view pdf version - Alumni - Truman State University

Donna (Baker) McIntyre (’96), Stillwater,
Okla., stays at home with her three girls and
says,” I enjoy watching them grow and seeing
things through their eyes.” E-mail
mcmavrik@yahoo.com.
Jennifer (Roach) Miller (’96, ’98) and Kris
Miller (’00, ’02) reside in St. Peters, Mo.
Jennifer is a Spanish teacher and serves as
chair of the World Language Department at
Francis Howell Central High School. Kris is a
guidance counselor at Pacific High School.
Their twins, Matthew and Rachel, were born
May 19, 2008. E-mail
jenn_miller04@charter.net.
Tim Naegelin (’96), Campbell, Calif., is a
senior trade show associate for Abbott
Vascular. E-mail timnaegelin@yahoo.com.
Ryan Reeson, Omaha, Neb., owns
TradeMark Door. E-mail
ryan@trademarkdoor.com.
Talia Teer (’96), Olathe, Kan., is director of
ethics and compliance for Embarq.
Ali (Wayman) Welky (’96) and David
Welky reside in Conway, Ark. Ali is a
copyeditor for Encyclopedia of Arkansas
History and Culture. David is an associate
professor of history at University of Central
Arkansas. They have two children, Jude and
Katharine. E-mail awelky@conwaycorp.net.
Chad Wolbers (’96), Dubuque, Iowa, is chief
operating officer for the Finley Hospital. He
and his wife, Regan, have three children,
Kenna, Josie and Gavin. E-mail
rcwolbers@hotmail.com.
Aaron Bryant (’97), Chicago, Ill., is the
principal of The Bryant Law Firm LLC, which
represents plaintiffs in personal injury and
workers compensation matters. Aaron also
represents clients in criminal defense, real
estate transactions and immigration matters.
E-mail abryant@blgchicago.com.
Amy (McFarland) Clay (’97) and John
Clay (’05) reside in St. Louis, Mo. Amy is an
attorney for the Missouri State Public
Defender. John is a student at Washington
University. They have a son, Keenan. E-mail
amymclay@sprint.blackberry.net.
Tracy (Cardwell) Fahrion (’97), Urbandale,
Iowa, is an information specialist for the state
of Iowa. E-mail iagal@hotmail.com.
Christina Hotger (’97), Burnsville, Minn.,
moved to the position of nurse practitioner
specializing in pain management at Twin
Cities Pain Clinic.
Dave Janney (’97), Algonac, Mich., is an
aviator with the U.S. Coast Guard Air
Station Detroit.
Melissa (Johnson) Maloney (’97) and
Brian Maloney live in Liberty, Mo. Melissa
is a human resources specialist for the Social
Security Administration. Brian is a physical
therapist supervisor for North Kansas City
Changing the World One
Student at a Time
Anative of St. Louis, Mo., April Warren-
Grice’s life goal is to change
the world, and she plans to do this one
student at a time. She first came to Truman
State University to participate in the Scholastic
Enhancement Experience (SEE) program, but
did not intend to stay for the school year. “I
had already made a verbal commitment to play
basketball at two other schools,” Warren-Grice
said. “So I was just going to Truman to see
what it was about, but the SEE program really
connected me to the university.”
She stayed at Truman where she became a
McNair scholar and played point guard on
the girls’ basketball team. After receiving a
bachelor of arts from Truman in 2000 and a
master of arts in education in 2004, she
returned to St. Louis to teach and inspire kids.
Teaching English at Ritenour High School,
she also coached the varsity girls’ basketball
team and implemented Partners in
Achievement (PIA), a program she had participated
in as a high school student. “When I was
in high school, I knew I was supposed to go to
college, but I didn’t know how to get there, and
that was the same with the students I was
working with―I was tired of pulling the kids
out in the hall one by one, so I said ‘let’s start a
group’ and I did,” said Warren-Grice, who
started the PIA program to help African
American and Latino students get to college.
Along with two other teachers, Warren-
Grice oversaw 80 kids in the PIA program
while providing speakers, workshops and field
trips to colleges. One of the most memorable
field trips occurred when Warren-Grice took
20 students to the Inauguration of President
Obama in Washington, D.C., an experience
that she described as life-changing for the
students’ vision for success. “Their map had
changed; they were now thinking higher than
St. Louis because before that trip many of
them had never been out of St. Louis,”
Warren Grice said.
In 2007 Warren-Grice won the prestigious
High School Teachers of Excellence Award
after being nominated for her work at
Hospital. They have three children, Brenner,
Cade and Teagan. E-mail
Melissa.maloney@ssa.gov.
Teri (Fields) Meylink (’97, ’98) and her
husband, Steven, announce the birth of their
Ritenour. “I was
one of 24 in the
nation to get the
award,” Warren-
Grice said. “I guess
it was big, I
thought I was just
doing my job.”
After five and a half
years at Ritenour,
she left to pursue a
Ph.D. in
April Warren-Grice educational policy
studies at the
University of Illinois-Champaign. She also
continued her work with PIA and other
marginalized high school students through
Visionaries Educating Youth and Adults.
She is also working with the Centennial
High School in Illinois through the
Achievement Via Individual Determination,
an international program geared toward
helping marginalized and underrepresented
students reach academic success. “I want to
see all the different aspects of how these
programs are helping students, particularly
students of color, reach academic success,”
Warren-Grice said. “My purpose for coming
back to the school is to save the world by
closing the achievement gap.”
This past summer, Warren-Grice traveled to
the Dominican Republic where she worked on
community building, teaching students, and
continuing her research on marginalized
students. After she gets her Ph.D., she plans on
becoming a professor but would still like to
work with high school students. “What I want
to do is bring the theory to practice,” Warren-
Grice said. “A lot of researchers and professors
have never really been in the field and have just
theorized―that’s not how I roll. I really want
to make sure this stuff is working and
implement some of the great ideas that myself
and other researchers are coming up with.”
And with those plans, April Warren-Grice
will change the world, one student at a time.
―Stephanie Hall
son, Tyler, on Feb. 17, 2009. They also have
a son, Ethan. The family resides in Neenah,
Wis. E-mail meylink66@hotmail.com.
Laura (Beck) Potthast (’97) resides in
O’Fallon, Mo. E-mail laurapotthast@yahoo.com.
Winter 2009-2010 23