “I
want them to be thinking that life is fun. Yes, we do some
things that are pretty unique, but every person watching
also has their own distinctive talents and abilities.”
As the sideshow continues to grow in popularity,
the group has sparked interest from diverse groups
such as Universal Studios and the country music group
Brooks & Dunn. They ulitmately hope to find themselves on Broadway someday. “True freedom,” said
Elliot, “is the ability to make a living in many different
ways.” Mission accomplished. —Jennifer L. Huber
For more information on the Blue Monkey Sideshow, visit
www.bluemonkeysideshow.com
15
‘The future’s so bright’
English professor emerita and poet Alice Ruth Friman
addressed a standing-room-only crowd on May 4 at the
University’s 97th Commencement and was then awarded
an honorary Doctor of Arts degree. Friman read from
her own work as part of her address, including a poem
inspired by the events of September 11. (In the top
left photo on the facing page, she gives a thumbs-up as
President Jerry Israel, Board of Trustees Chair Christel
DeHaan, and English professor emeritus Erling Peterson
assist in the honorary degree ceremony.)
Seven hundred sixteen students earned U of I
degrees in 2002, including Doctor of Health Science,
Doctor of Psychology, Master of Arts, Master of Arts in
Teaching, Master of Business Administration, Master
of Health Science, Master of Science, Master of Science
in Nursing, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts,
Bachelor of Liberal Studies, Bachelor of Music,
Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing,
16
Bachelor of Social Work, Associate in Arts, Associate in
Science, and Associate in Science in Nursing.
Friman taught at the University from 1971 to 1993.
She was named U of I Teacher of the Year in 1993 and
received a national teaching award from the Council
for the Advancement and Support of Education. Her
seven collections of poetry include Inverted Fire, from
BkMk Press at the University of Missouri at Kansas City,
and Zoo, from the University of Arkansas Press. Her
poems appear in such prestigious literary magazines as
Poetry, Georgia Review, Boulevard, Ohio Review, Prairie
Schooner, Poetry, and London Review of Books, as well as in
anthologies from St. Martin’s, Prentice-Hall, Longman,
Beacon Press, University of Minnesota Press, University
of New England Press, and Milkweed Editions. Among
her numerous awards are three prizes from the Poetry
Society of America and the 2001 James Boatwright
Prize for Poetry from Shenandoah.
2 0 0 2
C O M M E N C E M E N T
Russell J. Bent (bottom left, this page) was
awarded an honorary doctor of science degree. Dr.
Bent, executive officer of the American Board of
Professional Psychology, was pivotal in the development of the U of I PsyD program. An American Board
of Professional Psychology Diplomate, he is a founding
member and past president of the National Council of
Schools of Professional Psychology. He served as dean
and professor of the Wright State University School of
Professional Psychology, and is a former president of
the American Board of Professional Psychology and the
National Council of Schools of Professional Psychology.
He spent a dozen years as chief executive officer of the
University Psychological Services Association. Dr. Bent
has served on many American Psychological Association
committees over the past two decades and has been
honored frequently for distinguished and meritorious
service and advocacy by organizations in the field of
H I G H L I G H T S
psychology; these honors include the Presidential Karl
Heiser Award for Advocacy from the APA.
Lt. Gen. Victory Rana (top right), Chief of Staff for
the Royal Nepalese Army, was named 2002 International
Citizen of the Year, an award conferred by the University of Indianapolis International Division that honors
friends of the University who promote international
peace and understanding. Lt. Gen. Rana was appointed
as Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus in 1999. He served in the United
Nations Interim Force in Lebanon in 1980 and 1981 as a
military information officer and as the military assistant
to the Force Commander from 1989 to 1990. He is a
graduate of the United States Army War College,
General Staff College, the German Command, and
the Indian Army Senior Command Course. His son,
Mandir Sjb Rana, was graduated from the University of
Indianapolis this year with a Bachelor of Science degree.
17
Sports
Update
Harriman NCAA
Postgraduate Scholar
Humphrey receives
Bertram Award
Senior cross country/track
standout Maria Harriman ’02 is
one of 29 recipients of an NCAA
Postgraduate Scholarship among
all three divisions.
The scholarships are
Maria Harriman
presented annually to studentathletes who have a 3.2 cumulative
grade point average and who have performed with
distinction as varsity team members.
Harriman is a psychology major with a concentration in pre-physical therapy who graduated summa cum
laude with a 3.990 GPA. She had seven perfect 4.000
semesters out of eight, with one A- in her career.
On the track, Harriman is a two-time NCAA II AllAmerican in the 1,500 meters, owning the school record
(4:34.33). The 2000-01 Verizon® Academic All-American
is a two-time Nationals qualifier in cross country and was
the Great Lakes Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of
the Year in women’s track in 1999-2000.
U of I Athletic Hall of Fame
member LuAnn Humphrey ’84
was awarded the Dr. Charles
Bertram Alumni Award of
Distinction by the Great Lakes
Valley Conference. Humphrey
LuAnn Humphrey
received her award at the fifth
annual GLVC Basketball Tournament final in
Evansville on March 2.
The award recognizes the personal and professional achievements of former GLVC student-athletes.
The award factors in academic excellence, athletic
ability, character, and leadership while the individual
participated in intercollegiate athletics and it puts a
premium on personal and professional achievements
following graduation and contributions back to
athletics at all levels.
Humphrey has been an enforcement representative for the NCAA since October of 1999. She has
practiced law since June of 1987.
She served as one of only 150 Air Force attorneys
responsible for the defense of military personnel in
court-martial and other disciplinary matters from 198892. Humphrey was cited as one of the best Air Force
prosecutors in a five-state circuit. She was noted for
outstanding achievements in providing education to
military personnel regarding current legal issues.
Humphrey served as an undergraduate and
graduate adjunct instructor at Chapman University
in Orange, California, from 1989-92.
She was an assistant basketball coach at
Martinsville High School from 1997-99, helping MHS
to the 1998 state championship. Humphrey also
coached boys’ basketball at St. Joan Catholic School
in Indianapolis in 1996-97.
She was graduated cum laude from U of I in 1984
with a bachelor’s in political science and an associate of
science degree in business. Humphrey earned a Doctor
of Jurisprudence degree from the IU School of Law in
Indianapolis in 1987.
Humphrey was inducted into the U of I Athletic
Hall of Fame in 2001. She was a four-year letterwinner
in basketball for the Greyhounds, finishing her career
with 1,092 points (10th all-time) and 819 rebounds
(third). She earned All-GLVC first-team honors in
1983-84 after earning all-conference recognition in
1982-83. The South Newton High School product is
one of three players in school history to record three
200-rebound campaigns. She helped the Hounds to a
73-24 record (.753) during her career.
Humphrey also was the starting shortstop for the
Greyhound softball team.
Nicoson Award Winners
Senior men’s tennis player Justin Brown ’02 and senior
women’s swimmer Lacy Spurgeon ’02 are the 2002
Angus Nicoson “Something Extra” Award winners.
The awards were presented at the 29th annual
Greyhound Club Senior Buffet April 18 at Nicoson
Hall in front of a record turnout of 213. The awards
are named for Hall of Fame coach Angus Nicoson and
they were presented by his widow, Bea.
Brown is a four-year letterman who earned
Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete
honors in 2001 after helping the Greyhounds to their
second straight NCAA II tournament berth.
The president of the University’s Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee, Brown was voted to the Verizon®
Academic All-District Team in 2001. The three-time
Academic All-GLVC pick also received the Arthur Ashe
Jr. Sports Scholar-Athlete award in 2001. Brown is a
five-time Dean’s List student who graduated summa cum
laude with a psychology/Spanish double major and a
3.864 cumulative grade point average.
Spurgeon was an NCAA II honorable mention AllAmerican for the third consecutive year after finishing
12th at the 2002 Nationals in the 100 backstroke. She
broke her own school record with a 58.80 time.
Spurgeon is a two-time team captain and
Academic All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference selection who graduated cum laude with a
3.644 cumulative grade point average. The four-time
Dean’s List student has completed 36 hours of
volunteer work through the University’s “Volunteers
in Service” program. She is the treasurer of the
Kappa Delta Pi education honor society.
18
Scott Fangman
Larry Bledsoe
Terry Wetherald
Track sweeps GLVC titles!
Coach Scott Fangman’s 42-1 men’s track team made
history with its first-ever Great Lakes Valley Conference
championship in action at Saint Joseph’s on April 19-20.
The last conference title for an Indianapolis men’s track
team was in the Heartland Collegiate Conference in 1981.
Fangman was voted as GLVC Coach of the Year
after his team’s 16.5-point win over runner-up Lewis.
Senior Todd Mann earned GLVC Athlete of the Year
honors after winning both the 110-meter hurdles (15.22)
and the 400 intermediate hurdles (55.97). His time in the
400 hurdles broke his own stadium record. Mann also ran
strong legs on the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 meter relays.
Junior Tim Mason and sophomore Marcus Davis
ran 1-2 in the 100 meters. Mason won in 11.03,
followed by Davis in 11.12. Davis prevailed in the 200
meters (22.06), with Mason tying for third (22.63).
Sophomore NCAA II All-American Reggie Cross
won the 400 meters in 47.99.
Junior NCAA II All-American Dameion Smith won
the hammer throw by over 13 meters with a new
conference record (57.34m). Smith placed fourth at the
2002 NCAA II Outdoor Nationals in San Angelo, Texas.
Coach Scott Fangman’s men's track team won its
second straight Little State Championship on April 13!
Coach Fangman’s 38-0-1 women’s track team
earned a share of its first-ever GLVC championship in
school history two days after the meet ended.
The Greyhounds thought they had finished one
point behind Lewis in the final scoring. But a scoring
error was detected two days after the meet ended,
giving Indianapolis an additional point and a tie with
Lewis for the title. That also gave the Greyhounds an
undefeated season with four invitational titles.
Rookie Lori Vissing earned GLVC Freshman of
the Year recognition after placing third in the 400
intermediate hurdles (1:05.74), fourth in the long
jump (5.38m), sixth in the 100 high hurdles (16.97),
and sixth in the triple jump (10.73m).
Junior 2002 NCAA II Indoor/Outdoor Nationals
qualifier Tiffany Turner won the 200 meters (25.07) by
breaking her stadium record and defeating three
National qualifiers. Turner was second in the 100
(12.48). Junior Nationals qualifier Nicole Williams won
the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 11:27.56, setting GLVC
and stadium records.
Sophomore Kelly Zeilenga prevailed in the pole
vault with a new GLVC and stadium record of 10’0.
Sophomore Dedria Foster was victorious in the triple
jump with a new stadium record (11.22m).
The women’s track team also won its ninth
consecutive Little State Championship. Junior Tiffany
Jay Yates
Dawn Patel
Turner set new meet, stadium, and University records in
winning both the 100 (12.33) and the 200 (24.92). This
accomplishment earned her Female Track Athlete of
the Year honors. She qualified for the 2002 NCAA II
Outdoor Championships in both the 100 and 200.
Calendar
Coaches return ‘home’
Former Greyhound standout Kelli Tungate took over for
longtime mentor Larry Bledsoe ’59 as the new women’s
golf coach when he retired following the 2002 season.
Tungate competed in the 1991 National Golf
Coaches Association Nationals individually after
competing with the Greyhound teams in the 1989 and
1990 Nationals.
Tungate was a four-year letterwinner in golf and
basketball at U of I. Following graduation in 1991, she
served as assistant professional at the PGA National Golf
Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, from 1991-93 and
at Royal Oak Country Club in Greenwood in 1993-94.
Tungate earned her bachelor’s degree in social
work with a minor in business administration and her
master’s in Social Work from Indiana University in 1999.
Wrestling assistant coaches Wiley Craft and Jay
Yates ’01 will be the Greyhounds’ new co-head coaches
for 2002-03 under program coordinator Terry Wetherald
’63. Wetherald completed his 31st season as head coach.
Yates is the only U of I wrestler to reach the NCAA
II finals on his way to a 31-11 record in 2000-01. He
finished this three-year U of I career with a 78-26 record.
Former U of I men’s tennis standout John Venter
’93 is the Greyhounds’ new women’s tennis coach.
Venter takes over for Dawn Patel, who resigned after
the 2001-02 campaign. Patel finished her career with
a 219-138-3 record in 23 seasons. She built the
Indianapolis women’s tennis program into a powerhouse, taking them to the NCAA II Tournament in
1997 and winning five Great Lakes Valley Conference
championships. For her efforts, Patel was named
GLVC Coach of the Year six times.
The 31-year-old Venter completed his ninth
season as the boys’ and girls’ tennis coach at Whiteland
High School. He was named the Indiana Coaches of
Girls’ Sports Association Tennis Coach of the Year in
1997. The Whiteland native also was selected as the
Greyhound Club At-Large Coach of the Year in 1997.
Venter graduated magna cum laude from U of I in
1993 with a 3.718 cumulative grade point average. He
earned Dean’s List honors three times and Semester
Honor Roll status three times. Venter was voted the
Outstanding Math/Physics Student at U of I in both
1992 and 1993. He was a member of the Alpha Chi
Academic Honor Society at U of I. Venter was recog
June 28, 2002
Greyhound Club Golf Outing
Otter Creek Golf Course
Columbus, Indiana
July 25, 2002
Angus Nicoson Golf Outing
Royal Oak Country Club
August 7, 2002
Football Kickoff Luncheon
Columbia Club
November 13, 2002
Basketball Tipoff Luncheon
Columbia Club
February 2003
Hall of Fame Induction
Schwitzer Center
April 2003
Senior Buffet
Nicoson Hall
For more information about
these events or the Greyhound
Club, contact Matt Donovan
at (317) 788-3359 or e-mail
at [email protected].
19
nized on the National Dean’s List in 1991 and 1992
and Who’s Who Among America’s College Students in
1992.
Venter earned the Parker P. Jordan award as top
male student-athlete at U of I. He earned Intercollegiate
Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete status in 1993.
As a player, Venter led U of I to three consecutive
conference championships in 1991, 1992, and 1993. He
earned three individual GLVC titles in addition to the
team’s three triumphs. Venter was a two-time Academic
All-GLVC selection and team captain who received the
team’s Kelso Reid Mental Attitude Award in 1992. He is
ranked fourth in singles and third in doubles in the Central Indiana Tennis Association men’s open division.
Venter will welcome back six letterwinners from
this season’s 10-10 Greyhound squad that finished third
in the 2001 Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.
Swimming Success
Top to bottom:
Megan Grunert, Lacy Spurgeon,
Orel Oral, Jason Warthan
Coach Gary Kinkead’s 54-15 women’s swimming team
equalled its best finish ever set last year with a 12thplace effort among 31 teams at the NCAA II Championship in Orlando, Florida, on March 13-16.
Two-time Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference Athlete of the Year Megan Grunert earned
All-America honors in three events.
Grunert was sixth in the 200 IM (2:06.51) and 200
breaststroke (2:21.16) and eighth in the 100 butterfly
(58.28), breaking her school records in all three. She
earned honorable mention All-America honors with an
11th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.23).
Senior captain Lacy Spurgeon ’02 earned honorable mention All-America honors in the 100 backstroke
with a 12th-place finish (58.80). Spurgeon broke her
school record of 59.19 set at the 2001 Nationals.
The Greyhounds’ 400 freestyle relay of Grunert,
Spurgeon, and freshmen Kenzi Miller and Kristen
Kendzierski broke the school record with a 3:35.37
time to place 12th and earn NCAA II All-America
honorable mention honors.
The 400 medley relay of Grunert, Spurgeon, Miller,
and freshman Erin Sarbaugh placed 10th in 3:58.66 to
achieve honorable mention All-America accolades.
The 200 freestyle relay of Miller, Kendzierski,
Spurgeon, and junior Amy Haick placed 15th in
1:40.30 to become honorable mention All-Americans.
The 800 free relay of Kendzierski, Sarbaugh, Haick, and
Miller finished 15th in 8:03.79 for honorable mention.
Triple Double
Junior 2000 Olympian Orel Oral recorded three
second-place finishes and a fourth-place effort at the
2002 NCAA II Nationals in Orlando. The two-time
defending national champion placed second in the 200
individual medley in 1:51.19, suffering his first defeat
20
in this event at the Nationals. Oral finished second in
the 400 individual medley in 3:57.08, breaking his
school record of 3:57.50 set in 2001. He placed second
in the 200 breaststroke in 2:01.88 and was fourth in the
100 breaststroke in 56.83.
Freshman sprinter Bruno Fonseca joined Oral as
an NCAA II All-American by finishing seventh in the 50
freestyle in school-record time (21.00). Fonseca broke
the U of I record in the 100 freestyle with a 46.07 effort
in the first leg of the 400 freestyle relay.
Fonseca and Oral combined with junior Nate
Pheney and freshman Deniz Monkul to finish 13th in
the 400 free relay (3:09.07) in school-record time.
Fonseca, Oral, Pheney, and Monkul placed 14th
in the 200 medley relay (1:34.83) and 16th in the 400
medley (3:30.95) to earn honorable mention All-America.
Kinkead’s men’s team tied for 15th among 26
teams that scored points at the Nationals.
All-American Grappler
Freshman Mitch Napier fought his way through the
consolation bracket at 149 pounds to earn NCAA II AllAmerica honors at the 2002 Nationals in Kenosha,
Wisconsin, on March 8-9. Napier became the 16th
NCAA II All-American during the tenure of 2002 NCAA
II Midwest Region Coach of the Year Terry Wetherald.
Napier was pinned in his opening match at
Nationals before he came back to decision Collin Kelly
of North Dakota State, 13-6, in his first consolation
match. Napier then edged Hannon Hisek of Minnesota
State-Mankato, 13-10, in the match that secured AllAmerica honors. In the seventh-place match, Napier
defeated Brendan Bosko of Gannon, 11-5. He defeated
two All-Americans at Nationals to finish 26-17 overall.
Senior NCAA II All-American Jason Warthan
competed in his third NCAA II National tournament.
The 2000 All-American closed the campaign with an 18-3
ledger. He finished 88-28 (.759) in his four-year career.
Sophomore heavyweight Evan Love finished 38-12,
the fourth-most season wins in U of I history.
The Greyhounds finished 25th of 35 teams at the
NCAA II Nationals.
Track to the top
Sophomore Reggie Cross and junior Dameion Smith
earned NCAA II All-America honors at the 2002 Indoor
Nationals on March 8-9 in Boston. Cross became a
three-time NCAA II All-American in the 400 meters by
placing fifth at Nationals with a personal-best 48.25 time.
Smith earned All-America honors with a seventhplace finish in the 35-pound weight throw. He threw a
17.91m in the final—one centimeter shy of his personal
best (17.92). He joins Brian Evans ’97 in 1997 as the
Greyhounds' only All-Americans in the weight throw.
Indianapolis tied for 23rd among 38 teams that
scored a point at the Nationals.
Early reflections on early retirement (sort of)
Some of the readers of Portico may be aware that after a 35-year career at Indiana
Central College, Indiana Central University, and University of Indianapolis, I took
early retirement on June 30, 2001. The months leading up to that date are now a
bit of a blur, but suffice it to say that I was overwhelmed with the manner in which
the University community allowed me to “bow out” at least somewhat gracefully.
I will never forget those last few months. It was quite an experience and I was glad
Portfolio
that President Jerry Israel had advised me early in the year to “just lean into it.”
His counsel and support over the three years we shared the President’s Office Suite was, and continues to be,
a gift that defies description. So I did lean into it, as Jerry suggested, and rode the waves of emotion through
Commencement in May and beyond.
My immediate goal for retirement was to follow Horace Greeley’s advice and head West! I had three primary
objectives in taking off in that direction: (a) Janis and I have one grandchild, and she lived in Montana (has
since moved to Idaho), and she had been subjected to the minimum of spoiling by grandparents to that point;
(b) I wanted to spoil myself my becoming a better fly fisherman and hence mount a threat to the Cutthroat and
Brown Trout of Western Montana, and (c) I wanted to be beyond reach of the campus when school resumed in the
fall, for fear that I would not be able to break the habit of spending most of my life in this stimulating environment.
I was able to accomplish those goals and didn’t return to the Indianapolis area until the end of September.
It was at this point that Jerry Israel and Mike Ferin, our Vice President for Institutional Advancement, made
me an offer I couldn’t refuse; namely, “Would I be willing to return to the U of I on a part-time basis, working out
of the beautiful Stierwalt Alumni House?” How could I refuse an opportunity to assist my alma mater and longtime
employer in the ongoing effort of friend raising and fund raising?! So, to make a long story short, I’m back on
campus an average of 15 hours or so per week and have been here since early November on that basis. I’ve renewed
acquaintances with friends and alumni and it has been a wonderful experience. However, beginning in early June,
I’m off on that extended vacation/retirement trip, once again following Greeley and searching for Brittany
(the three-year-old granddaughter) who now has her own fishing rod! But I will return by early October when I
hope to celebrate with so many of you the one-hundredth anniversary of the founding of this wonderful community.
And after that, it’s once again “semi-early retirement.” On those days when I’m not retired, I may be on the
telephone hoping to find a time to visit with you so that we might continue to celebrate together the story of the
University of Indianapolis. It’s a story of which I’m most proud . . . and my hope is that you share in that pride.
But in the meantime, may we all enjoy the summer. —Lynn Youngblood, Senior Vice President and Provost Emeritus
21
1920s
Mignon Hilgediek ’29
passed away January 25. She
is survived by son Calvin. She
lived in Sullivan, Ind.
1930s
Class
Notes
Doris Brown Huffman Hill ’37
passed away on April 12. She
was an English and home
economics teacher at various
Indiana high schools. She is
survived by sons Dave
Huffman ’64, and Roger Hill
’69, and daughters Carol
Huffman ’67 and Diana Hill
Donathen ’79 ’80. She lived
in Rochester, Ind.
Elmer Kirts ’37 and wife
Frances celebrated their 62nd
wedding anniversary on
December 29. The couple
lives in Cullman, Ala.
James S. Scott ’37 died March
22. He was previously a teacher
and coach at various Indiana
schools and was principal in
Moscow, Ind. He received a
Sagamore of the Wabash award
in 2001. In his retirement he
frequently lectured on Indian
lore and history. He is survived
by wife Betty and sons Bill,
Fred, and Sam. He lived in
Richland, Ind.
1940s
Edward Ward ’40 passed away
April 1. He worked for
Equitable Life Assurance
Society of New York and
retired in 1981. He is survived
by children Jean Bannen, Judy
Scaff, and Jim Ward. He lived
in Waukesha, Wis.
Madonna Padgett ’47 passed
away February 26. She was a
teacher for more than 25
years with classes at Liberty,
Rochester, Lawrence Central
High School, and at Pendleton
Middle School in Indiana. She
also worked for E. C. Seale and
Bobbs-Merrill Co. publishing
companies. She is survived by
her brother, Milo.
22
Joseph A. White ’47 passed
away January 5. He was a
retired minister for the United
Methodist Church. He had
served several churches in
central Indiana, Dayton, Ohio,
and in central and southern
Illinois. He retired from
Washington First United
Church in Washington, Ill.
He served on the Board of
Trustees of Indiana Central
College, now the University
of Indianapolis, from 1964 to
1968. He is survived by wife
Kathryn and son Vern.
Vernon Smitley ’49 died
March 5. He was previously
a school teacher, organist,
and choirmaster in Florida,
Indianapolis, and Michigan.
He lived in Venice, Fla. He is
survived by his brother, Alva.
1950s
William Hilycord ’54 passed
away November 1. He is
survived by wife Shirley and
sons Mark and Greg. He
lived in Columbus, Ind.
Woodrow Staton ’54 died
March 20. He worked for
Wayne Township schools for
36 years, retiring as principal
of Fulton Junior High School
in 1990. He is survived by his
wife, Norma, and children
Sandra Lynn Heffner, Randall
Lee, and Larry Dean.
Patricia Bowers ’56 passed
away December 29. She is
survived by sons Dale Beal,
David Beal, Donald Beal,
and Dan Bowers. She lived
in Kokomo, Ind.
Richard Schrier ’56 passed
away March 7. He was a
teacher and coach with
Indianapolis Public Schools
for 30 years. He was starting
quarterback on the Indiana
Central College undefeated
football team of 1953. He
is survived by children Kyle,
Gwendolyn Bourneuf, Kim
Schrier-Hoang, and Jamie
Whiting. He lived in
Indianapolis.
1960s
Phil Acton ’62 received a
Lifetime Achievement Award
from the National Football
Foundation of the College
Hall of Fame. He lives in
Plainfield, Ill.
Sandy Brown Lawlis ’62
received the 2001 Gilda
Lehrman grant to study
Thomas Jefferson at the
University of Virginia and
Monticello. She teaches at
North Central High School
in Indianapolis.
George Walters ’65 and his
wife, Carol, are serving as
missionary associates in
Belgium with World Missions.
George is building manager
for the European Ministries
Center, and Carol is a
teacher in the International
Christian Academy.
Wilma Dison Thompson ’66
passed away March 12. She
was a fifth grade teacher
for 21 years at Wheeler
Elementary School in Speedway, Ind. She is survived by
children Lynda Frye, Lance,
and Joe Thompson.
Laverne White ’66 is the
pastor of the New Milford
Illinois United Methodist
Church. He lives in
Rockford, Ill.
Linda Belding ’67 is the
executive assistant to the
president of the division
of overseas ministries for
the Disciples of Christ
Christian Church. She lives
in Indianapolis.
Roger Wathen ’67 was named
Teacher of the Week by the
Indianapolis Recorder in March.
He lives in Carmel, Ind.
Dr. John Deever HD ’68
passed away February 16. He
was a physician in private
practice at University Heights
Hospital for more than 40
years, having retired in 1998.
He also served as doctor at
the University of Indianapolis.
He is survived by his wife,
Roberta, and daughters Karen
Melick and Andrea Norwood.
He lived in Indianapolis.
1970s
Susan Day ’70 died on March
22. She was a choral music
teacher for 30 years. She is
survived by her daughter,
Marie. She taught 19 years
at Eastwood Middle School
and also taught in Perry
and Warren townships
in Indianapolis.
Martha Bramlett ’72 passed
away December 25. She was a
teacher for 42 years in various
Indianapolis schools and was
a Franklin Township civic
leader. A Martha Bramlett
Community Achievement
Award is given annually to a
member of the community
who has made special
contributions to Franklin
Township through commitment to service. She is
survived by sons W. Ken Jr.
and Charles R. E. Graybill
and stepchildren James R.,
John F. Bramlett, Thetta Wild,
and Martha Neel. She lived in
Enumclaw, Wash.
Margo Copeland ’72 ’86 and
John Layman ’73 have married.
Margo is the faculty chair for
the University of Texas Health
Science Center at San Antonio
School of Nursing. John is the
president of Hoosier Handy.
The couple lives in San
Antonio, Tex.
Joyce Knox Fletcher ’72
passed away March 28. She
is survived by husband
Two alumni serving in military have
chance encounter in Bosnia-Herzegovina
James and daughters April
Marks and Chari Crayton.
She was service director for
US Airways for 16 years,
retiring in 2000. She was
also a business assistant
and marketing specialist
for Dental Plus.
Tad Ransopher ’72 has been
named the director of the
master of taxation for
Georgia State University,
J. Mack Robinson School of
Business. He is also the
senior partner at Ransopher
& Tedrick, LLP. He lives in
Atlanta, Ga.
C. Bruce Haddix ’74 guided
Westlake Elementary School
to honors as a National
Department of Education
Blue Ribbon School in 2001.
He and staff representatives
from Westlake attended
award ceremonies in
Washington, D.C., in
October and received their
award from First Lady Laura
Bush. Bruce is the principal
of McClelland Elementary
School in Wayne Township,
Indianapolis, and is also
director of music at Center
United Methodist Church.
He and his wife, Ann, live
in Indianapolis.
Donald Stults ’78 retired
from the Department of
Defense after 32 years of
federal service on January 31.
He lives in Fishers, Ind.
Tom Zupancic ’78 was
elected honorary team chair
for the Indiana chapter of
the National Multiple
Sclerosis Society. Now a
member of the U of I Board
of Trustees, he lives in
Indianapolis and is the vice
president of Business
Development with the
Indianapolis Colts.
1980s
Guy Carnine ’80 is a
controller at the Gray Hart
Law Firm in Bedford, Tex.
Roxanne Delk Deardurff ’82
and husband Richard
announce the birth of their
son, Mitchell Ray. He was
born September 12. He joins
big sister Rachel at home in
Fishers, Ind.
Patrick Poland ’82 and
Kathleen Mountain were
married January 19. Patrick
is a senior buyer for Allison
Transmission and Kathleen is
a human resources associate
for the United States Postal
Service. The couple lives in
Carmel, Ind.
Philip Crawford ’83 was
named chairman of the
department of chemistry
at Southeast Missouri
State University in Cape
Girardeau, Mo.
Michael Davis ’83 and wife
Tammy Hensley announce
the birth of Michael Andrew
and Shelby Grace. The twins
were born February 24. The
family lives in Bright, Ind.
Marcia Jones ’83 is a regional
clinical research associate
for Ingenix Pharmaceutical
Services, a division of United
Heath Care. She lives in
Aurora, Colo.
Jane Artmeier Spilman ’83
recently accepted the
position of nurse educator
at Rush Memorial Hospital
in Rushville, Ind.
James Wells ’83 and wife
Marie announce the birth
of their daughter, Rachel
Marie. She was born July 19.
She was welcomed home by
big sister Elizabeth and big
brothers Timothy and
Daniel. The family lives in
Bloomington, Ind.
When 2d Lt. Andrew M. Weaver
’00 reported for duty in Bosnia,
he never imagined what luck
would deal him. It just so
happens that Weaver ran into
a fellow U of I alumnus on
his first day in Bosnia.
“It was my first day
and I was to shadow another
lieutenant during my first
week,” said Weaver. By fate,
he was assigned to shadow 1st
Lt. Lawrence D. Smith ’98.
“During the first patrol the discussion of where each other went to college came
up. I told Smith that I went to a small private university in Indianapolis, Indiana,” said
Weaver. Smith commented that he was originally from Brownsburg, Indiana, and also
went to college in Indianapolis. Weaver asked him which one and Smith replied “the
University of Indianapolis.”
The two, both Army platoon leaders and Army Infantry officers, starting laughing
and pondered the chances of two U of I alumni bumping shoulders over 9,000 miles
away in a war-torn country. 1st Lt. Smith is coming off a seven-month deployment while
Weaver is just starting his seven-month tour, both serving on Operation Joint Forge in
the Balkan country of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
deputy director of development at the Maryland
Historical Society in
Baltimore, Md.
Debra Holman George ’85
’90 and husband Chris
announce the birth of their
daughter Hannah Nicole.
She was born March 23. She
joins big sister Alyssa at
home in Columbus, Ind.
Charles Gans ’86 was
promoted to regional
transportation manager for
US Foodservice in Dallas, Tex.
Susan Jones Phillips ’86 and
husband Chris are the proud
parents of Nicholas Scott. He
was born June 15. Nicholas
joins big sisters Jessica and
Kristen at home in Avon, Ind.
Brian Martin ’88 was recently
elected president of the
Financial Planning Association
of Greater Indiana. Brian is
president of Lincoln Financial
Advisors in Indianapolis and
serves as a director on the
University of Indianapolis
Alumni Association Board. He
and his wife, Darcy Harrington
’90, reside in Indianapolis.
Brian and Darcy also
announce the birth of their
son, Trevor James, born
February 27, Trevor joins
big sister Danielle at home
in Fishers, Ind.
Tamra Hawkins Taylor ’88 and
husband Todd announce the
birth of their son, Nicholas
Robert. He was born January
10. He joins big sister Kaitlyn
and big brother Ryan at home
in Middlebury, Ind.
Gwenn Wasmuth ’86 and
husband Jim announce the
birth of their son, John Scott,
born January 10. He joins
big sisters Jill and Jan at
home in Callaway, Minn.
Joan Williams ’84 is the
23
Denise Connell ’89 is an
associate attorney for the law
firm of Montgomery, Elsner,
& Pardieck in Seymour, Ind.
Update your information
for Class Notes on the
Alumni Web site:
http://alumni.uindy.edu
Christine Graft ’89 ’90
and Kent Mahnesmith ’89
announce the birth of their
first child, Sarah Marie.
Christine is the director of
occupational therapy at Jasper
County Hospital and Kent is a
partner in the law firm of
Dumas & Moriarty. The family
lives in Rensselaer, Ind.
1990s
Alice Belschner DeFour ’90
and husband Peter are proud
to announce the birth of
their son Christopher. He was
born February 14 and joins
big brother Daniel at home
in Avon, Ind.
Barbara Bastian ’91 and
Paul Smith were married
December 28. Barbara works
as a physical therapist at the
Medical Center of Southern
Indiana and Paul is a carpenter with Raymond Lee
Construction of Salem. The
couple resides in Nabb, Ind.
Denise Adams Handlon ’91
and husband Scott are proud
to announce the birth of
their son Lucas Adam. Born
February 19, he joins big
brother Nicholas and big
sister Abigail at home in
Avon, Ind.
Kelly McWilliams ’91
received her master’s degree
in education leadership/
administration from Indiana
University. She is the
assistant principal at Maple
Crest Middle School in
Kokomo, Ind.
Jenny Stamm Stratman ’92
and husband Brian
announce the birth of their
daughter Bridget. She joins
big sister Brynn at home in
Greenfield, Ind.
24
Nancy Mahan Turner ’92 ’94
and husband Brett announce
the birth of their daughter,
Maddi Ann. She was born
November 23. She joins big
brothers Zachary and Tyler
at home in Greensburg, Ind.
Jon Henson ’93 is a technical
communications manager for
National Elevator Industry
Educational Program in
Attloboro Falls, Mass. He
is also an adjunct faculty
member at Roger Williams
University in Briston, R.I., and
at New England Institute of
Technology. He received his
M.A. in English from Rhode
Island College in May 2000
and lives in Pawtucket.
Natalie Johnson Holland ’94
and husband Chris are proud
to announce the birth of their
son, Eric Michael. He was born
March 23, 2001. The family
lives in Sellersburg, Ind.
Erin Ruff ’94 and Joseph
Stockert were married October
27. Erin is a physical therapist
with Group Health Associates
of Cincinnati and Joseph is a
senior researcher with Proctor
and Gamble. The couple lives
in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Keith Screen ’94 ’95 and
Heather Kerkhoff Screen ’98
announce the birth of their
daughter, Abigail Jane. She
was born April 2. The family
lives in Wabash, Ind.
Todd A. Jones ’93 is the
senior pastor of the Community Church of Kamrar in
Kamrar, Iowa.
John Venter ’93 and wife Jill
announce the birth of their
second child, Sophie Jill. She
was born February 21. She
joins big brother Samuel at
home in Whiteland, Ind.
Terri Butler ’94 is in
charge of the special search
department at Chicago
Title in Crown Point, Ind.
Sarah Goldman ’95 is director
of group homes for the May
Institute in Everett, Mass.
Greg Gossett Hershberger ’95
and Robyn Hathaway
Hershberger ’96 announce
the birth of their son, Caleb
Nathanael. He was born June
13, 2001. Greg is pastor at
Providence United Methodist
Church in Statesville, N.C.
Robyn works part-time as a
speech pathologist.
Dianna Keely ’95 is
the director of outdoor
programs for the Girl Scouts
of Hoosier Capital Council
in Indianapolis.
Carl Mason ’93 started a
new consulting firm, FOCUS
Innovation Management,
in July 2000 to help small
business owners manage
through efficiency and
technology. He lives in
Greenwood, Ind.
Ashley Creager Stiers ’93
and husband Terry announce
the birth of their daughter,
Vanessa Renee. She joins big
brothers Zachary and Tyler
at home in Rushville, Ind.
Erin Duncan ’95 and Anthony
Turk were married September
22. Erin is a registered nurse
for Storer, Schmidt &
Associates. Anthony is
territory manager for Lagasse
Inc. They make their home
in Beech Grove, Ind.
Douglas Alkire ’96 was
inducted into Sigma Theta
Tau International Honorary
Society of Nursing on April 7.
He lives in Indianapolis.
Michelle Spitznagel ’94 and
Andrew Smith were married
December 28. Michelle
is a registered nurse at
St. Francis Hospital and
Andy is a physical therapist
at Columbus Regional
Hospital. The couple lives
in Indianapolis.
Michael Beidelman ’95 and
wife Brandy announce the
birth of their fourth child,
Ashley Christine. She was
born October 9 and joins
big brothers Caleb and
Kenny and big sister Katy at
home in Indianapolis.
Cara Blake ’96 is a selfemployed massage therapist
in Brownsburg, Ind.
Natalie Diehl ’96 was
promoted to center director
of Sylvan Learning Center
in Fishers, Ind.
Ioannis Glykos ’96 ’97 and
wife Iro announce the birth
of their son, Dimitris. He was
born October 26. The family
lives in Athens, Greece.
Wendy Walker Grant ’96 and
husband Donnie announce
the birth of their daughter
Elizabeth Ann. She was
born March 12. She joins
big sister Jessica at home
in Martinsville, Ind.
Jeffrey Hartman ’96 and
Jessica Benner were married
October 27. Jeffrey is the
operations manager for the
Allison Transmission account
at Ryder Logistics and Jessica
is the personnel/operations
manager for Kohl’s Department Store in Plainfield,
Ind. The couples lives
in Plainfield.
Sheila McDaniel ’96 and
Philip Gillig were married
September 15. Sheila is a
cognitive rehabilitation
occupational therapist at
Wishard Hospital. Philip is a
district manager for Nabisco
Division of Kraft Foods.
They live in Indianapolis.
Ryan Redmon ’96 is an
associate attorney at the law
firm of Montgomery, Elsner,
& Pardieck in Seymour, Ind.
Heather Shaw Rody ’96 ’99
and husband Martin
announce the birth of their
daughter, Leah Elizabeth.
She was born December 26.
The family lives in
Brownsburg, Ind.
Amberly Shuart ’96 is a
field clinical representative
with the cardiac rhythm
management division at
Guidant Corporation. She
lives in Hamilton, Ohio.
Kelley Strawsma ’96 and
Mark Watts were married
December 22. They live in
Mishawaka, Ind., where
both are secondary
education teachers.
Lori Stiver Trimmer ’96 and
husband Matt are proud to
announce the birth of their
daughter, Abigail. She was
born September 14. The
family lives in Indianapolis.
Ben Wilhelm ’96 announces
the birth of his son,
Alexander Xavier, born on
March 4. Ben is a business
development manager for
Shiel Sexton in Indianapolis.
Leah Squires Barr ’97 and
husband Dave announce
the birth of their daughter,
Ashley Marie. She was born
March 17 and joins big
brother Nicholas at home
in Avon, Ind.
R. Scott Frankenfield ’97 and
Rayma Fisher were married
August 18. He is completing
his residency in family
practice at the Medical
Center of Central Georgia
and Mercer University in
Macon, Ga. She is the
tournament director for the
IIAA Golf Junior Classic. The
couple resides in Macon, Ga.
Lisa Glenn ’97 is an associate
for the law firm of Krieg
DeVault LLP in Indianapolis.
Aaron Lambert ’97 received
his master’s degree in
analytical chemistry from
Governor’s State University
in University Park, Ill. He
also accepted a commission
in the United States Air
Force and will attend
Officer’s Training School
this spring. He lives in
Waukegan, Ill.
Melinda Logue ’97 and
Geoffrey Schlicter were
married August 25. Melinda
is employed by the Area 9
Agency and Geoffrey is
employed at Candlewood
Terrace. The couple lives in
College Corner, Ohio.
Bree Ann Bennett ’98 and
Chad Pittman ’00 were
married October 13. Bree
Ann is a pediatric physical
therapist at St. Vincent
Children’s Specialty Hospital
and Chad is a developmental
scientist at Sagian Opera-
tions, Beckman Coulter. The
couple lives in Indianapolis.
Christopher Bloomer ’98 and
Michelle Singer were married
June 16. Christopher is a staff
accountant for Birk Gross Bell
and Coulter P.C. and Michelle
is a sixth-grade teacher and
coach for Doe Creek Middle
school in New Palestine. The
couple resides in Indianapolis.
Bart Holubar ’98 is a
pharmaceutical sales
representative for Abbott
Laboratories. He lives in
Greenwood, Ind.
Jonathan Mater II ’98 and
Micheall Hildreth were
married October 27. Jonathan
is the owner of a landscaping
business in Indianapolis and
Micheall is a nail technician
at Robert’s Salon and Day Spa
in Greenwood, Ind.
Jaime Jackson ’99 and
Kenneth Miller were married
August 4. Jaime is a physical
therapist at Memorial
Hospital in Seymour, Ind.
Melissa Johnson ’99 is a
research specialist at Solid
State Chemistry Information
Incorporated in West
Lafayette, Ind.
Andrea Jones ’99 is a support
analyst for the F.C. Tucker
Company, Inc. She lives in
McCordsville, Ind.
Sandra Blush Kluka ’99 and
husband Jim announce the
birth of their son Henry
James. He was born September 12. The family lives in
Avon, Ind.
Lisa Schilling ’98 is an
occupational therapist at
Primere Health Associates
in Iowa City, Iowa.
Tiffany Chilton ’99 is a
graphic designer/assistant
advertising director for
Acton Enterprises, Inc.
in Jeffersonville, Ind.
Mickey Cook ’99 and Scott
Luttrell ’99 were married
September 1. Mickey is a
surgical registered nurse at
St. Francis Hospital and Scott
is a student at the Medical
College of Ohio. They live
in Indianapolis.
Melissa Galema ’99 ’01 is a
physical therapist at Procare
Rehabilitation Services in
Anderson, Ind.
Mustafa Guven ’99 is an
accountant in Kyrenia, N.
Cyprus. He is also a part-time
instructor at the Cyprus
International University
in Nicosia.
Marie Butler Schelonka ’99
and husband Stephen are
proud to announce the birth
of their son, Jacob Michael.
He was born February 22. The
family lives in Indianapolis.
Brook Kozak Spenner ’99 ’01
is staff occupational therapist
at Greater Lafayette Health
Services in Lafayette, Ind.
Lori Orban Woods ’99 and
husband Jason announce
the birth of their son, Conner
Jackson. He was born
February 27. The family
lives in Indianapolis.
Robert Young ’99 is a buyer at
Artec Manufacturing. He lives
in Celestine, Ind.
25
2000s
Laurie Bertsche ’00 is a
physical therapist at Northwest Center of Integrative
Medicine in Tacoma, Wash.
Sebastien Cotte ’00 is a sales
representative for IngersollRand in Dallas, Tex.
Abigail Fink ’00 and Daniel
Props were married October
20. Abigail is employed by
Follett’s Bookstore at Indiana
University Purdue University
Indianapolis (IUPUI) and
Daniel works for AT&T
Wireless. The couple
resides in Indianapolis.
Colette Gottmann ’00 and
Richard Mahlerwein were
married January 15. Colette
is a business analyst with
Anthem and Rich is an
application developer with
Chiquita. They live in
Cincinnati, Ohio.
Damon Grothe ’00 is an
account manager for
Telecom Technology Corp.
in Indianapolis.
Sara Guseilla ’00 works in
the intensive care unit at
Memorial Hospital of
South Bend. She lives in
Plymouth, Ind.
Andrew Heck ’00 and
Kelli Weaver were married
October 13. Andrew is a
senior psychologist at
Piedmont Geriatric Hospital
in Burkeville, Va., and Kelli
is a senior psychologist at
Central State Hospital in
Petersburg. They live
in Midlothian, Va.
Lorri Copeland Hommel ’00
is a financial analyst at
Cinergy in Plainfield, Ind.
Edith Klinger ’00 is an
occupational therapist at
26
Pinnacle Health System in the
Infant Development Program.
She lives in Harrisburg, Pa.
L. Mathew Collins ’01 is a sales
representative for Hershey
Foods in Louisville, Ky.
Hee Soo Lee ’00 is a graduate
student studying piano at the
University of Florida. She lives
in Gainesville, Fla.
Jason Drummond ’01 is
running a business called
Dream Street Graphix in
Carthage, Ind.
Elizabeth Leighty ’00 is a fifth
grade teacher at Bane
Elementary in Houston, Tex.
Victoria Erb ’01 is a physical
therapist at Columbus
Regional Hospital. She lives
in Indianapolis.
Emily Schunke ’00 is a teacher
and soccer coach at Saint
Mary’s Episcopal School in
Memphis, Tenn.
Amy Steinbruegge ’00 and
Daniel Rexroth ’01 were
married October 27. Amy
is a school psychologist for
Children’s Resource Group
and Daniel is completing a
postdoctoral fellowship in
neuropsychology at Indiana
University School of
Medicine. The couple
lives in Indianapolis.
Douglas Stephan ’00 and
wife Jonna announce the
birth of their daughter,
Anna Catherine. She was
born June 28. The family
lives in Fishers, Ind.
Melissa Yates ’00 is a physical
therapist assistant with the
Community Hospitals
of Indianapolis.
James Armstrong ’01 and
Christina Daniel ’01 were
married December 15. James
is a support center analyst
for NatCity Investments
and Christina is a project
administrator for Covansys,
Inc. The couple lives in
Greenwood, Ind.
Stephen Black ’01 works at
Indiana Physical Therapy in
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Kimberly Gallmeyer ’01 works
at Parkview Occupational
Health Center in Ossian, Ind.
Dionne Buxton Jewell ’01
is a physical therapist at
Carmel Rehabilitation.
She lives in Indianapolis.
Tracey Klinger Kendall ’01
is a physical therapist at
Wishard Memorial Hospital.
She lives in Indianapolis.
Jennifer Kleist ’01 is a Spanish
teacher at Perry Meridian
High School in Indianapolis.
Chad Leeper ’01 and
Rebecca Bryan were married
in December 2001. Chad is
a file transfer specialist at
Complink. The couple lives
in Dallas, Tex.
Kristin Lutz ’01 is an
occupational therapist at
Replay Physical Therapy.
She lives in Burlington, Ind.
Jennifer McAllister ’01
and husband Michael
announce the birth of
McKayla Nicole. She was
born December 4. The family
lives in Monrovia, Ind.
Catherine Mila ’01 works at
St. John’s Providence Home
Care in Farmington
Hills, Mich.
Fidelia Nazegbulam ’01
recently passed all four
required components of the
State of Indiana Certified
Public Accountant exam.
Originally from Nigeria,
Fidelia is employed at Ernst
& Young in Indianapolis in
the tax compliance division.
Joshua Payne ’01 is a German
teacher at Brownsburg High
School. He is accompanying
12 exchange students on a
month-long trip to Kassel,
Germany, in June. He lives
in Indianapolis.
Biljana Radonjic ’01 is a
research analyst for Civilitas
Research in Nicosia, Cyprus.
Sarah Rigsby ’01 is a
physical therapist at Wishard
Memorial Hospital. She lives
in Jeffersonville, Ind.
Marie Shadle ’01 works at
MidSouth Rehabilitation
in Jackson, Miss.
Christopher Tapley ’01 is a
physical therapist at Positive
Results Therapy in Peru, Ind.
Dawn VanSledright ’01 is a
physical therapist at Grand
Rapids Public Schools in
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Tammy Yum ’01 is a physical
therapist at Replay Physical
Therapy. She lives in
Carmel, Ind.
John Zellers ’01 is a physical
therapist at RepuCare. He
lives in Westfield, Ind.
Voelz reflects on many blessings during her
two-year term as Alumni Association president
It is so very hard for me to believe that the two-year
term as president of your Alumni Association is coming
to a close. It has been an honor and privilege to serve
as your president, especially at this momentous time in
our University’s history. I have taken very seriously the
awesome responsibility of representing you, our 19,000
alumni who come from all of our 50 states and several
countries outside of the U.S.
Since my term began in June 2000, the board has
worked toward specific goals that supported the entire
University’s goals.
1. To increase the percentage and amount of giving
by alumni and to increase the participation of
young alumni in the annual fund.
2. To provide input into the Alumni House
planning and use.
3. To aid in the transition of students into active
and informed alumni.
4. To increase the outreach initiatives to alumni
outside the Indianapolis area, including those from
the Cyprus and Athens campuses.
Many new programs and initiatives have been
successfully implemented or enhanced to achieve
these goals. The alumni board executive committee
challenged board members to achieve 100% participation in the annual fund by fiscal year end. Young
alumni donor participation also increased through a
personal letter-writing campaign to graduates of the
last 10 years. Energies will be focused to increase
the alumni donor participation in the annual fund
from 15% to the national norm of 21% of private
master’s institutions.
The Alumni Association has long aspired to build
an alumni house. It is so amazing to me that through
the tremendous support of President Jerry Israel, the
Board of Trustees, and financial support of Rick
Stierwalt ’80, Peggy Magee and family, and Joanne
Sease that the alumni house became a reality. This
facility is both a visible symbol of the University’s
commitment to the alumni and the alumni’s
commitment to the University.
To help raise awareness among students and
welcome them into the Alumni Association, several new
initiatives have begun. A brief “welcome to the Alumni
Association” speech is now a part of Commencement
ceremonies. Senior Salute, now in its third year, is the
association’s more formal way of saying goodbye and
welcome to the Alumni Association. The board also
established and presented the first Harvey M.
Showalter Outstanding Future Alumni Award at last
year’s Senior Salute. Other new student events were
the Finals Week Dessert Diversion Reception, the
future intercultural alumni reception, and involvement
of the Student Alumni Association in the successful
senior class gift program and the planning of the
Senior Salute, as well as the first-ever Distinguished
Young Alumni award in 2002.
We have experienced great success involving
graduates of the last decade through several after-work
networking receptions. News submitted for Portico
classnotes by young alumni is now the most frequently
submitted alumni news item.
While 70% of all alumni live in the Indianapolis
metropolitan area, the alumni board took action to be
more inclusive. The 26-member board includes
directors from six states including its first representative from the international division. Ten alumni
gatherings were held in five different states. Alumni
Web visitors increased 46%, e-mail inquiries rose by
35%, and e-mail directory enrollees doubled to 1,200,
all giving testimony that technology is an effective
means for alumni connections.
Successful events such as alumni weekend and
Homecoming continued while new events began.
Graduates of the Heart earned the prestigious 2001
CASE Circle of Excellence National Award for alumni
programming! With the new alumni house came the
opportunity to host new events such as the Legacy of
Leadership dinner gathering former Alumni Board
presidents. And in March, the alumni board spent a
day at “Camp Alumni,” a retreat to “find the true
north” for the Alumni Association, rewriting the
association’s mission and vision statements, and
developing goals and objectives.
It has indeed been a most exciting time to serve
as your president. Thank you for this privilege and
honor. Thank you for your time, talents, and treasure
that you share with the University of Indianapolis.
You can feel confident that even though the University
has undergone many changes, the motto of this
University, “Education for Service,” is as alive today as
it was 100 years ago.
I offer my best wishes and continued
support to my successor and new Alumni Association
president Oscar Gardner ’74, and to the alumni board.
Again, many thanks for the blessing that serving as your
president has been for me! May God bless each
and every one of you and may He hold you firmly
in the palm of His hand!
“We have experienced
great success involving
graduates of the last decade
through several after-work
networking receptions.
News submitted for
Portico classnotes by
young alumni is now the
most frequently submitted
alumni news item.”
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E-mail address: [email protected]
Web site: http://alumni.uindy.edu
Portico
Web site: http://centennial.uindy.edu
Why ‘Portico’?
“portico [f. porta door, gate]: A covered ambulatory consisting of a roof
supported by columns placed at regular intervals, usually attached as a porch
to a building . . . a colonnade” (Oxford English Dictionary).
Since the opening of the doors of what was then Indiana Central University in
1905, every student, professor, and staff member has at one time strolled the
Good Hall portico. Long a landmark of the city’s southside and listed on the
National Register of Historic Places, Good Hall reminds thousands of passersby
and visitors daily of the University’s presence as a pillar of the community. The
hall has had many uses and undergone many changes, but its portico—scene of
graduations, celebrations, marriage proposals, weddings, and more—has
remained the symbol of our campus for nearly a century, the one constant for all
of the University’s generations. It is therefore a most appropriate image to call
upon in naming this collection of news of the University of Indianapolis, its
people, and its ever-widening impact on the world. We hope Portico will serve as
your vantage point from which to gain a better understanding of the University.