2008 Winter - University Of Southern Indiana

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RetirementsDarrel E. BighamContinuing to workon Lincoln BicentennialDr. Darrel Bigham, professor ofhistory, will see eight years of work ona federal commission begin to bear fruitin spring 2008, his last semester beforeretirement from USI.In 2000, hewas appointedby President BillClinton to theAbraham LincolnBicentennialCommission,charged byBighamCongress withseveral mandates,including thecreation of Lincoln-oriented stamps,a redesigned penny, and a specialrededication program at the LincolnMemorial in Washington, D.C.For Bigham, who chairs the commission’seducation committee, retirementmeans he will have more time forhis commission work. “My responsibilitiescontinue through the end of 2010,so this has been almost a full-time joband I’m glad I’ll have more time to workon it,” he said. The national kick-offevent is in February in Louisville.Bigham joined the Universityin 1970. He was instrumental in theformation and serves as director ofHistoric Southern Indiana, a USI outreachprogram that promotes the historical,cultural, and natural resources ofsouthern Indiana. “It’s a program I feelvery strongly about and feel we’ve madea significant contribution to the region,”he said. “We’ve gotten a great deal ofnational attention in the past 21 years.It was one of the earliest outreachprograms of the institution, and wecontinue to make a mark.”He has authored, co-authored,or edited 11 books, most recently OnJordan’s Banks: Emancipation and itsAftermath in the Ohio River Valley(University Press of Kentucky, 2005).When his work with the commissionends, he plans to write, travel, andspend more time with his wife Pollyat her family home in Woodstock,Vermont.Larry W. BohleberInnovation, creativityin programmingLarry W. Bohleber ’72, managerof the Center for Human ResourcesDevelopment, retires in 2008 after 23years with the University. His longtenure with USI Extended Serviceshas been marked by innovation.Bohleber was instrumentalin developing USI’s ManagementDiagnostic Center, a national awardwinningprogram that continues toassist businesses in developing supervisoryand management talent. He isan expert at organizational assessment,helping to clarify goals and build developmentplans that go far beyond just“training.”Dr. M. Edward Jones, dean ofExtended Services, said, “Larry developedthe nucleus of training and assessmentprograms for business and industryon which much of our outreach programsto area employers was built. Histalents and creativitywill be missed.”Bohleber hasbeen the primaryliaison betweenUSI colleges andarea businessesneeding on-sitecredit courses andspecialized degreeprograms.Linda Cleek, associate dean ofBohleberExtended Services, said Bohleber is acreative and engaging facilitator andinstructor who frequently calls uponhis talents as an amateur magician toadd to classroom fun and learning.Hundreds of noncredit studentshave enjoyed his courses on management,especially “Adventures inAttitudes.” He developed and delivereda well-received and effective customerservice program, “Advanced Connections,”for USI employees. He has taught coursesfor the colleges of Business andLiberal Arts, filling a section of introductorysociology nearly every semester.Recently, he has written a column ontraining issues for Evansville BusinessJournal.Cleek said, “Larry’s dedication toUSI and Extended Services has beenexemplary. I will miss his sense of humoras well as his ability to make the complexmanageable.”Leonard M. CookSteady handthrough growthLeonard M. Cook, associate professorof engineering, joined the Universityof Southern Indiana in 1975 and retiresin 2008 after 33 years of service.“Len is the consummate professional,”said Eric Sprouls, chair of theDepartment of Engineering. “He haswillingly taught overloads during theschool year and courses in the summersession.”Cook was the coordinator of themechanical engineering technology(MET) program from the inception ofthe engineering technology programat USI. Since the development of theundergraduate major in engineering,he has coordinated the mechanicalengineering (ME) option. The METprogram was the largest in the technologyprogram; the ME option is thelargest in the bachelor’s program inengineering.“Len has supervised these programswith a steady hand—making them rigorousand demanding, but graduatingexcellent and successful technologistsand engineers. He has taught two of theDecember 20076University of Southern Indiana
core classes in the programs – strengthof materials and fluid mechanics. Theseare key courses for practicing engineers.His contributions to our programs havebeen substantial and he will be missed,”Sprouls said.Over the years, Cook offered consultationservices on such topics as weldshear tests, ring connected rod capacity,and fiberglass connection tests. He is amember and past secretary and treasurerof the AmericanSociety ofMechanicalEngineers.Cook earneda B.S. fromPennsylvania StateUniversity and anCookM.S. fromUniversity ofPittsburgh. Beforecoming to USI, he was supervisor oftechnical services at PPG Industries,Inc. in Creighton, Pennsylvania.Marjorie Labhart‘Wonderful 43 yearsfrom start to finish’Marjorie Labhart was one of onlytwo full-time instructors in 1965 on theday the University of Southern Indianaopened its doors. She taught mathematicsfor three years, took a couple of yearsoff while her children were young,returned as a part-time instructor for 17years, and resumed full-time teachingin 1987.She retires in 2008.“Every year has been great,” shesaid. “I leave thinking I’ve had thegreatest run in the world. It’s been awonderful 43 years from start to finish.”Prior to joining USI, Labhart was amath teacher at Harrison High Schoolin Evansville. When she had the opportunityto teach at the college level, shefound it suited her perfectly.“It is so much fun to see studentsas young adults grow and change andfigure out what college is all about,”she said.At Commencement in 2005, theUniversity’s 40th year, Labhart presentedreflections about the early days ofUSI. She said, “Would you have likedhaving classes only between 4 p.m. and10 p.m. Monday through Thursday?That means no class on Friday—noclass before noon. Perfect, you say! Well,that was truly the scenario that firstacademic year! Of course, it didn’t staythat way long! Student enrollmentincreased so much that by the secondyear, the starting time for classes wasmoved to noon and by the third year,we were offering classes all day long,five days a week.”Labhart hasseen USI enrollmentgrow from412 students in1965 to 10,000students.In retirement,she looks forwardLabhartto playing moregolf and the flexibilityto travel attimes of the year not dictated by theschool calendar.Eric vonFuhrmannLeaving a legacythrough studentsReflecting on his 42-year careerat USI, Eric vonFuhrmann is proudestof the legacy he leaves through hisstudents.“My real legacy is not personalachievement, but the good studentsthat I’ve been able to help,” he said.“I’ve watched them flower. I’ve watchedthem go on to further education andprofessions. To think I had a small rolein this is the most gratifying thing Ihave out of my career.”VonFuhrman opened the world tostudents through both teaching andinternational travel. For 20 years, hetook students in his Humanities classesto Greece and Italy.“I took students who had neverbeen on a plane before—who had neverbeen out of the Tri-State or the country,”he said. “It was something to seetheir faces whenthey got out of theTri-State and into acompletely foreignculture.”VonFurhmannwas the recipientof two FulbrightvonFuhrmannAwards andtwo NationalEndowment forthe Humanities Awards. The Fulbrightgrants enabled him to create AmericanStudies programs and libraries at theUniversity of Seville and the Universityof Valencia in Spain. The NEH grantsallowed him to attend University ofArizona Institutes on Homer and Greekliterature with master scholars of theWestern world.He created many classes in theHumanities at USI, including theCore courses ethnic literature, classicalmythology, and world mythology. Alongwith Dr. Michael Dixon, assistant professorof history, he helped to start aminor in classical studies.He was recognized for his teachingwith the H. Lee Cooper Core CurriculumTeaching Award in 2004.In the community, vonFuhrmannwas a member of the committee thatbrought the LST 325 to Evansville.He will lead a sold-out tour of WorldWar II sites in Europe in July. He andhis wife Katherine support Tales &Scales, New Harmony Theatre, andthe historic Alhambra Theatre.They established the USI MatthewShepard Theatre Award.University of Southern Indiana7 December 2007
Page 2 and 3: From the editorMore than meets the
Page 4 and 5: Engineering program gains accredita
Page 6 and 7: McCutchan Art Center/Pace Galleries
Page 10 and 11: The Northwestern Mutual Interview R
Page 12 and 13: Regional focus groups contribute to
Page 14 and 15: Real-world TrainingInternships and
Page 17: Andy JeffriesJeffries called on kno
Page 22 and 23: Women’s soccer players travelto b
Page 24 and 25: Alumni Council2007-08OfficersJessic
Page 26 and 27: Mark A. Isaac ’87, accounting, ha
Page 28 and 29: Debra Thompson Duncan ’99, busine
Page 30 and 31: David A. Novak ’07, Master of Hea
Page 32 and 33: Sarah Hutchison Adams ’98, commun
Page 34 and 35: Alumna Tracy Bee receives playwriti
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