SPRING 2011
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The Women’s Issue ... Bridging Healthcare: Mary Lu Gerke and Diane Holmay
High Flyer: Ethel Meyer Finley
Different Path: Gifty Amarteifio
A Publication of Winona State Univer sity
First Class These 1968 senior nursing students discuss psychiatric principles with professor Evelyn Nappe. They made up part of Winona State’s first nursing class. Today, there are more than 4,400 alumni of the nursing program. Find more nursing “numbers” at www.winona.edu/nursingandhs/nursing.
C O N T E N T S ANSWERING THE CALL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Mary Lu Gerke and Diane Holmay STAR STRUCK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Sculpture inspired by the heavens BORN TO FLY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Ethel Meyer Finley soars into history POLITICAL ACTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Student Gifty Amarteifio goes public News & Highlights.................................................................................... 5 Athletic News........................................................................................... 7 Scholarship News.................................................................................... 8 Philanthropy News................................................................................... 9 Alumni Relations.................................................................................... 22 Class Notes............................................................................................ 23 Current People: Jennifer Anderson........................................................ 30
ON THE COVER
Mary Lu Gerke ’95 (left) and Diane Holmay ’76 | ’89, leaders at two of the largest healthcare providers in the Upper Midwest, have remained close to their nursing roots. Read the story on page 10. (Photo: Bruce DeFries Studio Group)
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Winona Currents is published by Winona State University’s Division of University Advancement and is distributed to more than 46,000 alumni and friends of Winona State University.
Currents is copyrighted material. Articles may be reprinted with permission. Comments on this publication should be directed by mail to: WSU-University Advancement, PO Box 5838, Winona MN 55987-5838; by email: currents@winona.edu; online: www.alumni.winona.edu. Address changes and Class Notes should be directed by mail to the Alumni Relations Office, PO Box 5838, Winona MN 55987-5838; by email: alumni@winona.edu.
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POSTMASTER: If undeliverable as addressed, please send Form 3579 to Alumni Relations, PO Box 5838, Winona MN 55987-5838. Winona State University is an equal opportunity educator and employer. This document can be made available in an alternative format to individuals with disabilities by contacting the magazine staff at the address above.
CURRENTS SPRING 2011
EDITOR’S NOTE Through the years, we’ve published several issues of Currents based around a theme: a presidential inauguration, the university sesquicentennial, Homecoming.
We’ve always taken the term “theme” loosely, using a meandering thread of words and ideas to stitch together stories and images. The Spring 2011 issue is different. When Cathie Sieracki ’87, who is scholarship administrator at Winona State, suggested that we devote an issue to the contributions of women to the university, I did some investigating.
From working on those sesquicentennial editions, I knew that Winona State was founded to educate teachers for a newly settled state, and that many of those would be young women. In fact, of the Winona State Normal School’s first graduating class of 14, a dozen were women. Today, the numbers aren’t quite as overwhelming. But they’re still impressive.
The 2010 freshman class is 64 percent female. Women made up 63 percent of last spring’s graduating class. Nearly half of the faculty are women. Of just more than 50,000 living alumni, 61 percent (or 30,405) are women. And not to forget that inauguration issue, Dr. Judith Ramaley, WSU’s first female president, has been leading the university since 2005. When our editorial group (of which I am the only male) considered focusing on women for this issue, it was an easy decision. They’re all represented here: a promising student, professors who change lives, a future leader, accomplished alumni, even a war hero. These are just a few of 30,405 stories (and counting, as each new class graduates) we could tell about the women who have built Winona State University. We hope you enjoy reading them.
B R E T T AY E R S Editor
WOMEN OF INFLUENCE. All six of these women continue to make an impact on the university and its students through the scholarship funds they established: GERTRUDE FINCH (former chair of Business Education); SUSAN J. DAY (professor emerita and former chair of Physical Education and Recreation, former assistant vice president for Academic Affairs); Margaret Browning (former director of Student Health Services); KATHRYN DUNLAY (former professor of Education); ELIZABETH CALLENDER KING (university benefactor); and JOYCE O. LOCKS (professor emerita and first director of Women’s Athletics).
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Find your way around campus. Locate a campus bus. Check news and calendars, or look up someone in the directory. This, and more, from your mobile device.
Winona360 Earns WOW
Winona State introduces Winona State Mobile, its latest application for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The application lets users search campus maps, track WSU buses, take a virtual tour, check academic calendars and directories, and find out the latest university news.
It was one of four initiatives nationally honored with the WCET Outstanding Work award. The award recognizes innovative use of technology in higher education to address challenging issues with unique solutions. WOW noted Winona360’s innovative use of technology and collaboration to produce a new model of civic media.
Winona State Mobile is available as a free download from the iTunes Store. Don’t have an iPhone? Direct your browser to the WSU website: www.winona.edu.
Winona State’s Winona360 civic media project has won the 2010 WOW award for outstanding innovation in higher education.
Winona360 is an online platform for news, information, education, and cultural expression. A partnership between the Mass Communication Department and Teaching, Learning, and Technology, it serves as a laboratory for students and faculty to learn about new and emerging media.
NEWS&HIGHLIGHTS
WSU Goes Mobile
Check out Winona360 at: www.winona360.org.
NCPTC Wins Grant Bill Meyer and Tom Grier sign their new book, Campus of Trees, which is available at the WSU Bookstore.
Trees Part Two
Bill Meyer and Tom Grier have published the second edition of their popular book, Campus of Trees: Winona State University. Meyer, retired senior groundskeeper at Winona State, and Grier, professor of Mass Communication, first collaborated as authors in 2004. Their latest Campus of Trees updates that beautiful documentation of the trees growing on the Winona State campus, with lavish color photography, feature trees and articles, and three self-guided tree tours. Campus of Trees, second edition, is available now online at the Winona State Bookstore by phone (507.457.5319) or online: www.wsubookstore.com.
The National Child Protection Training Center at Winona State, in partnership with the Shaken Baby Alliance and Center for Effective Discipline, received a grant from the Matty Eappen Foundation to provide prevention education to address abusive head trauma and shaken baby syndrome. The $15,000 grant is renewable for up to three years, for a total of $45,000. NCPTC will produce twelve webinars based on the “When Babies Cry” curriculum. Webinars will teach the dangers of shaking a baby and give caregivers a plan of action if they feel overwhelmed or frustrated. The target audience will be high school students, pregnant and parenting teens, highrisk parents, childcare referral agencies, and childcare training programs.
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NEWS&HIGHLIGHTS
Students Rewarded McKinley is international scholar
Savannah McKinley, a senior English and political science major, has been awarded $5,000 from the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. McKinley, from Milwaukee, Wis., is using the competitive award for a spring 2011 study abroad program in Spain.
Prunty trains with Surgeon General
Andrew Prunty was one of 29 participants selected to attend the Medical Reserve Corps Introduction to Federal Deployment through the Office of the Surgeon General. Prunty, majoring in pre-medicine at WSU, learned skills that could be used in federal deployment in communities. He is a paramedic, Winona County MRC volunteer, a volunteer EMT, volunteer firefighter, and member of the Minnesota National Guard.
NBS is again chapter of the year
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Theede posts a first
Kelly Theede won the award for outstanding poster presentation for “Characterization of a Genetic Interaction Between SBP1 and WHI3 in S. cerevisiae,” at the Seven Rivers Research Symposium in La Crosse, Wis. The award, given by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), includes a scholarship to the national ASBMB meeting in April in Washington, D.C. Theede, from Stillwater, Minn., graduates this spring and plans to study cancer biology in graduate school.
Theatre and Dance students in limelight
Students from the Department of Theatre and Dance were recognized in a variety of categories at the 43rd Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.
Justin Atkinson and Tiffany Streng advanced to semifinals in the Irene Ryan acting competition with their respective acting partners, Caitilin McCoy and Cody Anderson. Amanda Gehrke, Alex Jung, Dan Fredell, and Miranda Zuffa placed first in the Stage Crew Showdown, competing against twelve other teams. Jocelyn Olson won a Certificate of Merit for her work as scenic change artist for last fall’s production of “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.” Mara Jarvis was also recognized for stage managing “Ali Baba.” Amber Redig won first place in Allied Crafts for her construction of the Gryphon head seen in last year’s Children’s Theatre production of “Alice in Wonderland.”
Find more Winona State news Want to know what’s happening at Winona State? Between issues of Currents, find news, highlights, events, and tips at the following:
WSU Social Media: winona.edu/socialmedia
Winona State’s National Broadcasting Society (NBS) has received the Chapter of the Year award at the Regional Convention for the third consecutive year.
WSU Newsroom: winona.edu/communications/newsroom
The WSU NBS chapter is part of the seven-state Heartland Region, comprised of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
President Ramaley’s Bookshelf: winona.edu/presidentsbookshelf
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Currents Online: winona.edu/currents
ATHLETIC NEWS
A Fine Balance B
alance is important in any sport. Think of a gymnast prancing the beam. A quarterback setting up to throw. A golfer addressing the ball.
For Dr. Judith Ramaley, balance is important at Winona State University, too. And it’s an essential part of the experience for Warriors student-athletes, who compete at the NCAA Division II level.
Over the past two years, the NCAA has phased in guidelines aimed at increasing that connection, and decreasing time spent on athletics. In 2010, contests were reduced in ten sports and length of seasons streamlined. In the future, the 300 Division II colleges and universities may see further reductions in games and hours allowed for athletic-related activities, such as practices and team meetings.
The Winona State president is more than a casual observer of intercollegiate athletics. She’s a familiar figure at Warriors’ games, wearing her trademark purple hat, which debuted during a run to the 2006 national basketball title.
Athletics director Larry Holstad, who has worked closely with Ramaley on Life in the Balance, says that her leadership has been important at a key time for intercollegiate athletics. “She has set the tone of the discussion on the role of athletics at the national, conference, and university level.”
Her interest goes beyond fandom, however. Ramaley is a member of the NCAA Division II President’s Council and chair of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. She has been in the forefront of Division II’s “Life in the Balance” philosophy, which encourages equal emphasis on academic achievement, learning through high-level competition, and developing responsibility and citizenship through service.
Winona State is a model for that discussion. While twelve Warriors teams advanced to post-season play last year, fifteen sports compiled a 3.20 average GPA. Individuals earned a 3.12 average, a tenth of a point higher than WSU students overall. This year, they performed more than 3,000 hours of community service, mentoring at schools, raking leaves, holding a “48-Hour Practice” for clean water initiatives.
“For a long time, NCAA Division II was viewed as the division that was ‘left over,’ not the full-scholarship world of Division I or the small college environment of Division III,” says Ramaley, speaking from an office embellished with Warriors memorabilia.
Ramaley says that Winona State has been a leader in shaping the NCAA’s Life in the Balance principles because they “take the university’s mission and make it real.”
“This platform of balance gives Division II a sense of self as a true, distinctive choice for students, like ours, who want to be connected to daily life.”
“Life in the Balance reflects Winona State and our students who succeed here,” says Ramaley. “They balance competing in athletics, pursuing an excellent education, and they also want to be part of the community. They become part of something bigger than themselves.”
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By Margaret Cox
S
ometimes, you have to throw old traditions to the wind and forge new ones.
That’s been the case for Heather Gerdes, whose path to Winona State University has been anything but traditional. In 2008, this ambitious, thirty-something mother of two decided to return to school to build a better life for herself and her children. And the Erika K. Scholarship provided the support and inspiration she needed to carve a new future for her family. Gerdes is no stranger to handling multiple roles. She skillfully juggled motherhood and full-time employment as a dental assistant in Winona. Looking for something more meaningful, she enrolled as a part-time student at Winona State with the intention of majoring in Business Administration. After taking a public speaking class, she switched to Communication Studies, which fit her outgoing 8
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personality. “I really liked the idea that it is a broad degree that can be used in many professions. I find the art of communication very interesting, and I realized that I can use this skill in my everyday life.” Next, Gerdes considered her career options. “I’ve always wanted to work with the elderly or the terminally ill and their families, helping them make the transition into the golden years a little easier,” she said. So Gerdes set another goal: to become a patient advocate.
PHOTO: Peter Boysen
SCHOLARSHIP NEWS
Heather Gerdes: Forging Her Future
non-traditional women students who have faced hardship and difficult choices. When she received word of her selection for the Erika K. Scholarship, Gerdes was ecstatic. “This scholarship has given me the ability to finish school full-time, which will put me back into the workforce sooner. I couldn’t have asked for such a generous gift at a more important time.”
“I couldn’t have asked for such a generous gift at a more important time.”
Achieving this goal was going to take a significant amount of time, given her status as a part-time student. Gerdes met with a financial aid counselor and was encouraged to apply for the Erika K. Scholarship. Established in 1997 by Robert and Erika Kalitta Gilbertson, the scholarship was created to support
Today, Gerdes maintains a full-time course load, works part-time, and keeps tabs on two energetic children. “I hope to fulfill the spirit of this scholarship not only by making a difference in the community through my profession, but also by creating my own scholarship one day. The positive impact that the scholarship has made in my life and the lives of my children will stay with us forever!”
We did it!
Partnership.
That simple word evokes an image of an agreement to do something together. Teamwork. Something bigger than the sum of its parts. Collaboration that benefits everyone.
lives in southeast Minnesota and the world.
At Winona State University, one of the first things that comes to mind with the mention of “partnership” is the university’s long and trusted relationship with Merchants Bank.
The partnership between Merchants Bank and Winona State is exemplified through the Merchants Match to support the Integrated Wellness Complex. Not only did Merchants make a lead gift, but the bank also challenged Winona State’s many supporters to step forward through its offer to match individual gifts of up to $1,000 to the IWC.
Merchants was founded in 1875, just a decade-and-a-half after the first classes were held at the Winona State Normal School. For almost as many years, Merchants has done more than supported a number of projects, events, and initiatives. Merchants has shared Winona State’s mission to improve
The Merchants Match has been a huge success. More than 400 donors successfully met the challenge by reaching the Merchants Match goal of $200,000. Of those, 169 gave $1,000 or more and have been recognized on the donor wall at the entrance of the IWC. The larger honor comes from
the thousands of students who visit the Integrated Wellness Complex each day. The partnership between Merchants and Winona State has been transformative. With its gift, Merchants demonstrated faith and trust in the university, its mission, and its role in the region. The bank also set an example for future partnerships, which will become increasingly important as the university moves into an environment of continually decreasing public funding.
PHILANTHROPY NEWS
The Merchants Match...
More importantly, the Merchants Match is a gift made not in isolation, but one that can be shared by hundreds of alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and students who have established their own partnership with Winona State.
There’s still time!
Gifts of $1,000 or more to the IWC will still be recognized on the donor wall. Goal: $200,000
0
Make your gift: www.winona.edu/merchants.asp or call 507.457.5020
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PHOTOS: BRUCE DEFRIES STUDIO GROUP
Mary Lu Gerke, here with Dr. Wayne Bottner, is vice president for nursing at Gundersen Lutheran in La Crosse, Wis.
Answering the Call
NURSING ROOTS GUIDE MARY LU GERKE AND DIANE HOLMAY IN INFLUENTIAL HEALTHCARE POSITIONS By Brian Voerding
T
he careers of two nurses and Winona State University graduates began similarly, focused on caring for one patient at a time. Then they rose, practically parallel, to positions directing the delivery of care to patients at the two largest healthcare institutions in the region. Mary Lu Gerke ’95 is vice president for nursing services at Gundersen Lutheran in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Just across town, Diane Holmay ’76 | ‘89 is vice president for nursing services and patient care at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare. Hundreds of nurses learn from them. Grow with them. Are inspired by their example. Both Gerke and Holmay, while ceaselessly dedicated, never planned on pursuing anything larger than their first love of patient care. But
in a combined 70 years of service, their paths seemed determined by something that guided them long before their first day on the job:
neonatal intensive care unit, where she had interned as a student. Two years later, she became a certified neonatal practitioner.
Calling.
“For some reason I got it in my head that I wanted to take care of babies early on in school,” Holmay says. “I loved the excitement, the challenges, the happy moments as well as the sad. Working with families at a special time in their lives left me with memories I’ll never forget. ”
A word that begins with the same letters as “career,” but something defined so separately. Something you just had to do. Something you were led to. Gerke, who earned her undergraduate degree at Viterbo University in 1974, knew early on that she wanted to be a nurse. Anything else “didn’t fill my soul. It didn’t fill me up.” She found her first job at St. Francis Hospital (which would later become Franciscan Skemp) in the intensive care unit. Holmay earned her undergraduate degree at Winona State and also began her career at St. Francis in the
In their early days as nurses, both say they were hooked on the thrills of a forever-shifting matrix of circumstances, charts, crises, and cures. “It was very high stress and at the same time sacred space,” Gerke says. “You saw the patients in their most vulnerable time. Of course none of them wanted to be there. But many
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times you saved people’s lives. And at times, helped them leave the world as peacefully as possible” Continually at the poles of emotion, the women discovered spirituality. “The transition from the large energy that some would call God, or a super-consciousness, is transmitted to us when we become a physical human being at birth,” Gerke believes. “There’s biology to it, but there’s also spirituality, the energy, the soul. It connects humans to humans. It’s a very sacred place.” Gerke moved for a few years to North Memorial Hospital in the Twin Cities, then returned in 1979 to La Crosse to work at Lutheran (which would become Gundersen Lutheran) as director of the hospital’s surgical intensive care unit. Holmay’s career turned later. In the early 1990s, she explored the broader connections between babies and family health. She was part of the team that created the Center for Women’s Health at Franciscan Skemp. When it opened in 1993, she signed on as director. It was a natural transition from her previous work, moving from intensive care to providing a holistic approach to women’s health. “I started thinking about, when a baby is sick, what happens with the family dynamic?” Holmay says. “When a mom is sick, what happens? That pivotal role makes such a difference in the health of a family.” Holmay’s work led her beyond La Crosse and all the way to Russia, where she helped open a women’s wellness center in 1998, and to Ukraine, where she assisted two
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cities in strengthening health care for community families. Neither Gerke nor Holmay had planned on moving from direct care to management. One phrase rises again and again when they recount their journey: lifelong learning. It led both to master’s degrees at Winona State, and to increasingly higher positions at Gundersen Lutheran and Franciscan Skemp. “I still feel the way I did when I was a student, anxious to get up in the morning and learn,” Holmay says. “I love change. We can all get fatigued with change, but it makes us feel alive, makes us feel that we’re moving in the right direction.” Both are closely tied to the future of nursing and healthcare in the region, and recognize that there are plenty of challenges. Holmay is concerned about the mounting disparity between the severity and complexity of illnesses and the time people spend in healthcare settings rather than their homes. She looks back to her previous role, teaching women about their needs as part of what came naturally. Meeting people where they are, with no walls. Helping communities keep well and out of the healthcare system as much as possible. Gerke hopes to teach her nurses what they consistently communicate to their patients, yet rarely practice: take care of yourself. It’s a skill that she says leads immediately to improved patient care. “When I came out of school we had a morning break, a lunch break, we sat down and said, ‘How is everybody doing? Are there things we can help
each other with?’ Now my nurses aren’t getting their morning breaks, they’re not getting their lunch breaks. This has got to change.” Today, Gerke teaches her nurses a simple but profoundly difficult task: how to breathe. “If we’re angry or upset or negative, that’s the energy we give to the patient. If the patients feel anxious it doesn’t create that atmosphere of healing. If we approach the patient in a centered, calm manner and focus on them, they heal better.” It may seem that Gerke and Holmay are now distant from their first calling as nurses. But they haven’t strayed very far from their roots. They still make rounds in clinical settings and at their hospitals. “We didn’t leave nursing when we became administrators,” says Holmay. “We influence care from a different vantage point. In taking care of our staff, we care for our patients.” “When I first started doing this, a team of doctors, nurses, people from facilities, were looking all over for me. I came out of a room and they said, ‘Where have you been?’” recalls Gerke. “I’m with a patient, isn’t that what we’re here for? I’m a nurse. I’ll always be a nurse.”
Mark you calendars for the 2011 nursing reunion on October 21-22. See page 23 of this issue for more information.
Diane Holmay is vice president for nursing services and patient care at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare in La Crosse.
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Star Struck
“Stardust is the source of all life and matter,” said Nancy Jannik when relating her vision for the Science Laboratory Center atrium to sculptor Larry Kirkland. His interpretation of Jannik’s vision is featured in the book, Natural Histories: Public Art by Larry Kirkland, a retrospective of the internationally renowned artist’s work. Completed in 2004, the soaring glass atrium connects three buildings on the Winona State University campus. Central to the space, and Jannik’s vision, is a 16-foot “star bench,” crafted of black granite and granitic gneiss, on which Kirkland engraved a representation of one of the first accurate maps of the heavens, Atlas Coelestis. The same map adorns the cover of Natural Histories. Jannik, a hydrogeologist and then dean of the College of Science & Engineering, oversaw the design and construction of the $30 million Science Laboratory Center. She worked closely with Kirkland on the atrium, which depicts scientific exploration from a microscopic to galactic scale. (Jannik remains a hydrogeologist, but is now associate vice president for Research, Graduate Studies, and Planning at Winona State).
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istory
y l F o t n h iation v a e k a
SPs m A W e nd th
a Finley r e y e hel M
r o B Et
By Frederick Beseler ’76
B
orn in 1920, the year the Nineteenth Amendment gave American women the right to vote, and in the same decade when Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh soared from obscurity, it’s little wonder that Ethel Meyer Finley ’41 set her eyes and heart on the sky.
Finley, who passed away in 2006, learned to fly airplanes while a student at Winona State Teachers College. She went on to lead a life of adventure and service as a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during World War II. Eventually, she and her fellow WASP pilots would be recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal. “I can remember the day he [Lindbergh] made that famous trip,” Finley told an interviewer. “I was seven years old. It impressed me. And I was intrigued by it.” “I remember having dreams of being able to fly myself, without an airplane. I was jumping off the barn and I would be flying over the wires that went from the house to the barn.”
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Ethel Meyer Finley won her wings — and a Congressional Gold Medal — as an instructor and aviator during World War II. Finley’s mother, who read to her constantly, pushed her to excel. From her earliest school days, Finley was at the top of her class, even when placed with students a year or so ahead. She was salutatorian at Lake City High School and had many scholarship offers, accepting the one from Winona State. Although not sure what she wanted to do, Finley majored in science and physical education and worked as a teaching assistant in the Biology Department. It wasn’t long before she found her calling. She and fellow teaching assistant Eddie Siebold discovered the Civilian Pilot Training Program. “We had often talked about airplanes and Winona was known to be one of
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the aviation centers of Minnesota. Max Conrad was located here and he was one of the best-known barnstorming pilots.”
carton of juice and sweet roll for her in the glove box of his car. “We’d fly for a half hour or hour, whatever would fit in and then he’d get me back to school by eight o’clock.”
“[Eddie] said, ‘Guess what? We’re going to have flying in college.’ I asked, ‘What’s it going to cost?’ He “We had often talked said, ‘Nothing. I about airplanes and signed up for it. It’s going to be a Winona was known to class of ten and they will take one be one of the aviation girl.’”
By the winter of 1940 Ethel had earned her pilot’s license, finishing her training in a Piper Cub equipped with skis.
After graduating from Winona State in June, Finley started work in nearby Rushford, Minnesota, where she taught math, science, and physical education courses for $100 a month. On weekends she caught a ride back to Winona to continue with advanced flying lessons. Limited time and budget made flying difficult, so Finley resigned and went to Chicago for air traffic control training school.
centers of Minnesota.”
“I was immediately down at the president’s office. I wasn’t going to mess around and see who was in charge!” With her mother’s permission, Conrad took Finley as a flight student. Because she was attending classes, doing her practice teaching, and working half days at the college, they flew in the early morning hours. Conrad would pick Finley up at the apartment she shared with three other students. Many mornings he would have a
She wanted to be in the air, however, at the controls of a plane. She jumped at an offer from Conrad to operate an instrument flight simulator at the
Winona airport, providing training and checkout for Northwest Airlines pilots. Then came December 7, 1941, and the attack on Pearl Harbor. Famed aviator Jackie Cochrane had proposed training women to fly in non-combat roles, such as ferrying new aircraft to military bases, to free more male pilots for combat duty. As World War II progressed, Cochrane’s idea was accepted and she got the goahead to establish a training program for female pilots. In late 1942, Finley got a letter from Cochrane. She was one of 1,830 women accepted for training and later one of just over a thousand who earned the right to wear the silver WASP wings. Training was at hot, dusty Avenger Field just outside Sweetwater, Texas. The WASPs received $150 a month, from which they paid their
own room, board, and uniform and clothing expenses. Although the women already had many hours of flight experience, they were required to learn the military way. Before stepping up to fast, maneuverable fight planes, the pilots had to master the AT-6 “Texan” advanced trainer. It’s still said today that if you can fly an AT-6, you can fly anything. Finley had no trouble at Avenger Field, either with the academics or the AT-6. “I don’t have any real conscious memories of being overwhelmed by it,” she recalled for an interviewer. “I knew I was good at flying and didn’t worry too much about the mathematics. I had no trouble with the ground school courses because I was quite recently out of college and I had taught physics so [learning about] engines was no problem for me.”
After leaving Avenger Field with her WASP wings, Finley reported to Ferrying Command at Love Field in Dallas. It was here that she and her classmates ran into obstacles. “Every once in a while you would get some jealous males who didn’t want to be instructors or check pilots, especially for women. When our group came in they failed us on our check ride even though we had just graduated from Sweetwater with no problems. We were just left sitting around.” Finley’s classmate and lifelong friend, Marjorie Popell, phoned Cochrane and the WASPs were quickly back up in the air. Finley and Popell moved to air bases around the country – Alabama, South Carolina, Texas – testing and transporting planes, qualifying on new aircraft, learning aerobatics, training as instructors, flying at every opportunity. Eventually, they made it back to Shaw Army Air Base in South Carolina to teach male pilots. Was there resistance at being instructed by a woman? “No, we were always very
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NEWS&HIGHLIGHTS
honest about it,” Finley explained. “I would start out the first day when I was given my students, by saying to them that this is the first time it has been tried in the military to have women instruct men. If you prefer not to be a part of this or to have me as the instructor, you may ask for a change. I never had a single one ask for a change.” The commanding officer in charge of training at Shaw complimented Finley and Popell as among his best instructors. By late 1944, the Allies were winning the war and the need for pilots lessened. The WASPs were unceremoniously disbanded. Some tried to fly with the airlines, but even with thousands of hours of experience, women were excluded from the cockpit. Most simply returned home; they even had to pay their own fare. None ever flew military aircraft again.
around the country, telling their stories, and encouraging young women to follow their dreams. She was inducted into the Minnesota and Delaware Aviation Halls of Fame, and named a Winona State Distinguished Alumna in 1994. In the 1970s, the “first” female American military pilots were accepted by the Air Force. Those pioneers of women’s aviation, who served in WASP, had never been officially acknowledged or recognized. Thirty-eight died while in service. The worst insult was that the WASPs were not allowed the American flag to be draped on their caskets. While Finley was president of the national WASP organization from 1992 to 1994, the U.S. Congress finally granted the intrepid flyers
Finley remained at Shaw, landing a civil service job operating instrument trainers, as she had done earlier in Winona with Conrad. She married James Finley, a U.S. Air Force major, in December 1944. While he continued his career, Finley never stopped Finley left aviation and raised their three children. serving, and she But she never stopped serving, and she never forgot her service to the United States.
never forgot her service to the United States.
Over the next 25 years, Finley became active in women’s affairs, founding halfway houses in New Jersey and Delaware for women recovering from substance abuse. She worked to keep the WASPs and their actions during World War II in the national conscious, traveling to air shows
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Winona WinonaCurrents Currents••Spring Spring2011 2009
veteran’s status. In 2009, three years after Finley passed away, Congress authorized creation of a Congressional Gold Medal, recognizing the WASPs and their service. About 200 of the 300 surviving WASPs received the medal at the U.S. Capitol in March 2010, during Women’s History Month. Perhaps the greatest honor bestowed on Finley and her fellow WASPs came much earlier, from General Hap Arnold’s remarks to their last graduating class in 1944. “You, and more than 900 of your sisters, have shown that you can fly wingtip to wingtip with your brothers. If ever there was a doubt in anyone’s mind that women can become skillful pilots, the WASPs have dispelled that doubt.” Frederick Beseler ’76 has worked as writer for nearly 35 years and serves on board of the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame. He is an active pilot who made his first solo flight from Max Conrad Field in 1973. Thanks to the Woman’s Collection, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas for interview transcripts and images.
A Few Minutes With
Vicki Decker u We’re off to an optimistic start in 2011. Data show that employers plan to increase hires of new graduates by 13 percent nationally, and by 20 percent in the Midwest. u The top majors? In the Midwest, it’s accounting, finance, business administration and management, engineering, and computer sciences. All of those are offered at Winona State. u Communications, a strong work ethic, analytical and problem solving, teamwork – those are the skills employers tell us they’re seeking in new employees, no matter the major.
I
n her more than twenty years with Career Services, Vicki Decker has shared highs and lows with thousands of students and alumni. Through booms and busts, the successes outweigh the disappointments, with more than 90 percent of new graduates consistently finding work and internships or entering graduate school. Decker, who was named director of Career Services in 1996, has been innovative in her approach. Winona State was the first university in Minnesota to offer online services, and the current website (www. winona.edu/career) is a rich resource for job seekers. Career Services has also implemented a four-year development model, reaching out to students when they first arrive on campus, instead of focusing services only toward juniors and seniors.
u For new graduates: start early. Understand how to translate your degree to your desired career, maintain a 3.0 GPA, participate in campus activities and leadership, get related experience through service, internships, and/or part-time work. u For alumni, communication skills are paramount. Understand what the employer wants. Demonstrate your experience and how it’s made a difference. Many positions
are never advertised, so nurture your networks. Social networking is a critical resource – for the candidate and the employer. u Alumni still have access to free online career services. They can simply call us to re-activate the account they had when they were students at Winona State. u We are available to assist alumni one-onone. We can help with search preparation, resume and letter review, interview skills, and other services on both the Rochester and Winona campuses.
A degree makes a difference … Unemployment Rate
Degree Level
Mean Earnings*
2.5
Doctorate
$113,455
3.9
Master’s
$83,371
5.2
Bachelor’s
$71,044
6.8
Associate’s
$48,534
Decker discusses how alumni and new graduates can make their way in the current employment environment.
8.6
Some College
$46,168
9.7
High School
$40,175
14.6
Less than high school
$31,121
u Our total employment rate – 92.4 percent for 2008-09 graduates – has fared well. That’s dropped about two percent from the previous year, which is reflective of general economic and recruiting trends.
*Unemployment and earnings for year-round, full-time workers aged 25 and over Sources: Bureau of the Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics
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Political Action
Gifty Amarteifio hopes to apply what she’s learned at WSU to public realm
By Sarah Certa ’10
I
n the fall of 2007, Gifty Amarteifio arrived at Winona State University and, like many new students, had little idea of what she wanted to major in, let alone what career path she might take. Fast forward to the spring of 2011, and Amarteifio is ready to graduate with a double major in Political Science and Public Administration, while building an impressive record of public service, civic engagement, and leadership. Multiple factors played into Amarteifio’s decision to enter the public realm, but what first sparked her interest was the 2008 presidential election, held during her first semester. It was the first time she was eligible to vote. “Everyone was talking about it,” Amarteifio remembers, “and it got me really excited.” The next semester, an Introduction to Politics course grabbed her attention. At the same time, Amarteifio was reading Three Cups of Tea in an English class. The memoir records the journey of Greg Mortenson, an American who promotes peace through education by establishing schools in rural Afghanistan and Pakistan. Amarteifio, whose name reflects her Ghanaian heritage, was intrigued by Mortenson’s selflessness. “He was able to put everything he loved aside in hopes of giving others an education so they could better their own lives,” she says. This insight opened a world of possibilities for Amarteifio. She declared her major in Political Science, with a strong interest in education. “I knew that education was something I wanted to be a part of, but I didn’t necessarily want to teach,” she says. After taking a public service course her sophomore year, Amarteifio realized she didn’t need to be in a classroom, but that she could do it through policy work. With the guidance of Kara Lindaman, professor of Political Science and Public Administration at Winona State, Amarteifio declared a second major in Public Administration. Lindaman has continued as an advisor and a source of support. Lindaman is also the coordinator of WSU’s American Democracy Project, a multi-campus initiative that promotes campus engagement in democracy and political discussion. Through her classes with Lindaman, Amarteifio became involved in the ADP. “This really developed my love for public service,” she says.
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Winona Currents • Spring 2011
This experience, along with her other public service projects, reinforced the idea that she doesn’t have to be a “big politician” to have a voice, says Amarteifio. “A small group of people dedicated to making small changes can really have an effect.” In addition to her work off-campus, Amarteifio has been active on campus as a member of the WSU Student Senate and its Academic Affairs Committee. Although it has recently become more diverse, Amarteifio says that she was one of the few, if not only, African-Americans serving in the WSU Senate when she was elected during her sophomore year.
PHOTO:Big Guy Advertising
“I wanted to represent the people who I felt didn’t have a voice,” she says. Now a full senator, Amarteifio enjoys representing the liberal arts area and working on academic issues that affect students directly. Amarteifio is looking at a master’s degree in public policy and a career in researching, creating, and reforming education policy. She would love to eventually work with a think tank, crafting education policy at the state level.
Gifty Amarteifio wants to influence education policy after she graduates this spring. With the ADP, Amarteifio helped conduct several public service projects, including Democracy Day, which brought members of the student body, administration, and local community together to tackle the issue of student binge drinking. Amarteifio felt the project was a success. “It was great because we decided to have an open discussion about this issue and work together to come up with possible solutions,” she says. Amarteifio was also one of ten Winona State students who volunteered to serve
as 2010 midterm election judges in Minneapolis and St. Paul. She says she loved being a part of the entire process and was inspired by all the people coming out to use their voices. As a senior this past fall, Amarteifio, along with Lindaman and two other WSU students, attended “We the People,” a civic agency conference held in the Twin Cities. Amarteifio says this was a great example of how a small group of people can come together and be collectively engaged in seeing change come about.
“We as a country expect children to make something great of themselves, and we need to provide them with the proper tools to do so. I want to play my part in ensuring that they have a quality education,” says Amarteifio. She encourages others of her generation to realize that they can influence political change, and stresses the importance of taking active roles. “When we don’t come forward, we’re depriving the country of our great ideas, our great energy, and everything else that we have to offer,” Amarteifio says. “There’s a common misconception that young people just don’t care. But a lot of us do care, and a lot of us hold the potential to make a difference.”
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ALUMNI RELATIONS
Grandparents University® Nearly Full – Register Soon! WSU PARENTS D N A R G ITY UNIVERS
Interested in discovering college with your grandchild? Want to create lifelong memories of learning and sharing – together? A number of grandparents, “grandfriends,” aunts, and uncles have already registered for Winona State’s Grandparents University®. The 2011 session of Grandparents University will be hosted on the WSU campus on June 23-24, 2011. Learn in Winona State classrooms from WSU professors, sample summer activities on campus and in Winona, and stay in New Center West Residence Hall. Grandparent and grandchild select a “major” and, over two days, explore their field of interest in business, engineering, geoscience, physics, English, or health, exercise, and rehabilitative science. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from each other in a fun, dynamic environment. For more information or to register, call 507.474.3900. Email grandparents@winona.edu. Visit the website at: www.winona.edu/grandparents. *Grandparents University is a registered trademark originating at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is used with permission.
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Winona Currents • Spring 2011
Recognize a Future Warrior? Recommend students for admission to WSU Help a future student benefit from a Winona State education – just as you did. Alumni Relations is partnering with WSU Admissions to recruit students to join our community of learners. Students you refer who are accepted for admission and enroll will be eligible for a $1,000 Alumni Society Scholarship. If you know a high school student who you think will succeed at Winona State, contact us. We’ll need their name, mailing address, high school, and year of graduation. Email information to alumni@winona.edu. Call us at 1.800.342.5978 ext. 5027.
Homecoming 2011
Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 20 through Saturday, October 22. Thursday, Oct. 20 Distinguished Alumni Awards Friday, Oct. 21 Enduring Flame Reunion Athletic Hall of Fame Induction
u o y e S e re! the
Saturday, Oct. 22 Homecoming Parade and Football Game
1940s
Gordon Hansen ’43 (Wells Minn.) recently lost his wife, Lorraine. Gordon continues to work on two war monuments in the Wells area.
1950s
Shirley (La Rock) Wilson ’51 (Rochester, Minn.) notes that she recently turned 80. She has been in her home for 55 years and has 13 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
1960s
Marlene ’65 and Jerry Mensink ’65 (Rochester Minn.) welcomed their first grandson, Maxwell Patrick Mensink, on February 14.
Tammy Steele Westby ’80 (Rochester, Minn.) has formed CRW Architecture + Design Group along with ten other design professionals. Tammy is associate partner and marketing director for the firm. Donna Torkelson ‘83 (Zion, Ill.) has been teaching in the Winthrop Harbor school district for her entire 26-year career. She now teaches K-4 fine arts and will receive her master’s in curriculum and instruction in May. Dana’s oldest daughter, Brittany, plans to follow her mother’s footsteps to Winona State. Dana has also adopted three children, Juan, Monique, and Jonathan.
Michael Kramer ’86 (South Bend, Ind.) and wife Claire welcomed a second daughter, Fiona, on May 1, 2010. She joins sister Daisy. Kurt Johnson ’88 (White Bear Lake, Minn.) was named the 2011 Minnesota State Auctioneer Champion. Johnson is a past president of the Minnesota State Auctioneers Association, an instructor at World Wide College of Auctioneering, and has been in the auction business for 22 years. (Read a feature on Kurt in the Winter 2009 issue of Currents).
CLASS NOTES
Class Notes
1980s
Peter Woerpel ’89 (La Crosse, Wis.) will retire as principal at Onalaska High School this summer. He graduates his thirteenth class in
Terry Lierman ’69 (Chevy Chase, Md.) has been named one of Washington’s most powerful staffers by Roll Call. Terry has chaired the Maryland Democratic Party and was national finance co-chair for Howard Dean’s presidential campaign. He also ran for U.S. Congress in 2000.
1970s
Nancy Butler ’76 (Lakewood, Colo.) has a new position, senior clinical science liaison in Medical Affairs for Centocor Ortho Biotech/ Johnson and Johnson. “I am very happy to have landed here and challenged with learning a new field, immunology with rheumatology focus,” says Nancy. Randy Staver ‘79 (Rochester, Minn.) was elected to a four-year term on the Rochester City Council. Staver has worked for Mayo Clinic in areas including information technology and management engineering. In addition to campaigning this summer, he also participated in the weddings of two daughters, one of whom is also a WSU graduate.
Family Ties
When Amy Ellestad Conlon ’97 (Madison, Wis.) recently returned to Winona to celebrate the senior football game of her youngest, Joseph, it was a homecoming of sorts for the rest of the Ellestad family. Joe ‘10 (center) played wide receiver for the Warriors. In addition to Amy and Joe, Eric ’01, Patrick ’07, and Jeff ’07 graduated from WSU. Sistersin-law Tara McCabe Ellestad ’00 and Jennifer Irish ’07 are also Winona State alums.
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CLASS NOTES
June and has been with the Onalaska district since 1978, first as a physical education and health teacher and later as assistant principal and principal. He earned his master’s at WSU in educational leadership.
1990s
Dave Bringe ’91 (Holmen, Wis.) has been promoted to senior vice president of sales at WinCraft, Inc. in Winona. Dave began working for WinCraft in 1996 and was later named national sales manager and then vice president of sales in 2008. Jennifer Carlson ‘91 (Circle Pines, Minn.) recently co-authored the book, Multimedia Text Sets: Changing the Shape of Engagement and Learning
(Portage & Main Press) with Janice Marcuccilli Strop. The book provides learners with tools to explore and interpret today’s variety of multimedia text forms. Jennifer is assistant professor in the School of Education at Hamline University. Shelly (Sornberger) Merchelewitz ’91 (Winona) teaches at Bluffview Montessori School in Winona and has boys aged 11, 10, 7, and 5. Christine (Kamenske) Horvath ’93 (Marana, Ariz.) has been named vice president and chief compliance officer at Stratford Advisory Group, Inc. She manages the firms financial, compliance, information technology, and human resource operations, and directs its investor advisor compliance program. In addition to earning her bachelor’s at WSU, she received her MBA with distinction at DePaul University. Yvonne D’Arcy ’95 (Germantown, Md.) writes that her latest book, How to Treat Pain in the Elderly, has received Book of the Year from the American Journal of Nursing. Yvonne is currently pain management and palliative care nurse practitioner at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Bethesda, Md.
Pretty in Pink
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Jessie (Peissig) Gomez ’95 (Fullerton, Calif.) and husband Nigel welcomed their second child, Iva Juliet, on December 26, 2010. Iva joins 2-yearold sister, Rio Jasmine.
Alums Meghan (Anderson) ’00 and Erik ’01 Leverenz welcomed a new addition to their family on November 5, 2010: daughter Abigail Hope. She joins her big sister, Kaitlyn. Abigail and the rest of the Leverenz family live in Grayslake, Ill.
James Mangold ’95 (Pulaski, Wis.) has been named business banking manager for Wells Fargo’s northeast Wisconsin district. He will be based in Green Bay. He began his career with Wells Fargo in Apple Valley, Minn. and was recently district and store manager in Raleigh, N.C.
Send us the best of your baby photos. We select one for publication in each issue of Currents. View more photos or submit your own at www.alumni. winona.edu. Email baby photos to alumni@winona.edu.
Matthew Shea ’96 (St. Paul, Minn.) was elected a shareholder of Gray Plant Mooty, the Minneapolisbased law firm. He practices in the areas of estate planning, business succession planning, estate and trust administration, and international estate and tax planning. Minnesota
Winona Currents • Spring 2011
We Want to Hear Your News! We want to hear your news! Submit class notes, baby photos, and other news at the Currents website: www.winona.edu/currents. Keep up with friends and classmates at www.alumni.winona.edu. Submit information by email to
currents@winona.edu, or to alumni@winona.edu.
Still using mail? Send your notes to: Alumni Office P.O. Box 5838 Winona, MN 55987
Law & Politics magazine has named him a “Rising Star” five times. Matthew graduated summa cum laude from Winona State and earned his JD, cum laude, at William Mitchell College of Law. Justin Barrientos ’98 (Winona) and his wife, Marie, had a son, Benjamin Carter, on June 9, 2010. Renae Servaty ’98 (Spearfish, S.D.) is new executive director of the Booth Society, a non-profit group that works with U.S, Fish and Wildlife Services to operate the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives. Renae coordinates volunteer and outreach programs and manages visitor services. Shannon (Hudak) Saesan ’99 (Farmington, Minn.) married Joshua Ben Saesan on August 14, 2010. Shannon is a web design project manager at Capella University in Minneapolis. Josh works at Carol Corporation in Bloomington.
2000s
Cyndi (Nelson) Blume ’00 (Roseville, Minn.) and husband Ryan welcomed son Nathan on July 23, 2010. Alyssa (Ponto) Huettl ‘00 (Prior Lake, Minn.) and husband Steve welcomed their second son, Easton Dean, to their family on October 25, 2010.
Breanna (Wagner) Welke ‘01 (Hastings, Minn.) and husband Brian had a baby girl, Evelyn Ames on September 29th, 2010. Breanna is a public relations account manager at Kohnstamm Communications in St. Paul, MN. Brian works with American Family Insurance in Hastings.
Nicole (Neumann) Byerly ’06 (Mahtomedi, Minn.) married Tony Byerly on January 30, 2010. Nicole has worked for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs since 2006. Tony is a firefighter at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Tasha (Kalis) Frasher ’06 (Sanborn, Minn.) married Jeremiah Frasher in 2007, the same year she got her first teaching job at Floodwood School. She is now band director and Lamberton Jazz Festival coordinator for Red Rock Central Public Schools.
Thomas ’06 and Tiffany (Staver) Kacir ’06 (Rochester, Minn.) were married on September 25, 2010. Tiffany is a social worker with Zumbro Valley Mental Health. Tom is an English composition tutor at Rochester Community and Technical College. Echo (Kruckenberg) Lahey ’06 (Brooklyn, N.Y.) married Phil Lahey on on December 31, 2010.
CLASS NOTES
Mike Passe ’01 (Holly Springs, N.C.) was promoted to captain by the U.S. Marine Corps in November. Mike served in Iraq in 2005 and 2006 before attending Officer Candidate School. He flies helicopters out of New River Air Base in North Carolina.
Dustin Sadnick ‘06 (St. Paul, Minn.) has joined LaBreche as an account
Shelly (Krusko) Hexom ’02 (Sioux City, Iowa) and husband Fred welcomed their first child, Alexander Elliott, on September 27, 2010. Bill McCormick ’02 (Appleton, Wis.) and his wife, Lori, welcomed a second son, Aiden Daniel, on February 9. Alanna (Killian) Callahan ’03 (Dubuque, Iowa) and husband Tom welcomed their fourth son, Owen, in October. Owen joins brothers Eli, Ethan, and William. Steven Moechnig ’03 (Madison, Wis.) and Amber Dolphin plan a June 4 wedding in Spring Green, Wis. Steve earned his degree in composite materials engineering and is employed with Trek Bicycles. Amber is a musician and teacher. Jesse Valley ’04 (St. Louis Park, Minn.) has been commissioned to create eleven photographs for the Science Museum of Minnesota for its permanent exhibit, “Wonder Years.” His photography will help illustrate the exhibit, with photos of young children playing and interacting with family and friends. To see Jesse’s photography, go to www.jessevalley. com. Alecia (Brunkow) Peterson ’05 (Blooming Prairie, Minn.) announces the birth of her first child, son Mason Alexander, on November 1, 2010.
First Time’s the Charm
When Holly Sutton ’09 was named head girls soccer coach at Rogers High School, her experience included just one year at the helm of the Royals’ junior varsity. She’s quickly building her resume. Her first season ended with a perfect 24-0 record and a Minnesota Class A championship for Rogers, located just northwest of the Twin Cities. It was the first team title in any sport for the Royals. Longtime high school observers can come up with only three other Minnesota coaches who led their teams to state titles in their first season as head coach. A standout player at Winona State, Sutton was a multiple All-America team member and was Daktronics Central Region Player of the Year and a two-time NSIC Offensive Player of the Year. At Winona State, she won conference titles in all four years as a player and qualified for the NCAA Division II tournament twice. She also teaches at Rogers Middle School.
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CLASS NOTES
Read Currents online
www.winona.edu/currents executive. He has experience in the legal, higher education, and financial industries. In his free time, Dustin volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities. Kyle Johnson ‘07 (Prior Lake, Minn.) married Lindsay Elizabeth Olsen on October 30, 2010. Kyle is a physical education teacher while Lindsay is a student teacher in Wayzata. Patrick ’07 and Katelyn (Krueger) McShea ’07 (Genoa City, Wis.) were married in 2008 and welcomed their son, Caleb Thomas, on December 29, 2009. He is a social worker in Northern Illinois, while Katelyn is a medical and legal advocate for sexual assault victims. Taylor (Basara) Peck ’07 and C.J. Peck ’10 (Winona) married on May 22, 2010 in Wisconsin Dells. Taylor
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Winona Currents • Spring 2011
is a registered nurse at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, Wis. and is studying for her master’s degree at Winona State. C.J. earned his business degree at WSU and is delivery coordinator at Menards. Alyssa (Redberg) Julik ’08 (Elk River, Minn.) and Jacob Julik were married on September 18, 2010. Brian ’07 and Lauren (Kuhn) Segner ’10 (Plymouth, Minn.) were married on October 15, 2010. Lauren is a preschool teacher in Plymouth. Brian works as an accounting assistant in Minnetonka. Ross Fahey ’09 (Belleville, Wis.) is now manager of Cheater’s Bar and Lounge in Winona. He is overseeing a complete remodeling of the establishment. Ross, who transferred to WSU from Madison Area Technical College, has also
worked as special event coordinator for Miller Lite. Jake Rajewsky ’10 (Mason City, Iowa) has joined the Globe Gazette in Mason City as a photojournalist. The mass communication major worked at the Winonan, the Winona Daily News, and the La Crosse Tribune.
Nursing Alums: Mark Your Calendars Nursing alumni re-unite! A reunion for all nursing classes will be held on October 21-22 during WSU Homecoming 2011. For more information, contact Alumni Relations:
alumni@winona.edu 507.457.5027
1930s
Wallace Robinson ’32 (Woodward, Iowa) passed away on July 13, 2010. Elizabeth ( Jensen) Heydt ’33 (Blooming Prairie, Minn.) passed away on December 25, 2010. She was valedictorian at Austin High School and after graduating from Winona State, taught in elementary schools in rural Mower and Freeborn Counties, and in the towns of Sargeant and Winona. She and her husband also operated the Sterling Motel in Winona for eleven years.
1940s
Lova (Starz) Anderson ’42 (Zumbro Falls, Minn.) passed away on April 1, 2010. She earned her teaching certificate at Winona State and also graduated from the University of Minnesota. A lifelong teacher and learner, she taught elementary and special education classes and English as a second language. She was also active in her church and community organizations. Daisy Score ’43 (Willmar, Minn.) passed away on April 29, 2010. Warren Smith ’47 (Port Charlotte, Fla.) passed away on December 22, 2010.
1950s
Charles Johnson ’51 (La Crosse, Wis.) passed away on November 25, 2010. He was appointed to attend West Point and later earned his bachelor’s at Winona State. He taught math in Iowa and later joined the John O. Melby Bank in Whitehall, Wis. Charles earned a banking degree at the University of Wisconsin and was a bank president for 30 years. Barbara Stensrud ’51 (Albert Lea, Minn.) passed away on November 26, 2010. After earning her associate’s
degree at Winona State, she was very active in her church and volunteered in numerous community groups and organizations. Joseph Edward Lynch ’52 (Waseca, Minn.) passed away on October 11, 2009. He attended Winona State after his discharge from the U.S. Navy. He went on to teach and coach in Ellendale and later at Waseca High School. Joe, who held several state track records in high school, was active in sports, including refereeing football and basketball. Allan Peters ’53 (Fountain Hills, Ariz.) passed away on October 8, 2010. Gene Rygmyr ’54 (Punta Gorda, Fla.) passed away on November 21, 2010. Dick Wood ’55 (Peoria, Ariz.) passed away on December 27, 2010. Olive Tovson ’57 (Albert Lea, Minn.) passed away on May 5, 2010. She worked as a missionary and teacher in Camaroon and Nigeria and taught French at Kuwait University for three years. She spent the last 19 years residing in Arizona.
1960s
Alice (McCormick) Larson ’61 (Lanesboro, Minn.) passed away on January 26. She earned bachelor’s and master’s at Winona State and taught for 24 years, her last seven as both teacher and principal. She also taught quilting to hundreds of women, and researched, wrote, directed, and narrated Lanesboro’s centennial pageant, “Sentimental Journey into the Past.” She also wrote and directed Preston’s pageant in honor of its 125th year. Margery Buckner ’62 (Brandon, Miss.) passed away on May 27, 2010. Evelyn Baker ’65 (Rochester, Minn.) passed away on April 12, 2010.
Ervin Weiland ’65 (Reedley, Calif.) passed away on April 15, 2010. Richard Kolter ’65 (Winona) passed away on December 17, 2010. A lifelong resident of Winona, he was a mathematics teacher for the Winona Area Public Schools for 32 years. He was also course superintendent at Westfield Golf Club for most of his career.
IN MEMORIAM
In Memoriam
David Hassett ’66 (Minneapolis, Minn.) passed away on January 15 following a short illness. Dave graduated with a bachelor’s in chemistry and worked as a chemist at Watkins Products in Winona. After serving in the U.S. Army, he returned to Watkins and then enrolled in graduate school at WSU. He joined the University of North Dakota as a research chemist, focusing on ligniterelated projects, biofuels, coal ash, and environmental chemistry. He retired in 2010. Dave loved working with groups of students and was known for “blowing things up.” Walter Cacic ’67 (Montello, Wis.) passed away on June 18, 2010. Thomas Schott ’67 (Winona) passed away on December 11, 2010. After graduating from Winona State, he served in the U.S. Army Reserves and went on to work as district manager for Falstaff Brewing. He later joined Miller Brewing Company and in 1979, moved to Eyota, Minn., where Tom became president and CEO of Schott Distributing Company, Inc. Mary Kay Klankowski ’68 (La Crescent, Minn.) passed away on July 28, 2010. Dorothy Anne Pollema ’68 (Winona) passed away on December 15, 2010. After earning a bachelor’s in journalism at Macalester College, she graduated from Winona State with an education degree. She was an area editor for the Rochester Post-Bulletin and later taught
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IN MEMORIAM
in the Dover-Eyota schools until her retirement. Owen Haigh ’69 (Neillsville, Wis.) passed away on April 3, 2010.
Scott Eklund ’82 (Maple Grove, Minn.) passed away on January 13, 2010.
1970s
Holly Tierney ’82 (New Brighton, Minn.) passed away on June 4, 2010.
David Krafka ’70 (Burnsville, Minn.) passed away after a struggle with cancer. Laurel Nunstedt ’71 (Fort Wayne, Ind.) passed away on May 22, 2010. John Fetting ’72 (Fountain City, Wis.) passed away on July 11, 2010. Mark Scholl ’74 (Fountain City, Wis.) passed away on April 12, 2010. John Witham ’74 (Eden Prairie, Minn.) passed away on August 0, 2010. Norlin “Ted” Winkler ’75 (Virginia, Minn.) passed away on December 26, 2010 after a long illness. He joined Mayo Clinic in 1950 and held many positions, including program coordinator for the Radiography Training School, and instructor and assistant professor in the Mayo Medical School. He was named associate in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology by the Mayo Board of Governors in 1981. He held positions in a number of professional societies and was an avid fisherman and reader. Barbara Taylor ’76 (Lola, Wis.) passed away on January 4. She earned her teaching diploma at UW-Stevens Point and BS at Winona State, graduating summa cum laude. She taught in a one-room school before moving to Rochester, Minn., when she became editor and photographer for a newspaper for city employees. She also worked as a retail shop owner, substitute teacher, and math resource aide. She was active in a number of service and community organizations. John Plamann ’79 (Minneapolis, Minn.) passed away on March 6, 2010.
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1980s
Winona Currents • Spring 2011
Brenda (Sangren) Knockel ’83 (Centerville, Minn.) passed away on February 16 following a courageous battle with cancer. Marie Eidem ’85 (Eyota, Minn.) passed away on February 16, 2010.
1990s
Eve Friedli ’90 (Boscobel, Wis.) passed away on November 22, 2010 after a seven-year battle with multiple myeloma. She graduated with education degree at Winona State and later with an accounting degree from Saint Mary’s University. She most recently worked at Mayo Clinic. Lynn Hanson ’92 (New Smyrna Beach, Fla.) died on January 31 after a brief bout with cancer. Her career in nursing included hospital, school, and public health nursing. She spent her final 14 years as a college professor, including as Dean of the School of Nursing at Shepherd University in West Virginia. Kimberly Hilliard ’99 (Rosemount, Minn.) passed away on February 4, 2010. Maureen (Sperbeck) Richter ‘99 (Rochester, Minn.) passed away on February 8 after a two-year battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband, Chad ‘96, and their son Joshua.
2000s
Jody Kramer ’03 (Lewiston, Minn.) passed away on October 31, 2010. Austin Melville ’10 (Rochester, Minn.) died tragically on November 27, 2010, the victim of a hit-and-run driver in downtown Rochester. He
graduated from Winona State in May 2010 and aspired to a career in sports broadcasting.
Faculty, Staff, Friends Sue ‘73 / ‘75 and Jack Cornwell (Winona), great friends of the university and supporters of philanthropy in Winona, passed away within several days of each other at their home in Eagan, Minn. Jack passed away on February 27; Sue on March 2. After earning English degrees, Sue served as an adjunct professor at Winona State and was active in numerous civic and philanthropic organizations, including the Winona Community Foundation as executive director, the Winona Health board, and the Great River Shakespeare Festival board. Jack, a Winona native, graduated from the University of Minnesota and worked as a civil engineer before returning to work with his father at Kendell O’Brien Lumber Company. He started Kendell Doors and Hardware, with which he was involved until his death. He served on various boards and committees in the area. The couple long supported the Cornwell Family Scholarship at Winona State, inspired by Sue’s experiences with earning her degree after their children were in school, and her acceptance as a peer by faculty in the English Department. To contribute to the Cornwell Scholarship, contact the WSU Foundation. Aleeza Saande (Hastings, Minn.) died due to an automobile accident on January 9. An elementary education major, Aleeza was passionate about working with children and hoped to become a teacher. At Winona State, she was active in Campus Crusade for Christ.
M y Fa vor it e Profe s sor
Floretta Murray By Margaret Cox
In this issue of Currents, we focus on Floretta Murray, accomplished artist, outstanding educator, dedicated faculty leader, and involved citizen, who left a legacy of pride for Winona State University and the community upon her passing in 2001. When Floretta Murray set foot on the Winona State campus in the late 1920s, the university had no idea the impact she would make in its history. An artist at heart and natural educator, Murray launched her career following graduation in 1932 as an art supervisor at the Phelps Model School. In 1941, she began teaching art at Winona State, and eventually became head of the Art Department. Murray paved the way for the bachelor’s and master’s programs, as well as a number of internships for art majors. A faculty member for 44 years, Murray made a lasting impression on her students. Stan Ledebuhr ’48 remembers her as a knowledgeable and kind instructor. “I took an art history class with her when I was at WSU,” explains Ledebuhr. “Years later, when I traveled to Europe with my family, we visited some of the same cathedrals we learned about in Ms. Murray’s class. I could still recall a lot of the facts I gathered in that class, even after all those years.” Murray was also influential on university committees, teaming with fellow female professors to pave the way for important campus-wide decisions. Throughout her career, Murray took an active role in Winona community and civic organizations, such as the Winona Planning Commission.
Her concern and influence were exemplified during the restoration and relocation of the Princess Wenonah statue and fountain to its current home in Windom Park. A generous spirit, Murray made the first $1,000 contribution for the restoration project, and was instrumental in seeing the process through to completion. After her retirement from WSU in 1976, she was named professor emerita, and served on the WSU Foundation Board for many years. She was named a Distinguished Alumna in 1987. Murray’s passion for creating and sharing fine art continued throughout her lifetime. The Winona State Presidential Medallion that she designed in 1967 has been worn for ceremonial events by every Winona State president since its creation. Replicas of this remarkable symbol of school and civic pride have been bestowed upon 46 recipients of the Winona State Award of Distinction for their service to the university. Her other artworks are in a number of private collections around the United States, and have been exhibited in Minnesota galleries and museums, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and the Hampton Gallery in London. Her legacy of commitment to students and quality art education continues today through the Floretta May Murray Foundation, which provides scholarship support to Winona State art students.
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CURRENT PEOPLE
Jennifer Anderson By Margaret Cox
O
ne only has to look upward to see the direction that Dr. Jennifer Anderson’s career has taken. A lifelong learner, she knew from an early age that she wanted to “teach future teachers how to teach science better.” As associate professor of Geoscience at Winona State University, Anderson does just that. Using tools like the campus observatory telescopes, she is educating students and the greater Winona community about planets, stars, and the solar system, which often evolves into larger discussions about where we came from and why we’re here.
received a doctorate in geological science at Brown University. Today, she specializes in planetary geophysics and has conducted significant experimental research on impact cratering with NASA. When Anderson arrived at Winona State in 2005, she was delighted to find an observatory, although it was seldom used and needed repair. As part of the restoration process, she led an effort to upgrade its telescopes, including the installation of a 12-inch Meade reflecting telescope.
It wasn’t long before renewed interest in the observatory spread Anderson built her first telescope throughout the community, and when she was just 13 years old as students who shared Anderson’s part of an astronomy camp. “My passion for exploring the skies parents were both teachers. As a formed their own Astronomy Club. kid, my natural curiosity about the “The 12-inch Meade is computer night sky was always encouraged and controlled and easy to use. Students supported,” says Anderson. use coordinates to locate objects,” explains Anderson. After receiving bachelor’s degrees in geophysics, astrophysics, and physics “There’s nothing like standing at the University of Minnesota, she next to someone seeing Saturn for
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Winona Currents • Spring 2011
the first time through a telescope. They’re bowled over!” In keeping with this year’s university theme, “Big Sky,” Anderson and the Astronomy Club presented lectures to the public, including a recent talk exploring the sky using astronomical tools such as solar scopes. Community participants enjoyed learning more about the sun, moon, and the planets, and were thrilled to learn that during warm weather months, the observatory is open to the public for viewing the night sky over Winona. “People have a thirst for the night sky that cannot be quenched,” says Anderson. “Just like clean water and air, the sky is a natural resource. If you take a few minutes to view it and be amazed at its beauty, it puts you in context. It can calm you, make you happy, and help you return to childhood wonder!” Visit Anderson’s website at http://course1.winona.edu/jlanderson/ to learn more.
Just one year after it was established in 1985, the Winona State Athletic Hall of Fame inducted its first female honoree, Margaret “Gretchen” Koehler ’65. A multi-sport and intramural star, Koehler lettered in tennis, the only sport that awarded letters to women at that time. Today, Warriors fans can enjoy a new, interactive Athletic Hall of Fame in the Integrated Wellness Complex, made possible through the generous support of Jeb Griffth ’65. Its dedication this fall was highlighted by the induction of the 1985 Gymnastics Team, one of the greatest teams in Winona State history, male or female.
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The oldest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System
LIGHT THE WAY: The Winona State Capital Campaign
CAMPAIGN UPDATE Goal: $10 Million Today: $ 9,696,438 Million
$5 Million
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We’re almost there … And there’s plenty of time for you to light the way. The Light the Way capital campaign has reached more than 96% of its $10 million goal directed towards three initiatives. Think of the difference your gift – large or small – could make to a deserving student, to health and wellness, to ending child abuse. Join us! More than 5,500 alumni, 500 faculty and staff members, and 1,000 friends have made their statement that Winona State lights the way, and improves the world. Making your gift is easy. Find out how by calling us at 507.457.5020 or visit: www.winona.edu/lighttheway.