UNK Today l Spring 2009

Campus abuzz with activityI’m beginning to hear talk of “Spring Break” which, hard as it is to

believe, means that we are nearing themiddle of another very busy, very pro-ductive semester.

In spite of looming budget reduc-tions and poor economic reports at vir-tually every turn, the news from youralma mater is good! On the construc-tion front, William R. Nester Hallopened for student occupancy inAugust, and we were honored thatChancellor Emeritus Nester and threeof his sons could be with us for the formal dedication ceremony inSeptember.

The Campus Utilities Project, while not as noticeable as the resi-dence hall project, rivals it in importance in terms of modernizing cam-pus utility management. The renovation of Bruner Hall of Science hastaken center stage and is proceeding on time and on budget, with atargeted completion date of December 2009. It is fascinating to seethe day-to-day progress and promises to be quite impressive when fin-ished.

During the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, my family and I hadthe privilege of traveling to Italy with the UNK “Pride of the Plains”Marching Band. The trip was filled with highlights, but the brightestwas their performance at Saint Peter’s Square in Rome on New Year’sDay before the Pope and a crowd of nearly 200,000. At the risk ofsounding corny, I must say that our students made me truly proud tobe a Loper. They were wonderful ambassadors for the university and,really, our country, and my highest compliments go to Professors NealSchnoor and Gary Davis for the time and care they devote to thesetalented young people.

This coming May it will be the Choraleers’ turn to travel. ProfessorDavid Bauer and the student performers are finalizing plans for a 10-day tour of Argentina and Uruguay.

I also want to mention UNK’s Pep Band. On January 6, theWomen’s Basketball Coaches Association voted them “The Best PepBand in Division II.” I couldn’t agree more. They’re talented, enthusi-astic and always entertaining, and Loper athletics wouldn’t be the samewithout the spirit they bring to every contest.

There’s so much more that I could and should mention. But spacedictates the length of my message so I’ll close with an invitation to eachof you to visit campus whenever time and opportunity allows. Stay intouch with all that is happening at UNK. It’s truly a great place, andgrowing stronger student by student.

FROM THE CHANCELLOR

1Hastings High School Teacher Daniel McCarthy '75, MSE'83was named Nebraska's top teacher by the Nebraska StateEducation Association. See page 1.

12After a 12-year leave of absence, ROTC returned to cam-pus last fall. See page 6.

15U.S. News & World Report's annual college rankings issue namedUNK 15th among the Midwest's best colleges. See page 7.

100An Illinois chiropractor who earned his degree entirely on-line,returned to campus in December to attend graduation. It washis first time to meet his professors in person and see the uni-versity. He was the 100th graduate of the master's program ofscience and biology at UNK's eCampus. See page 2.

412Alumni numbers grew with 334 undergraduate students and78 graduate students who received degrees in December. Seepages 3.

10,000Gregg and Lisa Schwartzkopf Daake established a $10,000fund to assist students in visual communications. See page 5.

ON THE COVER

BY THE NUMBERS

UNK’s pep band was recognized as the best pep bandin NCAA Division II for 2009 by the Women’sBasketball Coaches Association (WBCA).

Annually the WBCA recognizes Division I and Division IIindividuals and schools in a variety of categories calledSuperlatives.

WBCA CEO Beth Bass said the recognition program con-tinues to gain popularity each year and “we are excited to seeparticipation coast-to-coast from our members and fans ofwomen’s basketball.”

UNK’s Pride of the Plains Pep Band under the direction ofDrs. Neal Schnoor and Gary Davis, is not only popular atLoper events, but was a hit with teams and fans when Kearneyand UNK hosted the Division II National Elite Eight women’stournament in 2006 and 2007.

“That exposure was great for the pep band and made a bigimpact on the NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee,” saidathletic director Jon McBride. �

Sincerely,

Douglas A. Kristensen, J.D.Chancellor

Jodi Neil, Philip Boon and Trevor Sehnabel

Early in his teaching career,Daniel McCarthy ’75,MSE’83 said he didn’t get

a lot of feedback from formerstudents. And had the rightopportunity come along, hemight have changed professions.

Today, in his 33rd year in theclassroom, McCarthy seemsglad that he stayed in teaching.

“I taught 10 or 15 years anddidn’t get a lot of feedback,” hesaid. “But as a program devel-ops, you start getting feedback.Kids start coming back, and theytell you how they’re using theskills they learned in your class-es. That’s what hooked me.”

McCarthy received the ulti-mate feedback in October.Nebraska Department ofEducation officials accompa-nied all of his mechanical andarchitectural drafting and indus-trial technology students into hisHastings Senior High Schoolclassroom, and announced thatMcCarthy had been selected asNebraska’s 2009 Teacher of theYear.

McCarthy said at a luncheonin his honor at the NebraskaGovernor’s Mansion that thereis good work going on every dayin classrooms across the state,and that he represents all teach-ers doing good work. He is the35th Nebraska Teacher of theYear, and fourth from Hastings.

There’s no doubt thatMcCarthy has taught and led byexample, and he asserts that helearned how to become a good

teacher based on examples setby others.

“Those master teachersshowed me that it takes a lot ofwork to be a good teacher,” hesaid. “I’d go to the school on aweekend and see them up there.I thought that “this must be whatit takes to be a good teacher.’”

That trait took hold withMcCarthy. Early in his career atHastings, he took a group offreshman students to an industri-al arts fair at UNK. The studentswere so impressed by the workof other students at the fair thatMcCarthy soon had to open hisclassroom at night to provide hisstudents time to get their proj-ects done.

“The fair ended,” McCarthysaid, “but my nights never did.”

He’s been working with andchallenging students in theclassroom and out ever since.Active in his church, McCarthyhas also been involved in youthsports, from helping with youthbaseball for his sons, to coach-ing his daughter’s basketball andparticularly her softball teams,where he often put his players atpositions on the field to whichthey were unaccustomed.

“I will always cherish thelooks on their faces as they cameoff the field after accomplishingsomething that they were notsure they would be able to man-age.”

As with many youngsters, itwas a good teacher who pointedMcCarthy to a profession. Hewas a Gothenburg High Schoolsophomore when UNK alumLowell Eloe’s ’61, MSE’68industrial arts class formed acompany to manufacture andsell doll flies – lures for fishing.There was an assembly line,stock and product sales, andcompany profits. Those experi-ences stuck.

“Whenever I think of them, Irealize how innovative and cre-ative Mr. Eloe was with histeaching,” McCarthy said.

His family moved toAinsworth soon after, andMcCarthy didn’t take anotherindustrial arts class until his sen-ior year. That class was drafting,and he was soon hooked on theprecision and exactness.

At UNK, he became a stu-dent assistant to professorKenneth Carlson, and was onthe road to teaching.

“I’ve been very lucky in thatI’ve had great cooperatingteachers,” he said.

He student taught underanother UNK alum, HaroldKorb ’68 of Minden. UNKalumnus Glen Marshall ’48spent nearly 40 years in theindustrial arts department atHastings and was a big influ-ence.

“I learned so much from him(Marshall died in 2004). Hecould discipline a kid and thekid wouldn’t even know it hap-pened. It was so subtle, and itworked,” he said.

He also credits the schooldistrict, his community and hisclose-knit department.

“They’ve had a lot to do withmy teaching. It’s not at everyschool that you get that close-ness,” he said.

Those factors all combine tobenefit McCarthy’s daily class-room lessons.

“It’s all about knowing youcan make a difference.”

He does make a difference.He’s got the feedback to proveit. �

FEATURE

� After 33 years ofteaching, DanielMcCarthy ’75received the ultimate feedbackwhen he wasnamed Nebraska’s2009 Teacher of the Year

By Al Koontz ’76Assistant Director of

Communications Nebraksa

State Education Association

EXPERIENCE AND ENTHUSIASM: Daniel McCarthy works with students in his Hastings SeniorHigh School.

Spring 2009 l UNK Today l 1

Making a differenceIt’s all about knowing you can

Just a day before receivinghis master’s degree fromUNK, Dr. Todd Gill walkedon campus for the first time.

“It was neat to be able to seeeverything. I’d had several deal-ings with the local bookstoreand to see the bookstore andcampus, it was nice to put somevisuals to things I had dealtwith,” Dr. Gill said.Dr. Gill, 34, was the 100th grad-uate from the master’s programin science and biology at UNK’seCampus.

He took all of his classesonline, did researchprojects fromhome and

turned in all of his papers viaemail, without setting a foot oncampus.

The program began in 2003with just 43 students and hasexpanded to serve about 300students from 47 states and eightcountries.

“During graduation, wesometimes get students whohave never visited campus. Theymeet faculty and get their diplo-mas in person,” said biologyprofessor Dr. Wyatt Hoback.

Dr. Gill of Mount Carmel,Illinois, is a chiropractor andearned his doctorate degree in1997 from the Logan College ofChiropractic in Chesterfield,Missouri.

When a friend suggested thathe consider teaching communitycollege courses, he realized heneeded to have a master’sdegree in biology to teach.

After looking for a reputableschool online, Dr. Gill came

across UNK’s distancelearning program andin 2005 took his first

class online.“It didn’t cause disrup-

tion in my current career andnot too much disruption athome,” he said.

Dr. Gill spends 40 to 60hours a week at his practice,Mount Carmel Chiropractic

Clinic. When he began takingonline courses, he had one

child and his wife, Tracy,was expecting. They

have now threec h i l d r e n ,

Drew 6,R a c h e l

3, and

Rebekah 5 months.He did most of his course-

work after his family went tobed.

“To me, it was no differentthan being an on-campus stu-dent other than I wasn’t face toface with students,” he said.

Dr. Gill, who had alreadylogged close to 400 credit hoursof college courses before hebegan the distance learning pro-gram, found the instructors atUNK to be approachable andhelpful.

“I could drop an email andhave a response within a day,”he said.

Dr. Hoback said many of theeCampus classes are videotapedand a DVD is sent to students.Students take tests online, turnin term papers via email andhave complete access to theUNK library for research proj-ects.

“We serve a very big audi-ence that needs a master’s pro-gram,” Dr. Hoback said. “Peopleare place-bound with jobs andfamily.”

Dr. Gill and his family drovemore than 11 hours so he couldsee the university he earned adegree from and walk across thestage at the Health and SportsCenter December 19 to receive

his degree.“I felt like it put closure to

things,” he said. “My family hadbeen by my side through thewhole program. We could spendsome time together and see theprogram come to a close.”

Dr. Gill was also able to meetall the professors he communi-cated online with for more thanthree years. His family had din-ner with Dr. Janet Steele, profes-sor of biology. Dr. MarcAlbrecht, associate professor ofbiology, threw a reception forDr. Gill at his home.

“The ceremony wasn’t asimportant,” Dr. Gill said. “Iwanted to thank people face toface.”

Dr. Gill said seeing the ail-ments of some of his patientsand having such a physical jobmade him realize that he maynot be able to do his job 30 yearsfrom now. His master’s degreewill allow him to change careersif needed. He will also have theopportunity to teach classes inthe future.

For more information onUNK’s eCampus, go towww.unk.edu/acad/ecampus. �

LONG DISTANCE DEGREE: Dr. Todd Gill stands between twoof his biology professors Dr. Wyatt Hoback and Dr. Janet Steele atDecember graduation. Dr. Gill earned his master’s degree on-linemaking the trip from Illinois to receive his degree. It was his firsttime on campus. Also pictured are members of his family, wife Tracyand children Drew, Rachel and Rebekah.

Story courtesy of Kearney Hub,

written by Sara Giboney

Illinois Chiropractor� Dr.Todd Gill wasthe 100th master’sdegree eCampusgraduate in scienceand biology

CAMPUS NEWS

2 l UNK Today l Spring 2009

First time on campus to receive his degree

Spring 2009 l UNK Today l 3

For the second time, mem-bers of the UNK Pride ofthe Plains Marching Band

celebrated New Year’s Day per-forming and touring in Italy.

A group of 95 students, alum-ni, faculty and community mem-bers, including Chancellor DougKristensen and his family, wereamong the group traveling toItaly.

The UNK Marching Bandperformed there in 2005 and wasinvited back to perform again.

The band paraded throughSorrento and played in the mainsquare, Piazza Tasso, on its firststop. The group then traveled toNaples, where it took a tour ofthe city before traveling to Rome.The band spent New Year’s Evein a private hotel room playingmusic and dancing.

On the first day of the NewYear, the band joined more than75,000 people to hear PopeBenedict XVI give his annualNew Year’s blessing. They alsoplayed in the St. Peter’s Squareand participated in an annual

parade. Senior MacKenzie Cochran

said the trip helps students learnthat there are other cultures.“Never in a million years before

I came to college did I think Iwould get to go overseas andplay for people and have thou-sands of people lined up to seeus.”

The band had a similar expe-rience two years ago. DirectorDr. Neal Schnoor said he hopesto take a similar trip again in twoyears. �

December graduationkeynote speaker Dr.Ronald Roskens

encouraged the 412 graduates tobe productive. “The greatestwaste of natural resources is thenumber of people who neverachieve their potential,” he said.He told the graduates that as stu-dents at UNK they had beengiven a chance to grow and formtheir own ideas and to think forthemselves. “As a result, you’regoing to be ready to pioneer inthis new complex century,” hesaid.

Dr. Roskens, president emer-itus of the University ofNebraska, was awarded an hon-orary doctorate by ChancellorDoug Kristensen during the cer-emony. Roskens was NU presi-dent from 1977 until 1990.

Graduating senior Yuri ‘Lily’Kawamura of Japan, who gavethe senior class reflection,advised her fellow graduates toexperience the world.

“The last five years at UNK,

I learned the two most importantthings. I need to try every timeto make my world bigger.Second, without taking anyaction, nothing happened to

bring me joy.” she said.She quoted the Japanese

proverb, “A frog in a well doesnot know the great sea,” whichmeans people are satisfied to

judge things by their own nar-row knowledge and experience,never knowing the world out-side.

“I was a frog in Japan,” shesaid. “The diversity of UNKmade me realize how narrow myworld was.”

The program also includedwelcomes from Kent Schroeder,Chairman of the NU Board ofRegents and BrendaChristensen, president of theUNK Alumni Association whoencouraged the new graduates tostay connected to the universityand to support it with their time,talents and resources.

In addition, music professorDr. Ron Crocker received theLeland Holdt/Security MutualLife Distinguished FacultyAward.

Of the 412 graduates, 334received undergraduate degreesand 78 received graduatedegrees. �

PEP BAND PLAYS AT THE PIAZZA TASSO: A group of 95 students, alumni, faculty and com-

munity members, including Chancellor Doug Kristensen and his family, were among the group that

toured Rome. While there, the UNK marching band performed.

REFLECTIONS: Chancellor Douglas Kristensen, graduate Yuri“Lily” Kawamura, Japan and Dr. Ronald Roskens prepare to speak atthe Winter 2008 Commencement.

‘Lily’ to graduates: Experience the world!

CAMPUS NEWSPride of the PlainsEntertains St. Peter’s Square

With the completion ofAntelope Hall and the NesterHall residence hall complex,UNK is moving ahead withrenovations of the older hallson campus.

Mantor Hall, built in 1965,is the first of those. Nowclosed, the $4 million renova-tions will include installing firesprinklers and updating anaudible fire alarm system;remodeling restrooms; updat-ing heating and cooling unitsand related wall repairs.

An older hall will closeeach fall for renovation. Eachyear, UNK will seek approvalto spend more funds for therenovations.

Randall Hall will close thefall of 2009 and Men’s Hallwill close the fall of 2010.Both will reopen a year afterthey close.

Furniture was replaced androofs repaired at bothCentennial Towers East andCentennial Towers West, andpainting and general mainte-nance was performed at all theolder halls last summer. �

Dating back to 1905,when UNK began as anormal school, one of

the oldest activities for studentswas forensics.

The program had widespreadsuccess through the years enjoy-ing popularity with students.

The Forensics League joinedthe national fraternity Pi KappaDelta in 1924, and in 1926 debatebecame a part of course offer-ings.

In 1930, Kearney won its firststate championship in debate.The team traveled to HonoluluUniversity in 1938 to attend theAloha Tournament.

Women, too, began winningintercollegiate competitions,beginning with the team ofAddah Jane Ludden andFlorence Williams in 1939-40.Between 1940 and 1963,Kearney students placed first 77times in the Nebraska ForensicAssociation in debate, extempo-raneous speaking, oratory andpeace oratory as well as postingvictories in regional and nationalPI Kappa Delta Tournaments.

In 1949 Jeanette Harrisonwon the women’s division of theannual Interstate OratoricalContest Association atNorthwestern University. JudyFunkhouser won the same title in1961 for her speech “File UnderS.” an oration about the growingproblem of sex crimes.

After a number of years of

inactivity, the forensics team wasre-established in 2005 to com-pete on the American ForensicsAssociation circuit that is themost prestigious in the nation.

Since that time, UNK com-petitors have earned hundreds ofindividual awards and three teamsweepstakes awards. They con-tinue to increase their number ofqualified events for the AmericanForensics Association NationalIndividual Events Tournament.

Directed by RachelleKamrath ’96, who competedwhen she was a student, the teamis growing quickly and is more

competitive every year.Each season, the team travels

approximately 15 weekends andattends 25 tournaments. Theyhost two tournaments and theNebraska State ActivitiesAssociation State Speech andDebate tournament.

Each member of the UNKforensics team qualified forNational Competition this year.

Accomplishing all of this on ameager budget has prompted twoformer debate participants tohelp lead a campaign to fundforensics. Judge Karen LueckHunt ’61 of Anchorage, Alaska,

and Doug Steinkruger ’74 ofOmaha have provided kick-offgifts to the Forensics DebateFund with the NU Foundation.Additional gifts to that fund willprovide assistance to furtheringthis quality program.

Forensics has played a keyrole in the education of seniorGrant Campbell. “The team hashelped me to become a better stu-dent, writer, and has even provid-ed potential career opportunities.By traveling on weekends, I learnhow to manage my time andhomework during the week. Mycritical writing has improvedtremendously due to the structurerequired by public addressspeeches.

“Also, several high schoolteachers, college faculty andcommunity members judge atour tournaments. Most of thesepeople are excited and enthusias-tic about hiring people who havecompeted in forensics because oftheir speaking skills. With teach-ing Language Arts as my futureprofession, I know I will be ableto transfer my speaking skills tothe creation of an effective learn-ing environment.”

Individuals interested inknowing more about supportingthe forensics program shouldcontact Kristin Howard, thedirector of development, atkhoward@nufoundation.org orcall the Foundation office inKearney at 308-698-5276. �

Revived program has rich history

OUTSTANDING: Robert Friedman, Plattsmouth Freshman; LauraMcAtee, Wahoo Sophomore; Brandon Pettigrew, Kearney Senior;Cassie Larreau, Kearney Freshman; Brock Ingmire, Manhattan, KSFreshman; Allison Henri, Bellevue Sophomore and Grant Campbell,Tecumseh Senior are current forensic team members.

Forensics:FOUNDATION

4 l UNK Today l Spring 2009

Fall enrollment reached6,543, the highest numberin nearly a decade. This was

the fifth consecutive year UNKhad an increase in enrollment.

The areas that increased werefirst-time, full-time freshmen upfrom 1,524 last year to 1,566 this fall.

International students continueto play a significant role in the stu-dent body. There were 483 stu-dents from 44 countries. Thatnumber included 236 from Japan,128 from China, 69 from SouthKorea, 30 from Nepal, 15 fromCote d’Ivoire and 11 from Turkey.

Chancellor Doug Kristensensaid, “We are gratified that enroll-

ment continues upward in this verycompetitive environment. We havebeen working hard to improve ourcampus in every way, and theresults – which are all around us –should place us in a very goodposition to recruit and retain stu-dents.”

Online courses continue togrow in popularity. Of the 1,439graduate students, approximately66 percent are enrolled exclusivelyin online courses. More than 75percent of UNK graduate studentsare taking at least one onlinecourse. Eight percent of under-graduates are blending face-to-facewith online instruction. �

Mantor, Randall, Men’s Halls next in line for renovations

Enrollment reaches 10-year high

Greg ’96 and LisaSchwartzkopf Daake’95 know that the costof a college education is

expensive. So the young coupledecided to establish a fund with a$10,000 gift to the NUFoundation to assist in the aca-demic area where Greg studiedat UNK – visual communication.

“WE KNOW how difficult itcan be to pay for an education,particularly a bachelor of finearts with the quantity of suppliesand additional items required,”Greg said. “We both valued andenjoyed our time at UNK andfeel it has helped shape who weare today and the fortunate suc-cess we have experienced withour business,” Lisa said.

That success is a by-productof many things, one of which is

the education and experienceswe received at UNK, they said.

Greg and Lisa own DaakeDesign, Inc. in Omaha. In one oftheir most recent projects, DaakeDesign, Inc. partnered withChildren’s Hospital & MedicalCenter to develop and designtheir new identity, new name anda new brand highlighting theirexpertise, growth and more than60 years of service to children.

THEY ARE excited aboutthe explosion around an appreci-ation of design as a visual solu-tion and a requirement for allbusinesses. “We feel thisregion has many talentedindividuals on both sidesof the table (marketingprofessionals and design

professionals) that are just start-ing to realize the value ofdesign in everythingwe touch, hear, seeand feel. We areexcited to be onthe forefront ofthat explosion.

“We hopethis will pro-vide a bit ofassistance toa tal-

ented individual pursuing a visu-al communications career. And,that it might inspire other

regional firms to give back toprograms like UNK,” theysaid. �

Daakes: UNK helped shape who we are

It’s easy to understand whyDr. Valerie Cisler, chair ofthe Department of Musicand Performing Arts,

exudes so much enthusiasmabout UNK’s elite membershipin the National String ProjectConsortium (NSPC).

ONLY 35 member universi-ties nationwide make up theconsortium and only six arelocated west of UNK. “Just lookat the map,” Dr. Cisler said.“UNK’s Music program hasbeen chosen to be in the compa-ny of some very impressive pro-grams in higher education insti-tutions across the country.”

Dr. Cisler said that the cre-ation of NSPC came about in thelate 1990s when people in musiceducation discovered a severeshortage of string teachers in theUnited States. “It didn’t take uslong to deduce that if therearen’t enough teachers, wewouldn’t have enough perform-ers in the near future. Somethingneeded to be done to avoid that.”

Thus, NSPC was born. The

project is working to alleviatingthis shortage by facilitatingundergraduate music students toteach their art to pre-college stu-dents.

“What’s happening, amongso many other wonderfulresults,” Dr. Cisler said, “isthese students, most of whomhave never considered teaching,are finding that they love teach-ing and are very effective doingso.”

The NSPC benefits to ele-mentary students are many.First, the children are receivingquality instruction throughNSPC, two hours per week, foronly $35 a semester, or $70 ayear. It gives students, grades 3to 12, the opportunity to learnviolin, viola, cello and bass withUNK string faculty.

Children who choose to par-ticipate come to a classroom oncampus outside their regular

school day, and they must havetheir own instruments.

In its first semester last fall,30 students began learning howto play the strings. UNK musicmajor and teacher Rachel Hollsaid, “Besides the obvious edu-cational rewards, look at thekind of role models and environ-ment we, as an institution, areable to provide to our communi-ty.”

Professor Ting-Lan Chen,who was responsible for writingthe proposal to become part ofNSPC, and Dr. Cisler, are bothgrateful for the private supportthat was provided to fund theproposal and UNK’s commit-ment to strings education.

It was all possible because ofassistance from UNK’s Office ofSponsored Programs, theDepartment of Music andPerforming Arts, College ofFine Arts and Humanities, theKearney Area SymphonyOrchestra Board, The KearneyArea Arts Council, the DanaFoundation and many privatedonors and friends. �

National Strings ProjectUNK among nation’s elite music programs

Spring 2009 l UNK Today l 5

FOUNDATION

Greg and Lisa Daake

National String Project Consortium Sites

Dedication ceremonieswere held in Septemberfor the new residence

hall complex named in honor offormer chancellor William R.Nester.

The complex, which opened tostudent occupancy at the begin-ning of fall semester, is comprisedof two halls built on the east sideof the campus. They accommo-date 172 students. One was con-structed on the site of the razedCase Hall on the north side of 26thStreet and the other on the southside of 26th Street, north ofFounders Hall. The two halls areconnected by a bridge called theUniversity View room that pro-vides a view of the campus to thewest and Kearney to the east.

Dr. Nester served the campusfrom 1983 to 1993 and oversawthe transition of Kearney StateCollege into the University ofNebraska at Kearney in 1991.

Dr. Nester, who now lives inCincinnati, and his family werespecial guests throughout the ded-ication’s events.

At the dedication ceremony,Dr. Nester told the audience, “Day

by day, this institution is in myhead and in my heart. . .today ismy final roll call with you, andwhen I cross the river, my last andcontinuing thoughts will be ofduty, honor, country. . . and UNK,UNK, UNK.”

Chancellor Doug Kristensensaid, “The naming of this Hall hasgreat symmetry. The University‘View’ bridges living and learning.

I couldn’t be prouder of having(Dr. Nester’s name) as the firstvision of people as they come ontocampus.”

The Nester complex completesPhase I of UNK’s comprehensiveResidential Renewal Project. Ayear ago students moved intoAntelope Hall, a facility that wasconstructed on the site of the razedLudden Hall. �

CAMPUS NEWS

6 l UNK Today l Spring 2009

ROTC has returned tothe University ofNebraska at Kearney

after a 12-year absence. A Blackhawk helicopter

landed on the practice field westof the College of Education towelcome the return of theROTC (Reserve OfficerTraining Corps) program to theuniversity.

Lt. Col. Elizabeth Cisne, pro-fessor of military science at theUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln,passed the symbolic guidon toChancellor Doug Kristensen atthe press conference that fol-lowed the helicopter landing.

“The Army ROTC producesleaders for our nation,” Cisnesaid. “Historically, data hasshown us that officers commis-sioned into the ROTC programat the smaller schools have ahigher propensity to serve a fullcareer of service.”

Kristensen said the programended in 1996 because of budg-et cuts in the military.

“Times have changed, andpriorities are always adjusted. Ithink we’re very lucky to have

them back on our campus. It’s astrong piece of our academicoffering,” Kristensen said.

Bruce Forster, College ofBusiness and Technology dean,said discussions to bring ROTCback to campus began nearlytwo years ago.

The National Guardapproached the universityadministration to bring militaryscience to UNK using the

GOLD program, which allowssoldiers to earn a baccalaureatedegree.

In fall 2007, the universitybegan offering military scienceclasses.

Students in the program canearn degrees in any field ofstudy the university offers.

“This is a great opportunityfor our students, and the pro-grams provide a diversity of

career paths for our students,”Forster said. “I’m really proudthat we’re able to bring themback.”

Maj. Will Prusia serves as thefirst assistant professor of mili-tary science at UNK.

He planted the guidon to offi-cially establish ROTC at UNK.

“There’s a level of excellenceand leadership that takes placein Army ROTC, so it’s great tosee this come back to campus,”Prusia said.

The guidon is black and gold,traditional U.S. Army colors,and has a cadet patch with fourquadrants representing the four-year academic program.

“I think there’s a renewedsense of importance about mili-tary education and the careerfuture that it holds,” Kristensensaid.

More information about theROTC program can be found atwww.unk.edu/acad/militaryscience.�

BACK ON CAMPUS: Dr. Will Prusia passes the guidon toChancellor Kristensen to officially establish ROTC back on campus.

‘Strong piece of our academic offering’

Story courtesy of Kearney Hubwritten by Sara Giboney

ROTC

Nester Hall Dedication:‘Day by day, this institution is in my head and in my heart’

Nester Hall

D r. Charles Bicak ’74 isreturning to campus assenior vice chancellor

for academic and student affairsin March. Dr. Bicak will alsohave a facul-ty position asprofessor ofbiology.

Dr.Bicakhas beendean of theSchool ofN a t u r a lSciences atSt. Edward’sUniversity inA u s t i n ,Texas.

He firstjoined theUNK Department of Biology in1982. He was chair of thedepartment from 1997 to 2004and was assistant to the dean ofthe College of Natural andSocial Sciences from 1993 to1995.

In 2005, he accepted an

appointment at St Edward’s,where he also served as presi-dent of the university’s WildBasin Wilderness Preserve, acorporation that promotes envi-ronmental education, researchand preservation. In addition,he was president of the TexasHispanic Serving InstitutionsConsortium, a group of 21Texas colleges and universities.

While a faculty member atUNK, Dr. Bicak received theLeland Holdt/Security MutualLife Distinguished FacultyAward and was active inregional and professionalorganization, including servingon the board of directors of theCentral Platte NaturalResources District and the advi-sory board of the EdgertonEducation Center.

Dr. Bicak earned a master’sdegree from the University ofBritish Columbia and a doctor-ate degree in range manage-ment from Colorado StateUniversity. �

Dr. CharlesBicak ’74

Dr. Charles Bicak ’74back as vice chancellor

Campus continues to changeUNK is bringing its science

department into the 21st centu-ry with a $14.5 million renova-tions which are expected to becompleted by December 2009.

Bruner Hall of Sciencewhich is home to the Biology,Chemistry, Physics and HealthScience Programs as well as

Mary Morse Lecture Hall wasbuilt in 1966.

The extensive renovationwill help the university com-pete with other schools in thefield of science technology.Doug Kristensen, UNKChancellor, said that the reno-vations will advance the aca-

demic mission of the universi-ty and help to better train stu-dents in science education.

The facelift to Bruner Hallinvolves partially renovatingthe existing building, demol-ishing Mary Morse LectureHall, and the construction of a26,000 square-foot addition

that will house new laborato-ries, a public lobby, class-rooms, a herbarium, a cross-disciplinary BiochemistrySuite, the Health and Sciencesprogram area and a new plane-tarium. The new addition willbe two stories and located 45feet north of Bruner Hall. �

National Rankingreflects UNK’s core values

UNK ranked 15th amongpublic universities inU.S. News & World

Report’s ranking of theMidwest’s best colleges last fall.UNK ranked 59th among publicand private universities offeringmaster’s degrees. The 12-stateMidwest region also includesIllinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,North Dakota, South Dakota,Ohio and Wisconsin.

“We are pleased that theserankings continue to recognizeour progress,” Chancellor DougKristensen said. “Even thoughthe higher education communitydoes not assign a great deal ofweight to these rankings, stu-dents, their families and the gen-eral public obviously pay atten-tion to them. U.S. News hasplaced us in good company, andwe’re glad to be there.”

Kristensen said in compari-son with its peer institutions,UNK’s ranking reflects an out-standing freshmen retention rate

at 81 percent and a high gradua-tion rate at 55 percent.

“Success on those bench-marks reflects our student-ori-ented values and the contribu-tions of faculty and staff wholive those values every day,”Chancellor Kristensen said.“The entire UNK communityshould be very proud of thoseachievements. We’re committedto staying on that course.”

The rankings measure 11areas of university performanceand peer assessment. In additionto the retention and graduationrates, UNK scored high in twocritical areas – the percentage ofclasses with 20 or fewer stu-dents and in the student/facultyratio. In all, 37 percent ofUNK’s classes have 20 or fewerstudents. The student/facultyratio is 16/1. In addition, 93 per-cent of UNK faculty are fulltime. �

Spring 2009 l UNK Today l 7

CAMPUS NEWS

Dr. Michael Chipps ’72,MSE’80, president ofMid-Plains Community

College in North Platte, was oneof 20 college officials to writeletters about the future of U.S.higher education. Those lettershave been collected in a newbook that were designed to reachthe president and the politicalleaders.

In “Letters to the NextPresident: StrengtheningAmerica’s Foundation in HigherEducation,” Dr. Chipps sayscommunity colleges are vital forthe lifelong learning Americanswill need in an era when peoplelikely will change jobs – andcareers – often.

“As America transitions deep-er into a lifelong learning society,where people change jobs 10times and careers three, the needfor expanded continuing educa-tion continues to grow,” he

wrote. “Today, more than half ofall students in higher educationattend community colleges.”

Dr. Chipps, who has beenMid-Plains president since 2003,said the key messages he hopesthe new president draws from hisletter are “that higher educationis what America has valued sinceits beginnings” and thatAmerica’s 1,552 community col-leges play a significant role.

Dr. Chipps said he believes hewas chosen because of his 29years in higher education that hasalso included leadership posts atCentral Community College inGrand Island and Hastings.

He said, “investing in ruralcommunity colleges can help thenation make a truly powerfulstatement about its entrepreneur-ial spirit. Place-based, regionallyfocused rural community col-leges continue to deliver a myri-ad of innovative services to ruralAmerica, whose entrepreneurialspirit is far from dead.” �

Nebraska’s representa-tive in the MissAmerica pageant in

January was UNK studentGretchen Bergquist of Oxford.

Bergquist was named MissNebraska in June and has beenrepresenting the state at activi-ties and events since that time.

The junior organizationalcommunications major has aminor in health sciences. Sheplans to pursue a master’sdegree in occupational therapy.

Bergquist, 23, grew up asone of nine children on thefamily farm of her parents, Boband Martha.

Before winning, she saidshe didn’t realize that the MissAmerica organization was theNo. 1 scholarship program foryoung women in the country orthat every state winner choosesa community service or issueshe will work with during theyear of her reign.

Her community service jobhas been promoting blooddonation. Until gettinginvolved, she said she didn’trealize how many people takeblood donation for granted.“As Miss Nebraska, I have hadthe opportunity to speak out onthe importance of donating.”

Bergquist won the overalltalent contest at the state con-test with a song titled “FeelingGood,” which she performed atthe Miss America competitionin Las Vegas.

She said she is proud of hav-ing the opportunity to representNebraska. “How else could Ispend at least a year promotingan issue I really believe in andearn scholarship money to helpcontinue my education? A per-son can’t succeed in this worldwithout education and givingback through community serv-ice, and I’m getting to do itall.” �

MISS NEBRASKA: UNK student GretchenBerquist of Oxford was named Miss Nebraska incompetition last June. She represented the state inthe Miss America pageant in Las Vegas in January.

Miss Nebraska

Dave Sankey ’87 wasnamed associate super-intendent of the

Nebraska State Patrol in begin-ning in January.

After receiving his bache-lor’s degree in criminal justice,Sankey joined the State Patroland graduated from theNebraska State Patrol TrainingAcademy.

“Over the years, I haveworked in different divisionsand I have had different chal-lenges, and now I have theopportunity to broaden myhorizons even more,” he said.

In his new position, heassists State Patrol superinten-dent Col. Bryan Tuma andoversees Investigative Services,Administrative Services andField Services.

“I am pleased to promoteMaj. Sankey to the rank of lieu-

tenant colonel,” Tuma said.“Dave is a proven leader whohad dedicated his career tohelping improve the agency.”

Sankey was exposed to thepublic safety professionthrough his father, who workedas the warrant and extraditionofficer for the state ofNebraska.

“From the very first day Iwent into criminal justice, itwas something that interestedme. “I’ve always been interest-ed in public safety,” Sankeysaid.

“My experience and educa-tion at Kearney State has pro-vided me with a good founda-tion to do well in this organiza-tion and to succeed as a leader.”

He and his wife, ColleenRegan ’87, live in Lincoln.They have three children, Drew18, Austin 14 and Regan 9. �

Dr. Chipps ’721,552 community collegesvital to higher education

Sankey ’87 plays key rolein Nebraska State Patrol

FEATURE

8 l UNK Today l Spring 2009

Watch for UNK Today to be published twicea year. Once in August and once in March.

UNK student Gretchen Bergquist

Spring 2009 l UNK Today l 9

A lumni, students andfriends celebrated a“Homecoming through

the Decades” with a variety ofactivities and events in October.

The Alumni Association pre-sented seven awards and the UNKAthletic Hall of Fame inductedfive alumni at the 28th annualHomecoming banquet.

Tom Carman ’71, a teacher atOmaha Westside; Bill Dunn ’73,editor of the Grand IslandIndependent; Dr. Jean Lukesh ’85,MAE’90, MSE’93, retired GrandIsland teacher and author of aNebraska history book for fourthgrade students; and BrendaVanLengen ’88 of Kansas City,vice president of operations forPE4Life, a program for improvingphysical education programs forchildren and national women’sbasketball television analyst;received Distinguished AlumniAwards.

Kathy Schnase Horvath ’67 ofGirdwood, Alaska, and Dallas ’74and Sheryl Wymore of Kearney,received the DistinguishedAlumni Service Award for theirlong-time contributions to projectson the Alumni House.

Five alumni were inducted intothe Athletic Hall of Fame: IvanIvanov ’96 of Lincoln, nationalchampion track and cross countryrunner; Gene Lawhead ’60, whoearned 11 letters in football, bas-ketball and track; Jennifer WarnerRamsey ’97, who was RMACMost Valuable Player twice; BrianNielsen ’93 of Omaha, one of themost prolific scorers and rebound-ers in basketball history; andRoger Wachholtz ’78, a two-timeAll-American defensive lineman.Wachholtz, who was from Pierce,was honored posthumously. He

died from exposure during a snowstorm in Northeastern Nebraska in2005.

Dan Hays ’79 (see story page2) received the Gary ThomasDistinguished Music Award.

Professor emeritus Jim Roarkwas honored as the 28th AnnualDr. Don Fox Lecturer. Dr. Roark,who retired last spring after 39years with the ChemistryDepartment, chronicled much ofthe history of the department.

North Platte senior MasonDoughty and Katy, Texas, seniorClaire Bryan were namedHomecoming King and Queen.Bryan, a business managementmajor, is a member of Sigma PhiEpsilon fraternity, a student diplo-

mat and vice president of Order ofOmega. Bryan, a special educa-tion major, is president of GammaPhi Beta sorority, a Chancellor’sAmbassador, a member of the ten-nis team and Order of Omega. Theroyalty crowning, part of anevening that featured the popularlip sync competition, was attendedby a crowd of more than 2,500.They were crowned by ChancellorDoug Kristensen and the 2007royalty, Criss Salinas and LeaSchneider.

Competitive student activitiesfilled the week, including thelimbo competition, banner compe-tition, spirit competition, trikerace, lip sync competition, andlawn display competition. The

sweepstakes winner wasAntelope/Nester Halls with AlphaPhi sorority/Sigma Phi Epsilonfraternity second.

The Loper athletic teams didtheir part to make the week suc-cessful. The football team treatedfans to a 58-14 victory over NewMexico Highlands and the volley-ball team rolled past RMAC foesMesa State and Fort Lewis.

The always popular LoperLuncheon tailgate sponsored bythe Alumni Association at theAlumni House attracted more than250 after a Homecoming paradethat began in downtown Kearneyand ended on campus. More than130 entries were part of theparade. �

HALL OF FAME: Five individuals were inducted into the AthleticHall of Fame. They are Brian Nielsen, Gene Lawhead, JenniferWarner Ramsey, Ivan Ivanov and Roger Wacholtz, who was induct-ed posthumously. Receiving his award are brothers Larry Wacholtzand Keith Wacholtz. (Right) The 2009 Homecoming king was MasonDoughty and the queen was Claire Bryan.

Homecoming 2008 HOMECOMING

10 l UNK Today l Spring 2009

ALUMNI NEWS

GOLD TORCH: At the ninth annual Gold Torch mentoring program in September, alumni mentors and student mentees take a breakfrom their activities. For their 10th anniversary celebration, the Alumni Association is inviting all former alumni and student participantsback to campus for a special banquet which will be held on September 25th.

LOPER gatherings

Alumni

TUCSON, AZ: Helen andDewayne Triplett, Dr. Ray andMarvel Heuke and LannyJorgensen attended an afterwork social hosted by Lannyand his wife, Panda Vest.

MINDEN: Kristin Howard,Shan Lieske, Jeff Ensz and BretteCovington socialize at the firstgathering of alumni and friendsin Minden.

Spring 2009 l UNK Today l 11

ALUMNI NEWS across the nation

Events

GOLDEN, CO: Prior to the UNK basketball games againstColorado Mines in February, alumni gathered in Golden. Brett andKim Walker, along with their children Gavin and Paige were amongthose in attendance.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: Dr. Kenya Taylor, dean of graduatestudies (center) was the special guest at the 34th annual luncheonof the Southern California Alumni Association. She is pictured herewith June Murty and Tricia Luse.

HEARTLAND: The annual gathering of Heartland alumni in DesMoines, Iowa, was an after work social. Pictured here are Craig VanMatre, Elizabeth Goerke and Marcus Kloepping.

WATCH PARTY: The Alumni House was the site of an alumnigathering to watch the basketball games between UNK and MetroState in February. Among those attending were Nancy and Bob Polkand John and Deanna Lakey.

A dventist GlenOaksHospital in Illinois hasrenamed its

Emergency Department in honorof long-time emergency physi-cian Dr. Joseph Shanahan ’72who pledged a $500,000 gift tothe newly-built department.

The Shanahan Emergency andTrauma Center honored Dr.Shanahan, medical director ofemergency services at the hospi-tal, who has worked at the hospi-tal since it opened more than 25years ago. Dr. Shanahan and hiswife, Joann, wanted to give backto the hospital in a meaningfulway. The gift to the GlenOaksHospital is the largest gift thefoundation has ever received.

“Dr. Shanahan’s gift demon-strates his commitment to thehospital,” said Larry Golden,chairman of the GlenOaksHospital Foundation Board ofDirectors. “He’s willing to goabove and beyond to show howmuch he believes in the emer-gency department and the kind ofcare patients receive there.”

Adventist GlenOaksHospital’s EmergencyDepartment, which opened inJune 2007, has a unique concept –there is no waiting room. Uponarrival, patients are escorteddirectly to a private treatmentroom where they are promptlytreated. Dr. Shanahan is creditedwith bringing the idea to fruitionafter seeing a similar design atBall Memorial Hospital inIndiana.

“We dared to be different,” Dr.Shanahan said. “We felt we could

truly differentiate ourselves withan efficient design and patientcomforts that can make for agood patient experience.”

That experience includes pri-vate rooms big enough to accom-modate family members, highceilings, wide corridors, naturallight and skylights, soundproof-ing, flat screen televisions,Internet access and much more.

“It’s so nice that during the lastWorld Series, our patients wereasking if they could stay until theninth inning because our televi-sions were better than theirs wereat home,” Dr. Shanahan said.“The patients just love it. It’s nice

to hear people appreciate whatwe’ve done.”

The emergency departmentoffers a patient-centeredapproach to emergency care,which is often overlooked inemergency treatment, saidBrinsley Lewis, President andCEO of Adventist GlenOaksHospital.

“The emergency departmentwill be Dr. Shanahan’s legacy tohis community,” Lewis said.“The department is the physicaloutcome of his philosophy ofhow an emergency room shouldoperate.”

When the decision to expand

the emergency department wasmade, Lewis looked for ways thehospital could stand apart fromother emergency departments inthe area. The department wasalready promising a 15-minutewait and the hospital wanted tobuild on that concept. Lewis sawa story about the no-waiting roomconcept at Ball Memorial andasked Dr. Shanahan to researchthe idea.

“I’m always ready to listen toideas that can improve patientcare and services,” Lewis said.“Everything Dr. Shanahan cameup with has the patient in mind. Itwas easy to support his vision.” �

David L. Crane, president and CEO of Adventist Midwest Health, Brinsley Lewis, CEO, AdventistGlenOaks Hospital, Joseph Shanahan, M.D., medical director of Emergency Services, and Larry Golden,chairman of the GlenOaks Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, stand outside the new ShanahanEmergency and Trauma Center.

Center named for Dr. Shanahan ’72

Hays ’79 receives music alumni awardDan Hays ’79 is deeply

involved in a career thatincludes his two passions

– art and theatre. For his nearly 30 years of suc-

cesses, Hays received the GaryThomas Distinguished AlumniAward from the Department ofMusic and Performing Arts dur-ing Homecoming.

Hays, whose undergraduatemajors were music performanceand theatre, teaches vocal musicat Elkhorn High School andmusic, dance and musical theater

performance at Dana College inBlair.

Before he began teaching,Hays was a professional per-former for many years. He is achoreographer, a musical directorand an actor. He has acted in tele-vision commercials and specials,choreographed and wrote themusical score for movies, sangradio jungles, danced and sang inindustrial shows and toured theUnited States.

Hays also has directed for pro-fessional theaters, communitytheaters, high school and collegetheaters in a number of states. He

said he isproud to havebeen on thep r o d u c t i o nteam ofO m a h a ’ slongest andmost success-ful profession-al production,Beehive. He was one of the origi-nal staff members of the EmilyGifford Children’s Theater whichis now the Theater for YoungPeople at the Rose in Omaha.

Hays also taught drama atUNO and has directed the UNK

Nebraskats. He served as an artistin schools and communities forthe Nebraska, Kansas andMissouri Arts Councils for manyyears.

Hays is a recipient of numer-ous awards including theOutstanding Music Educator fromthe Nebraska Music EducatorsAssociation and the Teacher of theYear from Show Choir Camps ofAmerica. He is a highly sought-after clinician, conductor, director,choreographer and adjudicator.

Hays and his wife, Kathy, livein Elkhorn. They have two chil-dren, Caitlin and Patrick. �

ALUMNI NEWS

12 l UNK Today l Spring 2009

Dan Hays

ALUMNI NEWS

Christa Witt Speed ’78,orchestra director atGrand Island Senior

High School, has been inductedinto the Nebraska MusicEducators Association (NMEA)Hall of Fame.

“No one in Nebraska has donemore for string education overthe years than Christa,” saidLarry Maupin, who nominatedher for the award. Maupin wasthe orchestra director at the highschool for 38 years.

“Her connections to national-ly known and respected stringeducators have been a tremen-dous asset to the Grand Islandschool system and to orchestrastudents and teachers around thestate,” he said.

Speed began her career in theGrand Island Public Schools in

1978 as a vocal music teacher.She has been a string specialist inthe school district since 1982.

From 1982 to 2003, Speedassisted with the string programin elementary and middleschools. In 2003, she became theorchestra director at the highschool. She is also a string spe-cialist in six elementary and twomiddle schools.

“She has taught at virtually allelementary, middle and highschools in the Grand IslandPublic Schools,” Maupin said.

In addition to teaching, Speedalso maintains a private cello stu-dio.

Speed co-directs an elemen-tary string orchestra with musi-cians from the district’s 14 ele-mentary schools. This groupmeets after school and performstwo concerts annually.

Maupin said one of Speed’smajor accomplishments was

establishing the ‘Strictly Strings’Middle School OrchestraFestival in 1987. That eventbrings together more than 200middle school string playersfrom throughout Nebraska for aconcert held in November.

Speed has served as thenational secretary and executiveboard member for the AmericanString Teachers Association,chair of the NMEA orchestraaffairs and president of theNebraska Chapter of theAmerican String TeachersAssociation.

She was the Nebraska ASTATeacher of the Year in 1993 andhas received other music awards.

Speed has written articles formusic publications, plays profes-sionally and founded the Tri-CityYouth Symphony. �

Christa Witt Speed

Christa Speed:

Bill Roach ’78, a tennispro from Papillion,recorded “the biggest

win of my life” when he outlast-ed 100 other competitors to winthe U.S. Tennis Association’sNational Men’s 55 Hard CourtSingles Championship inNovember.

The tournament in IndianWells, California, earned Roachhis first gold ball, the award forwinning major national tourna-ments. Roach had won threerunner-up silver balls but nevera gold.

The 5-foot-8 Omaha city fire-fighter combines that job withhis other career, tennis pro at theWestroads Club in the winterand Shadow Ridge CountryClub in the summer.

Roach, who has been playingtennis since age 12, has a storiedresume of athletic accomplish-ments. At UNK, he was confer-ence singles champion bothyears he competed and reachedthe national quarterfinals hisjunior year, the highest achieve-ment by a Loper tennis player.Roach also was a standoutLoper basketball player. He wasinducted into the UNK AthleticHall of Fame in 1996.

After graduating, Roach con-

tinued his tennis career. He wasthe No. 1 ranked open player inNebraska for five years and hasbeen among the top playersnationally for the past 20 years.

It was at age 35 that Roachbegan competing nationallyonly every five years when heentered a higher bracket. Thistime around, at age 55, Roachhad extra motivation to becomea champion.

Five years ago when he wasranked No. 5 in the nation andwith the No. 1 player injured, hethought he had the opportunityto represent the United States aspart of the four-man Austria Cupteam, the senior version of theDavis Cup. However, he was notselected.

Roach responded by settingtwo goals: 1. Win a gold ball. 2.Represent the U.S. in the AustriaCup. He has accomplished both.

“Five years ago, I told myself‘Let’s train hard, and reallycompete for the 55s,’ ” Roachsaid. That meant early morningworkouts, competition againstquality younger players anddeveloping a mental toughness.

The Outdoor Hard CourtTournament is the USTA’s finalgrand slam event of the year –and, according to Roach, “the

granddaddy of them all.”He dropped only one set in

six matches. His mental tough-ness and foot speed lifted him toa 6-4, 7-6, 7-4 finals victoryover Californian Geoff Cykman,the man who had eliminatedRoach at the previous GrandSlam in Atlanta.

“I won a lot of big points,” hesaid.

One reason Roach won hisfirst gold ball may have beenthat his friend Phil Landauer, 56,of Oklahoma, chose to competein the doubles at the tournament.

Landauer is the only man inthe country ranked ahead of

Roach, and hasgone undefeat-ed in both sin-gles and dou-bles.

Landauer hasknown Roachfor 20 years,and is thrilledthat he has beenselected to jointhe US team inMajorca, Spain,at the end ofApril to play inthe Austria Cup.

“He’s theultimate com-

petitor,” Landauer said. “Ifyou’re talking about a guy you’dwant in the foxhole with youwhen you need someone to stepup to the plate, it’d be Bill.”

After Roach won the champi-onship point in the tie-breaker ofthe second set, sealing 20 yearsof scrapping for first place,Landauer walked up to him andsaid, “Welcome to the club.” �

Bill Roach

Bill Roach ’78 to represent U.S. in Austria Cup

Spring 2009 l UNK Today l 13

String specialist inducted into NMEA Hall of Fame

Coming Summer ’09www.unkalumni.org

Sophomore middle hitterJeri Walkowiak earnedAll-American honors and

was RMAC Player of the Yearfor the Loper volleyball teamthat posted a 32-4 record.

The 5-11 Walkowiak was afirst team All-American selec-tion by the American VolleyballCoaches Association and a thirdteam choice by Daktronics.

WALKOWIAK joins mid-dle hitters Kelli Brummer ’99and Erin Gudmundson ’04 and’05 and setter Danielle Shum’96 as the only UNK players toearn first-team AVCA All-American honors.

Coach Rick Squiers said thatWalkowiak is athletic as you aregoing to find. “She’s got a bigjump. She hits the ball extreme-ly hard. She’s somebody thatreally changes the complexionof a match as an attacker.”

During the 2008 season, TheGrand Island High School grad-uate Walkowiak had 3.27 killsand 0.84 blocks per game whilehitting .335. She also averaged2.36 digs per game over the last17 matches and was named tothe Central Region all-tourna-ment team. At that NCAACentral Region tournament,UNK lost to eventual nationalchampion Concordia-St. Paul infive sets.

The Lopers won the RMACregular season title and madethe NCAA tournament for the10th consecutive year.

Other conference honorswent to junior middle hitterNikki Scott, a first team selec-tion; sophomore Cola Svec, thesetter-of-year; and coach RickSquiers, the coach-of-the yearfor the fifth time. In 10 years atUNK, Squiers has compiled a320-47 record. �

As part of the RMACC e n t e n n i a lCelebration, all-time

teams are being recognized bythe conference. The RMAC,the fourth oldest conferencein the United States, wasfounded in 1909.

UNK has been well repre-sented in the sports that havebeen released so far.

In volleyball, ErinGudmundson was named theAll-Time Top Player. She wastwice RMAC Player of theYear and national Player ofthe Year as a senior in 2005.Others on the team were ErinArnold ’04 and DanielleShum-Stowell ’96. Arnoldwas All-RMAC three timesand All-American twice.Shum-Stowell was RMACPlayer of the Year twice andAll-American twice. UNKcoach Rick Squiers wasnamed Coach of the Century.In ten years at UNK he has a320-47 record.

In women’s basketball,Jessica Kedrowski Carlyle‘99 and Jennifer WarnerRamsey ’97 were named tothe team. Kedrowski was athree time first-team all-con-ference selection and MVP of

the 1997 RMAC tournament.Warner was RMAC Player ofthe Year twice. Coach AmyStephens was Coach of theCentury. She built UNK into apowerhouse during her tenurefrom 1994 to 2002, compileda 197-43 record and qualifiedfor seven straight NCAATournaments.

IN MEN’S basketball,Nick Branting ’04 and NickSvehla’03 were named to theteam. Branting capped hiscareer by being named theNational Player of the Year asa senior. Svehla was a two-time RMAC Player of theYear and was twice an All-American.

In wrestling, Brett Allgood’08 and Tervel Dlagnev ’08made the team. Allgood wonnational titles at 133 lbs. in2006 and 2008. He was thirdin 2007. Dlagnev was a two-time national champion atheavyweight who led UNK toa national championship hissenior year. He was the firstrecipient of the NCAADivision II Wrestler of theYear award. He finished hiscareer with 71 consecutivewins. �

LOPER SPORTS

14 l UNK Today l Spring 2009

Jeri WalkowiakVolleyball Player of the Year

Jeri Walkowiak

For the latest on ALL 16UNK Sports visit

www.lopers.comBuy your Lopertickets today!

www.Lopers.com

The Loper football teamposted a 7-4 season markand a 7-2 conference

record that was good enough togive the Lopers a tie for second inthe RMAC last fall.

Freshman quarterback JakeSpitzlberger, Lakewood,Colorado, was named the confer-ence Offensive Player of the Year.Junior center Jack Hiett, Arvada,Colorado, earned all-conferencefirst-team honors for the thirdconsecutive year and sophomorereceiver Kyle Kaiser,Broomfield, Colorado, also madethe RMAC first team.

Coach Darrell Morris and hisstaff will return nearly the entireoffensive team and five startersfrom one of the RMAC’s topdefensive squads.

UNK’s cross country teamsfaced the challenge of competingagainst Adams State and WesternState, always among the topteams in the country.

The Lopers men and womenboth finished seventh in theRMAC. At the regionals, the menwere ninth and the youngwomen’s squad 15th.�

Football

Cross Country

RMAC CentennialLopers among all-time best

LOPER SPORTS

Spring 2009 l UNK Today l 15

UNK will begin its soc-cer program for womennext fall with a home

game on August 27 with a veter-an coach leading the program.Mike Munch, who has an exten-sive soccer background, hasbeen selected as the first coach.

Munch has previously been ahead coach at Texas A & MUniversity-Commerce and theUniversity of North Florida. Hestarted the program atCommerce while he took overthe UNF program in its thirdyear of existence.

“Mike’s extensive headcoaching experience, especiallyat the NCAA Division II level,will be a real plus for us as westart our program,” athleticdirector Jon McBride said. “Hehas played integral roles inbuilding two successful soccerprograms and has worked close-ly with local soccer communi-ties in growing appreciation forthe sport. This is an excitingannouncement in the develop-ment of UNK women’s soccer.”

At Commerce, Munch went270-20-3 from 1995 to 1997. Hethen moved on to UNF, a schoolthat moved from NCAADivision II into NCAA Division

I in 2005.From 1998 to 2006, Munch

helped UNF become a DivisionII national powerhouse, postinga 116-52-11mark andmaking fourNCAA tour-n a m e n tappearances.His teamswon threePeach BeltConferencet i t l e s ,advanced tothe Elite Eight three times andwere consistently in the nationalrankings, reaching as high asNo. 2 during the 2000 season.He was the 2000 NSCAADivision II National Coach ofthe Year and was selected 2006Amateur Soccer Coach of theYear by the Jacksonville Times-Union.

In 12 seasons as a headcoach, Munch has a career markof 143-72-14, putting him 30thon the Division II all-time winslist.

Munch said he was lookingforward to becoming part of theLoper family and Kearney com-munity. “It is my hope to build a

women’s soccer program thatwill reflect the class traditionand success of UNK athletics.”

Since August 2008, Munchhas served as an assistant coachat Commerce. He has alsocoached at numerous soccercamps and clinics and has beeninvolved with soccer clubs inTexas and Florida.

When UNK announced theaddition of women’s soccer lastfall, it became the 17th competi-tive sport for the Lopers. UNKwill also be the 11th school inthe RMAC to sponsor women’ssoccer. The sport is a popularand successful conference sport.RMAC member Metro Statewon Division II titles in 2004and 2006. UNO claimed thenational title in 2005. Last sea-son, 225 Division II schoolssponsored soccer.

At the announcement of theaddition of women’s soccer,Chancellor Doug Kristensensaid, “I believe women’s soccerwill be a wonderful addition toUNK in general, and to our ath-letic program. It will increaseopportunities for women whowish to participate in universityathletics, it will increase oppor-tunities for fan participation and

it is a program that hasbeen requested repeatedlyby our student body. It is a win-win proposition. I am grateful toJon McBride and his staff forturning a vision into reality, andam very excited about what thefuture holds.”

UNK officials expect theLoper women’s soccer program,with an annual budget ofapproximately $120,000, to beself-sustaining through a combi-nation of resources, includingprivate donations, newly estab-lished student activity fees andprogram revenue.

“We anticipate UNKwomen’s soccer to be extremelypopular from the first kick.Soccer was the only champi-onship sponsored by theNebraska School ActivitiesAssociation not previouslyoffered by UNK. Many of thetop feeder high schools to UNKalready have girl’s soccer pro-grams. It’s a championship sportsponsored by the RMAC. So, itmakes sense to add this sport atthis time,” McBride said. �

SOCCER:Women kick off a new sport in 2009

Mike Munch

Fall Sports: Wrap-upUNK’s winter sports teams

completed successful seasons inMarch.

The women’s basketballteam tied for first in the RMACEast Division with a 14-5 con-ference record and a 19-8 regu-lar season mark.

Seniors Jade Meads, ElmCreek, and Jonni Mildenberger,Sterling, Colorado, led the teamin scoring and rebounding.Meads averaged more than 18points and 8 rebounds a gamewhile averaged Mildenbergeraveraged 17 points and 8rebounds.

Without a senior, the youngmen’s basketball team sufferedits first losing season since1991-92 while posting a 11-15mark. Junior forward DrakeBaranek, Ravenna, led the con-ference in scoring with a 21.9

average. A year ago as a sopho-more he averaged 20.5. He wasalso the team’s leading rebound-er for the second consecutiveyear. A win in the final game ofthe season marked Coach TomKropp’s 400th career victory. Hehas a record of 400-163 in 19seasons.

Western State ended UNK’sstreak of seven consecutiveRMAC wrestling titles by win-ning the conference meet. TheLopers, who were nationalchampions a year ago, finishedthird and had two individualchampions. Junior Taylor May,Imperial, captured the 165 lb.titles and Junior Marty Usman,Arlington, Texas, won the 174lb. championship.

Both track teams placed thirdin the RMAC IndoorChampionships. Adams State

captured the women’s title forthe eighth consecutive yearalong with winning the men’stitle.

Franklin junior Sam Murphywon the women’s shot put with aseason best 47-10.75, Sidneysophomore Jessie Golden cap-tured the 55-meter hurdles andKearney senior Kelli Dring wonthe high jump at 5-5.75. Her titlewas her fourth RMAC indoorcrown. The versatile Dring alsowas second in the 55 hurdles andtriple jump.

For the men, Fairbury juniorDakota Cochrane won the polevault at 15-7 and Chadron fresh-man Allen Osborn captured the55-meter hurdles in a time of7.55.

The women’s swimming anddiving team placed fifth in theRMAC Championships. DiverAnnie Moyer, Lincoln East, wonthe three-meter competition andwas fourth on the one-meterboard. She was named theFemale Diver of the Year. �

Mark your calendars!The 22nd annual Blue/Gold Golf

Scramble will be June 8th.Call 308.865.8330 for reservations today!

1949Dee Siebenaler Barclay taught sixthgrade for 43 years in Nebraska, Alaska andCalifornia. Now retired, she lives in Napa,California.

1956Bob Gell and his wife, Susan, live inHistoric Colonial Charleston, Maryland, ina home that was built in 1788. Bob, whoretired from Cecil College in 2000 after22 years as president, serves on the townboard of commissioners, is chair of theBainbridge Development Corporationand president of the InternationalHummingbird Society.

1966Wallace Hansen is retired from acareer in education at Wauneta,Ashland/Greenwood and Goodland,Kansas, where he now lives.

1969Dean Dowson counsels families in per-sonal finance areas on a volunteer basisfor Crown Financial. He owned a realestate development company and restau-rants in eastern Wyoming and westernNebraska for 20 years prior to that. Helives in Hershey.Lynn James of Raleigh, North Carolina,has been elected to a two-year term aspresident of the National Association ofUnited Methodist Foundations. He isexecutive director of the Raleigh-basedUnited Methodist Foundation and over-sees the services the foundation providesto Methodist churches throughout east-ern North Carolina.

1973Dianne Horrocks is director of theOffice of Sponsored Programs at IdahoState University. She has been at IdahoState since 1987 after working in theOffice of Research Administration at UNLfor 10 years.Gloria Ross Sterud is a second gradeteacher at Gleason Lake ElementarySchool Wayzata School District #284 inPlymouth, Minnesota.

1974Debra Dales Jacobs is the coordinatorof data integrity and special district initia-tives for the Metropolitan School Districtof Pike Township in Indianapolis.Mike Rol, who died in 1999, was induct-ed into the Nebraska Softball Hall ofFame posthumously in January. After grad-uating, the 6-5 basketball player lived inAxtell and got interested in softball. Hemanaged Rol’s Seed and Feed team for 14years that won one state championshipand was runner-up eight times. He alsohelped the women’s and youth teams inCentral Nebraska and spent time organ-izing leagues and maintaining playing fields.In 1984, when the master’s programbegan, he formed a team. That team wasone of the first Nebraska participants inthe national tournaments. He also servedas the Nebraska ASA commissioner from1983 to 1998.

1975Anthony Mulford of Virginia Beach is apartner with Virginia law firm BowmanGreen Hampton & Kelly.

1976Shelley Braun Biever is princi-pal/interior designer at Model Interiors inOmaha.

1977Lori Potter, staff writer and columnistfor the Kearney Hub, won the sweepstakeaward for the 2007 CommunicationsContest sponsored by the NationalFederation of Press Women. She also wonthe sweepstake award at the state level.

1979Barry Major has been promoted topresident of Nebraska Book Company inLincoln. He has been with the companysince 1999.Janelle Richey McKain was featured inan online magazine article –http://orangesandsardines.blogspot.com/.She said art department faculty JackKarraker, Larry Peterson, Keith Lowryand Ray Schultz played a huge role in herlife. She is department chair and teachesdrawing and advanced drawing at MillardSouth High School.

1980Maryann Dvoracek Bolton receivedthe 25th annual Outstanding ServiceAward from Central CommunityCollege-Hastings. She has been anaccounting instructor at the Hastingscampus since 1982.

1981Jim Campbell MSE’81 is a develop-ment officer for the NU Foundation. Hewill work with the UNL College ofEducation and Human Sciences.Darrel Smith is co-owner of FirstNational Financial Services in NorthPlatte. He began his financial advisercareer with E. F. Hutton & Company in1981 and established his current compa-ny in 1987. He and his wife, Frances, havetwo children Jacalyn 26, and Mitchell 23.They have a grandson, Harper 1.

1982Clay Schutz has been appointed thechief probation officer for ProbationDistrict 9 in Grand Island.James Urban of Grand Island has beeninducted into the Arcadia High SchoolHuskie Wall of Fame. He is the divisionchief of administrative at GoodwillIndustries of Greater Nebraska.

1984Merrill Messbarger of Omaha hasbeen named an associate at the SpencerFane Britt & Browne LLP law firm inOmaha. He practices in the labor andemployment group.

1987Sid Haarberg is general manager ofMicrotel Inn and Suites in Kearney.

1988Navy Cmdr. Vaughn Stocker hasretired after 20 years of service. He wasawarded the Defense Meritorious Service

Medal while serving as joint mobility offi-cer and European Command branchchief, operations and plans directoratewhile assigned to the U.S. TransportationCommand, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

1989Steve Poppe is the vice presidentialcommercial loan officer at Hastings StateBank in Hastings. He lives in Doniphan.

1991Sam Somerhalder is a senior vicepresdient with Mutual of Omaha Bank.Sam lives in Shawnee, KS.

1992Theresa Hardy Engelhardt is thedirector of Senior Citizens Industries inGrand Island.Michael Snodgrass is the executivedirector of NeighborWorks Lincolnworking in the older neighborhoods ofthe city. For the past 15 years he workedin the urban core of Kansas City.

1993Alan Hauschild and his wife, Keri, ownPE 101 Kids Gym in Omaha. PE 101 KidsGym offers birthday parties, open playtimes , classes, field trips, holiday and sum-mer camps for kids 10 and under. Theyhave two children, Kyla 7 and Logan 5.Leah Broeker Norman works atBecton Dickinson in Holdrege. She andher husband, Bill, have three children.

1994Christi Kathol Janssen is executive direc-tor of the Durham Museum in Omaha.Angie VanLengen Mohr is the PeopleDevelopment (Human Resources)Coordinator at Linden Court in NorthPlatte, a nursing home in the Vetter HealthServices family. She and her husband, Sam,owner of Sam’s Lawn Service, have twosons, Jack 7 and Kade 5.

1995Tammy Huebner Alvarado is market-ing president for Pathway Bank in GrandIsland.Jeffery and his wife, Paula Reutzel’89, MAE’98 entered the Silver PaletteShow in Omaha. Jeffery got a first in 3-Dand first in Animals. Paula got first in StillLife and second in Floral. They are artistsand teachers in the Omaha, Bellevuearea.

1996Kristin Miller Gottula is small busi-ness account executive with Frontier, aCitizens Communication Co., in Kearney. Shonda Doak Grant is a recruitingspecialist for Merisel, Inc. in El Segundo,California. She lives in Venice, California.Scott Rowe was recently promoted topartner in charge, interactive planningand strategy at Bozell in Omaha. Priorto that, Scott co-owned and developedSeeIt.com, a national apartment-huntingwebsite.Shane Schramm and his wife, LaurieMason ’97, are living in Frisco, Texas,where Shane was selected for theGeorge W. Bush Presidential Detail inDallas with the United States SecretService beginning in January. They havethree children, Luke 4, Taylor 2 and Jake,who was born May 29. Shane earned hislaw degree from UNL in 2000.Bill Taddicken is director of theNational Audubon Society’s LillianAnnette Rowe Sanctuary and NicolsonAudubon Center located near Gibbon.

1997 Dave Persson is director of sales forAerotek working out of their corporatelocation in Hanover, Maryland. He andhis wife, Alissa, live in Baltimore.

16 l UNK Today l Spring 2009

Alumni are among UNK’s best recruiters andthe university could use your assistance.There are many ways you can assist in attract-

ing prospective Lopers.� Make a point to visit with students andfriends about your experience at UNKand encourage them to give us a look� Encourage them to check us out on theweb at www.unk.edu

� Send their names, addresses and highschool information to the admissionsoffice

1-800-KEARNEYadmissionsug@unk.edu

Help Them –EXPERIENCE KEARNEY

CLASS NOTES

JOIN THE LOPER

E-network!Please send your emails to mwidger@nufoundation.org and let us know your most current email address. Be sure to provide your name, address and year of graduation!

Jason Schmidt is a high school mathteacher with Battle Creek Public School.Krista Niemoth Uden MSE’97 andRick Huls MSE’95 have a mental healthpractice named Revelations Counseling inGrand Island.

1998Eric Garey is superintendent for theMedicine Valley Schools in Curtis. He hadbeen secondary principal.Kari Lidgett is a public relations associ-ate for Swanson Russell in Omaha. Thecompany works with clients to developand implement public relations and socialmedia plans and programs.Courtney Goosic Mottet is a teacherin West Des Moines, Iowa. She and herhusband, Billy, have four daughters.Jennifer Pieper Lemke is the reloca-tion director for Home Real Estate inLincoln. Her husband, Eric, is a realtorwith Home Real Estate and he ownsLemke Custom Homes. They have a son,Hunter Louis, born March 3, 2008.Brian Wetjen is a partner in charge,interactive creative for Bozell integratedmarketing services. Brian lives in Omaha.

1999Cameron McCarthy earned his MBAin June 2008 from Bellevue University. Heis the general manager for AppliedIndustrial Technologies. He and his wife,Jen Kruse ’99, live in Omaha.

2000Troy Keiswetter is the Principal atPlainville High School in Kansas.

2001Andy Romatzke has taken a position asclaims attorney for Fidelity National TitleGroup in Omaha. He had been practicinglaw in Kearney.

2002T. J. Isaacs is a campaign manager con-sultant with The Steier Group in Omaha.The Steier Group is a national fundraisingand development firm that specializes infeasibility studies and capital campaignsfor nonprofits.Misty Goffena Spitler completed herdoctorate in clinical psychology in Julyfrom the University of Indianapolis and isworking in private practice as a psycholo-gist. She and her husband, Jeremy, weremarried September 13, 2008.

2003Michaela Jennings received a master’sdegree in urban and regional planningfrom the University of Iowa in 2006. Sheis employed by Pacific MunicipalConsultants (PMC) as an associate plan-ner focusing on long-range house andcommunity development planning. Shelives in Sacramento, California, along withher significant other, Andrew (Drew)Meismer ’03. Drew is a wildlife artist(taxidermist) at Wildlife Artistry in WestSacramento.Molly Lungrin EDS’08 of Kearney wasnamed the Outstanding Chapter Advisor ofthe past biennium by Alpha Phi InternatinalFraternity at its 67th international conven-tion in July. She has been advisor of theUNK Delta Xi chapter since 2005.Inga Bruns Washington is a clinicalpharmacy specialist in the area of primarycare in Lebanon, Virginia. She graduatedfrom Temple University of Pharmacy inMay 2007 and married PatrickWashington in November 2007. She com-pleted a PGY-1 Pharmacy PracticeResidency at the Lebanon, Virginia,Medical Center in June 2008.

2005Krista Timmons Carlson is an attor-ney with the law firm of Wolfe, Snowden,Hurd, Luers & Ahl, LLP, in Lincoln.Luke Hansen teaches elementary phys-ical education in San Jose Unified SchoolDistrict. He also coaches baseball atBellarmine Prep Academy.

Marty Levinson is an elementaryteacher in the San Jose Unified SchoolDistrict. He also coaches basketball at SanJose City College.Bryan McIntyre was one of threeUNMC College of Dentistry studentsrecognized by the InternationalAssociation of Dental Research. Out of56 dental schools in the country, only 50awards were presented. McIntyre’sresearch project was titled “Effects ofTransforming jGrowth Factor-beta3 onOsteoblast Proliferation andDifferentation.”

2006 Jen MacKay is head women’s basketballcoach and co-athletic director for Fonddu Lac Community College in Cloquet,Minnesota.Lance Pfeiffer MBA’08 lives inKearney. He is a sales consultant withSynthes Spine.

2007Kyle and Sara Glidden-Mossman ’07live in Castle Rock, Colorado. Kyle teach-es and coaches in Monument. Sara is thehead volleyball coach at Palmer RidgeHigh School in Monument. She teacheshigh school business in Elizabeth. Theywere married July 14, 2007.

2008Alison Glidden is a graduate student atIowa State University. As a graduate assis-tant, she teaches classes in the kinesiolo-gy/exercise science program.Josh Hanshaw is the community manag-er for the American Cancer Society inManhattan, Kansas.Elissa Martin is secondary language artsteacher at Callaway High School.Tina Mieth has joined the staff atBuilders Warehouse as a graphic designerin Kearney. She lives in Rockville with herson, Carter.Janice Robinson attends the LutheranSchool of Theology in Chicago.Ashley Zinnel is a radiographer withPlatte Valley Medical Group in Kearney.

MarriagesKylee Ackles ’01, MSE’03 and KevinMoormann August 9 in Farwell.Klarissa Bellamy ’08 and Staff Sgt.Joseph Haag February 21 in Grand Island.Klarissa works for US Bank. Joseph is aveteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom One

and Operation EnduringFreedom. He continues to servein the Guard.Shauna Birchard ’06, MBA’08 andZebadiah Graham November 1 in GrandIsland.Bryce Bornemeier ’03 and LauraColvin September 20 in North Platte.Mitchell Broekemeier ’07 and ArielPearce August 22. Mitchel is a projectengineer for Weitz Company in Omaha.Blane Buckley ’00 and Sarah WardynAugust 30 in Loup City.Jenny Callahan ’03 and RalphThompson III October 4 in Omaha.Jamie Clausen ’08 and NathanClemans August 2 in Grand Island.Jennifer Clausen ’04 and MichaelHiebner ’05 May 2 in Lincoln. Jennifer isan account representative with SandhillsPublishing and Michael works for ShelterDistribution.Brett Christensen ’08 and AmandaDavis October 18 in Lincoln.Hanna Christensen ’03 and AdamRasmussen October 18 in Lincoln.Joel Crocker ’97 and Tammi SabatkaFebruary 8, 2008, in Rivera Maya, Mexico.They live in Prairie Village, Kansas.Kimberly Dennison ’07 and BrandonSchmidt October 18 in Kearney.Jacquelyn Dibbern ’08 and TimMoser ’08 June 15. They live in York.Bryna Dixon ’07 and Brad Miller ’07March 15, 2008 in Gering. Bryna is in hersecond year at Cleveland ChiropacticCollege in Kansas City. Brad is in his sec-ond year of the Ph.D. program in chem-istry at UMKC.Meagan Lynn Ellis ’07 and Bret BasyeJune 28 in Omaha. Both work for MillardPublic Schools and reside in Omaha.Kelly Ems ’97 and D. J. Wood September7 in Las Vegas. Kelly is a juvenile detentionofficer in Lincoln where they live.Jennifer Farber ’03 and Joshua ModlinAugust 23 in Kearney. They live in GrandIsland.Amy Fehringer ’02 and Eddie Denny’02 June 13 in Humphrey.Crystal Floyd ’05 and ReggieBosshamer August 30 in Kearney.Jamie Fritz ’07 and Lucas Simonsen’07 November 10 in Seward. They live inOmaha where Lucas is an assistant builderfor Hearthstone Homes and Jamie is arespitory therapist with Alegent Health.

Katherine Frost ’05 and ZacheryMiller ’05 August 9 in Grand Island.Abigail Garwood ’05 and JamesReynolds ’05August 2 in Butte. They livein Lincoln. Abigail is a second year law stu-dent and James is a director of purchasingat Masport Inc.Sara Gerdes ’05 and Brandon KingAugust 30 in Holdrege. They live inColorado Springs.Amber Gregg ’05 and Kevin SwartzJune 7 in Minden.Susan Hafer ‘’79, MSE’85 and DickLessert November 28. Susan is a teacherwith Morrill Schools. They live inMinatare.Sarah Hamilton ’03 and MattKuhlmann June 7 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.Katie Harms ’07 and Brian SissonAugust 2 in Holdrege. They live inArapahoeStaci Heer ’06 and Joshua Nutt June 14in Phillipsburg, Kansas.Nicole Henning ’99 and Jason McNeilJanuary 17 in New Orleans.Ashley Hess ’03 and Chris Meyer ’03December 27 in Kearney.Kelly Hickman ’05 and Scott Miller’03 May 24 in Grand Island. Kelly is themarketing director for the HastingsFamily YMCA and Scott is a graphicdesigner for Idea Bank in Hastings.Jeremy Hinze ’03 and Lindsey TavlinSeptember 20 in Lincoln.Rebecca Holmstedt ’03 and JoshuaParde August 22 in Central City.Mary Holoubeck ’07 and ChanceKlasek August 30 in Kearney.Channon Hunt ’98 and Antone OsekaJuly 12. Channon is a health teacher atGretna Middle School.Jill Janke ’03 and Christopher NovakJuly 26. Jill teaches K-8 art at St. Patrick’sCatholic School in Elkhorn and also hasher own gallery and photography busi-ness. They live in Omaha.Julinne Johnson ’00, MSE’02 and AndyMoore August 8. Julinne is a speech-lan-guage pathologist for ESU 4 in Auburn.Kelsey Johnson ’07 and Tehl Keslar’08 August 23 in Ogallala.Kristopher Jones ’06 and Bridget NeillDecember 27 in Elm Creek.Erich Kant ’01 and Susie Hurst July 26in York.Rhonda Kreutzer ’96 and Scott DickeAugust 23 in Kearney. They live inLakewood, Colorado.Joe Krolikowski ’99 and CarinaKowalski August 16 in Loup City.Amy Kwiatkowski ’03 and Rich Eber’06 June 19 at Treasure Island, Florida. Jennifer Leech ’06 and ChristopherProsiski ’07 August 2 in Beatrice. Bothteach and coach in Lexington.Kelly Liss ’03 and Seth Anson December27 in Kearney. Danielle Lively ’03 and John Neal June11 in Kearney. Danielle is an assistant pro-fessor of criminal justice at UNK.Richard Loeffelbein ’04 and SheriseWichmann October 25 in St. Libory. Nicole Luth ’06 and Ryan Krantz ’02June 21 in Kearney.Phoukhong Manivong ’03 andHeather Morgan March 14 in Negril,Jamaica. Phoukhong is a police officer forthe Grand Island Police Department.Whitney Maxwell ’99 and JohnEmanuel May 10 in Lincoln.Kaine McClelland ’04 and Melisa TuttleOctober 18 in Lincoln.Jackie McCloud ’04 and Justin GoosicMay 2 in Grand Island. Jackie is an Englishlanguage acquisition teacher for NewellElementary.

Spring 2009 l UNK Today l 17

CLASS NOTES

Where are the Lopers?Alumni Events for Spring 2009

March 28: 11:00 a.m. - Social & Luncheon at Michelbook

Country Club, 1301 NW Michelbook Lane,

McMinnville, OR 2:00 p.m. – Wine Tasting at Methven

Family Vineyards, 11400 Westland Lane, Dayton

March 29: 11:30 a.m. Social and Luncheon at Napa Valley

Grille - 6795 Washington St., Yountville, CA.

April 25: 5:30 p.m. - Kearney Symphony Orchestra

Pre-Concert Reception at the Alumni House.

May 8-9: Golden Anniversary Celebration, Class of 1959

plan now to attend by calling 308.865.8474 or emailing

us at MWIDGER@nufoundation.org.

All details can be found atwww.unk.edu/alumni

For additional information contact:Lucas Dart at 308-865-8474 or

LDART@nufoundation.org

Dana Meier ’06, MBA’08 and DanaHarmony June 7 in Kearney.Kristen Miller ’05 and Joe Lienemann’04 August 9 in Lincoln.Kristin Moncrief ’07, ‘MBA’08 andDrew Kamler ’08 December 20 inKearney.Jessica Obermeier ’03 and MatthewSkradski August 16. Jessica is a CreightonUniversity pharmacist/assistant professor.Matthew is an Omaha police officer. Theylive in LaVista.Kimberly Otte MSE’98 and DanielKriha September 20 in Ravenna.Amy Paneitz ’01 and Dan HarveySeptember 13 in Grand Island.Clark Ribble and Cortney DierbergerJune 28 in Ord.Scott O’Rourke ’96 and Melissa ChristOctober 18 in Kearney.Danielle Phillips ’06 and Kurtis DudaAugust 9 in Kearney. They live in GrandIsland.Stephanie Paitz ’05 and TimothyMahoney June 7 in Ravenna. They live inKearney.Kelsey Proskocil ’06 and AndrewBorden August 2 in Kearney.Scott Reilly ’98 and April WeberFebruary 14 in Spalding. Scott is a loanofficer and crop insurance agent for FirstNational Bank in Albion.

Elly Sand ’02 and Eric Fugleberg July 20in Lincoln. They live in Kailua Kona,Hawaii, where Elly is a teacher.Kylee Schneckloth ’98 and MarissaWeber November 21 in Chandler, Arizona.Heather Schroer ’05 and JoeBornemeier October 25 in Hastings.Jon Shafer ’90 and Lisa GrossSeptember 27 in Branson, Missouri. Lisa isa charge nurse at North Kansas CityHospital. Jon is a lieutenant colonel for theKansas National Guard working fulltime asthe personnel officer for the 35th InfantryDivision at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.Between the two of them, they have sevensons. They reside in Olathe, Kansas.Laure Smith ’95, MSE’03 and SteveRagoss November 15 in Lincoln. Laure isassistant director of compliance at UNL.Steve is project manager and estimatorfor Johnson Hardware, Co. in Lincoln.Jessica Snyder ’00 and Miles MasebergDecember 27 in Broken Bow.Wendy Spaulding ’97 and DerekHammerlun May 31 in Grand Island.Melanie Spilinek ’07 and MatthewRauert ’07 April 15, 2008.Vikki Stamm ’91 and Rodeny KunardSeptember 6 in Kearney.Dr. Andrea Steele ’05 and MatthewBaumann January 10 in Fairbury. Dr. Steeleis an optometrist with Mid America VisionCenter in Hebron.Elizabeth Stevens ’07 and YannickdeAlwis June 21 in Kearney. They live inParadise, California.

Meggan Stienike ’02 and MarcusEmken September 20 at Jeffrey Lake atBrady.Christopher Thompson ’06 andStacey Niemoth August 23 in GrandIsland.Laura Todd ’07 and Denton Cushing’06 June 7 in Kearney. They live in GrandIsland.Jerod Trouba ’03 and Sarah PillenDecember 6 in Lincoln.Sandra VanBoening ’08 and QuintonPohl December 27 in McCook. Sandra isa first grade teacher with GothenburgPublic Schools.Greg Verraneault ’05 and NicoleBecklun July 26 in Omaha.Jessica Vlcan ’06 and Mark White ’06September 6 in Wilber. Jessica is directorof the Before and After School programswith Westside School District 66 andMark is a loan officer with TierOne Bank.Hope Wagner ’98 and Scott ShulerAugust 8. Hope is media relations direc-tor for the Western Athletic Conference.They live in Aurora, Colorado.Lynne Wakelin ’92 and PatrickFollmer ’98 September 22, 2007 inKearney. Lynne is a registered nurse andworks in labor and delivery at MercyMedical Center in Des Moines, Iowa.Patrick is a firefighter/paramedic for thecity of Des Moines.Katie Weber ’05 and Tyson Wiegel’08 August 23 in Kearney.Riley Weems MSE’08 and JenniferBusch October 18 in Grand Island.Angela Wickman ’85 and TimothyZiemer November 15 in Gladstone,Missouri.

BirthsEdd ’00 and Jill Merklin Albrecht ’01,MSED’03 of Cozad are parents of adaughter, Abbie Christine, born July 14.They also have a daughter, Ellie.Nicholas and Amber Buerer Alexander’05 of Kearney are parents of a daughter,Adrianna Jayne, born October 9.Josh ’02 and Kate DeTurk Allen ’02 ofRalston are parents of a son, MaddoxDavid, born February 11, 2008.Neal ’97 and Kristie Sidlo Arnold ’96,MAE’07 of Kearney are parents of adaughter, Lena Marie, born November 30.They also have a son, Brodie 4 and daugh-ter, Reanna 1. Jennifer and Chevy Bailey ’04 ofHoldrege are parents of a son, ChanceWilliam, born November 12.Nathan ’04 and Kelli SimmonsBentley ’03 of New Rochelle, New York,are parents of a son, Camden Nathan,born November 19.Justin ’05 and Paige Wulf Bolin ’05 ofRed Cloud are parents of a son, MasonDean, born November 9.Mark and Christine Svacina Bonk ’02of Kearney are parents of a daughter,Siena Rain, born Jul6 24.Jolie and Bronson Bosshamer ’01 ofKearney are parents of a son, Jacob Chet,born September 30. They also have adaughter, Jenna, 2.Doug MBA’02 and Heather BenfeldtBrummels ’05 of Kearney are parentsof a daughter, Brielle Jean, born January 6. Josh ’02 and Stephanie SchneiderBruntz ’03 of Wichita, Kansas, are par-ents of a daughter, born December 19.Clay and Nicky Tielke Cadwallader’02 of Kearney are parents of a daughter,Ansley Nicole, born November 14.Mat ’99 and Amy Fagot Cope ’99 ofKearney are parents of a son, CanonJames, born September 15. They also havea daughter, Riley 6.Eric ’99 and Bridget EllingsonBredenkamp ’02 of Kearney are par-ents of a daughter, Ada Marjorie, bornNovember 4.

Evan and Amber Brown MAE’06 ofBertrand are parents of a son, Rhett Lane,born November 6. They also have a son,Owen 4 and a daughter, Ella 1.Shannon and Jessica Ziegler Carraher’08 of Franklin are parents of a son, CalvinScott, born August 1.Craig and Tammy Allen Chamberlin’05 of Kearney are parents of a daughter,Madison Jessica, born January 19.Chris ’98 and Gwen Luther Christner’97 of Kearney are parents of a daughter,Jenna Louise, born December 29.Tony ’99 and Angie Usher Cox ’96,MBA’98 of Lincoln are parents of adaughter, Lauryn Ann, born January 19.Shannon ’02 and Charisse ’00 HoopsStenger of Papillion are parents of adaughter, Jenna Elizabeth, born January 20.They have a daughter, Aleah, 3.Todd ’93 and Teresa KehlbeckDahlke ’93 of Kearney are parents of ason, Ryan Alexander, born July 20. Theyalso have Matthew 6, Meghan 5, Andrew 3,and Sarah 2.

MOVING?MOVING?Don’t missyour next

UNK Today!

If you’re moving, please attachyour old mailing label to the right.Provide yournew informationbelow andreturn to:UNK AlumniAssociation Campus Box 21Kearney, NE68849-6120.

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UNK Today, official alumni publication of theUniversity of Nebraska at Kearney is pub-lished two times a year by the AlumniAssociation, Kearney, Nebraska 68849. Thirdclass postage paid, Kearney, NE 68847.

Phone: (308) 865-8474 FAX: (308) 865-8999 E-mail: LDART@nufoundation.orgInternet: http://www.unk.edu/alumni

BOARD OFDIRECTORS OFFICERSBrenda Christensen ’83, President - MindenChad Rutar ’97, President-elect - OmahaBryan Kuntz ’95, Secretary - KearneyMaureen Nickels ’74, Past-President - ChapmanLarry Feather ’66, Trustees - Grand Junction, CO

DIRECTORSEXPIRING 2009Fred Arnold ’83 - FairburySue Batie ’73 - Cypress, CACandy Fernau ’96 - Dallas, TXAndy Romatzke, J.D. ’01 - OmahaRobert Warren ’64 - McMinnville, ORDeb Schwenka ’76 - MindenStephanie Hueftle Vogel ’89 - Lincoln

EXPIRING 2010Cynthia Schug Bahler ’94 - LamarDoug Burritt ’95 - OsceolaDenise Strother Christensen ’80 - KearneySteve James ’77 - Danville, CALanny Jorgensen ’63 - Tucson, AZBryan Kuntz ’95 - KearneyHolly Nikels ’93 - Bettendorf, IANancy Yurges Osterbuhr ’95 - Minden

EXPIRING 2011Barb Lehmkuhl Estes ’74 - KearneyDean Jindra ’85 - PapillionDee Dee Schutte Kitzelman ’90 - KearneyAndrea Walton Miller ’02 - ScottsbluffBen Rowe ’03 - KearneyRyan Samuelson ’02 - Phoenix, AZTroy Schleiger ’95 - LincolnCandy Thompson Walton ’97 - Vermillion, SDRyan Tworek ’98 - Newport Beach, CA

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION STAFFLucas Dart ’97 - Executive DirectorMichelle Widger ‘90 - Assistant Director and Assistant Editor Jean Starman - Office AssociateJim Rundstrom ’64 - Editor & DirectorEmeritus

CLASS NOTES

18 l UNK Today l Spring 2009

Akil ’05 and Jamie McCurry Davis’04 of Omaha are parents of a daughter,Kendyl Rae, born October 28.Justin and Amber Muirhead DeBrie’97 of Gibbon are parents of a son, WyattWilliam, born October 4.Jessica and Marcus Donner ’05 ofShelton are parents of a son, LayneGerard, born December 30.Amy and Jason Downing ’02 ofKearney are parents of a daughter, HarperAdaline, born October 1.Jeffrey ’03 and Heather Whaley Ellis’03 of Houston are parents of a son,Andrew Jeffrey, born December 1. Theyalso have a daughter, Addison.Josh ’98 and Nikki Henry Erickson’98 of Lexington are parents of a son,Chaz Joshua, born February 8, 2008. Theyalso have two daughters, Cali and Nina.Tom ’05 and Nicole RuybalidEschliman ’07 of Grand Island are par-ents of a daughter, Calista Rae, bornNovember 5.Jeff ’98 and Carrie Iske Eurek ’98 ofKearney are parents of a son, Jensen Jeff,born July 9. They also have a daughter,Carleigh 4.Shawn and Christina Sumner Eutsler’03 of Shelton are parents of a son, LoganJames, born December 28.Michelle and Michael Fearnley ’00 ofKearney are parents of a daughter, SophieMae, born November 10. Michael worksfor the Kearney Parks Department.Eli ’03 andAddie Bevard Fichtner ’03of Kearney are parents of a daughter,Addie Marie, born September 15. Theyalso have a son, Dylan 2.Nick and Lindsay Peters Gappa ’07 ofLoup City are parents of a daughter,Jaymeson Grace, born March 11, 2008.Randy ’05 and Kara Asay Gehrt ’04 ofKearney are parents of a daughter,Cordelia Grace, born September 4.Travis Gifford ’01 and AngelaFanoele-Gifford ’96, MSE’01 ofBennington are parents of a son, JaxHarrison, born September 24. Travis ismanager of customer care atHearthstone Homes in Omaha. Angela isa mental health therapist at Arbor FamilyCounseling.Kelinda and Aaron Gilg ’99 of Kearneyare parents of a daughter, Kira Elece, bornSeptember 30.Chad and Kris DeNaeyerGrassmeyer ’96 of Kearney are parentsof a daughter, Ansleigh Kay, born January15.Lisa and Russ Guill ’02 of Lincoln areparents of a daughter, Lorien Fay-Leet,born August 17.Lucas and Vicki Bunch Hanchett ’03of Phillipsburg, Kansas, are parents of adaughter, Brooke Emily, born August 15.They also have a son, Trace 3.Shane ’98 and Missy ObermierHatcher ’98, MAE’03 of Kearney areparents of a son, Kolby Ryland, bornDecember 5. They have two daughters,Kaleigh and Kelsey.Matthew and Denise SummersHeikkinen ’99 of Gibbon are parents ofa son, Keaton Zander, born June 28. Theyalso have a son Kolby 2.David and Tracy Brown Henderson’97 of Gering are parents of a son,Zephaniah Joseph, born April 21, 2008.They also have a son, Isaiah 8, and adaughter, Alethia 6. Tracy teaches Germanat Scottsbluff High School.Shawn and Erin Holl Herter ’02 ofKenesaw are parents of a son, ChaseAllen, born july 27.Greg and Cortney Schuller Hervert’07 of Ravenna are parents of a daughter,Naomi LeAnn, born December 2.Matt ’01 and Ashley CrawfordHillebrandt ’03 of Omaha are parentsof a son, Christopher Saul, born June 17.

Elliot ’05 and Stefanie Becker Hoefs’05 of Arapahoe are parents of a daugh-ter, Adellyn Ruth, born November 11.Elliott is the IT director for New Ageindustrial in Norton, Kansas. Stefanie is astay at home mom. They also have a son,Landon.Forrest ’94 and Tanya PetersonHoloubeck ’94, MSE’99 of Kearney areparents of a son, Gage Archer, bornOctober 24. Levi and Cheska Fisher Hubbard ’02of Elm Creek are parents of a daughter,Kyra Grace, born September 1.Melissa and Jason Jacobs ’06 of Kearneyare parents of a son, Christian Andrew,born December 31.Scott and Kelley Seward Jarzynka ’00,MSE’07 of Ravenna are parents of adaughter, Katie Christine, born June 20.Brian ’01 and Allison Slama Judy ’01of Omaha are parents of a son, MaxStewart, born July 28.Megan and Ryan Killion ’07 of Kearneyare parents of a daughter, Penelope Winn,born August 20.Darrell and Rachel VarilekKleinschmit ’98 of Wausa are parentsof a son, Brady Alan, born July 7. They havetwin daughters, Hannah and Taylor 4.Julie and Mike Klimek ’98 of Omaha areparents of a daughter, Molly Jean. Theyalso have a son, Brodie.Jillian and Jake Kottich ’03 of Funk areparents of a daughter, Chelsea Nicole,born November 14.Frank ’03 and Amy Miller Kuchera’03 of Kearney are parents of a daughter,Darby LaRee, born July 29.Ben ’03 and Nichole Griffiths Larson’01 of Omaha are parents of a daughter,Emmalyn Louise, born July 18.Desiree Letcher ’03 and LanceDavison of Hay Springs are parents of ason, Evan Christopher, born August 30.Desiree is a family advocate for WesternCommunity Health Resources in Alliance.Danielle and Chris Lyons ’01 ofMinneapolis are parents of a son, CharlesChristopher, born June 8.Laura and Nolan Little ’05 of Kearneyare parents of a son, Emryk Deo, born July12. Nolan is a ground water technicianwith the Tri-Basin natural ResourceDistrict. Laura is a lab technician withInstitute for Environmental Health.Amy and Clay Long ’05 of Kearney areparents of a son, Trevin Carl, bornDecember 13.Andy ’99 and Angie Vaughn Luebbe’02 of Columbus are parents of a daugh-ter, Sadie Lynn, born August 10. They alsohave two daughters, Gracie and Maggie.Nathan ’97 and Becky Streff Luedke’97 of Kearney are parents of a son,Briggs Benjamin, born December 31. Theyalso have daughters Baylie Rebecca 7 andBreck Alivia 3.Justin and Ashley SederstenMangabat ’05, MSE’07 of Kearney areparents of a daughter, Addisyn Shay-Ann,born August 28. Justin and Brittany Kahrs Marks ’07 ofHoldrege are parents of a son, SteelPatrick, born June 12.Tony ’02 and Melissa StonesMcGowan ’00 of Omaha are parents ofa daughter, Emma Elaine, born June 5.Tyler and Jessica Hill Messersmith ’03of Lincoln are parents of a daughter,Elizabeth Jean, born November 15, 2007.Jessica graduated with her Ph.D. fromUNL in December.Wes ’01 and Kelli Nelson Molczyk’01 of Kearney are parents of a son, EthanRyan, born July 30. They also have twins,Aiden and Alyse.

Spring 2009 l UNK Today l 19

CLASS NOTES

First Name Middle Initial Last Name Maiden Name

Street City State Zip+4

Phone

Date of Birth E-Mail Address

Grad Month & Year Major/Minor

Employer Name Occupation

Spouse Name Is he/she a grad of �UNK �UNL �UNO �UNMC Year

News

NEW BEGINNINGS: Sara D. Brown ’06, Nohad Maloley ’06

and Logan Stickney ’06 attend the Midwest Regional Inaugural

Ball in Washington DC. Brown lives and works in Washington

as part of President Barak Obama’s Inauguration in January.

Alumni Update

Send your update for UNK Today to: UNKAlumni Association, Campus Box 21,Kearney NE 68849-6120 or “sign” our onlineguestbook at http://www.unk.edu/alumni

What’s happening?

Nick and Megan Kirby Moran ’01 ofDenver are paretns of a son, OliverThomas, born January 15, 2008.Jared ’01 and Amber KuenningMoscrip ’00 of Lincoln are parents of ason, Mason Paul, born September 7. Jaredis vice president and controller forInformation Technology Inc. Amber is HRconsultant with Sandhills Publishing.Karleen and Chad Muhle ’01 of Omahaare parents of a daughter, Kyla Jamae, bornSeptember 11. They also have a sonBraylen.Gary ’96 and Angela PrescottNeedham ’07 of Kearney are parents ofa son, Matthew Gary, born August 4.Dave and Christy Neill Nelson ofNewcastle are parents of twin sons, JoshDavid and Jerod Gregory, born July 25.They also have a son, Isaac.Andrew ‘09 and Abby ThompsonOlson ’03 of Kearney are parents of ason, Alijah Rhea, born October 5. Theyalso have a daughter, Alivia Mae 3.Steve and Tiffany Conley Ortmeier’97 of Escondido, California, are parentsof a daughter, Allison, Kathleen, bornNovember 30, 2007. They have two otherchildren, Caden 6 and Tristen 3.Stephanie and Heath Paulsen ’01 ofOconto are parents of a son, ConnerMichael, born June 20.Danielle and Josh Peisiger ’03 ofKearney are parents of a son, BraydenDouglas, born July 31.Reed and Sheila Wallander Philips ’05of Bertrand are parents of a daughter,Livia Ann, born September 23.Benjamin and Rebecca Webb Pomajzl’02 of Gothenburg are parents of a son,Colby Lee, born January 18.Barry and Gina Schwager Pospichal’99 of Chambers are parents of a son,August Jeff (A.J.) born October 2.Tram and Dr. Steven Rademacher ’85of Lincoln are parents of a daughter,Briana Nhu Mai, born September 18. Theyhave two other daughters, Dianca andBelinda.Jonathan and Kayla PattersonRehnberg MBA’06 of Holdrege areparents of a daughter, Addison Brooke,born June 3. Robert and Jennifer Avery Renken ’98of Bertrand are parents of a son, Rylan JonThomas, born October 21.Matt ’98 and Melinda Evans Riedel’01 of Kearney are parents of a daughter,Maddison Elizabeth, born September 13.Derick and Melissa Florke Roelle ’02of Lodgepole are parents of a daughter,Macey Grace, born July 13. Melissa is afifth grade teacher with Sidney PublicSchools.Kelly and Stephanie WoodenRussman ’00 of Kearney are parents ofa son, Preston Kelly, born December 2.Landon and Brittany Thalls Sanchez’05 of Kearney are parents of a daughter,Adaleine Grace, born November 11.Pamela Sanford ’04 and Edwin DeBraalof North Platte are parents of a daughter,MaKenna Jane, born April 23.Jennifer and Allen Scarrow ’98 of SugarLand, Texas, are parents of a daughter,Kylie Nicole, born June 10.Paul Schleifer ’07 and Paige Bell areparents of a son, Braden Richard Schleifer-Bell, born August 7. They live in Aurora,Colorado.Stacy and Ben Seim ’97 of Kearneyare parents of a daughter, Danielle Judith,born December 30. Ben is a materialdamage adjuster for Shelter Insurance.

Nathan ’00 and Tina Madsen Sherrill’02 of Council Bluffs, Iowa, are parents ofa daughter, Naomi Lea, born November 9.They have three other children, Isaac,Lydia and Jeremiah.Chris and Kelly Abbott Sheen ’01 ofWilcox are parents of a daughter, MadisonTaylor, born January 8.Nick ’04 and Amanda HughesShoemaker ’06 of Scotia are parents oftwin sons, Lucas James and Landon Craig,born October 2.Kelli and Michael Sindt ’98 of Pierce areparents of a son, Spencer Michael, bornJuly 21.Lance and Kara Kotsiopulos Steffen’98 of Kearney are parents of a son,Sladen Alex, born October 16. They havea daughter, Sophia and a son, Syler.Ismael ’02 and Andrea HardenberghTorres ’02 of Kearney are parents of adaughter, Hannah Kathleen, born January13.Todd ’98 and Ahren Willmes Travis’06 of Kearney are parents of a son,Colton Michael, born November 13.Andy ’95 and JoAnna Dippel VanBoskirk ’96 of Omaha are parents of adaughter, Liliana Joy, born April 25, 2008.They also have daughters Madeline 8 andEmma 4. JoAnna is the owner ofCaptivating Photography and Andy is vicepresident of operations for Van Boskirkand Associates.Justin ’03 and Shannon Marek Webb’03 of Burleson, Texas, are parents of adaughter, Grace Elizabeth, born January22.Ricci and Dawn Rayburn Westland ’94of Pleasanton are parents of a daughter,Emme Dawn, born August 31. They alsohave two sons, Jayden 7 and Tyce 5.Christopher and Jennifer WestlakeWhite ’02 of Kearney are parents of ason, Lee Alfred, born October 8.Kevin and Monica Dow Whitmore ’08of Colorado Springs, Colorado, are par-ents of a son, Kaden Alan, June 3. They alsohave a son, Kaleb 2.Tara Sydow ’07 and Lee Wiese ofKearney are parents of a son, NoahGrayson, born July 1. They also have adaughter, Lillian Jean 4.Marc ’01 and Melissa WilcoxsonWillis ’00 of Kearney are parents of ason, Cooper Anthony, born November 1.

DeathsRichard Albertson ’60 of Leavenworth,Washington, died August 8. He was 74.Dr. Verna Mader Baker ’51 ofLancaster, California, died July 26. Shespent 50 years in education retiring in1986. She was 81.Todd R. Benner ’69 of Lincoln diedFebruary 16. He was 61.Frances Hancock Berge ’40 ofIndependence, Missouri, died November15, 2007.Dr. Laddie Bicak of Kearney diedDecember 24. He was professor of biolo-gy at UNK who served on the staff from1962 until his retirement in 1989. Heserved as dean of the graduate school fornine of those years. Memorials are to theNU Foundation for the Laddie and IrisBicak Scholarship. He was 84.Dr. John R Bliese ’66 of Kearney diedJanuary 3. He was a college professor atseveral universities until his retirement in2002. He was 65.Dr. Hal Blostein of Cochiti Lake, NewMexico, died December 24. Blostein wasa professor of political science at UNKfrom 1964 until his retirement in 1991. Hewas 80.Bernice Burmood ’70 of Wood Riverdied November 8. She was 90.Jim Cassey ’64 of Grand Island diedDecember 7. He had been a careerteacher. He was 69.

Bruce Christensen ’63 of Minden diedJanuary 6. He was a teacher and coach inNebraska. He was 67.Lois Cole of Kearney died September 22.She was a librarian at Kearney Junior HighSchool. Her husband, Harvey, was a biolo-gy faculty member at UNK. She was 96.Janiece M. Holm Cotner ’60 MED’69 of York died February 9. She was 77.LaVerna Dahlin of Lincoln diedOctober 21. Her husband, Don, was aprofessor at UNK. She was 84.Gina Dunning ’73 of Lincoln diedDecember 24. She was a formerNebraska Director of Social Services andspent many years in health and humanservices. She was 60.Alice Johnson Elmore ’57 of Kearneydied October 5. She was a former facultymember at UNK who retired in 2001. Shewas 72. Memorials include the Universityof Nebraska Foundation for the benefit ofthe UNK College of Business andTechnology.Mike Fitzpatrick ’63 of Papillion diedMarch 1. He was a past president of theUNK Alumni Association and was presi-dent and CEO of Cosgriff Co. in Omaha.He was 71.Dr. Jim Gilbert, professor of criminaljustice at UNK and former chair of thedepartment, died October 4. He had beena faculty member for 20 years. He was 60.Harland Layher ’69 of Wood Riverdied December 14. He was 62.RoDonna Lindholm Harden ’55 ofHoldrege died December 15. She was acareer educator retiring in 1992. She was77.Mary Fecht Hicken ’69 of Grand Islanddied December 10. She was 75.Laura Elenor Hockman ’68 ofHastings died January 16. She was 90.Fritz Hoehne ’83 of Panama City,Florida, died October 27. He was 49.Elinore Blue Johnson of Ovid,Colorado, died September 30. She was88.Sharon McNeil Johnson ’60 ofHoldrege died November 14. She was 68.John M. ‘Jack’ Jones ’58, MSE’62 ofChappell died September 25. He was 78.Carol Davis Krueger ’59 of Pleasantondied March 2. She was 74.Donald Lake ’72 of Omaha died August

18. He was 58.Marjorie Slack Mays ’64 of WoodRiver died January 15. She was 81.Barney McGahan ’54 of Grand Islanddied November 15. He was 80.Carl Meyer ’43 of Antioch, California,died October 19. He was a former mem-ber of the Alumni Association Board ofDirectors and was inducted into theAthletic Hall of Fame in 1988.Fern Mills of Lincoln died January 21.She was a teacher who retired from ParkElementary in Kearney. She was 95.Lucille Minnick ’58 of Broken Bow diedNovember 30. She was 87.Alan Nelson ’97 of Kearney died August13. He was 44.Barbara Jean Jorgensen Nelson ’88of Gothenburg died December 30. Shewas 43.Violet Darlene Linville Neutzman’74, MSE ’76 of Burlington, Colorado,died August 17. She was a teacher andeducational consultant for 30 years. Shewas 72.Howard Osterhoudt ’55 of Kearneydied December 4. He was 82.Bill Ramsay ’52, MSE’61 of Cozad diedFebruary 11. He was a career teacher andcoach at Odessa, Gibbon, Grant andCozad. He was 78.Ethel Rother ’93 of Wolbach diedNovember 1. She worked in educationfrom 1938 until 1999. She was 87.Zelda Jeanne Ryan Rouillard ’51 ofGunnison, Colorado, died December 29.A career educator, she retired fromWestern State College where she was anEnglish professor from 1969 to 2005. Shewas 79.Margaret Shada of Kearney diedSeptember 29. She was 86. Her husband,Mike, was a professor at UNK.Merwin Smith ’06, MSE’69 of Sewarddied August 8. He was 75.Dr. Phu Tonthat of Colorado Springsdied September 4. He was a professoremeritus who taught political sciencefrom 1970 until his retirement in 1992.Paul Wilmot ’50, MSE’57 of Kearneydied February 22. He was a staff memberat UNK for 27 years where he supervisedstudent teachers and was director ofplacement and personnel before retiringin 1990. He was 83. �

20 l UNK Today l Spring 2009

CLASS NOTES

The Alumni Association is

compiling a list of stories from former

students, friends and faculty who remem-

ber professor Phyllis Roberts who died in

February 2006. A number of ‘Encounters’ were

received when a statue was dedicated in her honor

on campus.

Those ‘Encounters’ and additional ones received

will be placed in the archives of the C. T. Ryan

Library. Messages can be emailed to Paul Wagner

at possibility@frii.com or Jim Rundstrom at

jrundstrom@nufoundation.org. Messages can

be mailed to the UNK Alumni Association,

Campus Box 21, Kearney NE

68849.

Enco

unters with Phyllis?

Brenda SnodgrassChristensen ’83 is thenewly-elected president

of the UNK Alumni Association. Christensen, who lives in

Minden, is manager forSeminole Energy Services inHoldrege. She is active in hercommunity, including involve-ment with the Minden OptimistClub, Minden Chamber ofCommerce, Minden BoosterClub and Minden Opera House.Christensen also serves on theGold TorchMentoringS o c i e t yboard atUNK.

S h eassumed thepresidentialduties at thea s s o c i a -tion’s fallmeeting, inconjunctionwith 2008Homecoming activities.Christensen replaces MaureenGaffney Nickels ’74 ofChapman.

Other officers for 2008-09are president-elect Chad Rutar’97, and secretary Bryan Kuntz’95. Rutar is a financial advisorwith Renaissance Financial inOmaha and Kuntz is vice presi-dent of operations forIntellicom, Inc. in Kearney.

Eight board members com-pleted three-year terms inOctober, and are now trustees ofthe association. They are JudyJohnson Hall ’63 of ColoradoSprings, CO; Tammy AdelsonHayden ’90 of Kearney; ShellyMarks ’02 & ’05 of Atlanta, GA;Bill O’Neill ’95 of Omaha; GregShea ’89 of Kearney; ChristaBoroff Spencer ’92 of Overland

Park, KS; Jerry Stine ’67 ofPapillion; and MarshaRodehorst Wilkerson ’90 ofKearney.

Alumni Association presi-dent for 2006-07, LarryEdwards ’64 of Fort Collins,CO, has completed his term ofservice on the executive com-mittee.

Nine board members wereelected to three-year terms at theOctober meeting.

Barb Lehmkuhl Estes ’74 isquality assurance coordinatorfor Region III Behavioral HealthServices in Kearney. Her sonErik ’01 is an alumni associationtrustee, and her sons Aaron ‘06and Luke ‘08 are also UNKalumni.

Dean Jindra’85 of Papillion issenior documenta-tion writer/analystfor First Data inOmaha.

Dee DeeS c h u t t eKitzelman ’90 ofKearney has beendirector and headteacher at HolyCross LutheranChurch Pre-Schoolfor 17 years.

A n d r e aWalton Miller ’02of Scottsbluff is anattorney at the firmof Simmons Olsen.She earned herjuris doctoratefrom theUniversity ofNebraska in 2006.

Ben Rowe ’03of Kearney is cre-ative director forS C O R RMarketing.

Ryan Samuelson ’02 ofPhoenix, AZ is a district salesmanager for AstraZenecaPharmaceutical.

Troy Schleiger ’95 ofLincoln is the project managerfor business development atSterling TransportationServices.

Candy Thompson Walton’97 is assistant professor of con-temporary media and journalismat the University of SouthDakota in Vermillion. She also

earned a master’s degree incommunication from KansasState University, and is pursuingher Ph. D. in higher educationadministration and studentaffairs at Kansas State.

Ryan Tworek ’98 ofNewport Beach, CA is owner ofDynamic Real EstateInvestments and is a relationshipmanager for Dun & Bradstreet.He is president-elect for theSouthern California AlumniAssociation. �

9

I hope you enjoy reading your UNK Today. A lot of time and effortgoes into putting this out to all of you. We are working on updating ouremail addresses. As your Alumni President, I would like to request thatyou email the Alumni Office at jstarman@nufoundation.org to givethem your email address. We are establishing the Loper Network wherewe will be sending out emails when we are having activities or events inyour area. We also have groups on FaceBook and LinkedIn and will beusing those tools to notify you of events in your area. If you haven’tjoined any of these groups, it is amazing how many classmates you willconnect with. These sites aren’t just for the younger generation; theyare for all of us. I encourage you to get involved, with your AlmaMater in whatever capacity that you would enjoy. If you have anyquestions on events or involvement, please give the Alumni House a callat 308.865.8474. You can also contact me at tc-bc@charter.net

Go Lopers!

Spring 2009 l UNK Today

Dean Jindra Dee Dee SchutteKitzelman

Ben RoweAndrea WaltonMiller

Brenda SnodgrassChristensen

Ryan Samuelson Troy Schleiger Ryan TworekCandy ThompsonWalton

Barb LehmkuhlEstes

Brenda Snodgrass Christensen ’83leads Association

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Charles Bird King, anaccomplished 19th cen-tury painter, was com-

missioned to create portraits ofprominent Native American del-egates who were invited toWashington, D.C. starting in1821 to discuss and signtreaties.

He eventually completednearly 150 paintings, represent-ing over 20 tribes.

Among the tribes representedwere those from the UpperMissouri River region, part ofwhich would become Nebraska.

These paintings were laterrendered by various masterprintmakers as handcolored lith-ographs and published between1836 and 1844 by ThomasMcKenney and James Hall as athree-volume series entitledHistory of the Indian Tribes ofNorth America. The Museum of

Nebraska Art has recentlyacquired four of these litho-graphs – depicting three Pawneeand one Omaha.

Dr. Gary Zaruba, ProfessorEmeritus, UNK Art and ArtHistory Department, and Dr.Jean Lukesh, a UNK alumnae,have both shared their specialexpertise with MONA on thehistory and personages of these19th century Nebraska tribes.

This piece is a new acquisi-tion and will be a part ofMONA's 19th Century Images ofPawnee, June 16-July 19, 2009.

MONA is the official art col-lection of the State of Nebraska.The Museum is located at 2401Central Avenue and open to thepublic Tuesday throughSaturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.,Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.,and closed major holidays. �

PETALESHAROW, A PAWNEE BRAVE

CHARLES BIRD KING (1785-1862)handcolored lithograph, 1836

Museum of Nebraska Art CollectionGift of Gary Zaruba