in memory of... - Briar Cliff University

BRIAR CLIFF UNIVERSITY
M A G A Z I N E
FALL 2006
“A WORLD AWAY”
BCU student treks across Asia

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Dear Alumni and Friends
of Briar Cliff University,
Fall is always an exciting time on a college
campus. Briar Cliff University is no exception.
Even though faculty and staff were preparing
for the start of school for several weeks, the
real excitement began with move-in day.
New students spent Welcome Week getting
acquainted, developing an understanding of college life and being introduced to campus organizations. This
year, 260 first-year students enrolled at Briar Cliff resulting in a second consecutive year of record full-time
enrollment.
Once classes started, the pace only quickened. Our strategic plan emphasizes holistic education, recognizing
that learning occurs both inside and outside the classroom. This fall we hosted numerous events that broadened
the horizons of Briar Cliff students. Some of the highlights:
• Conducted Fall Academic Convocation (see page 3);
• Discussed in a symposium on 9/11 its effect on the economy, world and politics;
• Celebrated The Feast of St. Francis including a transitus ceremony and liturgy;
• Hosted a faculty debate on immigration;
• Presented the Sr. Muriel Ford Lecture by Sr. Janet Harris, a gang counselor from Los Angeles (see page 3);
• Heard about the dangers of binge drinking from Mrs. Patty Spady (see page 2);
• Honored Briar Cliff history with a pilgrimage to Mount St. Francis in Dubuque;
• Presented the Sr. Jordan Dahm Endowed Exhibition and Lecture in the Visual Arts by Christopher Cook;
• Sponsored an Antioch Retreat;
• Featured a reading by Iowa-born poet and essayist Tom Montag;
• Staged “Othello” by the BCU Theatre Department;
• Competed in a variety of athletic events;
• Presented a piano and voice students recital;
• Sponsored student life activities including movies, dances, comedians and karaoke;
• Welcomed Zev Kedem, a survivor of Auschwitz and member of “Schindler’s List,” for the Concert-
Lecture Series;
• Organized a Thanksgiving holiday mission trip to Honduras.
You are welcome to join us throughout the year as we celebrate the many dimensions of learning at Briar Cliff
University.
God’s blessings,
Beverly A. Wharton

BRIAR CLIFF UNIVERSITY
FEATURES
M A G A Z I N E
Table of Contents
BCU student
spends summer backpacking through Asia 5
In Memory Of...
Endowments become way of remembering friends, family 6
Alumni Weekend 2006
Honoring our alumni, paying tribute to partners in faith 7
Psychology student has “game”
when it comes to summer internship 8
Briar Cliff University Bookstore Inside Back Cover
IN EVERY ISSUE
Message from the President Inside Cover
Brief Stories 2
Board of Trustees Feature 4
BCU Charger Athletic Update 9
Class Notes 12
ON THE COVER
Sophomore nursing major Renae Kremer spent five weeks
in the summer backpacking across Asia going from China to
Tibet and eventually ending her journey with stops in
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. She talks about her trip in
words and pictures inside this issue.
Briar Cliff University Magazine is an official publication of Briar Cliff University, Sioux City, Iowa. Briar
Cliff University Magazine is published three times a year by the Briar Cliff University Office of
Institutional Advancement and is mailed free of charge to alumni and friends of Briar Cliff University.
Copyright © 2006 by Briar Cliff University.
At Briar Cliff University there will be no discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, age, disability
or national origin in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This principle applies to, but is not limited
to, educational programs, admissions, activities, financial aid and/or employment policies.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Sister Dorothy Heiderscheit
Chairperson
President, Sisters of St. Francis
Bailey Aalfs
Retired CEO, Sabre Communications Corporation
Tim Brown
President, Brown Construction Company
Glenda Castleberry V.P. of SEDC, SIMPCO
Karen Chesterman
Marilyn Christiansen
Community Leader
Community Leader
Greg Deman
President & CEO, Jacobson Distribution Co.
Michael Ellwanger
Partner, Rawlings, Nieland, Probasco, Killinger,
Ellwanger, Jacobs & Mohrhauser, L.L.P.
Leonard Gill
President, L.P. Gill, Inc.
Chuck Harstad
Retired Staff V.P. Corporate Marketing, 3M
Matthew Lawler
Investment Representative,
Dakota County State Bank
Dr. Carolyn Leman
Professor of Nursing Emerita
Community Leader
Sister Kathy Lentsch V.P., Sisters of St. Francis
Craig McGarry Senior V.P., First National Bank
Dr. Gerald McGowan
Physician, Family Practice Center
Most Rev. R. Walker Nickless
Bishop, Diocese of Sioux City
Rev. Patrick O’Kane Pastor, St. John Church
Virginia Peterson
Kathy Petrie
Community Leader
Partner, Siouxland McDonald’s
Shennen Saltzman SEP, L.L.C., Burger King
H.F. “Gus” Schroeder Retired Businessman,
Former Mayor, Wall Lake, Iowa
Jane Shey
President, Shey & Associates
Sister Joan Stoffel
Retired Director of Curriculum,
Catholic Schools of Sioux City
Dr. Diane Werth
Physician, Cardiovascular Associates
Beverly Wharton
President, Briar Cliff University
Sister Mona Wingert
Retired, Sisters of St. Francis
Charese Yanney
Partner, Guarantee Roofing & Siding

(1) Samantha “Sam” Spady was a 19-year-old college sophomore who died from acute alcohol poisoning. (2) Patricia Spady, Sam’s mother, spoke to
Briar Cliff University students about the dangers of binge-drinking. (3) Briar Cliff student Renee Beiermann views some of Sam Spady’s artwork
that was on display in the St. Francis Center during Patricia Spady’s program.
THE SAM SPADY FOUNDATION
PATTY SPADY SHARES DAUGHTER’S STORY WITH BCU STUDENTS
On Sept. 5, 2004, Patty Spady remembers a law enforcement
officer asking her, “Do you have a daughter, Samantha Spady?”
“I remember all the life that you have just being sucked out of
you at the time,” she admitted. “Because I knew he wasn’t there
to tell me that she had won the lottery, I knew that there was only
bad news.”
Samantha “Sam” Spady was a very involved student at Beatrice
(Neb.) High School. She was class president, a cheerleader,
active in several clubs, and when it came to choosing a college,
she picked Colorado State University partly because she liked the
community of Fort Collins, Colo., but mostly because she loved
the mountains.
On Sept. 4, 2004, Sam, 19, attended several parties and ended the
night with friends at a fraternity house. In the early morning
hours, she was having trouble walking. Sam’s friends placed her
in an unused room to “sleep it off.” Unfortunately, Sam never
Seventeen Briar Cliff University students
are tooting their horns on campus - literally
- as jazz musicians with the formation of
an ensemble this fall.
The formation of the jazz ensemble is a culmination
of student interest as well as the
music department’s desire to revive an
instrumental program that was originally
formed on the Briar Cliff campus more
than a decade ago.
“We had a jazz band at Briar Cliff in the late
1980s, for seven or eight years,” said Dr.
Mary Day, chairperson and associate professor
of music at BCU. “We’re excited to
bring something back to the students who
are interested in playing their instruments
and honing their instrumental music skills.”
Under the direction of Robert Gibson, a
trumpeter with the Sioux City Symphony
for 27 years, the jazz ensemble plans to perform
at several on-campus events through-
woke up. She had slipped into a coma and eventually died from
acute alcohol poisoning.
“Sam did not intend to die that night,” Patty explained. “But I
want you all to be aware of the dangers and the risks of alcohol
poisoning.”
After Sam’s death, Rick and Patty founded the Sam Spady
Foundation to speak out publicly about the dangers of binge
drinking and the risks of excessive alcohol consumption. In addition
to bringing Sam’s artwork to the Briar Cliff campus, Patty
also shared staggering statistics of acute alcohol poisoning with
BCU students - 1,400 college kids die annually from alcohol related
deaths.
“It could happen to you,” she told an audience of BCU students
gathered in the St. Francis Center in October. “It could happen
to your roommate, your friends, even your family. Take care of
yourself and look out for each other.”
BCU MAKING SWEET MUSIC WITH JAZZ ENSEMBLE
2 Fall 2006
out the school year as well as travel to collegiate
jazz festivals.
“We’ve started small with the intention of
building up to a traditional ensemble in the
next few years,” added Gibson, who is also
an instrumental music instructor at North
Middle School in Sioux City.
The jazz ensemble will debut on Dec. 17 in
“Cocoa and Carols” at 7 p.m. in the Stark
Student Center.

PRISON CHAPLAIN,
GANG COUNSELOR
TALKS ABOUT TROUBLED TIMES
For more than 30 years, Sister Janet Harris has helped troubled youths in Southern
California. While her results have been mixed, she hasn’t given up hope that young adults,
particularly those involved with gangs, can be helped.
“We went out to change this culture,” she said during her visit to the BCU campus in
October for the Sister Muriel Ford Lectureship and Sister Ruth Agnes Ahlers
Endowment. “There was such contempt for these young people.”
Harris, who gave up a teaching career to work as a prison chaplain and gang counselor, has
been a vocal critic of California’s three-strikes law, an initiative that lowers the age at
which juveniles can be tried as adults. She told the Briar Cliff audience that she became
involved in helping troubled youths by accident.
“We had a high school in our parish, and to be honest, I was tired of picking up beer cans,”
she mentioned. “On Saturdays, the school grounds were open and I would see gangs
come in, but nobody took the time to work with them.”
Even though she has received several awards for her ability to reach out to “lost children,”
including the President’s Award from the American Bar Association, Woman of the Year
in California’s 21st Senate District and, most recently, “Person of the Week” by ABC
Nightly News in April 2006, her work has often met with heartache as some kids end up
in prison or - even worse - murdered.
“If you commit yourself to something, it’s going to be very difficult,” she admitted. “You
will have success and disappointments. But one thing I guarantee you will have - miracles.
They will be great, so great you will ask God to quit showing off.”
Students continue to see that Briar Cliff
University is a place that shapes people’s
lives as enrollment of full-time undergraduate
students is at an all-time high this fall
with 978 students, a 46 percent increase
since 2000.
Buoyed by the largest incoming class since
1984, BCU’s total enrollment continues to
exceed 1,100 students, including 423 new
students. The number of students in residence
halls is close to ideal capacity with
581 residents living on campus.
“We have a large, diverse, talented freshman
class joining our campus,” said
Sharisue Wilcoxon, vice president for
enrollment management. “It gives us new
energy to do what we do best at BCU - recognize
every student’s uniqueness and
FALL
CONVOCATION
an invitation to first-year students
More than 250 first-year students participated
in Briar Cliff University’s
Fall Convocation, an annual invitation
for membership in the Briar Cliff
community that includes a matriculation
ceremony - a contemporary version
of the “Capping Ceremony” that
was used at Briar Cliff in the 1950s.
Every student in attendance received a
certificate of matriculation and signed
their name into a registry book that
will be kept in the president’s office
until Commencement May 2010.
Faculty mentors - dressed in full academic
regalia - led first-year students
into Our Lady of Grace Chapel for the
ceremony. Briar Cliff President
Beverly Wharton welcomed students
and faculty members; and Judith
Lynch Welu, Ed.D., professor of art,
delivered the convocation address
entitled “The Reed Painter.”
ENROLLMENT CONTINUES TO GROW AT BRIAR CLIFF
serve the individual.”
Forty-nine percent of Briar Cliff’s firstyear
students in 2006 are male, which is the
largest first-year percentage in Briar Cliff
history since 1972 - six years after the
school became coeducational. Briar Cliff
University’s campus continues to represent
a greater global perspective as 13.3 percent
of its first-year class is multicultural.
The Briar Cliff University Magazine
3

4 Fall 2006
BOARD OF TRUSTEES FEATURE
MARILYN CHRISTIANSEN
Her passion for Catholic
education runs deep; that’s
why Marilyn Christiansen
loves what she sees in
Briar Cliff University.
“I like the Franciscan values,”
explained Christiansen, who has been a member of the
Briar Cliff University Board of Trustees since 1999. “It’s a
good message to our students and it keeps them centered on
what’s important in life.”
Christiansen has used Franciscan values in her support of several
projects in Siouxland throughout the years, including the
Catholic Schools of Sioux City Development Board and the
Catholic Charities Board of Directors. She and her late husband,
Russ, also established the Russ and Marilyn Christiansen
Endowed Scholarship to aid Briar Cliff University students in
their pursuit of higher education.
“I’ve always liked the atmosphere at Briar Cliff,” she noted. “I
always get that sense whenever I’m on campus - that the students
really take a personal interest in school and in what they’re doing
to make the Briar Cliff community a better place.”
Growing up in Jefferson, S.D., Christiansen and her family
became familiar with Briar Cliff when her older sister attended
Briar Cliff. She remembers the school, an all-women’s college
at the time, having a profound impact on the Diocese of Sioux
City - as it still does today.
“That’s why it’s important to keep Briar Cliff at the forefront,”
she explained, “because it is the only Catholic college in the
diocese.”
Christiansen’s influence and support of the Diocese of Sioux
City has not gone unnoticed either. In 2003, Catholic
Charities awarded her with the Sign of Hope Award, honoring
Christiansen for her volunteer work in the community as well
as for her leadership within the diocese. She and Russ, who
died in November 2000, were also honored that same year
with the Leadership in Catholic Education Award by the Most
Rev. Daniel N. DiNardo, former bishop of the Diocese of
Sioux City.
“All four of my children attended Catholic schools, so Catholic
education has always been important to our family,” added
Christiansen. “The God-centered values it provides means a
lot to me.”
Serving on the Briar Cliff Board of Trustees also means a lot to
Christiansen, who values the interaction between the board
members, President Bev Wharton and their dedication to seeing
the university succeed.
“There are a lot of great people serving on our board, with a lot
of great ideas,” she explained. “These are very interesting
times in education. It makes us do our homework if we really
want to stay competitive.”
She believes that Briar Cliff will stay competitive by enhancing
the learning environment for students, including facility
upgrades as well as meeting the demands of increasing enrollment.
“It’s amazing, the opportunities students have in education
today,” Christiansen pointed out. “I think (Briar Cliff) will
continue to grow, and it’s our obligation to the students to see
that it does.”
Christiansen's four grown children, Lori, Lynn, Lisa and
Rusty, live in the Midwest. She was married on June 30 this
summer to Ed Wiltgen, a retired physician from Sioux City.
They reside in Dakota Dunes, S.D.

With just a few clothes on her back and stowed away in her backpack, Renae Kremer made it all the way from Beijing to Kazakhstan in five weeks
hiking through the mountains (1); meeting new friends (2); and getting an up close view of the mountainous villages of Tibet (3).
BCU student spends summer
backpacking through Asia
When Renae Kremer returned for classes, she wasn’t alone in
sharing her summer experiences with friends and classmates.
But instead of recounting stories of a family reunion or a vacation
to the lakes, Kremer talked about seeing pandas in
Chengdu, walking the market of Kashgar, and eating yak burgers
and drinking yak butter tea in Tibet as she backpacked
through Asia for five weeks.
“It was an incredible experience,” said Kremer, a sophomore
nursing major from Worthington, Minn. “There really
wasn’t just one thing that stood out.”
Kremer’s trip began in Beijing, China, where she met her friend
Kuba, from Toronto, Canada, who had backpacked through
Europe the previous summer. When he asked Kremer to join
him in Asia, Kremer didn’t hesitate. So, with two pairs of shoes,
a pair of shorts, a pair of jeans, two tank tops, three T-shirts and
some socks, the five-week excursion began with three days in
Beijing. After that, it was a matter of “just keep going.”
Stops in China included the cities of Pingyao and Xi’an before
going to Chengdu to see the pandas because, she joked, “that’s
what you do there.” Kremer and Kuba eventually landed in
the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, where they visited Potala Palace
and Lake Namtso, the highest lake in the world. They also
saw monks of the Sera Monastery debating scripture, one of
Kremer’s favorite moments of the trip.
“(Lhasa) is so high up in the mountains, and the sky is so blue.
It’s just an amazing part of the world,” recalled Kremer, whose
sister, Lisa, is a freshman at Briar Cliff.
Kremer described the people she met as amazing. From China
to Kazakhstan, Kremer noted how people were “curious but
friendly,” especially near Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan.
While hiking without camping gear and expecting to find a
yurt camp - the rustic version of KOA - the lingering darkness
and the night chill started setting in as Kremer and Kuba grew
weary for shelter. Fortunately, they came upon a camp fire
with people - a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses - who were happy
to lend tents and food to the travelers. “They pretty much
saved our lives,” she admitted.
Getting around cities was easy as Kremer and her friend rented
bicycles, but traveling the terrain of mountainous countries
like Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan was done by hitchhiking and
by taxi, where it wasn’t uncommon to share rides with local
women, children and even sheep.
“We waved down a bus,” she recalled, “and negotiated a price,
which is what you do when you want a ride. The driver took
us back by this compartment, opened it up and inside next to
the luggage was a sheep. It just looked at us, ‘baaed;’ and the
driver shut the door. I couldn’t help but laugh.”
While most people would be relieved and exhausted after such
a long journey, Kremer wanted to continue backpacking
through Russia, but that’s for another adventure, which might
be sooner rather than later.
“I was never homesick,” she explained. “Having been to college
for a year at Briar Cliff helped, and I was more mature and
prepared for a trip like this.”
The Briar Cliff University Magazine
5

The easiest and most popular form
of a deferred or planned gift is a
bequest through a will. It is not
unusual for bequests to comprise 80
percent or more of the planned gifts
received by an institution regardless
of the institution’s size. Including a
charitable bequest to Briar Cliff
University in your will is a way for
you to continue your support of our
mission after your lifetime. Not
only will you leave a legacy, you will
make a meaningful difference to our
future.
Julia and Paul Urbanis formed a
partnership with Briar Cliff in 1983
by creating an annual scholarship for
nursing students. In 1987, they
declared their intention to establish
the Julia and Paul Urbanis Endowed
Nursing Scholarship through a
bequest in their will. A gift of
$210,000 was received from the
Urbanis estate in 2005.
Margaret (Ryan) Bolks, 1933 alumna,
and James, her husband, provided for
the future of Briar Cliff by making
the University a beneficiary of their
charitable remainder trust. In 2005, a
gift of $57,000 was received. The gift
created an endowed fund to provide
global educational experiences and
service learning opportunities for
BCU students.
If you would like more information
on creating an endowed fund to
assist students or a program, please
contact Mike Jorgensen ’73, director
of gift planning, at 712-279-5396 or
mike.jorgensen@briarcliff.edu.
6
TWO ESTATE GIFTS
CREATE
ENDOWED
FUNDS
Fall 2006
IN MEMORY OF...
Endowments become way
of remembering friends, family
Two endowments recently established at Briar Cliff will provide a scholarship for nursing
students and a scholarship for students interested in professional development through
internships.
Monsignor Robert J. Quinn, Father Tom Nash and Sister Grace Nash did not have a
direct connection to Briar Cliff, but their legacy of service to the Diocese of Sioux City did
not go unnoticed and will benefit a new generation of Briar Cliff students.
“It takes a strong commitment from our alumni and friends to make sure our endowment
grows on an annual basis,” said Mike Jorgensen, director of gift planning at BCU.
“Establishing an endowment is a profound way of memorializing a friend or family member
who had a significant impact on someone’s life.”
Jane Shey, a 1979 graduate of Briar Cliff and BCU Board of Trustees member, honored the
memory of her friend, “Father Tom,” by spearheading the endowment left in the name of
Nash, who died in 1999, and his sister, Grace, who passed away in 1995. Father Tom was
a priest in the Diocese of Sioux City for 45 years and he spent several years training priests
and sisters in Tanzania. Sister Grace was a member of the Dubuque Franciscan Sisters, and
provided pastoral ministry for parishes in Minnesota and Mississippi.
“Scholarships like this will help engage students to look outside the classroom and grow
in their personal and professional development,” said Shey, who got to know Father Tom
during a college internship. “That’s what makes the Briar Cliff mission unique - its
Franciscan charisms and a commitment to service.”
Briar Cliff’s Franciscan values so impressed Monsignor Quinn, who died last February at
the age of 97, he wanted to establish a nursing scholarship at BCU. “Father Bob” was
ordained in the Diocese of Sioux City in 1934, served as a priest in Iowa and Southern
California for several years, and was a chaplain in the navy for 25 years. He spent the
remainder of his life under healthcare supervision after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s
disease. In recognition of the nursing care he received, he established an endowment at
Briar Cliff.
“He felt he had to do something to honor nurses,” noted Elizabeth Hornick, Quinn’s former
caregiver who facilitated the endowment in Quinn’s behalf. “He constantly reminded
me to establish this scholarship and it was a pleasure to do it for him.”
Briar Cliff has more than 175 endowed scholarships and other endowed funds.
Endowments are integral when it comes to funding programs and activities. Income from
endowment earnings is vital to an institution’s overall financial resources.
“A healthy, growing endowment provides Briar Cliff with financial resources necessary
for long-term stability and growth,” added Chris Mueller, vice president for institutional
advancement at BCU. “Because endowments exist forever, these gifts will have a lasting
impact on every future student who attends Briar Cliff.”

ALUMNI WEEKEND 2006
HONORING OUR ALUMNI,
PAYING TRIBUTE TO PARTNERS IN FAITH
Briar Cliff University celebrated Alumni Weekend 2006 with a
tribute to alumni and an induction ceremony for the Diocese of
Sioux City during the Alumni Awards Dinner on Sept. 9.
President Beverly Wharton presented six awards during the
dinner in the St. Francis Center, including a replica statuette of
Heelan Hall commissioned specifically for Mother Dominica
Society recipients. A video honoring the diocese and its significant
relationship with Briar Cliff was also part of the awards
presentation. The Diocese of Sioux City joined the Sisters of
St. Francis of Dubuque, Iowa, Eleanore and the late William C.
Metz of Sioux City, and the late Dr. Frederick Stark
as inductees into the Mother Dominica Society, which was
established in 2005 to recognize the top lifetime benefactors of
Briar Cliff University.
“It is a blessing to have this partnership in the diocese that is
committed to higher education with the values and principles of
God’s will,” noted Most Rev. R. Walker Nickless, Bishop of the
Diocese of Sioux City. “And in order to grow in our relationship
with God, we must continue to recognize that education is
a pillar of faith.”
Matt Lawler, a 1990 BCU graduate and Board of Trustees
member, and President Wharton presented awards during the
evening. the Alumni Professional Achievement Award was
presented to Ray Cole, a 1977 Briar Cliff graduate who is the
president and chief operating officer of Citadel
Communications in West Des Moines, Iowa; the Alumni
Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Richard Hettinger, a 1974
graduate of Briar Cliff and a local dentist; the Alumni Family
Award to the Carine ’55 and Eugene Schroeder Family; the
Alumni Appreciation Award to Charese Yanney, partner,
Guarantee Roofing & Siding; and the Siouxland Community
Service Award presented to The Bargain Center of Sioux City.
Alumni Weekend 2006 also featured a tailgate party on
Saturday afternoon prior to Briar Cliff University’s first home
football game of the season, a thrilling 13-6 overtime win over
Dakota Wesleyan University. On Friday, BCU hosted the Lila
Frommelt Memorial Golf Classic at Whispering Creek Golf
Club in Sioux City to raise money for the BCU Annual
Scholarship Fund. Following the golf tournament, the
Briar Cliff Student Alumni Association sponsored an ice cream
social on Heffernan Mall.
In addition to the tailgate party and football game, Saturday
afternoon’s activities included an alumni softball game at Bishop
Mueller Field, a BCU men’s soccer game against Mary
University at Faber Field, and an alumni volleyball game in the
Newman Flanagan Center.
Alumni Weekend 2006 concluded with a Sunday morning liturgy
in Our Lady of Grace Chapel.
(1) BCU employees Lisa Sembach-Preston (left) and Bobbi Swanson register golfers Dave Arens and Jim Wharton for the 2006 Lila Frommelt
Memorial Classic at Whispering Creek Golf Club. (2) Most Rev. R. Walker Nickless (left) accepts a statuette of Heelan Hall commissioned for the
Diocese of Sioux City’s induction into the Mother Dominica Society from BCU President Beverly Wharton. (3) Tailgating prior to the kickoff of
Briar Cliff’s game against Dakota Wesleyan was a big hit with Charger fans.
The Briar Cliff University Magazine 7

8
PSYCHOLOGY STUDENT
HAS “GAME” WHEN IT COMES TO
SUMMER INTERNSHIP
Kendra Homan wanted her summer internship to go beyond
observing and taking notes. The senior psychology major from
Le Mars, Iowa, wanted a practical experience as she prepared
for her final year of college.
“An observational internship was not exactly what I wanted,”
she explained with a smile. “I wanted my internship to be
hands-on.”
Homan got what she wanted and more out of a pair of internships
at Kansas State University that allowed her to design and
conduct her own research experiments as she became the first
student from the Briar Cliff Psychology Department to complete
a research-based internship.
Her first internship at Kansas State University was a four-week
study of the physiological effects of video games. Although her
main objective was assisting in the completion of a graduate student’s
thesis, Homan was the only undergraduate invited back
to join Dr. James Shanteau’s graduate research team for a second
internship where she designed her own experiment around
the dynamic decision-making process in “microworlds,” or computer
simulations of real world environments.
“In a dynamic decisions task, the state of the decision problem
changes over time both independently and as a consequence of
the decision maker’s actions,” Homan described. “As a result,
dynamic decisions are rarely studied because it is difficult to
create a situation in a lab environment that adequately reflects
Fall 2006
real life situations.”
“Microworlds” make the study of dynamic decision-making
possible. For example, Homan’s experiment involved two video
games, “Prairie Fire” and “UN Food Relief,” which simulated
disasters in the form of fires and famine. Subjects were monitored
on their reactions to the difficult situations posed in both
games and how the skills learned in the simulations could be
transferred to the real world.
“It was a great experience,” admitted Homan. “I was able to
design and conduct my own research experiment and see firsthand
what grad school would be like.”
While the summer came to an end, Homan’s internship continued
thanks to a partnership between Briar Cliff’s Psychology
Department and Kansas State University. During the month of
September, Homan continued her experiment using Briar Cliff
students as subjects in the prairie fire and famine simulations.
Homan, who plans to attend graduate school following graduation
from Briar Cliff in May, would like to pursue a career in
clinical psychology. She first developed a love for psychology
when she was a high school student at Le Mars Gehlen thanks
to her teacher Richard Seivert.
“He made me love it,” she explained. “I like how people think.
Psychology really opens you and how you can think more positively.
It’s definitely a hands-on field.”

BCU CHARGERS ATHLETIC UPDATE
Outstanding athletic performances from several Briar Cliff athletes
during the fall season ranged from the school’s first overtime
win in football to a No. 4 regional ranking in women’s soccer.
In September, the Charger volleyball team went 3-1 and
brought home the championship trophy from Anchorage, Alaska
as sophomore setter Kayla Bessmer won most outstanding player
honors. The Chargers also defeated Dordt, 3-0, at the
Newman Flanagan Center for only the second time in head
coach Mary Schroeder-Miller’s 11-year tenure. Senior Renee
Beiermann tied the school record for kills in a career as she registered
11 kills in a five-set victory over Morningside.
On Sept. 9, the Charger football team celebrated the program’s
first overtime game with a thrilling 13-6 win over Dakota
Wesleyan. Senior Josh Schaffert had eight tackles, 2.5 tackles
for loss and 1.5 sacks against the Tigers. On Sept. 23, the
Chargers scored 30 unanswered points to knock off Concordia,
30-24. The comeback was ignited by a school record long 98yard
kickoff return for a touchdown by senior Corey DeRocher.
In October, the Chargers held on for a 24-21 victory at Midland
Lutheran. Leading by three, the Charger defense forced a fumble
at its own 2-yard line and held on for the win. BCU defeated
Doane 21-9 to finish the season with five wins, a school
record for the program.
The fall also proved to be an impressive start for both the men’s
and women’s cross country teams. Freshman Matt DeRocher
led the Chargers at five meets this fall, including the GPAC
Championships. The women’s team finished 11th at this year’s
GPAC Championships as sophomore Rachel Pickner led the
Chargers with a time of 21.11.48 (38th overall).
Freshman Michaela Carew was named to the GPAC Women’s
Golf All-Conference team as she finished eighth at conference.
Carew automatically qualified for the NAIA Regional in the
spring.
Led by sophomore Bobby Labs’ game-winning goal, the Briar
Cliff men’s soccer team defeated Doane, 1-0, on Sept. 16. On
Oct. 29, the Chargers defeated York, 3-2, in double OT scoring
the game-winner with four seconds left in the second overtime.
Junior Wes Zach led the team with four goals and two assists.
Labs, Zach and freshman keeper Buddy Goodenkauf were allconference
honorable mention selections.
The Briar Cliff women’s soccer team was ranked as high as No.
4 in the region, but ended the season with a 1-0 loss at
Northwestern in the NAIA Regional Tournament. Their
biggest offensive output of the season was an 8-1 win on Sept. 27
against Mount Marty as sophomore Mal Graf set a school record
with four assists in the contest. Freshman Lisa Maxey earned
first-team all-conference and all-region while senior Cholla
Simons, junior Kristina Ruhlman, Graf and freshman Ashley
Wehle were honorable mention all-conference selections.
LUNCH WITH THE CHARGERS
Join us for "Lunch With the Chargers" on Monday, February 19, 2007 at Outback Steakhouse. Lunch will be served by
BCU athletes, coaches and administrators. All proceeds benefit the Annual Scholarship Fund. Advance reservations are required.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact Lisa Sembach-Preston, director of alumni relations,
at lisa.preston@briarcliff.edu or 712-279-1705.
The Briar Cliff University Magazine 9

BCU CHARGERS
10 Fall 2006
WORKING TOWARDS
A DREAM
Former Charger Joe Nelson
lands with Houston ABA franchise
Like so many young
athletes, Joe Nelson
dreamed of a basketball
career. The 6-7 Nelson
graduated from Briar Cliff last spring
with a degree in secondary education. In
four years at BCU, he tallied 1,006 points
and 394 rebounds in 109 games. He also
led the Chargers in scoring as a junior
and senior.
Nelson currently lives in Houston with
his mother, Dell. There, he found a job
at the Y and continued to hone his game
before and after work – even during
lunch breaks. While playing pick-up
games at a club downtown, Nelson
learned about Houston’s American
Basketball Association team holding
open tryouts.
The son of Bill and Dell Nelson decided
to give it a shot. On Sept. 23, Nelson
competed against more than 50 players
who had shown up on this final day of a
four-day tryout. After that final session,
coaches pulled him aside.
“They told me that they liked the way I
got up and down the floor and how I was
able to shoot from the outside,” said
Nelson. “I was pretty shocked actually.
This has been a lifelong dream…to make
money doing what I love.”
Nelson is also making sure that he’s
ready to compete at the next level. After
years of playing in the post, Nelson will
now play on the wing for the
Undertakers, whose season runs from
November through March. Aside from
Nelson, the team is made up of 11 other
players primarily from Texas.
“It’s a chance for me to get my foot in the
door and get some exposure and put up
some numbers,” said Nelson. “At this
level, there is no way I could play in the
post against guys who are 6-10 to 7-1. It
is a totally different game here.”
Nelson says he likes his new team “a lot”
because of their chemistry and their style
of play adding, “Coach (Jackie Carr) is all
about the run and gun, pressing for 48
minutes and scoring over 120 points a
game.”
He also learned several valuable lessons
from his coaches at Briar Cliff.
“Coach (Mike) Beard taught me that hard
work pays off and that sometimes you
have to fight through things. Playing basketball
is a job for me now. I have to go
out there and do my job to the best of my
ability. Coach (Todd) Barry taught me to
take one day at a time and to enjoy every
minute of it because the opportunity will
not always be there,” Nelson stated.
Life is about more than just basketball
and Nelson is well aware of that. He is
currently a substitute high school teacher
by day and a semi-professional basketball
player by night.
“We are really tickled for Joe,” said Briar
Cliff Head Coach Todd Barry. “This is
a great opportunity for him. I believe his
best basketball days are still ahead of
him.”

MUELLER JUGGLES
Marriage and Graduation
Around Final Football Season
For fifth-year senior defensive back Matt
Mueller, there was never really any question
as to whether or not he would return
to play one final season.
“I figured if I can play, why not? It was
a chance for me to continue to be around
friends and to play the sport I love,” said
Mueller.
The only drawback was that Mueller
would be away from the love of his life
for the duration of the season. Mueller
married Amy Albrecht, a 2006 Briar Cliff
graduate, last summer. Just over a month
after their wedding, Mueller began twoa-day
practices in Sioux City while Amy
moved to Sioux Falls and chased her
dreams of being a registered nurse.
“It was much tougher on Amy than on
me,” said Mueller. “I had football and
my teammates, while she was in Sioux
Falls by herself.”
The couple saw each other about twice a
week and Amy rarely missed a game.
She watched as the Chargers finished
with a 5-7 record, setting the school
record for wins in a season, and saw
Mueller lead the team in interceptions
and pass break-ups.
Coming out of Crofton High School,
Mueller was inspired after his first meeting
with Coach Dick Strittmatter and the
visit to the Briar Cliff campus “sealed the
deal.” Mueller was a staple in the
Charger secondary since the program’s
club season in 2002. In his four-year varsity
career, he totaled nearly 200 tackles,
a dozen interceptions
and 40 pass breakups.
“I honestly don’t know what it will be
like to not have a Matt Mueller on my
team,” said Strittmatter. “He is one of
the greatest young people I have ever
been associated with.”
The son of Ken and the late Dawn
Mueller has impacted Briar Cliff more
often than just on Saturdays in the fall.
He has also been active in Student
Government Association, intramurals
and Bible study.
“I have really enjoyed being a part of it
all,” said Mueller. “From our club season,
to our 0-10 start, through our first
win and our victory over a nationallyranked
team. But most of all, I’ll
remember the practices. You put so
much work into it. Doing things that no
one else sees. It’s rewarding to see how
far the program has come.”
A team captain and three-time honorable
mention all-conference selection, Mueller
knows his playing career has ended, so he
tried to make the most of each day.
“They were special times with special
people,” said Mueller with a smile.
“However, I look forward to being
married and getting on with the next
stage of my life.”
And as he enters that next stage, Mueller
said he will hold Briar Cliff and the lessons
he has learned, close to his heart.
ATHLETIC UPDATE
The Briar Cliff University Magazine
11

BRIAR CLIFF UNIVERSITY
Class Notes received before October 1, 2006
OBITUARIES
ALUMNI
Bob Kirgan ’94, Sept. 7, 2005
Helen Griffin ’50, April 2, 2006
Mary (Schumacher) Norrod ’63, April 25, 2006
Charles David “Dave” Phillips ’85,
May 1, 2006
Margie (Sitzman) Gilligan ’47, May 6, 2006
Timothy O’Kane ’84, May 11, 2006
Sister Helen Larsen, OSF ’42, May 14, 2006
Joan (Bruehler) Abraham ’52, May 16, 2006
Madonna (Sitzman) Albino ’43,
May 19, 2006
Ann (Glaser) Jensen ’71, May 28, 2006
Sister Frances Dessel, OSF ’48,
May 30, 2006
Mary (Wolf) Wullschleger ’54, June 3, 2006
Timothy Coughlin ’73, June 8, 2006
Kelly (DeMers) Randall ’83, June 12, 2006
Arla Baird ’57, June 16, 2006
Alice (O’Shaughnessy) Denny ’53,
June 17, 2006
Dolores (Drey) Hopkins ’48, July 3, 2006
Sister Joyce Brogan OSF ’63, July 4, 2006
Sister Medarda Heimes OSF ’39,
July 4, 2006
Alice Waters ’32, July 16, 2006
Betty Ullrich ’91, July 20, 2006
Steve Hindman ’81, August 23, 2006
MOTHER OF
Linda (Huss) Staiert ’73, Lu Ellen Huss,
July, 2005
Scott Lane ’95, Mrs. Lane, Feb. 4, 2006
Dorothy (Hodgins) Lillie ’72, Martha
Hodgins, Feb. 16, 2006
Anthony Hunt ’87, Teresa Hunt,
March 13, 2006
Virginia Palmer ’83, Margaret Palmer,
April 29, 2006
Cheryl Newton ’93, Betty Newton,
May 12, 2006
Scott Wullschleger ’87, Mary Wullschleger,
June 3, 2006
Ann (Wullschleger) Diker ’91,
Mary Wullschleger, June 3, 2006
Jeann Wullschleger ’93, Mary Wullschleger,
June 3, 2006
Dr. Mary Day OSF ’68, Lucy Day,
Aug. 29, 2006
12 Fall 2006
CLASS NOTES
FATHER OF
Greg Lawson ’76, Ardell Lawson,
Dec. 5, 2005
Gina Lawson ’85, Ardell Lawson,
Dec. 5, 2005
Leslie (Lawson) Williams ’92, Ardell Lawson,
Dec. 5, 2005
Diana (Peltz) Lester ’92, Richard Peltz,
April 17, 2006
James Koob ’92, Ken Koob, May 25, 2006
Monica Borchers ’05, Greg Borchers,
June 28, 2006
Hilary (McHugh) Hoskins ’02,
Warren McHugh, July 7, 2006
Nick Puhl ’79, Robert Puhl, Aug. 21, 2006
BROTHER OF
Linda (Huss) Staiert ’73, Don Huss,
October, 2005
Scott Hindman ’83, Steve Hindman ’81,
Aug. 23, 2006
SISTER OF
Anne Kelly ’36, Mary Frances Minette,
June 11, 2006
HUSBAND OF
Jennifer (Lowe) Myers ’85, Thomas Myers,
Dec. 16, 2005
Sharon (Schulte) Bitter ’75, Dr. David Bitter,
April 20, 2006
Maureen (Hays) Schroeder ’50, LeRoy
Schroeder, May 10, 2006
Barbara (Desselle) Broussard ’59,
James C. Broussard, May 12, 2006
Clarese (Deruytter) Conachen ’59,
Donald Conachen, May 15, 2006
Virginia (Lampe) Huss ’70, Richard Huss,
July 10, 2006
Mary Ann (Kinney) Hindman ’80,
Steve Hindman ’81, Aug. 23, 2006
FRIENDS OF BRIAR CLIFF
Sister Michelle Nemmers OSF, former Briar
Cliff faculty member in the math department,
Aug. 7, 2006
MARRIAGES
Scott Lane ’95 and Tena Hobbs,
June 16, 2004
Tom Cooper ’93 and Jennifer, June 17, 2006
Julie Huber ’04 and Michael Benson,
June 24, 2006
Jill Kollasch ’01 and Greg Gross, July 1, 2006
Heidi Engel ’04 and Jaime Grimaldo Jr.,
July 21, 2006
BIRTHS
Jennifer (Gries) Crew ’94 and Steve, a son,
March 16, 2006
Corinna (Barr) Hansen ’99 and Jason, triplets,
a daughter and two sons, March 31, 2006
Sharon (Becker) Lawinger ’00 and Jason,
a daughter, April 28, 2006
Christie (Lally) ’97 and Sean ’97 Finnegan,
a daughter, May 23, 2006
Amy (Drees) ’94 and Dan ’94 Ballard,
a daughter, May 25, 2006
Eric Wycoff ’96 and Jeannette, a son,
June 2, 2006
Megan (Warns) Tramp ’05 and Michael,
a son, July 2, 2006
Jake Hawkins ’02 and Lexa, a son,
Aug. 8, 2006
Charity (Hamann) Koehler ’99 & ’03 and
Mike, a daughter, Aug. 10, 2006
Liz (Kampschnieder) Wilmarth ’00 and
Todd, a son, Aug. 28, 2006
Nick Kellen ’06 and Amanda Junck,
a daughter, Sept. 1, 2006
NEWS
1930s
Mildred Hansen ’36
Mildred celebrated her 90th birthday with
an open house for family and friends on
July 8 in Alton, Iowa. Mildred was born on
July 11, 1916. She graduated from St.
Mary's Academy in Alton and attended
Briar Cliff College. In January of 1937, she
began work in the legal office of State
Senator Charles B. Hoeven of Alton. In
July of 1939, she began work in the office of
the Sioux Electric Cooperative Association
(Northwest Rural Electric Cooperative)
retiring in July of 1981. Mildred has lived
in Alton the majority of her life. Since
retirement, she has done volunteer work
with St. Mary's Church, Spalding Catholic
School and the Council of Catholic Women

serving in both Deanery and Diocesan
offices. She enjoys reading, playing cards
and spending time with family and friends.
1950s
Marie Haley ’55
Since retiring after 47 years in education, I
have taken on family genealogy, published
a cookbook and started doing cooking
demonstrations. I am active at St. Michael
Church in Sioux City and worked with the
100th year celebration.
Genevieve Nachtman ’55
Genevieve is a candidate for one of the
College of Saint Mary's (CSM) highest
alumnae awards. A 1951 graduate of CSM,
Nachtman taught elementary school for 33
years. Her achievements include: membership
in the Benedictine Oblate, graduating
from the Catholic Biblical School of
Denver, serving as a lector and Eucharistic
minister at Saint John the Evangelist
Catholic Church, and induction into the
honorary teaching sorority Alpha Delta
Kappa. Genevieve also has a master's
degree from Northern Colorado
University.
1960s
Mary Ann (Carey) Nielsen ’63
I attended Briar Cliff from 1959-61 and
graduated from Simpson College in 1995. I
still keep in touch with Sister Gertrude
Ann Brown, who was my mentor during
those two years. In February 2006, my
husband, Ron Nielsen, and I were honored
as “Citizens of the Year” for Johnston,
Iowa. In June, we served as the “Grand
Marshalls” of the Johnston Green Days
parade. I currently serve as the Senior
Director of Community Relations for AIB
College of Business in Des Moines, Iowa,
where I am responsible for grant writing
and government relations activities and
serve as the board liaison to the AIB Board
of Trustees. I was recently selected by the
National Court Reporting Association to
chair a national committee for administrators
and owners of schools/colleges training
judicial court reporters, broadcast captioners
and CART providers.
Miriam (Kaled) Jackobs ’63
After spending most of my professional life
as a registered dietitian and as a consultant
in long-term care facilities, I am now more
involved in sports nutrition. I recently
earned a third master's degree at The
Athenaeum of Ohio. I joined SCAN - a
dietetics practice group that studies sports
nutrition. I also became a mentor to people
training to do marathons with the
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. From
there, I became the walking marathon
coach for ‘Joints in Motion’ for the
Arthritis Foundation. Through these two
groups, I have had the opportunity to work
with hundreds of walkers. In amongst all
of this, I entered Senior Olympics and the
National Senior Games. I was recognized
as the Greater Cincinnati and Northern
Kentucky Women's Sports Association's
Senior Sportswoman of the Year (2006).
My husband and I have belonged to the
Mason Community Center (MCC) and he
teaches most of the computer courses that
are offered at the center. I continue to consult
at long-term care facilities and teach at
Wilmington College Branch campuses.
Mary Ann (Craig) Boyle ’65
We are semi-retired and enjoy our various
volunteer duties and other activities. Our
only living son, Larry, and his wife, Jill,
live in Oklahoma. They are wonderful parents
to our four beautiful grandchildren:
John, Daniel, Michael and Kiera. We love
being grandparents!
Carol (Amberg) Skelton ’67
With the arrival of a granddaughter in
April, my husband, Don, and I now have
three grandchildren and two step-grandchildren.
Sydney Anne joins big sister
Sophia Jane and parents, Jim and Tiffany
Skelton. Dylan, 3, keeps his big step-brother
Matt and step-sister Lauren, as well as
dad and mom, Bob and Lynn Skelton, on
the move.
Ruth (Eischen) McKenzie ’68
Ruth (Eischen) McKenzie is a resident at
Indian Hills Care Center. She has been
there for six years and is feeling fine and
doing well. She gets around the facility in
her electric wheelchair that she fondly calls
“Harley.” She would love to hear from fellow
alums who attended Briar Cliff. Ruth
has one son, Casey ’01. Casey married
Janelle Engel ’04. Ruth has one grandson,
Britton, and is awaiting the arrival of
another grandchild this fall.
BRIAR CLIFF UNIVERSITY
HOMECOMING
2007
SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 2007
• Briar Cliff women vs. Hastings at
1:30 p.m. Newman Flanagan Center
• 1996-1997 Women’s Basketball
Team Recognition at halftime on the
floor of the Newman Flanagan
Center
• Hospitality Room open for all alumni
between games in the Newman
Flanagan Center
• Homecoming Royalty Coronation
between games in the Newman
Flanagan Center
• Briar Cliff men vs. Hastings at 4:00
p.m. Newman Flanagan Center
• Athletic Hall of Fame Induction at
halftime on the floor of the Newman
Flanagan Center
SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, 2007
• Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. in Our Lady of
Grace Chapel
Watch your mail for complete
information in the days ahead!
ATTENTION
ALUMNI
Alumni tell us they enjoy reading about
fellow classmates in the Class Notes
section of the Briar Cliff Magazine.
What’s new in your life? Do you have a
career change, birth, marriage, or other
piece of news to share?
If so, please e-mail your submission
of 125 words or less to lisa.preston@
briarcliff.edu for inclusion in the next
Briar Cliff University publication.
We look forward
to hearing from you!
The Briar Cliff University Magazine
13

1970s
Marilyn (Peckenpaugh) Blum ’70
Marilyn was named the first woman to serve
as principal of Bishop Heelan Catholic High
School in Sioux City. Prior to her new
appointment, she had been the principal of
Mater Dei School in Sioux City since 2004.
Pam (Harrison) Pottebaum ’72
Pam retired from Bryant Elementary School
in Sioux City after 34 years of teaching in
Sioux City. She received her bachelor’s
degree from Briar Cliff and her master’s
degree in mathematics education from the
University of Northern Iowa. She taught
third, fourth and sixth grades at Bryant
School for 30 years.
LuAnn (Loecke) Glaser ’72
LuAnn has been named director of special
services for the Burlington School District.
As director of special services, she will be
involved in setting up a planned new program
for behavioral-disordered students at
Woodlands Treatment Center. LuAnn will
maintain responsibility for school nurses,
guidance counselors and programs for the
academically and artistically gifted. A mother
of two grown children, LuAnn and her
husband, Bob, who works out of Iowa State
Penitentiary for the Iowa Attorney
General's office, have been married 33 years.
Terri (Tritz) Kimbell ’72
Terri was honored as a teacher of excellence
at the Bishop’s Dinner in Sioux City on Oct.
22, 2006. Terri is a middle school mathematics
teacher at Holy Cross School at
Blessed Sacrament Center in Sioux City.
She attended Catholic schools from grade
school through college. She is a graduate of
Epiphany and Blessed Sacrament grade
schools and Bishop Heelan Catholic High
School, all in Sioux City.
1980s
Jackie Kibbie Williams ’82
Jackie is an administrator at Brookstone
Village in Omaha, Neb., one of 92 long-term
care facilities in 28 states that have earned the
American Health Care Association’s and the
National Center for Assisted Living’s Quality
Award for demonstrating its strong commitment
to continuous quality improvement.
Lisa (Bennett) Nichols ’85
I have lived in Omaha, Neb. for the past
14 Fall 2006
eight years after spending 14 years in the
Dallas area. I am currently the director of
project management and planning operations
for Novartis Pharmaceuticals. I am
fortunate to work from home and occasionally
travel to our headquarters in East
Hanover, N.J. Phil and I have been married
17 years. We have two sons, Joey, 10, and
Kevin, 8, who participate in sports and
church activities. As a proud BSN graduate,
who later received a master’s in nursing
from UT-Arlington and worked as a family
nurse practitioner for many years, I am
thrilled to read news of the new MSN program!
My education at BC prepared me well
for a varied career in nursing that eventually
took me from patient care to new drug
development.
Joleen (Scholten) Bos ’85
The gift of life was given to Joleen Bos by a
person she never met. On July 6, 2006 she
underwent a double organ kidney and pancreas
transplant she needed to prevent more
health complications resulting from juvenile
diabetes. During the night of July 5, she
received a phone call from the transplant
coordinator. Within hours, she was hospitalized
and prepared for surgery at the
University of Nebraska Medical Center in
Omaha, Neb. The double transplant surgery
lasted seven hours and from there she
went into ICU for another 76 hours. Her
initial hospital stay was 13 days. A few setbacks
have occurred requiring additional
hospitalizations. Her spirits are good and so
far there are no signs of rejection. The next
year will involve close extensive medical
monitoring, numerous trips to Leid
Transplant Center in Omaha for monthly
clinicals, and an extraordinary number of
medications to counteract rejection and
infection.
Rose (Leners) Winkel ’86
Tom and I just moved to Heidelberg,
Germany. I work as an inpatient pharmacist.
We will be here for three years so come
and visit!
Sandy Jacobsma ’86
Sandy Jacobsma has joined the staff of therapists
in the Boys and Girls Home and
Family Services' outpatient counseling division.
Sandy will provide counseling to children,
adults, couples and families. Prior to
joining Boys and Girls Home and Family
Services, she completed a 20-year career
with the Department of Human Services,
providing case management in the area of
family and children services and specializing
in adoption. Sandy received her Bachelor of
Arts degree from Briar Cliff University, her
master’s of social work degree from the
University of Iowa and her master’s of marriage
and family therapy from North
American Baptist Seminary.
Kathy Miller Linke ’88
In 1989, I married Jon and we have two
children, Ryan, 15, and Renae, 12. I have
worked in several areas of social work and
am currently the school interventionist at
Clarinda, Iowa. I am also the president of
our band boosters. Jon works for Earl
May Seed and Nursery. We spend our
free time farming, boating, camping and
being involved with our kids and their
activities.
1990s
Kimberly (Smith) Huegerich ’92
Bill and I recently celebrated the first birthday
of our twins, Mathew and Clarice.
They are joined by big sisters Rachael, 8,
and Noelle, 5.
Tom Cooper ’93
I got married on June 17, 2006. I hope
everyone is well. E-mail me at Coop117
@hotmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!
Mark Ahlers ’93
Kate and I moved to Marion/Cedar Rapids,
Iowa in June 2006 with our four children:
Grace, 6, Leah, 3, Anna, 2, and Nicholas, 6
months.
Jennifer (Gries) Crew ’94
My husband, Steve, and I welcomed our
son, Jack Steven, on March 16, 2006. He
weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces and was 20.5
inches long. He joined his 19-month-old
brother, Harry, who loves to take care of his
little brother.
Beth (Gillespie) Grigsby ’95
Beth recently became a shareholder in the
firm of Henjes, Conner & Williams, P.C.
She is a shareholder in the firm’s audit and
business advisory department. She joined
Henjes, Conner & Williams in May 1995
and is responsible for the effective planning,
execution and delivery of audit and consult-

ing services to both public and private
organizations operating in various industries,
including manufacturing, construction,
nonprofit organizations, colleges and
universities.
Scott Lane ’95
I married Tena Hobbs on June 16, 2004. We
moved to Perkinston, Miss. where I am a
support manager at Wal-Mart in charge of
inventory control. We survived Hurricane
Katrina after receiving extensive damage -
we were in the eye of the hurricane.
Everything is going great now.
Thomas Head ’96
Glencrest Investment Advisors has hired
Thomas Head as vice president to oversee
its Palm Desert office. Thomas previously
worked for Eisenhower Medical Center as
director of development. As vice president,
he will concentrate his efforts on wealth
preservation, risk management and estate
planning for affluent clients in the Coachella
Valley.
MANUEL DIAZ ’93
Hometown: Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Degree: Bachelor of Science in biology
Current Occupation: Area human resources manager for
Farmland Foods, Inc. in Wichita, Kan.
Career Highlights: Since I graduated, I have been involved in
human resources. After a successful and progressive
career with IBP, Farmland Foods recruited me to be the
HR manager at the Wichita, Kan. facility. After working
for Farmland Foods for more than five years, I was
promoted to area human resources manager. So far, I would like to think I have been
successful in my career, but I know this is just the beginning of a new chapter in my
life. To be successful it takes faith in God, perseverance, passion, hard work and dedication,
as well as integrity, honesty and caring.
Activities: My family strives to lead the stewardship way of life to the fullest and we have
been very active in our church. My wife and I, as well as both of my kids, Jean-Marc,
14, and Stephanie, 12, are very active in our parish as lectors, altar servers, RCIA and
RCIC, and the youth choir. We are RCIA sponsors to help convert folks to the
Catholic faith or to help bring back those who have distanced themselves from the
Catholic faith.
Favorite BC Memory: I have many great memories that I cherish. I learned English while
taking college classes, worked through the work-study program, and played baseball.
Unfortunately, I had to prioritize so I dropped out of the baseball team. That was hard
for me. BC has a great baseball program and I wanted to be a part of that. I became
active in the Foreign Student Association and we got to travel to cities that, otherwise, I
would not have been able to see. Obviously, my greatest BC memory was when I
obtained my college degree. That was a great moment for me, especially since my wife,
who was pregnant at the time with our daughter, and my son were present.
Eric Wycoff ’96
Eric and Jeannette welcomed Peter Francis
on June 2, 2006 at 1:38 a.m. Peter weighed
9 pounds, 6 ounces and was 21 inches long.
Christie (Lally) ’97 and Sean ’97 Finnegan
We were blessed with the birth of our first
child on May 24, 2006. Cassie Renee surprised
us two weeks early, but was born
healthy. She weighed an even 6 pounds and
was 19 inches long. We enjoy being parents
and look forward to the memories ahead
with her.
Corinna (Barr) Hansen ’99
My husband, Jason, and I are excited to
announce a new addition to our family. On
March 31, 2006, Drew Carsten, Dawson
Joseph and Macy Claire were born. They
are welcomed home by big sister Mariah, 2.
Angie Kristensen ’99
Angie has been hired as the women’s basketball
coach at Dixie State College in St.
George, Utah.
Beverly Wharton
President
Dr. Thomas Boeke
Provost
Vice President
Ruth Bittner
Vice President for
Finance
Chris Mueller
Vice President for
Institutional Advancement
Sharisue Wilcoxon
Vice President for
Enrollment Management
MAGAZINE STAFF
MANAGING EDITOR AND
SENIOR WRITER
Phillip Carter
Director of University &
Community Relations
DESIGN EDITOR
WRITER
CONTRIBUTOR
Katie Meyer
Director of Publications
Jared Bodammer
Sports Information Director
Meghan Reed
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Lexa Hawkins
Gift Records Coordinator
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jared Bodammer
Burg Studios
Phillip Carter
Michael Crowley
Marena Fritzler
Theresa Hagey
Malone & Company
Katie Meyer
The Briar Cliff University Magazine
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2000s
John Schraut ’00
I married Amanda McCrary on Aug. 13,
2005 in Omaha, Neb. It was amazing to see
such a huge group of college friends come
out for our wedding. Not only did many
travel from other states to attend, but many
live in or around Omaha. Briar Cliff certainly
breeds great friendships for a lifetime.
Kimberly Hoffa ’00
Kimberly’s e-mail address was listed incorrectly
in the 2006 Briar Cliff University
Alumni Directory. The correct address
should read: hhchiro@alltel.net.
Sharon (Becker) Lawinger ’00
My husband, Jason, and I became the proud
parents of a baby girl, Grace Ann, on April 28,
2006. Grace weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces and
was 17 inches long. In the past year, we
16 Fall 2006
moved to Blanchardville, Wis., which is about
one hour northeast of Dubuque. I’m a high
school special education assistant and a teacher
at Sylvan Learning Center, while my husband
still works at Menards in West Madison.
Liz (Kampschnieder) Wilmarth ’00
Liz and Todd announce the birth of their
son, Carter Henry, on Aug. 28, 2006. Liz
continues to work in public accounting long
after Vali's famous two-year speeches. Liz
was recently promoted to audit manager at
the largest local firm in Kansas City, Marks,
Nelson, Vohland and Campbell, LLC.
Jill (Kollasch) Gross ’01
Greg and I were married on July 1, 2006.
We met while teaching at Blair High School
and are both still teaching there. Greg
teaches in the math department and I teach
in the science department. I earned my master’s
in education from Doane College in
2005 and hope to continue with my education
in the future.
Jake Hawkins ’02
Jake and Lexa welcomed their son, Caleb
James, on Aug. 8, 2006. Caleb came into the
world weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces and was
18 inches long. He joins big sister,
Samantha, 6.
MARY HABISOHN ’53
Hometown: LaMotte, Iowa
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in sociology
Current Occupation: Retired teacher - taught in the
Schaumburg, Ill. Township Schools
Career Highlights: I really liked to create workable activities
for the students. The students got excited about the 50
different three-minute math quizzes. One principal
allowed me to have the sixth graders do creeping and
crawling exercises.
Activities: I am on the pro-life committee at St. Mary Church in Elgin. We recently finished
a pro-life cookbook with special comments from pro-life people and recipes from
many of them. For many years, my husband, Vic, and I took responsibility for ‘Life
in the Spirit’ seminars. My husband was the communion service minister on Sundays
at Friendship Village. As the minister’s wife, I played the keyboard. I also support the
Gift Foundation, which promotes and provides materials for Christian marriage.
Three mornings a week I try to attend Jazzercize classes. With six children and 18
grandchildren, I have numerous family activities. Recently, four other teachers and I,
who roomed together during our first year, met in Cedar Falls for a third reunion.
Favorite BC Memory: The teachers and the students. I do remember that Sister Muriel
suggested that I gain a work skill, not just a major in sociology. Sociology and teaching
became a good match. I continue to correspond with some classmates, and I visit
with Nona Schroeder Nigg about once a year.
Tonya Zielich ’03
I am currently teaching at North High
School in Sioux City. My husband, Karl,
and I have a daughter, Karli, who is in third
grade. We also have a daughter, Lacey, who
began her college career at BCU this fall.
We have been blessed with wonderful girls.
Mike Gorsett ’03
Mike was named director of ticketing for the
Sioux Falls Skyforce. In addition to overseeing
ticketing, he will also be involved in sales.
Gorsett was most recently the assistant general
manager for the Sioux City Explorers.
He began his tenure with the Explorers in the
summer of 2002 as a ticketing intern.
Shelly (Heinen) Prescott ’04
My husband Gabe switched jobs and
became the program director at the YMCA.
He is now in charge of all the activities from
youth soccer through adult coed softball.
He is happy to be using his sports management
degree! I obtained my CSCS
(Certified Strength & Conditioning
Specialist) certification through the NSCA
(National Strength and Conditioning
Association).
Julie (Huber) Benson ’04
I married Michael Benson on June 24, 2006.
We are currently living in Sioux Falls, S.D.
where I teach chemistry at O'Gorman High
School. Michael is working as an auto technician
at Dell Rapids Ford (about 20 miles
north of Sioux Falls).
Michelle (Young) Espinoza ’04
I've been living in Chicago and was married
in December to a man I met here. I am currently
working at Northwestern Hospital on
a gynecology/oncology unit. I was recently
promoted to clinical coordinator, which
basically means I'm the charge nurse and
also do projects for the hospital as a whole.
Matt Steichen ’06
Matt was recently named sports editor for
the Austin Daily Herald in Austin, Minn.
Nick Kellen ’06
Nick Kellen and Amanda Junck welcomed
a baby girl, Addysen Marie, on Sept. 1,
2006. She weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces and
was 21 inches long. First time grandpa
Sonny Kellen ’76 is thrilled and is still
walking on air.

BRIAR CLIFF UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE
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1. Polar Fleece Jacket (SIZES S - XL)..............................$42.00
Available in blue/gray, sage/gray (men’s sizes) & pink/gray (women’s sizes)
2. Zip Hood (SIZES S - XL) ............................................$34.95
Available in gold or heather gold
3. Alumni Crewneck Sweatshirt (SIZES S - 3XL) ..........$33.50
4. Long Sleeve Shirt (SIZES S - 3XL)..............................$45.95
5. Childs Cheerleading Dress ......................................$25.95
6. Baby Onesie..............................................................$19.95
7. Cheer Bears (SOLD SEPARATELY) .............................$28.99
8. Junior Basketball ........................................................$8.75
Junior Football also available
9. Christmas Tree Ornament ........................................$5.00
10. Alumni Mug ...............................................................$8.95
Please place your orders by calling: 712-279-5416 or e-mail denise.melo@briarcliff.edu.
We accept all major credit cards and personal checks. Orders will be shipped via UPS.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
BCU Campus Visit Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .December 15, 2006
“Cocoa and Carols” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .December 17, 2006
Featuring the BCU Jazz Ensemble and Dickens’ carolers
Briar Cliff University Men’s Basketball Holiday Tournament . . . . . . . . . . .December 29-30, 2006
BCU Campus Visit Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .January 12, 2007
Homecoming Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .January 15-21, 2007
Theatre: The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate
Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery . . . . . . . . . .January 18-20, 2007
Homecoming 2007 Basketball Games vs. Hastings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .January 20, 2007
Hospitality room open for all alumni between games
BCU Wrestling Invitational . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .February 3, 2007
BCU vs. Morningside Basketball Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .February 10, 2007
Pre-tour concert for the Cliff Singers at Cathedral of the Epiphany . . . . . . . . . .February 11, 2007
Lunch With the Chargers at Outback Steakhouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .February 19, 2007
3303 Rebecca Street
PO Box 2100
Sioux City, Iowa 51104-5110
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 722
SIOUX CITY, IA