Wayne State College

President’s Message
Dr. Richard Collings
Your support
helps make these
achievements
possible.
The past fiscal year will be remembered by many for the changes
wrought on the nation’s economy. Difficult financial times wreaked
havoc, forcing budget cuts and belt-tightening among businesses,
schools, homes and families across the country. Remarkably enough,
amid the economic turmoil, the Wayne State Foundation received a record
number of contributions.
This year was not the first time Wayne State’s alumni and friends rallied
to support the college during a period of uncertainty. And I am confident
after visiting with many of you at reunions around the country and here
at the college for homecoming and other special events that it will not be
the last.
The bond formed between the college and its students, staff, faculty
and alumni, many of you have told me, runs as strong as any family
connection. I take great pride in your connection to your alma mater and
in my responsibility as steward of Wayne State. We here at the college
have worked hard this past year to continue the traditions of excellence
started so many years ago at Wayne State. Faculty, student and alumni
accomplishments, such as those below, demonstrate our ongoing
commitment to the mission of teaching and learning.
Wayne State’s Department of Music and the Department of Art and Design
became accredited institutional members of the National Association of
Schools of Music (NASM) and the National Association of Schools of Art
and Design (NASAD), respectively, during the 2008-09 academic year.
As the only organizations recognized by the United States Department of
Education as accreditors for Art and Music programs, NASM and NASAD
have developed reputations for rigor. Less than 15% of arts units in the
nation hold accreditation from NASAD or NASM.
In addition to assuring the rigor of its programs, the college successfully
received renewed funding by the National Institute of Health for an
ongoing grant under the name of INBRE (IDeA Networks of Biomedical
Research Excellence). The renewal phase will allow expansion of faculty
and the purchase of expensive cutting-edge biomedical research
equipment and supplies that can be utilized daily in teaching.
Our students continued to shine on state and national stages. Wayne
State media students earned awards April 4 at the Nebraska Collegiate
Media Association (NCMA) meeting in the Student Center on campus.
The Wayne Stater was named 2009 Newspaper of the Year. This was last
awarded to the newspaper in 2006. The school TV and radio stations
each earned second places in Overall Excellence in NCMA’s Golden Leaf
Awards. WSC competed against Chadron State College, Hastings College,
Northeast Community College, Concordia University, Western Nebraska
Community College, Midland Lutheran College and Doane College.
Wayne State College students won the American College of Sports Medicine
(ACSM) Student Bowl Championship at the 56th annual ACSM meeting May
27-30 in Seattle, Wash. Kelly Brink, Peter Ray, and Darren Richter, Wayne
State College students from the Department of Health, Human Performance,
and Sport majoring in Exercise Science, made up the team, which competed
in a Jeopardy ACSM style contest against six other teams from schools
throughout the United States that won regional chapter competitions.
Wayne State faculty members continue to demonstrate their leadership
and scholarship. Dr. Patricia Arneson, professor of business at Wayne State
College, participated in the 20th anniversary of the Oxford Round Table, held
July 5-10 at Oxford University in Oxford, England. Arneson was one of 40
international scholars invited to attend as a discussant and/or presenter.
Dr. Andrew Alexander, professor of English and philosophy at Wayne State
College, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Nebraska Humanities
Council. The Nebraska Humanities Council serves thousands of people in
communities across the state through a variety of annual programming.
At Wayne State College, Alexander teaches a variety of courses on British
literature, composition, logic, and ethics.
Dr. Randy Bertolas, chair of the Department of History, Politics, and
Geography and professor of geography at Wayne State College, was
recently elected to the National Executive Committee of Gamma Theta
Upsilon. Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU) is the international honor society in
geography, established in 1928 and today serving 300 chapters throughout
the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Bertolas chartered the Lambda Zeta chapter
of GTU at Wayne State College in 2002.
Susan and George Menking received the Alumni Achievement Award at
the Dec. 19 commencement ceremony. Susan graduated from Wayne State
College in 1955 with a major in English and minors in art and music.
George received his B.A. from Wayne State in 1956 with majors in math and
science.
Don and Carol Bremer were the recipients of this year’s Alumni Achievement
Award presented at the May commencement ceremony. Don earned his
bachelor’s degree from Wayne State in 1958, majoring in education and
industrial arts. Carol graduated from Wayne State in 1954 with her two-year
teaching credential.