Knox Magazine — Winter 2025

The Campaign for Knox College

Jeffrey Gomer

Professor of Practice in Business and Management Jeffrey Gomer began teaching at Knox in 2013, helping strengthen the College’s business program. With special interests in financial and managerial accounting, Gomer is passionate about helping students learn about the tools and skills of the business world.

Outside of Knox, Gomer serves as the CFO of Thrive Community Services, a Galesburg-based organization providing community services for over 300 adults who have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

Welcome to his office.

Picture of Seymour Library

My college roommate and good friend Jay Redfern took this picture. He enjoys doing these types of reflection pictures.

Student gifts

This box is from Praveik Pradhan ’22 and it’s from Nepal, I believe. It has a little stocking cap in it. And this is an idol of Lord Ganesha from India. My student, Raj Telli ’25, gave this to me. It is supposed to remove obstacles from your way.

The David Robinson Fan of the Year Award

I attend many athletic events since a significant number of my advisees are athletes. Jason Clark ’24 invited me to an event where an award was being presented. This event was not on my radar because my evenings are typically reserved for the fitness center, but Clark insisted that I go because I was nominated for this award. I was not expecting to win, so I was shocked when it was announced.

Old Check Writer

That is an old check writer that I use as a bookend. Way back in the day, you would put those buttons up and down and correspond them with the numbers. You would press the little buttons to correspond with the check amount and then you’d pull that handle, and it would imprint on a paper check, like a printing machine. Believe it or not, I operated one of those. That was when we had to do checks in one of my first jobs, right out of college back in the ’80s.

DEPARTMENTS

01

OPEN DOOR

36

KNOX WRITES

FEATURES

06

A STORY OF ADAPTABILITY AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT

The story of Knox College’s TRIO Achievement Program is one of endurance, adaptability, and unwavering commitment to supporting students from marginalized backgrounds.

04

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

76 38 24

CLASS NOTES

12

BUILDING BONDS AND LEARNING COLLABORATIVELY

At Knox College, Living Learning Communities (LLCs) offer a unique opportunity for first-year students to connect with both their academic and social communities.

SOUTH LAWN

PARTING SHOT

18

VENTURE BOLDLY

The Knox community gathered this winter to launch the College’s first comprehensive campaign in more than 20 years.

ABOUT THE COVER Sunset over the Knox Campus as seen from the roof of Old Main. Photo by Truth & Consequences.

Students participating in a group trip to Green Oaks with their Living Learning Community (LLC) enjoy traveling in a canoe on Green Oaks Lake. During fall term, LLC groups take part in three off-campus activities to bond and learn more about local culture and opportunities.

Corrections

We greatly appreciate all readers who sent in corrections to the summer 2024 issue, including:

► Howard W. Dillon ’59, who pointed out that we referred to Indiana University as the University of Indiana in the Open Door feature on Associate Professor Nathalie Haurberg ’06. Our sincere apologies to Nathalie and all of our University of Indiana alumni.

► Berry Elswick, trustee of the Henke Family Trust, wrote to express his appreciaton for noting the trust’s support of the Cherry Street Combo’s latest album, Chameleon. He also wrote that he felt “the lack of mention of the hardworking student artists who put so much time and effort into the Cherry Street Combo year after year leading up to this recording is a major oversight,” and shared the names of the

students on the album: Chieko Dunham ’25, vocals; Sophia Elswick ’23, vibraphone, piano; Casey Foubert ’24, drums, piano; Morgan Hopkins ’24, acoustic and electric bass; Chris Regiacorte ’24, trumpet, flugelhorn; Brandon Roberts ’25, guitar; and Zoë Rose ’21, vocals. Thank you, Berry, for sharing their names—congratulations to one and all.

► And the Rep Term alumni who noted that the picture we identified as being from the first Rep Term in the article “From Radical to Routine” was incorrectly identified. Larry Baldacci ’71, an alumnus of the first Rep Term, provided some additional context: “The picture is not from the production of Badge. I believe it must be from either our production of Antigone or Seven Against Thebes.” Thank you, Larry and all other alumni, who noted this mistake, for which we offer our sincere apologies.

Volume 108, Issue 1

EDITOR

Megan Scott ’96

MANAGING EDITOR

Mitch Prentice ’17

LAYOUT

DESIGNER

Ami Jontz

CONTRIBUTORS, WRITING & PHOTOGRAPHY

Rick Bender

Steve Davis P’12

Jennifer Gallas Shaswot Karki ’28

Kent Kriegshauser

Nysa Pulwar ’26

Knox Magazine is published twice yearly by the Office of Communications, Box K-233, Knox College, Galesburg, IL 61401-4999; Phone: 309-341-7760; Email: knoxmag@knox.edu.

It is distributed free of charge to Knox alumni, students, parents, and friends.

The magazine welcomes information and story ideas. Please query before submitting manuscripts.

ISSN: 0047-3499

Visit us online at magazine.knox.edu.

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Dear Knox Community,

Just a little over a month ago, the public phase of Venture Boldly, Knox’s first comprehensive campaign in more than 20 years, was launched in Chicago. It was a momentous evening, with more than 200 Knox alumni, parents, and friends coming together to celebrate the College and look to its bold future.

While raising money may be the most apparent goal associated with a campaign, one of the beautiful outcomes of these initiatives is building, elevating, and nurturing community. One of the highlights of the Chicago event was watching generations of alumni talking and engaging with each other, as well as with students, faculty, and staff. The brilliance of our community connections—the love and support shown for Knox and its people—was palpable, and it was a joy to watch.

I can also see this same support and engagement on the pages of this Knox Magazine Throughout the issue, you’ll see a singular story emerge from its individual articles, profiles, and notes: Knox students benefit from community support and engagement from the moment they walk on campus to their years finding professional and personal success.

Here are a few of my favorite highlights from the issue:

• Student support is at the heart of Knox’s outstanding TRIO Achievement Program, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. TRIO is a federally supported program, and its mission is to provide students with personalized support and comprehensive programming to promote academic success, personal growth, and a meaningful sense of community. Read more about TRIO’s transformative support of generations of Knox students on page 6.

• Another community-building initiative that Knox reinstated this fall is the Living

Learning Community (LLC). Offering a unique opportunity for first-year students to connect with their communities, LLCs are designed to foster an immersive environment where students live in the same campus suite while also taking their FirstYear Preceptorial courses together. The goal is to encourage collaborative learning and social engagement. Read more about this year’s seven LLCs on page 12.

• Knox welcomed seven new tenure-track faculty members this fall. As mentors to our students, helping to guide them to become their best selves, they are truly the soul of the institution (page 32).

• Trustee Joe ’67 and Diane Bastian bolstered student support services with a multi-million dollar gift dedicated to student success and Knox’s business program (page 25)

• And six alumni were awarded College recognitions for their lifetime dedication to community service or outstanding service to their alma mater (page 45 and page 59).

Many of these initiatives and accomplishments are supported by funds raised through the Venture Boldly campaign, and all are rooted in the engagement and support woven into the very fabric that binds us all together. I ask that each of you join us in this exciting and transformative Venture Boldly campaign. Join us at an upcoming event—see the fruit of the fundraising process; engage with fellow classmates, students, faculty members; and support Knox’s exciting future in a way that’s meaningful to you.

I look forward to seeing you soon at an upcoming event—visit knox.edu/venture-boldly for future stops—or on the Knox campus.

Warmest regards,

The new elevator in George Davis Hall (GDH) was completed just in time for winter term 2025 classes to begin. The addition of the elevator makes all four floors of GDH fully accessible to students, faculty, and

staff. Started in summer 2024, this project is a key component of Knox's commitment to make the campus more accessible to all members of the community.

A STORY OF ADAPTABILITY AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT

50 Years of TRIO

By Mitch Prentice ’17

The story of Knox College’s TRIO Achievement Program is one of endurance, adaptability, and unwavering commitment to supporting students from marginalized backgrounds. From its inception as the Educational Development Program (EDP) to its eventual rebranding as TRIO, the program has helped guide generations of students toward a successful Knox education.

Over the past 50 years, Knox TRIO has served approximately 2,200 students, supported by more than $10 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education since 1974. The program has been a cornerstone of academic success for first-generation and low-income students, achieving an average annual collegiate persistence rate of 91.7 percent and a 94.7 percent rate of students ending the year in good academic standing since 2007.

This milestone anniversary highlights not only the program’s resilience but also the profound difference it has made in the lives of countless Knox students over the past half-century.

“I can think of no program that better represented the values of Knox,” Knox College President C. Andrew McGadney said. “It has made a tremendous difference for generations of alumni. It's because of our local leaders and government officials that help continue such a valuable program to meet Knox’s mission.”

Risa Lopez, executive director of TRIO & McNair Programs, has led TRIO for 18 years, one of only three directors in the program’s history, underscoring the program’s stability and the trust placed in its leadership. Her focus has been on creating a nurturing environment where students can find a "center in others who belong in the same world," making the TRIO space feel like a community rather than merely an assistance program. "To have maintained this program amid changing enrollment numbers and institutional demands is significant," she added.

The TRIO Achievement Program serves first-generation, low-income students, as well

as students with disabilities. It has become essential to the college experience for students who face challenges beyond traditional academics, providing support for everything from financial literacy and FAFSA guidance to career readiness and emotional resilience. Lopez stressed that TRIO is not about doing the work for students, rather, describing the process as a “trampoline, not a safety net.” Students are encouraged to take ownership of their success.

Helping Students, 50 Years Strong

For many, the TRIO journey begins even before classes start. The TRIO Bridge Program, a summer onboarding session, offers participants an introduction to college life and familiarizes them with available resources. For students like Alexa Custer ’25, a Gale Scholar whose journey with TRIO began in Galesburg High School, this initial experience set a foundation that made her transition to Knox smoother. As a commuter, Custer found a sense of community within TRIO. She has now been a TRIO peer mentor for three years, fostering connections with new students and

Executive Director of TRIO & McNair Programs Risa Lopez speaks with Gabriel Randol ’25 in her TRIO office found in the Center for Teaching and Learning.

“[TRIO] helped me feel seen. I didn’t feel like just another college student.”

—Aleene Ramirez ’25

their families, and guiding them through the same adjustments she once navigated.

“Laura [Bush] has always been like my backbone,” Custer added, referring to her TRIO advisor. “I come out of those meetings refreshed and motivated about whatever’s happening.”

Custer is currently considering graduate school for philosophy. To aid her in this effort, she is utilizing the aid of the McNair Scholars Program, a sister program of TRIO. It is designed to prepare underrepresented undergraduate students for the challenges of doctoral studies through research experiences, academic planning, and other scholarly activities.

Custer sees herself possibly working within a TRIO program in the future, giving back to the community that shaped her college experience.

The program also supports students navigating the challenges of balancing athletics and academics. Aleene Ramirez ’25, a journalism major from San Antonio, Texas, came to Knox during a tumultuous time, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her senior year of high school.

Adjusting to college life was challenging, and it wasn’t until she connected with TRIO Associate Director Brandi Grimes that she found the guidance she needed. "It helped me feel seen. I didn’t feel like just another college student," she recalled.

TRIO’s guidance has been essential as she balances her academic responsibilities with her commitment to the Prairie Fire women’s soccer team. One of the key changes Ramirez has included in her daily life is a planner book that she carries everywhere she goes. “Brandi [Grimes] understood how chaotic the daily life of an athlete is. Using this planner helped me factor in small time sinks throughout my day and has changed my academic life,” she added. The structure and personalized support from TRIO have allowed her to succeed in both spheres, demonstrating the program's flexibility in meeting students' varied needs.

The Knox TRIO program has served approximately 2,200 STUDENTS over the past 50 years Approximately 35% of all students on campus in fall 2024 are TRIO-eligible Since 1974, Knox College has received $10,033,337 in grant funding from the US Department of Education 59 first-years 2024-25 TRIO students by class year: 53 sophomores 37 juniors 42 seniors

“This program helped me to see and own my voice. Not just to go into an established career, but to pursue myself.”

—Jameta Rodgers ’97

For alumni like Patrick Ford ’17, who now teaches in Chicago, TRIO was a lifeline that helped him adjust to college life and its accompanying cultural challenges. As a first-generation college student, Ford initially resisted the idea of joining TRIO, believing he needed to approach the challenges of college alone. However, he says Lopez’s persistence paid off, helping him ultimately find a supportive community that helped him overcome both academic and personal challenges. “Without TRIO, I wouldn’t have been successful,” Ford reflects. “I was ready to drop out, it was a culture shock.”

Over time, the program’s advisors, such as Lopez and Director of the Center for Teaching & Learning John Haslem, taught Ford how to navigate life at Knox and beyond, instilling values of resilience and adaptability that he now applies as an educator.

Reflecting on the Past

Though it has changed names, the TRIO program has always provided a core mission of access. For Associate Dean of the College and Philip Sidney Post Professor of Chemistry Mary Crawford ’89, this mission hits close to home.

As a former student utilizing the services of what was then referred to as the Educational Development Program (EDP), to now assisting the program in her role as associate dean, Crawford says the program is an incredibly

important resource for Knox. She says TRIO has provided a pathway for underprivileged students to better connect with faculty and staff, helping immerse them in a Knox education.

“You have to look at the whole student, and not just in the classroom. It’s about understanding their entire life and how they’ve reached this point,” she added.

Crawford says it’s important for the College to maintain its TRIO program not only for current students but also to show alumni that Knox is maintaining access to education. Whether it be for a first-generation college student finding their way in uncharted waters or a student from a low-income family, Crawford says TRIO provides a message to all that they belong. “TRIO gives students a compass for higher education,” Crawford said.

For Chris Chaney ’80, the EDP helped him feel connected to Knox at a time when few other students looked like him. As a minority student on campus during the late 1970s, Chaney says it was hard to find a support system of people who truly understood his struggles.

Chaney says the biggest obstacle he faced entering Knox was writing. He utilized the EDP to help improve his writing skills and also as an emotional support system. At times, he says the advisors and students within the EDP were his emotional getaway. “Being a minority student, having a support system, emotionally and academically, was a big deal,” he added.

Jameta Rodgers ’97 recently returned to campus during 2024 Homecoming to speak during a TRIO 50th anniversary celebration. She detailed her experience as a math secondary education major, as well as feeling underrepresented in most classes she took at Knox.

She admitted that coming from a primarily African American high school, she had trouble trusting faculty and advisors having her best interest at heart. “I had to learn to accept their help,” she said.

For Rodgers, advisors within EDP allowed her to be successful, helping guide her to use her talents within leadership opportunities around campus and become a “fuller person.”

Today, Rodgers serves as associate dean of student development at Richard J. Daley College. Many of the individual points of growth she adopted through EDP have translated into her current career.

“This program helped me to see and own my voice. Not just to go into an established career, but to pursue myself,” Rodgers said.

TRIO Today

As years have passed, the challenges of the modern student have changed in ways both expected and unexpected.

COVID-19’s impact on higher education has introduced new challenges, especially for low-income and first-generation students. Post-COVID, TRIO students report increased levels of anxiety, with financial stresses and technology gaps making college transitions even more daunting. TRIO has adapted to meet these new demands, incorporating additional mental health resources and creating a “help-seeking culture” that encourages students to embrace academic and emotional support.

Knox TRIO Academic Coordinator Laura Bush pointed to a struggle with deep learning among students. She says that, for many, the transition from Zoom calls to collegiate classrooms has presented new challenges; however, she shared a sense of optimism through the way students have adopted TRIO services into their lives.

For Bush, the use of peer mentors in oneon-one settings and group study sessions has enabled students to come to terms with their struggles in an accepting environment. In her 14 years at Knox, she says the student’s willingness to utilize TRIO and the Center for Teaching & Learning assistance is consistently improving.

“I feel like we have a strong and proactive program. The student mentors are so vital to our success,” Bush added.

Financial literacy has also become a crucial element of TRIO’s mission. Many students enter Knox with financial burdens that can feel insurmountable, yet TRIO demystifies the process, guiding them through FAFSA, budgeting, and the nuances of maintaining financial aid eligibility. "We want them to fully understand what financial aid actually means," says Lopez.

Students often arrive with a fear of confronting their finances, but TRIO advisors work to replace that fear with knowledge, empowering them to manage their own educational expenses.

The program has expanded its focus to include career readiness, recognizing that TRIO students often underutilize career resources compared to their non-TRIO peers. Through workshops and one-on-one guidance, students are encouraged to leverage campus resources like the Bastian Family Center for Career Success. TRIO’s goal is not only to help students succeed at Knox but to prepare them for life after college, ensuring they have the skills needed to thrive in professional environments.

The overall percentage of TRIO-eligible students on campus has remained fairly constant over the years but peaked around 2014-15 when more than 60 percent of U.S. students on campus met at least one eligibility criterion. Evaluating data from last year’s TRIO students, Lopez shared that participants earned higher grades in FP, higher grades their first term, higher grades their first year, earned more credits in their first year, and were more likely to persist in school from one year to the next when compared to non-participants.

Looking forward, TRIO continues to be driven by its commitment to community and an evolving understanding of what student success looks like. As TRIO’s funding is closely tied to the federal budget process, the program submitted its most recent grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Education in July 2024 to request continued funding for the 2025-2030 academic years. This funding is critical for ensuring students continue to have access to resources that help them thrive.

For 50 years, TRIO has been a pillar of support, serving as both a launchpad and a safety net for students whose college journeys might otherwise be fraught with obstacles. From the modest beginnings of the Educational Development Program to the robust support system it offers today, TRIO has played an integral role in Knox’s mission to provide an inclusive, accessible education. TRIO alumni are part of a national network of nearly 6 million TRIO graduates, showcasing the program’s significant reach and transformative impact on individuals across the country.

As Knox celebrates this major anniversary, it’s clear that TRIO’s commitment to fostering student success will remain at its core, a promise to future generations of Knox students that they will always have a place to belong and a team to help them thrive.

Students, alumni, staff, and faculty involved with TRIO pose for a group photo at the TRIO 50th anniversary event during Homecoming 2024 in the Umbeck Science-Mathematics Center.

BUILDING BONDS AND LEARNING COLLABORATIVELY

How Knox College’s Living Learning Communities Empower First-Year Students

By Mitch Prentice ’17

Whether it’s down the road or halfway across the world, moving away from home and embarking on the journey of a college education can be daunting. Among the many new experiences that await, integrating into a new social circle and finding a sense of belonging can seem overwhelming.

At Knox College, Living Learning Communities (LLCs) offer a unique

opportunity for first-year students to connect with both their academic and social communities. For the 2024-25 academic year, seven LLCs were designed to foster an immersive environment where students live together in the same campus suite while also taking their First-Year Preceptorial (FP) courses together. This setup, located in Post and Campbell/Elder residence halls, encourages collaborative learning and social engagement.

Seven Living Learning Communities were offered to this year’s entering students, all centered around the following First-Year Preceptorial courses.

Challenges of Sustainability and Resilience

Taught and advised by:

• Associate Professor of Anthropology-Sociology

William Hope

• Director of Campus

Sustainability Initiatives

Tina Hope

Creating Monsters (TwoSections)

Taught and advised by:

• Associate Professor of English

Chad Simpson

• Associate Professor of Spanish Fernando Gomez

Democracy and DisInformation

Taught and advised by:

• Professor of English

Emily Anderson

Human Rights

Taught and advised by:

• Associate Professor of Political Science Duane Oldfield

Myth and Modern

Taught and advised by:

• Associate Professor of Classics Hilary Lehmann

Science Fiction and Human Identity

Taught and advised by:

• Associate Professor of Modern Languages & Literatures (Spanish)

Tim Foster

Vice President for Student Development

MarQuita Barker explained that LLCs serve as an important bridge between applying to Knox and stepping onto campus. By forming communal connections during the summer, students can feel more at ease with their suitemates, building deeper bonds before even arriving on campus. Grouping students by their FP course interests, which are selected via a summer interest survey, immediately aligns them with a shared academic focus.

“LLCs help create a sense of community. We want these connections to make students feel comfortable during the summer and ease their transition into college life,” Barker said.

LLC suites remain together throughout the entire first year, even after FP courses wrap up at the end of the fall term.

Leading the Way

This year, Knox has expanded its LLC offerings to include seven different groups—its largest number yet. Faculty advisors lead each LLC while teaching the connected FP course, providing academic and personal guidance throughout the year.

Faculty leaders have embraced the LLC model, noting its profound impact on students’ academic and personal growth. Alongside teaching their FP course, faculty leaders also

serve as advisors for each student involved in their LLC through their first two years. Combining the student experience in the classroom with opportunities to interact one-on-one as individuals creates a unique perspective of the Knox education pathway for first-year students.

“For faculty, being an LLC advisor helps see students as whole individuals,” Barker said. Mar Armstrong ’28, who is enrolled in Associate Professor of Modern Languages Fernando Gomez’s Creating Monsters class, appreciated the opportunity to meet with her LLC advisor regularly. She explained that she looks forward to her advising appointments with Gomez, as the regular interactions have built a meaningful connection.

Associate Professor of Political Science Duane Oldfield, who leads the Human Rights FP class, highlights the diversity in his class, noting students from the United States, Japan, Pakistan, and Nepal. Their varied perspectives enrich discussions on immigration and asylum. “LLCs can help in a variety of ways,” he said. “They are particularly good for promoting learning beyond the classroom.”

For Oldfield, the LLC experience allows him to introduce students to local culture by organizing visits to art events, film screenings, and nearby historic sites, which add depth to his human rights curriculum.

The Student Experience

Students walk the trails of Green Oaks during a trip with their Living Learning Community.

Associate Professor of AnthropologySociology William Hope meets with students at the Living Learning Community gathering to begin the academic year.

Oreoluwa Precious Ilori ’28 values the extra support she gets from living and studying alongside classmates. Although her FP course is just a portion of her term’s load, the study sessions and conversations in the LLC have made bonding easier. “Living with my classmates has helped me connect with them more closely—I know their majors, interests, and backgrounds,” she said.

For Oreoluwa, the experience has made making friends easier and has expanded her worldview. She connected with her roommate Olivia Nguyen ’28 months prior to moving onto campus. Having an immediate class friend while navigating the challenges of starting her education helped them adapt together. Nguyen, who moved to Galesburg from Vietnam, explained that joining the LLC has turned into a rewarding opportunity to forge friendships and improve her academic habits. “My roommate helps me stay on track. If she wasn’t always up on time in the morning, I would always be late,” Nguyen added.

Armstrong sought the LLC experience for a sense of familiarity in an unfamiliar environment. “Having friends around, not just in passing but throughout campus, has made

adjusting easier,” Armstrong shared. Living with classmates who share her interests, such as environmental science, has helped her build a support system she can rely on.

Tristan Winston ’28, who came to Knox from California, was curious about the cultural exchange within the LLC. So far, he has enjoyed learning about his suitemates’ diverse backgrounds, from religious customs to cooking methods and even sports interests. “It’s exciting to learn about their cultures,” Winston said.

“Living with my classmates has helped me connect with them more closely—I know their majors, interests, and backgrounds.”

Even students initially wary of group living, like Catalina Kim ’28 from Seattle, have found value in the LLC experience. Kim’s FP course explores cultural perspectives on monsters, and she has enjoyed discussing horror films with her suitemates. “It’s been nice to have a shared experience with my suitemates. It’s become an easy conversation starter,” she said.

Building Community at Knox

LLCs at Knox are more than just dormitories with shared classes—they are spaces where students support each other through both academic challenges and the personal growth of the first year.

A core vision for LLCs at Knox emphasizes community beyond the classroom. Faculty advisors like Associate Professor of Classics Hilary Lehmann see LLCs as a chance to bridge classroom learning with practical life skills. As an advisor, she helps students navigate Knox’s registration systems and academic planning, integrating guidance alongside her teaching. Her class explores how modern authors of color reinterpret ancient myths, prompting students to reflect on identity, race, and culture.

For her international students, many of whom hail from Vietnam, living in an LLC offers a structured community and a “home feel” that can ease their transition to college life in the U.S. “LLCs give structure for incoming students. It has a home feel to it and gives them a base where they belong, even if it’s not necessarily people who look like them,” she added.

Associate Professor and Chair of Modern Languages Fernando Gomez speaks to his FirstYear Preceptorial class Creating Monsters in George Davis Hall.

Associate Professor of English Chad Simpson speaks during a Dashain Tika ceremony with students in Post Lobby.

Gomez, whose class delves into cultural anxieties through horror films and literature, also sees LLCs as an opportunity for students to bond outside of class. His class attended a screening of The Lost Boys at the Orpheum Theatre, discussing the themes of “otherness” portrayed through vampires. Other LLCs took part in trips to regional museums and even day trips to Green Oaks as an opportunity to bond and see local offerings. “It’s fascinating to see how each culture interprets horror, and how those interpretations bring students together,” Gomez said. He shared appreciation

for the informal interactions LLCs facilitate, noting how students help each other in ways that extend beyond academics.

As LLCs evolve, Vice President Barker hopes LLCs will serve as an anchor for retention and success at Knox. “The built-in community offers a support network that fosters both academic and social growth,” Barker said. “We hope that this helps students build lasting relationships with their peers and faculty throughout their time at Knox.”

“The built-in community offers a support network that fosters both academic and social growth. We hope that this helps students build lasting relationships with their peers and faculty throughout their time at Knox.”

—Vice President for Student Development MarQuita Barker

VENTURE BOLDLY

The Campaign for Knox

By Megan Scott ’96

More than 200 Knox alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends gathered in Chicago, St. Louis, and Atlanta this winter to share memories, laughter, and excitement for Knox’s future and to launch the College’s first comprehensive campaign in more than 20 years.

Gathering at the University Club of Chicago, The Thaxton Club in Downtown St. Louis, and The Legacy Test Kitchen in Atlanta, guests heard from President C. Andrew McGadney, as well as administrators, alumni, faculty, and students, as they shared the impact of Knox’s unique programs and a vision for its future growth—the foundation for the Venture Boldly campaign.

“The main point of a comprehensive campaign is to dream big and think boldly,” President McGadney said. “Three ways we can make our great College even better is to drive strategic growth, enrich the student experience, and invest in our community. And I encourage all of you to help us Venture Boldly for Knox.”

Chicago, St. Louis, and Atlanta were only the first stops on a nationwide tour celebrating the Venture Boldly campaign. Trips to New York, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle, and more are in the works this spring, ending with a grand celebration on the Knox campus in May.

“The main point of a comprehensive campaign is to dream big and think boldly.”

–President C. Andrew McGadney

Etz Family Institute for Civic Leadership & Dialogue Hosts Inaugural Event

The newly established Etz Family Institute for Civic Leadership & Dialogue marked a significant milestone with its inaugural public event, Learning to Disagree Across the Culture Wars. Nearly 400 guests from the Knox and Galesburg communities attended the event to engage in a dialogue between two renowned experts in civil discourse: John Corvino, Dean of the Irvin D. Reid Honors College at Wayne State University, and John Inazu, Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis.

Both emphasized the importance of engaging with differing viewpoints through humility and curiosity, rather than resorting to labeling opposing views as “evil.”

This inaugural event set the stage for the Institute’s future endeavors, highlighting Knox’s commitment to fostering civic leadership and respectful discourse. Through ongoing programming, the Institute will continue to create opportunities for students and faculty to engage with differing viewpoints, collaborate, and debate solutions to pressing local and global challenges.

John Corvino, Dean of the Irvin D. Reid Honors College at Wayne State University, and John Inazu, Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis, speak on stage at the Orpheum Theatre in Galesburg.

“Once you move from seeing your opponent as wrong to evil, it’s hard to walk back that line.”

—Professor John Inazu

Bastians Bolster Support for Student Success

To ensure Knox students receive the education and support needed to have postgraduate success, Trustee Joseph ’67 and Diane Bastian gave a multi-million dollar gift to endow a faculty chair in business and to increase support offered by the Bastian Family Center for Career Success.

“It has been a pleasure working with Joe and Diane to ensure that Knox students have the education, experiences, and skills needed to be successful and have a positive impact on their communities and the world after Knox,” said President C. Andrew McGadney. “ I have also enjoyed getting to know their family history, and I am inspired by their love for Knox and their appreciation of the power of our liberal arts education.”

Joe Bastian has served as a member of the Board of Trustees since 2013, and Joe and Diane have been supporting Knox for decades. Their gift for the renovation of Alumni Hall created the Bastian Family Center for Career Success. The Bastian family’s history at Knox is deep including Joe, who graduated with an economics degree; his brother, Pete, who attended Knox; and his sister, Casey who graduated with a degree in American studies.

After pursuing successful careers, Joe and Diane left their corporate jobs and, along with Casey, joined together to build a Panera Bread franchise. They ultimately grew the business to include 16 locations across North Carolina, and credit their experience at Knox as setting the foundation for their successful business endeavors.

“I think my mom would be proud of our ability to give back to Knox and that her investments have paid off and are leading to a good future for many other kids,” added Joseph.

Galesburg Opens New Public Library

In April 2024, the heart of Galesburg shined a little brighter with the opening of its new state-of-the-art public library.

Located just blocks from the Knox College campus on West Main Street, Galesburg’s new library is more than just a repository for books; it is a testament to the community's commitment to accessibility and life-long learning. The modern facility replaces its 1961 predecessor, offering amenities tailored to the needs of the Galesburg community.

Laurie Howell Muelder ’63, president of the library’s Board of Trustees, helped lead funding efforts for the new construction. She pointed to the work of the Galesburg Public Library Foundation and the individual gifts as key reasons for its completion. More than $4 million in donations helped cover what was needed after a state grant was awarded.

Alumni familiar with the old library will be amazed by the transformation and modern design of the new space. Natural light pours through massive windows, highlighting thoughtfully designed spaces like study rooms, a technology lab, and dedicated areas for children and teens. The library also houses 3D printers, podcasting stations, Wi-Fi, and more, providing accessible technology to everyone.

Galesburg’s community remains at the core of this transformation. The new facility features large meeting rooms and event spaces, already hosting lectures, book clubs, and workshops, while outdoor seating and green spaces make the library a welcoming destination for all seasons. Inside, a mural of Galesburg-centric photos is one of many local touches in design.

Knox College students and faculty have also found a resource in the library’s expanded archives and research support.

Funded through state grants and community donations, the library sits as a proud landmark for alumni to explore when they return to visit. Stop by, browse the shelves, and rediscover the stories of Galesburg’s vibrant community.

Navigating the U.S. Election through an International Lens

By Nysa Phulwar ’26

Nysa is a biology and business double major from Mumbai, India. She has worked as a student writer in the Office of Communications since 2022.

I came to the United States to broaden my horizons, grow professionally and personally, and learn from diverse perspectives. Now, as a junior at Knox College, I’ve had conversations with students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds—cultures, races, genders, and abilities. These discussions have helped me understand how our identities shape the way we perceive the world.

This understanding became especially relevant during the 2024 U.S. presidential election. I’ve noticed that regardless of someone’s political stance, the election sparks conversations, often leading to deep divisions. I’ve spoken with people holding opposing views, some who avoid talking to each other, others who claim neutrality. What stands out to me is the lack of tolerance and the absence of respectful dialogue. In my experience, I’ve seen heated arguments, broken relationships, and anonymous threats. Yet, genuine conversations—where people seek to understand one another—are rare. I believe you can’t change someone’s mindset without first understanding where they’re coming from.

Going into the elections at Knox College, I sensed trepidation in the air. As students were being bussed to the polls or mailing in their ballots, the anxiety about the outcome was building up. As an international student, the decisions made by one of the most powerful nations in the world impact me in many ways. I recently wrote a reflection for my macroeconomics class about how the fiscal and monetary policies set by the U.S. government impact the exchange rates for currencies, which impacts how expensive it is for me to study here. If this is where I decide to work in the future, the outcome of this election impacts the feasibility of finding a job. Further, I think the chosen president sets the tone of the country and I need to remind myself of the world that I want to live in. Do I want to live in a country where half the population despises the other half? Where do I get caught in the crossfire?

To combat some of my apprehension, I went to an election watch party hosted by the political science department, where students could

come, eat pizza, and talk about the polls and elections while awaiting the results. It made me feel like I was not alone. Being in a room full of people helped me release some of that initial uneasiness that I was feeling. We are in this together.

As I talked with students, I was surprised by how students used the knowledge gained from classes at Knox to analyze the political atmosphere and then hold thoughtful conversations critically. Kyra Kellog ’25 told me how helpful it was to hear from professors like Thomas Bell who taught in her Issues in Contemporary Elections class.

This feeling was further emphasized when Knox hosted the post-election debrief at the HOPE Center. Facilitated by students on campus, we gathered together to dialogue about the results of the elections and process them in a safe space. We shared the idea of wanting to take a step back. But we also pointed out that you cannot be heard if you do not hear others. We talked about how social media impacts the way that people perceive the socioeconomic conditions that surround them and how while it can be informative, it can also be limiting. Being able to have civil dialogue and delve into the roots of the issues faced by students without feeling scrutinized for having opinions or being forced to change them, felt good. Forming connections with students who had different viewpoints by simply listening helped me focus on what is important—more than who won and who didn’t—but thinking of how we can support each other, work together, and be there for each other.

While we have our differences and have our arguments, we ultimately all can ground ourselves, reflect, and continue to use the tools that we have to make the best decision for ourselves. I hope that we as a community can think of how our choices impact others and use our voices not to hurt, but to speak up for what we believe in. We use our humanity to be passionate, empathetic, and kind—to listen and to learn. Most importantly, we use the education that we receive to take what we learn and spread that forward.

Knox Honors Legacy of MLK During Convocation ft. Honorary Degree Recipient Michelle Kuo LL.D. ’23

The Knox College community gathered on the cold morning of January 20, 2025, to take part in the College’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation. This year’s event was highlighted by keynote speaker 2023 Knox Honorary Degree recipient Michelle Kuo.

Kuo addressed the audience with heartfelt thanks, expressing the honor she felt flying from Taiwan to participate in this significant event. She highlighted the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the foundational “spadework” (the hard labor done by individuals in service to racial justice) done by activists like Ella Baker, who worked tirelessly to empower Black voters amidst the era’s pervasive violence and fear.

Kuo connected King’s struggles to those faced by students today, illustrating parallels between the civil rights era and the current global challenges.

“When you begin to find the words to tell your story, to even know what your story is, it means you’re working through the shame of living in an unjust society. But it also means feeling the joy in the authority to speak about yourself,” she said.

She recounted King’s journey from early aspirations to be a doctor to studying the teachings of Gandhi and embracing nonviolence.

Despite doubts and criticisms, King persisted in his advocacy for shared power, culminating in his final speech of support for sanitation workers in Memphis before his assassination in 1968.

“King once said ‘We have to believe in a world where power is truly shared. If we become separatists, we’re opting out of the world and giving up on the voiceless who need others to empower them,’” Kuo recalled.

Sharing her personal journey, Kuo reflected on her time as a teacher in an under-resourced alternative school, where she sought to connect with students who had never met an Asian American before. Through literature, she found a way to reach them, highlighting the power of individuality and the importance of giving time and space for quiet reflection.

In her concluding remarks, Kuo urged the young audience members to embrace their power and cultivate it. She applauded Knox students’ commitment to social justice, drawing parallels to the abolitionist roots of the College and the continued fight for prison reform, migrant rights, and equality.

“Do not let anyone ever tell you you’re not authentically Asian enough, Black enough, Yellow enough. Green enough. You know what values are. You know right from wrong,” she added.

Prairie Fire on the Rise

Student-athletes racking up conference Performer of the Week accolades

By Rick Bender

If individual accolades are a harbinger of things to come, Prairie Fire athletics teams are certainly on the cusp of brighter days ahead.

Seven teams competed this fall, and those squads combined to amass 17 weekly Performer of the Week awards from the Midwest Conference and the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (men’s golf). That total

matches the most for the Prairie Fire athletics programs—over an entire year (17 in 2003-04).

And it wasn’t just one team piling up those honors. Men’s soccer, which advanced to the Midwest Conference Tournament as the third-seeded team, led the way with five. But football, men’s golf, and men’s cross country

At this point, everyone is simply wondering, “Who’s next?”

each had three as well. Women’s soccer added a pair, and volleyball also contributed one to that total.

From first years to fifth years, the honors went to players from every class. Rookies? We’ve got rookies for you—men’s golfers Thomas Lyaudet and Diego Carrillo, as well as women’s soccer goalkeeper Darby Wallig, plus return man Jayvon Bolds and place kicker Fernando Torres from football.

How about the veterans that mentor the younger players? There’s men’s soccer fifthyear goalkeeper Nico Lantzendorffer (three times!), volleyball senior Caroline Wolters, women’s soccer senior Aleene Ramirez, and football senior Isaac Mora.

Lantzendorffer wasn’t the only repeat honoree, however. Junior Lance Miller of the men’s cross country team not only took home the award three times, he also broke the program’s 8K record this fall by nearly 30 seconds while finishing second at the conference meet, the best finish by a Prairie Fire runner at the event since Roscoe Pullen won the race—in 1932.

Lantzendorffer’s teammate, sophomore Kestervens Dera, missed part of the season with an injury before returning with a vengeance. Twice he recorded hat tricks down the stretch (to have the award bestowed upon him in consecutive weeks), while leading the team to a 4-0-2 record in the final six games, securing that conference tournament berth.

And let’s not forget junior golfer Gabriel Miller, who became the first Prairie Fire golfer to receive the honor in nearly three years, inspiring the two first-years listed above.

The winter season has barely begun, yet the men’s and women’s basketball teams have already secured three more weekly awards to boost the total to the growing school record, which as of December 3, sits at 20. Kudos to fifth-year Sarina Dacio and sophomore Bria Medina of the women’s team, as well as the newest member of the 1,000-point club, senior Sean Gallery of the men’s squad.

At this point, everyone is simply wondering, “Who’s next?”

Lance Miller ’26 competes in a cross country meet at

Sikandar Mateen ’26

THREE FACTS

Among the many events on campus, Sikandar’s favorite is the International Fair. He hosted the cultural showcase in both of his first two years at the College and is open to continuing this role.

One of his most vivid memories from his first year at Knox is experiencing snowfall for the first time. He recalls spending hours listening to music and watching the snow, a simple yet profound moment that remains one of his favorites.

After graduation, Sikandar aims to follow in the footsteps of inspiring alumni. He hopes to mentor the next generation of Knox students and contribute meaningfully to the Knox community.

Sikandar Mateen describes his journey to Knox as “written in fate.” Growing up in Pakistan, he often doubted whether a college education would be possible. Today, he not only thrives academically as a double major in neuroscience and data science but also leads numerous clubs and organizations on campus, including serving as the 2024-25 Student Senate President.

WHAT LED YOU TO TAKE SO MANY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS ON CAMPUS?

I’ve always had an interest in leadership. I attended an all-male high school in Pakistan where academics and extracurriculars were highly competitive. When I came to Knox, I was already used to a fast-paced educational environment and wanted to channel those skills on campus.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR MAJOR?

I’ve always been fascinated by science. My double major in neuroscience and data science allows me to explore how the brain works while also understanding data-driven technologies. With AI becoming increasingly prominent, I want to merge these fields to improve healthcare practices, potentially within the biotech industry.

Faculty Lead Innovative Push for Educational Affordability

Knox faculty members are leading an innovative push toward educational affordability for students at Knox and around the world through an Open Educational Resources (OER) grant funded by the Illinois State Library. Titled “Making the Liberal Arts Affordable and Innovative: OER Across the Curriculum,” this initiative is designed to develop five open educational resources that will impact Knox students across various disciplines. OERs are teaching and learning materials that are freely available for use and reuse. These resources typically come with Creative Commons licenses, which permit free distribution, remixing, and adaptation by other campuses worldwide.

Project leader and director of Seymour Library Anne Thomason explained that by reducing barriers to textbooks, the project offers an accessible alternative. “The high cost of textbooks can be prohibitive,” she added. “This project will both make course materials

more affordable and improve learning outcomes for students.”

The project also supports the College’s dedication to fostering critical thinking and interdisciplinary learning in a supportive environment. This ties directly to Knox’s commitment to increasing access to all qualified students of varied backgrounds, races, and conditions, regardless of financial means. A unique aspect of this project is its participatory approach—students will contribute to the creation and editing of OER texts, fostering deeper intellectual engagement with faculty and the learning experience.

Key faculty members involved in this initiative include: Andy Civettini, political science; Danielle Fatkin, history; Ole Forsberg, mathematics; Mathew Jones-Rhoades, biology; Mark Slabodnick, biology; and Judy Thorn, biology. Their collaborative efforts will bring tailored OER materials that best meet the

Knox welcomed a record-setting incoming class of first-year students this fall, bringing new faces and new energy to campus. Here's a few things to know about the Class of 2028.

specific needs of the Knox curriculum, going beyond what is commercially available.

To support faculty in this endeavor, Knox contracted an instructional designer and an accessibility specialist from the University of Chicago. These experts led workshops focused on the effective use of OER, universal design practices, and ensuring that digital resources are accessible to all students, and demonstrating how such resources can enhance teaching methods.

This initiative is expected to have a lasting impact on Knox’s academic culture. “Open educational resources aid with values important to a Knox education,” Thomason added. “They improve equity and access to material by reducing costs, improving academic outcomes in terms of completion and grades, and encouraging pedagogical innovation as OER allows faculty to customize and adapt materials.”

• Largest class of international students ever!

• One of the largest — if not the largest — classes of transfer students

students are from...

Knox Welcomes Seven New Tenure-Track Faculty Members

Knox welcomed seven new tenure-track faculty members at the start of the 2024-25 academic year. With one of the largest incoming classes in the College’s history, new faculty hiring is a move Provost and Dean of the College Michael Schneider sees as a clear demonstration of Knox’s priority on maintaining a high-quality education. “Replenishing the ranks of the Knox College faculty is cause for annual celebration,” Schneider added.

Robert Geraci

Knight Distinguished Chair for Study of Religion and Culture and Professor of Religious Studies

Geraci earned his Ph.D. in 2005 in religious studies from the University of California-Santa Barbara. He teaches traditional religions and will bring a new South Asian Religions course to Knox, with a particular interest in the realm of science and technology.

“I am super excited to have students who range in disciplines from computer science to sculpture. Knox’s inclusion of the fine arts next to the humanities next to the hard sciences and everything else feels wonderful,” Geraci said.

Jeffrey Grimes

Assistant Professor of Psychology

Grimes earned his Ph.D. in philosophy in 2023 from the University of Iowa. His research interests broadly include processes and outcomes within therapy and treatment, specifically within group psychology, sports psychology, and religion. Grimes is certified as a mental performance consultant and plans to teach sports performance classes in the spring.

“I am excited to get to know the students and the campus community, and I’m grateful to be hired within the psych department,” Grimes added.

Gertrude Hewapathirana

Associate Professor of Business and Management

Hewapathirana earned her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. A seasoned professor of strategy, entrepreneurship, and management subjects with a distinguished academic career spanning 14 years, Hewapathirana’s previous academic positions are complemented by her extensive 12 years of industry sector experience with various international organizations, providing practical insights that she seamlessly integrates into her teaching.

“What attracted me to Knox is its location as a small city and especially the student culture and liberal arts education,” Hewapathirana added.

Yu Bin Kim

Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations

Kim earned his Ph.D. in political science in 2024 from the University of Missouri. His research and teaching interests revolve around both interstate and intrastate conflicts, the former involving conflicts between countries and the latter involving conflicts within countries. His interests also branch into nuclear politics, rebel governance, diplomacy, and more.

“I’m excited to join Knox because it will expose me to the culture of liberal arts colleges. I’m really looking forward to it,” Kim added.

Angela Mak

Assistant Professor of Economics

Mak earned her Ph.D. in economics from the University of Pittsburgh in 2018. She specializes in applied microeconomics with a heavy focus on data analysis. She shares a deep interest in health economics, specifically in the study of childhood obesity and childhood development in cognitive and non-cognitive skills.

“I am excited to join Knox, as the community is very welcoming to international faculty and students,” Mak added.

Donny Nie

Assistant Professor of Art

Nie earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in fiber and material studies in 2022. Nie’s research focuses on painting and drawing, with additional interests in glass, ceramics, printmaking, and projection. Her teaching emphasizes pictorial structure, intersection with emergent technologies, art history, collaborative and communal practices, conceptual art, and more.

“I am most excited by Knox College’s intimate and comprehensive approaches to building a safe and supportive environment for students. Coming from a public university, I am fascinated by Knox’s unique capabilities to serve and allocate resources for individual students,” Nie said.

Bryce Palar

Assistant Professor of Integrative Business and Management

Palar earned his Doctor of Business Administration degree from St. Ambrose University. He believes learning provides growth, awareness, and self-confidence to the minds of all ages.

“I hope to be able to shape the foundations of our future leaders by developing a stronger understanding of the connection between both the business side and the people side of modern organizations,” Palar added.

“Replenishing the ranks of the Knox College faculty is cause for annual celebration.”

—Provost and Dean of the College Michael Schneider

HOMECOMING AND FRIENDS & FAMILY WEEKEND 2024

Books By The Knox Community

In Search of Manhood: American Men’s Movements Past and Present Don Corrigan ’73 McFarland Books

American men began an earnest search for the meaning of manhood in the latter half of the 20th century and enlisted in such groups as Promise Keepers, Million Man March, National Congress of Men, and fathers’ rights groups. In Search of Manhood chronicles those movements, as well as the more visible male activism of today.

A Pedagogy of Kindness

Catherine J. Denial, Mary Elizabeth Hand Bright and Edwin Winslow Bright Distinguished Professor of American History University of Oklahoma Press

The Gambler and the Scholars: Herbert Yardley, William and Elizebeth Friedman and the Birth of Modern American Cryptology

John F. Dooley, William & Mary Ingersoll Professor Emeritus of Computer Science Springer Nature

A Pedagogy of Kindness challenges academia's competitive, often harsh environment by advocating for a radical shift towards kindness in higher education. Denial argues that true kindness, distinct from mere niceness, should be at the heart of teaching and learning. Combining memoir, manifesto, and practical guide, she offers actionable strategies for reshaping classroom practices to prioritize care and compassion.

Her Knight at the Museum

Stacey (Bryn) Johnson Donovan ’90 Berkeley, Penguin Random House

Her Knight at the Museum follows the adventures of Sir Griffin de Beauford, a knight cursed by a ruthless enchanter to see, hear, and think, but never to move or speak, and Art Institute of Chicago conservator Emily Porter, who brings him back to life. Booklist calls this magical rom com novel “a whimsical, witty, and wonderfully amusing romance.” It is currently in development for a Hallmark movie, tentatively scheduled for fall 2025.

In May 1917, William and Elizebeth Friedman were asked by the U.S. Army to begin training officers in cryptanalysis and to decrypt intercepted German diplomatic and military communications. In June 1917, Herbert Yardley convinced the new head of the Army’s Military Intelligence Division to create a code and cipher section for the Army with himself as its head. These two seminal events were the beginning of modern American cryptology, the growth of which culminated 35 years later with the creation of the National Security Agency. This enjoyable book will appeal to general readers interested in the evolution of American cryptology and historians of American military intelligence.

Software Development, Design, and Coding:

With Patterns, Debugging, Unit Testing, and Refactoring (3rd edition)

John F. Dooley, William & Mary Ingersoll Professor Emeritus of Computer Science

Vera A. Kazakova Apress Media, Inc.

This book introduces you to software engineering, from the application of engineering principles to the development of software. You’ll see how to run a software development project, examine the different phases of a project, and learn how to design and implement programs that solve specific problems. This new third edition is revamped to reflect significant changes in the software development landscape with updated design and coding examples and figures.

Agatha Annotated: Investigating the Books of the 1920s: Obscure Terms and Historical References in the Works of Agatha Christie

Kate Kendzy Gingold ’81 Gnu Ventures Company

Years of research by history buff and Christie fan Kate Gingold has been collected in this glossary covering the first decade of Agatha Christie’s mysteries. Inside you will find over 1,800 terms, including 347 French phrases from Hercule Poirot, each with a definition and its location within the stories. Nearly 200 are accompanied by an illustration. As a bonus, the author takes a “closer look” at a topic from each of Christie’s first 11 books.

Vicious and Immoral: Homosexuality, the American Revolution, and the Trials of Robert Newburgh

John G. McCurdy ’95

John Hopkins University Press

On the eve of the American Revolution, the British army considered the case of a chaplain, Robert Newburgh, who had been accused of having sex with a man. Historian John McCurdy tells this compelling story of male intimacy and provides an unparalleled glimpse inside eighteenth-century perceptions of queerness. Vicious and Immoral is the first book to place homosexuality in conversation with the American Revolution, and it dares us to rethink the place of LGBTQ people in the founding of the nation.

Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording:

The Art of Taylor’s Versions

Brandon E. Polite ’03, Professor of Philosophy Bloomsbury

When Taylor Swift’s record label was sold in 2019, the six studio albums she recorded for them came under the control of a person with whom she has had years of bad blood. But rather than move on, Swift chose to take the unprecedented step of re-recording duplicate versions of those albums, known as “Taylor’s Versions.” In this anthology, 10 philosophers, a music producer and a composer/ music technologist explore the philosophical richness of Swift’s project and the questions it raises. Together, they show the philosophical dividends one of the most famous and acclaimed recording artists of her generation is capable of producing.

The Education of a Statesman: How Global Leaders Can Repair a Fractured World

John T. (Jack) Shaw ’79 Rowman & Littlefield

The Education of a Statesman is about modern diplomacy and the story of Jan Eliasson, a remarkable Swedish diplomat. Eliasson served as Sweden’s ambassador to the United Nations (UN), ambassador to the United States, and as Swedish foreign minister. He also held a number of important UN posts, including president of the General Assembly, the special envoy to Darfur, and deputy secretary-general. Shaw describes Eliasson’s rise to the top of Swedish and international diplomacy and describes how he combined statecraft, stagecraft, and soulcraft—the substance, theater, and spirit of diplomacy.

Gimme a Break!

David Elizondo ’86 shows off his karate skills by breaking multiple blocks of wood with a punch in front of an audience during the 1985 International Fair celebration in Kresge Recital Hall.

Did you participate in I-Fair while at Knox? What was your favorite event to attend? Share your memories with us at knoxmag@knox.edu

KNOX CLASS NOTES

inspiring experience and great to discover that disability does not have to mean staying at home,” Nancy shared.

We are Knox. You are, too.

If you attended Knox for one year, two years, or graduated with honors, you are a Knox alumnus/a. You are the best reflection of Knox College and the education it provides. So, keep us informed. Tell us what you've been up to, if you've been promoted or honored, or simply say hello.

Here’s how:

Contact your Class Correspondent, or have other media sources send us press releases, articles, and publicity.

Please send information about births, marriages, and deaths directly to: Alumni Records

Knox College, Box K-230 Galesburg, IL 61401-4999

Email: records@knox.edu

Send all other updates, correspondence, or questions to: Jennifer Gallas

Associate Director of Donor Relations

Knox College, Box K-230 Galesburg, IL 61401-4999

Email: classnotes@knox.edu

Please note that Class Notes may be edited for space and in accordance with the Knox Style Guide. If you are submitting photos, please send high-resolution images that are at least 300 dpi.

Update your contact information:

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Dear friends,

Whenever we send the Knox Magazine out into the world, we are always excited for readers to dig into the articles, profiles, and class notes. We also prepare for the email or phone call letting us know that we misspelled a name, misidentified an alum, or simply got something wrong. This was perhaps even more true for the last issue because we were introducing a whole new look and feel, but we also know that hearing from our readers only makes our work stronger and your magazine better.

So thank you to all the alumni and friends who shared their thoughtful and honest feedback on the first issue of the newly redesigned Knox Magazine. I do want to let you know that the magazine editors heard you loud and clear about how we list the deaths of our alumni. We took a chance and listed alumni alphabetically by last name in this past issue, but, after hearing from many readers, we will return to listing in order of class year.

We also offer our sincere apologies for any mistakes made within class notes (noted with each individual class) and for leaving out a portion of the list of recently deceased alumni. We have added those names back to the online edition of the magazine’s class notes and have included them in this issue as well (see pages 73-79).

Thank you, again, to everyone who shared their thoughts with us. Your input will help us make Knox Magazine a more engaging and informative representation of the Knox education, experience, and community.

All my best,

Megan Scott ’96 Editor

1954

Once again Bobbie Schlick Poor is very quick with a cheery response to my plea for Class Notes. Here’s Bobbie: “Hello, Jim and classmates. Hard to believe that our 70th Reunion was this fall. Much has changed on campus over the past seven decades, but the essence of Knox seems to remain the same. I continue to be grateful for the time invested in a Knox education and believe that our liberal arts education served our generation well. This is being written on a fine September day in northern Michigan, where the best street party ever is about to take place. The tiny town of Northport converts its threeblock-long business district into an entertainment venue, welcoming musicians of many styles, dancers from a variety of genres, and artists who display their works amongst the food trucks that are perched streetside. Six stages are filled with entertainers from noon to 10 p.m. It is great fun, and I look forward to going before I migrate back to St Louis for the winter, where I volunteer weekly as a docent at our amazing zoo. The zoo is one of the many great institutions in our beloved Forest Park.”

► Not cheery is this brief note from Don Dool: “I’m surviving on my own. My wife was almost 11 years younger than me, so we always thought I’d die first and no plans were made for me to be the one left behind.” Our condolences, Don.

► Jack Fischer has commented in the most recent FYC Bulletin: “I thought I would be skiing, playing tennis, and golf until I was 100, but spinal stenosis has taken over. My body caught up with my age.” Ah, yes, Jack, I know, I know. I’ll match your spinal stenosis. And any other loss of physical activity.

► Sara Jane Allensworth writes about her happiness in reconnecting with Martha Bower Johnson, now an Arizonan. Sara Jane and Martha had been close friends through Galesburg schools.

Also in the small world category in our Galesburg school days, Martha lived on Academy Street, I was directly behind her on Clark; she was

president of our 6th grade class, and I was captain of the Bateman school safety patrol.

► Our entering Class of 1950 now seems to be down to 31 survivors. I count seven who were Galesburg High grads. Ron Pearson says there were 36 from GHS in 1950.

► My wife will be 82 tomorrow as I write this. I was 92 in September and am wheelchair-bound when I leave the house but am mostly still sound of mind (though Kathie does not always agree).

And that’s all folks.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: JIM DUNLEVEY dunlevey@aol.com

1955

Marilynn “Lynn” Weise Victor passed away on September 12, 2024, in Corvallis, Oregon, after a brief illness. Lynn’s daughter, Marge Alig writes, “Mom adored her time and beloved friends at Knox. From the time my brother and I were quite young, a week did not go by without her telling a story or two of her time and friendships there.”

► Carolyn Swartz Park is still writing more than 2,000 birthday postcards to Fifty Year Club alumni each year!

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: MEGAN CLAYTON pclayton@knox.edu

1956

Evidently entering the 90s has stunned most ’56ers into silence. The one response to a request for news came from Gay Taylor Jolley, who probably speaks for many of us. She wrote, “Can’t think of where the time has gone, but I must have been doing SOMEthing. Haven’t really been anywhere, unless you count the library and the grocery store. Busy with church stuff that no one else has been trained to do, and it’s been easier just to do them than push for additions. Push is coming to shove, though, as I am finally 90. No particular thing is wrong. I can walk a mile or two

without puffing, and where I live is hilly, so that’s somewhat of an accomplishment. I would like to get to a Homecoming, but as I am no longer driving, to the great relief of many, that seems difficult. Celebrate without me, but raise a glass for me. I’m with all of you in spirit.”

► Dan Kimble requested a clarification of the Summer 2024 class notes. The editing process did not begin a new paragraph, and my news led into his. He does not have great-grandchildren in New Zealand; they are mine. I welcomed my fourth “great,” James Patrick O’Connell, in June. Happily, he lives only a few hours away from me.

► Mack Trapp reminisced about his army adventures immediately after graduating from Knox. After receiving intelligence training, the army stationed him in Japan, and then Taiwan. The experience had a lasting impact on his life. As he notes, this all began at Knox and the ROTC program. His recounting is too long for the class notes; watch for an update in the FYC Bulletin.

► Here’s hoping the upcoming holiday season will inspire some news for the next Knox Magazine

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

RICKY JUNG SCHWARZLER schwarzler@msn.com

1957

While not unexpected, the death of Joan Whitney Whitcomb ’56 came as a shock to many of us. I vividly remember calling Dick and Joan some 60 years ago to ask them if they would contribute to the Knox Alumni Fund. “We would be happy to,” was their instantaneous response. And they gave, again and again. Dick and Joan are probably best known for their gift of the beautiful, award-winning, Whitcomb Art Center. However, as a former Knox scholarship student, I most appreciated the many scholarships they funded for students in economics and business and future entrepreneurs. Joan will be missed. Our best to Dick and the Whitcomb family.

► Jamie Bjorkman sends news from the Knox 99 Lives Gold Star Project: “Through the efforts of Wendy Scherwat Ducourneau ’72 and Chip Evans ’68, the Civil War and Spanish-American War Gold Stars were recently researched and recorded. At the dedication of Memorial Gymnasium, the Gold Stars of WWI and WWII were honored. Presently, 129 Gold Stars are memorialized from The Civil War (26), Spanish-American War (1), WW I (18), WW II (65), Korean War (9), and Vietnam (10).”

The names are included in the kiosk, located at the West Entrance of the Memorial Gymnasium, or you can see the online presentation at www.knox.edu/99lives. Fortunately, no one from the Class of ’57 appears on the Gold Star list.

Jay King ’65, who is doing research on Ensign Frederick Weber ’37, wrote to me for Jamie’s email to confirm some of the details of his life. Ensign Weber was a naval dive bomber pilot who was killed in the Battle of Midway in 1942. He completed several successful bombing runs during the battle, effectively halting the advance of the Japanese Navy, before he was shot down, and was awarded several medals for heroism. The Navy also named a ship after him in 1943, the destroyer escort USS Weber.

► Saw a Facebook photo of Ann Elwert Blum holding her new great grandson, Jett Jewell, son of granddaughter Shea and major league pitcher, Jake Jewell. Ann claims a month after birth Jett was throwing a fastball over 90 miles per hour. Guess he has his dad’s genes. I never thought Ann’s fastball ever clocked over 10 mph.

► June Lynch Bath reminisces about the fire drill at Whiting Hall when all of the coeds had to line up in the street in their jammies. The Knox men, upon hearing the alarm, would rush to Whiting to admire the women in their not-so-attractive attire.

► Jean (Casey) Martin Clark, wife of the late John Clark ’55, writes: “Been out in California since 1959, finished at UCB, 27,000 other

students and me. So different from dearly beloved Knox and the 799 other students when I entered. Such a culture shock, but fascinating. The Vietnam protests were going on. Interestingly enough from my perspective right there on campus, it was the young professors who were leading the students.

I have, or had, two wonderful children. We lost our son in 2003 to cancer. Our daughter lives only 10 minutes away and checks on me often, and we go up to our cabin, which we built in ’86, together.  We had two snowmobiles at one time, but without John, who passed in 2009, Beth and I don’t go up in the winter. Two years ago, we had 22 feet of snowfall there. It’s six miles west of Donner Pass. We see bears once in a while.

I have slowed down of course. Retired from the classroom in 1993. Active in a Learning in Retirement program at the local state college and in a writing group. I love California, deserts, mountains, foothills, ocean, and a great diverse population, but always in my heart is Knox, the brick streets, the tamale man on the corner of the square, Mother Bickerdyke, Miss Smythe in Whiting Hall. Bob Albrecht ’55 and wife Gina invited Phi Gam friends and fellow football team members for a get-together at their beach house in North Carolina a few years ago. Logan (Bud) Wharton ’55, wife Dorothy Thomas Wharton ’55, Bill Lynch ’55, and John and me. Great time.”

► June Edwards Dodd writes: “I only attended Knox one year and then the following year I lived in married student housing until my husband (Bob Heinz ’55) graduated. I worked in the Book Store and Alumni Association office. Even so, I had a great time at Knox and have fond memories of the small number of friends I acquired. I am no longer married to Bob and have lived in Texas since 1968, making me a long-time resident. Also, I have never returned to the campus and only know what I read about in the Knox Magazine, which arrives twice a year. Nevertheless, I have contributed to the Alumni Fund every year since 1957. It is still a mystery

to me why I do that! Eventually, I completed a four-year degree program at SW Texas University in San Marcos, TX, at age 50, along with becoming a first-time grandmother. My husband (Jim Dodd) and I just celebrated our 50-year wedding anniversary. We have a son, who is an engineer and lives in McKinney, and three grandchildren. Our oldest son unfortunately passed away a few years ago from an incurable disease. We lived on a ranch in South Texas for 35+ years (yes, Jim is a true Texan) and only recently made the move to San Antonio to be near medical, etc. facilities. We have traveled extensively and, finally, retired in our mid 80s and now we enjoy the fruits of our hard work. Although we are ages 90 and 89, consecutively, we are fortunate to be in good health and are socially active. I have seen through the Knox Magazine how Knox has grown and changed, but still remember when college life was a lot less complicated than it is today. Our only granddaughter is a third-year student in law school at Texas Tech in Lubbock, and she keeps me informed about the difficulties of getting a fair education today.”

► Also received a note from Psychology Professor Bob Harper’s daughter, who must have been around eight years old when we were at Knox and fondly remembers Bob’s former students. She is doing well. Unfortunately, I lost her message, so if she reads this, please send me your email again.

► Trev Winebright and wife recently moved into a retirement home spurred on by a recent hip operation. Trev and Bill Shaffer continue to debate whether our graduation ceremony was held on the East or the South Lawn. My recollection is that both are wrong—it was held at Olson’s on The Alley.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: HOMER JOHNSON Hjohnso@luc.edu

1958

Incoming correspondence continues to be scarce for our class. Hopefully, some of you will be inspired to write before the next issue deadline.

► Letitia Luther Schactner wrote that she continues to be happy living at Courtyard Estates in Knoxville, IL. She enjoys many activities there and in the community. I read in the recent FYC Bulletin that Letitia was honored for her leadership and contributions by the Knox County Republicans at their Lincoln Day dinner in February.

Letitia has also served as a Board member for the Knox-Galesburg Symphony. Recently, I noticed in my local newspapers that Conductor Kedrick Armstrong left Galesburg and is now conductor of the Oakland Symphony Orchestra in Oakland, CA. He has been well-received in his early performances. The Oakland community is active in taking music opportunities into the schools, and Armstrong shows strong interest in those responsibilities. (I thought his Knox-Galesburg fans might like an update)

► News from Ron Moline in the Bulletin mentions that he continues to study and teach psychiatry at University of Illinois Chicago. He enjoys staying in touch with John Badertscher, Ivar Dolph, and Tom Stockert. I am in touch with several ‘58 classmates as well, and we chat once or twice a year. Mike and I try to see Mary Peterson Potter whenever we are in Chicago. She is well and has moved into a senior residence, still in LaGrange Park, IL.

► I had fun reminiscing with Ginny Daniel Swanson and Caroline Andrews Porter this fall. As Mike and I approached our 65th wedding anniversary, I reminded them of what lovely bridesmaids they were, wearing blue velvet at our wedding! Ginny now lives in Oxford, Ohio. She enjoys visits and travel with family, reading, exercise classes, and activities at Miami University near her home. Caroline has relocated to Springfield, IL, and has resumed activities and friendships, and enjoys the ease of planning family visits. Although Louise Bost Wolf is in the Class of ’59, I always think of her as Honorary ’58. I talk with her often, and I am sure many of you remember her husband, Bob ’58, and the many Homecoming brunches at their Knoxville home.

► Mike and I lived in California for 59 years—the first five in San Francisco, and the balance in our present home, just across the Bay. For many years, we hosted alumni gatherings at the house or planned outings of interest at museums, wineries, etc. in the area. Sally ’61 and Jack Stallard ’59 joined in some of those and helped with planning. Mike traveled a lot with his work, and I joined him often. On one visit to New York, we had a wonderful visit with classmate Sally Jo Arteseros.

We still enjoy a variety of activities and travel—not as involved or as far. Like many of you have said, golf is “a very casual 9.” Bridge, reading, gardening, and volunteer efforts, getting together with family and friends—or just a nice stroll in the park—can make a perfect day.

When I agreed to serve as Class Correspondent for ’58, I asked the Knox archives for a little information on our class. I asked how many were in our freshman class and how many presently survive. They reported to me that we started with 166 and 98 are presently surviving. I think that is a remarkable survival rate—maybe we can eventually claim a few “superagers.” I do know that eight students came from the high school I attended, Thornton Township in suburban Chicago. Two boys did not return our sophomore year, but the remaining six of us graduated in four years. Four of us still survive: Classmates Janet Van Der Sluys Brown, Carolyn Long Scott, myself, Patricia Craig Ruffolo, and Mike Ruffolo. (William Rhind and Victor Simonsen, deceased). I hope you found this interesting—or, if it is just me, please excuse me and know I have liked analyzing since Econ Statistics class!

And so, dear classmates, I suggest we all STAY AS ACTIVE AND INVOLVED as is best for each of us. We are fortunate to be able to enjoy these aging years—family, friends, activities, still learning, and watching history unfold. Our Liberal Arts College education has given us many areas of involvement, enjoyment, and the satisfaction of giving back.

Keep your eye out for alumni activities in your area with the new Venture Boldly schedule.

I’ll be waiting for your news. —Pat

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: PAT RUFFOLO pmrfore@comcast.net

1959

I leaned on Bob Grover to help email/call /contact 1959 alums. Bob knows alums that I do not know, is an excellent writer, and has a great sense of humor. Many thanks to Bob for his help!

► When I called Bob, his first question was “How many of us are there?” The list Knox sent has 41 classmates to email and nine classmates to call. Not sure the list is accurate.

► Larry Blasch and his wife, Barbara Woods Blasch ’61 have been married 65 years and are still going strong. Three years ago they moved to Richmond, VA, to be closer to their kids. They still play golf and enjoy their neighborhood and the Willow Oaks Country Club.

► Rich and Jean Bloomberg are both doing well. Enjoy being in the retirement community that they moved into nine years ago in Middleton, WI. They walk and stay active. Rich is “Mr. Fix It,” doing jobs for neighbors and is involved in their church. They no longer spend winters in Mexico, don’t travel far, enjoy short trips around the area, and visit children and grandchildren. Jean wrote they feel blessed and content to have family, friends, and each other.

► In 2021, David Ehlert retired from part-time teaching at Indiana University South Bend. He taught in the math department for about 40 years. His full-time job involved software development and maintenance for a financial services company, retired in 2003. Currently, he lives in Buchanan, MI, and his grandson’s family lives with him. They have a 10-year-old daughter. His wife of 50 years died in 2014. For fun, he studies some math and reads. He also does other exciting

things—washing dishes, cooking supper, and yard work. In October, he gave a talk at the local senior center on “Numbers.” He does the talk for fun, and it is designed for a general audience (if anyone comes). Dave, you are too humble.

► Lanny Kiest replied. Working backward, he is retired. Lost Sallie, his wife, Sept. 15, 2021. Finished his career in radio broadcast sales. When he was at the TV station, new ownership arrived, Lanny wanted to stay in San Angelo, thus was sent to a local radio group. From 19632014, Lanny was in television sales and management with stops in Saginaw. MI; Houston, TX; Little Rock, AR; Tallahassee, FL; Midland, TX; and, finally in 1991, San Angelo, TX. They loved west Texas, and it became HOME! What keeps him busy and out of trouble is old age, golf, and singing, including barbershop, church choir, and a mixed quartet singing in various nursing homes. He has two mechanical knees but overall has been blessed with good health.

Whenever someone asks, “‘How are you doing?’ I just reply, ‘I’m vertical!!’ And I’ll leave you with that.” Lanny has more to share in the next Knox Magazine!

► Lynn Richardson Matthes wrote she was thinking about Knox because a friend’s child graduated in 2024. Her husband, George ’58, died just before their 63rd anniversary, and, although she misses him dearly, life is still fun and even at times exciting. For them, Knox was a wonderful experience and always taught them to be travelers and learners. Lynn lives with her youngest daughter and son-in-law in Evergreen, CO, the town with the second most elk population. They also have a resident bear who knows the day garbage is picked up. Lynn is busy with aerobics, Mahjong, and her UCC church with a diverse community. Summers are spent at the 100-year-old cottage on a gorgeous lake near Minocqua, WI. She says it’s been a while since she water skied but swimming and cocktail cruises are still enjoyed and her favorite bird—the loon—remains. The cottage is a gathering place for family, fun, memories,

and peaceful times on the screened porch. One month each winter, Lynn spends with her other daughter in the FL panhandle. She will renew her passport for a 2025 Smithsonian cruise in Norway. She is active and plans to continue to be active as much as she is able.

► I called Carol Jean Nelson and Ken Nelson, at first they said nothing was happening. Carol Jean offered that they were boring, still kicking, and Ken is in better health than Carol Jean! Then Ken came on the line and shared that he is still playing tennis; they recently took a train trip across Canada to the Canadian Rockies; and he offered that he had a triple bypass. Sounds busy to me. It was delightful talking to them; we laughed, reminisced, and agreed we needed to chat more often and even get together.

► Dave Poston and wife Susan have left the farm and moved to a nearby facility for oldsters. Dave shared that life here has its similarities as a freshman at Knox in fall 1955. They like the crowd and hope to fit in.

► Also talked to Barbara Hanawalt Reece. Several times Barbara and I traveled to Florida for the month of April. We chatted for a long time and then I told her I was gathering information for the Knox Magazine. Barbara’s comment: “I wondered when you were going to get to that!” To be near her son, she moved to Delavan, WI, and still plays and teaches bridge. In her 55 and over community, Barbara meets and greets new residents.

► Howard Dillon shared with us that his career was librarianship. “I held directorships at four universities over a 39-year career. I then moved from Columbia University to the SUNY-Fashion Institute of Technology, where I served 15 years, retiring in 2014 at age 76 as associate VP for academic affairs. Now, I devote myself to my wife Nell, three children, and five grandchildren; the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, where I am the longest serving member of the CMS Global Council (patrons); editing the newsletter for my co-op residence; and reading more books than I ever found time to do as a

librarian! My wife and I are well and enjoy our life in New York City.”

► Bob Grover: “After Knox, Michigan Law School and two years in the army at ‘beautiful’ Fort Polk, LA, I practiced law and raised four kids in Jackson, MI. I retired in 2013 and moved back to Chicago with wife Jane in time to see my beloved Cubs win it all. Eight grandchildren, 17 to 30, are in Hawaii, Portland, LA, Denver, Chicago, Boston, and elsewhere. My secret to a good life is to marry well, not once, but twice.”

► Yes, there are fewer and fewer of us. We all need to celebrate our long and exciting lives. I enjoyed hearing from the above classmates, would love to hear from others, and your classmates are eager to hear from you.

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS:

CONNY TOZER connytozer@yahoo.com

BOB GROVER melvincrudley@gmail.com

1960

Homecoming: Our good fortune to visit the campus regularly continues as Mary Lu attends Knox Alumni Council Board meetings as the Fifty Year Club’s representative. This year’s weather couldn’t have been better. Strolling past Old Main, memories of the 100th-anniversary reenactment of the Lincoln-Douglas debate warmed my heart. I remembered Rich Sokup’s portrayal of Stephen Douglas. Sadly, he passed away in 2004. And I’ll never forget the words that Carl Sandburg spoke to me when I wait-served him at a Seymour Hall luncheon for visiting dignitaries. “No, thank you,” he said when I offered to refill his iced tea glass. Words I’ll never forget!

► Sue Brown Cowing wrote: “What an opportunity I’ve had. Almost two years ago, a Honolulu publisher asked me to help four classes of second-language students at an intermediate school in Pearl City write an anthology of poems that the press would publish, under a grant. The students and their families began their lives in the

Philippines, Samoa, the Marshall Islands, China, Japan, Vietnam, Mexico, and Palestine. Many spoke no English at home; some were trilingual. Such great soup for poetry! Only three days before my appearance at the school, I learned that one of the classes was not only English language (EL) but special education: three boys from three different cultures with three different learning needs.

What attracted me most to this challenge was the EL teacher’s observation that the students didn’t think they were imaginative or had much to say. So, after I met with each of the four classes, I invited the students to email me individually with drafts or questions about their poems, and all 60 did, many of them several times. These were 12and 13-year-olds, young enough to be my great-grandchildren, and yet, thanks to poetry, there was no real divide. We just spoke and listened to each other, person-to-person, writer-to-writer. I think once they realized someone really heard them, they trusted themselves to find the language-within-a-language of poetry to talk about things that mattered most to them.

The EL teacher was determined that not only the content of the poems but everything about the book should be the student’s choice and reflect their voices. They voted on the title, illustrated the poems, and wrote the section introductions. The poems they wrote reflected their various cultural experiences, yet the theme they chose—the pearl oysters that were once plentiful in Pearl Harbor—focused on Pearl City, the new home they now had in common. The resulting book, Pearls of Success, is extraordinary. Kimberly, the EL teacher, and I catch our breath when we re-read the final poem, written collaboratively by the eighth graders, which calls on the oysters to return once more and cleanse ‘the oiled, lonely bay’ of Pearl Harbor. The first stanza of that poem with its striking imagery was written by.. . those three special boys.

This last year, there was still money in the grant, so the students have created another book of poetry,

now in press, called Rice Files. Once again, the poets have chosen a unifying theme, because Pearl City was once covered with rice fields and because, as they say in the introduction, ‘in all the different cultures we come from, rice is its own food group!’ The young poets really do own these books. Kimberly and I were just the coaches; they were the team. I didn’t write a word, and yet being able to help these young people find and trust their voices has been the most humbling and rewarding experience of my writing life.”

► Finally, Chuck Dunn reported that “In September, the Knoxbased group, Bill Reiners ’59, Tom Murphy ’59 (via ZOOM), and I, plus spouses and one brother-inlaw, gathered for the fifth year to explore another ecologically interesting area of North America. This gathering was at Indiana Dunes National Park.” Chuck’s full report is likely to be included in a future issue of the FYC Bulletin

► Planning ahead: Our 65th Class of 1960 reunion will be held at Knox on October 10-12, 2025. And now’s the time to get the best hotel prices for your visit.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: DICK AFT aftd@fuse.net

1961

Barbara Woods Blasch writes, “Larry ’59 and I enjoy our life in Richmond, Virginia. Larry still plays golf several times a week. We don’t babysit, but we dog sit as our daughter, Cindy, and her husband are empty nesters and travel frequently.”

► Richard Wessels toured the campus with his daughter on a warm day in mid-November. He hadn’t been back to campus since he graduated.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: MEGAN CLAYTON pclayton@knox.edu

1962

I had the privilege of contacting

a number of Knox alums for the upcoming news. Let me assure you that they are not just sitting around—fascinating stories.

► Riki Rapport Brodey: Riki and her husband live in Hartford, CT, where he practiced medicine, and Riki went from teaching (short career as pregnant teachers were dismissed quickly in the 60s) to urban studies to clinical social work (Riki just retired three years ago).

► Bill and Beth Young Carsrud: Beth and Bill live in Spokane, Washington. Bill was a math professor, who spent a year abroad in Florence and is now retired. Beth has undertaken professional photography making documentaries in abandoned silver mines to grain elevators. They spend time each winter in New Mexico and look forward to a visit to Red Rock.

► Bruce ’61 and Nicky Parson Stratton: Nicky and Bruce live in Springfield, IL, where Bruce practiced law, and Nicky worked with the Convention and Visitors Bureau, where the Lincoln Project moved forward. For those of us who remember the Lincoln Douglas Debates Reenactment when we were freshmen, we all need to visit the amazing site in Springfield.

► Lis Reed Mitchell and J. Paul Mitchell ’59: Lis shared with me that J. Paul passed away a few years ago but was a professor at Ball State in urban planning. Liz initiated a history scholarship at Knox in J. Paul’s name. She lives in Muncie, Indiana.

► Roger Potter: “We are happily retired from 40 years of work and life in Silicon Valley, an experience that truly changed the world. It may or may not have been for the better, but what a trip!!”

► Patricia “Pat” Burke Herminghouse: Pat left this life for the unknown on October 29, 2024. Pat’s life was full of energy, beginning with a stay in Germany during her junior year at Knox, where she committed to being a professor of German for a lifetime. At that time, she had the privilege of being one of the first “lady” professors of Ger-

man with stories to tell. Pat married Don, and they traveled the world while having a couple of unique kids, one of each sex. Her obituary can be found at https://harlofffuneralhome.com/tribute/details/2825/ Patricia-Herminghouse/obituary. html#content.-start

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: KATE CALVERT BLOOMBERG kateberg40@gmail.com

1963

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: RAMONA REED LANDBERG landberg.group@outlook.com

1964

From Jo Ann Ooiman Robinson: “My grandson is off to Pace University in NYC. One—probably the only—similarity between his freshman experience and mine is the national election and being eligible to vote for the first time. Who remembers sitting in Beecher Chapel for what felt like, and may have been, hours waiting for Bobby Kennedy, who came through Galesburg stumping for his brother? I was invited to speak at Hope College in March at a conference on the radical pacifist A.J. Muste, the subject of my Knox Honors Project and later a biography published in 1981. My talk at Hope includes memories of discovering him while at Knox, and related activity with the campus Student Peace Union. https:// ajmuste.org/page/white-paper-series The Audrey Collet Conard ’65 Poetry Prize is still awarded every spring to a student poet whose work I always enjoy reading and have always shared with Audrey’s husband Bruce. I am sad to report that he died in March.”

► Lynn Melcher Barrett writes: “Still alive here! Life chugs on happily for us in England. The big events of this year have included many US visitors, grandchildren surprisingly becoming adults before our eyes, and our house turning 300 years old. Right now, I am traveling to get to Galesburg by the end of the week and am glorying in the October sunshine. Looking forward to seeing you and other stalwarts soon.”

► From Pam Norton Nelson: “Nothing major to report but, yes, I am still alive and busy. I have 11 grandchildren between 13 and 23 and just keeping up with their lives is a full-time job. I did travel to London for two weeks in June with a friend of 60 years for the wedding of a dear friend’s son.”

► Al and Karen Hummel Crumbliss are “still rolling along in Durham, NC, where we have been since 1970, when Al began his career at Duke as a chemistry professor and administrator. In 2016, as he was about to retire, he had a big stroke which dramatically changed our lives. Luckily, we are still going forward and are happy to live here. Our son, Jeff, and his wife and two children live here, and our lives are very connected. John is in DC, so we see him and his family, too. Unfortunately, we are not able to attend Homecoming to catch up with our classmates, and we really regret that. Hello to all of you from ’64. Stop by if you are in the neighborhood!!”

► Mike Pope: “Marsha and I took a river cruise on the Columbia/ Snake Rivers in mid-October. We started in Astoria, OR, and traveled upriver to Clarkston, WA. We traveled along the area that the Lewis and Clark expedition took as they searched for a passage to the Pacific. This is our third river cruise on boats, which have about 140 passengers, and we find ideal. We recommend this trip to all. Otherwise, there’s not much going on: We have been busy with two family weddings and a high school graduation, which had us driving to Alabama and Illinois. Fun times had at all events.”

► Speaking of WAY COOL, Steve Gamble shared this: “If you are considering hiking in the Himalayas, a great country is Bhutan. We used the travel company PAO PAO. One of our travel mates was a freelance writer for the New York Times, and she had lunch with the lady owner of PAO PAO. On returning from lunch she mentioned, ‘Steve, you should have dinner with her, and she has a surprise.’ So on our last night, we dined together and learned that her daughter had

just graduated from Knox College. Small world. And should you want a very nice brief on Bhutan and its Gross National Happiness, please check out the last subject on the November 17, 2024, edition of 60 Minutes.”

► Curious about proton radiation therapy? Ask Terry Klopcic, who had a six-week regimen for a (thankfully) non-cancerous tumor. He reports: “The physics is really cool, and the equipment is awesome. But most memorable for me: The medical radiation physicist on the team that specified my treatment was a former student of mine at Kenyon! How gratifying! (And yes, he was an A student. :>)”

► From Nancy Levin: “Hail to Knox all glorious! The campus was picture-perfect for our 60th class reunion. Even though registration revealed the disappointing news that only 13 of our class were coming, we were very happy to represent the rest of you: Avis Sorensen Erickson, Jean Howell Card, Kathy Molda East, Lynn Melcher Barrett (from Yorkshire, England!), Nancy Anderson Levin, Pat White Strasberg, Fay Brown Stevenson-Smith, Cathy Henderson Gardner, Cynthia (Cindy) Brown, Shripad (Sam) Pendse (from Halifax, Nova Scotia!), George (Iggy) Matkov, Wayne Parks, and Robert Glorch.

► Our group of eight who have gotten together every year since 1991, except during Covid years, includes Babs Kothe Fiala, Jo Ann Dworzynki Pierce, and Jean Scott Welch, who were sorely missed, and Karen Dittmer Bowyer ’63 who was with us again this year. We enjoyed classroom visits, the library exhibits, ball games, Convocation, the cemetery tour, and so many new connections with alums from other classes. Personally, I was overwhelmed by the number of contacts with people from the Puget Sound area where I live, giving new meaning to “The long, long road to Alma mater is the road that leads us home!”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: TERRY KLOPCIC klopcicjt2@yahoo.com

1965

Gary Moses makes the following appeal to classmates who have not yet registered on the new website for alums who attended Knox in the sixties. “Question: What exactly do we know about Knox graduates of the 1910s through the 50s? Answer: Unfortunately, very little. Given today’s communication tools, we could have reached out to Knox graduates of the 1910s through the ’50s who fought in WWI, lived during the Great Depression, WWII, Korean War, and more. Think about it … we had history standing next to us, but we didn’t capture it. Now that we have a way to document our history… let’s do it! Register now … today on our Knox Decade of the Sixties website at 172players.reunionmanager.com.” For more information and help navigating the site, email Gary, who manages the website, at garymari@aol.com

► Ken Grimm sent this summary of a bio he posted on the website: “After Knox, Ken served in the US Army for four years with tours at Fort Monmouth, NJ, and RVN. He married and attended grad school at Ohio State. After graduating, he took a job at Wright-Patterson Airforce Base as an avionics research engineer. While he and his wife, Dorothy Lee Schneider, were in Ohio, son Jeffrey and daughter Rebecca were born. In 1978, Ken left government employment for industry jobs at Technology Service Corporation in Silver Spring, MD, and later Nichols Research, where he was a research engineer specializing in missile defense technology and target discrimination techniques. In 2006, he was stationed as a contractor at Fort Belvoir, VA, to serve in the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), participating in R&D projects associated with nuclear weapons effects and Radar and communication systems survivability. He is now retired from full-time employment at DTRA, but continues to serve as a consultant for Leidos Corp.” Ken reports that he is still a “Siwasher” and looking forward to our 60th Reunion.

► Larry Horist recently published his second book, which is decidedly more serious than his first, The

Acrapulator’s Guide, a humorous take on folks who go to garage and estate sales. In his new book, Who Put Blacks in That PLACE, he asserts his views regarding the impact of public policy on civil rights. Both books are available on Amazon. Larry ran his own business and political consulting firm in Chicago before retiring to Boca Raton, FL. See Class Notes in the fall issue of the Knox Magazine for more details.

► I attended Homecoming and Family & Friends Weekend last fall and enjoyed visiting with classmates I hadn’t seen for 60 years or more. In addition to the usual Homecoming activities, there was a Decade of the Sixties gathering on Friday evening. The event brought together alums from the classes of ’62 through ’66 and also served as a kick-off for the Class of ’64’s sixtieth reunion. Our class was represented by Pete Boynton, Gary Moses, Lowell Dixon, and me. We wish more of you had been there and hope many of you will make it this October!

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

DIANE TROUT-OERTEL troutoertel@gmail.com

1966

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

JUDITH HOLLAND SARNECKI judithsmamabear@gmail.com

1967

Nancy Rabenstein Pielemeier and husband John recently enjoyed a unique travel experience: “Some people are addicted to travel, no matter what. Nancy and John Pielemeier joined the Wheelchair Travel Group for an amazing trip to Barcelona, Madrid, and Lisbon in September. Nancy and John, who has post-polio and uses a scooter, joined six other wheelchair users and companions, along with our fearless leader, also a wheelchair user, on a most interesting excursion. Our wonderful Portuguese driver-aides fearlessly drove our enormous specially equipped bus over mountain roads, cobblestone hills, barely accessible rural trails, and crowded city streets. The

2024 SCROLL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS

The Scroll of Honor award is presented to Fifty Year Club members, including honorary members, to recognize lifetime achievements in the service of their community, society, or humanity.

Howard Heath ’73

During his career, Howard Heath served as a math and computer science instructor and as the Chicago Teachers Union's first and only black man to serve as vice president. An educator, lobbyist, and union officer, he continues to serve as the Chicago Teachers Union’s retiree functional vice president and American Federation of Teachers retiree representative.

Carolyne “Carrie” Swanson McPherson ’68

Carolyne “Carrie” Swanson McPherson founded a software firm, Information Development Consultants, Inc. that went on to develop DiLOG and 4gov, ground-breaking accounting and financial software packages. The company helped more than 250 clients in 28 states, as well as the Trust Territories of the Pacific and Virgin Islands.

Steven L. Seward ’68

Steven L. Seward earned advanced degrees in physiological science and optometry. He would later receive the Indiana Optometric Association’s Outstanding Young Optometrist Award and the American Optometric Association’s Distinguished Optometric Recognition Award. He participated in a mission to Cuba and as the Federal Drug Administration investigator for extended-wear contact lenses.

wheelchair users braved many nonADA slopes, ramps, and entrances. It was an inspiring experience and great to discover that disability does not have to mean staying at home.”

been traveling a lot. In June, we took daughter Katie ’98 and children to Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, England (and a quick six hours to France) for a three-week vacation. Great times. Then in October, Larry and I went to Houston to help his aunt celebrate her 90th birthday, along with 11 cousins from six states. Really a wonderful time. We are well and looking forward to a trip to New Orleans in January. So many places. So little time.”

► Margaret Sawyer Stanton writes: “In a way I am ‘living my best life’” although with regrets and deep sorrow. Husband Greg ’66 and I still live on our 2 ½ acres northeast of Urbana, IL. We will be celebrating

57 years of marriage in a little over a month. We love living on this piece of land that my parents bought in 1949 on which I grew up until leaving for Knox at age 17 to begin my college career. We have a Passive House designed by Katrin Klingenberg, which we moved into 15 years ago. We live only 12 minutes from our son Gabe, his wife, Citlaly, and our grandson, Miguel, 8, and our granddaughter, Arya, 3. Our grandchildren are joys to be with, and we are grateful to be able to help with their care whenever it is needed. My sister Charlotte lives close by in Champaign, IL, and my four other living siblings and their spouses are in the Bloomington or Peoria, IL, area. We get together several times per year. We feel deeply the loss of son Chris who suffered a fatal heart attack in 2021. We have learned to live with his loss, but we also celebrate all the gifts he gave to us. I am grateful to Knox for helping me develop critical thinking skills. I enjoy reading and listening to music. I facilitate a mental health recovery group each week and also regularly attend services at my church, whether by Zoom or in person. I’d love to hear from or get together with fellow classmates to compare notes on living into our 70s and 80s. Greg is much more social than I am and regularly corresponds with fraternity brothers. Life is good although complicated!”

► Sally Burns Torgeson brings us up to date on her life: “Well, it’s been a while since I caught everyone up in life with Sally. To recap, in 2018, I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (MM), right out of the blue. Didn’t even know what it was let alone not having any symptoms until I dislocated my sternum from my collarbone rising from a chair. My collar bones looked like they had been eaten by a mouse, according to my osteo doctor. For those of you unfamiliar with MM as I was, it is a plasma cell cancer affecting the immune system, kidneys, and bones. It is incurable, but with new treatments and drugs over the past 10 years, it can be controlled. There are about 32,000 new cases each year to mainly unsuspecting people like me. After a bone marrow transplant (Stem cell transplant) in 2019, I decided to become a mentor and

coach for newly diagnosed patients to help them through the initial ‘deer in the headlights’ confusion, help them get an MM Specialist, and explain the pros and cons of various treatments and understand the pages of lab work each month. I was very fortunate as my good friend Ken Ryder became a pathologist at IU and worked with my specialist on research MM in the 1980s and was able to explain all the ins and outs of the lab results. To date, I have mentored over 40 patients from Ireland to Southern California and Hawaii. It is a very rewarding experience to see someone in great pain or failing kidneys bounce back in six weeks feeling like life is worth it again.

Two years ago, I decided California was no longer my dream location: friends had left, politics were terrible, and Santa Barbara was no longer the lovely coastal town I moved to in 1970, so I came home to Indiana in June 2022. Just in time for both my nieces to return from San Francisco and Chicago and immediately present me with grandnieces. I truly love the Midwest, the seasons, the friendliness of the people in my small town of Zionsville, and the newest and smallest of the extended family.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

HELEN GILBERT helengilbert98571@gmail.com

1968

Mary Mangieri Burgland shared that she and George were fortunate this September to play in the US Hickory Open in Kenosha, WI. The tournament was at Kenosha Country Club, which has been restored to its original Donald Ross design. She was thrilled to shoot well enough to win the runner-up spot in the Women’s Low Net Event. There were players from China, Sweden, Denmark, and all over the US.

► Harvey Sadow had a really nice visit with Ron Haas last summer. They met in Elkhart Lake, WI, near his home and spent the whole afternoon telling stories. Harvey and Susan became grandparents on Nov 1. Welcome to the world, Zora Lee. He has revived his love of playing

music, bought a new electric guitar, and been working hard to build a relationship with this beautiful instrument.

► Susan Tracey Van Kirk wrote that she just finished a threebook contract for her Art Center Mysteries, and the third one, Death in a Ghostly Hue, came out in early July. She’s currently writing another Endurance mystery, about a small town, a lot like Galesburg and/or Monmouth. It features a puzzling disappearance and a hostile takeover of the town newspaper. She’s tentatively titled it Fabric of Lies. The plan is to have it out in early spring 2025. In reunion news, she had a lovely dinner with Carolyne Swanson McPherson, and they’re talking about a possible art exchange between her Artist’s Guild in South Carolina and the Buchanan Center for the Arts in Monmouth.

► Pam Harrison Stoffel reported that “while Jim and I declared residency in GA two years ago, we still spend the four worst months of the year at our NY home, as I continue to direct the spring musicals at the school where I taught for 20+ years. People think I am out of my mind, but I’ve got to do what I love, so we’re headed north for the holidays with two of our sons and their families. I will then launch into rehearsals for my March production of Chicago. The question remains though … how much longer … ? We went to St. Louis in Sept. to visit our youngest son and his wife and to celebrate the first birthday of their twin boys. They also have a 5 and 3-year-old. Spending not even two hours with what we refer to as ‘The Stoffel 6,’ we were completely exhausted! I don’t know how they do it and hold full-time jobs! Were WE ever that young? While in St. Louis, we got together with Sue Bennetsen Postel and husband Roy again and are looking forward to them visiting us on Sea Island in the spring.”

► Barbara Por Srur shared, “My professional journey to become a psychiatrist began at Knox when I chose to volunteer at the Galesburg Psychiatric Hospital. Thinking that some patients, who speak my birth

language of Hungarian, might enjoy a visit, they found five long-term residents for me to visit. I still recall two of them 59 years later. One woman, when hearing the greeting in her native tongue, was enormously overjoyed and was certain that I was her daughter. The other woman, after just a few words, had to be restrained because she wanted to assault me. This experience was the seed that contributed to my choice of specialty in medicine. It has been an incredibly diverse ride since. Dealing with the human mind, no two days have ever been the same. No other specialty could have been as interesting, diverse, and rewarding. The point of all this is to say how difficult it has been for me to give it up and finally retire at 79. Maybe stand-up comedy? I have many stories to tell…”

► Chip Evans just finished reading Countdown 1960 by Chris Wallace and A Frog in the Fjord by Lorelou Desjardins. “In fall 2024, we met Tom Mellen, Steve Hayashi, and their wives for lunch in Bourbonnais, IL, near Kankakee. I enjoyed the 2024 Homecoming visit with alumni from my time at Knox. Coach Knosher did an excellent job presenting Ted Boecker ’70 for induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame. The FYC lunch was great, as usual. I was surprised that the swimming pool had been closed due to ceiling problems since early 2024.”

► I’m keeping busy with friends, lunches, Misericordia (Judd lives there), and church. My oldest granddaughter, Quinn ’28, started at Knox this fall! Both my son, Josh ’97, and daughter-in-law also went to Knox. A triple legacy! She just finished finals and said she learned so much and loved it. I’ve just finished reading The Collected Regrets of Clover. It’s about how to deal with death. Very informative! The author came to the library to discuss it, and it was wonderful. Sorry about my email problems. If I missed anyone, please forgive me.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: SUSAN MIKA

pottatea@comcast.net

1969

For this issue of the Knox Magazine, we focus on our 55th Reunion. Ray Howell provided a number of witty vignettes, so we can begin with him.

► “Pat Kelley is still wearing his ’69 Knox jacket and what is even more amazing is it still fits. He regaled us with thoroughbred horse racing experiences and emerged financially intact, managing to even make money in the process. He now raises miniature horses and is planning trips to the North Pole and Hiroshima … your normal retirement activities. We revisited his Phi Gam room known unaffectionately as the ‘Lung’ for its expansive dimensions and also his brother Joe, who was the lead guitarist in the Shadows of Knight (G-L-O-RI-A) who played such noteworthy venues as Marty’s in Galesburg.

Mike Hosford and I played golf at Soangetaha on Friday. We mutually and mercifully decided not to keep score after the first hole. Later Mike teased some of our dating stories out of my wife Marilyn Howell Kelley ’71, which became late-night fodder.

Gary Barnhart and I exchanged John Martin stories. John was a late-night host at the local radio station. His fraternity brothers decided to call in as the Galesburg police department (complete with typewriters and radio calls in the background) to report that Knox College students were rioting and moving off the campus to set the city on fire. They told John to immediately broadcast a citywide alert . . . which he did. Perhaps a brilliant career cut short.

Dan Gunning ’68 was stationed at the DMZ between North and South Korea. Apparently, lots of amusing things get shot at in the demilitarized zone.

John Heyer ’68 gifted his photography skills to memorializing our Reunion. He has been a lifelong, passionate supporter of Scouting. It is so inspiring to see this commitment.

To Kim, Mollie and Paul thank you,……… so funny, we hardly knew each other at Knox.”

► Kim Adams Post and Mollie Miller Thorn provided a great overview of the 55th Reunion as follows…

“First of all, our class is so indebted to Mary Mangieri Burgland ’68 and George Burgland, who opened their home to us for a wonderful pre-reunion gathering, where we were able to connect in a leisurely way with so many treasured friends.

► Mollie is enjoying her retirement and doesn’t know how she ever had time to work. She continues to sing with her international online Stay at Home Choir, as well as her community choir. She and husband Phil keep in touch with their kids and grandkids by phone, text, Facetime, Zoom, and any other means possible. They love supporting the whole crew!

► Jim Dean said his current focus is on friends and photography. He is quite a photographer and also does a weekly walk with Knox friends in Denver. We found him to be a great listener, and it was very nice to connect.

► Ted Boecker ’70 was at the reunion to receive the Harley Knosher Athletic Award. He and Linda Tyson Boecker ’71 run a real estate company in SoCal. They also stay busy with kids and grandkids.

► Susan Buckner Hammon has just started singing again with her church choir. You may remember that she was in the Knox choir, and she still loves to sing.

► It was such a pleasure to reconnect with Gary Barnhart and wife, Susan. Susan is so engaging that we almost forgot she wasn’t a Knox alum. But two of their three kids are Knox alums. Brynna ’03 is an attorney for the NCAA and heads

up her department there. Brett ’96 is an orthopedic surgeon.

► We were also excited to see Tom and Alice Crane Hogarty, who were unable to attend the 50th reunion due to a last-minute health challenge. They (and we) were so sorry to miss them as they were an integral part of the planning and also a force behind Knox’s peace and justice endowed chair.

► Mike Hosford is retired from his career in financial planning and successfully sold his business. Mike plays golf a couple of times a week. He and Kittybelle drove from their home in Frederick, MD, to the Knox woodlands and cornfields, while visiting family all along the way. Their son is a legislative aide to Senator Edward Markey, and Kittybelle serves on the board of the Senate daycare facility.

► Larry and Jeannie Wilhelms Moore are big volunteers. Jeanie is a retired teacher who volunteers in the Philadelphia schools. Larry was very active during this election cycle going door-to-door and gathering research with citizens in a deep listening program in their county.

► It was also a pleasure to see David McMillin, who is cheerful and friendly and still teaching at Purdue. He and his wife are also very involved with kids and grandkids.

► Bill Howell missed the reunion, but he had a good excuse. He was traveling from Florida to the Bahamas on his 37-foot trawler. Alone!

► Paul Behnke missed the 55th reunion but promises to attend our 60th! He and his wife reside in Durham, NC, and enjoy getting together with their five kids and four grandkids. They also play tennis regularly and hit the Duke gym frequently as well. For Paul, the interaction with Ray, Mollie, and Kim over the runup to the reunion was a highlight of the past year and proof that we can bond with Knox friends at any age.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: PAUL BEHNKE pbehnke48@gmail.com

1970

Thanks to all of you who sent me notes this fall. I know it is a bit of an intrusion but when the Knox Magazine arrives each time the first place I go is to the Class Notes section. I am sure you all do too.

Personally, I checked off a few more bucket list items this year. A lovely trip to Scotland in the fall, a short trip to Spain in December, and, like many of you, got those cataracts removed and the world again is a colorful place.

Please let me know if your contact information changes so we can stay in touch. Thank you and hope 2025 is a good year for you all.

► From Donald Stubbs: “I do not pay much attention to Knox College as life has gone on. I retired in 2010 as associate director of the registration division, Office of Pesticide Programs, EPA.  I have spent the last 15 years scuba diving around the world. It is my passion, as is genealogy.  Lots new to see underwater and lots to know about relatives; the good, bad, and ugly.  My wife, Diane, also became a scuba diver and joined me on many trips. Di and I spend lots of time with our children and grandchildren. Fortunate to live near them. It’s always nice to hear about classmates.”

► I heard from Bob and Jan Eckhardt Butler Butler: “Bob and I are still gardening and trying to keep these two acres alive in Tulsa, OK. We keep busy reading with kids in the Reading Partners Program at our local public school, and we try to keep active with Tai Chi and dance at the Y. I love to go birdwatching and use eBird and Merlin apps to pretend I am a citizen scientist. Are any of you birders out there? I also keep my hands in super mud at a local clay studio. Bob reads. A lot. And he takes an improv comedy class with a local group. He honed his sailing skills for a week last June with an off-shore sailing adventure from Ft. Lauderdale. We visit our son Ian, partner Ingrid, and our two adorable bilingual grandkids 1,000 miles south in Mexico City as often as we can. And we visit our daughter Anne Marie, 800 miles north in Michigan.

She teaches art history and gender studies at Kalamazoo College. Now if only we could figure out a way to solve the very long hot summers that drag on into October. Maybe we can make a trip to Knox in 2025 for our 55th!”

► From Don Knefel: “Just a brief note. My wife, Mary Anne Carney Knefel ’76, and I continue to live in Brooklyn, NY, with our children and grandchildren, after spending 40 years in Dubuque, Iowa. We moved out here six years ago to help with our two grandkids, who are now of school age. It’s a great situation—all three families are within walking distance of each other, and Manhattan is 30 minutes north on the subway. We all miss the Midwest, and I think about Knox and Galesburg often, but it’s hard to beat life in the big city.”

► Had a long message from Mac Hamilton: “Good morning, Nancy. Thank you for reaching out and for keeping us informed on one another’s lives. Since last checking in with my fellow Knox alums, a lot has happened in my life. Janine, my wife of 49 years, and my oldest daughter, Nichole, both passed away within two months of one another two years ago. I’m a firm believer that life is for the living and, fortunately, I have a wonderful new girlfriend full of positivity making each day a happy one. Daughter Danielle and all four of my grandchildren are thriving.

I can’t seem to stop wanting to go to work each day. I have transitioned from mostly commercial real estate brokerage to the development primarily of multifamily apartments throughout Southern Minnesota communities and Clear Lake, IA; an Electromagnetic chamber facility leased to IBM, and a new shelter for battered women in Rochester. Hamilton Real Estate Group continues as a commercial real estate brokerage based in Rochester, MN, and Hamilton INH now manages over 1,500 apartments in Rochester, Southern Minnesota, and Northern Iowa. With the coming change in weather, I plan to spend Thanksgiving week in Puerto Vallarta and then head for my winter home in

Saint Augustine, FL. I hope all of you are in good health and that you are as happy as I am.”

► It was good to hear from Marc Wollman: “I’d love to report exciting things going on with me, but not much to say. I’ve been a little more active in photography, exhibiting as a member of our local co-op gallery, as well as in one juried show. I spend more time as a board member, membership chair, and chair of artwork installation at the gallery than doing my own work. I do tend to do more photography when Deedee and I are visiting her family on the Gulf Coast than I do in Southeast Wisconsin. Son Ben, after being priced out of the real estate market in Madison, has moved back to Milwaukee, so at least I can see him a bit more. I rarely see Knox people; sometimes Bob Ottum ’69, sometimes Ann Murray Smith ’76, and, every six months, Thomas Matkov ’91 (since he is one of my doctors).”

► From Ruth Gilson Bruner: “My husband, Hal, my son, Mike ’98, and I were lucky enough to have Sandy Butler Londos and Anita Bosky Vaughan visit us in Delaware this fall. We had one of the best visits with them and hope to get together without letting too much time pass. It was like no time had passed since we talked and laughed together. I introduced them to mystery books written by Susan Tracy Van Kirk ’68. They actually finished reading her first book. We all recommend her mystery books.”

► From Dave Lambert: “Hi Nancy!  Hope you have been doing well. I do have one bit of news. Judy Waggoner Lambert ’71 and I met with Dick Garner and wife Jean and Bob McDonald and wife Pam in Door County in early September for several days of touring, hiking, golfing, shopping, eating, and enjoying local theater. Everyone is retired and doing well. A good time was had by all.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: NANCY HOOVER DEBELIUS nhdebe@zoominternet.net

1971

From Elliott Vizansky: “On August 31, I had a stroke. I am 95% recovered.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

A huge thank you to Jerry Tatar for serving as class correspondent for many years. If you are interested in serving as class correspondent for 1971, contact Jennifer Gallas at classnotes@knox.edu

1972

John Alberts writes, “Lura and I are living in our home in Las Cruces, NM. We view the Organ Mountains from the front of our home and the Doña Ana Mountains from the back. Las Cruces is the second largest city in New Mexico, but at roughly 120,000 people, it is still pretty small as US cities go. Traffic is quite bearable in comparison. It’s a very different climate than Chicago. Las Cruces is high desert; our elevation is 4,340 feet. It gets pretty hot in June and July, but an average of 60s high temperatures in November is not bad at all. Happy not to have to deal with the cold, wet grey days for months at a time that we experienced with Chicago winters. Lura continues her graphic arts business while taking courses in art and sculpture at New Mexico State University. I also take a history course at the university this semester and plan to continue taking one course a semester. As ‘seniors’ our costs to attend are nominal. There is a wide range of musical, arts, and theater organizations in Las Cruces. Having played in community orchestras and concert bands throughout my life, I play with two community concert bands, a community orchestra, and a brass ensemble that I established in Las Cruces this last year. We’ve made many friends in our new community and find the people of Las Cruces friendly and eager to engage. Periodically, friends and family from other parts of the country have visited, and we look forward to seeing others this next year. All the best to the Class of 1972.”

► Gene Brandt welcomed two of his FIJI brothers and their wives to Palm Desert recently … Sandy and Dave Wood and Kim and Jim Leech ’71. “We also had a great trip east

in September … attended the Al Smith Dinner in Manhattan, went to Washington to see the National Museum of African American History (amazing!) and The New Yorker Festival back in Manhattan. Now anticipating my first grandchild and celebrating my son’s admission to Central Saint Martin’s in London to study fashion design.”

► Barbara Carnegie Whitman writes, “I am currently on the University of Chicago Hospital’s kidney transplant list, in need of an O+ live kidney donor. Season’s greetings to the Class of ’72 and the Knox College community.”

► Graham “Cush” Copeland writes, “My wife, our dog, and I are entering our second winter in Western Colorado after 33 years in Central Florida, and we are very, very happy. We are also happy to have a ninemonth interior renovation of our house finally behind us.”

► Shel Gross writes, “I have sad news. I don’t know if family is reporting this or not, but Rick Eisenman, my Knox roommate and friend of 56 years, passed away on November 9 from pancreatic cancer. His obituary can be found here: https://www.newcomerrochester.com/obituaries/richard-eisenman.”

► Michael Gutesha writes, “So many years since that graduation day in June 1972, and so many wonderful memories of Knox College. What a privilege it was for me to attend Knox. I met my wife, Linda Baring Gutesha ’74, at Knox, and we were married in February 1973. My, or I should say our, Army career began in earnest after our honeymoon with my first assignment at Fort Riley, KS. During this three-year tour, Linda completed her college degree at Kansas State University. Assignments followed in Germany, Italy, the Pentagon, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, and other short assignments. During various Army assignments, Linda was able to teach and work in various theater positions: theater specialist, acting, and directing, all very fulfilling, including receiving awards presented at the British Embassy in Washington, DC for plays she directed for different

groups in northern Virginia. She even got me involved in theater, which was fun. After retirement from the Army, we settled in Arvada, CO, which provided more time with family after being apart for many years. We have lived in Colorado longer than the 20 years in the Army, oh my gosh!! Time here has been wonderful and active in church work, volunteer positions, family activities, some theater for Linda, and travel. Still working part-time at a care center as activities coordinator; however, full retirement is closing in. In the summer, I work in guest relations at Coors Field for the Colorado Rockies, which is fun.”

► Sammi Maier King writes, “So sad to learn that Sandra Lange Bellinger passed away unexpectedly on August 28. She was a good friend my freshman year at Knox.”

► Bob Robeson writes, “My gud wyfe Alice and I are enjoying our life in Annapolis, MD. I still miss tavern-style pizza and Italian beef from my youth, but we have steamed blue crabs, so there’s that. One of the great joys of my Knox experience is staying connected to many of my friends from those days. One way we Sigma Nus do this is through occasional Zoom calls arranged by Bill Goldberg ’71. We always have a good turnout, and we catch up, commiserate, laugh, and remember. On the personal front, Alice and I celebrated the September arrival of our new grandchild, Jaxson Bilby. In August, we joined son Brendan and his family on a three-night Disney cruise to the Bahamas. We had a great time together. As always, we’ve made several trips to Alice’s family property in the Catskill Mountains in New York, including the annual square dance that has been held there on the Friday after Thanksgiving for over 40 years. So, from Ticetonyk Mountain, we wish all of our Knox friends a happy New Year and a good pair of dancing shoes.”

► Ross Terman writes, “Dean Turner and Tom Kroupa ’73 held an ADE reunion picnic in the Chicago area on June 1. We had over 40 brothers from classes ranging from 1963 to 1978. Class

of 1972 attendees were Tom and Monica Damme Minion, Mike Themas, Ted Wright, and Pete White. We had a great time catching up with everyone and trying to remember stories that may still need censoring. I put together a photo montage and a video. Here are the links: photo at https://youtu. be/x-jI9zCFxfg and video at https:// youtu.be/FquFksPrNBI. Lois and I and our older daughter spent July and August in the Asheville, NC area. The storm hit the week after we left, and we’ve been heartbroken seeing the images of the destruction.”

► Dave Wood writes, “How about them Packers! Haven’t seen the Bronze Turkey in 27 years. Not much going on which is good at my age. Happy Thanksgiving to all.”

Wendy Scherwat Ducourneau writes, “Shocked and saddened to hear that the Frank Lay Natatorium (aka the Knox pool) has been closed since January 2024. The structural integrity of the ceiling is apparently so compromised that it is unsafe for swimmers to be in the pool. Anyone wishing to join a task force to enable Knox to build a new aquatics center may email me: wjsd@jps.net.”

Editor’s note: Our sincere apologies to Wendy Scherwat Ducourneau for misspelling her name in the spring 2024 edition of Knox Magazine. We regret this error and greatly appreciate Wendy’s continued dedication to her class and Knox by serving as class correspondent.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

WENDY SCHERWAT DUCOURNEAU wjsd@jps.net

1973

I was looking fondly at the pictures from our 50th class reunion in October 2023. What a great time we had! I still enjoy retirement and knitting for charity. Took brief trips to Illinois and Minnesota. Our Colorado Knox Club is very active, thanks to the efforts of Ann Feldman Perille and Tom Perille, both Class of 1976. A send-off picnic for new students, a service event at a regional food bank, and a perfor-

mance of Hamilton top the list of activities. The theater performance was preceded by dinner at a Mexican restaurant, with complimentary tequila provided by Bill Foss ’68, owner of Suavecito Tequila.

► Bob Bolier reports he had to take a break from his retirement recreational activities to have triple fusion neck surgery in late October. He hopes to be back on the golf course and bike path by the time you read this.

► Mike Hennessey made a weekend visit to St. Louis hoping to see the Cubs beat the Cardinals, thanks to Busch Stadium seats provided by Don Corrigan, his roommate at 430 W. Tompkins in 1973. Corrigan is active with the St. Louis Knox Club. He provided a lecture on his book, Environmental Missouri, to the alumni group in spring and enjoyed the St. Louis alumni picnic at summer’s end. Don published his 10th book in August titled, In Search of Manhood: Men’s Movements Past and Present (see page 32). He presented a paper on the book in Chicago in October at the Popular Culture Association Convention at DePaul University. Don’s publishing career as a state resident was recognized by the Missouri Legislature with a House Resolution in his honor in November.

► In August, Greg Divers moved to Galesburg and was able to bicycle to Homecoming this year. The Class of ’74 had a fantastic 50th reunion, and many members of the Class of ’73 returned to celebrate with them. Greg met with Noel Knox for Friday breakfast at Innkeepers, that evening met with Judy Bence Barnicle to watch the Knox women’s basketball team play an exhibition game against Carl Sandburg College, and at Convocation Saturday morning saw Howard Heath and John Gorski receive awards.

► Jim Fennema writes: ”I attended the 2024 Homecoming for a very special reason, as I was inducted into the Knox-Lombard Athletic Hall of Fame for my baseball career at Knox. It seems once Tom Crabtree ’72 finished the baseball record book, it showed that I still hold three career records—most wins

(19), most complete games (24), and most no-hitters (2)—being second in history for four other categories, and third in two others. I also hold season records—first in three, second in one, and third in five. It was an honor and a humbling experience as ex-players and classmates showed up to support me. I never knew that my career was so special, as I just loved playing the game. However, it is nice to know how my career fits in perspective historically. Otherwise, I am retired after 45 years in the retail industry, enjoying time with my three kids and five grandkids, playing golf, and traveling a lot. Life is good!”

► John H. Gorski is a 2024 recipient of the Knox College Service Award. The award, established in 1987, is given to members of the Knox community in recognition of outstanding volunteer service benefiting Knox College and is presented during Homecoming Convocation. Gorski has been a dedicated volunteer for the Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) fraternity at Knox since his graduation. A seasoned business professional, John held leadership roles at International Harvester Co. and Navistar International. He was the national coordinator for the 1988 “Save the TKE House” campaign, pivotal in renovating the house and making it the first ADA-accessible fraternity on the Knox campus. John has tirelessly worked to preserve the history of Knox TKE, serving as chair of the TKE Board of Advisors, authoring a history of the chapter, and donating a plaque marking the house as the oldest TKE House in North America. His contributions have earned him the Honor Delta TKE Award and induction into the National TKE Hall of Fame. Most recently, he chaired the 50th Homecoming celebration for the Knox TKEs. John’s volunteer service includes serving as the past four-term president of the 501c3 Irish American Heritage Center, president of his local HOA, and 25 years as a junior high head football coach. Since his retirement, he has been traveling extensively here and abroad, writing his maternal Irish and paternal Kashubian family history, and is leading the effort to reestablish and maintain a rural abandoned cemetery in SW

Wisconsin, where several of his maternal Crowley pioneer homesteaders are buried. He has published articles in the Wisconsin Historical Society magazine, as well as in Wisconsin newspapers. John lives in St. Charles, IL, with his wife “Chef” Mary, the president of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Chicago and board member of “Sister Cities Chicago and Galway, Ireland.” They recently welcomed their first grandson.

► Michael and Beverley Barton Seaver write: “We also look back with such fond memories of our 50th Reunion! Michael retired from healthcare electronic medical records security in May and is enjoying working with medical malpractice attorneys as an EMR Expert Consultant. Beverley has been using her theatre skills to help our 15-year-old grandson audition for his high school’s theatre program. He was cast in the ensemble for Hadestown and, just this week, auditioned and got the lead in the freshman/sophomore winter play! Beverley is also exploring developing a series of workshops for preteen and teenage students to create their own marionettes. We went to the UK this summer for a family wedding and vacation and recently spent time in Ontario, Canada, at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. We are still active theatre-goers and are sponsors of the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus. Life is good. Sons and grandsons are good. In September we celebrated our 52nd wedding anniversary!”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

NANCY BAKOS HUNTER geo_hunters@q.com

1974

The Class of 1974’s 50th Reunion was a resounding success. The Reunion Committee brought a vision to life, and it was your enthusiastic response that made it all possible. A heartfelt thank you to all our classmates who joined in and contributed to this memorable celebration.

The energy at the reunion was infectious, and it’s no surprise that the Reunion Committee is still hard at work. Success always brings

follow-up, and we’re embracing it! The committee is addressing lingering questions, like those about the Golden YearBook, while also exploring ways to keep the connection alive and the momentum going strong. Stay tuned—there’s more to come, and we can’t wait to continue this exciting journey together!

Here is what your classmates are saying about their reunion experience:

► Jan Thompson: “I loved our class reunion this year! It was a jampacked weekend! It’s always great to be back on campus. Sitting in the Gizmo with several of my friends from our school days is surreal. It seemed like we were waiting for a friend to get out of class, so we could go to dinner. The weekend always goes too fast. If only we could turn back time…”

► Priscilla Day Inge: “The reunion was lovely, poignant, and the weather was perfect. I saw friends I had not seen in 50 years. I know that the people who were not there physically were there in spirit. Seeing the present Knox is like an evolved, more polished version of what it was when we were there, but very familiar as well. I am grateful for the well-rounded education it afforded me, and I’m grateful for the friends I made there.”

► Fran Ansell Zimmerman: “I am so glad that I took part in the Knox 50th Reunion! What a joy it was to reconnect with old friends…Monta Lee Dakin, one of my freshman roommates at Whiting Hall; Marya Axner, my sophomore roommate at the Co-op; and Rick Heitman, another fellow Co-op resident. We took a walk down memory lane…Debbie and I visited Whiting Hall, which looked the same, and Debbie, Rick, and I visited the house that was the Co-op, which definitely has seen better days! One of the highlights of the weekend for me was the Convocation. The speeches from Knox alumni and their thoughts about the impact that Knox had on their lives were truly inspirational. Their reflections and insights captured my feelings about Knox. The relationships that professors develop with their

students and their passion for their work make Knox a unique learning community. I am so grateful for the professors I had at Knox and for the friendships I made there. I am so glad that I have been able to reconnect with several of these friends in recent years. The Reunion strengthened those connections and my deep appreciation for the totality of my Knox experience.

My husband, Stu, accompanied me on the Reunion weekend. He thought it might be a boring event for him, not knowing most of the people who would be attending. It turned out to be the exact opposite. He very much enjoyed meeting some of my friends for the first time and being together with friends who we have gotten to know in recent years. In addition to meeting my friends, he got to meet other people who were very friendly and enjoyable to talk to. He was so impressed by how the lives of the people who spoke at the Convocation and the other people he met over the weekend were positively changed and influenced by the experiences they had at Knox. He graduated from a large university and wished that he had the opportunity to attend Knox College. With much appreciation for the hard-working committee that put together this memorable 50th Reunion weekend!”

► Mark Stefanik: “It’s a bit oxymoronic, but my takeaway from our 50th Reunion weekend was one of delightful regret, a sentiment that was expressed by so many others: Why didn’t we get to know more of each other back in the day? The wit, warmth, and wisdom shared on our idyllic Knox weekend will stay with me for years to come.”

► Richard Heitman: “Our 50th Reunion was a grand success. I drove from Maine to Boston, where I picked up Marya Axner. She and I had not seen each other in 40 years, yet we drove the 1,151 miles to Galesburg and then back having as good a time as we ever had at Knox. Debbie (now Marya) is full of joy. Doug Cole is as full of commitment as ever. He has led his democratic precinct for countless years. His wife, Janet Howell Cole, was the

first Knox girl that I kissed, albeit in a play. So, I asked whether I could close the parenthesis now. She obliged with a smile. I must note that the beautiful Monta Lee Dakin never looked so beautiful to me as when she was on stage in Kresge for the unveiling of our Class of 1974 donation to the college. She hadn’t been told the amount beforehand. When the donation topped three million dollars, Monta Lee’s face lit up with pure surprise, joy, and a tear. Fran Ansell Zimmerman has a picture of her, me, and Bruce Pick sitting on a couch on the porch of the Co-op in perfect replica of the famous Crosby, Stills, and Nash album cover. That memory was so fresh, though the Co-op itself when we went to visit it was abandoned and that porch gone. Many ways to feel young and old. I want to thank all of my classmates for the good times and the memories. Currently, I am publishing four novels by Peter Crombie, my closest friend since high school who died in 2024. They are great novels. Look for them on Amazon.”

► Twa/Vicki Huntman: “Kudos and kisses to our reunion committee for making our 50th reunion such an epic weekend. I hadn’t been back on campus since 1978 and guess what?! It’s never too late to go back! Got to celebrate with my Best Besties: Jeanne, Annie, Jan, Priscilla, and Margie. And big bonus: came home with even more friends! Biggest takeaway from the weekend? Heart swelling pride in the Knox community: the smarts, the easy laughter, and the graceful spirit that powered us through the weekend.”

► Leonard F. Berg: “Thanks to all of the committee members for organizing the reunion. It was great to see everyone. Thank you to all who returned their information to appear in Our Golden YearBook, and regrets for those who did not return their information or otherwise respond. So many small liberal arts schools are closing—it is exciting to see that the Knox Idea will continue in one of the largest ever incoming classes.”

► Sandee Michal Wright: “My husband, Ted ’72, and I thoroughly enjoyed my 50th Reunion, which

started with Owen Muelder ’63’s informative Alumni Hall presentation. Ernie Buck’s Convocation speech was inspiring and addressed his and everyone’s love for Knox College. I reconnected with many colleagues, and we reminisced on our Knox experiences. I especially enjoyed seeing Claudia Crump Cochran, who was also a Williston resident, and Stan Hvostik, a fellow math major. The Golden Yearbook was so interesting, and I wish more entries had been submitted. The Observatory was amazing, and we wish it was there 50 years ago. The weekend was wonderful!”

► Kevin Waite: ”It was great to see so many old friends. Too many to list. The turn-out was amazing, and it seemed that every group that I was a part of was well-represented. I unfortunately missed Owen Muelder ’63’s and Jim Mott’s presentations. However, the memorial for Jorge Prats was exceptional in its organization and number of attendees. The eulogies given by David Bauman ’74 and Harley Knosher were especially informative and moving. The old quad just didn’t look the same after the amputation of its balconies.  One more reason to hate the insurance industry.”

► Marya Axner: “This was my first time back in 50 years! During the Reunion, I was reminded of the close friends I made at Knox. My high school years had been very hard for me for a number of reasons, but Knox was a contrast to that. There was a gentle, fun, wonderful, and sometimes wacky group of people that attended Knox, and I found a home there. I was surprised at how easily I reconnected with my old friends at the reunion. I had forgotten that I meant something to many people in my class and was pleasantly surprised at how happy people were to see me again.

Some of us who lived in the co-op down the street from Knox walked down to see our former home. It was a beautiful old building; it would be nice to repair it and make it a place for students to live again. We walked back to the campus the back way, through what used to be a field, as we used to. I was delighted to run into the Knox garden and

greenhouse and composting area that was created.

While I was at Knox, I remembered the marvelous education that I received. I think the emphasis was on teaching at Knox—not so much on publishing. I felt that the teachers really cared about each of us. I learned so much and grew so much. In particular, Henry Joe, my ceramics teacher, was caring and thoughtful. He really thought about who we were as people, and he gave us appropriate learning challenges that helped us create art and also helped us grow into adults. I learned how to fire kilns and weld and build ceramic sculptures. I never imagined I could do those things before. I also learned to build community in the ceramics studio.

Recently I was talking to a friend about my education at Knox, and I told her how much the teachers cared about each of us and mentored us. She said, ‘Well, you certainly got a better education than me.’ I asked her where she went to school, and she answered, ‘Harvard.’ Altogether, the Reunion was a beautiful experience.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: MONTA LEE DAKIN mld780@aol.com

1975

Jo Hammerman is happily retired (social worker for close to 40 years!) living in Skokie, IL, with husband, Don. Travel includes visiting grandsons, 8 1/2 and 10 in Norfolk, VA, and a daughter in Brooklyn, NY, plus an amazing trip to Costa Rica last December. Busy substituting occasionally at an elementary school in Wilmette, as commissioner for the Village of Skokie, on the Family Services Commission, planning bi-annual Senior Resource Fair, and playing ukulele with friends and the public at times! Jo sees Claudia Hicklin Kaufman at various music festivals. Extensive volunteering includes a local nature center (weekly) and part-time as a summer camp counselor with the Skokie Park District, and the annual flu clinic with the Skokie Medical Reserve Corps.

Jo had a wonderful September visit from Barb Ward, who came from New Zealand. Barb’s married, has two kids and two grandkids, and is an accomplished quilter! They spent three days in Galesburg. Super impressed with the new Whitcomb Art Center and preparing for our 50th reunion!

► Richard Burke visited Knox to celebrate Math Professor Dennis Schneider’s retirement after 50 years of teaching math at Knox.  Richard’s brother James Burke ’77 was one of his former students who joined the gathering and presented. There were about 30 others in attendance, mostly math Ph.D.s, each hailing from celebrated institutions. James’ presentation was on the use of Newtonian Methodology in Optimization Analysis. Richard comments altogether “not a lightweight bunch.” His message— Knox produces a truly remarkable number of accomplished alumni, observing, despite being a small college tucked in Galesburg, versus a large research university, Knox hits above its weight in producing exceptional people. To say the least, Prof. Schneider left a giant footprint in mathematics.

► Maggi Johnsen writes that after living in metro Atlanta for 47 years, she recently moved to metro Chicago to be near family. “As I build a new network of friends and acquaintances, I definitely will include the Chicago Knox Club in my list of activities.”

► Michael Lincoln visited Phil Thomason hosting folks at his home in Nashville, including Jeff Cagan and Marcy Norman Cagan ’77, Daniel Interlandi and Barbara Carava Interlandi ’76, plus Dean Hawthorne ’77 with wife Kathleen Sullivan and Phil’s girlfriend, Jen, enjoying a walking tour of downtown, plus visiting the National Museum of African American Music.

► Deb Griffin Brown has been working on home upgrades these past two years. Painting, plastering, plumbing fun, and cleaning up junk head the list. Still heavily volunteering at the Morton Arboretum and with Scouting America (BSA). She

plans on attending Homecoming in 2025 and catching up with Knox friends. She gets to visit with Kay Brown ’10 and Mary Vanden Plas Duskwood ’10 when in Chicago.

► Harry Wolin writes, “Last January I retired again (the third time IS the charm). After a full career operating Rural Health Systems, I had been working as the CFO of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. Working with a dedicated group of attorneys who are committed to providing civil legal support to the most vulnerable was rewarding but, I AM REALLY ENJOYING RETIREMENT! Pleasures include a cottage near the Atlantic coast at Lake Worth Beach, FL; a trip to Holland, where the cool, damp, spring visit was highlighted by a visit to see the tulips at Keukenhof Gardens; trips to Colorado, Chicagoland, and The Bronx to enjoy the natural beauty that these areas provide, while visiting with family and friends. Humanitarian Service includes travel to India with Rotarians to provide polio immunizations as part of India’s National Day of Immunization, still allowing sightseeing time to appreciate the beauty and challenges of Indian culture.”

Harry is excited for the start of baseball next February. The Cardinals, Marlins, Nationals, and Astros have facilities nearby and “would love to catch up if anyone finds themselves in southeast Florida.”

► Gary A. Pokorn wrote that he returned to campus for Homecoming in October and took full advantage of all the activities, attending classes on Friday periods 1- 5.  The Hall of Fame dinner recognized his 1974/1975 basketball team as the Midwest Co-Champions.

Gary and wife Debbie sold their LadyBug Ranch in Denver and have “downsized” into a 55+ community in Parker, CO. Their horses now live in Riverton, WY, with their son and daughter-in-law. Retired from technology sales, Gary conducts book signings of The Peace and Power of a Positive Perspective at Colorado’s King Sooper grocery stores monthly.

► Sue Pax writes, “I have buried 26 time capsules over the last 50 years. Mostly in the pre-cameras-everywhere years. Hopefully, I planned well enough that at least half of them will last 200 plus years.”

► Nora Gubbins, in under the wire, enjoys a rich full family life with many children and grandchildren, while fly fishing, gardening, and visiting old Knox friends like Dave Clark ’74.

► Sheri Sprung Morrison’s biggest news: “We have a new granddaughter, Zelda, born 8/5/24 and named after Jerry’s mom. Travel includes flying to Seattle in November to celebrate the 3rd birthday of Zelda’s older brother, Milo.” Gary Anderson, Rob Nelson and Sheri Zoom occasionally, staying in touch. She is excited to be on our 50th Reunion Committee with a small but great group of classmates, hoping everyone is planning to attend, noting it will be wonderful fun to reconnect with friends and make new ones.

► Amanda Roberts La Rosa: “2024 has been a roller coaster year. It started out by moving into our new home in a very active 55+ community in Beaumont, CA, in January. Five weeks later, Joe, my husband of 36 years passed away. I continued to work, retiring July 1. This is a wonderful community, lots of empathetic and very supportive friends who have made this ride survivable. Still trying to figure out my purpose in retirement, but I’m looking forward to new adventures.”

► Jeanne Pankanin Leininger, also on our 50th Reunion Committee, writes: “Still got itchy feet, so in the past year I have traveled to Kenya, Iceland, and France (a Provence trip, with other Knox alumni), re-learning French beforehand via

Duolingo. Coming up next might be a European tour (Portugal?) on a motorcycle. I bought my first motorcycle in 1976 and riding remains a passion of mine. Any other classmates ride?  In October ’24, I attended the Class of ‘74’s 50th Reunion in Galesburg. It was fabulous, a super turnout. I sure hope we make ours as fun as theirs! Looking forward to seeing everyone.”

► George Szostkowski writes, “On behalf of Jeanne Pankanin Leininger, myself and the following Pot of Gold members, Sue Blew, Joseph “Shep” Crumrine, Nancy Claypool, Jim Mason, Sheri Morrison, John Nelson, Lynne Barney Porter, Sarah Boydstun Ross, Gwen Webb-Hasan and associate director of college development, Megan Clayton, we invite all of our classmates to our 50th Reunion on October 10-12, 2025. For those wishing to add their personal and/ or professional experience and have more fun organizing our Golden Reunion, you too can join the Pot of Gold Team. Simply contact Jeanne Leininger and/or George Szostkowski at knox.1975friend@gmail.com.

I look forward to seeing my long-time friends, Richard Burke, Sverre Falck-Pedersen ’74, Don Hill, James Millhorn, Neil Schaye, and Mike “Coo” Wright at our upcoming reunion. By publication, my wife, Xiaochen, and I will have visited Egypt and Jordan and planned another family visit to China. Numerous trips to Wisconsin and Michigan allow exploring the underrated treasures of small-town America, an abundance of riches. We continue with our numerous activities as members of the Chicago Chinese Culture & Arts Society, promoting and celebrating the many Chinese festivals, as well as Chinese and American holiday events in the Chicagoland area.”

While acknowledging Knox for his foundation in educational and extracurricular accomplishments, George invites everyone who sees him at the Golden Reunion to allow him to tell you about his return to the stage via Chicago’s Goodman Theatre’s GeNarrations writing program! Looking forward to

seeing many of you at our Golden Reunion!

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: DAVE LANGSTON dave_langston@hotmail.com

1976

I received a great photo of a few of our classmates who met for a 50th reunion planning session. Maureen McGarrity Murphy, Nina Sipal Ahbe ’75, Ellen Interlandi, Chris Day and Kathy Kodl Fridovich met in San Sebastian last year and had a great get-together…. Bill Wickart sent me a note with a few “life updates.” Bill attended the ADE reunion and saw Al Heath, Paul Neumann, and Pete Clark. Bill informed me that Paul Neumann has upgraded his sailor hat that was well known at Knox. Bill also passed along additional exciting news. He is engaged to Patti Finnegan (congrats!). And Bill is now the newest member of the Oregon Chorale group, which sings behind the Oregon Symphony. Very exciting…I also received a note that Craig Ferris ’77 passed away. Craig’s wife, Frances, sent me a note that highlighted Craig’s medical career as a practicing pathologist in Russellville, AR, for over 35 years. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Frances Ferris, and his three children John, Katie, and Laura, who live in Arkansas. Craig had many fond memories of his time at Knox and loved the outdoors, scuba diving, and hiking… So 2026 is approaching. Will we get 76 class members to attend the Reunion? Will Graham Woodward return to Knox and visit Conger? Mark your calendars for a fun weekend. I just attended my wife’s (Mary’s) reunion at Beloit,

and it was great. I received a note from Dave Chirbas. He attended Homecoming this year with Ted Moody. I was unable to join them but hope to see them soon. I also received an interesting note about the old Phi Delt house at Knox. You may recall that the Phi Delt house on West Street was closed about 15 years ago, as the Phi Delts at that time violated some rules (perhaps they were on double secret probation) Anyway, fast forward, that house on West St. is now the Sigma Nu house! I kid you not! Wow! My hope is that Steve Kaszynski, Rick Swanborg, and Keith Maskus will sneak me in so I can see my old room… That’s all for now—send me a note if you’d like.

Editor’s note: Barb Epstien’s husband, Julian, was incorrectly identified in the summer 2024 issue, and their last name was incorrectly spelled in both the Class of 1976 and 1975 columns. Knox Magazine regrets these errors.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: GEORGE PEARCE

geoknox@comcast.net

1977

Mark Williams wrote: “Last summer, Pedro Teixeira of the Knox math department and I organized a conference in honor of Professor Dennis Schneider, who was retiring after 51 years of teaching at Knox. The conference brought together about 40 former math majors and other friends of Dennis. There was a day of math talks given by Knox grads in the Umbeck Science-Mathematics Center on Saturday, June 1 (which happened to be Dennis’s 81st birthday), followed by a dinner in the Lincoln Room. Sadly, Dennis was unable to attend either the talks or the dinner due to a recent accident. We videotaped all the talks and the comments made by participants at the dinner so that Dennis could watch them. I saw him for the last time on Sunday, June 2, in the hospital, and then learned on Thursday, June 6, that he died that day. In spite of this outcome, it was great to meet up with old math classmates Bill Reinke, Jim Burke, Jay Zimmerman ’76, Kevin Hastings ’76, and others. We are hoping to organize a memorial

service for Dennis sometime in 2025.”

► Tom O’Neal shared: “I have been married for 42 years, have two kids, three grandchildren, and two dogs that live with the grandchildren, who recognize me as a fetch partner and the resident ‘crabby old guy.’ I still have an office in a midsized Midwest law firm. I weigh too much and don’t remember the things I should. It is a great country we live in where so many can tolerate so much from someone with so little virtue. Here’s hoping that sentiment predominates in the Republic in November. Yours in oddness!”

► Sarah Kaull traveled to Santa Fe recently to visit Kris Zamrazil. “We spent the drive from Albuquerque to Santa Fe reviewing our health problems and got that out of the way! Then we proceeded to talk about how we didn’t drink much anymore, while enjoying enchiladas and margaritas at lunch. Kris’s new fixer-upper house in Santa Fe is charming, and she is a font of information about the area, serving as a docent for the New Mexico Museum of Art and leading art and architecture walks around the city. “

► From Debbie Stoneking-Watson: “I retired from teaching in 2019, thinking I would spend my retirement years in the ‘Burg, but along the way, I visited Colorado and fell in love with the mountains and wildlife. With my four children being grown and raising five grandchildren, I felt it was time to make a change and begin a new adventure. So, in 2022, I packed up my worldly possessions and moved to Cañon City, home of the Royal Gorge. I feel like the luckiest person in the world having found my own little piece of paradise in God’s country. So if anyone is planning a trip to the wild wild west, give me a holler...I’d love to share my mountain retreat with you. Wishing peace and joy to the many who helped make my four years at Knox both memorable and the best!”

► Gary Hoag had this update: “I’m finally retired from teaching—at least, on an everyday basis. I’m try-

ing to flip the page into something like retirement. I’ll remain involved in activities close to special education, such as tutoring, writing, and conferences. I own two cabins in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, on the Greenbrier River, and plan to spend much of my time there. Those who follow me on Facebook may have seen a recent post. Life there is quiet and relaxing.”

► Sarah Kaull caught up with Ed Jepson, Gary “Jake” Jacobson, Brian “Bondo” Bond, Mitch Baker ’76 and better half Karen Ashby, and Jorge and Marjolein Verwoerd Castanos ’85 in June in Chicago. “We wined and dined in the Old Town neighborhood and had a very memorable visit to the fabulous Chicago Botanical Garden.”

► Bryn Douds wrote: “Doug Hill and I traveled to Malaga, Spain, to compete in the World Triathlon Age-Group Championships for Olympic distance on October 19. We finished 16th and 21st in the world in our respective age groups.”

► Lori Pearson Johnson sent this: “Ron ’54 and Arline Searl Pearson ’57 celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in Knox style this past month, at an Open House hosted for friends and family in the Lincoln Room at Knox! Ron and Arline’s love story began in Galesburg, where they both attended Galesburg High School, two years apart. Ron was a Knox sophomore when he first noticed Arline working in the ticket booth at the Orpheum Theater. He quickly made arrangements to meet her on a blind date, and their courtship began. Arline was able to join Ron at Knox College after her high school graduation. They were married on November 6, 1954, in Galesburg, the same year that Ron received his B.A. in Economics from Knox.

Over the past 70 years, the couple has enjoyed living in many places,

including an Army assignment in Germany as newlyweds, Staten Island, NY; Cincinnati, OH; Alton, IL; and finally coming full circle back to Galesburg in 1967, thanks to a work transfer from Ron’s job as controller with Alton Packaging. Ron and Arline enjoy keeping busy visiting their three children, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, and have shared many good times and adventures over the years.” Congratulations to the Pearsons on their 70 years of love!

► Frances Ferris, wife of Craig Ferris, reported the following: “Craig A. Ferris passed away on Sunday, 9/8/2024, at Ft. Smith, AR. After graduating from Knox, Craig graduated from Ohio University College of Health Sciences with a master’s in biochemistry in 1981 and then received his MD in 1983. Craig was a practicing pathologist in Russellville, Arkansas, for over 35 years. He leaves behind his wife of 43 years, Frances Ferris. He is survived by his three children: John, Katie, and Laura, who live in Arkansas. Craig had many fond memories of his time at Knox. Craig loved the outdoors, scuba diving, and hiking.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: SARAH KAULL skaull@icex.com

1978

Susan Hughey Walker reports that she and Kathy Mahaffey returned to Galesburg in September for their 50th high school reunion. She says it was a great visit back to the ‘Burg that included a stroll around the Knox campus. In personal news, her youngest son, Nick, and his wife Sara are expecting their first child (her second grandchild) in March.

► John Scott Luthy is continuing to tutor at the local community college and is working on various projects around his property, including a new detached garage. He did attend Homecoming/ Reunion 2024, and, unsurprising, the turnout for our year was very light. He shared a table with other folks from various ’70’s class years and, as it turned out, was dining with a high school classmate of his

oldest brother! He still periodically has lunch with Tom and Carolyn Kazarian Morgan ’80, along with Glenn Schlichting ’81 and Bill Anderson. In other news, the old Phi Delta Theta house is now the residence of the Knox Sigma Nu fraternity. This occurred over the summer of ’24. He was fortunate to have several Sigma Nu alums offer him an opportunity to tour the old house. A lot has changed, and yet a lot remains the same. Lots of safety updates were installed by the College during the house’s time as a women’s dorm, and some other modifications as well. He is starting to think that we all might be getting old … He recently attended his high school class’s 50th reunion. It was well attended, but those people looked SO old! (chuckle!) He says if anyone finds themselves in the Bloomington-Normal area, please look him up!

► Dave and Jan Kubota Wilson retired in 2015 and moved to Hawaii to care for her mother. Dave was a chemist at Abbott Laboratories, and Jan was a physician assistant for the Veterans Affairs in North Chicago. Recently, they bought a fixer-upper in Minnesota to be close to their youngest grandchild. Their son and family live in Lake Zurich, so they return to the Midwest often but only in warmer weather. They try to see Ray Tse (a professor at Harold Washington) whenever they get a chance. They look forward to meeting at the 50th class reunion and already have it marked on their calendar.

► Kathy Mahaffey reports that they moved from Springfield to Aurora, Illinois, at the end of May.  They are now near their son, Tyler. He and his wife have two children, a girl (3), and a boy (5). They are in a 55-plus development and enjoy the sense of community it brings. This summer, they attended their first Chicago Knox Club event, a tailgate at a Brewers-Cubs game hosted by the Milwaukee Knox Club. They made their first trip to London this summer with their eldest son and his family. He has two teenagers, so in addition to several historical sites, they took in a Taylor Swift concert at Wembley Stadium. A memorable experience!

► Tim Hays sold his manufacturing business and now has a little more time for travel. He and Deb Gottfried Hays ’79 made two international trips this year. Their goal is to do one in May and one in September while they are still healthy and energetic enough to do so. In May, they visited the great capital cities of Eastern Europe: Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. Along the way, they stopped in Boskovice, Czech Republic, to visit with the family that purchased their family business. In late September, they did a two-week drive trip on the coastal back roads of Ireland. This was an amazing and simply fun trip, and he highly recommends it. Tim and Deb became grandparents a second time in late May, with a granddaughter named Lucy, this time  by their daughter Rachel, who lives in Columbus, OH. Through the year, Tim has been doing some final wind down in exiting the business, but his workload next year and forward will be minimal.

► Henry Tischler still practices in Brooklyn, and we hope to see him in early December when we are there to celebrate our granddaughter’s fourth birthday (more on that below).

► Tom Daker still lives in Chicago, noting that it is the home of the record-breaking White Sox. He played in the K Club Golf outing, where he saw fellow football teammate Pete Petersen ‘81. He played with basketball star Gary Jacobson ’77 and Harley Knosher, who still remembered him. He ran into alltime great Rick Truttmann ’76 at the bar that night. Tom is going to have surgery on his shoulder soon, so no sports for a while. Once he’s healthy, he plans on visiting Knox for a basketball or football game.

►Bradley Milton reports that after purchasing a house in August 2023, remodeling it entirely, and moving in March 2024, he’s delighted to say that he is now nearly done with only the yard and furniture remaining. No worries about being bored in retirement there. Son Evan married in August, shortly after they finished moving out of his house. Turnabout is fair play, however, as daughter Emily is living with them

again while she finishes writing her Ph.D. thesis. He says family togetherness is a good thing. They love being back in the Chicagoland area. Brad says, “Like many of you (I’m fairly sure), I attended my 50th high school reunion this year. It was especially nice to catch up since we live in the town I went to school in … after 48 years of living elsewhere. I also attended my 40th grad school matriculation reunion. Three of my classmates did a bang-up job of organizing and got more than 50% of the class back for it. I was pleased to contribute an updated version of our ’78 Facebook with images I scrounged off of Facebook, LinkedIn, and the web generally. It helped me a lot, I know.”

►Like many of us, this year Tad Daley attended his 50th high school reunion in October 2024. But since Tad made much of his career working for the cause of nuclear weapons abolition, he was invited by his high school principal to speak during reunion weekend to the current crop of students. Why? Because Tad is a proud graduate of John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois. And John Hersey, 1914-1993, was THE first great anti-nuclear writer, who reported for The New Yorker magazine on life, death, and misery on the ground from Hiroshima, just months after America’s atomic obliteration of that city in 1945. And in 1999, when the NYU School of Journalism ranked the 100 most important works of journalism of the 20th Century, they chose John Hersey’s reporting from Hiroshima as #1. (https://journalism.nyu.edu/ about-us/news/the-top-100-worksof-journalism-of-the-century/) Tad reports that it was a very moving experience to speak to several hundred students at his very own high school. He also noted that when the principal greeted him and escorted him into his office for a brief chat before his talk, it was a WAY more pleasant experience than the last time he was “invited to visit the principal’s office” in early 1974!

► As for me, we welcomed the arrival of our second grandchild in early September (Malcolm). Our first is celebrating her fourth birthday in early December, and we plan

to attend her party in Brooklyn. They are the lights of our life! Last weekend, we had a nice visit from Brent Petersen and wife Cheryl. And finally, on Sunday night we joined the Colorado Knox Club for a great dinner and tequila tasting before attending a magnificent performance of Hamilton. Thanks to Ann Feldman Perille ’76 for doing a great job of organizing events and keeping us connected out here. Keep those cards and letters coming (showing my age—I mean emails).

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

DAVID BATES

david.m.bates01@gmail.com

1979

Writing this class report as we head into December, nudging the calendar toward a changing landscape in 2025. Whether you voted for incumbent President Trump or Vice President Harris, the January 2025 inauguration promises to be a change agent for our country. Nearly split evenly was the popular vote leaving the USA as a polarized nation. No matter your political leaning, let’s honor the Knox standards we accepted as graduating alumni! As I understood them, and certainly they are not formal, I believe we still accept them. They stood for the pursuit of truth wherever it leads, service to others before self, and there is always a place for dialogue and the exchange of ideas. Respecting all that is offered even if differing from our own. It is my hope that come February, each of us from the Class of 1979 embraces and practices these principles. As the saying goes, “We cannot control the actions of others, but we can control how we react.”

I can honestly say, I have not met a graduate from Knox whom I did not respect. Disagree with? Potentially, but never disrespected and always valued the fellowship. That is the legacy I took from Knox College. I have heard from so many who could not attend our recent 45th reunion. Thank you to all who did attend and carry the banner of the Class of 1979! I was headed there before falling head over keister across my bike handlebars tearing my rotator cuff just prior to heading

to Galesburg. It appears I still possess the will to try new and exciting things, I just don’t bounce as well as I used to. Hopefully, a lot of you had a healthier reality in 2024.

Please inform us of your doings and celebrations. I, for one, am retiring on January 1, 2025. I just started the exploration for the next great adventure in my life. I am leaving the field of Parks & Recreation. If you have a similar retirement story or a second career episode to report on, send it along.

A challenge to all, can you still remember all the lyrics to “Hail Knox All Glorious”?

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: BRIAN SULLIVAN

bjpscruffy4@aol.com

1980

Greetings and hope all are doing well. Judy Heitman Miller writes she has moved from Illinois to Rhode Island and lives near her son and his family. She continues to work for Administer Justice Legal Aid. She works remotely writing grant applications. Her daughter lives in Seattle, and she and her husband celebrated the birth of a baby boy this summer. Congrats!

► Peter Jackson writes he has been up to his elbows in clay, working in his Rockdale, WI, pottery studio full time for the past four years after spending the previous 15 working in product development and key account sales for importer, Napa Home & Garden. Peter’s wife, Megan, retired from the Madison School District after 30 years as a school social worker and is working with him in the studio and handling their website, www.wakefieldhandmade.com. Their daughter, Zoe, followed in Megan’s footsteps, getting her master of social work degree and now works as a therapist in Denver. Their son, Eli, is a certified arborist and the lead climber for an independent tree service in Asheville, NC. Last year, Peter and Megan celebrated their 30th anniversary by taking a 2nd honeymoon trip to Italy, staying for a week with dear friends, Steve ’83 and Linda Mugnaini McMillan ’81

in the medieval hilltown of Spello, Umbria, before visiting family friends and pottery factories around Florence.

► Keith Willer reports that his mother, Dorothy Kliche-Willer, passed away—our condolences to Keith.

► Joe Moore boasts that he now has an amazing daughter-in-law. His oldest son, Nathan (34), and his bride, Carrie, exchanged vows in September at a beautiful ceremony in Chicago. Joe keeps busy with two government affairs consulting and lobbying firms—Joe Moore Strategies, LLC, which Joe formed after he left the Chicago City Council in 2019, and MLS Public Strategies, LLC, which he started in January 2024, with two longtime friends. Joe took time out from his work in November to travel with wife Barbara to Vancouver, Canada, to see Bruce Springsteen perform at his final North American concert on his 2023-25 world tour. This was Joe’s 50th Springsteen concert. Joe transformed from a Springsteen fan to a Springsteen disciple after he attended his first Springsteen concert with Fred Johnston back in September 1978 at Chicago’s Uptown Theater.

Joe and Barb are spending this winter and early spring at their rental home in Redington Shores, FL. Fortunately, the home escaped serious damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton last fall.

► As for me, I continue to work in Austin edging ever closer to retirement. My wife, Colleen, works for Easter Seals helping children with physical disabilities. We welcomed our third grandchild in October. I had the pleasure of visiting with great friends Kurt Pearson, Dan Sullivan, Danny Edwards ’81, Steve Holmes, Dave Cratty, Dave Workman, Gary Jacobson ’77, Dan Calandro ’77, and Coach Knosher in French Lick, IN, for an epic weekend in October. The stories just get better as time passes. Really wonderful seeing everyone.

Enjoy the Holidays. Hopefully, I’ll see you at the 45th reunion next October!

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS:

ROY BRANDYS

brandys@barronadler.com

JOE MOORE

joe@joemoore.org

1981

Rob Boton: “Not much new except I did become a grandparent three years ago and looks like another in about five months. So, becoming a grandparent has been a great experience. Otherwise, just wanted to say hi to my fellow 1981 classmates.”

► Jodi Domanic: “Patrick Lambert ’82 and I still love living in Santa Monica, CA. We fulfilled a dream we’d had for a while and spent almost two weeks in Italy on the Amalfi coast. We stayed in an Airbnb in Vico Equense and had a fabulous time sailing and swimming in the Bay of Naples, taking the bullet train to Rome, and eating marvelous cuisine, some of which Patrick prepared himself. Ciao for now!”

► Warren Krup: “On August 15, Mark Chelmowski graciously hosted some of the Abra Cadaver intramural team (Mark Chelmowski, Nolan Hetz, Ward Dietrich, Chris Daniels, Mike Takehara and Warren Krup—we were in good hands as four of us are doctors!), and we went to a Milwaukee Brewers game against the LA Dodgers (Milwaukee won!). We gathered at Mark’s home and then drove together in pouring rain to the stadium. Since it’s a dome, the game went on as planned, but we were soaked moving from the cars to the entrance. Mark won the wet t-shirt contest; it was somewhat nippy that day. Mark got us fantastic seats, behind the plate and looking directly down the 3rd base line. Mark brought in sub sandwiches for us and canned drinks—he really set us up nicely. After the game, we walked the field and got a photo at

the Johnsonville sign in left field. We went back to Mark’s home again, and he had a fantastic dinner waiting for us in his four-season room overlooking his very natural backyard. Many stories were told, bringing back wonderful memories of the Siwash days. Huge kudos to Mark for coordinating this.”

► Craig Behm: “I was lucky to host fellow Knox alums twice this year as my old roommate, Jun Adachi, came in for golf and the July Astros-Dodgers game with Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. Then in September, Norm Hillner ’79 and his wife came in for the Bears vs Texans game, and, of course, more golf. Local Houston alums joined us, including Dean Mento, Keven and Rita Denisar Forness ’82, Tom ’77 and Mickey Salvino Stelter ’78, and Tom Yarotsky ’77! Great times talking about Knox!”

► Glenn Mandel: “Hi John, I’m happy to say that all is well. Jim O’Connell, John Yaccino, Joe Lamanna ’80 and I will be meeting next week for our biannual get-together. We try to meet in different locations each time. This year we will be at my house in South Florida. The agenda is always the same lots of good conversation, craft beer, good food, maybe a hike or two, and bragging rights for the cumulative winner of the Hearts games for the weekend. Of course, conversation comes around at some point to times we spent at Knox. Jim is in Naperville, IL, mostly retired from his Chem Dry business, and is now taking care of his grandchildren several times a week. John is

retired from his career in the Air Force and lives in San Antonio with wife Kathy Weber Yaccino and their son. John is an avid angler and can cook up a storm over a campfire and in the kitchen too. Joe is moving out of Chicago and back to the burbs so he and his wife can be closer to the grandchildren. He’s active in the greater Chicago area as an Angel investor and sits on various corporate boards across the country.

Wife Diane and I still work and, as of last week, have both of our children working for us in our law practice. Our daughter came on board now that her two-year-old son is going to daycare. Having grown up in a family business, it was always my dream to have our children work with us, so I truly couldn’t ask for more...Besides work, Diane and I still ballroom dance and ride our horses. It keeps us busy and in shape. My wife got me started on yoga this year, and I’m sure that I am the entertainment in the class as I am ever falling over while being twisted into a pretzel. Life is good!”

► Tom MacMillan: “My update is the marriage of my oldest son Alex to our new daughter-in-law, Tiffany Okoye. They are both lawyers living in Chicago. A couple of years ago, I asked my son if he had a ‘type’ of woman he was interested in. I was just fishing for info, poking around. He immediately said, ‘Nigerian law student.’”

► John “Chet” Hauer: “My first novel, Lovelorn Squids from Outer Space: A Curiously Tart and Tasteful Novel, was launched on September 7, 2024. It’s received excellent reviews. Many thanks go to LaDean Woods who acted as book editor, cover designer, and illustrator.”

A quick update on Team Nicolau: My wife and I still work and plan to try and hang on for a little while longer. Four kids, three married, five grandkids, and all local, so we are very blessed. Experienced a few “health hiccups” over the past few years, but we have weathered them relatively well. Lost both of our moms in the past 18 months, and both of them made it to their early 90s, so hopefully that bodes well

for us. Gathered with a few fellow alums in Wrigleyville in mid-November for dinner and a few adult beverages, since Larry Marone ’82 was in town from Florida for a work conference. Plenty of great stories reminiscing about fun times back in the day in Galesburg.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: JOHN NICOLAU j.nicolau@comcast.net

1982

From Chris: Hello to the Class of 1982! I’m happy to say that Tim and I are very excited to be expecting our first grandchild in March!

► Congratulations to Kelly Norton Warner on becoming the director of the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center. Well done, Kelly!

► Cindy Wilson says, “I still work as a professor at Northwestern Law School in Chicago, but both husband Chip and I will start phased retirement in the next year. We look forward to having more time to travel, volunteer in our community, and be at our farm in Wisconsin. We also love spending time with our grown-up kids. Sarah is a pediatric oncologist finishing her training at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and hopes to move back to the Midwest. Dylan does finance work for a company that builds large solar and wind farms and lives in Chicago. I would love to catch up with classmates who live or travel to the Chicago area.”

► Steven Cooke: “After moving to Denver in 2018, I retired in 2022, and, this summer, we moved into a condo in the Lower Highlands neighborhood with a wonderful

view of the city. I spend time volunteering doing construction with Habitat for Humanity, while wife Valerie volunteers at the Molly Brown House museum. We travel a fair amount, with several dive trips a year thrown in. Visitors welcomed!

► This past June, in remembrance of Dave Hoffman ’81’s late son Tyler, several of us met up for a long weekend in Minnesota attending a baseball game in Minneapolis and going to George Eaton ’80’s and Annette Zemek ’81’s cabin in northern Minnesota. In addition to Dave and George, also attending were Scott Calhoun ’81, Bill Shomos, and Dean Mento ’81. Next year in San Diego will be hosted by Sean Casey.”

► Megan Williamson shared: “A bit of news from me is that my paintings can be seen on the online platform Artsy: at the gallery Boom Contemporary (https://www.artsy. net/artist/megan-williamson?metric=in). By the time the next Knox Magazine is out, they will be hosting a solo show for me. My artwork can also be found on Instagram at meganwilliamson_art. And my studio is still in Chicago. Alums can reach out if they’d like to visit me in Wicker Park!”

► Pat and Melissa Pray Muldoon report that “we make our home in Austin, in Texas Hill Country. Pat is a partner at Customer Marketing Group, a Board member of AgriMark, Inc., and an active investor/mentor for Austin’s startup community. This fall, he traveled to Scotland for a golf competi-

tion at the British Open courses. Melissa, an Italian instructor, leads small-group immersion programs in Italy twice a year, in June and September. She is also the creator of the popular dual-language blog StudentessaMatta.com. A published author of four novels set in Italy, Melissa recently released her fifth book, Sofia, la Piccola Matta Teaches Italian, an introduction to the Italian language for children (big and small!) which she also illustrated (available on Amazon).”

► Kate Kendzy Gingold also has news to share. “Don ’81 and I moved again after buying a fixer-upper in the neighborhood. We spent all spring and summer ripping out ceilings and walls, plastering, painting, and much more. Even though there was still work to do, we moved into the house in August. In September, we traveled to Torquay, England, where we had been invited to speak at the International Agatha Christie Festival, held every year in an 800-year-old tithe barn. Our presentation was about words and references in Christie’s 1920s novels that are unfamiliar to today’s readers, based on my glossary Agatha Annotated (see page 32).

As long as we were in England, we spent some time touring old castles and churches. Our daughter, Emma Gingold ’12, and our son-in-law, Josh Wood ’12, met us for a couple of days, as they were celebrating their wedding anniversary in England around the same time. Now we are back in the new home, putting in the last of the molding and other finishing touches and looking forward to some downtime!”

Thanks to all of you for the updates! We are always happy to hear from you!

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS: CHRIS BOHM GAVLIN cgavlin@gmail.com

SHARON SCHILLEREFF Sschil7470@yahoo.com

year ago that we gathered for our 40th reunion. I know many of you are close to retirement or already enjoying this time of your life. Please send updates, as truly your classmates want to know what you are doing.

Last July a number of us gathered at Laura Thompson Sears’ mother’s home on Lake Michigan for a long weekend of fun. It was a beautiful setting to catch up and learn to play Crolf, a game Laura’s family invented generations ago in 1916. Think a cross between golf and croquet; it was a bit harder than it sounds.

► Mark and Karen Longawa Dugard welcomed many a Knox alum to their son’s wedding in Chicago in March. A good time was had by all, highlighted by listening to Mark’s drum solo with the band.

► Kelly Lloyd McVay retired from a career in public schools, including a stint as principal. It was wonderful to hear about her life close to Alabama beaches and to hear about her grandchildren.

► I’ve finished my stint as president of the Board of Directors of a nonprofit here in Vegas. I’m happy to have more free time for hiking and writing. Please send your news or notes to me at any time!

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: BETH ANDERSON SCHUCK bschuckgal@gmail.com

1984

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: VALERIE JENCKS knoxcollege84@gmail.com

1985

1983

Greetings, all! I hope that 2024 was a wonderful year for each of you. Time flies by, as it was just over a

► Kathy Mateer Gedamke wrote, “We are doing well. I still teach at Keiser University. I now have four grandchildren. Our town was recently hit by tornadoes from Hurricane Milton; if you saw news of Port Salerno or New Monrovia, that was our neighborhood. My block was spared, but three blocks away, houses were damaged or demolished. This is a tight-knit community, and people are pulling together.

I am so grateful for everything right now.”

► Lee James Woolley wrote, “I recently competed for Team USA in the 1500m at the World Master Athletics Championships in Götenborg, Sweden. While I didn’t achieve my goals, the experience was incredible! The camaraderie amongst the athletes and the intensity of the competition were amazing! It was an incredible week of competition!”

► Marc Savini sent a note from London: “My middle daughter, Giuliana Savini, was married on October 18, 2024, to Harry Brooks (Wales). Mass was held at St Ethelreda Church, with a reception at The Ned Hotel.”

► Dale Dilworth sent a note: “I just moved from CDMX to High Point, NC (from population 22 Million to 115,000) for a job change. Now working as a US English teacher in Westchester County.”

► Janice Schnell Prusator wrote, “In August, our son and D-I-L blessed us with our first grandchild. They named him Knox for all the people who have had a great influence on our son’s life: Todd, me, Bob ’83 and Aunt Susan Yohe Prusator, coach and now friend Tim Thompson ’99, and former coaches, now administrators, Jason Harper ’07 and Nick Reineck ’07.”

► Starla Sholl shared, “My wife and I took two 2024 trips on our Harleys. In August, we rode to Sturgis, SD, for the 84th annual Motorcycle Rally. In September, we took a nineday trip south-riding the Dragon (NC & TN), the Gauntlet (GA), and the Devil’s Triangle (TN).”

► Julia Di Liberti shared: “Hi everybody. Just stepping down from my four-year run as president of the Illinois Community College Faculty Association: Fun fact, there are 48 community colleges in Illinois. Try and visit them all but start at College of DuPage where I teach, am tenured, have become an official curmudgeon, and am halfway through my 23rd year there. Less stellar news is that my uke career has stalled at only being able to ‘master’ five songs, so I’m glad I kept my day job. I’m in regular touch with Mark Penn, who just had some shoulder surgery; nonetheless, he still enjoys retirement and looks forward to playing French horn when his shoulder heals. Lisa Crank still works with computers in her job (not yet replaced by AI), and Karen Clayton Akers ’84 and Lisa still sing in the same choir. I’ve enjoyed reading Steve Potts’ political posts these last several years. They aren’t casual reads, but they are informed, and I think how far we both have come in our thinking since those first years at Knox. Side note: I like to use clips of international comedians in one of my classes because I think humor is a good ice-breaker and allows my students and me into each other’s lives ‘easily,’ so we can learn more from there. Casting about, I discovered this hilarious, smart, funny, Indian comedian, made everyone I know watch several clips, and was so taken, I went to see him in Chicago earlier this year. Imagine…imagine when at the end he thanked his friends from Knox who were there. Whhhaaaattttt? (I’m a fan but not the obsessive kind I think I’m happy to say, so I didn’t even know he’d gone to Knox). I’m sure you all know it’s Vir Das ’02. I didn’t get to meet him or anything but just thought it would be cool to see our names highlighted in the same post. I hope he thinks so too. (The show was great by the way).”

► Eileen Ryan Bradshaw recently received an award from Pi Beta Phi fraternity for her efforts in food insecurity and healthy aging. As the former executive director of emergency infant services at the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, Eileen expanded services to address food insecurity, in-

cluding establishing a mobile eatery and leading the response during the pandemic. Now serving as president and CEO of LIFE Senior Services, Eileen promotes healthy aging and supports over 80,000 seniors and their caregivers. Congratulations Eileen! Well-deserved.

► Chip Williams wrote, “Wife Anne and I are excited that our newest documentary, Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture: Farm, Food and Community, has been named as an official selection by the 2025 Oregon Documentary Film Festival. We look forward to BRrWIA’s story of developing an innovative model for local food pathways reaching a broader national audience.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS: MARGARET VERKOULEN LYNN mvlynn@comcast.net

JANE DAVIS jedavis_ill@hotmail.com

1986

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: SUSAN BANTZ sbantz001@luthersem.edu

1987

Hello Knox friends, I recently celebrated my son’s wedding in September. It was a glorious wedding on the beach weekend, and I could not have felt more blessed. My daughter is planning her November 2025 wedding, and, again, I could not be happier.

► Caton Metzler Bredar: “My recently retired husband, Doug, and I are getting ready to pack up our Louisville home and fly south for the holidays and the winter in Hallandale, FL. I still work as a horse racing broadcaster/handicapper/reporter for FanDuel TV and will spend most days at Gulfstream Park Racetrack in FL, Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, KY, or Churchill Downs in Louisville. I run into Knox alums at the races from time to time and hope, if anybody is making a trip to the races, they reach out and say hi.”

► Xan (Alexandra) Ackerman Fischer: “When my husband (John) asked me what I wanted for my big birthday in 2025, I said, ‘A party in Chicago, of course!’ So, that’s what’s happening. Email xan@melodykids. com for the e-vite. Space is limited. I saw Casey Jones, Alice Barton ’86, and Jenny Kirts Hernandez in Denver a couple of weeks ago.”

► Greg Kanter: “I became Rabbi of Temple B’rith Sholom in Springfield, IL, on July 1, 2024. I have been working on creating connections throughout the larger community. I led a prayer at the recent Transgender Day of Remembrance candlelight vigil in Springfield at the Phoenix Center and hosted the Greater Springfield Interfaith Association’s Thanksgiving service on November 24. Also, I hosted the Christmas Day Pancake Breakfast on December 25 at Temple B’rith Sholom, with proceeds going to Sparc, Springfield, a home for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. You’ll find me schmoozing with guests and brightening up mimosas.”

► Amy Whistler Nykamp: “My family lives in Northern California (Sonoma County), where I’ve been since our Knox graduation! I’ve been a student in an intense Spanish tutoring program, and I’m learning lots of grammar and my conversational fluency has increased too. As a librarian in charge of the Spanish materials for adults and teens, I’m able to be helpful to my library’s Spanish-speaking population. I love my job! Outside of work, my two daughters are grown; my eldest, Eleanor, was married two years ago and just turned 29. She’s a whiz at IT networking. My youngest, Rachel, is 24 and studying to be an occupational therapist. She’s in her senior year as a kinesiology major with more schooling ahead of her, and she coaches gymnastics in her free time. My husband, John, and I have passed 30 years of marriage, and we will spend our next anniversary traveling to many of Japan’s sites with a tour next summer. We went with some of the same tour group to Ecuador and the Galapagos in 2023. The last time I was able to see anyone from Knox was in 2022, when we went to

Hawaii and spent time with Dave Darling and wife Lisa. Otherwise, connecting is done solely on Facebook these days. I hope to get to Knox for our 40th in 2027!”

► Maria Muzzo: “Turning 60 with a sense of peace. My priorities are love, laughter, and family. I feel so lucky to have made it this far without medical issues and with my husband, Scott Carpenter by my side. We have been inseparable since we met. I can honestly say that he reminds me every day of the importance of love and laughter, as he battles primary progressive aphasia (a dementia that primarily impacts language). I use my experience with cognitive science and teaching every minute now. Rather than focusing on how people learn, I am focusing on how people un-learn. I used to love creating curriculums. Now I develop strategies to respectfully moderate Scott’s experiences so he can be successful. Just like teaching, it is the small moments that matter most. We walk to the lake every morning (oh yes, we live in Knoxville, TN, now). That has become our daily moment of zen. I look at the love in his eyes, feel the peace in my heart, and wonder how I got so lucky to have everything I’ve ever wanted.”

► Dave Darling: “I’ve retired from the Silicon Valley software mines a few years ago with a solid case of burn-out. I now spend most of my time in Kona with my wife and three cats, with occasional trips back to California. I have gotten into making ceramics at a local arts center, as well as snorkeling, and taking photos of the sunset. If people are coming to Kona, I’d love to buy them a coffee and ‘talk story.’”

► Casey Jones: “As always for me, life is busy but wonderful these days. I’m working as a diabetes nurse educator at a local hospital in Colorado Springs, CO, and feeling like I’m having some success in orienting patients to self care protocols. Earlier this year I worked with Jacqueline Record, talking to her students about nursing and contemplative medicine. I hung out with Jorge Sieira-Prats ’89 and Mark Draper ’89 early this year, and we are planning a meet

up before Thanksgiving. I went to see the ever hilarious Vir Das ’02 with Alice Barton, Xan Ackerman Fischer, and Jennifer Kirts Hernandez in Denver and had a great night of comedy and catching up. I regularly chat with Jim Lenke, Jim Needham and Ken Czerwinski via Zoom to keep sane in this crazy world. Partner Julie Frost and I have moved into a lovely home and have room to host Knoxites wanting to visit the Front Range Gateway to the Rockies. Stay in touch and come visit! aZenFellow@gmail.com.”

► John Shipman: “Richard Schiele coordinates a golf trip every summer (a mix of his post-college circle and a few Betas) that I started attending about five years ago. In August, we were in Southern Pines, NC (me, Richard, Jim Brown ’86, Scott Westerman ’84, Scott White, and Jim Ramsey ’88). All doing well. Jim Brown is in Birmingham, AL. Westerman is a retired exec from the wine & spirits industry living in Colorado and is a ski instructor. Scott White in risk management in Atlanta. Ramsey is an insurance exec in Grinnell. Richard owns/runs a golf shop in Hampton, VA, for about 35 years. I stay in touch with Greg Wilson ’86, doing well living in Flossmoor. After about 17 years of reporting and editing financial news for Dow Jones Newswires, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg, I went to Moody’s in 2018 and now work with credit analysts on methodologies for rating structured finance transactions. Been in South Orange, NJ, for 11 years after living in NYC and Jersey City since 1995. Married to lovely wife Kadee for 22 years. Daughter Ella is a sophomore at Emerson in Boston, and son Owen is a senior in high school who wants to go to a large school on the East Coast.”

► Michelle Heriaud Pitstick: “Things are going well here in

Yorkville, IL. I have been working as a multi-state payroll manager for a property management company that owns several hotels and about 15 townhome/condo complexes around the United States. I have a short commute through the country, which is perfect. Traffic only hits when they are tilling the fields and harvesting time. :) My ‘boys’ are great. My oldest is building his two businesses and is doing amazingly well. My youngest is engaged and now an official homeowner working in finance. It seems so odd that they are now older than we were when we left Knox. My husband has his retirement countdown loaded on his phone and can’t wait. Sadly, I am trailing behind him a few years. But, rest assured, once our advisor gives us the go ahead, I am out! Time to find something more enjoyable than accounting! I am thinking about getting my ESL certificate and subbing. I cannot see myself sitting idly away, so I will find something. I love to travel, so I am hoping to get some of that too. We still make our annual trip back to Galesburg in November to check out the campus and to enjoy the Landmark with its wonderful offerings. Phil is still there managing things, so it is always great to catch up with him. If anyone gets a chance, take a drive and see how they are developing the city. It just occurred to me that we are all at the 60-year mark, and I don’t know how that can be. Life does certainly fly by, and I am enjoying it as much as I can. A big hello to all my classmates and may the holidays be wonderful for you all.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: LISABETH SIMMS BELMAN lisabeth1208@verizon.net

1988

In late August, Jodi Graves Patek hosted a mini Knox reunion at her beautiful home in Madison, WI. Tammy Hill Ballard, Bryn Schwenk Perna, and I attended. We shared photo albums from our college days and reminisced about different stories. We went to the UW Madison campus, where we toured Jodi’s husband Bill’s recent landscaping design, had pizza and cocktails by the lake, and enjoyed

feeling the student vibe as we observed a group enjoying their white coat ceremony.

Weeks after our get-together, Jodi and Bill left for Fiji. Jodi shared “My husband Bill and I recently enjoyed a trip of a lifetime to Australia, Tasmania, and Fiji to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. We were able to snorkel the southernmost part of the Great Barrier Reef off Lady Elliot Island and the incredibly vibrant reefs nearby Matangi Island in Fiji two bucket list items we felt very fortunate to experience!”

On October 19, my daughter, Brittany, got married. It was a spectacular weekend of love, family, and friends coming together to celebrate them. It was a perfectly magical day and will forever be one of our favorite events in our lifetime.

Stephanie Martin Danielson and husband Rob were at the wedding. Stephanie shares, “Hello everyone!! I hope you all are experiencing a great end of the year and that the weather is treating everyone ok! We are excited for the holiday season and are looking forward to what this next year brings! We have had some great changes here in the Danielson homestead with our oldest, Caitlyn, accepting a new job as a paralegal for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Revenue Litigation Bureau, as well as re-enlisting for another term for the United States Air Force. Our middle daughter, Taylor, will graduate in May from Southern Illinois University Evansville. She recently passed the IL content test and is officially an elementary teacher here in the state. Taylor also serves in the Air Force and will have the opportunity to re-enlist next year. Son Zane was awarded a baseball scholarship. He started his junior year at Purdue Fort Wayne and is studying business finance for his major. Rob and I are adjusting to the ‘Empty Nest’ concept and not sure how well we like it!! Other than change, all is well with us.”

► Your classmates want to hear from you. Please reach out and share an update. You can either send me at tdb531@gmail.com or

to Jennifer Gallas classnotes@knox. edu. Please keep Knox updated with your most current contact information, too. We look forward to hearing from all of you.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

TRACY DAHLEN BRANDON TracyDB531@gmail.com

1989

As I write this, we are just a few weeks past Homecoming and our 35-year reunion. It was really wonderful, as always, to see everyone who was able to make it.

While I was delighted to talk to so many of our classmates, I failed to ask people what I could include in the class notes. Heather Hellenga ’90 did express a willingness to have her latest news included. Heather has retired and is spending some of her new free time with her nearly one-year-old, absolutely adorable, granddaughter.

The weekend ended with a run in memory of Beth Potter and Robin Carre ’85, which included some touching readings before the walkers and runners stepped off on the clear, chilly morning.

As always, the Knox staff did a stellar job organizing and running the reunion weekend. Many thanks to them for their efforts.

I hope even more of the Class of ’89 will join us in 2029.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: MIA JIGANTI mjiganti@prodigy.net

1990

Paul Werth, professor at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, was a fellow at the American Academy in Berlin in spring 2023 and at the Swedish Academy for Advanced Study in the spring 2024. During both stints, he worked on a book, now forthcoming, entitled How Russia Got Big: A Territorial History (Bloomsbury, 2025). He also recently celebrated his 30th anniversary (in Greenland) with Elizaveta Zoueva, a native of St. Petersburg, Russia.

► Melissa Light: “Oz is happy and three years cancer-free! Loving living back in Colorado again!”

► Amy Carlson: “Hi! This summer we were thrilled to host Tejinder Singh, his wife, Paola, and two children on Martha’s Vineyard. It was a wonderful reunion, and we can’t wait to visit them in Turin.”

► Elizabeth Scott Connor: “Like most of us, life has been full and busy for the last many years. After graduation, I went back to Block Island ‘for one last summer’ and ended up making a life here. It’s a fantastic and special spot. While we don’t have stoplights, chain restaurants, or shopping malls, we do have an abundance of beaches, nature trails, and amazing sunsets.

I am now an empty nester. My son is a student at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles. Of course, I wanted him to consider Knox, but he was set on California, and, after graduating with a class of 12, he was ready for a larger-scale experience. He plays volleyball for them and is a sociology major. I’m a super proud mom!

I created a career in hospitality management and spent 30 years working for the same family before taking a giant leap of faith and switching gears to a corporately owned resort. It turned out to be a great move for me, and I am currently the general manager at Champlin’s Marina & Resort. It’s been a great opportunity to build the property into a full-service resort and connect it with our local community. I was awarded the 2023 GM of the Year for our portfolio at the TPG Hotels & Resorts GM Conference this spring.

Over the years I’ve kept in touch sporadically with folks, but I am always happy to re-connect and have very fond memories of my time at Knox. If anyone is ever on Block Island, please definitely reach out!”

► Sonia Sanghee Kim (formerly Yum): “For the past three years, I’ve had the privilege of teaching Korean and art to high school students in the Anaheim Union High School District. When my youngest child

2024 KNOX SERVICE AWARDS

The Knox Service Award, established in 1987, is given to members of the Knox community in recognition of outstanding volunteer service benefiting Knox College. The awards are presented annually at Homecoming Convocation.

Jim Davis ’06

Jim Davis served on the Hall of Fame Induction Committee and the K-Club Engagement Council. Through his nonprofit organization, the Good Athlete Project, Davis hosted numerous powerlifting events at Knox, raising funds for mental health awareness. He led efforts to raise funds for a beautification project in the Knosher Bowl, which saw the planting of nearly 20 red maples.

Dr. Tasha (Weatherspoon) Fleming ’96

Dr. Tasha (Weatherspoon) Fleming has made significant contributions to the Knox community by mentoring students, hosting campus events, and providing internship and shadowing opportunities. A former ABLE president, her career has extended to serving on Career Center Panels for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in roles on the diversity committee, admissions committee, and more.

John H. Gorski ’73

As the national coordinator for the 1988 “Save the TKE House” campaign, John Gorski led efforts to renovate the campus house, personally working on the deck with a ramp, making it the first ADA-accessible fraternity house on campus. As chair of the Knox College TKE Board of Advisors, he received the Honor Delta TKE Award and was recognized by the “Life Loyal” TKE program and the National TKE Hall of Fame.

started college three years ago, it marked the end of my time as a stay-at-home mom. Since then, it’s been incredibly rewarding to share my passion for these subjects with young people. I’ve lived in Irvine, CA, for the past ten years. Before that, I spent a decade in Scottsdale, AZ. Moving from the Midwest, with its snowy winters, to the Southwest has been quite a journey!”

► Stacey Johnson Donovan: “In 2014, I donated a kidney to a stranger, which set off a ‘pay it forward’ chain of donations that saved several lives. It was a great experience, and I feel really fortunate that

I was able to do it. From 2016 to 2022, I headed up a book publishing imprint for the Hallmark Channel, and I was also the creative producer on two Hallmark movies. I moved from Los Angeles to the northwest Chicago suburbs, and, in September 2022, I started a book editing business with my husband of 33 years, experienced editor Gill Donovan. The business is called Lucky Author. Since striking out on my own, I’ve been a lucky author myself. My magical rom-com novel set in Chicago, Her Knight at the Museum, came out with Berkley/Penguin Random House on November 12, 2024 (see page 32). I write under

the pen name Bryn Donovan. It’s in development for a Hallmark movie—they’ll be leaving out the spicy scenes! I’m currently working on the sequel.”

► Carlijn Holtrop: “Greetings to you all. Still living in the Netherlands with my husband and our two daughters (16 and 18 years old now). Much liking my work as a self-employed coach/consultant helping people who experience stress, facilitating personal growth, and helping organizations to thrive and be an inspiring place for their employees. Always interested in learning more. Currently getting educated in identity and trauma therapy and in family constellations. If you like to drop me a line, please do!”

► Julie Lindstrom: “A couple of years ago, I finished a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, and after 30+ years with a humanities brain, I feel like a spy among the engineers. But I have spent two years working on the 11.47kV distribution and standby power for a new hospital in Cleveland, and it is fun, mostly.

After years of going to school while working full time, it is nice to tackle some home projects—most recently more fruit trees and a fence that can actually contain my deranged Blue Heeler, Keynsie. I have a productive garden and an easy run to Lake Erie in the morning. Some neighbors and I are working on a neighborhood organizing project around issues of out-of-state ownership of housing and affordability—non-engineering habits die hard.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

JEFF HALE

jeffhale1968@icloud.com

1991

From Maheshinder Singh: “In early October 2024, Jason Wessel and I met for coffee in Milwaukee and spent over an hour talking about the freshman year days from Seymour. Jason is in regular contact with several others from our floor. It was really nice to see him and I hope to stay in touch and meet him again soon. Next stop was

Galesburg. I met my old boss from the purchasing dept, Ray Benson Wonderful human being. We spent some time at his home. Later in the afternoon I met Prof Roy Andersen and his lovely wife, Corine, for lunch at The Landmark. Still great food served there. Campus looks wonderful. Wish I could be a student again.”

► Christine Purtell Deblock: “We’re at the stage of life where we’re launching young adults into the world. The biggest change for us is that Luke graduated from high school and has started at Washington State University. He seems content there, which is good. The biggest downside is that it’s six hours away. Charlotte is a junior, and she spends part of her day at the local technical school studying fashion design and the remainder of the day at the high school. We’re deep into the college search for her. Our oldest, Lee, has had a few jobs and is currently looking for a new one. I keep busy with church activities—the former minister at my church is a Knox grad, another fun Knox connection.”

► Bill Annen: “On 12/9/24, I was sworn in as the new Chief of Police for the Village of Bannockburn, IL. I will assume my new role on 1/1/25, after the current chief retires. I’m finishing my 32nd year in law enforcement and have been with Bannockburn PD for five years, after retiring from the Deerfield PD in 2019. Exciting times and a lot more to learn and many challenges in this new position.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

JONATHAN SHEINKOP jonathansheinkop@hotmail.com

1992

Celine Gura Matthiessen: “A couple of updates from the Class of ‘92. I wanted to write that I took an epic trip this summer to attend a friend’s wedding in Accra, Ghana. Besides spending a week in Accra (which I highly recommend), where I went to the Cape Coast and saw ENESCO slave trade historic sites, I spent time in Cairo exploring and climbed up the 250-foot robber’s tunnel inside the great pyramid of Giza.

After the wedding, I spent a quick three days in Paris for some great food, art, and the Olympics. My daughter, Anika, is graduating with a BA from Texas A&M University at Galveston with a major in museum studies and English. She is currently the museum education and events manager for the Galveston Naval Museum, where she is curating and digitizing artifacts, and building museum events and sales.”

► Brett Barnhart: “Super excited that the Sigma Nu house has moved to a new permanent location, right across the street from Post. My junior in high school is starting to think about colleges, and my youngest just got her driver’s license. I’m still loving horses and try to get down to Galesburg as often as possible!”

► Nan Vorath writes, “My daughter, Autumn Green, graduated from Beloit College in May 2024, summa cum laude, with a major in sociology and a theatre minor. She is following her dream of becoming a stage actress and was cast in her first professional role in Milwaukee in October 2024. The show was In the Canyon by Calamity West, and was put on by The Constructivists (dir. Jaimelyn Gray). She continues to audition and was just cast in Akeelah & The Bee at the Waukesha Civic Theatre. She is also exploring working as a substitute teacher. Her hope is to move to NYC to audition on Broadway.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS: CELINE GURA MATTHIESSEN celmatthiessen@hotmail.com

TAMMY THORSEN RAGNINI rragnini1@yahoo.com

1993

Arturs Weible: “I’m getting my M.S. in SPED (special education) for a learning behavior specialist 1 from Chicago State University. I am now licensed to teach special education students, in addition to making squeaky noises on the violin and viola. Been doing the latter for 27plus years now. Lenora Pohlman is in her 15th year as a special education teacher assistant. Also, Lenora and I just celebrated 31

years of marriage this past July. Ray is 27 and in his 5th year as a special education teaching assistant. John is 22 and will graduate this December with a B.S. in biology from University of Illinois Chicago.”

► Nancy Olson: “I graduated with a degree in political science with a concentration in international relations. I went on to get a master’s degree in pastoral care specializing in trauma. After I graduated from Knox College, I became a litigation paralegal for a decade. I worked in commercial building, personal injury, and insurance defense, and dabbled a bit in criminal law. I found that I loved investigation.

► After that, I moved on to work in a university setting for another decade, first as the commencement coordinator, and then as a circulation supervisor in the academic library. I also worked with the security in the library. A fellow employee and I wrote the first emergency manual for the university. I was named head of security in the library. I found that I loved university students and enjoyed working with my student employees. I am now retired. However, because of a church connection with a special agent of the FBI who introduced me to the university public safety department, I am now volunteering with the University of Illinois (Urbana) Emergency Planning Committee. It has been challenging and very interesting to now work with police chiefs, fire chiefs, emergency directors, ambulance supervisors, etc. I never knew how strong their strategic capabilities were before this. Wow! I’m a fan!

My late husband and I renovated houses for years—something I love to do. So, I am now also renovating my own home. I have five children, 19 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. I loved my education at Knox College and would recommend Knox to anyone.”

► Ben Hirby: “Our family is living in Aix-en-Provence, France, for the year, while Sage is leading a study abroad program here for the year. I’m using every bit of French I learned from Janet Railton during my time at Knox.”

► Brenda Gregoline: “Brian Begy and I rented an apartment in Istanbul for some of fall 2024, as well as renting a car and driving further south into Turkey to visit some really great ancient Greek ruins. Son Aaron will graduate college this year with a degree in civil engineering and has already secured a fulltime job. It is a relief that he will be spared the traditional post-graduation flailing around, unlike most of us. When not working in our respective home offices, we are usually either planning the next trip or the next home improvement. Living in a 100-year-old house keeps you alert.”

► Talib Ali: “I just retired with the rank of Colonel from the United States Air Force on 1 Oct 24 after serving over 24 years as a chief flight surgeon. I now work as an aerospace medicine specialist contractor at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. I look forward to attending Knox Homecoming 2025.”

It was great seeing so many folks at Homecoming 2024. A big motivator for me in going was to be a part of the memorial service honoring Jorge Prats. It was special being part of something that honored all the service and value he brought to Knox. I would like to list all the classmates I saw at Homecoming, but I’m sure I’ll forget someone, so I’ll just mention John Prats, as I saw him at his father’s memorial. He still lives in the Galesburg area and is as cheerful and friendly as I remember him from our college days. If you are ever wondering if coming back for Homecoming is worth it, I can’t say enough about it. I saw so many old friends who I had not seen since my days at Knox. It is a wonder to see the values of intellect, curiosity, and friendship remain unchanged after so many years.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

REBECCA GILLAN

rebecca.m.gillan@gmail.com

1994

Editor’s note: In the summer 2024 issue of Knox Magazine, it was noted that Kristina Maldre Jarosik’s father

had passed away; he is, in fact, alive and well. Our sincere apologies to Kristina, her father, and her classmates for this error.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

LISA PRESTON-HSU story.of.a.kitchen@gmail.com

1995

When this magazine is published, we will be very near the 30th anniversary of our graduation from Knox. Whaaat? When did that happen?

I had the absolute pleasure of being on campus for our 29th Homecoming festivities, along with Dawn Campbell D’Orazio ’94 and Shilpa Bhalerao. Having been a proud staffer at The Knox Student in my time, I decided to check out the digs of the new journalism department, Borzello Hall, just all kitty-corner from George Davis Hall. (NOTE: If you haven’t been to campus in a while and come back for our 30th, look for a building that looks more like a one-story office building than a hall. But, I digress.)

I got to chat with five students who are now part of the journalism department. We had a great conversation about where journalism was in the early ’90s and where it is now. I got to tell tales about taking an actual paper copy of the newspaper for printing at the Galesburg Register-Mail and how we too often stayed up all night to accomplish that feat.

Having so many memories come up during that conversation made me think of a question I’m going to invite you to answer as we approach our 30th: What Knox memories are surfacing for you as you move into our 30th graduation anniversary?

Bring your memories back to campus for our 30th Anniversary Homecoming on October 9–12, 2025. See you there! And, feel free to drop me an email with updates for the Knox Notes at any time of year.

Here’s a few updates from some of our classmates:

► Ann Pieper started a new job at the Illinois Attorney’s Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) as a litigation counsel. She is loving her colleagues and the change of pace.

► Mimi Doyle Russell is a SPED (special education) teacher, teaching functional skills. She made the switch from elementary to high school and loves it.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: NICOLE HAVELKA defythetrend@gmail.com

1996

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: KATHY DIX BIALLAS kathybiallas@gmail.com

1997

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: CHIP CHANDLER knoxclassof97@gmail.com

1998

I can’t explain why I hung onto my college notebooks for so long, but a few weeks ago I finally mustered the bravery to crack them open, look through the old folders, and then promptly pitch 99% of it. I saved a few papers and lab reports. I thought I’d have a harder time letting any of it go, but upon looking at it, a clear and immediate urge told me what to do. I was surprised, however, to be brought back to a few specific moments and project assignments from undergrad. I love Knox, and I loved it then too, but looking back on some of the scorching notes from paper revisions, I can say my education was forged in the flames of our Prairie Fire faculty.

I saw David Spetzler earlier this fall, along with his family. We had a great time catching up! On a run at the Morton Arboretum with my friend Irving Birkner ’96, by chance, we ran into Marc Piane ’96. We all ran a few miles together and really enjoyed the random chance to reconnect. Let’s keep our connections strong.

► Natalie Brown Roche: “After practicing as a full-time OB/Gyn physician for 16 years, I left my job in St. Charles last year to become a laborist. I now work at Kishwaukee Hospital in Dekalb. I’ve been able to focus more on OB care, spend more time with women and families during the birthing experience, and work on several community outreach programs. Personally, my kids are growing into amazing women. My oldest is at Michigan State as a junior in elementary education, and my youngest is planning on going into psychology after high school. I also am overjoyed to be getting married in July. Hope all is well for everyone.”

► Geraldine Sloan (formerly Geraldine Hendrix): “There are a couple of exciting things I would like to share with the Knox community: I was just asked to join the Clay County Restorative Practices Advisory Board in Minnesota; I am chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Minnesota State University Moorhead, and I designed and teach a graduate course on Restorative Justice for our master of arts program in criminal justice. But my greatest joy is spending weekends with my two Grandcuties, who are 4 1/2 year old twins. I hope all is well, and I’d love to make it to Homecoming in 2025!”

► Michael Vanlandingham: “It has been an exciting fall here in Arkansas. We had good leaf color for the first time in several years. I still do maintenance for the Corporation. We have four learning centers, a car wash, and a hotel, and then I also take care of the boss’s farm and his Mosque. I recently rebuilt the playground at the Bentonville Islamic Center and refreshed the stain on the decks. I look forward to the hol-

idays and being able to see my three daughters. If anyone is passing through Arkansas and wants to get together, just holler.”

► Phil Mottaz reports that his new parody mystery novel, Deadly Maybe, was published on August 21, 2024, reuniting the estranged, feuding, rock star brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher. A complete fiction. However, exactly six days later, that fiction became reality and the Gallagher brothers announced the reunion of Oasis. Written well ahead of the landmark news of an Oasis reunion, Deadly Maybe portends a possible explanation for just how that reunion came to be. Rumors have surfaced around the money involved, or around tempers finally cooling down. This book accounts for that but also theorizes that maybe (maybeeeee) the work the Gallaghers did as amateur detectives helped out, too. Originally released to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Definitely Maybe, Deadly Maybe now gives Oasis fans even more opportunities to obsess over their favorite rock n’ roll stars.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: KIP CONWELL kipconwell@gmail.com

1999

Nelsie Smith Birch and I are excited to be correspondents for the Class of 1999! We hope to hear from more of you in the coming months and wanted to share a few updates on what our class has been doing.

► Andrea Byers Callaway reports that she teaches art at Freeport, IL, where she received tenure. She just completed her Master’s in Art Education this past summer from Eastern Illinois University.

► Lora Sariaslan writes, “I am an assistant professor of art history at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. It is a wonderful position where I get to share my passion for art with students from all around the world. On a Knox-related note, I met with Eishin Takahashi ’97 and his daughter Julia in Cologne, Germany, when he was taking part in a business fair, and I was taking

my students to different museums and exhibitions in the city. It was amazing to see him after so many years and reminisce about Knox days, plus, I must add that he was very well prepared with his Knox sweatshirt from 1995, a special year when we had first started at Knox.”

► Erdinc Memis reports that it was in his heart to come to Homecoming, though he was unable to make it this year. He also wanted to say how impressed he was by Dan and Liz Holmes Spaulding’s endowment to Knox.

► In March 2024, Allison Wenk Maki, Wendy Salger Spizzirri, Brooke McKinney, Rebecca Hurst, Amanda Weimer Ziehm, Alana Brennan, Nelsie Smith Birch, Kristy Neal Wilson, and Nicole Danielewicz Dalton ventured to Costa Rica to celebrate 25 years of friendship. Nelsie Birch adds, “Though we all live in different places and have experienced different things, our friendship remains strong and we continue to reminisce and cherish the memories we created at Knox. When we reunite, it’s such a joy to feel the safety and comfort of being with people who knew us at a very different time.”

► As for me (Cassandra), after Knox, I completed my master’s in sociology and went on to teach sociology for almost a decade. Since then, I have worked as a litigation paralegal specializing in medical malpractice defense. I married the love of my life, Kymontus McShan, on October 7. 2022. We bought his childhood home and are living

our best lives together! I have two kids (16 and 20). I’m also a grandma now!!!

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS: CASSANDRA WESTFALL MCSHAN cassandra_westfall@yahoo.com

NELSIE SMITH BIRCH nelsiebirch@gmail.com

2000

It’s fall in the Midwest as I write this update and the changing leaves are just beautiful! I was able to connect with Theodore and Sarah Zimmerman Delong. They shared with me that they moved this summer from Ashland, OR, to Evanston, IL, after about two decades, on the West Coast. Theodore is working as the managing director of a theatre in Chicago called TimeLine Theatre Company. “We are looking forward to reconnecting with Knox folx now that we’re again in the Midwest.” Great hearing from you both!

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: JENNIFER PARKER parker_jen78@yahoo.com

2001

Carolyn Oldham: “I actually do have exciting news to share. I will be transitioning into an assistant professor of educational policy and evaluation role at the University of Kentucky’s College of Education this January. In this role, I will serve as the associate director of our evaluation center, which manages grant evaluations across the country funded by organizations such as the Department of Education, NSF, CDC, SAMHSA, and more. Quite honestly, I got my Ph.D. later in life, and I never really fathomed that I would get this sort of opportunity at an R1, so I feel extremely honored that the College sees this sort of potential in me. Drs. Lori Schroeder (formerly Haslem) and Sarah Wagner ’00 were two people who advised me in my application while Shana King ’99 pumped me up for my college-wide presentation—examples of the great supportive network we have years beyond graduation.

This position is a promotion from my current work as a senior evaluation specialist at the Center. Currently, my largest projects involve an evaluation of the state’s early childhood 0-5 system and a full-service community schools project. I oversee a team of evaluators and my projects enlist and financially support doctoral research assistants with whom I enjoy the opportunity to work, teach, and learn from. I also am picking up the baton again from a previous position I had while in the University’s College of Agriculture: I will serve as the primary investigator for our CDC-funded Appalachian Regional Education and Research Center’s occupational safety and health continuing education program which serves the southeast region. A lot of my work in this space intersects with farmers and the bourbon distilleries.

Since I last wrote in, two texts and one instructional program I contributed to have received note. I had the unique opportunity to contribute to Dr. John Thelin’s History of Higher Education (3rd ed.) which was awarded Forbes’ editor’s pick for the best higher education books of 2023. I also co-authored with Dr. Shannon Sampson a chapter on culturally responsive assessment (Sampson, S. & C. Oldham, 2021) in the nationally recognized text A Framework for Culturally Responsive Practices: Implementing the Culturally Responsive Instruction Observation Protocol (CRIOP) in K-8 classrooms. Used in school districts nationwide to guide teacher professional development, the book received the Society of Professors of Education Outstanding Book Honorable Mention (2022). Lastly, I also was able to contribute to FarmResponse (2022), an on-demand 3.5-hour continuing education course, which is the only agricultural suicide prevention program in the Suicide Prevention Resource Center Best Practices Registry.

Back at the homefront, Jeff ’96 and I are supporting our children’s endeavors across the arts, sports and leadership programming. It is odd to have college correspondence come in the mail for our eldest, Ellie, who is now a junior. I enjoy keeping up with many Knox friends

on social media. If anyone is ever on the bourbon trail, let’s connect!”

► Sidharth Mahapatra: “Hello, Class of 2001. It’s been a while since I posted an update. After finishing up my pediatric critical care residency and fellowship from Stanford School of Medicine in 2015, my wife, Namrata Samtani, and I moved to Omaha, NE, to be closer to my late uncle and his family. As the kids grew, so did the craziness of our lives. But despite being neck deep in school projects, band practice, soccer, swimming, piano, and dance, we’ve managed to eek out a fun and fulfilling life here. Namrata is a teaching assistant in the same school district (Elkhorn Public Schools) as my kids. She was also involved in a local non-profit that benefitted victims of human trafficking, Restored Wings. My son is now in middle school and plays the trombone and swims for a local team. His favorite hobby though is drawing anime and eating Japanese food. My daughter is in 4th grade and is passionate about soccer and dance. She’s just as serious about her academics and is a good mix of sporty and studious.

I am now an associate professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the research director for the Division of Critical Care. In the past decade that I’ve been here, I’ve delved deep into the pathophysiology of pediatric brain tumors and have a wet lab working on novel therapeutics and mouse models for this devastating condition that impacts Nebraskan children at a far higher rate than the national average. (We’re 7th highest in the country!). I have also been working closely with a local foundation called the Team Jack Foundation, whose mission aligns with mine to improve the lives of children in Nebraska with brain tumors.

Although our weeks are jampacked, we make it a point to carve out time during our weekends for date and movie nights, BBQs, farmer’s markets, or visiting family. We also do a fair amount of traveling, taking our kids to Thailand and UAE to visit their grandparents and cousins every summer, as well as trips back to California and Hawaii

over spring and Thanksgiving breaks. Overall, we feel fortunate with the opportunities we have found here to serve our interests and our community’s needs. Having lived in some of the biggest cities in the world, we couldn’t be happier with the balance we have found here. If you’re ever considering visiting Omaha, be sure to drop us a line.”

► Caroline Sietmann: “My news: My life is exactly the same. But I did meet a Knox grad from a few classes before us along the Danube this summer. Mindy, are you reading this? Hello!”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

If interested in serving as a Class Correspondent, please contact Jennifer Gallas at classnotes@knox.edu

2002

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: JENNIFER WREYFORD jwreyford@gmail.com

2003

Greetings, fellow Knox alums, & happy new year! I’m Dan Chibnall, the new class correspondent for 2003. Let’s see what our fellow class members have been up to lately.

► Amanda Taylor Hill writes, “We welcomed twin boys on August 12th! Bringing us to a total of 6 kids!!”

► Brynna Barnhart Blodgett writes, “For the last 16 years, I’ve lived in Indianapolis working for the NCAA. I currently serve as the NCAA managing director of enforcement, overseeing investigations into Level I, II, and major infractions in all sports and divisions. While it can be a difficult

job (especially in the current college sports environment), I’m so grateful for the dedicated people I work with at the National Office. More recently I added a side gig as an adjunct professor teaching an online sports management course at North Central College. It’s a lot of fun to be in the (virtual) classroom and to have that DIII connection again.

► Steve Bachta writes: “I now live in Wilmette, IL, with my wife Kelly and two girls, Sydney (10) and Logan (7), and work as a pediatrician who specializes in the care of hospitalized children. I am still great friends with the Townhouse D crew: Tim Biagini, Dustin “Dauber” Milliken, Geoff and Joy Thiel Ziegler ‘01, Sue Blafka Forcash, Brynna Barnhart Blodgett, Monique Roberts Gill, and Kevin ’01 and Amanda Perkins Walden. I also still play the very occasional tennis with former Knox tennis teammate Jon Betts ’05. In place of tennis, my kids have gotten me involved in the sport of ninja. We compete nationally as a family, and I am trying my best to keep up with them. I’ve had the great fortune of being chosen to compete on the TV show American Ninja Warrior three times now. My most recent season just finished filming this fall and will air in summer 2025. Be on the lookout for “Doc-ta Bachta.” Hope everyone is well and taking the occasional “Flunk Day.”

On the personal side, my husband Case is a PGA golf professional and private instructor in the Indianapolis area. (No, I’m not a good golfer.) We have a newly turned five-yearold daughter, Siena, who has red hair and the spunk to match. We’re always on the go, whether it’s to events around Indy, traveling to see friends and family (including our annual Townhouse D vacation of Knox alums), or going to sporting events (Siena and I are excited to go

to the NCAA DI Women’s Volleyball Championship in December with Amanda Perkins Walden and her daughter). I’m also heavily involved with Noble, a local Indianapolis non-profit that provides services to children and adults with developmental disabilities, and write for Indianapolis Moms, a local online community and blog.

Unfortunately, work and personal commitments kept me away from our 20th class reunion last year, but I hope everyone is doing well. Please reach out if you’re ever in Indianapolis!”

► And finally, Carin Perilloux is now an associate professor and chair of the psychology department at Southwestern University (TX). She lives in Georgetown, TX, with her husband, Justin, and their seven-year-old son, Bastian.

► Thank you all so much for sharing your life updates & good news. May 2025 be a good year for you all.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: DAN CHIBNALL danchibnall@gmail.com

2004

We celebrated our 20th (do you even believe that?) reunion at Homecoming in 2024. Thanks to everyone who got together! Before the reunion, many of the following updates were gathered in our Class of 2004 Facebook group (search for it and join us!).

► Susan Vitous Johnson says: “My husband, Chad, and I just celebrated 15 years of marriage and have three awesome kiddos, Imogen (12), Hunter (8), and Nikolas (6). Last year, I took over co-leading Imogen’s Girl Scout Troop after being only “Cookie Mom” for four years, and this fall I have been learning

2024 KNOX-LOMBARD

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

The Knox College-Lombard Athletics Hall of Fame is honored to recognize the extraordinary contributions of these athletes and teams, celebrating their achievements and the indelible impact they have had on Knox College athletics. Honorees are inducted annually at Homecoming.

James Fennema ’73 Baseball

James Fennema cemented his legacy in Knox College baseball with a career marked by exceptional achievements. Fennema holds the records for most career wins, most career complete games, and most career no-hitters by a Knox player.

1987-88 Women’s Basketball Team

The 1987-88 Women’s Basketball team made history with their exceptional performance, finishing first in the Midwest Conference (MWC) South Division. This remarkable squad went 8-2 in the MWC and achieved an impressive overall record of 18-4. Outscoring their opponents by an average of 7.8 points per game and outrebounding them by a margin of 10.4 per game, the team demonstrated relentless prowess on the court.

Paul Bennett ’08 Baseball, Football

Paul Bennett made an indelible mark on both the baseball and football fields. Bennett holds several records, including most games played and most walks in a career, and is among the school leaders in home runs and runs batted in. In football, Bennett was named all-conference at both tight end and defensive end, showcasing his exceptional talent and adaptability.

Mike Hendrick ’13 Football

An All-American, Mike Hendrick led the NCAA in tackles for a season and was a first-team all-conference selection in both 2011 and 2012. As captain of the 2012 Prairie Fire Football team, Hendrick set multiple records, including most total tackles in a game, most tackles in a season, and most career tackles.

how to be a proper ‘Football Mom’ to Hunter.”

► Jenna Boostrom Crane shares: “I’ve been the lead speech language pathologist at our growing UChealth community hospital here in Colorado for the last seven years, while my husband works as our son’s CNA (he has a medical condition that requires 24/7 care). I’m embracing middle age by doing things like drinking more tea and less wine, not highlighting my hair anymore, and getting back into triathlons!”

► From her home in Las Vegas, Tiffiny Boyd shares that she loves her job in outpatient pediatrics. “Remarried two years ago and now have a blended family of seven kids from ages 2-26, including a special needs kiddo who requires full-time care, so we are always busy!”

► Sarah Van Niewaal Steinke says, “I am starting my 20th year of teaching high school chemistry in suburban Chicago. Married my Knox sweetheart, and we have a 13-year-old daughter. In my free time, I serve on the Board of Directors for a charity that provides supplies to underprivileged schools in Chicago, I am an officer in the Daughters of the American Revolution, and I volunteer as a coach for my daughter’s wrestling club.”

► Kelly Lave says she’s in her 11th year as an assistant professor at Maryville University in St. Louis.

► Nancy Curry shares that she’s the senior program officer for The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation. “My husband, 6th grade son, and I try to always have an outdoor adventure on the horizon. Last year, we summited Longs Peak in the Rockies, and this year we’re spending Christmas backpacking in Canyonlands National Park.”

► A paralegal at a personal injury law firm in Sycamore, IL, for 18 years, Chloe Brady says, “I am married with two daughters, ages 9 and 2. I am using my elementary education degree as a member of the Family Council of Birth to Five Illinois Region 16. My older daugh-

ter plays the violin with me and is an aerialist.”

► Sharon Carvalho says that after moving back to Dubai after graduation, she and her husband are settled in Ottawa, Canada, where they are raising their 9-year-old daughter, Aaliyah, and Sharon is working for the Canadian government.

► Vanessa Doty shares that she has 8-year-old twins and is currently working as a quality improvement specialist with Missouri Mentor where she has been for the past 10 years.

► Erin Spier earned her degree in art therapy and counseling from Eastern Virginia Medical School, and for more than 17 years, she’s worked as a trauma therapist in a small coastal community in Southern Oregon. “My focus has been on how the art making process can promote neurobiological change specific to trauma recovery.”

► Krista Nieraeth says: “After 10 years as a K-12 principal, I am now in my second year as a superintendent/principal/special education director at a small school district near Corvallis, OR, near Eugene.”

► Julia Ellegood Pickup shares that she works in quality improvement at a large nonprofit social services agency in St. Louis and has been married 14 years to her high school sweetheart. “We have two sons Max (9) and Charlie (7). “I’m somehow a hardcore ice hockey mom now!”

► Ellie Dust Belli says she’s been teaching high school math and coaching cross country and track for 20 years. In 2024, she earned her second master’s in positive psychology in coaching. She lives in Highland, IN, with her husband of 17 years, Anthony, and their 11-year-old twins, Andre and Julian, and 8-year-old daughter, Bridget.

► Beth Mushill Bozicevic writes that, as a litigator, she specializes in representing health care entities and schools in big cases. “I met my husband, Ben, in law school, and we have been enjoying STL’s beer and sports scene ever since!”

► Matt Nagel spends his time working as a civil litigation partner at a St. Louis law firm, coaching U-19 girls soccer and trying to keep up with his “mini-me,” Finley, who is 9 months old.

► Kelly Ramig Gillespie says “I’m now the VP of operations and IT for Bayer Crop Science Digital Farming Division during a time of unprecedented change in the agricultural industry. My soulmate and better half, Josh, runs the delivery organization at a major Microsoft software consulting company. Our daughter is in her second year of college as an environmental science and communications double major at a small liberal arts college.”

► Irene Podrobinok Di Minervino is the family and community engagement specialist for Birth to Five Illinois in the Cook North region (Region 1-B-D). She lives in Park Ridge, IL, with her husband and two boys, Nolan (7) and Aiden (3).

► Michelle Hackman says that after earning her PhD in mathematics, she worked as a professor in Alabama, then as an actuary, and then led a team of data scientists. “Eventually I’ll decide what I want to do when I grow up, but I’m pretty sure it will involve math!” She lives in Louisville, KY, with her husband and two children (6 years and 10 months, respectively).

► After graduation, Rachel Smith Cosner earned a TESOL certificate and served in the Peace Corps in Kyrgyzstan and then AmeriCorps in Indiana. She now works for the IDHS in the grants section. Her two children are 7 and 3.

► Holly Oberle says, “I’m now an assistant professor of political science at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. I finally met the love of my life this year and got engaged.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS: LAUREN KLINGER lauren.klinger@gmail.com

MAGGIE CLAUDY mclaudy@gmail.com

2005

YoungJae Chung and Christie Kjelland welcomed their second daughter, Roa. They are now a family of four living in the D.C. area.

► Jacqueline Dehne Scafidi is enjoying her second year as an elementary librarian. This year she is coaching the Battle of the Books team, with the season getting underway in fall 2024. The family (Matt, Andra, and Vivian) are doing great. Her oldest is getting ready for high school with visits and class selections, and her youngest decided she wanted to try both the trombone and the guitar this winter, after another great summer swim season. Kira, their lab mix, just turned five, too!

► In another exciting year of art-making, Ashley Steinsdoerfer Gottlieb debuted new work, including 10 paintings and three sculptures, in August at the Oats Park Art Center in Fallon, NV. She also exhibited another 10 new paintings in November/December in a solo show called “Waterways” at the Northwest Reno Library Art Gallery in Reno. Additionally, she and her husband traveled all over the country of Portugal during an exciting and inspiring two-week trip in May 2024. She highly recommends it!

► Sarah Lammie writes, “I’m working at a new school, still with Chicago Public Schools, but back to kindergarten. Our dog, Lando, celebrated one year with us, and he’s a perfect goofball. Most importantly, Luke and I will be celebrating 10 years of marriage this January!”

► Sarah Legowski Stark tells us, “On July 22, I finally married the right man in a lovely, intimate lunchtime ceremony along the Seattle waterfront. In attendance was Lucia Havlovic, who bore witness to me marrying the wrong man a bunch of years ago, and I think I can speak for both of us when I say that this time was a lot more fun. My husband and I are tremendously happy, despite the fact that we both work for Amazon Web Services, and we enjoy spending time working on our house and in our garden, and

catering to the demands of Miss Madeline Dogowski.”

► Jeanine Rainey presented at two educational conferences this past fall. In November, she co-presented on her work with competency-based education and SEL (social and emotional learning) standards at the Aurora Institute Symposium. Then, in December, she co-presented for the Branching Minds Summit about her work as a MTSS (multitiered system supports) coordinator, working in small schools with big needs while they built their SEL program.

► Kurt Sheffer told us he had an exciting year. He’s engaged to be married to the woman he’s been dating for almost a decade, and they recently bought an aircraft and founded a flight school.

► In April 2024, Amanda Smith Sodomka was appointed as court administrator of the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri by City of St. Louis judges, after serving three years as assistant court administrator and chief juvenile officer for the circuit court.

Marissa Parkin has stepped down as Class Correspondent, but Ashley will continue to receive your notes! Thank you, Marissa, for all your work as correspondent!

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: ASHLEY STEINSDORFER GOTTLIEB aggottlieb@gmail.com

2006

Rachel Navarre: “I’m still at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts, where I recently earned tenure. Additionally, my co-authored text, The Age of Discontent Populism, Extremism, and Conspiracy Theories in Contemporary Democracies, was awarded the International Society of Political Psychology (ISPP) 2024 David O. Sears Book Award and is now out in paperback.”

► Steve Yasukawa: “The City of Galesburg experienced a climate abnormality when a blast from the past swept in during early August when Brian Marienfeld, Dr. Brian

Werner, and Steve Yasukawa descended upon the town. Adding to this three-fifths of The Dudes, Dr. Nate Ewigman and Devin Hogan joined virtually for the shenanigans that included croquet with Meg Kennedy Templeton ’07 and her legendary family, touring the spanking new public library, jamming (as in getting jam) with Nikki Whittaker Malley ’98 and Erin Jezuit ’04, and exploring Green Oaks with esteemed Professor Stuart Allison. Mayor Peter Schwartzman was nowhere to be found. After the comprehensive visit, the group concluded that Marienfeld still has no mamas.”

► Becca Drummond: “As I write this, I’m sitting here at Homecoming with Carrie Berry Carnes and Aunda Wang Paul. Shout out to our 2006 class…Please come to our 20th Homecoming in 2026! We are having a blast reminiscing on our favorite memories! Aunda is living with her family in Quincy. Carrie is in Galesburg with her family. And I’m back home with my family. We miss everyone and want you all to come back in two years!”

► Katelyn Mazman: “I gave birth to our daughter, Eleanor, on May 28, 2024. Wife Lindsey and I spent the summer easing into motherhood and watching the Olympics during late-night feedings. Other updates include: turning 40 in August, continuing to update our 1930s home in Sacramento, and enjoying an unexpected end-of-summer visit from Zach Bahr ’10.”

► Luella Williams Provenza: “Our family has transitioned from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, LA. We enjoy being closer to family and friends, as our son is growing fast! We are excited to integrate further into our new community through the launch of our nonprofit, ProFab Education. We were recently accepted into a national education innovation fellowship to ensure the sustainability of our idea! We are excited to dive into that work this winter. We are having so many fun conversations with parents and teachers as we create projects to teach kids how to take command of manufacturing machinery to innovate. An upcoming project we’re

looking forward to is laser cutting felt hand puppets with kindergarten students. We are leaning into the unknown and looking forward to seeing where this goes.”

► Megan Gamble continues to live and work in Washington D.C. “**** Donald Trump.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

If you are interested in serving as Class Correspondent for 2006, contact Jennifer Gallas at classnotes@knox.edu

2007

Hi all!! Welcome to this edition of Class of 2007 notes for Knox Magazine. Our classmates have some fun updates so to share with the group. As a friendly reminder, if you have something, feel free to send an email KnoxClassof2007@gmail.com, and we will put it in with the next update. Without further ado—hear what our group has been doing:

► Sarah Ellis Meador writes, “Baby news! Sophia Meador born February 2024. Olivia is loving being a big sister!”

► Eric Langston writes: “My partner, Chris Newton, and I recently moved to our new house. Still in Cedar Rapids, IA. We have two cats: MoMo and Pasha. I’m working at AEGIS Law and handle corporate transactions and restructuring.”

► Sam Sowl writes, “In August, my wife, Maya, our four-year-old daughter, Margot, and I relocated to Waterville, Maine, where I began the role of class dean at Colby College. I guess my antics at Knox prepared me for something after all.”

► Laura Wentink Marcasciano writes, “My husband and I are out here enjoying life! On October 31, 2023, through emergency surgery a few days prior, he was diagnosed with Stage IIIB Early Age Onset Colorectal Cancer. He went through the craziness of chemo, and we are now proud to say that he’s been No Evidence of Disease/In remission since February 2024. We now encourage anyone who is 45 or older to get their colonoscopy, as it was only one polyp that caused him to have cancer.”

► Kourtney Cone Grimm: “I still work with exotic pets at Pekin Animal Hospital and take care of the animals at Wildlife Prairie Park. These cougars were sedated for wellness exams, vaccines, and bloodwork.”

► Levi Morgan: “Spot two members of the Class of ’07 in the Knox TikTok!”

► Eris Mayeroff may finally be something resembling an adult. They and their spouse, Jessica, bought a house about 18 months ago and are loving life on Chicago’s South Side. In less happy news, their beloved terrier, Chester, passed away peacefully at home in June at the age of 14. Chester was the most wonderful grumpy old man and is missed every day. Eris still runs their dog training and walking business and hosts/ edits/produces the dog-centric podcast, Hound Opinions (check it out at https://bigwagschicago.com/ houndopinions). In their limited spare time, Eris and Jessica take in as much live theater and comedy as possible, explore the amazing food offerings of the South Side, spread queer joy wherever possible, and

spoil their younger pup, Bodhi (who misses Chester as much as if not more than the humans). They have also been attempting to channel the fear, sadness, and disappointment resulting from the outcome of November’s presidential election into a productive rage. Sometimes it’s more rage than productive.

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS:

LAURA WENTINK

MARCASCIANO ljmarcasciano@gmail.com

MICHAEL SALES

KnoxClassof2007@gmail.com

2008

Amanda Peterson says, “I’ve been doing a lot with my job actually. Since 2016, I’ve been working at St. Francis in the home health department. I’ve been spearheading projects to improve the safety and ability for patients to learn their own infusions. I’ve also become certified in wound, ostomy, and continence care and will be implementing a continence care program. Currently, I’m working on my fourth degree and will hopefully have a PhD in forensic nursing in the next few years. Concerning fun stuff, I’m going through a program to teach myself to become a dog trainer and am hoping to get my dog into agility.”

► Magdalena Tortoriello recently moved to Ann Arbor, MI, to work as a cutter/draper with the University of Michigan in the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. She also continues to freelance as a draper/ tailor, working mostly with ballet companies and other universities. Lani also adopted a dog named Tina earlier this spring and can’t wait to get her into sweaters for Michigan winters.

► Benjamin Fitzpatrick got the new KoRn sequin tracksuit in collaboration with Adidas, and it’s as cool as advertised!

► Megan Krenz changed her name to Vivian this year.

► Marius Tan notes, “The past year has been eventful again. Started a

new position at KraftHeinz, where I’m now responsible for innovation in our Europe and Pacific region. Last summer, I also got to celebrate Hassan Massoud ’06’s wedding in Egypt with a bunch of Knox friends, which felt like a big reunion in one of the most magical spots on earth!”

After working for six amazing years at a Chicago-based international human rights organization in various positions, A.Hamid Aziz moved on in March this year to Humanity & Inclusion (HI), a French nonprofit organization as its US deputy director of grants management and compliance in Silver Spring, MD. He works remotely from Champaign, IL.

► Erica Stringfellow Tully welcomed another boy in April. She still teaches 5th grade on the West side of Chicago.

► Miriam Gillan went to Homecoming with Rebecca Gillan ’93 by way of the back roads from Chicago. They spent time explaining Susannah Gillan Eastwick’s ’99 absence to Mary O’Malley ’04 and Terry Jackson ’64. They also caught up with Megan Rehberg ’06 and Jennifer Gallas. They made fast friends with Nyerere Billups ’99 P’27, Scooby, and Mark Beirn ’99.

► Miriam reconnected with Emaad Hassan ’07 to the envy of all of their group chats. They re-explored campus and met up with recent grad Hassan Mango ’24. They were overjoyed to cross paths with Katie Peterson randomly. They reminisced with Levi Morgan ’07 and lied on TikTok about their craziest moments at Knox.

No visit to Galesburg is complete without a visit to the Galesburg Antique Mall in the old Register-Mail building. Rebecca and Miriam snagged some great finds and followed it up with lunch at the Landmark with Carly Kirven ’11

The universe has dictated that Grace Giovenco Dragonetti and Miriam should reconnect by continually having them see one another at the grocery store and at neighborhood haunts.

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS:

MIRIAM GILLAN miriam.gillan@gmail.com

ERICA STRINGFELLOW TULLY e.stringfellow4@gmail.com

2009

Patrick Cavins had the lovely opportunity to travel across the US and Europe for the last six weeks. He and his boyfriend are now engaged!

► As soon as the class notes email went out, Madeline Weiland responded that she was having a baby in approximately two hours.

► Mike Callahan did some traveling, a quarter mile at a time, to see family and friends.

► Sam and Kate Heitkamp Jarvis ’12 moved to somewhere else in Iowa City and celebrated their daughter’s first birthday. Kate is practicing as a community psychiatrist, and Sam is still doing public health stuff and teaching on the side.

► Adam Vera and Ryan Cash got to see Chaka Khan live.

► Jasmin Tomlins bought her own little trailer this year, cementing her status as an official full-time traveling Renaissance Faire performer! As a result, she’s learned more about rivets, electrical systems, and asking for help than she wanted to ... and more about having a supportive community than she ever expected to.

► Sarah Pokorny (formerly Williams): “I’ve been enjoying married life and parent life to my human baby and kitty-kid combined! Having a toddler is a party-tornado of chaos, much to my cat’s disapproval (don’t worry, she’s hanging in there). Still in Chicago, still teaching kids about animals, still a nerd.”

► Larissa Peterson loves her job as a wound care nurse and ostomy advocate.

► Congratulations to Aaron and Anne Heberle Barnett ’12 on baby number four!

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

SAM JARVIS samuelpaulleejarvis@gmail.com

2010

Editor’s note: Knox Magazine offers its sincere apologies for an unfortunate mistake made in the last magazine. The late Ari Harms was mistakenly listed using his dead name in the 2010 notes. Our thoughts are with his family and friends, who are mourning his passing. We thank Samantha Newport for first alerting us to this mistake. The magazine wants to ensure that all alumni names and identities are honored and respected. The editing oversight that was made is not reflective of this commitment, and our team reviewed (and will continue to review) our processes to help ensure that this does not happen again. We regret this error and, again, express our deepest apologies and condolences to Ari’s classmates and family.

► Montana Standish sings and plays bass in several bands around her home city of Santa Fe, NM. In fall 2024, her indie-rock band Luminatrix stayed on the top 200 NACC college radio charts for a month and counting with their newest album Hide & Seek.

► Tasha Coryell published her debut novel, Love Letters to a Serial Killer, in June, and completed her fourth and fifth marathons.

► Margaret Spiegel Moye has had lots of great changes. Margaret moved up to Waterloo, IA, in May and got married on June 8. After a wonderful cruise around the British Isles for a honeymoon, Margaret started as the executive director at the Grout Museum District. Lots of growth personally and professionally and excited to see what this next chapter entails!

► This summer, Lindsey Murrell Steffens graduated with her M.A.

in industrial and organizational psychology from The Chicago School. This fall, she started the journey to receive her doctorate in organizational leadership. Lindsey is a senior leader in change management, organizational development, and Agile methodologies. When she is not working or in school, Lindsey still performs and teaches aerial acrobatics in St. Louis, MO. She and her family love taking road trips in their EV and recently got to see Gloria Feliciano Feltman in Chicago!

► Ben Barsotti Scott (aka Ben Scott) just started a second year in a Ph.D. program in geography at Rutgers. Ben’s dissertation research is on the 1972 People’s Blockade, a direct action campaign in which US civilians blocked troops and weapons from leaving US ports for the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam. Just as importantly, Ben moved in with his boyfriend, Parker, and their beautiful dog, a six-year-old, 70-pound pit bull named Baby. Over the summer, Ben made a quick visit to Chicago and hung out with Sandy Guttman and Rachel Bernkopf ’08. More recently, Ben caught up with Kelli Refer ’08 over wood-fired pizzas at a restaurant inside a subway station.

► Kathy Brown just bought her very first home, a vintage top-floor condo in Chicago. She is also five years cancer-free and thrilled about the milestone.

► Ginny Graves still lives in Chicago with her sassy tabby cat and got a new roommate in the last year: her partner, Justin! She survived another year of consulting and, as always, enjoyed a lot of travel throughout the year. She often finds herself wishing for a trip to Innkeepers.

► Margaret Wehr has been keeping busy as a professional dog walker and pet sitter in Portland and continues to record and tour as a backing musician for several bands. Most recently, she joined the ranks of dreamy folk trio Lo Pony, toured with queer icon Chris Pureka, and recorded violin on Sleater-Kinney’s latest album.

► Greta Egge lives in Minneapolis with her husband, Greg, two boys Beau (3) and Wells (6 months), and their dog Moose. She works in marketing consulting for Salesforce and travels often to meet with customers coast to coast. Greta bumped into a fellow Knox alum, Michael Hill, last year in the Salesforce tower in San Francisco. They had a chance to catch up before he passed away a few months later. Greta is very grateful for that coincidence, as she got to see him before his passing and it also reminded her of what a special place Knox is and how deep and wide the relationships run. She drives past

Our mini-Knox reunion at the 2024 Lincoln Bowl. 12 friends and our 11 ½ kids, and we all made it! Karen Russell Wipper ’09, Michael Wipper ’10, Joe Garbin ’10, Jordan Raess ’10, Cassandra Milleville Garbin ’10, Kate Moon-Raess ’10, Cory Bieber Beck ’10, Kevin Beck ’11, Samantha Eggert Paul ’10, Andrea Houlihan ’11, Luke Karner ’09, and Chris Paul ’07.

the Galesburg exit a few times/year as her husband is a Peoria native and his family still lives there. She can’t believe she married a guy from the “big city” as she called it when she was a student. This year, Greta hopes to make a visit to campus with her kids over the holidays.

► Brent Newman: After completing his postdoctoral fellowship at the Universities of Arkansas and Helsinki in 2023, Brent Newman joined the CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Disease in Fort Collins, CO, as an Arboviral Ecologist. His research focuses on ticks, tick-borne viruses, and disrupting their transmission cycles in wildlife populations. This journey began at Knox in 2010, when the David “Burney” Dunn Award for Field Research enabled Brent to conduct tick research at Green Oaks Biological Field Station. Thanks to early mentorship and support from Knox Professor Stuart K. Allison, that post-undergraduate research experience sparked a career path in One Health research. With his professional dreams finally realized, Brent and his fiancé are now planning a memorable Las Vegas wedding in 2025—Elvis officiating, of course!

► Samantha Newport wrote, “They were too young and too good to be gone. Rest in peace, Ari Harms and Nicholas Perry ’08.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS:

KATE MOON RAESS knmoon10@gmail.com

CASSIE MILLEVILLE GARBIN c.milleville11@gmail.com

2011

Hey, Pals! I think we all blinked and 2024 whizzed past us. Seems like time just doesn’t slow down. If you aren’t getting my emails or seeing the updates in the Facebook group, please let me know. I’d love to hear from you. It would be great to stay connected on the roller coaster of life. Now, for the fun part—updates from our classmates!

► Tyler ’10 and Laura Johnson Hopfauf are expecting their third

little girl in early 2025. She’s a columnist now with The Hagerstown Magazine and has had essays and articles published both nationally and internationally.

► Chloe Bohm is all smiles with her boys, Ben (2.5), James (9 months), and Boomer.

► Courtney Jude moved on to being an administrator at the middle school level in the St. Louis area, although no longer in the city. He completed his Ed.D in May 2024 and celebrated with a “Dr.J” themed party. Christian ’12 is doing great, too!

► Isaac Juarez graduated from law school and, while eagerly awaiting the results of the bar exam, he was able to attend the Donald J. Trump rally in California as a VIP guest.

► Katie Johnston is busy planning a wedding in Brooklyn for June 2025, while also writing commercials for your favorite clown-based fast food brand.

► Lauren Neiheisel finally got it together to provide an update for the Knox Mag. She purchased a home (2018), got married (2021), and gave birth to a son (2022). It’s been an exciting few years!

► Kate McManus Olejnicak started a new job as an instructional coach for the Richfield School District while also begrudgingly moving to the suburbs with her kids, one in kindergarten and one who is now walking and talking, who love it more than she does.

► Isabelle Leventhal moved to Madison, WI, to be closer to Madison Davis ’12 and just happens to be a 15-minute walk from Patrick Dooley. When she’s not pranking her Prairie Fire pals, she’s working in children’s Medicaid policy and growing the bones/organs/whatnot of her first child.

► Christian Mahone is currently situated in Champaign, IL, and reports, “I am in my 14th year in the field of education. This year marks my sixth year as the Principal of South Side Elementary, a.k.a The StarShip, and only the best school in Champaign-Urbana!! I was one of the recipients of the Central Illinois Business Magazine 40 under 40 award which recognizes 40 professionals under the age of 40 for their achievements, experience, innovation, leadership, and community involvement.”

University. Maurice ’10 was selected in spring 2024 to serve as the principal at a brand new elementary school in DeKalb, Illinois, set to open in fall 2025. Very exciting!

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: TIM SCHMELING trschmeling@gmail.com

2012

Katy Sutcliffe finally left consulting (for real this time) and took a sabbatical to lead a women’s saw crew in Idaho and hike the Camino de Santiago in Spain. In her free time (spent mostly in Massachusetts), she’s busy preaching the merits of bike shares and practicing totally useless skills like writing angry book reviews.

► Hayley Schueneman and partner Guilford held a beautiful recommitment ceremony last spring in Ojai. Their four little ones were so pleased to be earthside this time! Each of them gifted mummy and daddy handwritten poems—thank you to our nanny Suzebette for teaching them how to make paper! Guilford has his hands full at the brewery, and Hayley spends most of her time dusting flour off her hands.

► Karl Bair writes: “I have been managing a team of 40 sales professionals for a fast-growing pest control company that has tripled in size over the last five years I have worked there. We have grown from $7M to $21M! Audra Adolph Bair ’09 and I continue to travel across the country, creating new memories and eating tasty treats, and I’m always exploring other entrepreneurial ventures along the way!”

► Rachel Clark Cole and her family look forward to welcoming their second baby girl in January 2025. They (husband Michael, daughter

Emerson (3), and two cats) live in the greater Twin Cities area in Minnesota and are anticipating a snowy winter. They did get to glimpse the northern lights earlier this year, right from their backyard, something Rachel thought she might only get to do in Iceland someday. So maybe the cold winters are worth it? Rachel is a research scientist at the University of Minnesota, researching deep brain stimulation for movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease, and she teaches classes when she can at nearby small liberal arts colleges.

► From Crest Hill, Illinois, Michael “Mikey” Whitt writes: “My wonderful wife, Shannon, and I had our first child, Lincoln Michael Whitt, on March 27. He is now over seven months old and is a sweet and happy baby. I also got my master’s in educational administration from Lewis University and started a new job teaching at Oswego High School. It has been an awesome few months and I look forward to seeing how it develops in the future.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: APARNA KUMAR BOEHM aparna.kumarboehm@gmail.com

2013

Jessica BrodeFrank lives in Chicago with husband Ryan BrodeFrank ’14 and their 9-year-old dog. Jessica has her doctorate and is in her second year as a clinical assistant professor and digital librarian at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she manages the Chicago Collections Consortium. They are actively spoiling many nieces and nephews.

► Anna Meier: “My news is that I’ve escaped both the UK and academia and now live in Boston doing labor organizing. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself, and I’m thrilled about this new path.”

► Franzesca Mayer: “I have joined the international tour of Cirque du Soleil’s LUZIA! I began my role as a wardrobe technician this autumn in Brisbane, Australia. Wooooo!”

► Elvith Santoyo-McNaught: “I’m replying from my new work email! :) I started a new career at Knox this past September 9, in the Student Development Department/Center for Career Success as a career success advisor! Next Monday will be my third week. It’s great to be back on campus as part of the staff, and so far the experience here has been great. The transition from being self-employed to now working for a fairly large employer has been tougher than I thought, but I wanted to challenge myself and understand the difference in environments (self-employed vs working for someone else). I’m very excited about my journey at Knox, as I’ve always been passionate about the important role it plays in Galesburg, but I’m mostly excited about contributing to the student life on and off campus, while discovering new ways to bridge the gap between our students and the local community/ businesses.

As you may recall, I opened La Cantinita, LLC, a Tequila bar & eatery in downtown Galesburg, in September 2020, with the goal of establishing the business and selling it within the first five years. Well, I sold La Cantinita in May 2023, and it continued operating under new ownership until July 2024. I was very saddened to see the doors of such a gem close so quickly and abruptly, but I know that what I accomplished and learned from there will never be taken away. The building continues under my ownership, and I plan to pursue a new business if the building does not get leased or sold within the next year.

In the meantime, my husband and I established Urban Milling Company as of September 2021, a portable sawmilling company, but we also specialize in custom woodwork and contracting/ remodeling (https:// www.urbanmillingco.com/).The business currently operates from our home, but we have reached a customer base on all coasts. (My

husband still works full-time as the Traffic superintendent for the city.) Other than that, I’m a mom of two beautiful boys, 10 and 7, and Freedie (my 11-year old chiweenie). In my free time, we love to enjoy nature and gardening.”

► Jenny Linder Footle: “I completed my first marathon on a trail in Sedona, AZ. I published a book called Railroad (https://www. barnesandnoble.com/w/railroad-jenny-footle/1143803183).

I celebrated my 10-year wedding anniversary to Knox alum David Footle ’10.”

► Hannah Basil-Bryant: Hannah Basil Bryant and husband Caleb welcomed their second child, a son, to the world in late September. Harrison Gregory is a gem and big sister Ruth is adapting well to her new role—and preschool!

► Stephanie Fore welcomed her daughter, Lola, with fiancé Manuel Alvarez in August!

► Cole Atcheson-Demke: Cole was laid off in January but spent the year so far focusing on learning game development and building out his YouTube channel, The Game Professor (https://www.youtube. com/@GameProfCole), where he plays and analyzes video game narratives and gameplay. He also just started working at Gnome Brew, a homebrew shop in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood, so hit him up for all things games, books, and homebrewed beer.

► Amanda Goslawski: “I live in Watertown, MA, while I complete my facial plastic surgery fellowship at The Spiegel Center in Chestnut Hill and at Boston Medical Center. “

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: WILLIAM BUDDING williambudding@gmail.com

2014

Ruthy Marie: “I just graduated with a master’s in marriage and family therapy and am working as a school-based therapist at a local high school. Luke and I purchased his childhood home (with a lot of help from his parents). Lastly, I am doing what I can to start conversations and work towards a free Palestine.”

► Amber Hogan Theisen: “I am almost done with my first year of nurse anesthesia school. Outside of the program, I’m loving life with my husband, Adam Theisen, and my two sons, Milo and Rowan.”

► Gracie Glowiak: “Pol and I are proud parents to Max (3) and are awaiting a girl in March. We have moved out to the countryside near Barcelona and have dogs and chickens to keep us company.”

► Kayla Capri (Jones): “I just received a certification in Traumatic Stress Studies under Bessel Vander Kolk (author of The Body Keeps The Score). I’m also enrolling in UiUC’s MSW program. Lastly, I beat cancer this year! Whoo hoo!”

► Elliot G Davis: “This year I got to see the Catskill, Appalachian, and Ozark mountains. St. Louis is still the city of my heart. My husband and I celebrated a perfectly messy first year of marriage. Our daughter started middle school and dyed her hair at least seven times. She is way cooler than us. I finished my master’s in clinical mental health in December ’24. Being a part of our sweet, peculiar family is the best thing I’ve ever done.”

► Jessica Ranard: “Me and a few friends have started a leftist anti-Zionist radical housing co-op in Rogers Park, Chicago. Outside of that, I’m spending a lot of time in Vermont looking at trees with my partner, making weird art, reading, attempting to make my bed everyday, and looking at the sky.”

► Samantha Paul Huebner: “My husband, Franz Huebner, and I came back for Homecoming and saw the finished Alumni Hall for the first time! We have a wonderful

house in Bloomington, IN, where we live with our two dogs. I’m still an attorney in indigent civil defense and work on the most intense domestic violence in our 14-county area. Family law involving human trafficking, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, kidnapping, and sexual abuse are my specialties.”

► Hannah “Nerdtastic” Black: “I got married two days before my fifth year teaching high school biology! My husband and I got a second cat (our two cats are Simon and Marceline, if you know you know), and I successfully created a drama curricular class for my school (until now we’ve only had an after-school drama program). I officially start teaching drama next year!”

► Meagan Kapes Busby: “ My husband and I have moved to Norway! I am working as a Year 4 teacher at Oslo International School. We love getting to explore our new home and can’t wait to see more of the world!”

► Emily Park: “Received my masters in Counseling in 2019 and now in my fourth year as a School Counselor at an elementary school in San Diego. Enjoying life here indoor and outdoor rock climbing, paddleboarding in the ocean, and exploring speakeasies and the bar

scene around San Diego. I’ve also been writing book reviews for Booklist, with a focus on general fiction, since 2016 and continue freelance writing for other sites in my spare time.”

► Paige Lowe: “Grant Lowe and I are still in Seattle. He’s a technical writer for Philo (the streaming service your dad uses to watch Yellowstone) and I’m torturing children with standardized testing working at College Board, leading an engineering team making the software that makes AP tests. More than half our tabletop party is still made up of Knox alums, and more than half the pictures on our phones are of cats. Pictures of the three-legged cat are still available upon request.”

► Tom Courtright: “I’m working on my Ph.D. on boda bodas (motorcycle taxis) in Kampala, Uganda, while living with fiancé Muthoni Karubiu in Nairobi, Kenya. Hosted some Knox friends a year ago and can’t wait to host some when we get married on the coast next year!”

► Esther Menson (née Farler-Westphal): “This summer I had the privilege of marrying the love of my life in Lake Placid, NY. We live in San Francisco, working in tech, enjoying the California nature, and I make art in my spare time.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS:

ESTHER FARLER-WESTPHAL efarler.westphal@gmail.com

NATALIA BINKOWSKI KAPLAN nbinkowski@gmail.com

2015

Matthew Klich started a new company dubbed Massive Audio Visual, LLC.

► Emily Lucek has published several short stories with small-press anthologies and magazines this past year under the byline “E. E. Lucek.”

► Anna Marquez and Christian Perez ’14 moved to Rockville, MD (home of F. Scott Fitzgerald), and absolutely love it! They are in their Home Depot era and enjoy painting, DIY renovations, and traveling the world: for her 30th birthday,

they took a trip to Rio de Janeiro! She recently took up sewing to pursue a lifelong dream of learning how to make her own clothes. They also hope to come back for her 10-year reunion, so you all better be there!

► Maddie Mondeaux is living in Boston while pursuing an MFA in fiction writing from Emerson College (but Emerson purple will not replace Knox purple in her heart!). She taught Intro to College Writing for undergraduate freshmen last year. She works as a teaching artist for ArtsEmerson’s Play Reading Book Club program.

► Emily Passarelli is going on 10 years of prison education work and loving it! Her son, Cosmo, turned 2 in November 2024. She also loves Washington State but still misses the Grab-N-Go’s taco in a bag. Sending love to all!

► Joella Travis started a new job in September!

► Alexia Vasilopoulos is still acting as the high school assistant principal to exceptional students in Thornton, CO! But in even more exciting news, she became an aunt for the first time back in June— manifesting that little Mixahlis Ilias is going to be a Knox Legacy!

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS: ABBY KRAVIS & CLAIRE NERI knox2015reps@gmail.com

2016

Alice Sherlock writes: “It’s hard to believe that many of us celebrated the big 3-0 this year. I was lucky

enough to spend my birthday with many of my Knox friends, Madzia Bielinska, Sarah Kobernat, Ellynn Rolett, and Tawni Sasaki just to name a few. They made the day so special!” During their visit to Chicago, Tawni, Sarah, and Alice were also able to meet with former Knox professor Anne Steinberg to catch up.

► Charlie Finan Taylor celebrated their fifth anniversary of residing in Buffalo, New York this summer. That said, they spend very little time sitting still these days: if Charlie isn’t in transit between Buffalo and New York City for work, they’re traveling for fun, hiking, or upside down on some aerial apparatus. Their (on the ground) queer dance company and free community class, The Others, will turn three years old in February and recently performed for the second time at the largest annual Halloween party in Buffalo. Tevin Liao graciously runs rehearsals when Charlie is otherwise occupied, and there’s no chance the project would’ve come so far without such a brilliant collaborator. Charlie still lives with their spouse, Devøn, and their three cats in a cozy little apartment with a huge backyard.

► Ellen Lipo lives in Chicago, where she is a part-time trivia host and full-time middle school teacher.

► Emily Roberts won the New Mexico Library Association’s Community Achievement Award “for outstanding library service at the local level.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT:

ELLEN LIPO

ellenmlipo@gmail.com

2017

Swapnil Mishra majored in economics and minored in environmental studies while at Knox. This year, he began working as a seminar instructor, guiding college students interested in environmental policy through real-life case studies that they can include in their portfolios to help them enter the workforce.

► Ashley Schmidt has been working constantly and loving every minute of it! She also entered her cat Roman-Eliza in a pet-of-the-year calendar contest, and she made it for the month of March. Roman-Eliza joined Ashley during her senior year at Knox and has been by her side ever since.

► Shontoria Pratt started their Ph.D. at Syracuse University in Educational Policy/History.

► Kalie McGuire still lives in Texas and works in the political field. This past election cycle, she worked on Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.

► stef torralba completed a Ph.D. in English with a designated emphasis in Southeast Asian Studies at the University of California, Riverside in summer 2023. After teaching for 2.5 years at Pomona College in Claremont, CA, they started a new job in Fall 2024 as assistant professor of gender, women’s, and sexuality studies and English at Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA.

► Elisabeth Zarnoti and Sean Ramsey ’18 have had a very busy year! Elisabeth started a position at a workforce development nonprofit called Hired last winter and, though it has been challenging, it has been a rewarding opportunity for her professional development skills to continue growing. Sean continues work as an electrical apprentice for the local electrical union. Their cats are doing great (with only 20% of the time they are practicing their wrestling skills with each other) and the fish family has grown to three generations of platys. Elisabeth and

Sean continue to spend valuable time with family and friends on the weekends, during Commander nights, and during vocal/play rehearsals. Elisabeth says, “It’s been good to simply live life together.”

► Theresa Murphy moved to Orange, CA, which is just a couple of miles from Disneyland! When she’s not working at The Escape Game, she can walk to Disneyland or even drive up to Universal Hollywood with her husband. She was promoted to general manager of The Escape Game Orange a few months ago.

► Nick ’15 and Liz Clay Sienkiewicz are happy to share that they welcomed a beautiful baby girl on Sunday, November 3, 2024! Liz says, “Scarlett Christine Sienkiewicz arrived at 9lbs 11oz, and has the chubbiest little chipmunk cheeks we have ever seen. We can’t wait to bring her to Homecoming next year!”

► Jackie Symonds is starting her 5th year as an early childhood teacher. She got engaged to partner Domenic in December 2023. They live happily in Leadville, CO.

► Emily Corwin-Renner Lieder has come back to Knox as a visiting instructor in the psychology department for the 2024-25 academic year. She’s really enjoying teaching and being back at Knox!

► Will Fuller ended a six-month job search and is working in a new position as a manufacturing test engineer at eero in October. He continues to reside in San Francisco after moving across the bay in 2021.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: JEN RIPKA jripka1327@gmail.com

2018

No one had much to share this time, but I’d love to hear your news! Please send updates to me at diaz.danielle@gmail.com. Best to everyone!

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: DANIELLE DIAZ diaz.danielle@gmail.com

2019

Knox provides the place for lifelong relationships to begin … marriage, friendships, and a family of choice. This is illustrated again and again by many of our grads, such as Sam Cohen and Carolyn Ginder, two of my classmates who tied the knot in May! They were joined by dear friends from Knox at Walnut Grove Farm for their ceremony. It is a beautiful place just outside of Galesburg, a special setting that they loved visiting during their Knox time. Post-graduation, after having lived in Washington D.C. for a few years, they moved back to the ‘Burg in June 2021. They really enjoy being a part of the Galesburg community and are thankful to Knox, both for introducing them to the town, their lifelong friends, and, of course, to each other!

► Naturally, life also brings some changes and challenges along with it, as shared by Joel Schleicher, who “after a rough year, has broken up with their partner of three years and moved back to Chicago, where they have been working for the Game Show Gurus as a technical producer.”

► Irene Stephenson shares: “I’m living in Riverwest and spending lots of time with my friends. Free Palestine.”

► We each have our own paths we’re walking on (and goals we’re moving towards), so I enjoy hearing about the variety of things happening in the lives of the 2019 graduates. Personally, the past year has taught me to take breaks seriously, since with a well-rested body and mind, the inevitable ups and downs are handled much better. I still enjoy my MSc in neuroscience, currently deep in a research project that is challenging me in some ways I didn’t expect. So I try to take lots of those breaks and breaths, and reflect often! Curious to see what I will learn from this research, once it is successfully completed. Until then and in between, I am gladly gathering notes from you all, so keep sharing what you’d like to share!

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: ELENA IATROPOULOU-BANNAT elena.bannat@gmail.com

2020

Hi Class of 2020. It’s now been over four years since the end of our spring term at Knox (technically less since graduation given pandemic-era oddities)! Many of us have lived in new places, met new people, begun or finished graduate degrees, or are finding footings in our careers. Whatever may be going on in your life, I’m happy to include an update in the class notes if you send one my way. Given that we’re

approaching five years, I hope to see all your faces at Homecoming next year! With that, some notes from our classmates:

► Connor Wood reports that after working as a reporter for a couple of other papers downstate, he moved last year to Moline to accept a position as the managing editor of the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus newspaper.

► Emily Whitten had a baby boy on July 9, 2024. His name is Jaxson, and he is four months old now! She says he is so silly, loves funny noises and weird faces, and loves to look at lights.

► James Stratton graduated with a master’s in library and information studies in May 2024 and currently works as a youth services librarian at Rock Island Public Library.

► Katy Coseglia got married in Sutton, AK, on July 20, 2024, to Levi Rowland. She has a new job as the middle school and high school art teacher in Valdez, Alaska.

► Lydia Allen moved back to Chicago. In Portland this June, she and a bunch of Knoxies attended the marriage of Graham Holmes and Sally Butzer!

► Parker Stocksdale writes: “Updates in my life include completing a year of service with Americorp by teaching 6th-grade English and science. I have also completed my master’s degree in Screenwriting from DePaul University and won DePaul’s Premiere Film Festival

with my thesis pilot screenplay. I have moved to Los Angeles to pursue working in the film Industry and have worked on the set of several feature films so far. When not on set, I work as a substitute teacher.”

► Sachika Goel is currently in her second year of an MFA in art and ecology at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. She recently had a group show at the Las Vegas Arts Council in Las Vegas.

► Waleed Khan started a master’s program in translation studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He also started working as a FOIA coordinator for the University of Illinois System.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: ALLEN IRVINE knoxclassof2020@gmail.com

2021

Lilia Sladcik was accepted into the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program at Texas Woman’s University in Houston, Texas and will start the program in June 2025.

► Tina encourages classmates to send news! Please contact Tina directly at jse2053@gmail.com to share your news, photos, etc.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: TINA JEON jse2053@gmail.com

2022

Eli Scriver started as Hamline Uni-

versity’s coordinator for gender and sexuality student programs in July. He and his partner, Solis Scriver, have relocated to Minneapolis, MN.

► Sayan Trisal is a 2L at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. They work part-time at the Office of the Ohio Public Defender, in its Wrongful Conviction Project. They are also a staff editor for the Ohio State Law Journal.

► Adam Rothkopf has moved to Sheep Meadow, NY, and welcomed TwinkleToes the dog into his family. He has since fallen in love with his partner, Vanessa. The three are taking on the alternative sweetener industry with great success!

► Tori Johnson has started grad school at the University of Minnesota for her M.S. in Genetic Counseling.

► Taryn Elsner has moved to Phoenix, AZ, and is almost through their first quarter of medical school at Midwestern University. Even with the heat and the course load, they are so excited to conquer this dream with the help of their new cat Delilah, and the new friends they’ve found along the way.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: FAERYN SWIFT swiftfaeryn@gmail.com

2023

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: HALEY METZ haleyrmetz@gmail.com

2024

Corgan Ball had the amazing opportunity to come back to Knox, where they are now working as the assistant director of Campus Life and the fraternity & sorority life advisor. Outside of work, they are still involved in music and are currently singing with Nova Singers. They moved into a Galesburg apartment with their partner, Ryan Simester, along with their dog and cat, and are enjoying settling into their home together.

► Elise Huey is currently working at Corteva Agriscience as a Greenhouse Technician, and plans on attending graduate school in fall 2025.

► Sophia Auron is teaching English in Villefranche-de-Rouergue, France.

► Marin Hart is currently doing a research fellowship with Kuluntu Reproductive Justice Center based in Atlanta, GA! Marin and their co-fellow are producing a literature review about the history of the nuclear family ideal, its relationship to capitalism and colonialism, and family abolition! The lit review will be publicly available in January 2025!

► Isabelle Etheridge is currently working as the fall intern at the Glen Ellyn Historical Society where she is acting as the lead curator on the new art exhibit entitled “History of Home: Portraiture, Still Life, and Landscapes by Glen Ellyn Artists.” The exhibit focuses on three artists from the Historical Center’s own collection: Sheldon Peck, Ada Harmon, and Davis Gray. These artists, through their efforts to preserve the history of the community and appreciate the past, create a space for people to reflect on how a town can evolve and change over time while inviting

the exhibit onlookers to step into the shoes of those who came before us. This internship has allowed her to put the research and art analysis skills she developed through her art history major to the test. Her experience of working as a student curator on three exhibits with Professor Greg Gilbert aptly prepared her to lead her own exhibit. By next fall, she plans to begin pursuing a master’s in art history, collections, and curating.

► Rachel Dietz accepted a scientists in the parks position starting this April, where she will work with the National Parks Service at Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore, Michigan. The position will start shortly after she completes her Americorps term working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Southeastern Idaho.

► Cade Windham started his journey in the chemistry Ph.D. program of study at the University of California - Riverside.

► Keylan Cortés began her first semester of graduate school at Loyola Marymount University in the clinical counseling program with an emphasis in grief and trauma. As well as continuing her research in dual cultural identity for first-generation Americans, she has started

a new position working in the LMU graduate admissions office as an assistant for graduate enrollment operations. Keylan also joined the Pi Beta Phi Los Angeles alumnae club where they volunteer in local elementary schools!

► Thomas Keegan has been studying Japanese at a Japanese language school in Kyoto, Japan. Since July of this year, he has been studying with students from around the world and recently passed the Japanese language proficiency test’s N3 level. Thomas plans to continue studying at this school until next year, when he hopes to enroll in a Japanese graduate school and conduct research on Japanese history.

► Brina Potisit now has a sixmonth-old baby boy with her fiance, whom she met at a Knox College event. She has been so grateful to her Knox community and family for their unwavering support for her and her family. She even had one of her baby showers at the Gizmo!

► Kevin Cox traveled back to Turkey and turned his childhood room into a now very fruitful studio space. He is giving creative illustration workshops and recently got commissioned to do 50 drawings for a book, which is very exciting!

► Stacie Strombom moved to coastal Southern Oregon in late August and now works at the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve! Their position is through AmeriCorps, and Stacie provides after-school environmental education programs to K-8 students throughout Coos County. Beyond programming, she’s been able to go on reserve kayaking trips, conduct eelgrass and soil coring surveys, attend an Oregon Invasive Species Council meeting, and get training on teaching nature journaling!

► Sarah Hoffmann-Weitsman George got married in July to Zane George and then moved to St. Louis to attend Washington University in St. Louis for a PhD in biochemistry.

CLASS CORREPONDENT: CORGAN BALL cball@knox.edu

Deaths

Editor’s note: The Deaths of Friends section in the summer 2024 issue of Knox Magazine incorrectly listed Candace Smith ’68 twice and misspelled Denis Baylor ’61’s name. Our apologies for these oversights.

Anne Seeley Forbes ’40

Mildred Derry Dubois ’41

Joan Williams Flett ’41

Julia McGillivray Hall ’42

Jeanne Olson Darlington ’45

Carolyn Falvey Ferrand ’46

Jean Ellis Bartz ’47

Chuck Trenka ’47

Claudia Ludwick Zuege ’48

James Concannon ’49

Grace Robbie Sperry ’49

Glenn Heck ’50

Tom Kurtz ’50

Viola Butler ’51

Ann Harris Crawford ’51

Mary Runyon Gibbs ’51

Roberta Stout Goforth ’52

Gene Graham ’52

Arthur Oppenheim ’52

Barbara Brunohler Anderson ’53

Jordan Fifield ’53

Robert Holmes ’53

Adele Edwards Pequet ’53

Marcella Clark Ancelet ’54

Robert Anderson ’54

John Eary ’54

David Eckley ’54

Mario Ferraro ’54

Kathryn Eastwood Gredell ’54

David Hirai ’54

Marilyn Larsen Jelinek ’54

Nancy Reily Hurdle ’55

Ronald Kindelsperger ’55

W. Christian Koch ’55

Marilynn Weise Victor ’55

John Weidman ’55

Enos Lacy ’56

Vivian Bacher Barton ’56

Gene Binder ’56

Virginia Mack Good ’56

Burt Sargeant ’56

Pamela Weeks Ames ’57

Janet Kuehnle Hatch ’57

Dean Hill ’52

Mary Stewart Unterberg ’57

Nina Allen ’58

Ron Jelinek ’58

Karen Vollman Seidel ’58

Judith Mankawich Baker ’59

Richard Brakenridge ’59

Gary Hoopes ’59

Michael Barenbaum ’60

Ray Seidel ’60

Kenneth Adam ’61

In Memoriam

DUANE (DEWEY) MOORE, PROFESSOR OF GEOLOGY

Knox College mourns the passing of Duane (Dewey) Moore, a beloved professor of geology, who passed on October 18, 2024.

Joining Knox in 1964 and teaching at the College until 1988, Moore helped shape a young geology department into one that produced a remarkable number of students who pursued Ph.D.s and profoundly impacted the broader scientific community. Over 24 years, including a decade as department chair, Moore's interdisciplinary vision and commitment to fostering curiosity defined his legacy.

Moore’s classes brought geology to life, taking students on adventures to the Smoky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, and beyond. His teaching encouraged deep reasoning and exploration. He co-developed innovative Knox immersive terms like Farm Term and contributed to courses that integrated environmental, historical, and literary perspectives. His research with students propelled them to graduate success, especially in clay mineralogy.

An early advocate for sustainability, Moore pioneered hands-on studies in his 1970s Mother Earth course, challenging students to improve fuel efficiency through creative

experiments. His international contributions included a senior Fulbright scholarship which took him to Quetta, Pakistan, to teach graduate students at the Centre of Excellence in Mineralogy, as well as teaching short courses across Argentina, Indonesia, and New Zealand.

“When I first arrived at Knox, Dewey was extremely welcoming and supportive and did a lot to show me the ‘geology’ ropes in Knox County. He took me around to locations in the county where previous geology courses here had taken field trips. He also came onto the Green Oaks Term and did geology walks with us, which I still use when I teach the immersion term. He was a great source of information for me, and he was more than willing to take time out of his schedule to share it, I will always appreciate the help he offered.” Professor of Environmental Studies Katherine Adelsberger shared.

Moore’s accolades include co-authoring the widely cited textbook X-Ray Diffraction and the Identification and Analysis of Clay Minerals and receiving the Clay Minerals Society’s prestigious Brindley Lecture Award in 2000. His writing interests extended to historical fiction, culminating in his novel Death on the North Rim as a tribute to John Wesley Powell’s Grand Canyon exploration.

Beyond his professional achievements, Moore cherished time with his wife, Shelley Roberts, and their family, often on their Wisconsin farm. His commitment to conservation and education the world around him.

Judith Farver ’61

Karl Nienhuis ’61

Carolyn Kay Roberts ’61

Peter Dorris ’62

Jerome Fulton ’62

Pat Burke Herminghouse ’62

Paul Mellican ’62

Charles Forbes ’63

Lynn Wright ’63

Donna Eggleston Brown ’64

Stewart Dyke ’64

Dave Eiss ’64

Thomas Glannon ’64

Harold Harrison ’64

Lorelei Lehwalder Norvell ’64

Patricia Garrett Bomash ’65

George Bookless ’65

Ray Crain ’65

John Haiges ’65

Larry Hund ’65

Emi Takahara Klein ’65

Allen Link ’65

William McKinney ’65

Nan Garton Siebert ’65

Michael Bourgo ’66

James Drew ’66

Martha Pahl Fuller ’66

Neva Willard Ganun ’66

Michael Heim ’66

Robert Schnuckel ’66

Linda Grover Stehura ’67

Bill Butts ’68

Heather Milliken Daina ’68

Ellen Wark Dycus ’68

Abraham Eapen ’68

James Godkins ’68

Albert Prerost ’68

Glenn Altman ’69

Bernard Braun ’69

William Culp ’69

Dane Guzzetta ’69

Richard Isberner ’69

Thomas Osberg ’69

Stephen Dibble ’70

Verlea Fielder ’70

Nicolette Pfaff Luery ’70

Susan Egan Schmuck ’70

Lynda Greco Saelens ’71

James Bednar ’72

Sandy Lange Bellinger ’72

Guy Benge ’72

Marilyn Brooks ’72

Richard Eisenman ’72

Valerie Anne Wilk ’72

Charles Zacharias ’72

Rick Bowen ’73

Joe Bowers ’73

Nancy Becker Kennedy ’73

Barbara Burgess Bower ’74

Judith Wright Collazo ’74

Frances Henley ’74

Bruce Roberts ’74

Timothy Dean ’75

Robin Hiscock ’75

In Memoriam

THOMAS EUGENE KURTZ ’50, PIONEER OF BASIC PROGRAMMING AND CHAMPION OF ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY

Thomas Eugene Kurtz ’50, a visionary in computer science and mathematics, passed away peacefully on November 12, 2024, at the age of 96.

Born on February 22, 1928, in Oak Park, Illinois, Kurtz’s path of intellectual achievement began at Knox College, where he graduated in 1950. His time at Knox laid the foundation for a lifetime of contributions to education and technology.

At Knox, Kurtz was known for his intellectual curiosity and the development of analytical skills that would shape his future endeavors and his commitment to making knowledge accessible to all—an ethos that would underpin his most influential work. He was awarded an Alumni Achievement Award from Knox College in 1975 and an honorary degree in 1985. Following his time at Knox, Kurtz pursued a PhD in mathematics at Princeton University, earning his doctorate in 1956. He had a distinguished career in academia and technology,

including nearly four decades as a professor of computer science and mathematics at Dartmouth College, during which he co-developed the BASIC (Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) programming language in the early 1960s. This innovation democratized computing this code would benefit leagues of programmers, including Bill Gates, who used a variation of BASIC foundation for early Microsoft operating systems.

Kurtz's work in making computer code available to non-expert users resonated with the mission to pursue bold ideas and push boundaries. He retired from a career in teaching in 1993, following much academic success and several awards.

“Tom Kurtz’s life and career were guided by his spirit of innovation, inclusivity, and dedication to education,” Knox College President C. Andrew McGadney said. “He also exemplified the power of a liberal arts education, boldly working to find solutions to computing issues that would ultimately help change the world of technology. His contributions will continue to inspire generations in the fields of mathematics, computer science, and beyond” Kurtz’s life has been recognized nationally, with articles published in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and many other publications highlighting his significant contributions to the world of technology.

He is survived by his wife Agnes, his sons, Daniel and Timothy; a daughter, Beth Louise Kurtz; his brother, David; nine grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

Arthur Lyman ’75

William Benesch ’77

Craig Ferris ’77

Bill Hejna ’79

Greg Mullins ’82

James Dennison ’86

Gary Eisenberg ’88

Josiane Saltoun ’89

Gregory Fugate ’96

Ari Harms ’10

Jacob Lewis ’12

Victoria Baldwin ’16

Deaths of Friends

Felix Baker, spouse of Judith Mankawich Baker ’59

Barbara Boyd, spouse of Professor John Boyd and parent of Mike Boyd ’86

Marjorie Douglas, former staff

Jerry Downin, former staff

Lee Farrar, former staff

Nancy Frondorf, parent of Joe Frondorf ’91

R. Ed Glatfelter, spouse of Marilynne Tanberg Glatfelter ’63

Reece Going, spouse of Susan Creviston Going ’72

James Hakes, former staff

Gary Jacobs, spouse of Marianne Lefave Jacobs ’74

Dorothy Kliche-Willer, parent of Keith Willer ’80

Virginia Lang, spouse of Robert Lang ’63

Susan Liberta, spouse of Tony Liberta ’55

David Metzler, spouse of the late Janet Metzler ’72

Wesley Mika, spouse of Sue Mika ’68 and parent of Josh Mika ’97

Duane Moore, former faculty

Jan Nelson, spouse of the late Ronald Nelson ’61

Thomas Norton, spouse of the late Helen Norton ’58

Richard Perry, spouse of Diane Perry ’81

Cleo Sargeant, spouse of Burt

Sargeant ’56

Renate Schuler, parent of Tino Schuler ’87

Nancy Seeley, spouse of Robert Seeley ’51

Terry Slater, spouse of Dixon Slater ’66

Lisa Steinbach, staff and parent of Erin Steinbach ’17

Ronald Streib, spouse of Shirley Schwiesow Streib ’69

Kevin Vest, former staff

Dolores Weise, spouse of Robert Weise ’58

Ed White, spouse of former staff

Marty White

Erliene R. Clayton, mother of Professor Thomas Clayton

PARTING SHOT

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