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INSIDE
Truman Review
Spring 2010
Volume 13, Number 3
The Truman Review is distributed to alumni,
parents and friends. Its mission is to maintain
ties between the University, its alumni and all
other friends.
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Matthew W. Potter (’96), chair
John W. Siscel III, vice chair
Kenneth L. Read (’73), secretary
Cheryl J. Cozette
Peter T. Ewell
Mike Greenwell (’83)
Karen Haber
John Hilton (’02)
Mark S. Wasinger
Luke Freeland, student representative
PAG E10
COVER STORY: Introducing
Truman State University’s
16th President
Before Troy D. Paino began his tenure as
president of Truman on May 10, he served as
provost and vice president for academic affairs
at Truman, but his admiration for Truman
actually began in Minnesota years ago.
UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT
Troy D. Paino
MANAGING EDITOR
Deanna Rood
ART DIRECTOR
Teresa Wheeler (’84)
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR
Katie (Svoboda) Best (’00)
PHOTOGRAPHY
Tim Barcus (’89)
SPORTS
Kevin White (’96)
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Alex Boles
Brad Chambers (’86)
Frank V. Colton (’57, ’59)
Amanda Goeser
Tyler Madsen (’08)
Travis Miles (’99)
Kevin Minch
Becky Pike
Russ Sloan
Denise Smith (’79)
Heidi Crist Templeton
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jessica (Neighbors) Hill (’99), president
Mike Wilson (’92), vice president
Jim Cherrington (’85), past president
Denise Smith (’79), secretary
Von Abbott (’79)
Sue Alexander (’78)
Erin (Lesczynski) Church (’02)
Kent Donaldson (’90)
John Gadbois (’80)
Sharon (Hogan) Husmann (’83)
John Mathis (’66)
Ellen (Hoelscher) McLain (’87)
Eric Olsen (’82)
A. David Peppard (’80)
Stacey (George) Sifton (’00)
Sarah (Donnell) Theriault (’03)
Vid Vidyasagara (’92)
Tanner Williams (’02)
Janys (Murphy) Zimmerman (’55, ’58)
Truman Review is published three times each fiscal year
by the Advancement Office, Truman State University,
McClain Hall 205, 100 East Normal Avenue, Kirksville,
MO 63501-4221.
Postmaster: Send address changes to Advancement
Office, Truman State University, McClain Hall 205,
100 East Normal Avenue, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221.
FEATURES
E14
PAG
E18
PAG
DEPARTMENTS
Please drop us a line and tell us what
you think about the Truman Review.
E-mail • drood@truman.edu
Phone • (800) 452-6678
Fax • (660) 785-7519
Web • http://alumni.truman.edu/TrumanReview/
TRUMAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Advancement Office
Editor, Truman Review
McClain Hall 205
100 E. Normal Ave.
Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
When the Big Bands Came to Kirksville
Frank V. Colton (’57, ’59) shares his memories of some of the
famous Big Bands that performed on or near campus during
the 1950s and 1960s.
A Remarkable Bulldog Era
As the Bulldog football teams that won MIAA football championships
in 1969, 1970, and 1971 prepare for a reunion this
summer, former Head Coach Russ Sloan talks about his
experience working with such talented teams.
2 Around the Quad
7 Focus on Students
8 Five Minutes with José Herrera
20 Class Notes
38 Alumni News
42 Foundation News
46 Sports
ON THE COVER:
Truman’s new president, Troy D. Paino, embraces the
challenges and opportunities ahead. See story on page 10.

Curtis R. Blakely, assistant professor
of justice systems, and Alice
Walkley, a senior justice systems
major, had their paper examining the
country’s prison system published by the
Internet Journal of Criminology. With more
than two million inmates in the U.S.
prison system, contemporary officials have
curtailed their use of treatment programs.
This has allowed them to focus needed
attention and funds on controlling
overcrowded facilities. In their paper “A
Physicist, a Philosopher and a Politician:
What penologists can learn from Einstein,
Kant and Churchill,” Blakely and Walkley
contend this has created an imbalance
within correctional ideology and practice.
To restore this balance, the authors
propose the use of specialized prisons.
Under this proposal, some prisons
2 Truman Review
Three Great Thinkers and the
Treatment of Crime
Einstein, Kant, Churchill
MLK Challenge Inspires
Student Volunteers
Along with college students
across the nation, 100
Truman students used
the Martin Luther King Jr. Day
break to donate “a day of service
to remember a life of service.” As
part of the MLK Challenge on
Jan. 18, students volunteered at
one of 10 project sites, including
several local community-based
organizations such as the Adair
County Humane Society,
Hospice of Northeast Missouri,
Victim Support Services and
Kirksville Part-Day Head Start
among others.
The day concluded with a
Reflection Dinner on campus.
The Multicultural Affairs
Center, Student Senate,
Missouri Campus Compact and the Center for Teaching and
Learning all sponsored the MLK Challenge.
would incapacitate hardened and repeat
offenders while other prisons would treat
young and impressionable offenders. The
key is to keep each group from interacting
with the other. Interaction of this kind, it is
argued, tends to corrupt the young, impressionable
inmates. By separating these two
populations, amenable inmates might be
rehabilitated at greater rates, reducing both
recidivism and operating costs.
In determining the feasibility of their
proposal, Blakely and Walkley considered
the insights and statements of well-known
figures such as Albert Einstein, Immanuel
Kant, and Winston Churchill. For
example, Blakely and Walkley noted that
“both Einstein and Kant suggested that
creative and innovative thinking can
produce immensely rewarding results
regardless of the field under consideration,”
At the Field of Dreams Rescue Inc.,
a local animal adoption agency that
takes in unwanted dogs and cats,
student volunteers engaged in
projects such as building a shelf in a
shed the organization uses to store
donations and helping construct cots
for the animals.
and “Churchill specifically lobbied for the
creation of a specialized prison system.”
Blakely and Walkley’s paper was also
submitted upon request to California State
Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod. It was of
interest to the senator since it promises to
reduce prison overcrowding and remedy
budgetary shortfalls.
VIEW THE PAPER ONLINE at
http://www.internetjournalofcriminology.com/
Blakely_Walkley_Physicist_Philosopher_
Politician_Jan_2010.pdf.
Unwritten Letters Project
Senior Alex Boles wanted to leave
her mark on Truman before
graduating. Inspired by a
communication course taught by Diane
Johnson, associate professor of
communication, Boles created a Web
site titled the Unwritten Letters Project,
which she has now published in book
form. The Unwritten Letters Project
works to empower others by providing a
safe, judgment-free outlet encouraging
participants to articulate, heal from, and Alex Boles shown signing
overcome hardships through the art of copies of her book,
letter writing.
Unwritten Letters Project,
Boles and her publisher presented a compilation of 100
her book during a book-signing event at letters from the letterwriting
blog she created.
the Truman Bookstore where the
President, Provost and Deans of the University were present.
Spike the Bulldog even paid a visit to the author to represent
the Truman pride circling this project. Boles, who plans to
continue to promote her book and Web site, says we can expect
more books in the future. See her blog at
http://unwrittenlettersproject.com/.

Board of Governors
Elects New Officers
The Truman State University Board of Governors has a slate of new
officers for the 2010 calendar year. The board elected Matthew W.
Potter (’96) as chair, John W. Siscel III as vice chair, and Kenneth L.
Read (’73) as secretary.
• Matthew Potter, of St. Louis, is the deputy Democratic
director for the City of St. Louis Board of Election
Commissioners. His previous work experience included
service as an associate attorney in the St. Louis law firm of
Burroughs, Hepler, Broom, MacDonald, Hebrank and
True, LLP, and as an assistant circuit attorney for the
Circuit Attorney’s Office for the City of St. Louis. Potter
Matthew W.
graduated magna cum laude from Truman State University
Potter (’96)
in 1996 with a bachelor of arts degree in English and a
minor in Latin. He received his juris doctorate from the University of
Missouri-Columbia School of Law.
• John Siscel III, of St. Louis, Mo., recently retired as
executive vice president for the Mechanical Contractors
Association of Eastern Missouri. Previously, he served 10
years as the executive vice president of the Plumbing
Industry Council, the Plumbing Contractors Association,
and the Missouri Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling
Contractors Association. Siscel served 10 years as a superintendent,
principal, and teacher in various Missouri public
schools, and he has also served as the administrator and
CEO of a residential care facility for handicapped children, a consultant
for the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and assistant to the director of
the City of St. Louis Health Division. He holds a bachelor’s degree in
history from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, a master’s in education
administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a doctorate
in education from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
• Kenneth Read, of Kirksville, Mo., is the owner of
Heritage House Realty and has been a real estate broker for
35 years. A Vietnam veteran, he served in the United States
Marine Corps from 1969-1971. Read graduated from
Truman State University/Northeast Missouri State
University in 1973 with a baccalaureate degree in business
administration.
John W. Siscel
III
Kenneth L.
Read (’73)
Every Picture
Tells a Story
When former U.S. Senator
Jean Carnahan visited campus
last winter to address
Truman’s December 2009 graduates,
former University President Jack
Magruder had an opportunity to show
her the framed copy of Senate Bill No.
340 that is displayed in the President’s
Office at Truman State University.
Magruder was serving as president of the
University in 1995 when the senator’s
husband, then Gov. Mel Carnahan,
signed the bill which changed the name
from Northeast Missouri State University
to Truman State University. A portrait of
the University’s namesake, Harry S
Truman, is hung nearby.
As part of the winter commencement
ceremonies, Jean Carnahan accepted an
honorary degree on behalf of her late
husband, Mel Carnahan. The honorary
degree is one of three, originally
announced in spring 2009, awarded to
individuals who played pivotal roles in
shaping Truman State University into a
premier liberal arts and sciences university.
The other two honorary degree recipients
are Charles McClain, the long-time
University president who envisioned the
University’s mission change, and John
Ashcroft, the former Missouri governor
who signed the legislation designating the
University as the state’s only public
liberal arts institution.
Spring 2010 3

A Taste of Truman:
Capture (or Recapture!) the College Experience
This summer, Truman State University’s new
incubator for innovative and entrepreneurial
learning experiences, the Truman Institute, will
offer the first “Taste of Truman,” the weekend of June 11-
13, 2010. The program invites adult learners to become
college students again! Alumni, teachers seeking professional
development, and members of the local community
are all invited to enroll.
Participants will have the opportunity to enroll in four
90-minute sessions by Truman’s top faculty, along with one
extended course offering a deeper learning experience over
two days. Lectures and workshops will be punctuated by
fun group activities, entertainment, and meals sponsored
by University offices.
“We have assembled an outstanding line-up of honored
faculty to lead these sessions,” said Kevin Minch, associate
professor of communication and director of the Truman
Institute.
Special housing rates will be arranged at local hotels,
but participants will also have the option of recapturing the
full college experience by staying in Truman’s new West
Campus Suites for an additional fee.
Lectures will focus on unique topics ranging from
current events to lesser-known aspects of the arts and
sciences, including such concepts as ancient Egyptian burial
customs, issues in environmental studies and sustainability,
the chemistry of art, public health policies, and how the
celebration of Christmas has shaped our culture and
economy. Extended course options will include opportunities
for more hands-on exploration and discussion of
topics such as great films or the intersection of philosophy
and human movement.
Seats are still available at the late enrollment rate of
$175. Fees are non-refundable after May 29.
For more information, or to register online, visit the
Truman Institute Web site at http://institute.truman.edu
and select the link for A Taste of Truman. To request a
brochure and paper registration form, contact the Truman
Institute at (660) 785-5384 or e-mail Jana Morton at
jmorton@truman.edu.
A Taste of Truman
Class Options
Extended Courses
• Balanced Embodiment: An Exploration of Active
Human Flourishing
• Film, Form, and Sense
Great Lectures: First Period
• La Serenissima: Venice and Beauty During the
Renaissance
• The New Biology: How Moore’s Law is
Revolutionizing the Life Sciences
Great Lectures: Second Period
• Becoming Osiris: Preparing the Egyptian Dead for
Eternity
• Climate Change: Science, Policy, and Practice
Great Lectures: Third Period
• Amazing Maize: Computer Science on a Corn Cob
• Christmas (in June): A Brief History of America's
Most Celebrated and Controversial Holiday
Great Lectures: Fourth Period
• Survivor: Hospital
• The Migrant’s Fair Deal: Harry Truman and the
Reshaping of U.S. Immigration Policy
http://institute.truman.edu/taste.asp
4 Truman Review

Despite all the buzz
about book clubs,
studies have revealed a rapid decline in literacy
reading, especially among the young. However, a
literacy program called the Big Read is trying to
help reverse this trend. Launched as a pilot
project in 2006 by the National Endowment
for the Arts, the national literacy program
encourages citizens within a community to read
and discuss a single book. Sam Minner, dean of
the School of Health Sciences and Education
and professor of Education, applied for and
received a Big Read grant for the Kirksville area,
and a group of students, along with assistance
from several faculty members, organized the
local literacy project. The Kirksville-area Big
Read project focused on The Things They Carried, a
book by Tim O’Brien that discusses the lives of
American soldiers during the Vietnam War.
As part of the Big Read activities, several
students from Truman’s Art History Society
volunteered to interview local Vietnam War
veterans about their experiences. The
students also collected mementos from the
veterans and curated an exhibition of artifacts
and photos that was displayed in the Kirksville
Arts Center in February.
“We had the incredible opportunity of
interviewing six veterans,” said Matt Carlson, a
student from Parkville, Mo. “I was amazed,
humbled, and intrigued by the things these
men shared about the Vietnam War and their
experiences there.”
After compiling nearly 12 hours of interview
tapes, gathering objects and images donated for
the exhibit, securing photos from the National
Archives, designing the exhibit, and creating
publicity, the students spent a day setting up
“The Things They Carried: Mementos from
Kirksville Vietnam War Veterans” exhibit.
“As a whole, I feel that our group worked
Borrowing items from a local theatre group and
purchasing an old console television for $3,
students designed a living room in the center of the
Vietnam War exhibit to represent the role the
media had in the war.
well together to create a product that provided
impact, was educational, and represented each
veteran respectfully,” said Carlson. “I can only
hope that those who visited the exhibit were
able to gain as much knowledge as I was when
we produced the exhibit.”
Through his involvement on the project,
Carlson said learning about the Vietnam War
and America’s response through direct contact
with Vietnam veterans was powerful and
thought-provoking. “It aided me in seeing the
cost of war and how it affects individuals —
something I think can never be truly captured in
a book,” said Carlson, who also enjoyed having a
chance to become more involved in the
Kirksville community. “Working with local
business owners, the Kirksville Arts Association,
veterans’ communities, and groups around town
provided me with opportunities to work with
individuals from backgrounds different than my
own and learn essential skills in public
communications. I truly
enjoyed this experience.”
Value Added
For the second time this
year, Truman has been
acknowledged as one of
the nation’s best values in higher
education. The Princeton Review,
teaming up with USA TODAY,
included Truman on its list, The
Princeton Review’s “Best Value
Colleges for 2010.” Kiplinger’s
Personal Finance magazine also
named Truman as one of the
“Best Values in Public Colleges”
in its February 2010 issue.
On USA TODAY’s Web site,
the editors at The Princeton
Review commend Truman for
being “thoroughly committed to
providing a strong, broad-based,
liberal education to its small
undergraduate student body,”
and they note that as “one of the
few publicly funded liberal arts
schools in the nation, Truman
attracts many of Missouri’s top
high school students.”
“There are many first-rate
institutions offering outstanding
academics at a relatively low cost
of attendance and/or generous
financial aid,” said Robert Franek,
Princeton Review SVP/Publisher.
“We’re pleased to have again
teamed up with USA TODAY to
identify and commend the 100
colleges that do just that and do
it best in the nation.”
Kiplinger’s ranked Truman
26th on its exclusive survey list of
the 100 public four-year schools
that the publication describes as
combining outstanding
education with economic value.
Truman was also ranked as the
10th best educational value for
out-of-state students.
Spring 2010 5

Enhancements to the classroom
experience are helping supplement
some of the basic survival skills of
college such as effective note-taking. Truman
has installed six new SMART classrooms,
and these technology-enhanced classrooms
allow students to review some class sessions
on their computers or iPhones. The
SMART classrooms, which are located in
Violette Hall, Ophelia Parrish, Barnett Hall
and Pickler Memorial Library, are equipped
with the latest SMARTBoards, video
cameras, document cameras, microphones
and classroom-capture technology.
When it’s time for class to start, students
take a seat behind strategically-placed
microphones while the professor dons a
wireless microphone. At the scheduled time,
the system begins recording the class
session. Minutes after class lets out, all the
sights and sounds from the class can be
downloaded to computers or portable
media devices. Students can flip through
the instructor’s writings on the
SMARTBoard like a notebook, listen to the
lecture as an audio-only podcast, or watch a
Student Awarded Prestigious
Teaching Fellowship
Amy Schachner, a
master of arts in
education student
from Hillsboro, Mo., is the
first Truman student to
receive a Knowles Science
Teaching Foundation
Fellowship. Created to
support outstanding
beginning teachers, KSTF is
designed to cultivate and
support exemplary science
and mathematics high school
teachers and develop the next
generation of leaders in
education. The teaching
fellowship aims to keep exceptional teachers
in the profession by providing them with
comprehensive professional development,
mentoring and a community of peers.
Schachner was among approximately 70
finalists invited to interview for the
fellowship in Philadelphia in March, and
she is one of only 11 mathematics
Total Recall
Truman Board of Governors
Chair Matthew Potter
presented Amy Schachner with
a resolution recognizing her
achievement as the first
Truman student to receive the
KSTF Fellowship.
Classrooms equipped with lecture-capture
technology allow professors to record a class session
so that students can play back the lecture using
their computers or portable media devices. One
of the options for reviewing the session is a splitscreen
like the one shown above which includes a
video recording of the class, notes and diagrams
made on the board and navigation options.
split-screen version with all the notes,
diagrams, lectures, video and classroom
questions and answers.
Having the ability to review a lecture
can be especially helpful for some of the
more complex subjects. The classrooms are
being used to teach a variety of subjects,
including economics, foreign language,
marketing, linguistics, statistics and more.
fellowship recipients this year.
Renewable for up to five years,
the KSTF Fellowship provides
tuition, monthly stipends and
financial resources for the
classroom, as well as travel and
room and board expenses for
three conferences a year.
Schachner’s advisor, Susan
LaGrassa, department chair,
professor, and MAEmathematics
director, has
been encouraging Truman
students to apply for the
fellowship not only for
financial reasons, but also for
the opportunities it provides.
“The contacts Amy will make will allow
her to do anything she wants to in the
field,” said LaGrassa. “I suppose it is a little
like winning the Tour de France. Not many
people know about it, it is really hard to do,
and when you do it, every door you could
want to enter is opened for you.”
Women’s Resource
Center Celebrates
20th Anniversary
Over the March 26th weekend, the
Truman State University Women’s
Resource Center (WRC) celebrated
its 20th Anniversary. Alumni of the center
joined current volunteers to relive past glories
and dream of the future. The co-founders of
the center, Michelle Reichert (’90) and Lynn
Freeman (’91), attended and shared
highlights about the launch of the center that
took place in 1990.
The WRC provides information and
programming about women’s and gender
issues and consists of approximately 45
students, both male and female, who
contribute to the center through scholarship
service hours, work-study or by volunteering.
The historian for the Women’s Resource
Center needs to fill gaps in the recorded
history and is seeking assistance from
alumni. If you volunteered for the center,
please e-mail information such as when you
worked for the center, key events and any
executive board members you can remember.
This information will help complete the
archive of information highlighting the
center’s numerous accomplishments and the
many lives touched over the past 20 years.
The e-mail address for the center is
wrc@truman.edu.
6 Truman Review

Last summer Adam Bennett,
a senior ag science major from
Richland, Iowa, completed an
internship with Analytical Bio-
Chemistry Laboratories (ABC
Labs) located in Columbia, Mo.
Bennett worked with a project
management division of ABC Labs,
a sector that offers field to final
report project management for
studies on demonstrated human
and environmental safety.
The internship provided Bennett with a chance
to interact with study directors who were
conducting trials, while he helped
develop protocols, field
notebooks, and study
designs for multiple field
research trials conducted
across the U.S. and
Canada. Bennett also
helped create final
reports summarizing
previous studies’ results for submission to
government agencies and participated in some
routine laboratory and sample preparation work.
“The most exciting thing was executing an
ecotoxicology study in Canada,” said Bennett. “I
was responsible for protocol and notebook
creation, test material shipping, sample coordination,
sample method development, and
helped to manage the actual sampling event at
multiple sites across Canada.”
Bennett said he also learned about how big
businesses operate and the level of bureaucracy
necessary to navigate the corporate structure. “I
gained a more complete perspective of how the
private, public, and governmental sectors of
agriculture interact in agricultural product
research and development,” said Bennett. “Also, I
was able to more fully develop my people
management and client interaction skills.”
Bennett’s advice for students searching for
internships is to get their names out there as
soon as possible. “The more people know who
you are and what you’re about, the more likely
you are to find a placement somewhere,” said
Bennett. He also advised students to consider
companies even if they do not currently have an
internship program in place. “ABC, according to
my knowledge, had not used interns previously,”
said Bennett. “They made a place for me in the
company after an employee was willing
to push for my internship position.”
As part of his summer internship, Adam Bennett
was responsible for assisting with the collection
of pollen and nectar samples at several locations
across central Canada including this canola field.
Spring 2010 7

8 Truman Review

José Herrera, associate
professor of biology and chair of the
Biology Department, has been a
member of the Truman faculty since
1996. He received a BS and an MS from
Northern Illinois University and a PhD
from Kansas State University.
Tell us a little bit about what you teach:
During most semesters, I teach General Microbiology (Biol 304),
a course that is designed primarily for biology majors, but several
other students from other disciplines use the course to fulfill
several pre-requisites. On occasion, I also teach introductory
biology for majors (Biol 107), Mycology (Biol 318) and a
graduate level course, Microbial Ecology (Biol 518).
What is the most rewarding part of your job:
Seeing young students mature and blossom into wonderful and
critically thinking human beings.
When was the last time a student surprised you:
I'm always surprised when a student drops off a thank-you note.
I figure it’s my job, but I'm always surprised by some students
who take the time to write a simple thank-you note.
What is the nicest thing someone has said to you:
I'm not sure it's someone saying something, but a smile from one of
my kids or my wife is very rewarding. Oh, and by the way, smiles
from students are always a welcome sight, too.
What would people be surprised to learn about you:
That I was the second shortest student in my grammar school
graduation class. Only Bertie Bensen was shorter!
What do you do when you’re not working:
I have very little free time, but most of the time, I am taking care
of three little ones and, of late, most of my free time has been
taken up on diaper duty.
Spring 2010 9

ntroducing
Truman State University’s
16th President
Troy D. Paino
Before Troy Paino began his tenure as
president of Truman State University on May
10, he served as Truman’s provost and vice
president of academic affairs, but his
admiration for Truman State University
actually began in Minnesota years ago. Armed
with a passion for a liberal arts and sciences
education, an enormous amount of energy and
a strong sense of purpose, he’s determined to
build on the momentum established by those
who proceeded him to raise the profile of
Truman State University even further.
The youngest of five siblings—three brothers and one
sister—Troy Paino grew up in Indianapolis, Ind., where his
father served as an Assemblies of God minister for about
50 years. Paino says he gets his focus and energy for his job from
his father who will turn 86 this summer and continues to raise
money for missions and still makes international trips about three
times a year. “I’m kind of driven in pursuing goals and objectives,
and my father is exactly the same way,” says Paino. A large
portion of his mother’s time was devoted to raising their family
and focusing on the responsibilities of the church, and she also
taught school and directed a childcare facility.
The journey that led Paino to the top
position at Truman serves as a testimony
to the value of a liberal arts education.
Educational administration wasn’t on his
list of potential jobs early on, but while
attending Evangel University in
Springfield, Mo., the profound influence
of a single teacher provided a critical
turning point that ultimately helped shape
his career. “I took an American history
class from Professor Nelson who was
one of those fabulous teachers and a
really wonderful lecturer,” says Paino. “I
walked into class, and it was like, boom, I
was captivated.”
That experience started pushing Paino
toward a life of the mind, and for the rest
of his academic career, he let his own intellectual curiosity guide
him. Instead of looking at what he would gain by taking a
certain course, he listened to what other students were
interested in, and if he heard that a professor was good and the
class sounded interesting, he took it.
“I took an American
history class from
Professor Nelson who
was one of those
fabulous teachers and a
really wonderful
lecturer,” says Paino. “I
walked into class, and it
was like, boom, I was
captivated.”
to a job at a law firm in Indianapolis. For the next three years,
Paino did criminal defense work, however, despite a successful
legal career, he felt his work lacked inspiration.
“I was hoping I would discover something meaningful and
purposeful, but I didn’t find the same sense of purpose I had
when I was an undergrad,” says Paino. “I always felt like I was
taking on social problems too late since you’re representing
someone who’s already made major mistakes in their life as a
result of a number of things—raised in a bad environment,
didn’t get a proper education, addiction of some sort—
whatever the problem was, it had already
had its negative effect on that individual.”
Reflecting back on his undergraduate
years when he had felt such an intense
passion for his education, he considered
leaving law and going back to graduate
school so he could pursue an academic
career. By now he was married, and
when he voiced his thoughts to his wife,
Kelly, she said, “If that’s what makes you
happy, do it.”
Embarking upon a new career path,
Paino earned his master’s and doctorate
degrees from Michigan State University,
and he accepted a position as assistant
professor of history at Winona State
University in Minnesota. He was
promoted to the rank of professor, and even though he had
not planned on going into academic administration, he was
approached by several colleagues who recognized his leadership
abilities and encouraged him to apply for the position of dean
of liberal arts at Winona.
After graduating from Evangel with a bachelor of arts in history
and philosophy, Paino received his juris doctorate from Indiana
University where an internship with the prosecutor’s office led
He landed the job, and it was through conversations with
Darrell W. Krueger, who was serving as president of Winona
State at the time, that Paino began hearing about Truman State
10 Truman Review

University. Prior to becoming president at Winona, Krueger had spent 18 years at Truman during the 1970s and
1980s, first as a member of the faculty for two years, then as vice president for academic affairs and dean of
instruction. He retired as president of Winona in 2005, and in October 2008, he returned to Truman State
University when the Truman Board of Governors asked him to serve as president when Barbara Dixon resigned.
Paino had been following Truman State University, and when the position of provost and
vice president for academic affairs became available at Truman, Paino decided to
apply. As he went through the interview process, Paino learned that Truman was
a place that shared his values. “It just felt like this is where I should be, so when
I was offered the job, I obviously jumped at it,” says Paino.
As provost at Truman, Paino helped lead both the implementation of a
comprehensive strategic plan to upgrade technology on campus and the
establishment of the Truman Institute to develop programming aimed at
generating revenue as well as building mutually beneficial relationships
with business and community organizations. He also worked closely
with faculty to establish new tenure and promotion policies and
procedures as well as the Office of Student Research.
Last year Truman State University launched an extensive nationwide
search for its next president, and the Board of Governors announced in
February 2010 that Paino had been selected to serve as Truman’s 16th
president. “I feel like it’s a moment in time for me to take an
opportunity that a lot of people don’t get,” says Paino. “It’s my time to
try and help an institution through a very difficult time, to preserve its
core values, its mission, its reputation and its future—I take it with great
humility and know I can’t do it alone.”
For Paino, being an effective leader means having integrity and humility. “As
a leader, I need to be someone who when I give my word people know they can
rely on it, but I also need to be humble and recognize that there are many people
on this campus who can teach me a great deal,” says Paino, who also tries to have a
sense of humor in all things. “I recognize that being the president of this University is
not about me, and I always think the learning process goes in multiple directions—just
because I’m the president of the University, when I meet students I do not for one
minute think that I’m the one in the room who’s doing the educating.”
Paino describes himself as very collaborative in nature and says he likes to try and
arrive at key decisions through conversation with as many people as possible
who are going to be affected by those decisions and arrive at those
decisions together. However, he also realizes that there are times
when he has to make a tough call quickly and there is not
enough time to get everyone’s input. “But when you
are faced with those situations, you go back to
your core principles,” says Paino. “You had
better understand who you are, what you
stand for, and as long as you can ask yourself,
okay, what are the principles involved here
and be able to make a decision based on
those principles, you can sleep at night; that
doesn’t mean you get it right 100 percent
of the time, but at least if you can say at
the end of the day that I reflected upon
what the principles were in this matter,
and I made a principle-centered decision
in this case, I think you are usually
going to do the right thing.”
(continued on next page)

(continued from page 11)
The Road Ahead
Assuming the presidency during difficult economic times means the top challenge for Paino is the budget. “We’re
experiencing a lot of cuts for our state appropriations for the next year, and from all indicators, those cuts will
be much more severe the following year after the federal stabilization money goes away,” says Paino, who notes
that the decrease in state funding has been a gradual trend over the last three or four decades, and now with
the current economic crisis, the gradual trend is turning into a fast-paced trend. “When you can lose up to a
quarter of your state funding in two years, that’s a fast trend toward privatization, and as we become more
private-like, we are going to become increasingly more reliant on private giving to the institution,” says Paino.
Beyond the current budget issues and ongoing into the future, Paino believes it’s important that
Truman doesn’t become self-satisfied. The University’s strategic plan calls for making Truman the
country’s premier liberal arts and sciences institution, which is no small task in itself, and Paino
sees it as his job to increase the value of a diploma from Truman.
“I want to raise the profile of Truman State University because I think that what we do here is
world-class,” says Paino. “Since we have the good fortune of being the only highly selective
institution in Missouri, we get the kinds of students that every other school wants, and we need
to do what we can to make Truman the first choice of more and more of these highly talented
and committed students.”
While most schools tout academic excellence, Truman has set itself apart from other institutions
through its willingness to go beyond mere words by holding itself accountable, and Paino plans to
uphold that tradition. “We’re in an era right
now where so much of the focus is on access, which is great, in part Truman
President Troy Paino
and his wife, Kelly,
and daughters, Sophia
and Chloe
“I want to raise the
profile of Truman
State University
because I think
that what we do
here is worldclass,”
says Paino.
is about access and affordability, but in the midst of that, we’re also saying
that we are going to be more about academic excellence, we are not
going to lower the bar just so we can attract more students or get more
students to graduate,” says Paino. “We are going to keep the bar high,
and we are going to have high expectations of our students.”
While Paino understands the need for workforce development and
the economic imperative to train workers for the future, he believes it
is short-sighted for our democracy and for our economy if higher
education becomes strictly about professional or
vocational development. In addition to developing
the next worker to work for Corporation X, he
says there’s a need for those who will help lead
the economic recovery and development into
the 21st century.
“We will have people who once they graduate
from here will assume leadership roles and who
will be problem solvers and creative thinkers, they
won’t just be workers, they’ll be helping create
jobs,” says Paino. Truman is a place that is
focused on developing these kinds of
people, particularly in Missouri, and
Paino sees it as part of his job to
keep reminding everyone in the
state that Truman State
University is an institution that
does serve the public good.

When it comes to communicating the value of a liberal arts and sciences
education in today’s world, Paino has seen how students make the best case
with Truman’s Missouri Government Internship program serving as a prime
example. “You can talk to legislators about the value of Truman to the state
of Missouri and to the country and about how what we are doing here is
making a difference in creating the kinds of workers and citizens and leaders
we can be proud of, but when they really get it is when Truman students
become their interns and they can see the difference through their own
interactions with our students,” says Paino. “When I walk the halls of the
state capitol, almost every legislator I meet says the exact same thing,
‘Truman students are by far the best interns, please send me more,’ and
voilà, the case has been made.”
Paino notes that it is important for alumni to help keep the spirit of Truman
State University alive throughout the country and encourages alumni to
become engaged with the University by coming back to campus and sharing
their experiences with current students, offering employment or internship
opportunities for students, or getting involved in a local alumni chapter.
“Their past is tied to this institution and there should be a real sense of
pride being connected to this place,” says Paino.
“When I walk the halls of the state capitol,
almost every legislator I meet says the exact
same thing, ‘Truman students are by far the
best interns, please send me more . . .’”
During his time at Truman, Paino has developed relationships within the
Truman community, as well as in the local community, and he hopes to
strengthen ties between the University and Kirksville. “I’ve only been here
with my family for a couple of years, and we’ve been fortunate in that time
to build some really deep relationships and roots here,” says Paino. “To me
at the end of the day life is about relationships.” He and his wife, Kelly, have
two daughters, Sophia, age 12, and Chloe, age 10, and Paino tries to
spend as much time as possible with his family.
Paino works out regularly, and although he’s an avid tennis player,
he’s been spending more time playing golf since moving to
Kirksville. “Golf is one of those wonderful sports that while
you’re playing you don’t have the luxury of thinking about the
things that are going on at work,” says Paino.
When duty calls, Paino can be found using the tremendous
energy and sense of purpose he inherited from his father to
advance the mission of Truman State University. “I’m here
as a servant to this university, and it’s my job to be a good
steward and to try and improve the quality of this institution
for everyone’s benefit,” says Paino. ✦
More
About Troy Paino
First job: “Cutting grass at an
apartment complex when I was
around 15.”
Favorite food: “I love a really
good filet mignon medium rare.”
Favorite movie: “The Big
Lebowski.”
Favorite book: “A Free and
Ordered Space: The Real World of
the University by A. Bartlett
Giamatti. He was the former
president of Yale University back
in the ’70s and ’80s and later
became the commissioner of
baseball. The book is a
collection of his musings about
the role of liberal arts education
in America. Another book that
made an impact on me was
A Death in the Family by
James Agee.”
Favorite place in
Kirksville: “The golf course
at the Kirksville Country Club.”
Gadgets: “I’m an Apple person
through and through. I have
an iPhone and an iPod,
and I’ll probably get
one of those iPads
at some point, but
I never like to get
the first round
of a new
technology. I
wait for them
to get the bugs
worked out and
usually get the
second round.”
Installation ceremony for Troy Paino will be held
Friday, Sept. 17, 2010. For additional events
taking place, check out the week of Sept. 13-17 on
the online calendar at calendar.truman.edu.
Spring 2010 13

1954 Echo
By Frank V. Colton, Ed.D. (’57, ’59)
“Gonna take a sentimental journey,
gonna put my heart at ease,
gonna take a sentimental journey,
to renew old memories...”
— MUSIC BY LES BROWN, LYRICS BY BUD GREEN
1954 Echo
1954 Echo
1964 Echo
14 Truman Review

1952 Echo
IN SEPTEMBER OF 1953 as I walked into Kirk Auditorium for Freshman Orientation,
probably the last thing that would have crossed my mind was that someday I would view
that facility as the place where so many fond memories occurred—certainly ones involving
great basketball games, but maybe even more so because of all the great bands I heard
perform there. The fifties were the continuation of the Big Band era,
certainly not as robust as the thirties and forties, but still steeped in
the musical nostalgia upon which many of us cut our teeth. My
reflections will cover the roughly 15-year period during which I
was either a student or an employee of Truman State University
when it was known as Northeast Missouri State Teachers
College, or to most of us, just good old K.S.T.C.
1952 Echo
David Nichols points out in his history of the institution that in
1925 the tradition of annually honoring the Echo queen, and later
(1949) doing the same for the Echo king, was established. As near as
can be determined, sponsorship of the dances honoring the king and
queen was by the Student Council. By the time I hit the scene, the
tradition of having celebrities make the selection of the yearbook
royalty was firmly in place. In the spring of 1952, before I had
enrolled, artist Norman Rockwell chose the winners via
photographs sent to him prior to the Echo Dance.
The music for that dance was by the famous Jimmy Dorsey
Band, albeit quite late for their performance due to a bus
breakdown, but nevertheless the band managed to thrill
the audience and extended their
playing until
1960 Echo
Spring 2010 15

1:30 a.m. The Index described Marilyn
Simmons, Echo queen, and Dave
Janson, Echo king, as being surprised,
nervous and flabbergasted when the
couple found out shortly before the
coronation that they had won. The
Jimmy Dorsey Band, later in various
iterations of its original self, would be
invited back for two more appearances.
The pattern of having the Echo
Dance in mid to late spring remained
in place, but the process for choosing
the Echo king and queen varied from
photo selection by bandleaders to that
of a popular vote by the students.
Other notable bands and the years
they performed were Woody Herman
(1953), Jimmy “Dancing Shoes”
Palmer (1954), and Buddy Morrow
(1955). Morrow’s appearance was
preceded by a live 15-minute radio
show on Kirksville station KIRX.
Charlie Spivak’s Band played in 1956,
then the Les Elgart Band in 1957
featuring his brother Larry on
saxophone, and the Ralph Flanagan
Orchestra following in 1958.
Arguably, the best-known band of
the era came to campus April 30,
1959, when Les Brown and the Band
of Renown came to play the Echo
Dance. The Index reported that
Brown had just completed his 11th
year with Bob Hope’s radio program.
He was considered to be one of the
finest musical arrangers as well as song
writers. His compositions included
the famous “Sentimental Journey.”
Brown’s associations with Decca,
Columbia, Coral and Capitol
recording companies made his band
one of the most highly recognized
bands in the world. The Les Brown
Band’s music was so smooth that
many in attendance that night simply
didn’t want to leave old Kirk
Auditorium—myself included!
Even though the Les Brown Band
was headquartered in Hollywood,
Calif., according to their publicity
materials they had played more college
dates around the country than any
other band. Prior to their trip to
Kirksville, they had made three flying
trips across the country to play college
engagements from Seattle all the way
to Gainesville, Fla. Brown himself was
quoted by the Index as saying, “We
prefer sound to noise, beat over effects,
and we like the melody if it is good.”
In April of 1960, the Kai Winding
Band played for the first Echo Dance
of the sixties, and the Big Bands also
began coming to town for the annual
1960 Echo
Christmas Dance. Christmas dances
had been a tradition for a long time,
but the bands which played for most
of them were regional bands, usually
coming from no further away than St.
Louis. Ralph Marterie and his
Marlboro Men played at the new
dance location, the Rieger Armory,
which provided a much larger dance
floor but as opposed to Kirk
Auditorium lacked intimacy. In 1961
when the Les Elgart Band made a
return campus appearance for the
Christmas Dance, the sponsoring
16 Truman Review
1955 Echo

Student Council again asked participants
to bring canned goods, which
would be distributed locally by the
Salvation Army. The Index noted it
was in 1937 that the canned goods
appeal began.
The Echo Dance returned to Kirk
Auditorium in the spring of 1962
with Ralph Marterie and his band
once again performing. Marterie was a
mainstay of United Artists recording
company. The following spring, just a
week before the Maynard Ferguson
Band played for the Echo Dance, the
Four Freshmen vocal group,
sponsored by the Senior Class,
performed in Baldwin Auditorium. In
publicizing the event, the sponsors
reminded people that good
attendance could lead to future
concerts of this kind. How many of
the 1,500-plus seats in Baldwin
needed to be filled wasn’t made clear.
By Christmas 1963, the decision
had been made to try having the
Christmas Dance host a big name,
and the Louis Armstrong Band with
“Satchmo” himself came to the Rieger
Armory to entertain. Ruth Beal, dean
of women, announced that dormitory
and boarding house hours would be
extended to 2 a.m. for this dance. I
especially remember how close
everyone wanted to get to the
celebrity band leader. Long-time head
of the Science Division at the College,
Dean Rosebery (’41) and his wife,
Amy (Ayres) Rosebery (’43), were in
attendance, as they were at most of
the dances mentioned in this article.
“We loved dancing and loved hearing
those famous bands,” was Dean’s
comment to me.
Rounding out my memories of the
Big Bands before heading off to
graduate school were the Si Zentner
Band playing the Christmas Dance at
Rieger Armory in December 1964; the
Glenn Miller Orchestra, under the
direction of Ray McKinley, for the Echo
Dance back on campus in the spring of
1965; Billy May’s band for the
Christmas Dance at the Armory in
1965; the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra,
with Lee Castle, playing for the Echo
Dance in the spring of 1966; Ralph
Marterie playing for the Centennial
Echo Dance in 1967; and Woody
Herman performing in concert in
Baldwin Auditorium in 1968.
As I examined the accounts of
these famous bands and their visits to
the college, it emerged that there were
many references to individuals who
had worked for more than just one
band. The musical fraternity
representing the Big Bands was large,
yet nevertheless beginning to fade as
this chapter of American music was
coming to a close.
It is hard to imagine what it meant
for each of us to have heard these
great bands perform while at the same
time being in the social context of
getting to know our fellow students
and friends. I can only relate from a
personal standpoint that even today
when I find a radio station playing
“golden oldies” that my thoughts flash
back to those great times made
possible by the administration and
sponsoring organizations (usually the
Student Council) of our college. I
hope you share this appreciation and
that this brief trip helped you “to
renew old memories.”
1955 Echo
1962 Echo
Spring 2010 17

Russ Sloan
1972 Echo
This July in St. Charles, Mo., there will be a reunion of the
Bulldog teams that won MIAA football championships in
1969, 1970 and 1971. The composition of these three teams
was remarkable at the Division II level.
Imagine a football team that had three football players who could high jump
6 feet 8 inches (Aubrey Johnson, Al Fulton and Don Allbritton); that possessed
the world’s fastest 400-meter runner (Larry Jones); and included the Division II
National long jump and triple jump champion (Tom Geredine). Also in that
3-year span, Mike Berentes, a gifted receiver, was among America’s finest
decathlon athletes when Bruce Jenner won the Olympics. Five of the players on
the 1971 team went on to play in the pro ranks—Lenvil Elliott, Tom Geredine and
Larry Jones played in the NFL, and Craig O’Sadnick and Marvin Robinson in the
old WFL. Elliott went on to win a Super Bowl ring in his final season as a
running back for the San Francisco 49ers. Geredine had a tremendous Monday
Night Football game and drew rave reviews from Howard Cosell as the sports
announcer broadcast the game.
18 Truman Review

In all three seasons, the ’Dogs were
pre-season picks to finish fourth in the
Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association
(MIAA) Conference. The 1971 team, which
finished 9-1, was only the third Bulldog
team to reach nine wins and was the first
team to go undefeated in MIAA league play
after the inclusion of Lincoln University in
the MIAA Conference. I am pretty sure
that the ’71 Bulldogs were the only
collegiate team in America that did not
have a starter on defense that weighed 200
pounds or more, yet they led the league in
defense. On offense, only the center (Dale
Gildehaus) and fullback (Pete Robertson)
weighed more than 200 pounds. Imagine a
9-1 collegiate championship team in 1971 in
which 20 of the 22 starters were under
200 pounds.
All three teams were led by exceptional
quarterbacks—Don Cummings in 1969 and
1970 and Bob Gibson in 1971. Both quarterbacks
consistently performed at a championship
level and success in football almost
always begins at the quarterback position.
It was a most remarkable group of
exceptional skill position talent, mixed with
players whose heart and desire amazed me
on a regular basis.
As head coach, I was surrounded by
assistant coaches who would rank with the
best at any university, including Ron Toman,
Bruce Craddock, Bill Richerson and Chuck
Shelton. All went on to achieve significant
success, honors and accolades.
No matter the level of skill, speed or
athletic ability that these three teams
possessed, there was one common denominator
that existed in every Bulldog of this
era—they would not be outworked and lived
by the team motto: “What you give you
have, and what you don’t give is lost forever.”
Truman State University has been
fortunate to have produced many talented
athletes and superb teams. But in July of this
year, members of these three teams known
as the Bulldog Brotherhood of Champions
will come together to reminisce about an era
of Bulldog success that lives forever in the
history of Truman State University football.
Russ Sloan joined the Truman State University
football staff in 1968 as an assistant coach and
served as head coach from 1969-1972. During
his tenure at the helm of the Bulldogs, his teams
tied twice for the MIAA championship, won the
conference title outright and posted a
cumulative record of 22-5-1.
The Bulldog Brotherhood
of Champions Reunion
Saturday, July 24, 2010, at
Plaza Lanes-Tubby’s Hall, 506 Droste,
St. Charles, Mo.; 5-10 p.m. Cost $10.
For more information contact
dc1744@aol.com or
osadnick@sbcglobal.net.
Mike Berentes walks back onto the field after
grabbing a sideline pass during the 1969
Homecoming battle against Central Missouri State.
1971 Echo
1970 Echo
Spring 2010 19

1947
Huella (Griffith) Darling (’47),
Thermopolis, Wyo., is a retired business
teacher. She has three daughters, Patricia,
Deborah and Mary Jane. E-mail
huellad23@rtconnect.net.
1952
Edna (McVeigh) Stark (’52) resides in
Kansas City. She has two daughters, Cheryl
and Sharon, and one son, J. Evan.
1956
Norman Herndon (’56, ’57) lives in
Kearney, Mo. He and his wife, Mary Lou,
have two daughters, Linda and Kathy, and
two sons, Richard and Jeff.
1959
Ted May (’59) and Connie (DeCapito)
May (’77) live in Jefferson City, Mo. Ted
writes: “I write books which nobody reads,
but fix bikes which people ride. I should
have been a bike repairman instead of a
writer. When I was 20 I thought they were
talking about me. When I turned 40 I
decided I didn’t care. But when I reached 60
I found out they didn’t even know I was in
the room.” They have a daughter Lynn.
1960
Don Harrison (’60), Edina, Mo., is an
insurance and real estate broker. He and his
wife, Betty Ann, have two daughters, Lisa
and Staci, and three sons, Ron, Brian and
Kevin. E-mail dfhins@sbcglobal.net.
Carolyn Mulford (’60) had her book, The
Feedsack Dress, selected by the Missouri
Center for the Book as the recommended
read at the National Book Festival in
Washington, D.C., last September. E-mail
camulford@centurytel.net.
1961
David Meeker (’61), Cuba, Ill., retired as
reverend for the Christian Church (Disciples
of Christ). He and his wife, Beatrice, have
two daughters, Carla and Angela. E-mail
meeker82@sybertech.net.
1962
George Parker (’62), Crestview, Fla., works
in festival management for Walt Disney
World. E-mail gparker350@aol.com.
1964
Kenneth Costa (’64) retired from teaching
and resides in Castro Valley, Calif. E-mail
ken_costa@sbcglobal.net.
Gary Epperly (’64) is retired and lives in
Granbury, Texas. He and his wife, Phyllis,
have two daughters, Carrie and Jodi. E-mail
theepperlys@yahoo.com.
1965
V. Boyd Jeffries (’65) and Sue (Green)
Jeffries reside in Osage Beach, Mo. He is a
sales specialist with Home Depot, and Sue is
retired. They have two sons, Scott and Brian.
E-mail bjsjeff@charter.net.
1967
Anita Barta (’67), Cedar Rapids, Iowa,
retired in 2000 as full professor emeritus,
from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse
where she served as director of therapeutic
recreation. She is a licensed pilot and enjoys
all forms of outdoor recreation from
spelunking to skiing.
Robert Beckett (’67) previously served in
the U.S. Marines and is a pistolsmith in
Shelbina, Mo. His hobbies include competitive
shooting and racing homer pigeons. He
has two sons, Robert and Phillip.
John DeLuca (’67) is retired and lives in St.
Charles, Mo. E-mail bjdeluca@sbcglobal.net.
Patricia (Bentrup) Harrison (’67) retired
in June 2009 as assistant director of the
public library in Ankeny, Iowa. E-mail
Harrison.patricia@yahoo.com.
John Parcell (’67) continues to be an active
musician and teacher in the Kansas City, Mo.,
School District. He performed the “National
Anthem” for a Kansas City Royals home
baseball game in 2008, and was selected to
play “Taps” on Sept. 12, 2009, at the Harry
S Truman Presidential Library in
Independence, Mo., for a service held in
recognition of Vietnam veterans who lost
their lives in service. He is also a member of
Bugles Across America, an organization that
provides live music for services for military
personnel who have passed away. John and
What’s new with you
Let us know what you have been up to such as information
about your job, honors and milestones, weddings, births and
other personal alumni news you would like to share with your
fellow alumni. The Truman Review is published three times per
year so there may be a delay of at least one issue between when
you submit your news and when it is published in Class Notes.
Information may be edited due to limited space.
In memoriam
Family members and friends are encouraged to send obituaries
of deceased alumni to Office of Advancement, McClain Hall 205,
100 E. Normal Ave., Kirksville, Mo. 63501.
Submit your news for Class Notes online at
http://alumni.truman.edu/ or use the update form found on
the inside back cover of each issue of the Truman Review. You can
also fax information to (660) 785-7519.
his wife, Cathy, have a son, Kent, and a
daughter, Khristina. E-mail johncathy@sbcglobal.net.
1969
Michael Crain (’69, ’74, ’77), Cincinnati,
Ohio, is senior vice president for American
Modern Insurance. He and his wife,
Margaret, have a daughter, Pam, and two
sons, Mark and Brandon.
Janice (Williams) Burton (’69), St. Louis,
retired as a principal systems specialist for
Monsanto. She has a daughter, Gia. E-mail
janicesue_2000@yahoo.com.
Diane (Cushman) Otten (’69), St. Louis, is
an enrolled agent/accredited tax advisor for
William L. Otten & Associates Inc. She and
her husband, William, have a daughter,
Melissa, and a son, Timothy. E-mail
dotten1973@aol.com.
Alan Schilmoeller (’69) is CEO, Mayo Clinic
Health Solutions, which consists of three
divisions: Office of Intellectual Property,
Medical Products and MMS (Health
Insurance Plan Administration Services). His
previous assignments included vice chair,
Mayo Clinic Administration, and chief
administrative officer, Mayo Health System.
E-mail aschilmoeller@mayo.edu.
Sharon (Billington) Smith (’69, ’71) and
Douglas Smith (’69, ’71) live in Peoria, Ill.
They have traveled since retirement (Alaska,
Greece, Europe, Ireland, and New
England/Canada), and they have five
grandchildren. Douglas keeps busy golfing
and working part-time teaching “Behind the
Wheel” for Peoria Public Schools. Sharon
keeps busy with grandchildren and working
part-time tutoring and testing for Peoria Public
20 Truman Review

Schools. They have two sons, Timothy and
Sean. E-mail rosemeadsmith@sbcglobal.net.
1970
Nancy (Leeser) Ellison (’70), Canton, Mo.,
retired from Lewis County C-1 as an art
instructor. She and her husband, Francis,
have a son, James, and a daughter, Mary.
1971
Triss (Walter) Holland (’71), Berea, Ky., is
an administrative assistant for the Berea Arts
Council. E-mail trissanne49@windstream.net.
George Pipes (’71), LaPlata, Mo., is a retired
physician. He and his wife, Elaine, have a
daughter, Lori, and a son, Andy. E-mail
pipes37@marktwain.net.
1972
Ann (Fuenfhausen) Hamlin (’72),
Jefferson City, Mo., retired as a public
information officer for the State of Missouri.
Michael Hurn (’72), Elburn, Ill., is a pastor
for Christ Community Church. E-mail
twojohn215@yahoo.com.
Dana (McMillan) Jacob (’72) lives in
Fairway, Kan. E-mail
danamcmillanjacob@yahoo.com.
Elizabeth Keller (’72), Columbia, Mo., is an
attorney at law. E-mail eakatty@sbcglobal.net.
Gary Scheppler (’72), Little Rock, Ark., is
the owner of State Business Supply Inc. He
has a son, Garrett. E-mail
ribbshep@yahoo.com.
Bill Welty (’72) is retired and lives in Venice,
Fla. E-mail wwelty@msn.com.
Robert Whitacre (’72), Lucerne, Mo., is an
environmental regulatory compliance analyst
for Premium Standard Farms. He has a son,
Matthew, and a daughter, Melissa. E-mail
jubo49@hotmail.com.
1973
Edward Adam (’73) lives in Mills River, N.C.
He has three daughters, Jennifer, Meredith
and Catherine. E-mail edadam@netscape.net.
Chuck Bright (’73), Washington, Mo., is a
retired teacher. He and his wife, Sue, have a
son, Charlie, and a daughter, Caitlin. E-mail
chuck.brght@yahoo.com.
Betsy (Downing) Devenport (’73),
Moberly, Mo., has taught third grade for 29
years and served as a Title I teacher for one
year at Gratz Brown Elementary. She has a
son, Douglas, and a daughter, Regina. E-mail
edevenport@moberly.k12.mo.us.
Mark Parson (’73), Excelsior Springs, Mo., is
a project engineer for Barbour Building
Systems. He and his wife, Connie, have three
daughters, Megan, Haley and Heidi. E-mail
markparson@mchsi.com.
1974
Barbara Dearing (’74), Brunswick, Mo.,
retired from the Carrollton R-VII School
District after teaching special education for
Celebrating Milestone Birthdays
Lucille (Jackson) Boyer
(’63)
34 ½ years. She and her husband, Rodney,
have a daughter, Becky, and a son, Clint.
E-mail bdearing@hotmail.com.
Charles Robinson (’74, ’81), Anamosa,
Iowa, is a corrections officer with the Iowa
Department of Corrections. He and his wife,
Mary, have two children, Angelia and Trevor.
1975
David Bell (’75), Columbus, Neb., is vice
president of development/marketing for
Loup Public Power District. He has two
daughters, Matteal and Mallory. E-mail
dbell@neb.rr.com.
Scott Kirkland (’75), Cottonwood, Calif., is
chief of police for the City of El Cerrito/
Police Department. He and his wife, Anne,
have a son, Tyler, and a daughter, Kaylynne.
Donna Love (’75), Hernando, Miss., retired
as a lieutenant with the St. Louis Metro
Police Department. She has two daughters,
Leah and Miah, and a son, Kaelin. E-mail
d-lady@sbcglobal.net.
Jody (Barber) Murphy (’75), Nashville,
Tenn., is an operations manager for
Ombudsman Educational Services.
Margie (Davidson) Nielsen (’75, ’78),
Humboldt, Iowa, will be retiring at the end
of May from her position as the elementary
Lucille (Jackson) Boyer (’63), of Gorin, Mo., celebrated her
102nd birthday on Dec. 1, 2009. When Boyer was six years
old, her family traveled from Oklahoma to Missouri by train
and arrived at the brand-new Union Station in Kansas City. The
family traveled to Green City, Mo., the childhood home of Boyer’s
mother, then on to Scotland County to the South Liberty
neighborhood where the family would make their home.
After graduating from high school, Boyer earned a teaching
certificate from Truman when the school was known as Northeast
Missouri State Teachers College, and she later returned to earn a
bachelor of science in education. She taught in Gorin, Mo., for
several years and was instrumental in starting the Gorin PTA
organization. She also helped start the Gorin Go Getters 4-H Club
and the South Liberty 4-H Club.
Ethel (Cassity) Schwengel, a 1932 graduate of
Truman/Northeast Missouri State Teachers College,
celebrated her 100th birthday on Aug. 1, 2009. She and her
husband, the late Fred Schwengel (’30), who served in the Iowa
House of Representatives and the U.S. Congress, had an extensive
collection of books, artwork, artifacts, and memorabilia devoted to
Abraham Lincoln that they donated to Truman State University in
1976. The Schwengels also established a special fund at Truman to
underwrite contests in art, essay writing, and oratory to inspire a
new generation in the ideals and values of Abraham Lincoln.
Ethel (Cassity) Schwengel (’32)
school counselor in Humboldt, Iowa, after
30 years in education/counseling. Margie
writes: “Northeast Missouri State University
(as I refer to it) will always have a special
place in my heart.” She and her husband,
Steven, have two daughters, Christina and
Stephanie. E-mail mnielsen@goldfieldaccess.net.
Charles Rensink (’75) lives in Council Bluffs,
Iowa.
1977
Rick D’Arca (’77) and Denise (Bontz)
D’Arca (’75) live in Ada, Ohio. Rick is a
psychologist for the Ohio Department of
Corrections. Denise is a music education
professor at Ohio Northern University. They
have two sons, Paul and Anthony. E-mail
rdarca@wcoil.com.
Jerry Mefford (’77) has relocated to the
Johnson City, Tenn., area and is a distance
educator for Hennepin Technical College.
E-mail jdmefford@embarqmail.com.
Paul Parkinson (’77) and Amy (Dunham)
Parkinson live in Macon, Mo. Paul is an
associate circuit judge for the State of Missouri.
Amy teaches music at Immaculate Conception
School. They have two daughters, Calista and
Karen. E-mail paulkparkinson@gmail.com.
Thomas Riggs (’77), Clive, Iowa, works for
Spring 2010 21

the U.S. Government. He and his wife,
Sandra, have two sons, Aaron and Brendan.
E-mail thomas.riggs@gmail.com.
Dean Sharp (’77) lives in Germany and is
chief, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance,
for USAF Europe. He and his wife,
Mary Ann, have a daughter, Dionne, and a
son, Trey. E-mail thesharps06@hotmail.com.
1978
Arthur Freeland (’78) was installed as
president of the Missouri Academy of Family
Physicians in June 2009 and was presented
with the Silver Beaver Award by the Boy
Scouts of America in April 2009. Arthur
writes: “My wife Kelly and I now have two
children in school at Truman, Luke is a
junior, and Maureen is a freshman. I continue
to practice full service family medicine,
including delivering babies, in Kirksville.”
Patricia (Haile) Hays (’78), Little Rock,
Ark., is vice president and general counsel
for Vestcom International Inc. She and her
husband, Joe, have two sons, Nicholas and
William. E-mail patricia_hays@sbcglobal.net.
Marilyn (Conn) Myers (’78), Bloomington,
Ill., is an active member and leader in Delta
Kappa Gamma Society International, serving
at both local and state levels. She is also
active in her local church and has participated
in mission work in Belize, Dominican
Republic and Ecuador. In 2003, she was
honored as the Distinguished Alumnus of
Hannibal-LaGrange College. Marilyn has
three daughters, Teresa, Toni and Traci.
Dannyl Weaver (’78), Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is
a quality assurance chemist for Cargill Corn
Milling. E-mail Dan_Weaver@cargill.com.
1979
Kitti Carriker (’79, ’80), Lafayette, Ind., is a
writer and has blogs at
www.kitticarriker.blogspot.com,
www.dailykitticarriker.blogspot.com and
www.kittislist.blogspot.com. She and her
husband, William Gerard McCartney, have
two sons, William and Samuel. E-mail
kitti.carriker@juno.com.
Toni Ebert (’79), Kearney, Mo., is a media
specialist for Kearney R-I. She has a son, Eric
Fowler, and a daughter, Sharlene Fowler.
E-mail ebert.toni@yahoo.com.
Deborah (Woodson) Gasho (’79),
Nashville, Tenn., is the associate director,
Int’l Logging, for Broadcast Music Inc.
Joyce Gentry (’79), Columbia, Mo., is an
assistant professor of nursing for Columbia
College. She has two sons, Aaron Coleman
and Chris Coleman. E-mail
jegentry@ccis.edu.
Karen (Orscheln) Guynn (’79) lives in
Columbia, Mo. She and her husband, Ray,
have a son, Alex, and a daughter, Kathryn.
E-mail kgynn@aol.com.
Readers recognized this photo as the
Circle-K Club, 1977-78, and all but one
of the students have been identified.
Top, L-R: Rhonda (Fugate) Dahncke
(’81) and Sondra (Fugate) Calvert (’81).
Middle, L-R: Miriam (Fischer) Egley
(’81), Laurie (Sells) Knowles (’79),
[Unidentified], and Terri (Oliver) Steffes.
Bottom, L-R: Gary Lamer (’78), Randy
Grant (’79), Beth (Gibson) Martin (’78),
Rod Belzer (’78), and Robert Steffes (’79).
Douglas Heckenkamp (’79), Onondaga,
Mich., is retired and “enjoying the easy life.”
Paul Kachulis (’79) and Peggy (Mittler)
Kachulis (’71, ’81) live in Rock Hill, Mo.
Paul provides tax and accounting services,
and they have two daughters, Christina and
Andrea. E-mail packmo01@aol.com.
Patricia (Miller) LaBar (’79), Hannibal,
Mo., is an office manager for Holy Family
Church. She and her husband, Keith, have a
daughter, Marissa. E-mail
mogirl57@hotmail.com.
Toni Peterson (’79) is a retired school
principal and lives in Visalia, Calif. E-mail
toni41700@aol.com.
Walter Podraza (’79), Sterling Heights,
Mich., is vice president of technical services
for Comerica Incorporated. He and his wife,
Mary, have two daughters, Allison and Emily.
Carol Jean Poindexter (’79), Norridge, Ill.,
is an executive officer and director of field
operations with the Internal Revenue
Service.
Allen Rigioni (’79), Grecia, Costa Rica, is a
senior engineer for Verizon Business. He and
his wife, Gina, have a son, Giovanni, and a
daughter, Antonella. E-mail
Allen.Rigioni@Verizonbusiness.com.
The Truman State University
Archives needs your help in
identifying photographs.
If you recognize any of the
faces in this photo, please
e-mail speccoll@truman.edu
or write Elaine Doak/
Special Collections,
Pickler Memorial Library
303, 100 E. Normal Ave.,
Kirksville, Mo. 63501-4221.
Latifa (Sefiane) Ring (’79), Houston, Texas,
is a computer consultant at Ring Data Systems.
She is the founder of National Organization to
End Guardianship Abuse and founder of Elder
Abuse Victims Advocates. She and her
husband, Stephen, have a son, Richard, and a
daughter, Lisa. E-mail latifa.ring@comcast.net.
Martha (Warden) Stark (’79) and
Kenneth Jay Stark (’77) live in Brookfield,
Mo. Martha is a teacher, and they have four
children, Neil, Guy, Tyson and Nolan.
Vicki (Blanchard) Walter (’79), Nevada,
Iowa, is a senior accountant for Lincolnway
Energy LLC. She and her husband, Louis,
have two sons, Mathew and Joel. E-mail
vwalter937@gmail.com.
1980
Bryan Baum (’80), Longmont, Colo., is a
senior wealth manager for Baum and
Blockhus Wealth Management Services, and
he was elected mayor of Longmont in
November 2009. He and his wife, Stephanie,
have two children, Chase and Brooklynn.
E-mail bLbaum1@comcast.net.
Janice Couch (’80, ’86), Kirksville, Mo., is
director of alumni services for A.T. Still
University. E-mail jcouch@atsu.edu.
22 Truman Review

James Farley, St. Charles, Mo., is a senior
analyst with BJC Healthcare. E-mail
goombahboy@aol.com.
Michael “Kevin” Flynn (’80) and Marla
(Fletcher) Flynn (’81) live in Danville, Ill.
Michael is a broker and owner of Flynn
Property Management, and they have two
children, Elissa and Justin. E-mail
k_man9998@yahoo.com.
1981
Karen Holschlag (’81) lives in Chesterfield,
Mo., and she and her husband, Glenn, have
two children, Meghan and Hunter. E-mail
missbudmo@yahoo.com.
Randy Hultz (’81, ’82), St. Louis, is director
of employee performance strategies for
SilkRoad Technology.
Janet (Wiesendanger) Hyder (’81),
Columbus, Ga., is a chiropractor and owner
of Hyder Chiropractic Clinic. She and her
husband, Joe, have a son, Jacob. E-mail
janethyder@att.net.
Mark Smalley (’81) and Jodi (Hagan)
Smalley (’86) live in Monroe, N.C. Mark is
a business coordinator for Mitchell Community
College, and they have a son, Jake.
1982
Becky (Ferguson) Agatsuma (’82),
Joetsu, Niigata, Japan, teaches English at The
Culture School, Fuzoku Elementary School.
She and her husband, Toshihiro, have three
children, Kana, who is attending Truman, Ken
and Dan. E-mail beckyagatsuma@yahoo.com.
Kelly (Stipe) Cramp (’82), Galesburg, Ill., is
a registered nurse. She and her husband,
Andrew, have two sons, Daniel and Jesse.
E-mail kellyfin79@hotmail.com.
Sue (Gladbach) Judas (’82) and Kevin
Judas live in New Boston, Mo. Sue is an
M.S. teacher for the Brookfield School
District. Kevin is a salesman for Sydenstricker
Farm and Lawn. They have a son, Branden,
and a daughter, Christina. E-mail
judask@cvalley.net.
Eric Olsen (’82) and Kelly (White) Olsen
(’82) reside in Sagamore Hills, Ohio. Eric is
an applications scientist for Data Sciences
International, and Kelly is a tax specialist.
They have two daughters, Elizabeth and
Karen. E-mail olsenek@windstream.net.
1983
Wanda Greif-Tharp (’83), Marion, Iowa, is
a realtor for Coldwell Banker Hedges Realty.
She has two children, Erin and Hunter.
E-mail wandatharp@cbhrealty.com.
Phyllis Harke (’83), Warrenton, Mo., is a
directory assistance operator for Verizon.
Phyllis writes: “I have bought my first home
and am very excited about it! Would love to
hear from friends!” E-mail hark1029@msn.com.
Yen-peng Kao (’83) and Lidee (Lin) Kao
(’84) live in Syosset, N.Y. Yen-peng is
Jack Magruder Receives
Distinguished Recognition
president of Kaolin Computer Service. Lidee
is an IT project manager for Commerzbank
NA. They have two sons, Andrew and
Jeremy. E-mail kaoyenpeng@hotmail.com.
Rhonda (Allen) Trosen (’83) and Mark
Trosen (’83) reside in Blue Springs, Mo.
They have two daughters, Sarah and
Amanda. Rhonda writes: “Our oldest
daughter is now a freshman at TSU, and she
even pledged Sigma Sigma Sigma, like her
mom!” E-mail trosenbsmo@att.net.
1984
Marc Arntzen (’84), Quincy, Ill., is president
of Gem City Memorials. He and his wife,
Kelly, have two children, Tanner and Olivia.
Dean Blakeley (’84), Raleigh, N.C., is a
physician with PK George MD.
Dennis Coons (’84), Camdenton, Mo., is a
programmer with Affiliated Acceptance
Corporation. He and his wife, Amelia, have
two children, Alexander and Brandon. E-mail
dennis@denniscoons.com.
Gregory Hitt (’84) and Jamie (Loder)
Hitt (’83) live in Moscow Mills, Mo., and
have three children, Gregory, Elizabeth and
Preston. Gregory is a senior right of way
specialist for MODot.
Robin (Findlay) Kohler (’84) and Richard
Kohler live in Houston, Texas. Robin
teaches high school science for Spring Branch
ISD. Richard is a mail carrier for the US Post
Office. E-mail rrkohler@aol.com.
Richard McKinney (’84), Kirksville, Mo.,
retired as director of the Kirksville Community
Chorus. E-mail mcknotes@cableone.net.
Mark Poole (’84), Hallsville, Mo., is a fire
engineer/EMT with the Columbia Fire
Department. He and his wife, Janice, have
two daughters, Anna and Bethany.
Deborah (Hays) Raleigh (’84) and David
Raleigh reside in Ewing, Mo. Deborah is a
national best-selling author who writes
Jack Magruder (’57) was among the nine people recognized as
“Icons of Education” highlighted in the January 2010 issue of
Ingram’s magazine. The article pays homage to educational
leaders “who have devoted their careers to passing the torch of
knowledge on to future generations.” Magruder, who retired as
president of Truman State University in 2003, currently serves as
president of A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Mo.
Magruder was also one of four new members added to the
Academy of Missouri Squires, a non-profit organization that honors
Missourians for their accomplishments on the community, state or
national levels.
historicals under the name Deborah Raleigh
and contemporary paranormals under the
name Alexandra Ivy. David is the junior high
counselor for Highland High School. They
have two sons, Alex and Chance.
E-mail davidraleigh@centurytel.net.
Nancy (Witte) Schwegler (’84, ’86) and
Tim Schwegler (’80, ’86) live in Kirksville,
Mo. Nancy teaches first grade at Kirksville
R-3, and Tim is an assistant track and cross
country coach and temporary instructor at
Truman State University. They have two
sons, Matthew and Samuel. E-mail
nschwegler@kirksville.k12.mo.us.
Michelle Timmer-Saldana (’84),
Wentzville, Mo., works in provider
information management for Mercy Health
Plans. She and her husband, Ramiro, have
four children, Jessica, Jillian, Courtney and
Alex. E-mail chelbytmr@aol.com.
Kim (Galitz) Watters (’84) is an
accountant for Rancho Manana Golf Club in
Cave Creek, Ariz., and she is the author of
romance novels; see www.kimwatters.com,
www.myspace.com/kimwatters and
www.facebook.com/authorkimwatters.
Dawn Wohlford-Metallo (’84), Bettendorf,
Iowa, is the visual arts director for Quad City
Arts. She and her husband, Leonard, have a
son, Gabriel.
Kelli (Gregory) Woodson (’84), Macon,
Mo., is an accountant for Preferred
Healthcare Inc. She has a daughter, Kristi.
E-mail kelliwoodson@centurytel.net.
Steven Woody (’84), Johnston, Iowa, is a
sergeant, Detective Bureau, with the Des
Moines Police Department. He and his wife,
Becky, have two children, Trista and Connor.
E-mail slwoody@gmail.com.
1985
Laura Brayman (’85), Aurora, Colo., is
executive director for HomeAid Colorado.
Spring 2010 23

She has two children, Noah McKenna and
Alyssa McKenna. E-mail laura@hacolo.org.
Kathleen (Martin) Rennekamp (’85) and
her husband, Tom, live in Florissant, Mo.,
and have two children, Jack and Natalie.
Kathleen is a stay-at-home mom and a
volunteer for her children’s elementary
school. Kathleen writes: “I’m also a soccer
mom, baseball-softball mom. They keep me
hopping.” E-mail kathyrenne@sbcglobal.net.
Jodi Richards (’85), Rock Hill, Mo., is a
community development manager for Girl
Scouts of Eastern Missouri. She has two
children, Mark Schierbecker and Jana
Schierbecker. E-mail jodene.renee@juno.com.
Lori Ricker (’85), The Colony, Texas, is a tax
analyst for Intuit. E-mail lorikr@sbcglobal.net.
Carol (Hatfield) Vestal (’85), Newtown,
Mo., retired from the USPS in December
2008. She and her husband, Keith, have
three children, Kimberly, Vicky and Melody.
Jo (Gamm) Witt lives in Kandiyohi, Minn.,
and she has two daughters, Nikole and
Corteney. E-mail jogammwitt@yahoo.com.
1986
Doresa Collogan (’86), Clearwater, Fla., is a
chaplain resident for Hospice of the Florida
SunCoast.
Rod Johnson (’86) and Wendy
(Roccholz) Johnson (’88) live in
Champaign, Ill. Rod was appointed director
of the Division of Nutritional Sciences at the
University of Illinois.
Diane Olsen (’86) retired in spring 2009
after teaching English for 35 years, and she
became an associate pastor for the Corydon
United Methodist Parish in Corydon, Iowa.
1987
John Doll (’87) and Mary (Heavrin) Doll
(’88) reside in St. Louis. John is an engineer
for EPIC. Mary is a marketing communications
manager for Emerson. They have four
children, Nicholas, Allen, Ali and Courtney.
E-mail doll.john@sbcglobal.net.
Jacquelyn (Hanson) Lehmkuhl (’87)
married James Lehmkuhl on June 17, 2009.
They live in Gilman, Ill., and Jacquelyn is a
secondary teacher for Central Unit District
#4. She has three children, Timothy Fink,
Andrew Fink and Christopher Fink.
Dana (Dimit) Mosher (’87), Albuquerque,
N.M., is a supervisor for State Farm
Insurance. She and her husband, Kenny, have
a daughter, Leala.
1988
Cathy (Buscher) Chase (’88) and her
husband, Andy, relocated from Kansas City
to Denver in March 2009, and in their spare
time, they enjoy hiking, camping, skiing,
cycling and all the fun that living near the
mountains has to offer. Cathy is a lead
communications strategist for Qwest.
Terry Schoppenhorst (’88, ’91) and Debbie
Schoppenhorst (’88) live in Springfield, Ill.,
and they both work for Springfield District
186. Terry is a math and computer science
teacher, and Debbie is a school psychologist.
They have two children, Jordan and Brad.
E-mail terryschop@hotmail.com.
1989
Thomas Brandvold (’89), Cedar Park, Texas,
is an accounting senior manager for Dell
Computer Company. He and his wife, Regina,
have three children, Kayla, Jacob and Logan.
Angela (Luby) Brooks (’89), Dardenne
Prairie, Mo., works in sales for Astellas
Pharma US, Inc. She and her husband, Jeff,
have two children, Robyn and Mitchell.
Renee (Cook) DeWeese (’89), Macon, Mo.,
is an inside sales manager for GE Capital
Commercial Finance. She and her husband,
Kurt, have two children, Aaron and Kaitlyn.
Julie (Walbridge) Dwyer (’89), St. Louis, is
an Elementary Education Department
assistant for the Archdiocese of Saint Louis.
Amy (Morrissey) Fleshman (’89),
Kirksville, Mo., is the owner of Advances in
Therapy. She has two daughters, Jessica and
Meghan. E-mail ptworks2001@yahoo.com.
Pamela (Turner) Gater (’89), St. Peters,
Mo., works for Thompson Street Capital
Partners. She has a daughter, Miranda. E-mail
pamela.gater@att.net.
Teresa (Arrenholz) Kurzrock (’89), Dixon,
Ill., is a habilitation program coordinator for
the State of Illinois, Mabley Developmental
Center. She has a son, Braeden.
Dennis McHenry (’89), Republic, Mo.,
earned a master’s in secondary administration
from William Woods University in
2009 and is employed at Logan Rogersville
High School. He and his wife, Carol, have
five children, Mitchell, Tyler, Curtis, Matthew
and Maci.
Mitchell Pockrandt (’89), Boulder, Colo., is
a software engineer with Pitney Bowes
Business Insight.
Jeffrey Turner (’89), Wentzville, Mo., is a
manufacturing manager for NIKE Inc. He has
two children, Clayton and McKenzie.
Todd Vohs (’89), Holstein, Iowa, is a sales
manager for Vohs Seeds LLC. He and his
wife, Annette, have a daughter, Danica.
1990
Piri (Szucs) Campo (’90, ’91), Houston,
Texas, is an elementary school teacher for
Spring Branch Independent School District. Piri
writes: “Although the phrase ‘Tex-Mex’ has
new significance since I have moved to Texas, I
still miss the gorgeous Missouri autumns on
campus.” Piri and her husband, Carlos, have
two daughters, Gabriela and Chloe. E-mail
campohomefront@sbcglobal.net.
Sara (Mortimer) Coffman (’90),
Kirksville, Mo., is an assistant practice
administrator at Northeast Regional Medical.
She has two children, Jordan and Laiken.
E-mail scoffman1@hotmail.com.
Kathy (Cupp) Estes (’90), Okinawa, Japan,
is in the U.S. Marine Corps, and she and her
husband, Hans, have two sons, Andrew and
Luke. Kathy writes: “Last summer, we
stopped by Truman en route to Japan. A visit
there changed my world-wise older son’s
opinion about his mom’s ‘little’ school. He’s
a junior and lists Truman as one of his top
three schools. Yes, campus visits do make a
difference!” E-mail cuppestes@aol.com.
Michele Hoyne (’90), Dallas Center, Iowa, is
a casualty claims consultant for Farm Bureau
Mutual Insurance Company.
Tim Mitchell (’90), Mexico, Mo., is a
training technician II for the Missouri Division
of Youth Services. He and his wife, Yvonne,
have three children, Nyja, Joseph and
Jordan. E-mail mitchell.timothyb@gmail.com.
DeDe Willis (’90), Zionsville, Ind., is the
chief medical officer of quality at Indiana
University. E-mail drwillis@iupui.edu.
1991
Dana (Oliva) Eckhart (’91) and Marc
Eckhart (’91) live in College Station, Texas.
Dana is a case manager for Brazos Valley
Community Action Agency. Marc is a
regional manager for Barnes and Noble
College Booksellers. They have two children,
Emily and Matthew.
Lisa (Condra) Roberts (’91, ’92) and
Michael Roberts (’91, ’93) live in Pleasant
Hill, Mo., and both work for Raymore
Peculiar Schools. Lisa is a 5th/6th gifted
teacher, and Michael is a high school biology
and genetics teacher. They have two
children, Kaitlin and Brayden. E-mail
mlkbroberts@gmail.com.
Chris Volz (’91), St. Louis, is a valuation
services manager with MPP&W, PC. He
became an accredited senior appraiser in
2009 and is serving as vice president of the
St. Louis Chapter of American Society of
Appraisers. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have
three children, Ben, Hannah and Grace.
E-mail cvolz@mppw.com.
Monica (Duft) Wilks (’91), Kansas City,
Kan., is a client service executive for Holmes
Murphy & Associates Inc. She and her
husband, Ronald, have three children,
Ashleigh, Curtis and Sarah. E-mail
mwilks@holmesmurphy.com.
1992
Clinton Anderson (’92), Chicago, Ill., is vice
president of the Assurance Agency Ltd.
E-mail cwa3569@aol.com.
24 Truman Review

Donald Bindner (’92) and Linda (Vogt)
Bindner (’91) reside in Kirksville and have a
daughter, Elizabeth. Donald is an assistant
professor, math and computer science, at
Truman State University.
Khristina Hoover-Baxter (’92), San
Antonio, Texas, is a staff sergeant in the U.S.
Army. She and her husband, Steven, have
two children, Andrew and Victoria.
Joe Kraichely (’92) and Ellen (Wood)
Kraichely (’95) live in Mason, Ohio. Joe is
a controller for Enterprise Fleet
Management, and they have three children,
Kyle, Ryan and Tyler. E-mail
5rkraichelys@embarqmail.com.
Colleen (Dugan) Murray (’92), St. Louis,
Mo., is a college counselor for Villa
Duchesne. She and her husband, Terry, have
twins, Mimi and Charlie. E-mail
cmurray@vdoh.org.
Phillip Nigro (’92), Kansas City, Mo., is a
loan officer with Advance Mortgage. He and
his wife, Paula, have a son, Achille. E-mail
pnigro@advancemtg.com.
1993
Dawn Colter, Fayetteville, N.C., is a teacher
with the Department of Defense Education
Activity: Fort Bragg Schools. E-mail
dawn_colter@yahoo.com.
Randall Corbin (’93), Bloomingdale, Ill., is a
finance manager for Carefusion. He and his
wife, Nicole, have two daughters, Genevieve
and Gabriella. E-mail jrzeke8@yahoo.com.
Laurie (Schwartzberg) Gerstein (’93)
lives in Canton, Ga. She and her husband,
Michael, have a son, Ethan.
1994
Holly Eschenbrenner (’94) lives in St.
Peters, Mo.
Curtis Fischer-Oelschlaeger (’94, ’96,
’98), Rock Island, Ill., is director of choral
activities for Rockbridge School District
#300. He and his spouse, Alexander, have
two children, Elijah and Emilie. E-mail
coelsch@aol.com.
Antonia Krueger (’94) lives in St. Paul,
Minn., and works for the Minnesota English
Language Program.
Jody (Schmidt) Orrison (’94), Claremont,
Calif., is director of the Inland Valley Youth
Choral. She and her husband, Michael, have
a daughter, Sydney, and a son, Ethan. E-mail
jodyorrison@mac.com.
1995
Stephanie (Herndon) Beasley (’95) and
Ted Beasley (’94) live in Cedar Park,
Texas. They have three children, Gray, Aiden
and Melia, and Stephanie is a stay-at-home
mom. E-mail stephaniebeasley@austin.rr.com.
Aubrey (Moore) Branch (’95) and Kyle
Branch live in Kansas City, Mo. Aubrey is
A Glimpse of the World from
an Artist’s Perspective
As a child, Dana Forrester (’69) aspired
to be either a professional baseball
player or an artist. He jokes today that
professional baseball didn’t pay enough money.
After graduating as an art major from
Truman, which was Northeast Missouri State
University at the time, Forrester taught art for
one year until being drafted. He served in the
Vietnam War for nearly two years.
Following the war, Forrester went back to
teaching in the suburban Kansas City area
until 1987. Since then, he has made painting
not only his passion, but also his career. “I’ve
always wanted to be an artist; I wanted to be
involved in art,” Forrester said. “It’s just been
a passion all my life.”
As an art student, Forrester’s work was
highly detailed. He said he remembers his
instructors trying to have him loosen up and
look at the world in a more open way. After
resisting a bit, Forrester is happy that his
instructors pushed him in that direction.
One line of his paintings features a classic
car such as a Corvette or Mustang in front of
a brick wall with an old advertisement painted
on the wall. Forrester has thousands of photos
of brick walls he has come across over the
years. For his paintings, he often uses those
photos and other times he designs an
advertisement on a wall that would
complement the car featured in the
foreground.
“I’m very focused on having the viewer
look and find what is really in front of them,”
Forrester said. “I feel like most people don’t
pay attention to the reality of the world
around them, and it’s one of my charges to
have them look at what’s really there.”
Forrester is also working on an architectural
series and recently added a wine series.
He uses some of the same techniques
throughout the paintings, but works on
reinventing his work all the time.
As for Forrester’s artistic influences, he cites
everything from Truman instructors telling him
director of meetings for the International
Association of Assessing Officers. Kyle is a
cook for the OSI Restaurant Group. E-mail
aubbranch@yahoo.com.
Tamara (Holmes) Cole (’95) lives in Lee’s
Summit, Mo. She and her husband, Ron,
have two sons, Spencer and Peyton. E-mail
kccoles@comcast.net.
to loosen up to his time in Vietnam. “All of my
major influences have been indirectly,”
Forrester said. “It’s things that I really dislike,
and then all of a sudden, it kind of rocks your
world when you realize that those have really
influenced where you are.”
After nearly 23 years of creating art fulltime,
Forrester said he still has a great passion
for his paintings and is proud to be able to
sustain himself on his art.
―Amanda Goeser
Sara (Marchbank) Lemberger (’95) and
her husband, Drew, welcomed Rowan
Elizabeth to their family on March 5, 2009.
They also have a son, Bacchus, and are
renovating an 1850s home in Rocheport, Mo.
Mark Monroe (’95, ’96) and Heather
(Veatch) Monroe (’95) live in Fenton, Mo.
Mark is an information security officer for
Spring 2010 25

the University of Missouri-St. Louis. They
have two children, Allyson and Sarah. E-mail
markm196@gmail.com.
William Sevier (’95), Perryville, Mo., is a
corporal with the Missouri State Highway
Patrol. He and his wife, Dawn, have five
children, Justin, Harrison, Morgan, Jena and
Seth. E-mail sevier1229@hotmail.com.
Julie (McGuire) Swope (’95, ’96),
Columbia, Mo., is the band director for
Columbia Public Schools. She and her
husband, Denis, have two children, Evan and
Mia. E-mail juswope@centurytel.net.
Teresa York (’95, ’96), San Antonio, Texas, is
assistant director of the McNair Scholars
Program at Trinity University. E-mail
tyork73@yahoo.com.
1996
Brian Adkisson (’96), St. Louis, Mo., is vice
president of marketing and communications
for the Arts and Education Council.
Sibyl Cato (’96), Pittsburgh, Pa., is an
assistant professor in the Counseling
Department at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania. E-mail sccato@gmail.com.
Kristi (Akins) Davidson (’96) and Rob
Davidson (’97) live in New York, N.Y.
Kristi is an attorney with Buchanan Ingersoll
and Rooney PC. Rob is program director for
VH1 Save the Music Foundation. They have a
son, Robert Jonah. E-mail
Kristi.a.davidson@gmail.com (Kristi) and
rwdavi@yahoo.com (Rob).
Denise Evans (’96), Ankeny, Iowa, is a pediatric
dentist with Thomas G. Wilson, DDS, PC. She
and her husband, Andrew Chan, have a
daughter, Claire, born on Feb. 11, 2009.
Thomas Kent (’96), Dunmore, Pa., is an
assistant professor at Marywood University.
He and his wife, Joy, have a daughter,
Annika. E-mail kentedegrees@gmail.com.
Angela (Stogsdill) Mason (’96) and Bryan
Mason (’96, ’98) live in St. Peters, Mo.
Angela is a business teacher at Francis
Howell North High School. Bryan is a
material data specialist for Monsanto. They
have two children, John and Drew.
Chad Melody (’96), Le Claire, Iowa, is a
senior associate with Dearborn Advisors
LLC. He and his wife, Darcie, have two
children, Collin and Paige. E-mail
cmelo74@yahoo.com.
Shannon (Bross) Mock (’96), Coal Valley,
Ill., is an aircraft records researcher for Elliott
Aviation. She and her husband, Joey, have
two children, Josephine and Julia. E-mail
shanib@hotmail.com.
Christine (Gielow) Seitz (’96),
Maplewood, Mo., is a sous-chef at Cardwell’s
at the Plaza. She and her husband, Jeffrey,
have two children, Jack and Nicole. E-mail
crispy74@sbcglobal.net.
Andrea (Phillips) Thomas (’96), High
Ridge, Mo., is a speech-language pathologist
for the St. Louis Learning Disabilities
Association. She and her husband, Jason,
have two children, Emma and Ian.
1997
Tricia Buchheit (’97), Dallas, Texas, is a
senior project manager for D. Anderson and
Mountain
Murders:
Homicide in
the Rockies
By Betty L. Alt
(’68) and Sandra
K. Wells
Mountain
Murders brings to
the public 15
legendary Colorado murders, dating
from 1909 to the early 1980s. Included
are: the tragic story of 12-year-old
Jimmy Melton who murdered his sister;
the bludgeoning death of Dorothy
Drain; the kidnapping, torture and
murder of high school student Alice
Porter; the death of 44 in the bombing
of United Airlines “Mainliner” by Jack
Graham for his mother’s insurance; two
unsolved Mafia murders and many
more. Forty photos of both victims and
killers enhance the historical narratives.
I Never
Thought of
That…
By Anita M. Barta
(’67)
During her tenure
with the University
of Wisconsin-La
Crosse training
health-care provider
students, author Anita Barta developed
a non-traditional way of recording
attendance by having students respond
to creative prompts. “When conducting
a 7:45 a.m. class for university students,
it’s important to find a way to engage
them,” said Barta. Some examples of the
prompts include: “If books were people
and people were books…” and “If my
feet smell and my nose runs...” Barta
has collected the best, funniest and
most thought-provoking responses in
this interactive and humorous book.
The book is a fun icebreaker to quickly
establish rapport with a group to
enhance communication in a nonthreatening,
relaxed atmosphere. Barta
also suggests giving it to friends to make
them smile.
The Zamler’s
Last Stand
By Matthew
Caldwell
(’99, ’01)
This is the story
of Harry Pike, a
young Jewish
zamler (collector)
who has the
ability―like others
in his community―to absorb the bad
luck of others around him. But as
Harry’s life becomes intertwined with
his friend Abner’s, Abner’s love of
baseball puts Harry in the difficult spot
of whether to use his talents to help his
friend or to stay true to the traditions of
his faith.
Tribe, Race,
History:
Native
Americans in
Southern New
England,
1780−1880
By Daniel R.
Mandell,
Associate Professor of History
Tribe, Race, History examines American
Indian communities in southern New
England between the Revolution and
Reconstruction, when Indians lived in the
region’s socioeconomic margins, moved
between semiautonomous communities
and towns, and intermarried extensively
with blacks and whites.
Drawing from a wealth of primary
documentation, Daniel R. Mandell
centers his study on ethnic boundaries,
particularly how those boundaries were
constructed, perceived, and crossed. He
analyzes connections and distinctions
between Indians and their non-Indian
neighbors with regard to labor,
landholding, government, and religion;
examines how emerging romantic
depictions of Indians (living and dead)
helped shape a unique New England
identity; and looks closely at the causes
and results of tribal termination in the
region after the Civil War.
Shedding new light on regional
developments in class, race, and culture,
this groundbreaking study is the first to

Company. E-mail tLbucket@swbell.net.
Amy DeBaets (’97), Decatur, Ga., is
pursuing her PhD at Emory University.
Thomas Drabelle (’97), St. Peters, Mo., is
director of public relations for the City of
O’Fallon, Mo. He and his wife, Katherine,
have a son, Michael. E-mail
tdrabelle@yahoo.com.
Jon Gilsdorf (’97), Council Bluffs, Iowa, and
his wife, Karen, welcomed their son, Tanner,
on Aug. 4, 2009. Tanner joins big sister,
Mattie. Jon writes: “Look me up on
Facebook.” E-mail jag42@juno.com.
Michelle (Stubbs) Godefroid (’97, ’98),
Maryland Heights, Mo., is a computer
programmer for Edward Jones. She and her
husband, Bill, have three children, Emily,
Christopher and Anthony. E-mail
mgodefroid@sbcglobal.net.
Amy Gulinson (’97) is serving as vice
president of the Board of Directors for the
Chicago Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in
Law Firms. She is an attorney and was
elected into partnership in the Chicago office
of Quarles and Brady LLP.
Robin (Scheier) Hotle (’97) and Tim
Hotle (’95) live in Sunrise Beach, Mo. Robin
is a registered nurse at Lake Regional
Hospital, and they have a daughter, Averie.
E-mail Robhotle@msn.com.
Dawn (Schumann) Hupp (’97), Towson,
Md., is director of Manhattan Associates. She
and her husband, Mike, have a daughter,
Jenna. E-mail dawnhupp@gmail.com.
Sara (Braswell) Latall (’97), Eureka, Mo.,
is an insurance broker. She and her husband,
Jeff, have two sons, Reid and Harry. E-mail
jeffandsara2003@yahoo.com.
Christina (Hotger) Lester (’97),
Burnsville, Minn., is a certified nurse practitioner
at Twin Cities Pain Clinic. E-mail
chotger@hotmail.com.
Jennifer (Bodenstein) Meyer (’97),
Madison, Wis., and her husband, Beau,
welcomed their second child to their family;
Evan was born on May 22, 2009. Jennifer
writes: “His big sister, Leah, loves him to
pieces!”
Paula (Kliethermes) Richard (’97, ’99),
Iberia, Mo., is a fiscal coordinator for the
Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and
Sexual Violence. She and her husband, Mark,
have two sons, Grady and Chase. E-mail
prichard61398@yahoo.com.
Jason Robinson (’97) has joined Fairfield
and Woods PC in Denver, Colo., as an
associate attorney.
Jennifer (Carter) Roman (’97),
Fayetteville, Ark., is a store manager for
JCPenney. She and her husband, Eric, have
three children, Jacob, Haley and Erica. E-mail
Jennifer.roman@cox.net.
John Spomer (’97, ’99), Coralville, Iowa, is a
TCMS trainer for ACT Inc. E-mail
jspomer@juno.com.
1998
Joseph Bedard (’98) lives in Phoenix, Ariz.
Paula (Stoff) Dean (’98, ’00, ’01), St.
Louis, Mo., is a private voice teacher. She
consider all Native Americans throughout
southern New England.
Christopher Okigbo
1930−67: Thirsting for
Sunlight
By Obi Nwakanma,
Assistant Professor of
English
Christopher Okigbo, once
described as “Africa’s most
lyrical poet of the twentieth
century” was killed in
September 1967, fighting for the independence
of Biafra. The Sunday Times described his death
as “the single most important tragedy of the
Nigerian civil war.” The manner in which
Okigbo died typified the passionate, tortured
and dramatic quality of his life. Widely
considered along with Wole Soyinka and
Chinua Achebe as part of modern Nigeria’s
greatest literary triumvirate, Okigbo’s death
promoted him to cult status among subsequent
generations of African writers. This is the first
full biography of the Nigerian poet. It places
Okigbo within the turmoil of his generation and
illustrates the aspects of his life that gave rise to
such an intense poetry. How did his experience
in the prestigious, English-type boarding school,
Umuahia, where he was known more as a
sportsman than a scholar, influence his life and
later choices Why was he sacked from the
colonial service, and how did that lead him
toward a search for private recovery, and
ultimately toward poetry What led him to take
up arms In other words, how did his eclectic
pursuits as high school teacher, university
librarian, publisher, gun-runner and guerrilla
fuel his poetic drive
Happy Living: Simple
Reminders for Life
By Sarah Steele-Killeen
(’93)
Author Sarah Steele-
Killeen provides a recipe for
a contented life in her new
book Happy Living, full of suggestions that
nurture bodies, minds, spirits, and loved ones
from the heart of a spirited physician, teacher,
wife, and mother. From enjoying the little things
in life to eating fresh, local, colorful, seasonal
foods when possible to greeting loved ones each
day with a “Good Morning!”–and meaning
it–the author is full of simple reminders that
make full, satisfying lives.
On the Wings of
Love
By Kim (Galitz) Watters
(’84)
Ruth Fontaine’s job is to
deliver lifesaving organs to
those urgently in need. But
the gruff pilot of her charter
plane has no kind words for
her work. And then she discovers the
heartbreaking reason why. Noah Barton lost his
wife and young son. Grieving, he gave in to
pressure to donate his child’s organs–a decision
he regrets. He’s bitter against those who “take
advantage” of people’s anguish. Yet he still flies
her on her missions, with his beloved family
dog, Houston, as his copilot. Now Ruth will
have to show Noah he has two other copilots:
the Lord and her love.
Rants From A
Dysfunctional Family:
A Book of Poetry
By Lakeshia K. Watts
(’92)
This book was written to
call attention to
dysfunction in the
Christian family, as well as
in families at large. Families
need to acknowledge this “elephant in the living
room” that victimizes practically every family to
some extent while they deny, and thus,
accommodate its existence. The family has to
address dysfunction if there’s any hope for
healthy relationships in churches, government,
and society at large. Additionally, this book is
for anyone affected by dysfunction. The writer’s
intent is to shorten the long journey from selfloathing,
to self-awareness, to faith that God
didn’t err in creating you. This book is the
reader’s permission to identify dysfunction,
confront it, and initiate change.

and her husband, Anthony, have a son, AJ
Dean Jr. E-mail paylay2000@hotmail.com.
Keri (Watson) Delaloye (’98), Florissant,
Mo., is a communications consultant for
Towers Perrin. She and her husband, Jason,
have a son, Alex. E-mail
keri.delaloye@towersperrin.com.
Jonathan Ebner (’98), Chicago, Ill., is an
associate with Baker and McKenzie.
Janet (Noll) Fisher (’98, ’00) and her
husband, Gregory, have two sons, Thomas
and Jacob. They live in Savoy, Ill. E-mail
janetfisherkc@hotmail.com.
Scott Hutcheson (’98), Nashville, Tenn., is a
content developer/information architect for
cabedge.com.
Lisa Kays (’98), Washington, D.C., is director
of communications for the Washington Area
Women’s Foundation. E-mail
lisa.kays@gmail.com.
Brian Kosmiski (’98), Kirkwood, Mo., is an
HR recruitment specialist at Washington
University in St. Louis.
Jennifer (Gooch) McKay (’98) completed
Reserve Commissioned Officer Training
School (RCOT) on Dec. 19, 2009. One of 82
students, she was in the honor squadron and
was awarded the Top Female Athletic Award.
Held at Maxwell Air Force Base in
Montgomery, Ala., RCOT is a two-week
challenging course designed to instill
leadership and problem-solving skills for
newly commissioned medical officers. McKay
is an optometrist for the 165th Medical
Group located in Garden City, Ga. She
practices inside Sam’s Club in Savannah, Ga.
Patrick Monaghan (’98) and Amy (Berg)
Monaghan (’98, ’99) have four children,
Brendan, Kyleigh, Mackenzie and Emma.
Patrick is a process coordinator for
Wisconsin Physicians Service. E-mail
monafam@gmail.com.
Sara (Stienecker) Nielsen (’98), Rockford,
Ill., is a counselor for Rockford Public
Schools. She and her husband, Patrick, have
a son, Henry. E-mail saralikesbugs@aol.com.
Karin (Stoltenberg) Tidgewell (’98) and
her husband, Casey, have a son, Charles.
They live at Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999
Jennifer (McCarthy) Bellinger (’99) and
her husband, Benjamin, have a daughter,
Rebecca. They reside in O’Fallon, Ill. E-mail
jennie@powerconvoy.com.
Kristen (Johnson) Cho (’99, ’00) married
Michael Cho on Aug. 8, 2009, at the College
of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
They reside in Raleigh, N.C., and Kristen is a
teacher at Glenwood Elementary. E-mail
netsirk_77@yahoo.com.
Kathleen (Gawronski) Cross (’99) and
John Cross (’00) reside in Liberty, Mo.
Kathleen is an assistant clinical instructor for
the UMKC Berkley Child and Family
Development Center. John is an audio visual
tech for the UMKC School of Education
Technology Learning Lab. E-mail
kathcrossxx@gmail.com.
Timothy Dial, Kansas City, Mo., teaches
English for the Independence School District.
E-mail dial.tim@gmail.com.
Joel Dieterichs (’99), Westminster, Colo., is
a pastor at St. Andrew Lutheran Church and
School and is undergoing training to become
a civilian senior-care chaplain. E-mail
wordsword412@hotmail.com.
Zachariah Johnson (’99) is director of
application services for the Moffitt Cancer
Center in Tampa, Fla.
Rebekka Meyer (’99), St. Paul, Minn., is a
technical assistance specialist for FirstPic Inc.
and is pursuing a master’s of international
business at St. Mary’s University of
Minnesota. E-mail bekkameyer@hotmail.com.
Michael Miller (’99), Seattle, Wash., is a
consultant for Accenture.
Sarah (Vicker) Miller (’99) and Mark
Miller (’97) live in Olivette, Mo. Sarah is an
assurance senior manager with Ernst and
Young. Mark is a teacher with the Rockwood
School District. They have two children,
Madeline and Henry. E-mail
2bostons@charter.net.
John Missel (’99), St. Louis, Mo., is a
purchasing manager with Ameron Global.
E-mail stLtenor@yahoo.com.
Erin (Loos) Patton (’99) married Brian
Patton on Nov. 22, 2008, in the Bahamas.
They live in Chicago, Ill., and Erin is a group
manager for Weber Shandwick Worldwide.
E-mail erinpatton@ymail.com.
Craig Perrigo (’99) was promoted to chief
financial officer for BATS Global Markets.
Leida Pickett (’99), St. Louis, Mo., is a field
coordinator for Schindler Elevator
Corporation.
Kathleen Ryan (’99) completed her anesthesiology
residency at the University of Chicago
and took a job with Northern Colorado
Anesthesia Professionals in Fort Collins, Colo.
Ryan Schmid (’99) and Amanda Schmid
(’99) live in Saint Peters, Mo., and they have
two children, Mallory and Lucy. Ryan is a
technical writer for Edward Jones.
Jusonda (DeRouen) Williams (’99) is a
registered nurse at Boone Hospital Center in
Columbia, Mo. E-mail jLdee5@hotmail.com.
2000
Julia (Bender) Bailey (’00) and her husband,
Michael, celebrated the birth of their first
daughter, Madison, born on Jan. 6, 2009. They
live in St. Louis, Mo., and Julie is director of
product management and development for
Maritz. E-mail jabailey9801@hotmail.com.
Kelly Beadle (’00), Walnut Creek, Calif., is a
forensic chemist for the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. E-mail
kjbeadle@gmail.com.
Michael Daming (’00), St. Louis, Mo., is an
attorney with Murphy Wasinger LC. E-mail
mdaming@hotmail.com.
Kevin Eulinger (’00, ’03) and Julie
(Thien) Eulinger (’01) live in Hawk Point,
Mo. Kevin is a conservation agent with the
Missouri Department of Conservation. Julie
is a medical transcriptionist for Focus
Informatics. They have a son, Brady.
Elizabeth (Karstens) Faber (’00), Clear
Lake, Iowa, is a public health planner for
Iowa Region 2 Public Health Preparedness.
She and her husband, Kurt, have two sons,
Will and Charlie. E-mail
elizabethaekfaber@yahoo.com.
Abigeal (Heeter) Gaghen (’00) and
Elijah Gaghen (’02) reside in Olathe, Kan.
Abigeal is a school psychologist with the
Olathe School District. Elijah is a wellness
account executive for Clinical Reference
Laboratory. They have a daughter, Ellasyn,
born on Aug. 6, 2009. E-mail
abbygaghen@hotmail.com.
Andrew Levy (’00) is a senior research
technician for The Genome Center at
Washington University. E-mail
clueplayer@hotmail.com.
Jeremy Loscheider (’00) and his wife,
Melissa, announce the birth of their
daughter, Jenna, born in May 2009. They live
in St. Louis, Mo. E-mail losh14@yahoo.com.
Jeff Oedewaldt (’00) and Elizabeth
(Scott) Oedewaldt (’00) live in Willard,
Mo. Jeff is a sales rep for Liberty Mutual, and
Elizabeth teaches math at Gloria Deo
Academy. E-mail joedewaldt@sbcglobal.net.
Kevin Punswick (’00) finished a family
medicine residency at Research Medical
Center in Kansas City and began practicing at
Gardner Family Care in Gardner, Kan., in
August 2009. He and his wife, Jennie, have
three children, Joseph, Lucia and Samuel.
E-mail kpunswick@yahoo.com.
Jason Ramthun (’00) has joined the
Chesterfield, Mo., office of Midland States
Bank, where he is vice president, commercial
relationship management.
Katie (Ware) Rucinski (’00), Grain Valley,
Mo., teaches theatre, speech and forensics to
grades 9-12 for the Blue Springs R-VI School
District. She and her husband, Joe, have two
sons, Jack and Dylan. E-mail
ktrucinski@hotmail.com.
Jeffrey Thomann (’00), Boonville, Mo., is a
service rep IV with the Revenue
Management Department at University of
Missouri Hospital and Clinics. E-mail
jeffthomann@gmail.com.
28 Truman Review

Stephanie Weber (’00), Takoma Park, Md.,
is an operations manager for Clean Cuts
Music & Sound Design.
Ryan Weisheyer (’00), Okinawa, Japan, is a
logistics officer in the United States Marine
Corps. He has two children, Haley and Evan.
Kristen (Lock) Winters (’00), Woodstock,
Ill., is a firefighter/paramedic for the Bristol-
Kendall Fire Protection District. She has two
children, Tyler and Cole. E-mail
Kristen_winters@hotmail.com.
2001
Cynthia (Boyd) Beckmeyer (’01) and
Brian Beckmeyer (’02) are co-owners of
Boyd & Boyd Inc. and live in Fulton, Mo.
They have a daughter, Elizabeth.
Brad Bender (’01), North Liberty, Iowa, is
the clinic manager for Bright Eyes & Bushy
Tails Veterinary Hospital. E-mail
bendertsu@hotmail.com.
Julie (Bender) Claus (’01) and her
husband, Matthew, announce the birth of
their daughter, Liliana, born on June 11,
2009. They live in Ballwin, Mo., and Julie is
the chief operating officer for Transtria.
E-mail julieclaus@gmail.com.
Aaron Crum (’01), Denver, Colo., is a
medical student at the University of
Colorado. E-mail ajcrum_2@yahoo.com.
Andrea (Hein) Guzman (’01) received an
MA in communication studies from
Northern Illinois University in 2009. E-mail
andrea.heinguzman@gmail.com.
Christopher Hayes (’01) lives in Columbia,
Mo. E-mail hayeschrist@aol.com.
Ryan Koonce (’01), Culpeper, Va., is a
recorded sound processing technician for the
Library of Congress. E-mail
hussar_rpk@hotmail.com.
Todd Kuhns (’01, ’08) and Bich (Pham)
Kuhns (’00) live in Kirksville, Mo. Todd
works in the ITS Department at Truman
State University. E-mail tkuhns@truman.edu.
Nathan Personett (’01), Jacksonville, Fla., is
a deputy with the U.S. Marshal Service.
E-mail dakota8421@hotmail.com.
Martin “Chris” Sauer (’01) and Carissa
(Benes) Sauer (’01) reside in Ankeny,
Iowa. He is an assistant marketing director
for Marsh. Carissa is a stay-at-home mom.
They have two sons, Braden and Blake.
Victoria (Viefhaus) Shotwell (’01) and
Jason Shotwell (’03) live in Maryland
Heights, Mo. Victoria is a registered client
service associate with Smith Barney. Jason is
a branch manager for Xtra Lease. They have
a son, Michael.
Erin (McFarland) Welch (’01, ’02),
Springfield, Mo., is a teacher at an alternative
high school in the Nixa R-II School District.
She and her husband, George, have a son,
Lincoln. E-mail swingkiderin@hotmail.com.
Tabitha (Grimm) Yoakum (’01) and
Thomas Yoakum (’02) live in Pacific, Mo.
Tabitha is a lab technician with Land O Lakes
Purina Feed LLC. Thomas is a lawyer with The
Gray Law Firm. They have a daughter, Skyler.
2002
Melissa (Klingsmith) Dimmitt (’02),
Novinger, Mo., is a customer resource
specialist for the Northeast Missouri
Community Action Agency. She and her
husband, Joseph, have a son, Aidan.
Amanda (Current) McCarthy (’02), New
Brockton, Ala., is a captain, aviation, in the
U.S. Army. E-mail
Amanda.current1@us.army.mil.
Lauren (Sladek) Nehlsen (’02) and her
husband, Jeff, announce the birth of their first
child, Henry James, born on Oct. 17, 2009.
They live in Elgin, Ill., and Lauren is the
manager of International Student Services and
Study Abroad at Elgin Community College.
E-mail laurenkelly@ymail.com.
Laura Presley (’02), O’Fallon, Mo., is a high
school Spanish teacher with the Fort Zumwalt
School District. E-mail Lp4jc@yahoo.com.
Ryan Shreve (’02, ’03) and Lauren (Rase)
Shreve (’03) reside in Olathe, Kan. Ryan is
assistant controller for Garmin International.
Lauren is an international graphic designer
for Silpada Designs. They have a son, Grant.
Beth (Rozier) West (’02), Colcord, Okla.,
works at New Life Ranch. E-mail
bethmariewest@gmail.com.
2003
Maria (Aschnewitz) Beine (’03) and
William Beine (’02) live in Burbank, Calif.
Maria is regional manager (southwest) for
Polo Ralph Lauren. William is a supervisor
for Target. E-mail mariabeine@gmail.com.
Amy Carmack (’03), Springfield, Mo., is a
graduate assistant at Missouri State
University and an advising records assistant
at Drury University. E-mail
amyLcarmack@hotmail.com.
Adam Claypool (’03), St. Louis, Mo., is
managing producer, Metromix St. Louis, for
KSDK-TV. E-mail adamclaypool@hotmail.com.
Andrea (Bates) Fowler (’03) and Brad
Fowler (’04) live in Liberty, Mo. Andrea is an
accompanist for Kearney R-1 Schools. Brad
works for the Kansas City Symphony. They have
a daughter, Aislinn, born on May 12, 2009.
Tiffany (Keene) Jaromack (’03), O’Fallon,
Mo., works in post partum at Missouri
Baptist Medical Center.
Jesse Jokerst (’03), Palo Alto, Calif.,
graduated in May 2009 with a PhD in
chemistry from the University of Texas at
Austin. He received a post doctoral
fellowship from the National Institutes of
Health to be completed at Stanford
University in Palo Alto. E-mail
jokerst@gmail.com.
Austin Jones (’03) and Melynne
(Harrison) Jones (’03, ’04) live in Kansas
City, Mo. Austin is a diagnostic radiology
resident at the University of Missouri Kansas
City School of Medicine. They have two
children, Atticus and Abrielle. E-mail
Amjones213@gmail.com.
Megan (Meneely) Kerr (’03, ’04), Prairie
Village, Kan., is a second grade teacher for
Shawnee Mission School District. She and
30 Truman Review

her husband, Steve, have a daughter,
Hannah. E-mail megangail@hotmail.com.
Jennifer (Gravemann) Krupich (’03, ’04)
and Brian Krupich (’03, ’04) reside in St.
Charles, Mo. Jennifer is a senior accountant
with Kiefer Bonfanti & Co. LLP. Brian is a
manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers. They
have a daughter, Leah.
Jennifer (Misuraca) Rich (’03, ’04) and
Craig Rich (’01, ’02) live in St. Louis, Mo.
Jennifer teaches eighth grade and is head of
the Communication Arts Department for the
Mehlville School District. Craig is an
auditor/CPA for the Department of
Defense. E-mail sheba05@hotmail.com.
Ricky Vigil (’03) is a CPA and has been
promoted to manager of RubinBrown’s
Assurance Services Group in St. Louis, Mo.
2004
Andrea (Finzel) Brueggemann (’04)
married Nick Brueggemann on April 25,
2009. They live in Union, Mo., and Andrea is
an equine research associate for Land O
Lakes Purina Feed LLC.
Marcie (Manns) Foy (’04), Edina, Minn., is
a senior recruiter for Target. E-mail
Marcie.foy@target.com.
Amanda (Spegal) Johnson and her
husband, Robert, have four children,
Makayla, Alexis, Ethan and Cameron. They
live in Bowling Green, Mo. E-mail
aspegal_02@hotmail.com.
Amanda (Rutherford) Klaric (’04, ’05),
Columbia, Mo., teaches fourth grade for
Moberly Public Schools.
Elizabeth (Hug) Sefcik (’04), Rochester,
Minn., is a registered nurse at the Mayo Clinic.
Joy Elena Seydel (’04), Des Moines, Iowa, is
a veterans service representative for the
Department of Veterans Affairs. E-mail
Joy_Seydel@hotmail.com.
Jennifer (Trumpet) Stephens (’04) and
Kyle Stephens (’05) live in Shelbyville, Ky.
Jennifer is a child/family therapist for Seven
Counties Services. Kyle is a behavior specialist
for ViCare. They have a son, George. E-mail
jenniferstephens82@gmail.com.
Eli Wiseman (’04) and Thu Nguyen (’06)
live in Oak Park, Ill. Eli received an MBA
with concentrations in analytic finance and
econometrics and statistics from the University
of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2009.
E-mail Eli.wiseman@gmail.com.
2005
Reesha (Paul) Adamson (’05, ’07),
Hermann, Mo., is pursuing her PhD at the
University of Missouri.
Marisol Barrera (’05, ’08), Burbank, Ill., is a
REACH project case manager for the
Community and Economic Development
Association (CEDA) of Cook County.
Circle of Friends
Aspecial reunion among a group of
friends who attended Truman in the
1980s was highlighted in the
December 2009 issue of Better Homes and
Gardens magazine. The annual get-together
caught the attention of the magazine’s editors
because, in addition to providing an occasion
to share fond memories, the event has taken
on a special meaning.
The tradition among the circle of friends
dates back to 1984 when Laurie (White)
Bergman (’84), Jodi (Carlson) Blake (’86) and
Karen Gordy-Panhorst (’84) were living
together in an apartment in St. Louis. They
decided to have a little get-together when
Sally (Troutman) Boyd (’84) and Julie
Thomas (attended 1979-82) drove in from
Columbia, Mo., on their way to the airport
for a holiday weekend in New York City.
“We started the get-togethers in earnest in
1987 and have not missed a year although
there have been years where we’ve had more
girls join us and years when one or two people
couldn’t come due to extenuating circumstances,”
said Bergman. The members of the
group take turns hosting the gathering in their
homes or at a restaurant, and each reunion is
recorded in a scrapbook.
Each year, the group devotes part of the
day they spend together working on a special
project to support a charitable cause. One of
Gordy-Panhorst’s favorite activities was the
year the group collected clothing to help Lisa
Vineyard Ware, one of her former college
roommates. Ware, who had attended the
University from 1980-81 before joining the
Air Force, was a family nurse practitioner who
was in Iraq at the time and needed the
clothing to keep her patients warm after
surgery in a field hospital. The group
members each bought clothing/sweats which
they boxed up and shipped to Iraq.
“I always look forward to all of the
Stephanie (Amick) Bell (’05) and
Christopher Bell (’05) reside in Jefferson
City, Mo. Stephanie received a juris
doctorate and master of public administration
degree from the University of
Missouri in 2009 and is an associate with
Blitz, Bardgett & Deutsch. Christopher is a
commercial lending credit analyst for Central
Trust Bank.
Joseph Bredehoft (’05) joined Husch
Blackwell Sanders’ St. Louis office as an
associate in the Banking and Finance
PHOTO REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS® MAGAZINE.
©COPYRIGHT 2009 MEREDITH CORPORATION.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The group shown in this photograph taken at
a Better Homes and Gardens photo shoot
represents the long-time “core” group of college
friends who get together the first weekend after
Thanksgiving. Front row, L-R: Liz (Mossop)
Cottrell (’84) and Sally (Troutman) Boyd
(’84). Back row, L-R: Laurie (White) Bergman
(’84), Julie Thomas (attended 1979-1982),
Jodi (Carlson) Blake (’86), Heather (Bruce)
McDorman (’85) and Karen Gordy-
Panhorst (’84).
laughing and reminiscing we do when we get
together,” said Blake. “It’s interesting to think
back over 20-plus years of gatherings and
realize how much each of us has changed, yet
the reasons we are friends are still just as true
today as back in our NMSU days.”
Department.
Kristopher Edson (’05) works for St. Louis
Community College. He has a daughter, Luna.
Laura Hansen (’05), Springfield, Mo.,
received an MS in apparel merchandising
from Colorado State University.
Valerie Hentges (’05), Freeburg, Mo., is an
environmental specialist with the Missouri
Department of Natural Resources.
Casey Hollensteiner (’05) received a
doctor of medicine degree from Southern
Illinois University School of Medicine in
Spring 2010 31

Springfield, Ill., in May 2009, and is an
emergency medicine resident at Michigan
State University Kalamazoo Center for
Medical Studies.
Nicole Jacobson (’05), Wauconda, Ill., is a
recreation specialist, early childhood
programs, Waukegan Park District. E-mail
Nicole.m.jacobson@gmail.com.
Amanda (Romine) Meeker (’05),
Covington, Ky., is a College of Business
coordinator in the Career Development
Center at Northern Kentucky University.
E-mail Amanda.R.Meeker@gmail.com.
Biplaw Rai (’05), Cambridge, Mass., received
an MBA from Hamline University in 2009.
Chrystal Tyler (’05), Phoenix, Ariz., is a
guitar instructor/elementary music teacher
for Pointe Schools.
Ashley (Hanson) Weinrich (’05) and
Justin Weinrich (’06) were married at the
Whittemore House in St. Louis, Mo., on May
30, 2009, and they reside in St. Louis. Justin
graduated from the St. Louis University
School of Law in May 2009, and Ashley is a
strategic planning associate for BJC
HealthCare.
2006
Samantha (Curry) Adrignola (’06),
Kansas City, Mo., is a human resources
consultant for the United States Office of
Personnel Management.
Ilana (Barash) Austin (’06) lives in
Portland, Ore. E-mail ilanakb@yahoo.com.
Katherine Bross (’06), St. Charles, Mo., is
an accountant/consultant for Accountants
Plus LLC. E-mail kmbross@hotmail.com.
Carol Carlson (’06) and Matthew Wilber
(’06) were married on June 21, 2008, in
Longmont, Colo., and live in Madison, Wis.
Carol is a violin teacher and is pursuing a
master of music degree from the University
of Wisconsin-Madison. Matthew is a
customer service representative for Total
Administration Services Corporation. E-mail
carol.carlson@gmail.com.
Keri Esmar (’06), St. Peters, Mo., is a
marketing coordinator for Cordell Practice
Management Group. E-mail
keriesmar@gmail.com.
Kimberly French (’06), Eureka, Mo., teaches
fifth grade in the Rockwood School District.
Benjamin Holley (’06) and Renee
(Gordon) Holley (’06) were married May
31, 2009, in the Missouri Botanical Gardens
in St. Louis, Mo. Members of their wedding
party included Maid of Honor Jen Jones
(’06), Best Man Aaron Yates (’06), Sarah
(Billing) Hart (’06), Laura Kannady
(’06, ’07), Ben Reddin (’06) and Ian
Rucker (’05). The Holleys live in
Champaign, Ill., and Benjamin received his
juris doctorate from the University of
32 Truman Review
Virginia School of Law in 2009.
Jessica Miller (’06), Stem, N.C., moved from
Virginia to North Carolina to pursue a job as
an oncology registered nurse at Duke
University Hospital. E-mail
Jessie.L.Miller@gmail.com.
Ryan (Bailey) Miller (’06) and Billy Miller
(’08) live in Gainesville, Fla. Ryan is a district
ombudsman manager for the State of Florida
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. Billy is
a graduate student at the University of Florida.
Bryan Sappington (’06) has been hired as
assistant director of Residential Life for
Columbia College in Columbia, Mo. He is
also an adjunct faculty member with the
Online Campus teaching Management 362
Organizational Behavior.
Gregory Seymour (’06), East Alton, Ill., is a
quality development coordinator for Charter
Communications. E-mail
gregoryseymour@gmail.com.
Lesley Sheridan (’06), Stevens Point, Wis.,
is a graduate assistant at the University of
Wisconsin and an online course manager for
the Environmental Education Training and
Partnership (EETAP).
Justin Weinrich (’06) is an attorney working
for Spoeneman, Watkins & Harvell in
downtown St. Louis.
Elizabeth (Swartz) White (’06), Blue
Springs, Mo., is a registered nurse at the
University of Kansas Medical Center.
Brooke-Nicole Woods Ruffin (’06, ’09)
lives in Irving, Texas.
2007
Julie (Bahr) Harrer (’07), Wheeling, Ill.,
works at Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview, Ill.
Deanna Johnson (’07), Ballwin, Mo., is a
research review coordinator for the
Washington University School of Medicine in
St. Louis. E-mail deannajohnson07@gmail.com.
Bethany Kipping (’07) is pursuing a master
of science in speech language pathology and
audiology from the University of Central
Missouri. E-mail BLK808@gmail.com.
Jenelle Korneman (’07), Cameron, Mo., is
an RN, BSN, at Heartland Regional Medical
Center.
Kelsey Monsaert (’07) is completing her
MBA at Wichita State University where she
is a member of the Wichita State Dance
Team. E-mail kmc9a@mst.edu.
Leah (Larson) Parrett (’07) is in the U.S.
Air Force, and she and her husband, Daniel,
have two children, Colin and Veronica.
Ashley Peters (’07) lives in Bloomington, Minn.
Ha Thu Phan (’07, ’09), St. Louis, Mo., is a
member of the audit staff at Deloitte and
Touche LLP. E-mail hathuphan@gmail.com.
Loretta (Palmer) Wickins (’07) and her
husband, Chad, have a son, Jared, born on
June 25, 2009. They live in Koshkonong,
Mo., and Loretta is an aerobics instructor at
Ozarks Medical Center. E-mail
Lwickins@yahoo.com.
Shaunna Wilkinson (’07), Milwaukee, Wis.,
is pursuing her PhD in British literature at
Marquette University. E-mail
shaunna.wilkinson@marquette.edu.
2008
Rachel Barney (’08, ’09), St. Charles, Mo.,
earned a master’s in accounting from
Truman State University in 2009.
Krystle Bertoncin (’08), Ames, Iowa, is a
customer service representative with CDS
Global.
Andrew Greiner (’08, ’09) received a
master of accountancy degree from Truman
State University in 2009 and is a tax
associate with Clifton Gunderson LLP in
West Des Moines, Iowa.
Stefanie Luzader (’08), Shawnee, Kan., is
an office claims representative for Farmers
Insurance. E-mail Stefanie.luzader@gmail.com.
Shelley (Coffman) Stark (’08), Honolulu,
Hawaii, is a gymnastics aide at Hickam Air
Force Base Youth Fitness Center.
Robyn (Esmahan) Trainor (’08) and Tom
Trainor (’08) were married on April 10,
2009, and live in Albany, Mo. Robyn is a
library assistant at Albany City Carnegie
Public Library. Thomas is a sales manager for
Kum and Go Stores.
Kathleen Vanderhoof (’08), Kirksville, Mo.,
is a secretary at the Career Center at
Truman State University. E-mail
kvander@truman.edu.
Jared Wagenknecht (’08) and Amy
(Vander Broek) Wagenknecht (’08)
live in Omaha, Neb. Jared is a social studies
teacher for Papillion La-Vista South High
School. E-mail jaredwagenknecht@gmail.com.
2009
Nick Cipponeri (’09), Boston, Mass., is a
production analyst with the Massachusetts
Housing Finance Agency.
Baillie Cloyd (’09), Kirksville, Mo., is a
service learning coordinator for
AmeriCorps*VISTA stationed at Truman
State University.
Kristen Cummins (’09), East Alton, Ill., is
pursuing a master of science degree in sports
management at Southern Illinois University-
Edwardsville.
Jessica Endaya (’09), Los Angeles, Calif., is a
designer for Bottega Louie. E-mail
Jessica.Endaya@gmail.com.
Dainielle Fox (’09) lives in Florissant, Mo.
E-mail msdfox@gmail.com.
Molly (Smith) Gibson (’09) and
Benjamin Gibson (’09) live in Olivette,
Mo. Molly is a software engineer with The
Boeing Company.
Laura Beth Gundy (’09), Washington, Ill., is

a McLean County Safe Kids coordinator/
assistant OPC-IDOT for Child Care Resource
and Referral Network. E-mail
lbgundy@gmail.com.
Erin Hubbard (’09), Hillsboro, Mo., is a
caller for Maritz Research.
Hana Khidir (’09) had her article, “A general
suite of fungal endophytes dominate the roots
of two dominant grasses in a semiarid
grassland,” accepted for publication by the
Journal of Arid Environments. The article will be
published in volume 74. Hana is currently in a
post-baccalaureate program with the National
Institutes of Health, in Bethesda, Md.
1920s
Thelma (Luke) Alber, of Edina, Mo., died
Dec. 15, 2009. She taught in Knox County
rural schools teaching at the Ireland School
for two years and the Oklahoma School for
one year.
Marybelle (Begole) Selters, of Kirksville,
Mo., died Oct. 13, 2009. She taught in rural
schools in Missouri, in the elementary school
in Center, Colo., and at Washington
Elementary in Kirksville.
1930s
Lucille Adams, of Kirksville, Mo., died Jan. 6,
2010. She was employed with Braden Steel
Company in Tulsa, Okla., where she was
secretary to the president until her retirement.
Nathaniel Lee Dunham (’36) died Jan. 18,
2009, in Waco, Texas. He was a teacher,
school administrator, professor of history,
athletic coach and dean of faculty at Hannibal
LaGrange College in Hannibal, Mo. He served
as a lieutenant in the United States Navy
during World War II, participating in
amphibious landing operations on the South
Pacific Islands of Okinawa, Saipan, and Iwo
Jima. He was executive secretary of the
Missouri Baptist Foundation before moving to
Waco in 1955, to serve on the administrative
staff of Baylor University, retiring in 1990,
after serving 35 years as assistant to the
president, dean of summer and continuing
education and department chairman of the
Criminal Justice Degree Program.
ALUMNI
Jason King (’09) is a business analyst for the
Monsanto Fund in St. Louis.
Joshua Miley (’09) is a graduate assistant
athletic trainer at Iowa State University.
E-mail miley04@hotmail.com.
Shane Mulrooney (’09) is attending the
UIUC School of Law.
Lindsay Rudolph (’09) resides in Columbia,
Mo. E-mail lkr736@truman.edu.
James Scholfield (’09) lives in Kansas City,
Mo. E-mail jamescscholfield@gmail.com.
Kanna Taylor (’09), St. Peters, Mo., is an
account coordinator for The Vandiver Group.
Margaret (Case) Hauck (’35), of St. Louis,
Mo., died Feb. 23, 2009.
Eleanor E. Wessley (’39), of Lee’s Summit,
Mo., died Dec. 9, 2009. She taught middle
school for 30 years at Troy, Moscow,
Lexington and Lee’s Summit, Mo. She
directed band, orchestra and chorus.
1940s
Martin Edward Darling (’49), of
Thermopolis, Wyo., died Oct. 6, 2009. He
joined the United States Air Force and went
to England with the 8th Air Force 457th
Bomber Squadron during World War II in
1942 and was honorably discharged in 1945.
He taught and coached sports at the high
school in Basin, Wyo., for five years; in
Douglas, Wyo., for six years; and in
Thermopolis, Wyo., until retirement.
Earl J. Morgan (’40), of St. Louis, Mo., died
March 21, 2009.
Sam L. Murdock (’40, ’49), of Mendota, Ill.
died Dec. 18, 2009. He served with the U.S.
Army during World War II. He taught math
and drivers education at Mendota High
School for 20 years.
Leona Ada (Hardwicke) Mustion, of
Boonville, Mo., died on Jan. 18, 2010. A
military wife and a homemaker, she faithfully
followed her husband from one military base
to another.
Georgia (Pulliam) Noel, of Kirksville, Mo.,
died Feb. 17, 2010. She and her husband,
Richard, were engaged in farming until
retirement.
Myrtle (Martin) Rauer Buck (’43), of
Iowa City, Iowa, died Feb. 4, 2009. She was
a dedicated classroom teacher. She taught in
one-room Missouri schoolhouses for eight
years before moving to Grand Mound, Iowa,
where she taught at Grand Mound High
School. Myrtle resumed teaching in 1960 and
taught sixth grade for six years at Henry
Sabin Elementary and for 16 years at
Herbert Hoover Elementary.
Dan W. Roberts (’48), of Centerville, Iowa,
died April 25, 2009, at Mercy Medical
Center in Centerville. He was a veteran of
World War II serving in the United States
Army from 1942 to 1945. After his
discharge, he would remain with the United
States Air Force Reserve for 28 years
receiving the rank of lieutenant colonel. He
taught industrial arts at Seymour Community
School System for 15 years and then
continued at Centerville Community School
System for another 23 years.
Myra H. Yeager (’41), of Virginia Beach, Va.,
died Dec. 21, 2009. A native of Sioux City,
Iowa, she lived in Arlington, Va., for almost
60 years before coming to Virginia Beach in
2003. She became a WAVE in the U.S. Navy
during World War II. After raising her family,
she spent 20 years as a high school guidance
counselor. In retirement, Myra was most
proud of her work as a docent at the
Washington National Cathedral.
1950s
Calvin F. Boylan (’58, ’67), of Nyssa, Ore.,
died Feb. 11, 2009. He worked at J.I. Case in
Davenport, Iowa, until the workers went on
strike, then returned to Centerville where he
worked at a gas station on Main Street,
helped care for his dad and graduated from
Centerville Junior College. He taught for two
years at Humeston, Iowa; 10 years at
Chariton, Iowa; and for 23 years at
Centerville High School. He retired in 1988.
Myers Dallas Campbell III (’54), of
Oklahoma City, Okla., died Dec. 11, 2009.
He served in the Air Force at March AFB,
Calif. Joining C.I.T. Corporation, he moved
to Oklahoma City in 1959. In 1963, he was
named founding president of American
National Bank of Midwest City and later
became owner, chairman and CEO. In later
years, he was a federal regulator with the
Resolution Trust Corporation. He managed
real estate and oil investments from his office
in Midwest City.
Lois Irene (Martin) Crooks (’58, ’65), of
Columbia, Mo., died Oct. 30, 2009. Before
starting her teaching career, she was the
Spring 2010 33

Delbert Maddox
(’37)
Delbert E. Maddox
(’37), of Kirksville,
Mo., died March 28,
2010. As a student at
the University, he
lettered in all four
sports all four years.
In 1936, he entered
graduate school at the
University of
Missouri receiving a
master’s in education
in 1938, and serving
as an assistant
freshman football and varsity baseball coach.
He taught in the Memphis, Mo., public
schools in the fall of 1938 and served as head
of the Social Science Department and athletic
director of the school. In March of 1942, he
enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the Tunney
Physical Fitness Program. Completing his
training at Norfolk, Va., he was selected to
remain on the staff of the fitness school as an
instructor. He was transferred to Oklahoma A
& M College in Stillwater, Okla., as an
athletic and drill officer. In June of 1943, a
change of duty took him into Armed Guard
duty aboard Liberty ships in the Atlantic
Ocean. He served 19 months of sea duty and
majority house secretary for the Republican
Party, while her husband Forest was a
representative in the legislature. Lois taught
business education a number of years at
Green City R-I High School and her last
three years she taught at Knoxville High
School in Knoxville, Iowa, until her
retirement. After retiring, she worked a year
for President Charles McClain at Truman
State University and also worked with her
husband in the rental property business.
Mildred Iris (Lane) Cunningham (’57,
’65) died on Nov. 19, 2009, in Bowling
Green, Mo. She and her husband, Kenneth,
owned a farm near Memphis, Mo., and lived
there until 1966, when they moved to St.
Louis. She taught second grade at Memphis
Elementary School and enjoyed many years
of teaching in the Pattonville School District
in the St. Louis area.
Mario C. DiFrederico (’51), of Kennebunk,
Maine, died Jan. 5, 2009. He was a coach
and teacher at Kennebunk High School for
more than 35 years. He coached football,
basketball and baseball and intramural sports.
He helped establish the current Kennebunk
Parks and Recreation Department.
Theodore Otis Edwards (’55) died March
a total of 3 1/2 years in the U.S. Navy. He was
discharged as a lieutenant in September 1945.
In the fall of 1945, Maddox accepted a
teaching position at Truman/Northeast
Missouri State Teachers College and became
chair of the Department of Physical Education
and athletic director. After six years of
teaching, he decided to enter Kirksville
College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM),
graduating in 1955. He interned at KCOM in
1956, and over the next 30 years, taught at
KCOM. He was appointed head of the
Department of General Practice in 1956 and
served in that capacity until retiring in 1986.
He created the Rural Clinic Program which
continues to serve the outlying rural northeast
Missouri area. He also taught evening classes
at Truman/NMSU one night a week for 25
years. During his four years as a football
participant at Truman, the Bulldogs lost only
one game. Maddox was an MIAA and second
team All-State end as a senior. He received
honorable mention All-Conference
recognition in basketball and served as captain
of the 1935-36 team. He was inducted into
the Truman Athletics Hall of Fame in 1984
and served as team physician for the Bulldogs.
In 2003, he served as grand marshal for
Truman’s Homecoming Parade.
7, 2009. He was employed by the Elmer
Wood Co. in Moulton, and by Buehler Meats,
Doug’s Sun Mart, and Me Too Market in the
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area until his retirement.
Howard Loren Fechtling (’53), of
Novinger, Mo, died Dec. 8, 2009. He served
his country in the United States Army from
1945-1946. He was a farmer and also worked
in heavy construction.
Mary Ann (Funk) Flanagan, of Kirksville,
Mo., died Dec. 15, 2009. She lived in Rapid
City, S.D., before moving back to Kirksville.
Grace (Warren) McReynolds (’56, ’58),
died Jan. 19, 2010. She was an avid educator
in Missouri for 42 years that included
teaching at the elementary and collegiate
levels. She was named director of elementary
curriculum for the State of Missouri, retiring
from that position in 1995.
Joan Lee (Weekley) Miller (’54), of
Overland Park, Kan., died Feb. 9, 2010. She
will be remembered by the many students
she taught through the years. She was also an
antique dealer and collector.
Robert J. Motley (’53, ’58), formerly of
Columbia, Mo., died Jan. 13, 2009. After
spending two years in the U.S. Army, he
began his teaching career in business
education at Osceola High School where he
taught from 1955 to 1961. He then taught at
Kansas City Kansas Junior College, Southern
Illinois University, University of Wyoming,
Morehead State University of Kentucky and
Utah State University. In 1993, he retired
from the Management Information Resources
Department of Western Illinois University in
Macomb after teaching there for 25 years.
Mary E. Nixon (’51), of Cantril, Iowa, died
Jan. 16, 2009. She was a teacher in
Stockport and Cantril and spent many years
in Fort Madison, Iowa.
James William Riley, of Kirksville, Mo.,
died Nov. 22, 2009. From June 12, 1962 to
June 9, 1964, he served in the United States
Army AUS ORDC. After being honorably
discharged, he went to work for the McGraw
Edison Company. He was later employed at
Montgomery Ward until going to work for
Eschelmann Furniture. He was a postal clerk
in Kirksville for more than 30 years, and he
retired in 1992.
Richard Kent Streeter (’59), of Calhoun,
Ga., died March 8, 2009. He served 2½
years in Germany with the U.S. Army. He
enjoyed the Civil War history of northern
Georgia and playing all musical instruments,
especially guitar and entertained at numerous
historical functions in and around the area.
He accompanied his singing and story telling
on vintage stringed instruments. He also
spent time with a group of Ozark music
enthusiasts in Mountain View, Ark.
Joseph H. Weis (’50) died on April 30,
2009. He served in the Pacific during World
War II participating in four landings in the
Pacific earning three Bronze Stars. He started
his teaching and coaching career in
Brunswick, Mo. He coached basketball,
football and baseball at Pattonville, St.
Charles and Hazelwood high schools and
taught for 38 years, retiring as activities
director at Hazelwood West.
1960s
Jo Ann (Hudson) Algermissen (’68), of
Smithville, Texas, died Nov. 20, 2009. An
award-winning author and educator, she
penned 50 humorous novels. Her novels won
numerous awards for Harlequin and were
translated into multiple languages. She was
also nominated for a lifetime of achievement
by Romance Times. In Texas, she taught in
the Bastrop and Smithville school districts
teaching English, history and the gifted and
talented.
Paul Vincent Beadle (’66, ’67), of Albia,
Iowa, died Dec. 12, 2009. He served in the
United States Army from 1967 to 1969 with
34 Truman Review

the 101st Airborne during the Vietnam War.
He received seven awards and decoration,
including the Bronze Star for his service. He
was a vocational rehabilitation counselor for
the state of Iowa and later the Veterans
Administration for 36 years. He received
several state and federal awards for his
dedication including Switzer Scholar, National
Rehabilitation Association and Iowa Veteran
Advocate of the Year, General Omar Bradley
Award, 1999 National Counselor of the Year,
2000 Employee of the Year, President's
Award, DAV National Service Foundation
Commendation 2005 and several others.
Reva Joyce (West) Bland (’62), of Dayton,
Ohio, died Jan. 1, 2010. She taught
elementary music for five years in Iowa
schools and an additional five years in Huber
Heights, Ohio. Before retiring in 2006, she
was an executive assistant for 19 years at
Modern Woodmen of America.
Carol Winfred (Jeffries) Chambers (’67)
died Jan. 16, 2009, in Phoenix, Ariz. Carol
passionately taught English and Spanish for 35
years. She had taught in Missouri at the
Atlanta C-3 schools from 1967 to 1968,
Novinger R-III from 1972 to 1988 and
Brashear R-II from 1990 until her retirement
in 2007 because of failing health.
Marilyn (Allen) Delameter (’67), of Lake
Forest, Calif., died Dec. 2, 2009. She taught
many years in both public and private
Christian schools.
Bonnie (Wray) Drummond (’62, ’64), of
Eugene, Ore., died April 9, 2009, of
pulmonary fibrosis. She was a teacher for the
Eugene School District until her retirement.
Paul E. Dysart (’69), Marshalltown, Iowa,
died March 8, 2009. He spent almost four
decades in publishing and worked for several
newspapers including the Marshalltown Times-
Republican and the Kirksville Daily Express as
well as two weeklies in Chariton, Iowa, and a
weekly newspaper in Reedburg, Wis., among
others. He was editor of the Daily Gate City
in Keokuk, Iowa, and the Dysarts started
their own publishing house in the 1980s
called Graham/Dysart and Associates
(GDA). During that decade, they also owned
a retail business in Van Buren County (Iowa).
In 1991 GDA launched Marshalltimes
magazine and after selling the publication to
the Times-Republican several years later,
Dysart served as editor of both Marshalltimes
and Past Times.
Jane (Thompson) Garr (’62, ’75, ’88) died
Jan. 25, 2010, in Des Moines, Iowa. She was
a teacher in the Ottumwa Community School
System and was a drama coach. She served
on the IPERS Improvement Board and had
been a guest at the Sundance Film Festival.
Gregg and Maggie’s
Peace Corps Adventures
Brought together by their common
interest in social justice issues and
working with an organization like the
Peace Corps, Gregg and Maggie (Wolcott)
Nurrenbern made their dreams a reality.
After a few years of friendship, the two
began dating in fall 2004. Gregg graduated in
May 2005 with his bachelor of science in
nursing and continued at Truman another
year to earn a business minor and complete
his collegiate wrestling career. Maggie
graduated early in December 2005 with her
bachelor of arts in communication and went
on to participate in Truman’s Jefferson City
Internship program in spring 2005.
Following their December 2005
engagement, the couple made joining the
Peace Corps their priority. In order to be
placed in the Peace Corps as a couple, the
Nurrenberns knew they would need to wait at
least six months after getting married. The
two married in October 2006 and by March
were invited to serve in Ecuador as public
health volunteers. The Nurrenberns left for
Ecuador in June 2007.
“We were very fortunate to be placed in
Ecuador,” Maggie said. “It is an incredibly
gorgeous country, and the people are truly the
nicest people I have ever met.”
Gregg and Maggie rented a home in El
Chaco while working in the area. Maggie
worked mainly as a health and English
teacher and involved herself with afterschool
tutoring and first-aid classes for firefighters
and tourism guides. Together, the two worked
on reproductive health education, battling
high teenage pregnancy rates.
Gregg was a public health promoter and
worked to form a community bank with a
local friend. The community bank concept
involves about 30 members contributing $2
per week. Members can take out loans with a
10 percent interest rate. At the end of the
year, the bank is liquidated, and members
split the money equally.
A typical day in Ecuador involved boiling
water for the day’s drinking water and
washing clothes on a washboard. In their free
time, the two played soccer in the nearby
neighborhood field and raised turkeys. All of
their food was made from scratch, and
without a car, they walked about an hour
each day to work and back.
Gregg Nurrenbern (’05) triaging a patient for
an international medical brigade in Ecuador.
Maggie (Wolcott) Nurrenbern (’05) leading a
team-building activity for students in an afterschool
program.
After more than two years in Ecuador,
Gregg and Maggie returned to the Kansas
City area in August 2009. “What really struck
us is that everything is so impersonal,”
Maggie said. “We bought a house in October
in North Kansas City, and we only know a
few of our neighbors. In El Chaco we knew
almost everyone in the neighborhood within
the first month.”
Maggie is currently working on her
master’s in curriculum and instruction and
teaching certificate to teach K-12 Spanish and
ELL. Gregg works as a float nurse in Kansas
City, and this summer, plans to start his
master’s in science in nursing to be a family
nurse practitioner.
Maggie said, “We joined the Peace Corps
to give of ourselves, but we received so much
more than we ever dreamed.”
―Amanda Goeser
Read the Nurrenberns’ blog at
http://nurrenbern.blogspot.com/.
Spring 2010 35

Newsmakers
Duane Davis (’82), of Washington, Iowa,
was honored as the 2009 Junior High
Track and Field Coach of the Year by the
Iowa Association of Track Coaches. Davis
teaches sixth grade math and is the junior
high coach for Washington (Iowa)
Community Schools. He has coached the
boys’ track and field team for more than
30 years.
Tania Cook (’85) was honored as the
2009 Show-Me State Games “Female
Volunteer of the Year.” Cook has been a
volunteer for the Show-Me State Games
for 19 years and the Missouri State Senior
Games for about five years. She is a
Corporate Volunteer Committee member
representing Job Point.
Brian Harris (’91), a Jackson Walker
LLP attorney in the Houston office, has
been selected as a Thomson Reuters
“Rising Star” (2010). The award is based
on a three-part system that determines the
top 2.5 percent of up-and-coming lawyers
in Texas. More than 65,000 Texas lawyers
are surveyed and asked to nominate the
best lawyers that they have personally
observed in action. Thomson Reuters then
conducts independent research of the
nominees’ credentials. “Rising Stars” are
attorneys who are either 40 years old and
under who have been practicing law for 10
or fewer years.
Rob Koester (’95) has been named to
the St. Louis Business Journal’s annual “40
Under 40” list, which recognizes recipients
for professional achievement and
community service. Koester is the chief
financial officer for Murphy Company.
Stephanie Steinman (’02) was
recognized with a 2010 Outstanding
Clinicians Award presented by Addiction
Professional magazine. Steinman is an
AODA counselor with UW Health-
Gateway Recovery Clinic in Madison, Wis.
Helen (Found) Guy (’69), of Plano, Texas,
died Jan. 7, 2010. She taught school for 23
years. She was nominated twice and included
in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers being
one of five teachers chosen in Trenton R-IX
schools in 1993. She also volunteered at the
Dooley Elementary School in Plano. Her
original school teaching assignment was in
Gorin, Mo.
James A. Hopkins (’67), of Burlington,
Iowa, died Oct. 26, 2009. He worked as a
tech writer at Iowa Army Ammunition Plant
in Middletown and was the computer
systems analyst for the big three auto
manufacturers in Detroit. He served in the
Army during the Vietnam War working with
heavy artillery.
Dorothy Ann (Hoel) Linder (’63), of
West Burlington, Iowa, died, Dec. 28, 2009.
She taught elementary school for 33 years in
Burlington, New London and West
Burlington school districts, retiring in 1997.
Doug O’Herron (’66), of Las Vegas, Nev.,
died Nov. 23, 2009, after a long, courageous
battle with lung cancer. He was a self-made
man who worked his way up and founded
and ran two thriving businesses.
Gordon W. Olson, Jr. (’63), of Chesterfield,
Mo., died April 14, 2009. He was a guidance
counselor and football coach for the Parkway
School District for many years.
Albert Rostello (’66, ’68), of Spring Valley,
Ill., died Nov. 12, 2009, from cancer. He
retired from Illinois Valley Community
College where he taught history and
sociology from 1968 to 1998. From 1992 to
2000, he wrote outdoor columns for the
News Tribune and other publications.
Leroy Paul Schneider (’65), of Waukee,
Iowa, died on Jan. 2, 2010, after a short
battle with pancreatic cancer. He taught
science in Milwaukee, Wis., for three years.
After moving to Grinnell, Iowa, in 1962, he
taught science in the Grinnell School Systems
until retiring in June 2002. During his tenure
he received multiple teaching awards.
Melva (Wolf) Trager (’64), of Bella Vista,
Ark., died June 4, 2009. She was a biology
teacher, a homemaker, and later in life
became a nurse and served as a hospice
volunteer for 15 years.
Margaret (Myers) Wegener (’60), of
Bloomfield, Iowa, died Oct. 16, 2009. She
began her 44-year career by teaching five
years in the rural schools of Edinburgh and
Elm Grove in Scotland County, Missouri. She
taught five years at Trinity School in Adair
County and later two years at the
elementary school in Greentop. In 1944, she
began teaching in the elementary grades
where she taught for 14 years. In 1958, she
started teaching second grade in the
Bloomfield School System where she taught
for 18 years.
Donald J. Wiegmann (’64), of Quincy, Ill.,
died Jan. 22, 2010. He was a schoolteacher
in Quincy for 30 years prior to his retirement
in 1987. He spent two years in the Far East
during the Korean War serving as a
signalman and navigation duty man. He also
served locally as an instructor with the Navy
Reserve Unit, during which time he
instructed navigation and visual communication
training. In 1958, he was hired as a
fifth-grade teacher at Washington School,
where he taught for 25 years. In later years,
he taught at Baldwin South.
1970s
David O. Cary (’71), of Vista, Calif., died
Jan. 22, 2010. He was employed by the
Easter Seals Society of Iowa and in retail sales
in Des Moines. He moved to California in
1980, where he was in the architectural
design business for an industrial storage and
retrieval systems company.
Gary Dean Conkin (’70), Casper, Wyo.,
died Nov. 10, 2009. He worked as a terminal
manager for Consolidated Freightways for
many years.
Roxie (Parker) Cramer (’75), of Mead,
Wash., died Nov. 20, 2009. She had lived in
the Spokane area for the last 15 years. She
took graduate courses from Drake University
while teaching. Roxie and her husband,
Roger, lived in various locations in Missouri,
Iowa, Nebraska and Spokane.
Patty (Bounds) Currell (’72), of Kirksville,
Mo., died Dec. 4, 2009. She ran Patty’s
School of Dance in Kirksville and Brookfield,
Mo., and was a medical insurance examiner
for a number of years.
Charles Everett Harland (’71, ’79), of
Farmington, Iowa, died April 27, 2009,
following a long, courageous battle with brain
cancer. He taught math and was assistant
football coach at Westran School District and
at Clark County R-I Schools. He later taught
math at Revere C-3 School. He began
farming full time in 1987.
James Michael Hollinrake (’75), of Lovilia,
Iowa, died Jan. 5, 2010. He served in the
U.S. Army from May 1967 to May 1969. He
served as an MP in the K-9 Core. After his
military service, James owned and operated a
construction company until 1987. He worked
construction his entire career. He retired
from construction in 2003.
Sherry Anne Kinsey King (’71), of
Hannibal, Mo., died Dec. 10, 2009. She
retired from Wal-Mart in the customer
service department. She formerly taught
school in Hannibal, Hull and Kinderhook.
Joan (Bobeen) Marlin (’72), of Anamosa,
Iowa, died Dec. 31, 2009. Her employment
included Frank N. Magid and Associates,
Anamosa Journal-Eureka, Jones County
Tourism, and the Sixth Judicial District-
Department of Correctional Services.
Carla Sue (Jones) Shaw (’75), of Arena,
Wis., died at UW Hospital in Madison on
36 Truman Review

March 6, 2009, due to liver complications
after heart bypass surgery. She worked in
Turkey before the birth of her daughter,
Amy. After her marriage to Timothy Shaw in
March of 1986, they flew to Germany, where
her husband was stationed in the Army. At
Fort Campbell, Ky., Carla was one of the
organizing directors at the Eagles Roost
Recreation Center. Moving to Wisconsin in
1991, Carla worked for Madison Area
Technical College in Madison, later working
at Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville.
Kenneth O. Slentz (’73), of Orlando, Fla.,
died Feb. 26, 2009.
Herb White (’73), of Ottumwa, Iowa, died
Jan. 28, 2010. He had worked as a dispatcher
for the Ottumwa Police Department and had
been a substitute teacher for Ottumwa Public
Schools.
1980s
Michael Eichemier (’83), of Hattiesburg,
Miss., died Dec. 25, 2009. He entered the
Armed Forces in 1973 and served four years
in the Air Force. He was commissioned as a
2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army and served
16 years as an air defense artillery officer
with two tours in Germany. He retired on
Sept. 30, 1999, with the rank of major.
Dennis E. Engelhard, of St. Louis, Mo., was
struck by a vehicle and killed on Dec. 25,
2009, while working on a non-injury traffic
crash on Interstate 44 east of Eureka, Mo.,
near St. Louis. He had worked as a
paramedic in Kirksville and Springfield, and
had worked as a flight paramedic for Cox Air
Care in Springfield. Cpl. Englehard began his
career with the Missouri Highway State
Highway Patrol in 2000, as a member of the
77th Recruit Class.
Joey Lynn (Martin) Hunter (’82), of Tulsa,
Okla., died on Feb. 7, 2009. She was a
certified public accountant in Tulsa.
Doris Jean (Nickell) Kendall (’86), of
New London, Mo., died on Nov. 19, 2009.
She was a teacher at the Silex R-I Schools for
20 years before retiring in 2004.
Natalie (Littleton) Morris (’87), of
Bristow, Va., died unexpectedly on Jan. 5,
2010. She was a wireless communications
project manager for Orange Business
Services (a division of France Telecom).
Marilyn Elizabeth Murphy (’89), of
Knoxville, Iowa, died Feb. 26, 2010. After
Super Bowl Victory
Gregg Williams (’80) was part of the
National Football League (NFL)
Super Bowl for the second time as a
defensive coordinator. Serving in his first
season as part of the New Orleans Saints
coaching staff, Williams took over a defensive
squad that ranked 23rd in the NFL in yards
allowed and 26th in points allowed following
the 2008 season. On Feb. 7, 2010, the Saints
won their first Super Bowl championship
defeating the Indianapolis Colts 31-17.
Williams, who is with his fifth NFL
franchise, served as the Tennessee Titans’
defensive coordinator from 1997-2000 (which
included a Super Bowl loss to the St. Louis
Rams), the Buffalo Bills’ head coach from
2001-2003, the Washington Redskins’
defensive coordinator from 2004-2007 and
the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive coordinator
in 2008.
A 1980 Truman alumnus, Williams played
quarterback for the Bulldogs and lettered
three seasons (1977-1979) with the football
program, while also picking up four varsity
letters in baseball from 1977-1980.
―T. Tyler Madsen
college, she joined the Peace Corps and lived
in Guatemala helping families for three years.
She moved to Des Moines and worked for
Latino Affairs. After two years, she moved to
Ecuador to help the Peace Corps for five
years. Since 2005, she had worked for Heifer
International and was a certified yoga
instructor. She was in the process of moving
to Ames, Iowa.
Danie W. Starr (’81), of Ottumwa, Iowa,
died Jan. 20, 2010. He was a special
education teacher with the Sigourney School
District from 1980 to 1995.
1990s
Nancy (Twillman) Turner (’90), of
Centertown, Mo., died Feb. 16, 2009, at her
home. She was a senior underwriter,
technical specialist, with the Missouri Farm
Bureau home office in Jefferson City and was
loved by her coworkers.
2000s
Gregg Williams (’80)
Rachel M. Gehner (’05), died on March 2,
2009. During her year-long battle with
leukemia, her upbeat attitude was an
inspiration to all who knew her. She never
gave up hope.
Molly Catherine Trauernicht (’00, ’01),
of Holt, Mo., died Dec. 5, 2009, immediately
after completing a half-marathon in Memphis,
Tenn., to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
While at Truman, she was the captain of the
flag corps and a member of Alpha Phi
Omega, a service fraternity. She worked for
MPPW and then with Gundaker Commercial
Group as assistant comptroller.
MICHAEL C. HEBERT/NEW ORLEANS SAINTS MICHAEL C. HEBERT/NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Send obituaries to Office of Advancement, McClain Hall 205,
100 E. Normal Ave., Kirksville, Mo. 63501.
Spring 2010 37

Alumni Gatherings
Approximately 80 people attended the
Truman State University Alumni and
Friends Reception at the Missouri Music
Educators Conference at the Tan-Tar-A Resort in
Osage Beach, Mo., on Jan. 29, 2010. The event is
hosted by the Truman State University Music
Department and Dan Peterson, Truman’s director
of bands. Alumni attendees included alumni from
the 1950s through 2009.
Allison Chorvat (’09), Valorie Wolgast (’08,
’09), Heather Locke (’08), Aaron Steward
and Jamie Sippel (’08, ’09).
New Cluster
Reunions at
Homecoming
Beginning with Homecoming 2010, Truman
State University is adding cluster reunions in
addition to honoring the traditional class
reunion years. This fall, class reunions will be hosted
during Homecoming on Oct. 16 for the classes of
1969, 1970 and 1971; the classes of 1979, 1980
and 1981; the classes of 1984, 1985 and 1986; the
classes of 1989, 1990 and 1991; and young alumni
including the classes of 1999, 2000 and 2001. The
Golden Alumni Reunion includes alumni who
graduated in 1960, as well as all prior years. Alumni
and friends from any year are encouraged to attend
the class reunion of their choice.
All class reunions are held in the Student
Union Building and feature a luncheon ($10 for
adults, $7 for children age 12 and under)
networking, door prizes and a Truman alumni T-
shirt for all alumni attending a reunion luncheon
as well as Truman T-shirts for guests attending the
luncheons. We hope to see you this year over the
Homecoming weekend!
All alumni visiting Kirksville Homecoming
weekend are also encouraged to visit the Truman
Alumni Center, which will be set up Oct. 15-16
in the lower level of the Student Union Building.
Alumni can sign in and leave messages, purchase
Homecoming apparel and event tickets, register
for door prizes and pick up FREE gifts!
38 Truman Review
CAREER TIPS
Jump-Start Your Career with
Online Professional Networking
By Lesa E. Kerlin, Director, Truman State University Career Center
Increasingly,
employers are
utilizing online
professional
networking
sites such as LinkedIn when they are
filling positions. While it is important to
minimize potential damage by “sanitizing”
your online presence on social
networking sites, such as Facebook, it is
equally important to proactively present
a positive image to potential employers.
In other words, it’s not just the absence
of negative, but the presence of
positive. Here are some suggestions:
Professional photograph. The
photo you utilize for professional
networking should be a high-quality
head shot.
Keyword-rich. You want the important
keywords in your industry to be
present in your profile so that you will
be found in searches.
Update. Nothing says “I’m not really
into this networking thing” more than a
clearly outdated profile. Be sure to
update your employment and civic
activities on a regular basis. LinkedIn
allows you to briefly write about what
you’re currently working on; the
updated information is then sent out to
all your contacts.
Contacts. You want your contact list
to reflect the breadth and depth of
your networking efforts. Begin with
current and previous co-workers,
friends and former professors and work
Join
the Truman Alumni Association
online communities on
Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
out from there. Utilize the advanced
search function to find people who
worked where you did or went to
school with you.
Recommendations. Ask 1-2 people
at each of your previous positions to
recommend your work. These recommendations
should represent a variety
of perspectives addressing your various
strengths. Think of these in the same
way you would your job references.
Consistency. Be sure the information
you deliver about yourself via a
professional networking site is consistent
with your résumé and any other
marketing materials you use. If they
don’t match up, employers will
conclude that you will be inconsistent in
your work performance.
Join groups. Join online professional
groups and alumni groups that are of
interest to you. Contribute your
expertise; this is a highly effective way
of getting your name out.
Once you’ve created a professional
profile, uploaded a professional picture,
and established a wealth of contacts and
recommendations, be sure to continue
this process. This network will only be
useful to you if you maintain it. By
spending a little time each week
maintaining your profile and inviting
new contacts to link, your online
professional presence will show
potential employers how networkingsavvy
you are and open countless
employment doors.
For direct links, go to http://alumni.truman.edu

Spring 2010 39

Alumni Board Elects New Members
THE TRUMAN ALUMNI BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS
ELECTED THREE NEW MEMBERS:
• Eric Olsen earned a bachelor of science degree in biology
from Truman in 1982 and pursued graduate studies in
physiology while working as a pharmacology research
assistant at St. Louis University Medical School. He has
worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 21 years as a
discovery research scientist/safety pharmacologist, and he is
an applications scientist/product manager for Data Sciences
International in Valley View, Ohio. He met his wife, Kelly
(White) Olsen (’82), while touring with the NMSU
Eric Olsen (’82)
Showboat Gamblers marching band in 1978.
• Naomal “Vid” Vidyasagara received a bachelor of science
degree in computer science from Truman in 1992 and an
MBA from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
He works as an IT manager for Honeywell Aerospace in
Phoenix, Ariz., and is a member of Truman’s Arizona
Alumni Chapter. Previously, he worked as a counselor for
the Upward Bound program at Truman State University.
While at Truman, he met his wife, Pasanthi, and he was the
president of the International Club, a member of the
Student Senate and a resident advisor.
• Tanner Williams graduated from Truman in 2002 with a
bachelor of arts in political science and was active in Student
Senate, Student Ambassadors and the Political Science
Society. He resides in Houston, Texas, and is a member of
the Dallas Alumni Chapter. Williams is a lead organizer and
supervisor for the Texas AFT Professional Educators Group,
developing new affiliates for the 1.5 million-member
American Federation of Teachers.
Alumni Travel Destinations Announced
The group
travel
programs
offered by the
Truman Alumni
Association provide
an opportunity for
alumni and their guests to connect
with other members of the Truman
family. The next travel program being
organized is an Alaskan Cruise (or
cruise with land travel) for 2011. An
TRUMAN STATE UNIVERSITY
ALUMNI TRAVEL PROGRAM
Naomal “Vid”
Vidyasagara (’92)
Tanner Williams
(’02)
international trip to Ireland is being
considered for 2012. As more details
become available, they will be posted
at http://alumni.truman.edu/
TravelProgram.asp. If you would like
to be added to the mail list to receive
more information about the travel
programs, contact Denise Smith,
director of alumni relations,
dlsmith@truman.edu or call
(660) 785-4133 or (800) 452-6678.
40 Truman Review

Calendar of Events for Alumni and Friends
JUNE
10 O’Fallon, Mo.
St. Louis Alumni Chapter: River City
Rascals Game and Social Hour/
Networking Event at McGurks
12 Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City Bright Minds Bright Futures
Campaign Kickoff at the Kansas City
Marriott Downtown
12 Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City Alumni Chapter Spirit Day: Wear
your favorite Truman/Northeast apparel
19 Des Moines, Iowa
Iowa Alumni Chapter: Iowa Cubs Game &
Tailgate Picnic at Principal Park
26 Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City, Mid-Missouri & Northeast
Missouri Alumni Chapters: St. Louis
Cardinals vs. Kansas City Royals Baseball
Game at Kauffman Stadium
26 Denver, Colo.
Colorado Bright Minds Bright Futures
Campaign Kickoff at the Denver Press Club
28 Lake Saint Louis, Mo.
Bulldog Football Golf Classic at Lake Forest
Golf Club
JULY
9 Kirksville, Mo.
Northeast Missouri Alumni Chapter:
Scholarship Golf Scramble at the Kirksville
Country Club
10 St. Louis, Mo
St. Louis Bright Minds Bright Futures
Campaign Kickoff, Sheraton Clayton Plaza
Hotel St. Louis
17 Burlington, Iowa
Iowa Alumni Chapter: Burlington Bees
Baseball Game
22 Urbandale, Iowa
Iowa Alumni Chapter All-Student Send-Off at
Walker-Johnston Park
24 Kansas City, Mo.
10th Annual Kansas City Alumni Chapter
Golf Fore Scholarship Four-Person Scramble
at Shoal Creek Golf Course
24 Kirksville, Mo.
Bob Carlson Bulldog Basketball Golf
Tournament at Kirksville Country Club
25 Lombard, Ill.
Chicago Alumni Chapter: Student Send-Off
at Lombard Community Center
AUGUST
TBA Springfield, Mo.
Springfield Alumni Club: Student Send-Off
TBA St. Louis, Mo.
St. Louis Alumni Chapter: Freshmen Send-
Off
5 Columbia, Mo.
Mid-Missouri Alumni Chapter: Student
Send-Off at Cosmo Park
10 Kirksville, Mo.
Northeast Missouri Alumni Chapter:
Student Send-Off at Truman State
University
12 Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City Alumni Chapter: Freshmen
Send-Off at Loose Park
13 St. Louis, Mo.
St. Louis Alumni Chapter: St. Louis
Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs at Busch
Stadium
28 Kirksville, Mo.
Northeast Missouri Bright Minds Bright
Futures Campaign Kickoff, Truman State
University
SEPTEMBER
11 St. Peters, Mo.
St. Louis Alumni Chapter Scholarship Golf
Scramble at St. Peters Golf Course
OCTOBER
15-17 Kirksville, Mo.
Truman State University
Homecoming
ANNIVERSARY CLASS REUNIONS:
Classes of 1969, 1970 & 1971; Classes of
1979, 1980 & 1981; Classes of 1984, 1985
& 1986; Classes of 1989, 1990 & 1991;
Young Alumni/Classes of 1999, 2000 &
2001; Golden Alumni Reunion/Class of
1960 & all prior classes.
OTHER REUNIONS AND RECEPTIONS:
Business Bulldog Days, Society &
Environment Reception, Nursing
Reunion/Reception, School of Science and
Math Reception, Cardinal Key Luncheon,
Student Senate Reception, Delta Zeta
Reception & Ekklesia Reunion.
View the latest updates for
Homecoming schedule of events at
http://alumni.truman.edu/homecoming.asp
Get details on all upcoming alumni events!
Call (800) 452-6678 or visit http://alumni.truman.edu
ALUMNI CHAPTERS
Arizona Chapter
Michael Whitney (’94)
trumanaz@yahoo.com
Chicago Chapter
Nicole (Ragusa) Higgins (’95)
tsuchicago@yahoo.com
Colorado Chapter
Sue Alexander (’79)
sue91156@hotmail.com
Dallas Chapter
Rob Flanagan
rob@flanagan.com
Iowa Chapter
Cindy Spiker (’93)
iowaalumni@truman.edu
Kansas City Chapter
Alice (Moore) Arredondo (’02)
kcalumni@truman.edu
Mid-Atlantic Chapter
DeAnn Malone (’93)
eodbrt@gmail.com
Mid-Missouri Chapter
Tania (Hart) Cook (’85)
midmoalumni@truman.edu
Northeast Missouri
Chapter
Von Abbott (’79)
vabbott@truman.edu
St. Louis Chapter
Stacey (George) Sifton (’00)
stlalumni@truman.edu
ALUMNI CLUBS
Florida Club
Denise Smith (’79)
dlsmith@truman.edu
Houston, Texas Club
Tanner Williams (’02)
tannerwilliams@gmail.com
Springfield, Missouri Club
Carrie (Powell) Kleinsorge (’77, ’81)
ckleinsorge@logrog.net
Upper Midwest Club
Denise Smith (’79)
dlsmith@truman.edu
For more alumni information visit
http://alumni.truman.edu
ALUMNI RELATIONS
Director of Alumni Relations
Denise L. Smith (’79)
(800) 452-6678
(660) 785-4174
dlsmith@truman.edu
Coordinator of Alumni Relations
Stacy Tucker-Potter (’02)
(800) 452-6678
(660) 785-4167
stuckerpotter@truman.edu
Spring 2010 41

Bright Minds Bright Futures
The Campaign for Truman State University
CAMPAIGN UPDATE
Current gifts & pledges: $20,702,907
Goal: $30,000,000
All gifts received from July 1, 2006, to
June 30, 2011, count toward the
$30 million goal.
As Truman looks to its future, it continues to build upon the heritage of
the institution. Though the world today is different than the one that
Joseph Baldwin knew when he established the school in 1867, the
University has continued to build on the idea of providing a quality education
that guided the school’s founder. Today, the University has achieved national
recognition for its academic excellence, and the University’s vision for the
future aspires to make Truman the nation’s premier public liberal arts and
sciences university. To ensure that this goal becomes a reality, Truman launched
the public phase of the $30 million “Bright Minds Bright Futures” campaign
last fall. The comprehensive campaign marks the largest fundraising effort in
the University’s history.
Over the last quarter of a century, the
funding picture for the University has seen
dramatic changes that have made private gift
support increasingly important. The cost of
educating Truman students exceeds the cost of
tuition, and while these costs have soared, state
support for the University’s budget has declined.
“Although the University has been building
an endowment funded by private donations for
some time, it lags behind many of the schools
for which Truman competes with for both
students and faculty,” said Mark Gambaiana,
vice president for University Advancement. The
“Bright Minds Bright Futures” campaign is a
concerted effort to increase private support
from alumni, parents, and friends to increase
the endowment fund thereby elevating the
overall status of Truman.
Even in the midst of a difficult economy,
generous benefactors are investing in Truman
through both small and large contributions that
have pushed the campaign total above $20.7
million. “Thanks to these gifts, the campaign is
well on its way toward the $30 million goal as
donors have stepped up to show their support for
scholarships, student enrichment and academic
programs, mission enhancement, faculty support,
and athletics,” said Chuck Foudree, a member of
the Class of 1966 and chair of the “Bright Minds
Bright Futures” campaign.
The 5-year-long campaign was initiated in
July 2006 during what is typically known as the
“quiet phase” of a multi-year campaign. During
that time, campaign volunteers were recruited
and lead gifts were solicited. Then last fall,
alumni and friends joined in on a festive
celebration during Homecoming 2009 for the
official announcement that introduced the
comprehensive campaign to the general public.
Earlier this year, campaign volunteers began
hosting a series of receptions in regions
represented by alumni chapters and clubs to
provide an opportunity for alumni and friends
around the country to become involved in the
campaign. An event in Phoenix, Ariz., kicked
off the regional celebrations followed by a
succession of events in Dallas, Texas; Tampa,
Fla.; St. Petersburg, Fla.; Vienna, Va.; Des
Moines, Iowa; and Columbia, Mo., and more
campaign events have been planned for
Chicago (May 22); Kansas City (June 12);
Denver (June 26); St. Louis (July 10); and
Kirksville, Mo. (Aug. 28).
Alumni, parents, friends, corporations and
foundations are invited to help shape the future
of Truman State University by making a gift to
the “Bright Minds Bright Futures” campaign.
The campaign will run through June 30, 2011,
and any contribution made to the University
by that date will count toward the campaign.
42 Truman Review

Regional Events for “Bright Minds Bright Futures” Campaign
Phoenix, Ariz., Jan. 16
Irving, Texas, Jan. 30
St. Petersburg, Fla., Feb. 20 Fort Myers, Fla., Feb. 23
Vienna, Va., March 13
Des Moines, Iowa, March 27
Locations for additional regional events include Columbia, Mo.; Chicago; Kansas City; Denver,
Colo.; St. Louis; and Kirksville. View more photos at http://alumni.truman.edu/PhotoAlbums.asp.
Spring 2010 43

Scholarship Priority of Campaign
Tops $10 Million
Donors to Truman’s “Bright Minds
Bright Futures” campaign have
committed more than $10
million in current and future gifts toward
student scholarships. A total of
$10,005,606 in gift commitments have
been designated for scholarship programs.
This total includes $4,103,018 in cash
and pledges, and $5,902,588 in future
gifts through the estate plans of donors.
“The popularity of scholarships is
important for a multitude of reasons,
especially since many Truman families
have been impacted by the recession and
the sluggish economic recovery,” said
Challenge Gift Will Match
Contributions by Other Donors
After Truman
launched a
two-yearlong
$100,000
campaign last spring
to endow the Ed
Schneider Men’s
Cross Country
Scholarship, the
University received
a generous challenge
gift from an
anonymous
Ed Schneider
benefactor. This
challenge gift
encourages other supporters to make a
gift to the Schneider/Cross Country
Scholarship campaign by matching
contributions dollar for dollar up to
$50,000 for gifts made through June 30,
2011. Anyone wishing to support the Ed
Schneider Men’s Cross Country
Scholarship can join in on this giving
opportunity to maximize their gift.
“Thanks to this generous challenge
gift, other donors have a tremendous
opportunity to double the impact of their
Mark Gambaiana, vice president for
University Advancement.
A total of 70 new scholarship funds
have been created during the campaign,
boosting the overall number of named
Foundation scholarships to 376.
Over the past four years, the Truman
State University Foundation has awarded
$2.1 million in scholarships to 2,221
students. Foundation scholarships can be
need- and merit-based, and may also
include other donor-designated criteria,
such as area of study, geographic region,
involvement in extra-curricular activities
and leadership potential.
donations,” said Jerry Wollmering,
director of athletics. “Not only do these
contributions serve as a tribute to Coach
Schneider, they also provide much needed
scholarship resources that can help
Truman continue to attract high-caliber
student-athletes.”
The scholarship is named in honor of
Ed Schneider, a former student-athlete and
a longtime Bulldog coach. While earning
his bachelor’s degree from Truman,
Schneider participated in both cross
country and track in the early 1960s and
went on to earn a master’s degree from the
University in 1970.
Schneider returned to his alma mater in
1974 to direct the men’s cross country
team and served as the men’s track and
field/cross country coach from 1984 to
2005. His squads won four MIAA championships,
three regional titles and advanced
to the NCAA Championship meet 12
times. Both his 1994 and 1995 cross
country teams finished third in the nation
and his 2001 team was fourth in the
country. Schneider was inducted into the
Truman Athletics Hall of Fame in 1986.
Willard Sims
Locker Room
Campaign
In honor of Willard Sims’ significant
contributions to the University,
alumni and friends have joined
together to show their appreciation for
the former head basketball coach by
contributing to the Willard Sims Locker
Room Fund. The goal of this
fundraising initiative is to raise $25,000,
and the funds will be used for the
purchase and installation of 20 wooden
lockers and other renovations to the
locker room. A dedication ceremony is
planned for July 2010.
A 1954 Truman graduate, Sims was a
standout guard on the Bulldog
basketball team in the early 1950s. He
was captain of the 1953-54 basketball
team and was named to the first All-
MIAA team in 1951-52 and 1953-54.
Sims also lettered three years on the
track team. He was awarded the Stickler
Cup presented to a student-athlete who
possesses qualities of scholarship,
citizenship, leadership and ambition.
Sims also received his master’s degree
from Truman.
Sims became an assistant coach at
Truman in 1963 under Coach Boyd
King and was appointed as the men’s
head basketball coach when King retired
in 1971. Sims led teams to more than
300 wins in his career at the University
including MIAA championships in
1978-79 and 1980-81. He was inducted
into the Truman Athletics Hall of Fame
in 1985 and retired in 1995 following
his 24th season.
44 Truman Review

Alumni Couple Creates
Scholarship Fund with
$300,000 Legacy Commitment
Sharron and
Larry
Quisenberry
look back on the
solid educational
foundation they
received at Truman
State University as a
springboard to a
distinguished career
in higher education.
That first-class
education, plus a
family tradition with
the University, has
spurred the Ames,
Iowa, couple to give
back to Truman State
University in a most
significant way.
The Quisenberrys,
both 1966 graduates
of Truman, have
Sharron (Bailey)
Quisenberry (’66)
Larry Quisenberry
(’66, ’75)
provided a legacy gift through their estate
estimated at $300,000 to create the Larry
and Sharron Quisenberry Scholarship in
Business and Science. They will also build
the endowment with current contributions
as well.
“Truman State University provided us
with a first-class education and
inspiration that has lasted a lifetime,” said
Sharron, who is the vice president for
research and economic development at
Iowa State University. “I had my choice of
universities and scholarships because I was
valedictorian of my class, but chose
Truman because of my family history. It
was the right decision.”
The solid science foundation Sharron
received subsequently led to an MA in
environmental biology and an MS and a
PhD in entomology. Her early career
teaching positions included faculty roles
at the University of Idaho and Louisiana
State University, followed by eight years
in departmental administration and 10
years in deanships at Montana State
University and Virginia Tech University.
She is nationally and internationally
recognized for her expertise in plant/insect
interactions and plant resistance to insects.
Sharron is a fellow of the Entomological
Society of America and served as president
of the society in 2000. She was appointed
to the Board for International Food and
Agriculture Development and also served
on the National Academy of Sciences’
Board of Agriculture.
Sharron credits two Truman faculty
members with life-changing impact. “Dr.
John D. Black was my mentor and
became a lifelong friend. He guided me
through some very tumultuous times in
my life and inspired me to believe in
myself and my intellect. Dr. Ruth Towne
was also an inspiration and role model for
young women. She was our Delta Zeta
advisor and taught us integrity and the
importance of education.”
Larry Quisenberry serves as program
coordinator in the office of the executive
vice president and provost at Iowa State
University. He received a BS in business
education at Truman in 1966, an MS in
educational administration from Truman
in 1975, and a PhD in general school
administration from the University of
Missouri in 1978. Two of Larry’s mentors
at Truman were Eugene Croarkin and Dr.
Clifton Bell.
Hysinger
Scholarship to
Support Business
Students
Ascholarship established by
Vaughn G. Hysinger (’68), of
Los Altos, Calif., will assist
high-performing business students at
Truman. Funded by stock gifts valued
at approximately $15,400, the Vaughn
G. Hysinger Family Scholarship will
be designated to business students
who have a record of achievement and
service in extra-curricular activities,
community groups and organizations.
Hysinger, a 1968 Truman graduate,
has developed a reputation as an
international business leader.
Throughout his nearly 40-year career
in the computer industry, he has held
various management positions for
firms such as IBM, Motorola,
Toshiba, Unisys, and several software
startup firms in the Silicon Valley. In
addition, he was founder, president
and CEO of Systems International, a
company specializing in providing
marketing support and distribution
capabilities for major corporations in
worldwide markets.
Some of Hysinger’s specialties
include product management, strategic
partners, international markets,
business development, mergers and
acquisitions, and product positioning.
Spring 2010 45

Seniors Win Individual National Championships
On March 11
and 12, two
Truman State
University studentathletes
were crowned
individual national
champions in their
respective sports.
Senior pole vaulter
Katrina Biermann and
Katrina Biermann
senior swimmer Kate
Aherne captured events
as part of the NCAA
Division II Winter
Championships.
Biermann became
just the fifth Truman
Women’s Track & Field
athlete to win a national
championship and the
first since Christina
Kate Aherne
Winkler in 2004.
The Liberty, Mo., native entered the
national meet after becoming the first female
pole vaulter in the Mid-America
Intercollegiate Athletics Association to top 13
feet in either indoor or outdoor versions of
the event. She had won six pole vault
competitions this season including the MIAA
championships two weeks prior to nationals.
“Coming into the championships I knew
there were some really good girls,” said
Biermann at the conclusion of the event. “It
was a battle the whole way. I wanted to vault
how I had vaulted all season and break the
school record. I just wanted to go out and
keep doing what I had been doing all season.”
At the national meet, held in
Albuquerque, N.M., Biermann needed all
three attempts before finally clearing 12-
10.00 to join four other competitors that had
made that mark.
The bar was moved up to 13-01.75 and
Biermann cleared it on her first attempt.
Lauren Stelten of Minnesota State
University-Mankato, also cleared that height
but did so on her second attempt.
The two remaining foes saw the bar
adjusted up four more inches. Biermann
missed on all three attempts and watched as
Stelten had the final crack at the national title.
Stelten missed so by virtue of Biermann
clearing the previous height first, she was
declared the champion.
“I kind of knew what position I was in
going into that last height,” said Biermann.
“I knew Lauren and that she was a great
vaulter. Really wasn’t sure what was going to
happen, it was tense.”
With the championship, Biermann joined
Winkler (2004), Saundra Hester (1990),
Marlene Frahm (1985) and Deb Carter (1977).
Biermann also earned her fourth All-
America honor as she took sixth place in
the triple jump with a school record mark
of 39-08.00.
Nearly 1,600 miles away, Aherne capped
off her remarkable swimming career by
capturing her third straight title in the 200-
yard individual medley at the NCAA
Division II Swimming & Diving
Championships in Canton, Ohio.
Aherne became the first Bulldog swimmer
to capture three individual national championships
and only the second Truman studentathlete
to win three titles during their career.
Larry Jones won three straight track championships
in 1972, 1973 and 1974.
The Cary, Ill., native and Cary-Grove
graduate bested everyone in her final heat by
nearly 1.5 seconds in the 200 IM finals,
setting both NCAA and school records with
a time of 2:00.56.
After 100 yards, Aherne trailed both
Alexandra Henley from UC-San Diego and
Yuan Qang Li from Drury, but saved her
best for last in propelling past both in the
breaststroke to take the lead into the final
50-yard stretch.
From there, Aherne closed it out, posting
a time of 27.35 in the final 50 yards of
freestyle – more than a second faster than
any other competitor – to capture her third
straight national championship.
Aherne wasn’t done on that night, as she
took second place and recorded her 22nd
career All-America award in the 50-yard
freestyle with a time of 23.10. She came in
.33 seconds behind Jackie Borkowski from
West Chester for first place and was .13
seconds better than Ashland University’s Julie
Widmann, who finished third.
By the meet’s conclusion, Aherne had won
seven more All-America awards to cap off her
Truman swimming career with 27. She was
also a member of the 800 free relay team that
captured the national title in 2008 to finish
with four total national championships.
As a team, Truman finished fifth in the
2010 Division II Championships and had
nine other women and one male bring home
All-America honors.
Senior Kendra Brunkow earned six All-
America awards with four coming as a
member of various relay teams. Brunkow was
a member of the 800 free relay that turned in
the best finish with a fourth place showing.
She was joined on the team by Aherne, junior
Tanya Sylvester and freshman Lexi Houser.
Freshman Jerod Simek was the men’s lone
representative in the national meet and
turned in three All-America performances in
the four events he swam in. Simek broke the
school record in the 1000 free with a time of
9:25.38 while placing 15th. His best finish
was ninth in the 1650 free.
46 Truman Review

Women’s Basketball Makes
Late Season Push
The Truman women’s basketball
team won four straight before its
season finale to make a late charge
at the 2010 MIAA tournament but ended
up two games short of the eighth-seed.
The Bulldogs finished the 2009-2010
season with an 11-16 overall record, 6-14
in MIAA play.
Sophomore Breanna Daniels was
named to the all-MIAA honorable mention
team for the 2009-2010 season. It is the
first time Daniels has been named to an
all-conference team
while at Truman.
Daniels
(Ridgedale, Mo.;
Hollister HS) was
Truman’s team leader
in scoring at 13.1
points per game and finished second on
the squad in rebounding at 4.3 per contest.
She also connected on 44 three-pointers,
nearly twice as many as any other Bulldog,
while converting at a 75 percent (45-for-
60) clip from the free throw line.
She led the Bulldogs in scoring 14
times this season, topping double-figures
20 times. Her scoring jumped 0.4 points
per game in conference play, aided by a
career-best 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting
in a 99-91 overtime win against Northwest
Missouri on Feb. 17.
Through two seasons, Daniels has
scored 586 career points (10.9 per game)
and pulled down 214 rebounds (4.0 per
game). She started all but one game this
season – Truman’s Senior Day – and has
started 41 of 54 career games played.
Headlined by Daniels, Truman will
return four starters and seven of its top
nine scorers for the 2010-2011 season,
while also adding four early signees to next
season’s roster.
Norton Leads
Freshmen
In Scoring
Guard Tom
Norton was the
top MIAA
freshman in scoring this
past season after starting
26 of 27 games played.
Norton averaged 10.7
points per game and
made 67 of his 175 (38
percent) three-point
attempts to be among the
Tom Norton
conference leaders. He
scored a season-high 20 points on two
different occasions and finished the year with
289 points, one ahead of Northwest Missouri’s
DeShaun Cooper. Cooper was named the
MIAA Freshman of The Year.
Norton’s 67 three-pointers were the most
by a Bulldog since Mark Huppe dropped in 92
during the 2001-02 season. In addition,
Norton broke the school record held by Cory
Parker and Chip Sodemann with 31 consecutive
free throws made.
Two-Sport Star Taylor Ends Bulldog Career
Playing multiple sports
in college used to be
common practice but
nowadays with kids
growing up with club teams
and travelling teams on top
of their high school careers,
two-sport college athletes
are becoming relatively
sparse. That’s why on
Feb. 20 a rarity occurred in
Pershing Arena as senior Matt Taylor went
through his second “Senior Day” of the year.
Taylor, a Marshalltown, Iowa, native, has
lettered and been a key contributor for both the
Bulldog men’s soccer and men’s basketball teams.
He wore his “Bulldog” uniform 128 times over
the past five years.
On the pitch, Taylor started all 16 games in
the fall as the team posted a 12-3-1 record and
was in the hunt for an NCAA tournament berth.
Taylor starred on the back line and helped the
team post seven shutouts and a 0.75 goals-against
average. He also
netted two goals and
had two assists to cap
off his soccer career
with nine goals and
five assists for 23
points. Both his goals
this past season were
game-winning tallies.
Three days after
the soccer season ended
with a 4-1 victory over Hannibal-LaGrange,
Taylor stepped on the court at Mizzou Arena and
played 16 minutes in the Bulldogs exhibition
game against the Missouri Tigers.
He played in 26 of the 27 games during his
final basketball campaign and was either the first
or second sub coming off the bench. Taylor
averaged 12.5 minutes per game, scoring 39
points and dishing out 23 assists. He had his
career high against Emporia State on Dec. 28
when he made all five of his field goal attempts
and scored 12 points.
Matt Taylor
Spring 2010 47

Wrestling Wins
Academic
National Title
Again
For the sixth time in program
history, the Truman wrestling team
has captured the NCAA Div. II
Wrestling Coaches Association team all-
Academic Championship, coming in with
a team grade-point average of 3.467. The
award also marks the fourth straight
Academic Championship for the squad.
Under the direction of Head Coach
Dave Schutter, Truman became the first
program to win the championship in
four consecutive years. The team GPA is
calculated by averaging the cumulative
GPA of 10 wrestlers from each team of
which eight of those wrestlers must have
competed in their team’s NCAA national
qualifying tournament.
Headlining the Bulldogs was senior
Dean Schultz, who picked up secondteam
honors. Schultz, who went 13-12
this season, is a biology/pre-medicine
major with a GPA of 3.64.
Also receiving honorable mention
status were a host of ’Dogs, including
junior Andrew Bader, senior Kazuyuki
Hashimoto, freshman Zachary Hayes,
senior Bryan Isbell, junior Steve Kueny,
sophomore Chad Kurovski and
sophomore James Maus.
Schultz and Isbell became four-time
members of the all-Academic team.
In order for a student-athlete to be
nominated for the Div. II all-Academic
team, he needed to have a minimum
3.00 GPA, in at least his second full year
at the school, be a varsity member or key
reserve, demonstrate a degree of skill and
have a minimum of two letters of
recommendation submitted on his
behalf.
Truman has now won the all-
Academic Wrestling title in 1996-97,
2001-02, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09
and 2009-10.
Bulldogs Featured on National TV
Three student-athletes from Truman
were featured in March’s “NCAA On
Campus” national television program
that aired on the CBS College Sports Network
and is still available online at NCAA.org —
search for “NCAA On Campus.”
Senior swimmers Andrew McCall and
Kate Aherne along with freshman wrestler
Ryan Banning were spotlighted during the
crew’s visit to Kirksville in late January.
McCall is the University’s first Rhodes
Scholar while Aherne is both a national
champion and Academic all-American.
Banning’s story talks about how he has
overcome a life-long medical condition to
compete as a collegiate wrestler for the Bulldogs.
The Truman piece, which was hosted by
Alexis Bernacchi, also features Swimming
First Bulldog Trivia Night A Success
On March 19, members of the
Truman Athletics Department
along with teams from the
Kirskville community participated in the
first Bulldog Trivia Night at the Kirksville
Country Club.
More than $2,500 was raised through
sponsorships and silent auction items, and
Coach Mark Gole, Wrestling Coach David
Schutter, Dr. Patricia Burton and studentathletes
Jen Lawson (Women’s Golf), Derek
Atwood (Men’s Track & Field) and Steven
Rose (Baseball).
NCAA on Campus is a 30-minute
collegiate sports show that features NCAA
student-athletes and competitions.
Along with the Truman feature, the show
highlighted the women’s basketball program
at Delta State (Miss.) and the writer/
composer of “March Madness’” signature
song “One Shining Moment.”
CBS College Sports Network is available
in 20 million homes via cable and satellite
providers nationwide. It is channel 613 on
DirectTV, 152 on Dish Network and 643 on
AT&T U-verse.
the funds will be used to furnish the Truman
weight room in the Pershing Building.
Lloyd Distributing won the inaugural
event after getting the most correct out of
100 general knowledge questions.
The department will look to grow the
Trivia Night next spring and will be seeking
more teams to participate.
TRUMAN FOOTBALL 2010 SCHEDULE
Day Date Opponent Location Time
Sat. Aug. 28 St. Joseph’s College (Ind.) Rensselaer, Ind. 12:00 p.m.
Sat. Sept. 4 Southwest Baptist (Mo.) Stokes Stadium 7:00 p.m.
Sat. Sept. 18 @ Fort Hays St. (Kan.) Hays, Kan. TBA
Sat. Sept. 25 Northwest Missouri Stokes Stadium TBA
Sat. Oct. 2 Central Missouri Stokes Stadium TBA
(Family Night)
Sat. Oct. 9 @ Missouri Western St. Joseph, Mo. TBA
Sat. Oct. 16 Missouri Southern Stokes Stadium 2:00 p.m.
(Homecoming)
Sat. Oct. 23 @ Emporia State (Kan.) Emporia, Kan. TBA
Sat. Oct. 30 Washburn (Kan.) Stokes Stadium 1:00 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 6 @ Pittsburg (Kan.) Pittsburg, Kan. TBA
Sat. Nov. 13 Nebraska-Omaha Stokes Stadium 1:00 p.m.
48 Truman Review

TRUMAN STATE UNIVERSITY
PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE
ALUMNI, PARENTS & FRIENDS UPDATE FORM
Check box if new address. Check one: Alumni Parent Friend
Name * ______________________________________________________ Maiden Name * ______________________________________
Last Four Digits of Social Security No. ______________________ Year/s Graduated *___________________ or Attended * ____________
E-mail __________________________________________________________ Publish e-mail address in Truman Review Yes * No
Address _______________________________________________________________ Send me free e-mail newsletters Yes No
City * _______________________________________________________ State *__________ Zip ________________________________
Home Telephone ( _______ ) _____________________________ Work Telephone ( ______ ) __________________________________
Employer * _____________________________________________________ Position/Title * _____________________________________
Name of Spouse/Partner *_________________________________________ Maiden Name * ____________________________________
Spouse/Partner’s Employer *_______________________________________ Position/Title * ____________________________________
Did spouse/partner attend Truman * No Yes, Grad Year/s ________or Years Attended ________________________________
Last Four Digits of Spouse/Partner’s Social Security No. ___________________________________________________________________
Children (names, birthdates and gender) * ______________________________________________________________________________
Other Degrees (universities & year received) *____________________________________________________________________________
Alumni – May information marked with an asterisk (*) be used in the Truman Review (space permitting) Yes No
Person Returning Form___________________________________________________________________________ Date ______________
Return completed form to Office of Advancement, McClain Hall 205, 100 E. Normal Ave., Kirksville, MO 63501-4221 or FAX to (660) 785-7519.
Update your information online at http://alumni.truman.edu.
May
31 Memorial Day (no classes, offices closed)
June
1 First Five-Week Summer Classes Begin
5 May Interim Ends
5 Joseph Baldwin Academy Session I Begins
7 Eight-Week Summer Classes Begin
11-13 A Taste of Truman
26 Joseph Baldwin Academy Session I Ends
July
2 First Five-Week Summer Classes End
5 Independence Day Observed
(no classes, offices closed)
6 Second Five-Week Summer Classes Begin
10 Joseph Baldwin Academy Session II Begins
30 Eight-Week Summer Classes End
31 Joseph Baldwin Academy Session II Ends
31 August Interim Begins
August
6 Second Five-Week Summer Classes End
20 August Interim Ends
21 Freshmen Move-in Day
21 Truman Week Begins
26 Fall Classes Begin
September
6 Labor Day (no classes, offices closed)
17 Installation Ceremony for
University President Troy D. Paino
October
2 Family Day
6 Career Expo
13 First Block Classes End
14 Second Block Classes Begin
16 Homecoming
21-22 Midterm Break
November
22-26 Thanksgiving Break
December
10 Last Day of Classes
13 Final Exams Begin
15 Reading Day
17 Final Exams End
18 Winter Commencement, 11 a.m.
Get connected now by bookmarking
Truman’s master calendar at
calendar.truman.edu.
For information about Truman Athletics,
visit TrumanBulldogs.com.
For information about alumni events,
visit alumni.truman.edu.

TM
Office of Advancement
McClain Hall 205
100 East Normal Avenue
Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Truman State
University
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