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ContentsVol. 49 | No. 2 | summer 2009from the3 | TOP OF THE NEWSNew administrators, Green Teamnews, helping a graduate student.4 | HONORED BUILDERSHalls of Fame, PS honors5 | CLASS HOSTSMeet your hosts for Homecoming ‘096-7 | COMMENCEMENT8 -11 | ALUMNI NOTESHonors for Gayle McMillen,Sharon Martin, Charles GrigsbyCOVERJennifer Edwards is inductedinto the Order of the Mound atCommencement 2009.SECOND COVERHyacinths perfumed the campusthis spring when the knot garden atthe base of the 77 Steps burst intobloom. Designed by Mary Blake,retired executive assistant to thepresident, the garden was plantedwith the help of Harold Schusterand now provides a multi-seasontreat for the senses. “A knot gardenis a formal garden designed to beviewed from above,” Blake explains.The garden combines perennialssuch as dwarf Douglas firs and glovearborvitae with purple and whiteseasonal favorites including pansies,vincas, and mums.Photos by Tyler Gaskill, Charles Osen’94, Tony Marolf ’10, Terry Quiett ’94,and Susan Burdick. McMillen photo byTom Dorsey/Salina Journal.Unless otherwise credited, stories by SaraSeverance Weinert and Charles Osen.2summer 2009 |Dear friends,Southwestern alumni share acommon experience and a greatbond, but they certainly aren’t allalike. Some alumni keep in touchwith a particular academic programin which they thrived. Others care about a sport in whichthey competed. Still others stay plugged in with a studentgroup or activity that mattered a lot when they werestudents. Some alumni donors want to provide scholarships,others care about programs, and some get excited about newfacilities projects.The college is working to respond to that reality. Wejust launched a new online giving Web site – the address iswww.sckans.edu/makeagift – designed to help you providefinancial support for the parts of the college for which youSharon Wright always frets aboutthe details of Commencement. For16 years it’s been her job to makesure all the faculty members are inproper garb, that the right numberof chairs are behind the podium,that every word in the massiveprogram is properly spelled and spaced.“After 16 years,” she said on May 10, “you’d thinkI’d be perfect at this.”The problem is that even though SouthwesternCollege Commencements been putting the official stampon graduates for more than a century, every graduationceremony is different. Sharon has had to worry aboutdetails over which she has no control. Will the weatherbe too hot, too cold, or juuuuust right? Or will thevagaries of Kansas weather force rescheduling theceremony inside Stewart Field House (a choice preferredby no one)? Will the student speakers show up, on time,to half a dozen different events?This was Sharon’s final year to be in charge ofCommencement. She’s stepping down as the executiveassistant to the president and academic dean, and willbequeath her notebook of procedures and backup plansSouthwestern College PresidentDick MerrimanThe SouthwesternerSara Severance Weinert, editor; Susan Burdick, graphicdesigner; Charles Osen ’94, news bureau/communicationsassistant, Terry E. Quiett ’94, web producer; Skye Callison,alumni notes.Published quarterly by Southwestern College, 100 CollegeSt., Winfield, KS 67156-2499. Periodicals postage paidat Winfield, KS, and additional mailing office.USPS #0612-560.Postmaster: Send address changes to The Southwesterner,100 College St., Winfield, KS 67156-2499.Communicate with The Southwesterner:E-mail: Sara.Weinert@sckans.eduWrite to: Sara WeinertSouthwestern College100 College St., Winfield, KS 67156‐2499Check us outon the webviewpointhave genuine passion. I hope you will check out the site.A visit to the site will certainly give you a sense of theliveliness of Southwestern and the incredible variety andrichness of our programs. More importantly, it will remindyou that you don’t have to be a tycoon to make an impactat the college. There are lots of $20 items listed on the Website that we really need.We truly need and truly value your financial gifts.Every gift is important to us because every gift helps thecollege’s mission of education and service.Thanks for all you do for Southwestern!Best regards,Dick Merriman, Presidentto a successor. Commencement will go on, but someoneelse will be working relentlessly to make sure the dayproceeds without a hitch.The graduates won’t notice, but those of us who workwith Sharon, and will miss her, will.Sara Severance Weinert, Vice President for CommunicationsHelp someone in your life Be a Builderfor high school students, orcurrent college studentsCall the main campus admission office, 1-800-846-1543,ext. 6236.Fill out this Web form, www.sckans.edu/refer-a-studentE-mail the campus admission office, scadmit@sckans.edufor adult or military learnersCall Professional Studies, 1-888-684-5335E-mail Professional Studies, info@southwesterncollege.orgBoard of TrusteesLarry D. Eason, chair; Brilla Highfill Scott, vice chair;Steve A. McSpadden, secretary; Craig L. Anderson, WarrenD. Andreas, Cheryl J. Bell, Phyllis J. Bigler, Beth AnnBlackwood, Stanley A. Bowling, James S. Bryant, KeriR. Crask, A. J. (Jack) Focht, Michael J. Foster, R. PatrickGaughan, Sue A. Hale, Scott C. Hecht, Ronald W. Holt,Richard L. Jantz, Robert P. Jewell, Scott J. Jones, RodneyC. Kreie, C. Michael Lennen, Michael D. Lewis, CharlesM. Madden, H. Leon Mattocks, Florence Metcalf, DannyJ. Moss, Lynn R. Nichols, Madeline J. Norland, DavidC. Parsons, James L. Richardson, David E. Smith, JohnT. Smith, Tom M. Thomas, Stephanie Antrim Weeast.Emeritus Trustees: Kelly B. Bender, Grace M. Brooks,William D. Brooks, George M. Cole, Keith M. Dial,Yvette Ehrlich, Margaret L. Gilger, Merrill Kern Gordon,Kenneth H. Hiebsch, Richard H. Leftwich, Allan J.Lundeen, George R. McNeish, Michael T. Metcalf, AlbertF. Mutti, Candace J. Pettey, James R. Reed, Kelly J.Rundell, William T. Seyb. Honorary Trustees: Bruce P.Blake, Harold W. Deets.
New leaders ll crucial roles at SouthwesternMike Farrell to lead Institutional Advancement EffortsMike Farrell ’68 has beennamed vice president forinstitutional advancementat Southwestern College and tookover the top fund-raising and alumnirelations position at his alma materJune 1.“Mike has a genuine passionfor the college and will be ableto communicate, from first-handexperience, the wonderful thingsthe college does for students,” saysPresident Dick Merriman. “His workat sister United Methodist institutionsalso prepares Mike exceptionallywell to champion the value of boththe college’s Christian commitmentand our connection to the UnitedMethodist Church.”Farrell brings to Southwesternhighly-successful experience innot-for-profit institutions includingUnited Methodist Youthville andmost recently Saint Paul Schoolof Theology. He was proficient instimulating new written planned giftsduring his 16 years at Saint Paul andwas instrumental in the successfulcompletion of two capital campaigns.“Southwestern College has alwaysbeen a very important part of ourlives,” Farrell says. “Given the excitingplans the college has for a new stadiumand dramatic renovation of theauditorium, as well as other activities,these are truly exciting times for thecommunity of Southwestern College.”Farrell’s ties to Southwesternare deep: He was tri-captain of theundefeated 1967 football team, andwas an all-KCAC offensive linemanand all-District Ten NAIA offensivelineman. Last year he was inductedinto the Southwestern College AthleticHall of Fame.He and his wife, Karen (Tucker)’69, are parents to Kyle ’95 and Chris.Denly to be Moundbuilder ADNew administrators, promotions boost expertiseDave Denly has beennamed athletic director atSouthwestern College, andwill take over his new duties July 1.He recently completed his 11th yearas head women’s basketball coach atthe college, and will continue with hiscoaching duties. He also was assistantmen’s basketball coach for two years,and is completing his third year asassistant athletic director.“It is an exciting time to be takingon this position,” Denly says. “Thenew stadium project will have animpact not only on the Southwesterncampus but on the entire town.”Denly replaces Mike Kirkland,who has chosen to return to full-timecoaching at the college.“Dave values the right things,” saysSC President Dick Merriman. “Hisplayers do well academically, they areinvolved in all aspects of the college’slife and are positive contributors in thecommunity, and, of course, they win alot. Those things can go together; youdon’t have to choose one or the other.Dave’s example and his experiencewill, I believe, make him an effectiveleader for our athletic program.”Denly has an overall career recordas head coach of 206-122, includingthree consecutive 20-win seasons,and school records in overall wins andconference wins (15).“I wasn’t interested in the athleticdirector’s position unless I couldcontinue coaching,” he says. “I havegreat assistants in Jack McNickle andJason VenJohn, and I’m confidentin our ability to make the transitionsmoothly.”Dave and Sara (Peterson) Denly’00 live in Winfield.New employees and promotions have added leadership in crucialadministrative positions at Southwestern College.• Deb Stockman is new director of marketing and new media forProfessional Studies. Stockman will provide direction for deploying,enhancing, and monitoring the marketing initiative for ProfessionalStudies using traditional and new media. “We will be looking into usingblogs, Twitter, Facebook, and other new media to reach more students,”Stockman says. Prior to coming to Southwestern College, Stockmanworked in marketing for Dean & Deluca and for Sheplers Western Wear.• Lonnie Boyd ’92 is new director of human resources. Previouslyexecutive director of the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Boydstarted her new duties in January.• Jill Johnson has been promoted to associate vice president for institutionaladvancement. Johnson had been director of development at Southwesternsince 2001, and now has taken on additional supervisory responsibility inthe institutional advancement office.• Jessica Hornbostel is new director of development, and has beenpromoted from annual fund manager. She has been on the institutionaladvancement staff since 2004.Learner persists despite fiery disasterAn April 9 Oklahoma grassfire claimed the home andpossessions of a SouthwesternCollege Professional Studies learner –but couldn’t take away her dream of agraduate degree.Theresa Hopson and her husbandhad just returned to their Choctawhome from work when a neighborpointed out a fire in a nearby pasture.Although they thought they had timeto grab some possessions, the fire wasvoracious. It quickly jumped the fenceonto their property.“I started yelling for my husbandand son to get out, we had to leavenow,” Theresa recalls. Her son ran tohis truck; her husband grabbed the keysto their truck but somehow the key tothe truck fell off the key ring and hecouldn’t find it. “My son left thinkingwe were behind him. We had to runacross the neighbors’ yard, over anotherfence, across a pasture, into the ditch,and across the street. Daniel met usthere. We ended up at our daughter’shouse (about three miles from ourhouse).”When they returned later that nighttheir house was gone.“I knew there was no way I couldcomplete the class I was in at thetime so I e-mailed my instructor and(advisor) Dana Johnson,” Theresa says.The college responded bywithdrawing her from the current classwithout penalty but encouraged hercontinuation in the master of science inmanagement program, and backed upthis encouragement by providing her afree laptop.“I enrolled for the next session(which started May 11). I am not surewhen I will finish, but it really doesn’tmatter. I need to finish,” Hopsondeclares. “It’s just something thathappened; you either move on or staystagnate. We have kids, obligations,and jobs. We can’t stay idle – doingnothing accomplishes nothing.”The Green Team is extendingits visibility statewide with activities onand off campus. A collaboration withthe Kansas CW and KWCH televisionstations features team leader JasonSpeegle (above, right) promoting greenliving tips, including the planting oftrees. Shown below are team membersKate Norton, Cassi Reimer, and AlexGottlob. Check out the broadcast spotsat www.sckans.edu/greenteam, alongwith news of the Kansas Envirothon heldMay 13 at the biology field station.Left: Only the shell of Theresa Hopson’shome remains after grass fires swept throughOklahoma April 9.(photo courtesy of Theresa Hopson)| summer 2009 3
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