FALL 2011
C
urrents A Publication of Winona State Univer sity
In This Issue...
Teacher of the Year Katy Smith is Minnesota’s best
Top Marks
Accreditation for College of Business
Monster Mash
2011 Homecoming schedule inside
What’s Up, Wazoo? The secrets surrounding Winona State’s mysterious mascot, Wazoo, are finally revealed in this issue of Currents. Where did he come from? How did he get his name? Does it get hot in that suit? Find the answers to those questions, and more, on page 13. With Wazoo’s appearance, Homecoming can’t be far behind. Look on the back cover of this issue for a full Homecoming 2011 schedule and registration information.
C O N T E N T S HOME RUN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Warriors make run in Division II World Series HOMETOWN HERO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Alum Katy Smith is top teacher in Minnesota HITTING THE MARK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 College of Business earns international accreditation ARGENTINA DIARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Student recounts return of “Winona Teachers” Editor’s Note............................................................................................ 4 News & Highlights.................................................................................... 5 Philanthropy News................................................................................... 7 Wazoo Revealed..................................................................................... 13 A Few Minutes with Tom Bremer........................................................... 21 Class Notes............................................................................................ 22 Current People: Mike Russell................................................................. 30
ON THE COVER Katy Smith ’84, an Early Childhood Family Education teacher in the Winona Area Public Schools, is the 2011 Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Smith is pictured with one of her young students in her classroom at Goodview Elementary School.
Photo: Bruce Defries Studio Group
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urrents
Fall 2011
www.winona.edu/cur rents
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.
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PHOTO: John McKeith
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CURENTS FALL 2011
EDITOR’S NOTE While I’m not an alumnus, Winona State University Homecoming is one of my favorite times. “Hail, Winona” is sung to the same melody as the alma mater at my old school, but there’s more to it than the memory of a familiar tune. Each year during Homecoming, I’ve had the opportunity to meet a few of the people we’ve written about in Currents. Sometimes it’s the subject of a major feature story, others it’s someone we’ve contacted to confirm details on a class note. Twice in the past few years, I’ve run into an alumnus who was inspired to return to campus by something we printed. One looked up a former professor whom we featured. Another came back after seeing a photograph, amazed that campus was now so beautiful. It was the first time she had been back in 20 years. So for me, Homecoming is a chance to meet the person behind the story, to make new connections. To use the words of Mike Russell ’84 (read more on page 30), it’s a time to revisit “the things that made an impact on me.”
Homecoming is once a year, but you can stay connected with WSU year-round. Send your email address to alumni@winona.edu, and you’ll receive the latest about alumni events, class reunions, gatherings in your area, the latest university news, and more. Get up-to-date WSU information, delivered right to your in-box.
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eaders who enjoy viewing Currents online will find a re-designed website with this issue. It’s still in the same place – www.winona.edu/currents – but we’ve shifted to a new platform to improve navigation, layout, archives, and opportunities for you to interact with the magazine. We’re also re-designing the print edition of the magazine. You’ll see our changes in the Winter 2011 issue. Whether it’s the print or electronic edition, we want to hear your comments and news. Contact us by email (currents@winona.edu) or at our website (www.winona.edu/currents).
The Kappa Pi float from WSU Homecoming 1955. See what’s in store for Homecoming 2011 at the back of this issue of Currents. 4
Winona Currents • Fall 2011
BRET T AYERS Editor
NEWS&HIGHLIGHTS
WSU is Environmentally Responsible Winona State University is one of the country’s most environmentally responsible colleges, according to the 2011 edition of The Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges. The guide recognizes institutions of higher education that demonstrate a notable commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and career preparation. This is the second year
WSU has been named to the list. WSU was one of the early signatories of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007. The university is in the process of earning Silver Level LEED certification for its Integrated Wellness Complex, participates annually in the nationwide “Recyclemania”
competition, and supports various initiatives each year such as the use of electrical vans (pictured above) by facilities. For more information on Winona State’s green initiatives, go to www.winona.edu/green. Download the Guide to 311 Green Colleges at www.centerforgreenschools.org/ greenguide.
NCPTC is Training Innovator The National Child Protection Training Center (NCPTC) offered an innovative, human avatar-based training program to a group of 30 law enforcement professionals at a three-day session in May. The SIMmersion voice-activated technology used a realistic human avatar to produce realistic, lifelike situations to help area law enforcement professionals strengthen their interviewing and investigation skills. The computer-controlled avatars “remember” user questions and statements and respond based on the situation, simulating real human emotions and motivations. The NCPTC has trained more than 20,000 law enforcement, social services, healthcare, and education professionals to recognize and prevent child neglect and maltreatment. The SIMmersion session was supported by LOCKNET IT, Inc., the WSU Sociology Department, and the WSU Foundation.
The NCPTC sponsored innovative training for area law enforcement professionals in May.
winona.edu/currents 5
NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS
Ad Campaign Merits Award Winona State received the Merit Award from the Higher Education Marketing Report for its recent “Join In. Stand Out.” recruitment and publications campaign. The winning campaign pieces included television, radio, print, outdoor, and social media advertising. WSU was recognized in the Total Advertising Campaign category, competing against schools from around the country in the 5,000-9,999 students category. This year, more than 2,500 entries were received from more than 1,000 colleges, universities, and secondary schools from all 50 states and several foreign countries. Want to view the award-winning TV spots? Go to www. youtube.com/user/WinonaU and click on “Winona State TV Spots.”
Banner Year for Warriors
been above 3.10 in six of the last seven semesters. Gymnastics had the highest team GPA at 3.63 while women’s basketball was second at 3.52.
The 2010-11 season has been one of the best ever for Winona State student-athletes, on and off the field.
“These numbers speak to the type of person our coaches are bringing to campus,” said Larry Holstad, WSU athletics director. Along with the records set in the classroom, Winona State student-athletes set a new program mark for service within their communities. Warrior student-athletes donated more than 3,000 hours to
Warrior student-athletes set an all-time high for performance in the classroom, compiling a 3.18 cumulative GPA during the spring semester. Student-athlete grades have
organizations both in the Winona community and across the country. On the field, seven sports advanced to NCAA Regional play during the 2010-11 season, with the Warrior baseball team finishing second at the College World Series and track and field student-athlete Mary Theisen claiming a national championship in the discus. In a confirmation of the Warriors’ 2010-11 success, senior gymnast Katie Gregory received the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women’s Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete Award. The nursing major from Manhattan, Kansas, is a three-time NACGC/W Scholar All-American and has been named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll three times. She has also been a member of WSU’s Dean’s List during each semester of her college career.
Just one example of Warriors off-field success: student-athletes present a $2,500 check to the Winona Health Foundation to support mammography services.
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Winona Currents • Fall 2011
Gregory has been a first team AllAmerican on the balance beam in both 2009 and 2010. She placed second on the balance beam at the 2010 WIAC Championship and fourth in 2008.
We’re Making a Difference the Ken and Sally Mogren Scholarship Fund at Winona State. The Mogren Scholarship supports student-athletes in two sports with limited scholarship funding, cross country and golf. Ken played on the golf team at WSU and is an avid runner. “We’ve met several of the men and women who have benefited from our scholarship and they’ve been terrific,” said Sally, a former educator. “Our estate gift will increase our scholarship endowment and provide more help to great kids like these.”
O
ver the years, alumni Ken ’70 and Sally ’72 Mogren have seen their lives change. In similar fashion, their support for Winona State University has evolved along with their family and financial circumstances.
PHILANTHROPY NEWS
Through a planned gift …
Planned gifts, such as the one made by the Mogrens, provide flexible and creative strategies for estate and philanthropic planning. Several types, such as charitable gift annuities, provide you with income and then help the university. Many can help reduce your tax commitments. Benefactors can make an immediate gift, for example, by taking advantage of the charitable IRA rollover.
“Planned giving supports
The greatest benefit, as the Mogrens When their children and careers teaching, learning, and discovery have found, is the knowledge that they were young, Ken and Sally were now and into the future.” are supporting teaching, learning, limited on how charitable they and discovery at Winona State that is could afford to be. Still, there were important now and for future generations. organizations they wanted to support, and deferred gifts made through their will were a good way to accomplish “Winona State has been of special importance in our their philanthropic goals. They dedicated a portion of lives,” said Ken. “The education we received helped us in their estate to the WSU Foundation as an unrestricted our careers and as Winona residents, we’ve also benefited bequest. from the university’s positive cultural and economic impact on the region. Planned giving is an excellent way “In the beginning, we didn’t have a particular passion to give back.” we wanted to support,” said Ken, president at Winona Agency, Inc. “Our gift to Winona State was unrestricted, The University Advancement staff can work with anyone meaning the university could use it at their discretion, who would like more details on making their planned where it saw fit.” gift. Call us at 507.457.5020. As their family, careers, and interests have flourished, the Mogrens have revised their estate plans. They’ve been able Visit our planned giving website at www.winona.edu/ plannedgiving. to increase their support, and they decided to establish winona.edu/currents 7
ATHLETIC NEWS
Home Runu
Warriors baseball team one win short of Division II World Series title By Grant Wall
W
inona State head coach Kyle Poock ’83/’97 thought from the beginning of the 2011 season that his Warrior baseball team was capable of accomplishing special things. He watched the Warriors reach the NCAA Regional Tournament in 2010 and saw a team that was largely coming back the following season.
A run to the championship game of the NCAA Division II World Series in 2011 might have been a bit much to predict, but Poock knew he had a talented core of players who could do special things on the field. “I felt like after watching us play and compete in 2010, we had a pretty good chance,” Poock said. “I thought that if we stayed healthy and got some big innings out of our pitchers we had a chance to get back to the postseason, and once you get there anything can happen.” Offensively the Warriors were balanced. There was speed at the top in the form of Tony Mueller, an All-NSIC 8
Winona Currents • Fall 2011
performer who entered the season as a likely prospect to be selected in the Major League Draft. There was power, with senior Joe Kley and junior Adam Gemuenden capable of driving pitches out of any park. And there was a mix of experience – seniors Jared Anderson and John Magge – to balance out young talent scattered through the WSU lineup. Winona State also had a stable of arms, led by the emergence of junior Kodey Simon as a true ace. Mueller gave the team one of the top 1-2 punches in the region at the top of the rotation. “In some lineups, once you get past the five or six hitter you can kind of relax,” Poock said. “All of our guys can hit the ball and we knew we could get runs from all over the lineup. If you look back at our season, we had guys step up almost every weekend.” The Warriors proved Poock correct during the regular season, posting a 32-14 mark heading into the conference tournament. The team won three out of four games in
PHOTOS : Chops Hancock
back-to-back weekend series against league contenders Augustana and St. Cloud State, cementing the team in the conference title hunt until the regular season’s final weeks. Once at the NSIC Tournament the Warriors advanced to the title game, setting a tone of good play and showing the ability to play through delay and distraction, a skill that would prove to be important as time went on. Both the conference and regional tournaments were interrupted by inclement weather, with the Warriors sitting through long delays and constant change in their schedule. “We tried to remind everyone that school was out and we could put all our focus on baseball,” Poock said. “This is a group of mentally strong individuals. They have their heads on straight and knew what they had to do. They weren’t going to let anything disrupt their pursuit of that goal. They had great chemistry all season and really liked being together.” Through it all the team persevered and when it beat Nebraska-Kearney 3-1 in the regional final, the Warriors found themselves bound for Cary, North Carolina, and their
first ever trip to the NCAA Division II World Series. Once there Winona State quickly showed it belonged on the biggest of stages. WSU won three consecutive games over teams ranked in the top-ten nationally, including a shelling of Mount Olive’s Carter Capps, the NCAA Division II Pitcher of the Year. The victories earned Winona State a date with West Florida in the National Championship game, and while the Warriors fell short of their ultimate goal, it was a ride everyone associated with the team will never forget. “This was the experience of a lifetime,” Poock said. “You never know if you are going to get another chance to be involved in something like this. Our guys did a great job of playing baseball and representing themselves. It was an unbelievable experience for everyone.”
hometown WSU alum Katy Smith is Minnesota’s top teacher
HERO
By Margaret Cox
W
Such is the humble nature of Smith, but there is no denying her knowledge, skill, and enthusiasm for teaching the youngest of learners and their parents. An ECFE teacher for more than 15 years, Smith has spent countless hours teaching parents about childhood development and how to prepare their 10
Winona Currents • Fall 2011
PHOTO: Angela Kronebusch
hen Winona State alumna Katy Smith was selected as the 2011 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, she became the first Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) teacher in the award’s history to receive the prestigious honor. “It was really cool!” exclaims Smith, as she recalls the awards event in early May. “I felt that I had represented ECFE teachers well, but being with nine other excellent, deserving finalists, I figured whoever wins, wins.”
children for school. Her classroom is filled with parents, babies, and toddlers. Her gift of creating a community out of perfect strangers has come in particularly handy: within just a few sessions, she builds a network of parents who share ideas and support. “It’s a ripple effect,” she explains. “Whether I’m there or not, parents can make connections that they carry to their own neighborhoods.” At the start of her career, Smith didn’t set out to change the world of parent education. She graduated with a bachelor’s in social work from WSU and worked as a chemical dependency counselor. After starting her own family, Smith began thinking about families and their role in the educational process, and soon discovered that parent education was a natural fit for her.
PHOTO : Bruce Defries Studio Group
“Early childhood parent education is a hopeful field,” says Smith. “I wanted to partner with families at the beginning of their journey.” She pursued a parent education license from WSU, and later a master’s from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She has taught in the Winona school district since 1993. Over the years, Smith has studied parenting techniques and tested them firsthand. “What I teach, I do, because it makes me a better educator,” she says. “It’s hard to teach a lesson about the importance of eating dinner as a family each night if you don’t do it yourself.”
Smith is a firm believer that a great deal of learning, values, and connections can occur right at the dinner table. “Language is a good example,” she states. “You can read 100 books about Clifford, the big red dog, but vocabulary – bigger words and concepts that go beyond reading – that happens at the dinner table.” Parents who have participated in Smith’s classes are grateful for the guidance and support they receive from her and their fellow classmates. In each class, Smith strives to equip parents with the confidence, tools, and support network they need to build strong relationships with their children and prepare them for success when they start school. “My everyday reward is when parents walk away from class with a better understanding of their children because something sparked a light bulb for them,” Smith says. Outside of the classroom, Smith can be found visiting new parents through Baby Connections, a Winona County program designed to provide information and resources to families with infants. “I pretty much do parent education wherever I go,” Smith says with a smile. When Bruce Ramsdell, president of the Winona Education Association, suggested nominating Smith for the 2011 Minnesota Teacher of the Year award, word spread quickly throughout the community. The many Winona area families that have benefitted from Smith’s help as they navigated through sleepless nights, the “terrible twos,” and pre-kindergarten jitters, were quick to
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their families, their neighborhoods, their communities, and their state,” she explains. “The work that is done at the early childhood level can ripple into homes and communities, making it such important work for building a strong foundation.” In her finalist video, Smith states, “Education, for children, really
As the winner of the honor, Smith has received some fabulous prizes, such as an iPad, cash, and trips to places like Harvard University and Space Camp. She will represent Minnesota in the 2012 National Teacher of the Year program. “This is an incredible opportunity to serve as a spokesperson for small children and their parents,” says Smith. “I’m ready to share what I know about the importance of early childhood and parent education with an even wider audience.” Next spring, Smith will do just that when she travels to the Oval Office to meet President Barack Obama and learn more about education reform.
begins on the day that they are born … if I can connect parents to their children and get them actively engaged in preparing their child for school, you’ll find a child at kindergarten who’s raring to go!”
In the meantime, Smith is focusing her efforts on the greater Winona community, encouraging people to connect with children and pay attention to local school happenings. “To build a strong, safe community, everyone needs to be plugged in, to know who the kids are in their neighborhoods,” says Smith.
Since winning the award, emails and phone calls have poured in from educators and parents all over the state, who understand the importance of Early Childhood Family Education and the difference it makes in the lives of children and their families.
“It’s easy to step back and think you don’t matter, but when children know that a lot of adults care about them, they feel safe.” Winona families who have attended Smith’s classes, and felt the strong sense of community she builds, could not agree more.
“Education for children really begins on the day they are born,” says Katy Smith, Minnesota Teacher of the Year. support her nomination. As a result, when the selection committee from Education Minnesota interviewed Smith, she stood out, even among the other extremely dedicated and talented teachers who were nominated. As part of the selection process, nominees created portfolios that included their achievements, photos, and teaching philosophies. Smith’s theme was relationships that form concentric circles, like pebbles in a pond. “I wanted to show that by educating parents, we can influence 12
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Wazoo
REVEA LED!
On the trail of the elusive WSU mascot By Brett Ayers
E
ver wondered who’s the real Wazoo?
This reporter did. With Homecoming in mind, I began asking around. Uncharacteristically for the always friendly Winona State community, I ran into a brick wall. It seems that the person filling the costume of Wazoo, the beloved Winona State mascot, is a closely guarded secret. Perhaps it’s part of a Warrior code of silence: never reveal your plan of attack. Name, rank, and serial number only. But a few people had surprising insight into the origins of Wazoo, although they all denied ever filling his oversized Warrior head, muscular chest plate, and Trojan sandals. According to Professor Peter Henderson’s history of Winona State, Her Star Shall Not Dim, the college
called itself the “Peds,” short for “Pedagogists,” throughout the 1920s. That proved to be a problem, however, because archrival La Crosse State Teachers College used the same name for its sports teams at the time. It’s unclear what a “Pedagogists” costume might have looked like. In 1936, Winona State students decided to find a new nickname. Whatever was selected, purple would be a part of the look. Purple and white had been the official school colors since 1895, chosen just before Winona played its first football game. Students came up with a number of mascot ideas, some reflective of the local area such as “Eagles,” others creative but politically incorrect like “Windians.” After a week of campaigning, “Warriors” eventually won out. “Werewolves” came in a close second, possibly inspired by the movie Werewolves of London that debuted in theaters the year before. The Warrior slowly replaced “Peds” and came into wider use during the 1950s, Henderson says in his book. One longtime mascot, who cannot be named, believes that the Warrior has always been portrayed as a Trojan or Spartan foot soldier rather than as a Native American warrior. In 2005, the NCAA deemed winona.edu/currents 13
that the Winona State Warrior did not refer to Native American culture in the organization’s effort to ban offensive mascots in intercollegiate athletics. Cheer squads were active throughout the fifties and sixties – the “Warriorettes” even emerged in 1958 to perform at halftimes – but there’s little evidence of an actual Warrior character until much later. The same longtime mascot cited above believes the first Warrior costume came to life in 1984 or 1985, following an unexplainable one-year experiment with a Purple Penguin. The 1984-85 mascot consisted of just a Warrior head. Another Wazoo insider recalls that the Prentiss-Lucas Residence Hall Council commissioned the first “full-on” mascot costume in 1999. In 2006, the Warrior got a complete makeover, led by Federated Insurance employee and alumnus Jim Meyer ’85 and funded by a number of supporters. This version of Wazoo – the same one fans see today – was a winner. The men’s basketball team won its first national championship a few months after it was introduced. Eventually, Wazoo acquired a carbon fiber chariot built by Winona State composite materials engineering students. That high-tech solution proved safer than an entrance to Maxwell Field by horse, which had been tried once and quickly abandoned after a nervous Warrior was nearly thrown to the turf. Wazoo has appeared in the usual places over the years, at football and basketball games, Homecoming parades, and university events. But the Warrior has found itself in unexpected places, too: center field in the Metrodome; on a float at the Steamboat Days Parade; roaming the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair; cheering at a John Marshall High School game in Rochester. One current mascot dreams of throwing out the first pitch to open a Twins game at Target Field. And whither the name, “Wazoo?” Memories were foggy and its origins became one of the more difficult things to verify. Research revealed that it’s a fairly recent development, the result of a campuswide naming contest in 2004. The winning moniker reflects a phonetic approximation of pronouncing of letters “W-S-U.”
Wazoo has aged gracefully since Winona State students chose the Warrior as their mascot in 1936.
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A strict code of conduct has developed among wearers of the Warrior. Never dress or undress in public. No negative gestures. Never touch the referees. The outside does what you do inside, so keep smiling no matter what. Always clean the foam interior, because it can get pretty sweaty in there. But we’ll never really know the “real” Wazoo, what goes on among the inner circle of mascot alumni. Perhaps it’s better to sit back, watch the game, and join the cheers.
CENTURY Club
100-Year-Old Alum Receives Official Diploma
I
n 1930, the U.S. was in the grips of the Great Depression. The average annual income for an individual was around $1,360, and education was in a perilous state, with many families unable to afford to send their children to school. Josephine “Jo” (Kjelland) Edstrom (pictured above with President Judith Ramaley) felt her destiny was to be an educator, and she knew Winona State University was the place to make that dream come true. She attended classes and earned credits, participating all the while in campus activities such as the Wenonah Players Theatre Club, Women’s Athletic Association, Kindergarten Club, Pep Club, Art Club, and working for the university paper, the Winonan. In 1930, she officially graduated from WSU with a degree in kindergarten education. Instead of participating in the university’s commencement ceremony, she accepted a job as a kindergarten teacher in Sioux Falls, S.D., and headed straight
into the workforce, never receiving her official WSU diploma. Now, 81 years later, after celebrating her 100th birthday June 19, 2011, Edstrom finally had that diploma placed in her hands. A formal ceremony with WSU President Judith Ramaley took place Friday, June 24, during the Theatre du Mississippi and Great River Shakespeare Festival Concerts on the Green series. The concert featured ’30s and ’40s swing music by the Rusty Swing Set and was sponsored by the Edstrom Family and the WSU Alumni Society. In addition, Edstrom has been inducted as the charter member of the new Alumni Society Century Club for WSU alumni over the age of 100. winona.edu/currents 15
College
f
Business Hits Mark By Margaret Cox
I
n the world of college business schools, earning the most prestigious of accreditations is no small feat; however, it is one that Winona State University can proudly say that it earned with flying colors. Its College
By the Numbers…
3
5 years spent in the AACSB accreditation process
3 53 undergraduate-only programs accredited internationally
3 1,283 students in the College
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Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB), joining
the ranks of just 620 institutions, or less than 5-percent worldwide, that have achieved this rigorous goal.
3 17 AACSB standards met
of Business recently earned accreditation from the Association to
of Business
Winona Currents • Fall 2011
The bull’s-eye for business schools Established in 1916, AACSB is the oldest, most elite accrediting agency for collegiate schools of business, and is dedicated to quality management education and continuous improvement of business programs. In order to achieve accreditation, an institution must meet 17 standards of excellence that range from admissions procedures to curriculum management to faculty intellectual contributions. In the 1980s, a group of faculty voted to pursue AACSB accreditation, but it wasn’t until 2006, when competitive pressures from other schools increased dramatically, that WSU formally applied for AACSB accreditation. In 2007, when Dr. Bill
Murphy became dean of the College of Business, the 5-year process was already underway, and the faculty, staff, and students began pulling together to reach the targeted goal: to validate the strengths of the College of Business and earn accreditation.
had earned accreditation from AACSB International.
Targeting the future
Achieving AACSB accreditation is by no means the end of the story; rather, it is the beginning. As an accredited institution, Aiming for success Winona State is poised to recruit the best To ensure that the 17 standards were business students and faculty who are looking reviewed, documented, and met, several for an accredited business school with a groups were formed to streamline the process. smaller student-to-faculty ratio and courses A faculty advisory committee comprised of that emphasize learning inside and outside the chairs from the five College of Business the classroom. departments and one representative from In addition to a strong internship program each major met on a regular basis to keep the that places students in a variety of companies, process flowing. A business advisory board WSU also has creative faculty members who and a student advisory board that included the recognize the importance of experiential presidents of the seven student organizations learning. “One faculty member teaches a with the College of Business also offered course on social entrepreneurship,” said input. Murphy. “Students work on projects for non“Establishing a comprehensive assessment profit organizations that involve volunteer plan was the most challenging part of the hours as well.” accreditation process,” said Murphy. “The More companies are looking for graduates faculty worked on rubrics and reviewed more from accredited colleges of business. Locally, traditional assessments like testing to ensure Fastenal and WinCraft are just two of the that standards were being met or exceeded.” many business partnerships the College of “We were constantly gathering data and Business has formed over the years. analyzing it. Once the group agreed upon a “These companies have been great about method, we would test it, and then tweak it some more. This took two or three years alone, providing internships and hiring our graduates,” said Murphy. “In addition, WSU but we made excellent progress.” has the second largest number of graduates Although the College of Business already had at Federated Insurance in Owatonna, with strong programs, the internal and external alumni serving in positions such as regional reviews resulted in a number of changes, such director and vice president.” as the admissions process and core curriculum. “We solicited input from the faculty, business, The College of Business also enjoys the support of its alumni, who continue to refer and student advisory boards, and we had the full support of the president of the university,” new students to the program, contribute to scholarships, and offer wisdom to current explained Murphy. “As a result, we were able students by participating in the Speakers to develop solid, common courses that would eventually be required by all majors within the Program, held three times each semester. “Alumni and students are really proud of the College of Business.” AACSB accreditation,” said Murphy. After five years of review, standardization, and “One of the greatest thrills for me as a documentation, the College of Business was dean is to congratulate our students at their ready for its AACSB Board review. In the graduation ceremony. The fact that students final stage of the process, three deans from can now say they are graduates of an AACSB peer schools visited Winona and provided accredited institution makes it that much final commentary. On April 28, the news sweeter.” was official: the WSU College of Business
Student Group Gets Hands-on Experience One College of Business program that the AACSB Board was especially pleased to find was a student investment course that offered real-life application of knowledge. Led by Dr. Chan-Wung Kim in the spring semester of 2010, this course provided students with hands-on experience in managing a $100,000 portfolio on behalf of the WSU Foundation. Students researched and selected companies in which to invest, and were responsible for reporting results to the Foundation Board of Trustees. “It really brought reality into the classroom, because it was not monopoly money,” said Bill Murphy, dean of the college. Students were held to the same standards as professional financial advisors who assist the Foundation, and proved they were up to the task. “I sat in on their presentations,” said Murphy. “Their results were as good, or in some cases better, than their professional counterparts.”
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Argentina diary Education major recounts the return to Argentina of the new “Winona Teachers” By Megan Lund ’12
In May a group of Winona State University students, faculty, and staff travelled to Argentina to help celebrate the bicentennial of the birth of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, one of the country’s greatest presidents. Sarmiento developed Argentina’s public school system with the help of educators from Winona State Teachers College. One of the first to arrive in 1877 was Mary O. Graham, who directed the normal school in San Juan and went on to establish a new normal school in La Plata, just south of Buenos Aires. Many other Winona State faculty and alumni taught in Argentina throughout the late 1800s and into the next century. Megan Lund, an education major at the WSU-Rochester campus, was among the ten “American Teachers” who are keeping the ties alive between Winona State and schools in Argentina.
“W
e can’t let them down,” says Alicia as we gathered at the bus station. “I don’t know what they have planned and I know that you’re tired from all the travelling,” she continues, “but I know that they’re expecting us. In May, ten Winona State University students, including myself, were chosen to represent the first return of “The American Teachers” to Argentina since
18
Winona Currents • Fall 2011
Children at Mary O. Graham School, named for the Winona State alumna and educator, dived into Bubble-ology.
the late 1800s. Domingo Sarmiento, one of Argentina’s greatest presidents, traveled the world in search of a model education system. To accomplish his task, he sent out a call for the best teachers from around the globe. No institution responded in greater numbers than Winona State. Sixty-five Winona teachers helped establish his dream. We shake off our yawns and dig out our light blue Mary O. Graham t-shirts. I grab a medium and tug it over my head. Here we are, standing on the same soil as Sarmiento,
to celebrate the founding of Argentina’s educational system. I can’t help but smile as I look around and see that one-by-one, we’ve become “The American Teachers.” We pull up to Mary O. Graham, San Juan’s elementary school. It’s named for one of the first Winona State teachers to arrive in Argentina, Mary O. Graham, Class of 1868. A banner tied to two trees, spans the road: Bienvenidos estudiantes de la Universidad de Winona!
I look out of the bus window and see a small crowd of parents. They’re smiling and frantically getting their cameras ready. I get a little flutter in my stomach thinking about all of the new faces we’ll meet. We step off the bus and are greeted with big smiles from the principal, Lus, and other faculty members. Although my Spanish is okay, I can’t understand everything that is being said so I follow my fellow peers and the hand gestures of the faculty guiding me.
winona.edu/currents 19 winona.edu/currents 19
Facu and Santi possess a passion for learning and intelligence for human contact that I find uncommon at such a young age. Both share a bracelet with me. “Por favor, Megan, usted puede tener,” Facu says as he takes his leather paz bracelet off his own wrist and hands it to me. “Are you sure?” “Claro,” he says. Megan Lund (top row, right) was one of ten Winona State students who visited Argentina, in May to celebrate Winona State’s role in the founding of the country’s public education system. It’s winter in Argentina and despite this the school is warm and the gallery doors stay wide open. Winnie-the-Pooh wallpaper lines the freshly painted baby blue hallways and gives me a sense of childhood. We’re greeted with music and beautiful décor as we step out to the outdoor gallery. The gallery is Mary O. Graham’s recess area, with uneven cement grounds and a small area of grass lined with tall brick walls. All of the children are gathered in their white lab coat uniforms. Near the back of the building a choir is singing; their voices are young and refreshing.
As I soak it in, I realize a tear was falling down my cheek. Who would have imagined that strangers could make such a quick and powerful impact? As the week continues, we become very busy. Between the ten of us, we cover a wide range of lessons: American culture, dental hygiene, art and colors, and animals. My partner and I teach science in a third grade classroom. The children dived into Bubble-ology and soared with excitement and learning. The materials we used were left with the school, as well as lesson plans, books, and miscellaneous supplies donated from back home.
The things your people have done here will never be forgotten.
We’re shown our seats, frontand-center and beautifully decorated in white cloths. Before we can sit, children from every direction greet us. Their hospitality and joy towards our group of strangers inspires a surge of gratitude. I feel the appreciation not only from the students who run up to give me a hug, but also from their parents. I look up and notice the perfection of the day: blue skies, beautiful music, and humbling company.
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Winona Currents • Fall 2011
There are two brothers from the school who become my little buddies. The older, Facu, is a fifth-grade student and his younger brother, Santi, is a third grader. Both have a patience to them that is rare in children. They wait for me to scramble my broken Spanish and do what they can to make dialogue with me instead of quitting and walking away.
Besides the two young boys at Mary O. Graham School, there is a man who stands out in particular. His name is Eduardo Bustelo. He is an older gentleman with white hair, soft skin, and eyes filled with wisdom. He stands tall and I can tell that he has years of experience by his calm and collected demeanor. He speaks Spanish and English fluently and is happy to share his thoughts, although he seems to listen more than he talks. On our last day in San Juan, we visit a vineyard and enjoy a traditional asado meal. After we bask in the beauty of our surroundings and the company that fills the seats around us, we share our thoughts on the experience and our expressions of gratitude. We’re getting ready to leave, and I find myself walking toward Mr. Bustelo. As I say, “Thank you for all of your hard work, hospitality, and generous gifts,” I begin feeling a lump in my throat growing. He looks right into my eyes and says, “You are very welcome. We are so proud to have you in our country. The things your people have done here will never be forgotten. Our hearts and our doors are always open.
A Few Minutes With
469,462
t Libraries provide places to interact. They’re places where we can gather, ask questions, work together on problems facing our community.
t
Tom Bremer
The Krueger Collection
Total volumes
120,000
t
t The Krueger Library was built with a lot of foresight. It anticipated the library of the future.
Microform units [26%]
54,819
t
t Not many libraries encourage interaction like ours does. There are more than 2,200 network access points; two dozen rooms for group work; bean bags and tables that encourage working together; 20 lectures, readings, and discussions every year.
Electronic books [12%]
34,791 Electronic journals [7%]
t
t I used to think the library of the future might resemble a phone booth. That hasn’t happened. Krueger Library has gained more importance as a place for human interaction in our disconnected, digital world.
F
or the past three years, Tom Bremer has been dean of Darrell W. Krueger Library, the “home” for academic life at Winona State. Bremer was formerly associate director of the North Dakota State University Libraries.
A Place to Connect 13,175 Average interlibrary loans per year
Open
t Today’s library has changed, but it many ways it hasn’t. It serves the information needs of campus and the community, but the delivery method is different. t
105.5 Hours per week
3,478 Average reference questions answered per year
t
t Our collection has shifted to electronic from print. With electronic journals and increasingly e-books, users can access our collection without entering the building. t
t There’s still a need for the physical structure of the library. Students and scholars need instruction on navigating the vast and complex digital information environment.
50,124 38,201 1,500
Articles uploaded per year
Items checked out 2010-11
Approximate visits per day
512,005 People visiting 2010-11
CLASS NOTES
Class Notes 1940s Dorothy Mehus Lovret ’43 (San Marino, Calif.) reports that she reached the 90 years old milestone with her birthday on August 22. The daughter of former WSU president Dr. O. Myking Mehus, Dorothy taught school for 35 years after graduating.
1950s Donald Fosburgh ’59 (St. Peter, Minn.) was recently inducted into the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame. His speech and debate teams at St. Peter High School produced many state champions, and he remains a much sought-after judge for section and state speech tournaments.
1960s George “Jeb” Griffith ’65 (Caledonia, Minn.) is the new owner of the SkipperLiner/North Bay Marina complex in La Crosse. The entrepreneur and Winona State benefactor also own LOCKNET IT Solutions and Supernal Software LLC.
1970s Susan Wychgram Babcock ‘74 (Pardeeville, Wis.) has retired from her teaching career in the Randolph School District. The Winona native taught in Loyal before moving to Pardeeville, where she has taught third grade since 1980. Her husband, Wes, also retired this year and they plan trips to Colorado and North Dakota.
22
We Want to Hear Your News!
Winona Currents • Fall 2011
Sherri Hakes Bowers’77 and Paul Bowers ’79 (Fort Mohave, Ariz.) recently married. The couple met while staffing the first crew at campus radio station KQAL in 1976. They crossed paths 33 years later on Facebook while Sherri was working at Williston State College in North Dakota. Paul was recently honored as he ended as the keynote speaker at Mohave Community College’s commencement, as he ended his 31-year teaching career. Sacia Andersen ’79 (Galesville, Wis.) has retired after a 30-year career in social work.
1980s Gordon Larson ’80 (Winner, S.D.) has been named chief executive officer for Sanford Health Network’s new Sanford Aberdeen Medical Center. Gordon has 20 years of hospital administration experience and was previously CEO of Winner Regional Healthcare Center. Geri Droste Maki ’84 (Rochester, Minn.) is the new president of the southeastern Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction. She helped launch the chapter in 1993. She works as a public health preparedness consultant with the Minnesota Department of Health. Katy Smith ’84 (Winona) has been named Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Read the full story on page 10 in this issue of Currents. Mike Leaf ’85 (Winona) coached the West team at the 2011 Reese’s Division II College All-Star Game
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 alumni@winona.edu.
Still using mail? Send your notes to: Alumni Office P.O. Box 5838
Winona, MN 55987
during the NCAA Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass. He also conducted a clinic during tournament festivities. Mike coached his team to a 96-91 win over the East All-Stars at Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Mark Strunk ’88 (San Antonio, Texas) has been deployed to South Korea.
1990s Reed McPeak ’91 (Hugo, Minn.) was by BAE Systems, Inc. named assistant general manager of FNSS in Ankara, Turkey, a joint venture project to manufacture both tracked and wheeled vehicles for domestic and export markets. Reed holds bachelor’s degrees in physics and composite materials engineering and a master’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota. He and his family moved to Ankara in June. Linda Boyle ’92 (La Crosse, Wis.) was honored as an Irish Rose by the Shamrock Club. Linda works at Degen-Berglund and serves on the board of the Shamrock Club and is cochair of the cultural tent for Irishfest.
Mark Anderson ’94 (Winona) has been appointed principal at Winona Middle School. A native of Walnut Grove, Mark has degrees from WSU and Southwest Minnesota State University and a certificate in educational leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato. He has taught in North Carolina, Austin, Minn., and was assistant principal at Winona Senior High School. Gina Adler Johnson ’95 (Merced, Calif.) earned her PhD in educational psychology at the University of Minnesota this spring and has started a position as principal analyst in the Office of Institutional Planning and Analysis at the University of California, Merced. Her husband, Sean ‘96, will retain his position as senior software engineer at St. Jude Medical by working remotely from California.
The Century Club
The Century Club recognizes alumni who are 100 years or older. Read about our first Century Club honoree, Josephine “Jo” Edstrom, on page 15 of this issue. If you’re 100 years or older, or know an alumnus who is, contact us at 800.342.5978 ext. 5027 or at alumni@winona.edu.
Gruber Continues to Excel Nate Gruber ’95 (Wausau, Wis.) was recently selected as a member of the NSIC Hall of Fame. A three-time all-conference and two-time All-America player, Nate was a defensive back, punt and kick returner, and long snapper. He ranks tenth all-time in NCAA Division II career interceptions.
CLASS NOTES
Wayne Wicka ’93 (Winona) and his wife, Tanya, welcomed their first child, Jayden David, on April 25.
He excelled in the classroom, too. A composites material engineering major, Nate was an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winner, a Woody Hayes National Scholar Athlete, and National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Postgraduate Award honoree. After graduating from WSU, Nate continued his engineering studies at Virginia Tech and earned his MBA at St. Thomas University. He is currently employed as a new product development engineering manager at WilsonHurd Manufacturing.
Donna Kamann ’95 (Winona) recently joined the Department of Internal Medicine at Franciscan Skemp Mayo Health Systems to coordinate care of patients in the palliative care program, which focuses on the control of symptoms, management of complications, and quality of life for those with advanced or incurable disease. A certified family nurse practitioner, Donna earned her master’s in nursing at WSU. Lisa Gemza Skifton ’95 (Houston, Minn.) and husband Steve welcomed their daughter, Natalie Paige, on March 20. Mason ’99 and Cara Gordon ’99 (Hong Kong, China) have embarked on their third international teaching assignment, this time in Hong Kong. Shannon Steinfeldt ’99 (St. Paul, Minn.) had her artwork featured on
the March 2011 cover of Minnesota Women’s Press. After graduating from Winona State, Shannon pursued her art career that took off when she painted a mural for Victoria’s Restaurant in Rochester. While she went on to paint murals and portraits for a variety of clients, the economy forced Shannon to reconsider her path. Four years ago, she returned to WSU to work on a nursing degree and now works at Winona Health in the infusion therapy department, working with chemotherapy patients and others needing intravenous treatment.
2000s Megan ’02 and Erik Bergman ’02 (Thornton, Colo.) welcomed daughter Carly on December 28, 2010. Megan works as a sales representative for Dell Computers and Erik is a marketing representative for State Auto Insurance.
winona.edu/currents 23
CLASS NOTES
Erin McDonald Carlson ’02 (San Antonio, Texas) was promoted to principal at Christian Evers Elementary School in San Antonio. Natalie Zenefski Martin ’02 (Oconomowoc, Wis.) and her husband, Erik, welcomed their second child, Bryce Aubrey, on February 1. He joins big brother Brenden, aged 2. Jeff Dobbertin ‘03 (Woodstock, Ill.) and Margaret Czysz welcomed daughter Clara Joy Dobbertin on January 11. She and big sister Ava Czysz are eager to meet other baby Warrior fans! Frederick Derocher ’03 (West Allis, Wis.) is one of 370 Country Financial representatives to be named to the company’s All-American Team. Winners of the award excel in identifying products and solutions that fit the needs of their clients. This is the fifth time that he has won the award.
Omaha and is teaching German in Bellvue. She married Joshua Messerschmitt on July 30. Josh is systems administrator at Werner Enterprises. Mitchel Schiltz ’03 (Eyota, Minn.) is the new principal at Lewiston-Altura High School. After earning his degree in health and physical education, he began his career as an eighth-grade teacher in the Dover-Eyota system before moving to the Rochester Public Schools. Jody (Greenwell) Schneider ’03 (Crown Point, Ind.) was promoted to manager at Legacy Professionals LLP, a Chicago based accounting firm. She works with employee benefit plans, labor organizations, and other nonprofit organizations. Jody earned
SEND US YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS and stay connected with WSU year-round. Keep in touch with the latest about alumni gatherings, reunions, news, and special events. Email us at alumni@winona.edu. her accounting degree at Winona State. Seth Wing ’03 | ’08 (Winona) has been named head baseball coach at Cornell College in Iowa. Seth served as assistant coach for eight years at WSU, his tenure culminating with a trip to the NCAA Division II World Series in June. He played baseball and football at WSU while earning his degree in elementary education and mathematics. He also earned his
Amanda Rodewald ’03 (Omaha, Neb.) earned her master’s in language teaching at the University of Nebraska-
Name That Nurse George Schmidt ’61 thought he recognized someone in last issue’s photo of Winona State’s first nursing class (above). He spotted sister-in-law Jean Fiedler Schmidt ’68, pictured at right with pencil in-hand. Jean identified classmates Diane (Theurer) Puetz ’68, center left near professor Evelyn Nappe; Lynn (Schumann) Theurer ’68, center right with glasses; and Joan (Whorton) Burk ’68, sitting between Jean and Lynn. Two additional Schmidt brothers, Russell ’55 and Jean’s husband, Jim ’63, also graduated from Winona State along with Russell’s wife, Elizabeth (Grass) Schmidt ’56. In addition, the Schmidts’ mother worked on campus for more than 20 years. Recognize family and friends in a Currents photo? Let us know at currents@winona.edu or visit www.winona.edu/currents.
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Winona Currents • Fall 2011
Amanda ’04 and Anthony Rizzio ’05 (Carol Stream, Ill.) welcomed their daughter, Elliot Morgan, on March 15. Elizabeth (Black) ’04 and Bill ’05 Sabel (Fridley, Minn.) welcomed their first child, son Isaac Paul, on October 12, 2010. Christina (Toll) ’04 and Jesse Fladmark ’09 (Winona) welcomed their first daughter, Faith Allison, on April 22. Scott Werfal ’04 (Milton, Wis.) has been named athletics and activities director for St. Mary Central High School. He plans to step down from
I had the opportunity to meet two WSU students in an unusual way on March 10. I was driving on the Padre Island National Seashore near Corpus Christi, Texas, to go fishing. The beach was rough and I got stuck in the sand. A park ranger checked on me but was not allowed to assist. Cell phones don’t work there so calling for help was out. Five vehicles passed with drivers who looked straight ahead as to not make eye contact. No help there, either. Down the beach there was a tent and big pickup and after a bit two young men came to see if they could help. As we talked they said they were from Minnesota and attended Winona State. One was a senior from Shakopee majoring in engineering. The other was a sophomore from Chippewa Falls. They had my van out in no time. When I offered to pay them they refused. By this time they knew I also had attended Winona State. Guess they thought it would be good to help an old alumnus. However, forcing college kids to take money is never a problem, so I hope they had good eating that night. I can’t thank those two guys enough and am reassured that students on spring break are good and responsible people. I’m proud of them and really proud that they were from WSU.
“
Michael Hofland ’04 (St. Paul, Minn.) married Andrea Scibbe on July 16. Michael earned a master’s at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and is pursuing a master’s in public administration at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul. He is head photo specialist at Walgreens.
“
Jack Lindner ’63 sent in this account of his chance meeting of two future alums. Jack makes his home in Ivanhoe, Minnesota.
CLASS NOTES
master’s in educational leadership at WSU.
his duties as assistant coach for the Zephyr football team. Derek Bruflodt ’05 (Maple Grove, Minn.) has announced his engagement to Erin Stack. A business
Outstanding American Lisa Berg Miller ’96 (Kalamazoo, Mich.) has been named one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans for 2011 by the U.S. Jaycees. The honor is one of the oldest awards programs in the United States. After graduating from WSU with a biology degree, Lisa earned her MD at the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota. She completed her surgery residency and was chief resident at Borgess Medical Center and Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. After working in South Dakota, Lisa recently returned to Michigan as assistant professor of surgery at Michigan State University. She is a member of the American College of Surgeons and Society of Surgical Oncology. Lisa and her family have been instrumental in raising support for the Women’s and Children’s Shelter in Yankton, S.D.
administration and finance graduate, Derek works for Mosaic in Plymouth. Erin works for Koala Dental Care in St. Cloud. Sarah Knopp ’05 (Cottage Grove, Minn.) earned her doctorate of pharmacy degree on May 7 from the University of Minnesota. She has joined Franciscan Skemp in La Crosse, Wis. as a practicing pharmacist. In May, Sarah and Michael Molstre announced their engagement. Bryn Meyer Lottig ’05 (Minocqua, Wis.) married his wife, Noah on October 16, 2010. Bryn spends winters working as assistant manager for a non-profit Nordic ski facility and the remainder of the year as leadership facilitator and wilderness guide for a number of organizations.
winona.edu/currents 25
CLASS NOTES
Read Currents online www.winona.edu/currents Fall 2010
Currents C SPRING 2011
FALL 2011
A Pub lica tion
urrents
of Win ona Sta te Uni ver sity
Currents A Pub lica tion
of Win ona Sta te Uni ver sity
A Pub lica tion of Win ona Sta te Uni ver sity
The Women ’s Issue ...
Bridging H
ealthcare: Mary Lu Gerk e and Diane Holmay
In This Issu High Flye r: e.Ethe..l Meyer Teach of th Finley e Year Minnesota’s D best ifferen t Path: Top Marks Gifty Amarteifi o Acc Katy Smith is
reditation for
College of Bus
Monster M
2011 Homeco
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Aaron Bellin ’07 (Franklin, Wis.) recently completed basic training at the U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. Aaron earned his BS degree at Winona State. Kailyn Zilliox Conway ’07 (Mora, Minn.) married Chris Conway on June 25. Kailyn works as insurance services account manager in Minneapolis. Chris teaches special education at Bren Road Educational Center. Bradley Eckola ’07 (Corvallis, Ore.) was named regional director for the Beaver Athletic Student Fund for the Oregon State University Foundation. He previously was a ticket and donor account manager with Oregon State Athletics. He earned a bachelor’s in business administration from WSU
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Winona Currents • Fall 2011
and a master’s in sports management from Northern Illinois University. Nathan Fuller ’08 and Jillian Georgieff ’10 (Marengo, Ill.) were married in June. Jillian is a library clerk at Ida Public Library in Marengo. Nathan is a rural carrier for the U.S. Post Office in Antioch. Danette Gunther ’08 and Jameson Childs ‘08 (West Salem, Wis.) are engaged to be married in September 2011. Bjorn Kadlec ’08 (Maiden Rock, Wis.) was hired as digital marketing statistician at Biggs/Gilmore. The statistics and mathematics graduate served as an intern in the agency’s strategy department before being hired full-time.
Laura (Servaty) ‘08 and John Smith ’10 (Winona) married on July 30. Laura works at Winona State in University Advancement. John is a professional basketball player. Robin Wera ’08 (Winona) married Jerad Tuxen on June 11 in Winona. Robin and Jerad both work at Fastenal. Travis Whipple ’08 (Plano, Texas) has been named assistant commissioner for marketing and broadcasting for the Lone Star Conference. After a standout basketball career at Winona State, Travis served for three years as assistant athletics director for his alma mater. Teresa Wiebusch Atkinson ’09 (Lake City, Minn.) and husband Jake welcomed their first child, son
CLASS NOTES
Two for Turnquist Double trouble for Kayla Berry Turnquist ’05 and husband Brooks: the couple was blessed with twin daughters Makenzie and Kamrin in 2009. Married in 2006, Kayla and Brooks have lived in California and Ohio before settling in their current residence, Colorado Springs, Colo.
We enjoy your baby photos, but due to the number received we select one for publication in each issue of Currents. View more photos at www.alumni.winona.edu. Submit your photos at the Alumni Relations website, or email your photos to alumni@winona.edu.
Parker James on Aug. 25, 2010. Teresa, a mass communications major, is now a communications and foundation manager at the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine in Rochester. Kriss Their ’09 and Philip Butenhoff ’09 (Worthington, Minn.) were married on June 18 in Adrian. Kriss is community health organizer for NoblesRock Community Health Services. Phil is employed by Worthington Excavating. Ashley Tukua Hotzler ’09 (Fremont, Neb.) and Christopher Hotzler were married on October 9, 2010. Ashley is an associate cost accountant for Hormel Foods while Christopher is a production supervisor at Hormel. Carrie Meiners ’09 (Caledonia, Minn.) was appointed as coordinator for Matty’s Place, the Winona child advocacy center. Meiners will oversee day-to-day operations, supervise staff, work directly with child abuse victims and their families and coordinate the multidisciplinary team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in child advocacy from Winona State University, where she trained with
the National Child Protection Training Center.
at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Timothy Raymond ’09 (Edgar, Wis.) assumed duties as administrator of the Washington Island School District on July 1. He earned his educational specialist degree at Winona State.
Heidi Pearson ’10 (Red Wing, Minn.) and Matthew Mitchell wed on June 18. Heidi is a special education teacher in the Red Wing School District. Matthew has accepted a position with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Jeffrey Veglahn ’09 (Shorewood, Wis.) joined the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee as assistant land steward. He was hired as part of a team overseeing the three-year restoration along the Milwaukee River in celebration of Milwaukee Rotary Club’s Centennial. Amanda Waller ’09 and Rob Bergmann ’09 (Minneapolis, Minn.) plan an October wedding in Galena, Ill. Amanda works as a human resources specialist for the Hilton Corporation in Bloomington. Rob is co-owner of Big Rock Exploration, a rare minerals company. Danny Hanson ’10 (Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) and Danielle Rubens were married on June 25. Danny is a credit analyst with Baylake Bank while Danielle is completing her master’s in communication sciences and disorders
Derek Schneider ’10 (Winona) is a Minnesota State Patrol trooper based in southern Minnesota. Deanna Whitleff ’10 (Grand Meadow, Minn.) joined the Shawn Vogt Sween law practice in Grand Meadow in February as a paralegal. Shawn Pfeil ’11 (Austin, Minn.) married Laura Madson on June 11. Shawn earned his degree in psychology and school counseling and is a service associate at Riverfront, Inc. Laura is member services director at the La Crosse YMCA. Sara Welch ’11 (Winona) married Matt Pientock on June 25. Sara is a graphic designer while Pientok works at Midtown Foods.
winona.edu/currents 27
IN MEMORIAM
In Memoriam 1930s
Neomi Wilson Stevens ’34 (Harmony, Minn.) passed away on July 4, 2010. She was 95 years old. She taught school in Filmore County from 1934 until 1950. Two of her sons, Ronald and Joseph, and two grandsons, William and Ronald, are Winona State alumni. Wava Cipra Verdoorn ’38 (Delavan, Minn.) passed away on May 30. She began her teaching career in Hollandale and then taught elementary school in Delavan for many years. Duane Caryl “Sprie” Spriestersbach ’39 (Iowa City, Iowa) passed away on April 25. After graduating from Winona State, he received his master’s degree at the University of Iowa and, following service in World War II, his PhD. He was professor of speech pathology and audiology at Iowa, dean of the Graduate College, vice president for Educational Development and Research, and interim president from 1981-82. He specialized in the field of cleft lip and palate and authored many books and articles related to their management.
1940s
Marcella Schrank Fisher ’42 (Oakdale, Minn.) passed away on March 26. Her first teaching job was in a one-room prairie schoolhouse in Grant County with 18 students from grades one through eight. She enjoyed a 41-year teaching career that touched the lives of more than a thousand students. Rosewayne Stephenson Thiele ’42 (Eitzen, Minn.) passed away on January 14. She taught for 37 years in Michigan and California before retiring in 1979 and returning to her family home in Houston, Minn. Sarah Helen Freese ’44 (Lake City, Minn.) passed away on June 17. She earned a teaching certificate at Winona State followed by a bachelor’s at St. Teresa College and master’s in social work at Loyola University in Chicago. She worked for Catholic Charities and also taught for several years.
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Winona Currents • Fall 2011
Melba Meitrodt Knox ’45 (Onalaska, Wis.) passed away on August 23, 2010.
1950s
Robert Verchota ’50 (Duluth, Minn.) passed away on March 28. He earned degrees in biology and education at Winona State and served two stints with the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and the Korean Conflict. He taught and coached in Manly, Iowa, and then in Preston and Crosby, Minn., and for 30 years in Duluth. Rudolph Ellis ’52 (Winona) passed away on May 4. He earned degrees at Winona State and Northern Michigan University and was longtime teacher, coach, trainer, and athletic director at Shawano High School. Rudy retired in 1985 and remained active in professional and community organizations. Everett Steckel ’53 (Fountain City, Wis.) died on April 25 at home with his family. He attended the University of North Dakota and received his master’s at WSU and taught and coached for 32 years in Fountain City. Following his retirement, he was scorekeeping official for the CochraneFountain City Pirates for many years. Maxine Lewis Gilbert ’54 (Canton, Minn.) passed away on May 27. She taught in several Fillmore County country schools and then for 27 years in the Mabel-Canton School District. Gordon Hanson ’56 (Shoreview, Minn.) passed away on September 21, 2010 after battling renal cell cancer. He earned his undergraduate degree from Winona State and master’s at Bowling Green State University. He taught secondary math in Roseville District 623 for 39 years. He was an avid golfer and professional sports fan. Helen Dittman ‘59 (Houston, Minn.) passed away on July 3. After earning her degree, Helen began her teaching career in Spring Grove and later returned to Houston, where she taught for many years and was beloved by her students. She later worked at a group home in Winona and volunteered at Gundersen Lutheran in La Crosse, Wis.
Neal Lang ’59 (Rochester, Minn.) passed away on March 29 at his home. After graduating, he served in the U.S. Navy and went on to teach for 32 years in Rochester.
1960s
Wayne Buswell ’60 (Fountain City, Wis.) passed away on March 29. A lifelong resident of the area, Wayne worked as a math teacher for the Winona Area Public Schools and the Mauston, Wis. schools. His teaching career lasted 34 years. Clarence Quanrud ’60 (Preston, Minn.) died on May 3 in Rochester. He graduated from Winona State with a business degree after serving in the U.S. Navy. He was a probation and parole officer for Fillmore and Houston Counties and then later for Community Corrections with Fillmore, Olmsted and Dodge Counties retiring in 1993. He most recently had been a parttime employee of Root River Hardwoods. Marian Strand Engelhart ’63 (La Crescent, Minn.) passed away on September 23, 2010. She became a teacher after graduating and was employed by La Crescent High School. Marian loved teaching and particularly enjoyed being with family and friends. Nancy (Frisby) Lindner ‘63 (Battle Lake, Minn.) passed away on September 21, 2009. A double major in physical education and English, Nancy was a cheerleader, president of the honor society, and named to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. She began teaching in Glenwood, Minn. and was the mother of two children. She and her husband, Jack ‘61, retired to their lake home in Battle Lake and wintered on the Gulf coast. Barbara Pribble Johannsen ’66 (Austin, Minn.) passed away on June 5. She was a teacher with the Austin Public Schools and traveled extensively around the world during her retirement. Cleon Wilbur ’66 (Mabel, Minn.) passed away on December 17, 2010. Thomas Cook ’68 (Cherry Hill, N.J.) passed away on May 1 following a long fight with melanoma. He retired after a more than 20-year career with Healthcare
Services Group and enjoyed golf, tennis, boating, and travel. Virgil Riggle ‘68 (Winona) passed away on June 26. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he worked as an electronic technician for ten years. Virgil attended several colleges and universities and earned his bachelor’s in physics and master’s in science at Winona State. He taught physics and math at Winona Senior High School and coordinated science fairs for many years.
1970s
Bruce Murdock ’71 (Mukilteo, Wash.) passed away on January 1. Anna Neumann Siems ’71 (Oronoco, Minn.) passed away on January 15. Anna taught in country schools in the Rochester area and also taught in Bemidji, Kasson, and Burley, Idaho. She completed her teaching career in Rochester and retired in 1980. Judy Whetstone ’75 (Winona) passed away on April 25 after being struck by a vehicle while riding her bicycle. She taught for 28 years at Central Elementary School in Winona and retired in 2002. Judy was a pioneer for the Grandparent Program, affiliated with pen pals program, and always kept in touch with her students throughout their lives. A lifelong area resident, she enjoyed tennis and visiting her beach house in Florida. Debra Rosentrater Haugen ’78 (Aurora, Ill.) passed away on April 1 after a courageous fight with ovarian cancer. She earned her nursing degree at WSU and worked as a parish nurse for 18 years for Advocate Healthcare in the Chicago area. She had a profound joy for ministering to many and the highlight of her life was planning and participating in women’s spiritual retreats. Nancy Schurhammer ‘78 (Rochester, Minn.) passed away on July 3 after a lengthy battle with breast cancer. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in social work and worked for the Social Security Administration before retiring in May. Nancy was active in the community and was particularly interested in local, state, and national politics. Horace Hallman ’79 (Rochester, Minn.) passed away on September 6, 2010. Judy Frick Ruggles ’79 (Eagan, Minn.) passed away on September 16, 2010 following a courageous battle with ovarian cancer.
1980s
Dale Howe ’82 (Carrollton, Texas) passed away on March 1. After earning his degree at WSU he went on to Dallas Theological Seminary for his master’s in theology. Dale pastored for many years in Winona before moving to be with his children and grandchildren. Richard Benson ’83 (Winona) died on May 1. He earned his art degree at WSU and worked various jobs over the years, the last at Gold’n Plump in Arcadia, Wis. William Schuth, Jr. ’83 (Trempealeau, Wis.) passed away on April 25. He earned his bachelor’s at Winona State and master’s at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 1999. Bill taught in the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District for 25 years, teaching math, English, and film. In 2001, he joined the Wisconsin Academy Staff Development Initiative as lead teacher. Bill was active in his community and church and enjoyed many lifelong hobbies and interests. Douglas Kocer ’84 (Lake City, Minn.) passed away on March 16 after battling cancer. He earned his BS in nursing at WSU and worked in cardiology for the Mayo Clinic System for more than 23 years.
1990s
Paula Campney ’91 (Estherville, Iowa) passed away on October 24, 2010. Pamela Nystrom Kiehne ’93 (Cannon Falls, Minn.) passed away on May 23 in Rochester. She received her bachelor’s in business administration and worked with the City of Hampton until her illness. Maureen Richter Sperbeck ’99 (Rochester, Minn.) passed away on February 11.
2000s
Christopher Marg ’04 (Winona) passed away on March 9 after suffering heart failure while in Trinidad on a work assignment. He earned his degree in computer science. After graduating, he worked at Mayo Clinic and Best Buy before receiving a degree in computer game design at Brown College. He began working for Wyde Corporation, first as a software developer and then as an integrator. Christopher was an Eagle Scout with a passion for reading and video gaming.
Students, Faculty & Staff, Friends
Kevin Dammen (Austin, Minn.) tragically passed away after his kayak capsized in Lake Superior on June 7. A sophomore at Winona State, Kevin was a computer science major and member of the cross country team. “Kevin had an adventurous spirit and enjoyed doing anything out-of-doors,” said Neal Mundahl, cross country head coach. Monica Gadient (Goodhue, Minn.), a freshman student at Winona State, passed away unexpectedly on April 6. She graduated from Goodhue High School in 2010 where she participated in a number of activities including volleyball, basketball, choir, and yearbook. At WSU, Monica lived in Morey Hall and was known as a passionate individual and strong student. Richard Jarvinen (Winona), professor emeritus of mathematics and statistics, passed away on July 6. An accomplished mathematician who gained recognition for his work with NASA, Jarvinen joined the Winona State faculty in 1989. He worked for Univac on the Nike Zeus aerospace project after earning his master’s at Vanderbilt University, and then for General Electric while a doctoral student at Syracuse University. Jarvinen used a sabbatical leave at WSU to serve as a research scientist consultant at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. He created statistical models developed from a previous stint at Mayo Clinic to study the reliability of aerospace hardware. His models helped diagnose the spectacular failure of Space Shuttle Challenger, which exploded in 1986. For his work, Jarvinen received the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Award. He continued to perform projects for NASA, doing work to research the 2003 Columbia accident and serving on a national team to support the NASA Engineering Safety Center. Ed Kohner (Winona) passed away on March 6. A star athlete at Cotter High School, Ed attended Winona State and the University of Minnesota, where he was a member of the Golden Gophers’ football team. He joined the Winona Fire Department in 1954 and was promoted to chief in 1980, a position he held until retiring in 1992. Ed led and served on many community organizations and causes, and was a faithful supporter of Winona State. winona.edu/currents 29
CURRENT PEOPLE
Mike Russell: Second Homecoming After serving as president of the Winona State University Student Senate as a junior, Mike Russell ’84 decided against a second term to cap his senior year. Campus politics had nothing to do with it; he stayed on as a senator. It wasn’t the demands of two jobs to pay for school. It wasn’t the things that would commonly occupy college seniors: sending out resumes, practicing interviews, pondering what the future might hold. Instead, Russell was humbled by his leadership role. While he had used his year in office well, had pointed Student Senate in the right direction, he felt that his fellow senators were just as talented, capable, and committed as he. Nearly thirty years later, Russell is bringing a similar attitude back to Winona State and his position as chair of the WSU Foundation Board of Trustees. The position marks a sort of second “homecoming” for Russell. Adopted as an infant, his family picked him up in Winona. He grew up in Madelia, just west of Mankato, and turned into a good high school distance runner and drew attention from several universities until he injured his knee. WSU remained in the game and, although he says he had little encouragement, Russell returned to Winona to continue his education.
I wouldn’t be what I am without my experience at Winona State
He ran for a year before realizing he needed to focus on finances. Jobs at Gordie’s Amoco and Kato Liquor Store followed, but the outgoing Russell was encouraged to run for Student Senate. He was elected as a senator his freshman year, vice president as a sophomore, and to the top office as a junior. Russell found a career during his final year when Gavin Strand, then director of Career Planning and Placement, suggested he try Federated Insurance. He was hired after a practice interview, and has built a 27-year career with the business insurance company. He’s now national account executive.
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Winona Currents • Fall 2011
Around 2002, raising a young family in the Phoenix area, Russell began thinking about “things that made an impact on me, how I wouldn’t be what I am without my experience at Winona State.” Russell strengthened his ties with the university and returned to Winona a second time as a WSU Foundation trustee. He has since moved to Federated’s home office in Owatonna, and upped his commitment to Winona State as board chair. Russell hopes to lead the board in clarifying how it can best help Winona State “thrive, not just survive” during turbulent times for higher education. He foresees a greater need for the Foundation to expand support as state funding for the university continues to diminish. And when his two-year stint is up, Russell plans to yield the chair to one of his “incredibly intelligent, skilled” fellow trustees. Just as he did, years ago, as Student Senate president.