(35 years ago) Rockhurst Goes Coed! - Rockhurst University

ROCKHURSTTHE MAGAZINE OF ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY FALL 2005Rockhurst Goes Coed!(35 years ago)

From the President’s OfficeInformation for friends of Rockhurst University by the Rev. Edward Kinerk, S.J.Dear Rockhurst Friends,I want to let you know that this academic year will be my final one as president ofRockhurst. It has been an extraordinary privilege to work with you and I cannotimagine a greater joy than to serve as the president of the university from whichI graduated. I cherish the relationships I have made both on campus and in thecommunity.Together we have made significant improvements in our facilities, strengthened ourmission and identity, and attracted increasingly large numbers of students. Rockhurstis positioned for a very positive future and a new president will bring talents andinsight to guide our growth.I have been at Rockhurst for eight years and I will be nearly 63 by the end of thisacademic year. No, I am not ready to retire but I believe that I should take onsomething new now while I still have the “youth” and energy to do so.I informed the Board of Trustees of my decision at its Sept. 24 meeting, and the Boardhas taken steps to begin a search for my successor. Clyde Wendel, vice chairman ofRockhurst’s Board, will chair a search committee that will include trustees, a regent,an alumnus, a staff person and four elected faculty.I will continue as president until June 2006. Following that, I expect to take asabbatical, then receive a new assignment from the Jesuit Provincial.Sincerely,Edward Kinerk, S.J.PresidentLearning, Leadership and Service in the Jesuit Tradition

INSIDEWHERE THE GIRLS ARE 9Alumni describe campus before and after Rockhurstadmitted women as full-time, traditional students.NURTURING NATURE 14The SuperNatural Christians Retreat in the SylvaniaWilderness Tract inspires appreciation for God’s creation.SOLID GOLD 17Former students remember the Rev. James Wheeler, S.J.,as he celebrates his 50th year of teaching chemistryat Rockhurst.DEPARTMENTSROCK REPORT 2HAWK TALK 20ADVANCEMENT DIGEST 22FOR ALUMNI 24CLASS NOTES 26ROCKHURSTFALL 2005ROCKHURSTExecutive Director Rosita Elizalde-McCoyEditor and Director of Media Relations Katherine FrohoffAssistant Editor Kate Fischer, ‘98Design Dig DesignContributing WritersJohn Dodderidge; Lauren Howe, ’08; Jamie Sievering;Jan Holland Stacy, ’76; Michael Stellern, Ph.D., ’70PhotographyRoy Inman, Mark McDonald, Jamie Sievering, Dave von FintelON THE COVER: Women were first admitted to RockhurstCollege as full-time traditional students in 1969. This photowas taken in front of Massman Hall in 1968.Rockhurst, the magazine of Rockhurst University, ispublished by the Office of Public Relations and Marketing.Opinions expressed in Rockhurst magazine are those ofindividual authors and not necessarily those of theUniversity. Rockhurst welcomes letters and comments.Send letters to:Katherine FrohoffRockhurst University1100 Rockhurst RoadKansas City, MO 64110-2561Or e-mail to katherine.frohoff@rockhurst.eduLearning, Leadership and Service in the Jesuit Tradition

ROCK REPORT The Mighty Class of 2009Group 2 was one of 13 groups of freshmen that bondedthroughout Freshman Orientation for games, service projectsand academic preparation activities.Rockhurst welcomed the largest freshman classin more than 10 years when classes beganAug. 24. Nearly 370 students from 18 statescomprise this year’s class, up 20 percent fromlast year and more than 50 percent from 2003.Not only is the class size up, so are the new students’academic profiles. The average ACT score for the class isone of the highest in the last 15 years, and the overallgrade-point average has increased as well. What are thesebrains studying? The hot majors this year are business,nursing and pre-physical therapy.A variety of efforts led to enrollment increases, saysPhil Gebauer, director of admission. These include morethan $30 million worth of recent campus improvementsand stronger recruitment efforts.“The entire Rockhurst community supported theefforts of the Office of Admission, and this year’s classreflects that campuswide support,” he says.Students Connect With TechnologyRockhurst students are more connected with technologythan ever. And with Rockhurst’s new wirelessnetwork and free USB flash drives, it’s gettingeasier to take it with them wherever they go.When they started the fall semester, all full-timeundergraduates received a free USB flash drive providedby the Student Senate. Small enough to fit on a keychain,the drive provides 128MB of portable storage space theycan use to store, transfer and carry their files with them.The university’s new wireless network provides Internetand network access from anywhere on campus,including university buildings, the Quad, residence hallsand townhouses, even the athletic fields.Students are thrilled with the opportunity to checktheir e-mail, write a paper and conduct research — tasksnormally restricted to computer labs or dorm rooms —in the grassy comfort of the quad or among friends in thebleachers at a soccer game.“It’s great being able to pick up and go anywhere oncampus to study in between classes,” said Eric Clarkson,a third-year medical student in the DO/MBA program.According to MattHeinrich, associate vicepresident of administration,demand amongstudents for campustechnology is becomingan expectation.“Students look attechnological capabilitieswhen making theirdecisions on whatschool to attend,”said Heinrich. “Thiscampus-wide wirelessStudents received a free flash driveto transport computer files.network gives us the ability to provide access to a widerange of resources in a very flexible manner with norestrictions of time or place. If you have a laptop, youhave a computer lab.”Those who won’t find a laptop under the Christmastree this year can use their flash drives to transfer filesbetween any of the hundreds of state-of-the-art personalcomputers throughout campus, many of which remainavailable 24 hours a day.2 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

StudentsROCKRockhurstJuniors Adam Trotterand Kevin “Stu”Schulte wouldreally like to thinkof college as theirbackup plan.Although the two areserious about their degrees,they’d prefer to see theirmusical careers take off.Together, as One WayCaravan, they’re well ontheir way to making that areality. Their sound, whichcombines contemporaryChristian music withacoustic rock, has becomepopular around campus.And last spring, the pairreleased its second album,“Another Step Closer.”“God has had such aneffect on our lives,” saysTrotter. “We want to be awitness for other peoplethrough our music. SinceGod has blessed us withthese talents, this is theleast we can do to givesomething back.”Both attended HazelwoodCentral High Schoolin St. Louis and becameclose friends when theydecided on Rockhurst. Asfreshman roommates inCorcoran 336, their musicalpartnership formed andthrived. They met DanMartin — a sophomorefrom down the hall — whowould end up producingboth their albums.Adam Trotter (left) and Stu Schulte have released two CDsof original music.So why the name OneWay Caravan?“The definition of a caravanis a group of peopleon a journey through ahostile environment or territory,”says Schulte. “Andwe’re One Way Caravan.We’re on this path to findGod. Every day we try tolive our life another stepcloser to J.C.”Outside of music, thetwo are very involved inwhat’s happening on campus.Trotter is a soccerplayer, and Schulte takespart in the university’s theaterproductions and worksas a student ambassador.They still live in Corcoranbut now serve on theresidence hall staff. Theyalso team with two otherstudents to present Renewal,a student-led praise andworship program everyWednesday at 10 p.m.“They definitely loveGod, and they’re not afraidto say He’s the center oftheir lives,” says juniorBridget Hiegel, who co-presentsthe Renewal program.“Their music is a great wayfor them to reach people.”Practically everyone oncampus knows them andtheir music from Massesand other campus events.Later this month, they’llhave the opportunity toreach thousands more byperforming at the NationalCatholic Youth Conferencein Atlanta — an experiencethat will bring themanother step closer totheir dream.Not SoElementaryWhen the CatholicEducation FoundationaskedCurtis Hancock, Ph.D.,professor of philosophy,to write a book on educationalphilosophy focusedon elementary education,he was intrigued and eagerto comply.“I’d written quite a bitabout Catholic educationat the university level andI wanted to get down towhat’s going on with kids,”said Hancock. “I wanted topresent an alternative anda tonic to current limitingphilosophies that areunable to do what a Christianeducator needs to doin the classroom.”Students preparing to beteachers or administratorsin Catholic schools shouldfind Recovering a CatholicPhilosophy of ElementaryEducation useful, butHancock says he actuallywrote it with parents ofelementary school childrenin mind. As such, hepurposely avoidedphilosophical jargon.To order a copy of thebook, published by NewmanHouse Press, visitjhcnewman.org. It alsoshould be available soonfrom amazon.com.ROCKHURSTFALL 2005 3

ROCK REPORT Board Appoints Two MembersRichard Sullivan, ’73Theresa M. Opie, ’04The Rockhurst UniversityBoard of Trusteesrecently appointedtwo new members.Richard Thomas SullivanJr., ’73, is chairman andCEO of McBride & SonCompanies, a home buildingcompany with officesin St. Louis, Kansas City,Atlanta, Indianapolisand Louisville.Sullivan is director ofthe National Association ofHomebuilders, a licensedMissouri real estate brokerand a member of theAmerican Institute of CertifiedPublic Accountants.He is actively involved withHabitat for Humanity-St. Louis and has servedon a number of boards,including those of LindenwoodUniversity andCardinal GlennonChildren’s Hospital.While at Rockhurst,Sullivan earned a bachelorof science in businessadministration andbecame a member of TauKappa Epsilon.Theresa M. Opie, ’04,holds one of two boardpositions reserved forrecent Rockhurst Universityalumni. She graduated inMay 2004 with a bachelor’sdegree in theology, aminor in political scienceand a certification in AmericanHumanics.During her time atRockhurst, Opie wasawarded a Van AckerenLeadership Scholarshipand a Miller Family Scholarship.Following hergraduation, Opie joinedthe Missouri Secretary ofState’s Kansas City officewhere she providescustomer service andprocesses corporate filings.Be a Partof HistoryIf you’ve ever created afamily album, you knowhow challenging it can beto document history. Rockhurstis facing that challenge as its2010 centennial anniversarydraws nearer.To commemorate thisimportant occasion, the RockhurstUniversity Press is publishinga history of the University.This coffee-table book,scheduled to be released inJanuary 2009, will featurenumerous photos, lively anecdotesand engaging storiesabout Rockhurst’s first 100 years.If you have photos ormemorabilia you can lend ordonate, or memories to share,contact Bill Stancil, Ph.D.,director of the Rockhurst UniversityPress and editor of theRockhurst University CentennialHistory, at (816) 501-4023 orbill.stancil@rockhurst.edu.Boomers vs. Gen Xers — What Makes Women TickBaby boomers grewup with the idea thatthe way to achievecareer success is to workhard and pay your dues.For generation X, this conceptmakes no sense at all,says Charlotte Shelton,Ed.D., assistant professorof management.Shelton, a boomermother, and her generationX daughter, Laura Shelton,are co-authors of The NextRevolution: What Gen XWomen Want at Work andHow Their Boomer BossesCan Help Them Get It.The book is based onsurvey results from morethan 1,200 generation Xworkers, generally consideredthose born between1964 and 1977. Whenrespondents were askedto rank factors importantto job satisfaction, theyplaced job status andprestige at the bottom ofthe list.Generation X placesgreat value on relationshipsand collaboration,Shelton says. Workplacescharacterized by competitioncause women ofgeneration X, especially,to opt out. Generation Xwomen comprise thefastest growing segmentof entrepreneurs, accordingto Shelton.Baby boomers and generationX differ on how tobalance work and life,Shelton says.“The majority of theyounger-than-40 workforcearen’t going to exhibit theworkaholic behavior theirparents and professorshave role modeled.”The Next Revolution isscheduled for an Octoberrelease and will be availablein bookstores, atamazon.com and throughthe publisher atwww.daviesblack.com4 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

Cagney Bennett, ‘06, researched creating cosmetics using colors from flowers.Summer Fellows Shun Lazy DaysSummer. For many college students the wordconjures visions of beaches, late nights, lazydays and freedom. But for four Rockhurststudents, it fostered an entirely different gameplan — research and writing.The students were recipients of the Summer 2005Deans’ Undergraduate Fellowships for Research andCreative Activity, which allowed them to spend timeworking on their own original projects.Cagney Bennett, ’06, jumpstarted her plan to create aline of cosmetics made from natural ingredients such asflowers, fruits and vegetables. A chemistry major, Bennetthopes to eventually market her products with the help offriends who are business majors.Christopher Pease, a senior majoring in psychology,heard from Arab-American friends they were experiencingan increase in discrimination and hate crimes.He thought the attitudes behind this activity might alsoaffect jury verdicts in trials involving Arab-Americandefendants. An initial search showed little research inthis area, so that’s where he decided to focus his efforts.“Arab Americans could be put to death or sentencedto 50 years in jail just because of someone’s opinion ofthem,” Pease said.Lynne Clure, a junior majoring in psychology, focusedher fellowship on “Emotional, Cognitive and BehavioralConcomitants of Jealousy.”When Gregory Frye graduates in May, he hopes toattract an agent for his portfolio of plays and screenplays.Frye, who says it’s harder to write during the semester,used his summer fellowship to work on his play, whichhe characterizes as a dark comedy.“I know I want to be a writer for a living and this hasconfirmed that,” Frye said.ROCKHURSTFALL 2005 5

ROCK REPORT Rockhurst Exports Experts to IndiaImagine competing in a field of 50,000 students forone of 250 slots in an MBA program. Those are theodds that filled the classrooms of two HelzbergSchool of Management faculty members who spent thesummer teaching at one of India’s top managementschools — the Xavier Labour Relations Institute.XLRI is a Jesuit institution located in the northeasternsteel city of Jamshedpur. Martin Stack, Ph.D., associateprofessor of management, taught international healthcare management and international management. JacobKurien, Ph.D., visiting associate professor of economics,taught managerial economics.Stack said the students are very curious about the U.S.business environment. He was invited to give three 90-minute presentations on differences between the businessculture in the United States, Europe and India. Eachone lasted longer than scheduled, with 15 students at thefinal session remaining for an additional hour to talk.“They know a great deal about U.S. culture and history,”Stack said. “In a sense there is a great informationasymmetry, as they know a lot about our society and wedon’t know much about theirs.”Martin Stack, Ph.D. (left), and Jacob Kurien, Ph.D.,taught summer classes in India.Kurien, who is from India, says he found the studentsenthusiastic, challenging and at times demanding. Manyof them have engineering degrees and want to enter thecorporate world of business in the manufacturing, technologyor financial sectors.“With the advent of globalization, there is a need forwider exposure to the outside world and the Indian studentsneed to get the opportunity to go to other countriesto get first-hand experience,” Kurien said.Student Tackles Global IssuesWhat would it be like to play in asoccer game where your opponent isallowed to move the goal posts, stealyour best player and receive specialtreatment from the referees? ForMargaret Hansbrough, ’07, who found herself in thissituation last summer, it was incredibly frustrating.The activity was part of a leadership training programshe attended in Boston through Oxfam America’s ChangeInitiative, and the game was an exercise demonstratingthe reality of unfair trade practices around the world.Oxfam America is an international development andrelief agency committed to finding lasting solutions toglobal poverty, hunger and social injustice.Hansbrough was one of only 52 college studentsnationwide to take part in the highly competitive program,where she studied how to organize campaigns on acollege campus. Today, she’s working hard at Rockhurstto conduct campaigns focused on fair trade and hunger.Why is she so driven? Through her advocacy work,Hansbrough is connected with others from all over theworld who share her passion.“It’s not just about plagues of locusts any more ora year of failed crops that causes starvation, althoughthat does happen,” said Hansbrough. “It’s about peoplewho have a successful crop year, but because of the waysthe rules are written, they can’t have access to markets.So farmers can’t sell their crops or feed their kids.”Hansbrough is pursuing a degree in political sciencealong with minors in economics, theology and nonprofitleadership studies. She plans to study sustainable developmentin graduate school, then travel internationallyto help communities reach their economic and socialpotentials.And whether it’s “global trade soccer” or real peoplewho don’t have enough to eat, Hansbrough hopesto help level the playing field for everyone aroundthe world.6 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

Rockhurst Community Respondsto Hurricane DisasterAmber Pelzl, from Clearwater, Kan., wasthrilled. It was her fourth day of freshmanorientation at Loyola UniversityNew Orleans, and she’d fallen in lovewith the city, the school and especiallythe palm trees on the campus quad.Then came the knock at the door of her new dorm room.A resident assistant was telling everyone to evacuate.After a harrowing four days scrambling to get awayfrom Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, Pelzl madeit home, and then to Rockhurst. She was among 27students who transferred to Rockhurst after evacuatingfrom areas affected by the hurricane.In the weeks that followed, the university communitycame together to help Pelzl and others in need.To make their transitions as smooth as possible,Rockhurst agreed to delay billing to ensure studentswouldn’t pay tuition to two institutions.A special orientation session introducedthem to campus.The Mass of the Holy Spirit, held eachSeptember to celebrate the beginningof the school year, was dedicated tothe victims of Hurricane Katrina.A student-led rosary also was heldin their honor.Student organizationssprang into action initiatingblood drives, food drives,bottled water drives, and aschool supplies drive. Fundraisersincluded a barbeque,bake sale and four-squaretournament.And when her new friendsin McGee Hall offered to buyPelzl notebooks and schoolsupplies, she truly startedfeeling at home at Rockhurst. Amber Pelzl, ’09“I love these fountains,”she said. Even though they’re not the palm trees she fellin love with at Loyola, she’s excited to be in college.“It still seems surreal that I’m not there.”Whether she’s here for just one semester or the longhaul, she’s likely to remember her turbulent firstweeks of college, and the friendshipand support she foundat Rockhurst, for along time tocome.FreshmanKaty Hernandezwas one of severalstudents whovolunteered theirtime to make“hugs” blanketsfor children atlocal hospitals andshelters who weredisplaced fromareas affected bythe hurricane.

ROCK REPORT Psychology Professor Named Carnegie ScholarRemember crammingfor tests in college?You probablyremember the late nights,but not much about thematerial you actually studied,right?Like most educators,Renee Michael, Ph.D.,associate professor of psychology,believes this techniqueis no substitute forreal learning. But as one of21 faculty members chosennationwide as CarnegieScholars by the CarnegieAcademy for the Scholarshipof Teaching andLearning this year, she’smade it her mission toexplore ways to help studentslearn material inmore meaningful andenduring ways.Renee Michael, Ph.D.“The Carnegie Foundationis interested in helpingstudents see how theirwhole college experience isconnected,” she said.Each semester, studentsin Michael’s researchmethods class engage in aservice project that callsfor collaborating with alocal nonprofit agency toconduct research that helpsthe organization better meetthe needs of its patrons.To do this, students needto draw on what they’velearned in other courses —communication, statisticsand psychology, for example— as well as their personalexperiences in communityservice and critical thinking.The result is an experiencethat engages studentsin pulling together all theirknowledge and availableresources to solve a problem.Michael believes theintegrative nature of thispractice teaches studentsnot only what to learn inthe short-term, but howto learn throughout theirlifetime and “be betterprepared to be educatedcitizens in the real world.”Michael is the secondRockhurst faculty memberto be named a CarnegieScholar. Anita Salem, professorof mathematics, wasselected in 1998. In 2003,the Carnegie Foundationdesignated Rockhurst asa national leadership sitefor the Scholarship ofTeaching and Learning— one of only a handfulof institutions to earnthis distinction.“This adds to Rockhurst’sreputation as being at theforefront of the Scholarshipof Teaching andLearning initiative,” saidMichael. “Ideally we’d likestudents to see the big picture,and how what they’relearning makes sense in aJesuit institution where wevalue the whole person.”Rockhurst Ranks AgainU.S. News & World Report has rankedRockhurst University No. 14 in theMidwest Best Universities — Master’scategory in its 2006 rankings. Therankings are part of the magazine’sannual “America’s Best Colleges” issueand accompanying guidebook.More than 175 public and private master’s institutionsare included in the Midwest region. Rockhurst consistentlyis ranked among the top 15.The magazine bases its rankings on a number of criteria,including peer assessments, freshman retention rate,graduation rate, faculty resources, class sizes, student/faculty ratio, student selectivity, acceptance rate, financialresources and alumni giving rate.“This ranking is onemore validation of theexceptional quality of theRockhurst experience,”said the Rev. EdwardKinerk, S.J., president ofRockhurst University.“We encourage students tolook at these rankings as part ofa holistic approach in their collegeselection. There are many aspects of a Rockhurst educationthat cannot be measured in these rankings, such asour distinctive mission, which calls on us to develop eachstudent as a whole person — intellectually and professionally,morally and spiritually,” said Fr. Kinerk.8 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

W H E R EtheGirls AreRockhurst Goes CoedFor today’s students, it’s hard to believe.Before fall 1969, women could enroll in theEvening Division but weren’t admitted toRockhurst as full-time traditional undergraduates.Two alumni describe life before and after whatmay be the biggest change to hit this campus.ROCKHURSTFALL 2005 9

A Different TimeBy Michael Stellern, Ph.D., ’70While it seems like only a few years ago, I arrived inKansas City during the late summer of August 1966 toattend Rockhurst College. That started a relationship withthe University that has lasted almost 40 years and takenme from freshman to economics faculty member.My first few days at the college were pleasant andamusing ones, but also very hot days and evenings, sinceair conditioning did not arrive at Xavier-Loyola Hall untilyears later. During freshman orientation, we wererequired to wear Rockhurst beanies, and to participatein a range of activities that included a scavenger hunt,picnics and required lectures.Freshmen were expected to do whatever was asked byupper classmen. I can recall freshmen students runningaround the perimeter of the cafeteria quacking like ducks.I can also remember upper classmen giving me arduoustasks of writing letters to their girlfriends back home andsummarizing chapters from their textbooks. My responsewas to give them an erroneous name and room numberso that I wasn’t obligated to complete the tasks. In anycase, my first few days at Rockhurst were an introductionto an all-male environment where no students werewomen, there were very few female faculty membersand there were far more Jesuits than are now present atthe University.It is hard to imagine that type of environment now,but it clearly was a different time. Not only were womenabsent from the education scene, the religious requirementswere far more extensive. For my freshman andsophomore years, mandatory retreats were required. Theylasted two or three days and colored cards were distributedto the students during the lectures that had to besigned to guarantee they were attending the religious lectures.I worked in the Dean’s Office for Fr. Cahill and theEvening Division. I remember seeing those brightly coloredcards on the desk next to mine and casually pickingup several dozen or more and distributing them tofriends so we would not have to attend those lectures.I realize now that it was the devil that made me do it,and I have mended my evil ways. I also realize now whata luxury that was to have the opportunity to take a fewdays of retreat.The Vietnam War became more and more prominentduring my college education, and students were motivatedto remain in college for that important deferment thatkept us out of Vietnam. The draft was mandatory for allmen, and almost always would mean a free trip to Vietnam.During my senior year, President Nixon introducedthe lottery, which determined which of us would be10 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

called to service and which would be allowed to continuenormal lives. I remember that night because everyonewas out drinking, whether to celebrate his high numberor to forget the low number that meant he would becalled up soon after graduation.“The men far outnumbered thewomen during those first years,and women fully appreciated theadvantage that gave them.”What also occurred by that time was that youngwomen had been allowed to enter the college. Duringmy junior year, I studied abroad at Loyola University inRome, Italy, which was a life-changing experience. WhenI returned for my senior year, women had arrived andcertainly had improved every aspect of college life.There were, of course, very few women in upper classes,because they primarily began entering during their firstyear of college.Prior to their acceptance into college, there were veryfew contacts with women during a normal day at Rockhurst.For example, during my first two years, each classsponsored a formal dance in the Rock and Aztec Rooms,when young ladies were allowed to visit. Those danceswere one of the few times every year when Rockhurst wasmore than an all-male environment. The dances eventuallystopped as unrest grew because of the war. Otherthings changed as well. During my first year, there wasroom check every night in the dormitories at 10 p.m.during the week and at midnight over the weekends.That disappeared as students became less docile duringthose years when the war was challenged.Along with all of these rather significant changes thatoccurred at Rockhurst during the 1960s, women arrivedwith very little interruption of normal activities, althoughan adequate number of women’s restrooms only arrivedyears later. The men far outnumbered the women duringthose first years, and women fully appreciated the advantagethat gave them. There was a coed dorm — a prettyradical idea for the time, but it was coed because therewere not enough women to fill an entire dormitory.McGee Hall was the women’s dorm and, I believe, it wasonly the first two floors where women lived. Years laterwhen the advantages and disadvantages of coed dormitorieswere debated, I always remembered those first fewyears when it was just a matter of economics.There was never any question that Rockhurst hadmade the right decision, and it is hard to imagine aneducation at the collegiate level today that would notinclude both genders.Michael Stellern earned a bachelor of arts in economics fromRockhurst in 1970, a master’s degree from the University ofNotre Dame and a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona. Hebegan teaching at Rockhurst in 1979 and is associate professorof economics in the Helzberg School of Management.ROCKHURSTFALL 2005 11

Degrees of ChangeBy Jan Holland Stacy, ’76Compared to today’s college searches, my choice in1972 was a breeze. I was looking for three qualities in acollege: First, a Jesuit college. All four of my brotherswere educated by Jesuits and I was seeking my chancewith these great educators. Second, a return to KansasCity, which I had left as a freshman in high school. Third,a coed school. Having attended an all-girls high school,it was time to go to school with guys.Rockhurst fulfilled all three of my requirements,and so my choice was easy. Fortunately, Rockhurst hadbecome coed in 1969. Had that change not taken placeI would have given up my quest to return to Kansas Cityand attended a Jesuit college in another city. My fatherquestioned my reason for choosing a coed school,inquiring whether I was coming to college to find a husband.He knew Rockhurst enrolled seven men for everywoman. I assured him that had never entered my mindand was pleased to prove him wrong when I graduatedfour years later with a great education and no husbandin sight.From August 1972 to May1976 I had the time of mylife. Of all my high school friends in Chicago, I was theonly one not worried about starting school. That braveryevaporated as I pulled into the parking lot of McGeeHall, my home for the next four years. I knew no onecoming to Rockhurst. As the youngest of six children,four of them boys, the ratio of men to women should nothave been a big deal. But at that moment in the parkinglot of McGee Hall, the women’s dorm that couldn’tbe filled due to too few female Rockhurst students,I wondered if perhaps I should have found a schoolwith more women.The gender issue was soon reinforced as I enteredMassman Hall for the first time. Fr. Blumeyer, who wasacademic dean and knew my brothers who had graduatedfrom Rockhurst in ’65 and ’70, greeted me. He teasedme about my decision to come to Rockhurst recallingthat my brothers didn’t think Rockhurst should becomecoed (At the time many students and alumni were tryingto adjust to the change.). I advised Fr. Blumeyer thatit wasn’t the first time, and probably wouldn’t be thelast time I did something with which my brothers didnot agree.Perhaps in Massman Hall, home of the only dininghall on campus, the gender ratio had the biggest impacton me. In that dining hall it quickly became evident thatmen outnumbered women. It must have been those guyswho found a way to “drop” their forks into the ceiling.One of my friends remembers her very first class at Rockhurstbeing “Christ in the Scriptures.” She was the onlywoman in the class.12 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

Though my classes were predominately male, I don’tever remember being the only woman. Because the professorswere so inclusive, I also don’t remember feelingintimidated. For some professors, such as Fr. Freeman,Fr. Denzer, Dr. Rydzel, Mr. Knickerbocker and Dr. Jones,who had been at Rockhurst for years, having women inthe classroom was quite an adjustment. But these werethe very people who made Rockhurst special for me.Fr. Freeman always appeared critical of active women.After learning that I was running for Student Governmentpresident he asked me to see him after class. I was morethan a little apprehensive. He queried me about my campaignand then wished me well. He was one of the firstto congratulate me following my win.“My father questioned my reasonfor choosing a coed school,inquiring whether I was comingto college to find a husband.”Fr. Denzer was more than willing to help me withclasswork following my absence due to a trip to theNational Student Lobby in Washington, D.C. Mr.Knickerbocker always made me feel as though my contributionsto the Hawk were special, even though he hadto “encourage” me to complete the articles and meetthe deadlines. Though history was not my strength,Dr. Rydzel made sure I got through his freshman course,which was my first major realization of the differencebetween high school and college. Without the help ofDr. Bryce Jones, I might still be at Rockhurst. After findingmyself short of an economics class the second semesterof senior year, Dr. Jones allowed me into one of hisclasses. The class was full of econ majors. As a marketingmajor I was in a little over my head, but with his guidanceI graduated on time.Just as male students outnumbered female students,male professors outnumbered female professors.Although few, Rockhurst had great women professorssuch as Dr. Rigby, Dr. Servoss. Dr. Tunks and Mrs. Martin.However, as a business major, I never had a class taughtby a female professor. I am grateful to Dr. Joyce Smith,the lone female in the administration, who served as amentor to me as the first female president of the StudentGovernment Association.Although the men far outnumbered the women, it isthe women of Rockhurst who have remained my life-longfriends. And these women have stories of their own. In1975-76 Sue Thornhill Sweeney and Margo Enig Lubuswere captains of the first women’s intercollegiate basket-ball team at Rockhurst. Mary Rafferty Corry joined withmany of us in a “sit-in” at the Jesuit residence as we campaignedfor the cause of a coed dorm at Rockhurst. Shethen became a resident assistant in Xavier-Loyola, thefirst official coed living space at Rockhurst.Without sororities or similar clubs, our dorm floorserved as our community. From floor parties, to informalgatherings in the floor lounge to floor dinners in theprivate dinning room in Massman Hall, to sunbathingon the roof of McGee, friendships were formed andcemented. Sharing not only bathrooms, but also onephone for a floor full of women can cause bonding likenothing else.Reflecting on the last 30 years, I am still very gratefulthat Rockhurst became a coed school. I received agreat education from outstanding educators — Jesuits.I returned to Kansas City, a city that I love and the citywhere I still live. And, belatedly, my father was right.I met my husband, Jim Stacy, at Rockhurst. But notuntil after I graduated did I meet Jim while serving onthe Alumni Board. Fr. Freeman officiated at our wedding,along with Fr. Van Ackeren, Fr. Weiss and Fr. Daues. Ourfirst child, Katie, was born on Father Van’s birthday andFr. Freeman baptized all three of our children: Katie,Michael and Ann. Thank you, Rockhurst!Jan Holland Stacy received a bachelor of science in businessadministration with a major in marketing from Rockhurst in1976. She lives in Kansas City with her husband, Jim, ’66,and children, Katie, Michael and Ann. She operates a business,JS Management, which manages investment real estate.According to Rockhurst LoreLong before the college became coed, a youngGerman student boarded a ship bound for theUnited States and set off on a long journey thatwould lead to Rockhurst. Upon the weary traveler’sarrival, administrators were surprised to find shewas a woman. They were reluctant to turn her awayafter bravely coming so far, so they granted herspecial permission to enroll. And so began thelegend of Rockhurst’s first female student.Fact or fiction? We couldn’t verify it, but if youhave more details about this story, send a messageto Katherine.frohoff@rockhurst.edu and we’ll sharethe information in a future issue.ROCKHURSTFALL 2005 13

NurturingNatureBackpacking retreatinspires care for God’s creationStory and Photos by Jamie Sievering14 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

Miles away from civilization,wrapped in wintercoats, mosquito netsand rain gear, severalnovice campers and I huddledaround a campfire for warmth.“I bet it’s 80 degrees back home,”I thought as I ate the last of my oatmeal.But the thought didn’t lastlong. It was time for morning prayer— an open-eyed, free-movementprayer on the misty bank of MountainLake — then to set out on theday’s trek through the wilderness.In Jesuit spirituality, we’re taughtto find God in all things. Last spring,I accompanied a group of Rockhurststudents who set out on a path toexplore their relationship with theearth in light of their Christian faith— a backpacking adventure calledthe SuperNatural Christians Retreat.The destination? The most pristineand isolated place we could reach ina university van… the 18,000-acreSylvania Wilderness Tract in theUpper Peninsula of Michigan. Ourgroup consisted of six students, astaff member, a former Jesuit Volunteerand myself.The physical challenge involvedcold, wet weather conditions, heavyequipment and plenty of hiking andpaddling. We canoed and kayakedthrough half a dozen lakes andexplored miles of wilderness on foot.We carried our own 64-poundcanoes between lakes — someportages stretched to three-quartersof a mile — filtered our own drinkingwater and cut our own firewood.Opposite page: The calm waters ofCrooked Lake create a perfect settingfor prayer and personal reflection.Left: The author finds the weightof her canoe adds new meaning toa breathtaking experience.Below: Senior Nicki Lee (left) andjunior Mary Pimmel watch for eaglesin the unspoiled wilderness.“Those canoes were heavy,” saidNickie Lee, a senior English major.“But people can surprise you. It wasamazing to see girls who were 5-footnothingcarrying them.”Along the way, we were overwhelmedby the forest’s spectacularnatural beauty. Far away from the noiseof highways and cell phones, we wereimmersed in the sounds of nature andsurrounded by bald eagles, loons andother wildlife. The location was especiallyappropriate for the purpose ofour expedition. Part of the land hadbeen purchased in 1895 by a lumbermanwho intended to cut it down, buthe was so inspired by the beautifulscenery that he changed his mind.Today, the land continues to be carefullypreserved by the national forest service.

A beautiful morning begins just steps away from the group’s campsite.On our adventures, conversationsswirled around books, movies, volunteerexperiences, environmentalissues and the occasional lake monster.But in the evenings, we sataround the fire with our hard-earnedmacaroni-and-cheese dinners andshared more serious discussionabout conservation and sustainability,and how these issues are regardedby religions around the world. Openeyedprayer, group reflections andsacred silence brought to light thetrue meaning of our trip.The journey home brought us tothe front door of the Jesuit NovitiateHouse in St. Paul, Minn. After ringingthe bell, someone made a jokeabout the girls coming to “tempt theyoung novices.” But as we lookedaround at each other — dirty,disheveled, tired and reeking fromfive days without a shower — we hadto laugh at what a ridiculous ideathat was. We toured the twin citiesand visited with the inspiring men ofthe novitiate who’ve dedicated theirlives to serving others.Our quest also led us through alandfill and a wind farm, where westudied both extremes of the conservationspectrum.In the van, we each announcedour own personal covenant to helpprotect the environment. Covenantsincluded riding a bike more often,reducing the amount of disposableproducts used and getting more seriousabout recycling.“There’s nothing like beingaround 10 other inspiring people fora whole week,” said sophomoreAnna Licata, whose experience onthe SuperNatural Christians Retreatsealed her decision to move closer toschool and work as a way to reduceher gasoline consumption.“It has broadened my perspectiveon this issue that I was rather indifferenton before,” she said.Discussion topics included how tobe better stewards of the environment.Recycle. Reuse. Buy more recycledproducts and fewer disposableones. Drive less often. Volunteer forenvironmental projects.“The Bible says we have dominionover nature, and people tend to turnthat around as an excuse to exploitnature,” she said. “This trip remindedme of the duty and responsibility wehave to protect the environment andnot exploit it.”This fall, we’re teaming again toorganize a conservation initiative oncampus. By becoming better stewardsof the environment and sharing thismission with others, we hope to takesome small step in preserving theworld in the way God intended.What a super, natural way to live.Find out MoreCampus Ministry sponsors theSuperNatural Christians retreat everyother May. For more information,visit www.rockhurst.edu/retreats.On the way home, the group joined the men of the Jesuit Novitiate Housein St. Paul, Minn., for Mass.16 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

Solid GoldRockhurst icon celebrates 50 years of teaching chemistryBy Katherine FrohoffIt may take a village to raise a child,but it only takes one 82-year-oldchemistry professor to build andmaintain a community that stretchesfrom Kansas City to Alaska to Egyptand beyond.This August, the Rev. James D.Wheeler, S.J., began his 50th year ofteaching at Rockhurst. During thistime, he has instructed countlessnumbers of students — includingthe current university president.Many have gone on to accomplishgreat things. And Fr. Wheeler helpsthem all keep in touch. Twice eachyear, he compiles the many e-mailshe receives from former studentsaround the world, adds storiesabout who has called or droppedby and publishes a newsletter for amailing list of 943 people.“Chemistry Newsletter No. 36”(the most recent issue) is a no-frillspublication written in a stream-ofconsciousnessstyle that defies editing.It’s a formula that has charmedalumni into contacting him justto get their names and storiesincluded in the pages, says PhilipColombo, Ph.D., ’91, one of twoRockhurst alumni who took classesfrom Fr. Wheeler and now teachalongside him in the chemistrydepartment.Stories about people who meetpeople who know Fr. Wheeler arelegendary. Colombo said hisbrother recently met a physicianin New York who is originallyfrom Colombia and whostudied under him.But this isn’t the only thing thatsets Fr. Wheeler apart. Although heturned 82 years old July 19, he stilldons shorts and walks from theJesuit residence to the weight roomwhere he works at keeping inshape. He still enjoys traveling andfor a recent birthday, his fellowJesuits sent him on a trip to Belize.On his 81st birthday, he presenteda research paper at a chemistryconference.It is rare for a faculty member tohave a career that spans this manyyears, let alone at the same institution.Somehow Fr. Wheeler is ableto connect to college studentswho find in him a caringand knowledgeableinstructor. Maybethat’s thecornerstonethat keeps thecommunityalive longafter they’vegraduated.

For someone who enjoys hearingfrom former students, colleagues andfriends, there may be no better giftthan a collection of memories andaccolades. Thanks to chemistry alumni,we’ve created a specialedition newsletter.To view archived copies of Fr.Wheeler’s chemistry newsletter, visitwww.rockhurst.edu/chemistrynews.Fr. Wheeler’s lifelong dedication toeducation is now and will continueto be an inspiration. His network ofcontacts is amazing, his dedication tostudents unconditional; his shoeswill certainly be hard to fill!Jackie Riedel, ’05DO/MBA Candidate, class of 2008Kansas City University of Medicineand BiosciencesI have found Fr. Wheeler to be a“rock” of wisdom and faith. His10:15 p.m. Sunday night Mass homilieswere always to the point of“know where you are and what youshould be doing.” The number ofe-mail addresses from his newsletterexemplifies the many lives Fr. Wheelerhas affected. I always marvel at thegreat number of Ph.D. and M.D. designationsthat follow the names inthat newsletter. To think of all thelives each one of those has touchedas an extension of Fr. Wheeler’s messageis impressive.I have spent the past eight yearsteaching doctors during their residencytraining years. I recall mycohorts and myself seeking help ongeneral chemistry problems after that10:15 homily was completed. Thehomework was due the next day. Thisselfless example of a teacher is myparadigm for instructing the residents.From this I found a learningmoment is not just in the classroom.I, like many other of his students,was convinced to start Fr. Wheeler’sweightlifting program. I rememberthat it was very intense, so much sothat it took two weeks of very hardcalisthenics just to qualify for usingweights. I recall many days where Icould hardly walk up the stairs to thelocker room after working out. Ofcourse, it was always worse when hewas in the weight room, as he’dmake you work like a dog (much likein chemistry).Overall, I count Fr. Wheeler as agreat teacher and mentor for countlesschemistry students. With himand Dr. Servoss during the time I wasthere, I believe we had one of thefinest chemistry departments around.Many of my colleagues went on toobtain M.D. or Ph.D. degrees as aresult of his efforts.Daniel Casey, M.D., ’91President of the Medical StaffJohn Peter Smith HospitalFort Worth, TexasThomas M. Sack, Ph.D., ’80Director, Chemical Sciences DivisionMidwest Research Institute18 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

Fr. Wheeler is an amazing teacherand mentor. I took Honors Chemistrywith Fr. Wheeler my first semesterat Rockhurst, and I thoughtI would never make it through thatclass. I did do well, and I learnedhow hard I could really work ifI wanted something. Fr. Wheeler hasbeen a wonderful mentor dedicatedto guiding pre-med students to theirdreams. I thank him for all the hardwork he has done for Rockhurststudents and myself.Becky Wimbish, ’04DO/MBA Candidate, class of 2008Kansas City University of Medicineand BiosciencesI signed up for chemistry becauseI thought I wanted to be a doctor.I was assigned to General Chemistrywith 80 other freshmen in thebasement lecture hall of Conway.This is before any renovations hadtaken place.At 11 a.m., in walks this shortgentleman, with a flat-top haircut,desert boots, white socks, powderbluepants, orange tie, glasses anda non-descript suitcoat, and hesays, “Good morning, my name isFr. Wheeler, this is General Chemistry,take out a half-sheet of paper, questionnumber one.”The entire class was in shock andstunned silence. Who was this personwho had invaded our lives? We soonlearned however that looks can bedeceiving. Fr. Wheeler is a terrificteacher, a very pastoral priest and adear friend. He led me into theJesuits. I have been a happy membersince 1974.Fr. Bill Oulvey, S.J., ’74Superior of Jesuits, BelizeI took one course from Fr. Wheeler,Quantitative Analysis, about 48 yearsago. I was successful with the analyticalfeature of the course, but (by myinference), Father proved to me thatI was not going to become a proficientlab chemist, lacking the patience andprecision skills to get precise weightsand measures needed for accurateresults. However, on a positive note,I learned to appreciate the value ofanalytical chemistry. During my professionalcareer as a research leaderI can recall many instances whereresearch problems were solved withthe necessary innovations of analyticalchemistry. It’s as important, orperhaps even more important, tounderstand the technology as to beable to do it.Joseph Glas, Ph.D., ’60ROCKHURSTFALL 2005 19

HAWK TALK Double Teamer Ends With BasketballCory Schulte is adouble threat, bothin the classroomand in athletic competition.Not only did he balancetwo varsity sportsat Rockhurst — soccerand basketball— he alsobalancedtwomajors.Schulte recently completedundergraduate degrees inbusiness administrationand psychology.Playing two back-tobacksports was an exciting,exhausting challengefor Schulte.“It’s one of the toughestthings someone can do. Iwas always at basketballpractice the day after soccerseason ended,” saidSchulte, who will play hisfinal year of basketball thisyear while completing amaster’s degree in businessadministration.Schulte, who red-shirtedin basketball his freshmanyear, is one of the topreturning players from lastyear’s team. The 6-foot-5guard/forward played in50 games over the past twoyears, scoring 224 pointsand grabbing 104rebounds. Coach BillO’Connor is counting onSchulte to provide leadershipfor a young Hawksteam this season.A four-year starter forthe soccer team, Schulteplayed in 60 games as adefender and helped leadthe Hawks to a pair ofNCAA tournament appearancesin 2002 and 2003.He was named the Hawks’2004 defensive player ofthe year.RU Teams Travel to New MarketsRockhurst University alumni and fans will now geta better chance to watch the Hawks play in majormarkets throughout the Midwest. The Universityofficially joined the NCAA Division II Great Lakes ValleyConference (GLVC) for the 2005-06 academic year.Frank Diskin, Rockhurst University director of athletics,said membership in this new conference allows all11 of Rockhurst’s teams to compete in one conference forthe first time.“The GLVC is a strong Division II conference,” Diskinsaid. “This takes us into St. Louis, where we recruit a largenumber of our students, in addition to opening up newareas for us in Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati andLouisville. These are also areas where we have a largenumber of alumni.”This fall, Rockhurst’s soccer teams will make road tripsto Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Springfield. TheLady Hawks volleyball team will be playing leaguematches at Drury, Southern Indiana, SIU Edwardsville,St. Joseph’s, Indianapolis, Quincy, Wisconsin-Parksideand Lewis.Basketball season for the RU teams will include roadgames between Dec. 1 and Feb. 25 at Northern Kentucky,Bellarmine, St. Joseph’s, Indianapolis, Missouri-St. Louis,Missouri-Rolla, Drury, SIU Edwardsville and Quincy.The Hawks and Lady Hawks will travel together andplay doubleheaders.For a complete athletic schedule, go towww.rockhurst.edu/athletics.20 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

Different Uniform, Same TeamSarah Schwandtwears a differentuniform than herteammates on theRockhurst volleyballteam. The physicaltherapy student fromManhattan, Kan., plays aspecial defensive positionin the back row called thelibero, who is required towear a uniform that contrastswith her teammates’uniforms.The libero, which hasbeen in use since 2002,was designed to add excitementto the game and raisethe level of play. Restrictedto play as a back-row player,the libero is not allowedto attack the ball or attemptto block, and is not countedtoward a team’s numberof substitutions.Schwandt became theHawks’ libero in hersophomore season in 2003and led the team with 620digs in 152 games. By theend of her junior season,she was one of the topliberos in the nation.Schwandt ranked seventhamong NCAA Division IIplayers with 6.22 digs pergame and was named theLibero of the Year in theHeartland Conference.“Sarah works extremelyhard. She is solid playingin the back. You’re assuredof getting a good pass fromher. Her leadership willcome into play more thisyear. We’re looking for herto have a good year,” saidRockhurst volleyball coachTracy Rietzke, who is thesecond winningest activeNCAA Division II women’svolleyball coach.Schwandt earned herbachelor’s degree in biologyin May and is a graduatestudent in the Rockhurstdoctor of physical therapyprogram.“You have the potentialto have great success inathletics and academics atRockhurst. This is an institutionthat has an excellentreputation in athletics andacademics,” Schwandt said.Sarah Schwandt, ’05, ‘07 DPTThe Great LakesValley ConferenceBellarmine University (Louisville, Ky.)Drury University (Springfield, Mo.)Kentucky Wesleyan College (Owensboro)Rockhurst UniversitySaint Joseph’s College (Rensselaer, Ind.)University of IndianapolisUniversity of Southern Indiana (Evansville)Lewis University (Romeoville, Ill.)University of Missouri-RollaNorthern Kentucky University (Highland Heights)Quincy University (Quincy, Ill.)Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleUniversity of Missouri-St. LouisUniversity of Wisconsin-Parkside (Kenosha)Visit theHawksOnlineWhether you’re adie-hard Rockhurstsportsfan or just want to seethe score from last night’sgame, check out the new athletics newsWeb page. Updated regularly by John Dodderidge, sportsinformation director, the section includes news, features,photos and upcoming events. Find it by clicking theyellow Athletics link at the top of any Rockhurst Webpage at www.rockhurst.edu.ROCKHURSTFALL 2005 21

ADVANCEMENT DIGEST Wellness Complex Could Transform CampusAfund-raising effort is under way forRockhurst University’s proposedHealth and Wellness Complex, anapproximately $20 million facilityintended to increase options foron- campus student recreationopportunities.An innovative design that incorporates the traditionallook of limestone with contemporary architecturalelements will connect new and existing structures. Theproject will consist of two phases.Phase one includes construction of a building behindMason-Halpin to house a multipurpose court and locker facilities.During phase two, a new building will be added behindMassman Hall for workout rooms, an atrium dining space anda rooftop garden. The second floor of the Convocation Centerwill be extended to accommodate an indoor running track.Students will be able to choose from a variety of settings inwhich to sweat, including the new track, specially designatedrooms for the latest weight-training and cardio equipment,and a window-lined enclosed bridge connecting the two newbuildings, where additional equipment will be found.Attractive cloistered walkways will line parts of the westernand northern perimeters of the soccer field, creating an invitingenvironment for walking or gathering to watch games.Construction could begin on phase one duringthe second half of 2006 if enough funds are raised.If you would like to make a gift to Rockhurst Universityto help fund the Health and Wellness Complex, call(816) 501-4888, visit www.rockhurst.edu and selectThis north-looking viewshows the cloistered walkwaysthat will line portionsof the soccer field.“Giving to Rockhurst” or mail a check to: Officeof Institutional Advancement, Rockhurst University,1100 Rockhurst Road, Kansas City, MO 64110.To see additional views of the proposed facility, followthe “About Rockhurst” link on the Rockhurst Web site to“Campus Developments.”The proposed Health and Wellness Complex connects theConvocation Center with a new building east of MassmanHall and replaces the roadway in front of Mason-HalpinFieldhouse with a pedestrian plaza.Golfing for DollarsMore than 180 golfers teed off June 27 forthe third annual Rockhurst University GolfClassic at Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate.The celebrity tournament, held in memoryof the late Rev. Joseph Freeman, S.J., was a tremendoussuccess, raising more than $50,000 for University athletics.Each foursome chose a celebrity team member from agroup of local professional athletes and celebrities.Chiefs broadcasters Mitch Holthus and Bill Grigsby, aswell as defensive end Eric Hicks and wide receiver EddieKennison, were among the celebrity golfers. The winningteam included George McDonnell, ’77, MBA ’82; ScottHolland; Flip Frisch, ’77; Joel Frisch, ’65; and Kansas CityChief Mike Davidson.Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen and Al Fitzmorris,Royals broadcaster and former pitcher, were honorarychairmen for the event. Title sponsors included McBride& Son Homes and ThreeSixty Architecture.

Rockhurst Is JazzedCome get jazzed with us for the 10th annualRockhurst University Gala on Saturday,Oct. 29. This black-tie event, which raisesfunds each year for scholarships andstudent services, will be held in theImperial Ballroom of the MuehlebachTower, Marriott Downtown.The evening will include cocktails and dinner, withmusic by the incomparable jazz singer and songwriterAngela Hagenbach. For those who attend, the opportunityto participate in a drawing for a new car will be available.Anchorman and local celebrity Larry Moore willpreside as master of ceremonies, and will be honoredas a Rockhurst University Honorary Alumnus. This year’sgala co-chairs are Bill and Betty George and Barbaraand Michael O’Flaherty. Charles and Patty Garney andKurt and Ursula Pfahl are honorary chairs.Reserve your space now for this special event.Tickets are $200 per person or $100 for undergraduatealumni from the classes of 1995–2005. For moreinformation or to reserve your tickets, call the AlumniOffice at (816) 501-4807.ROCKHURSTFALL 2005 23

FOR ALUMNI A Friend IndeedAs one man struggles with Alzheimer’s,an old college friend comes back to stand by his side.Walt Tylicki, ’64, and Ralph Telken, ’64:two names that have been engrainedin Rockhurst’s collective history.As members of the 1964 NAIA Championshipbasketball team, they werefriends and teammates.They drifted apart after college, as friends do. But theirlives intersected again in 2001 as Tylicki struggled withthe deteriorating effects of Alzheimer’s disease.As soon as Telken heard he was sick, he immediatelycame to his friend’s side. Tylicki required constant supervisionby that point, and Telken offered his help untilTylicki passed away on April 5, 2005.Every week, they’d go get pizza or a movie. Once in awhile they’d even take in a Rockhurst basketball game.“When Walt went in the nursing home, Ralph tookcommunion to him every day,” said Mickey Tylicki,Walt’s wife of 40 years. “There were very few days that hemissed. He always took ice cream and candy bars. He’dsit in there with him and say the rosary and say prayers.”Those who knew Tylicki will remember an energeticman with a persistent smile and fun-loving attitude.“He was impossible to dislike,” said classmate JamesMillard, Ph.D., ’64.“He was just a great guy,” said Mickey. “He loved hisjob. Loved the kids.”She wasn’t just referring to their four children. Tylickiturned his love of baketball into a long career as ateacher, counselor and coach, spending 29 years at BishopMiege High School in Roeland Park, Kan. Two of hischildren followed in his footsteps when they begancareers as educators.Last year, the Rockhurst class of 1964 celebrated its40-year reunion. “All the guys went over to the nursinghome, and he just beamed,” said Telken. His conditionhad worsened by that point, but his expression wasdifferent that day. “He knew.”The day had special meaning for Telken, who knew hewas losing a dear friend.“With guys, you don’t say I love you,” he said. “Butactions speak louder than words. And I loved him.”Walt Tylicki, ’64, was surrounded by friends throughout hislife. Here he visits with Nancy Bengtson in Chesterfield, Mo.,around the time of his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease.Please WriteLooking for a fun way to show off youralma mater? Send your friends and familya free Rockhurst University e-card. Go towww.rockhurst.edu/postcard and choosefrom a variety of images and messages,then add your own message to personalizethe card.24 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

Board Honors Fivefor OutstandingAccomplishmentsThe RockhurstUniversity AlumniBoard selected fivedistinguished alumni andfriends for this year’salumni awards.John Williams, ’54,entered the Athletic Hallof Fame before thehomecoming game onRockhurst Day, Sept. 30.Williams earned eightvarsity letters during hisfour years by playing onboth the Hawk basketballand baseball teams.At the 10th annualRockhurst Gala Oct. 29,Larry Moore will be recognizedas an HonoraryAlumnus for his continuedsupport of the University.He has served asthe master of ceremoniesat the Gala since 1999.Moore, who anchors the6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscastson KMBC-TV, is thelongest running newsanchor in Kansas City.In a November ceremony,three alumni awardswill be presented. DanielC. Prèfontaine, ’61, is thisyear’s Alumnus of the Yearfor Outstanding Achievementfor his work in theCanadian Department ofJustice and the UnitedNations. He is currentlyCEO and executive directorof the InternationalCentre for Criminal LawReform and Criminal JusticePolicy at the Universityof British Columbia.This year’s Alumnus ofthe Year for OutstandingService is Richard Ruiz,’92 XMBA. In 1976, Ruizfounded El Centro Inc., anonprofit organization tosupport Latino familiesthroughout Kansas City.William Haggerty,Ph.D., will be inductedinto the Science Hall ofFame. Haggerty assistedin the opening of laboratoriesin the Middle Eastbefore advising a Spanishorganization on how tomeet the United States’Food and Drug Lawsand Good LaboratoryPractices.ALUMNI LEADERSRU GRAD PUTS LEADERSHIPSKILLS TO WORKYou may have seen the statistic that one in 10Rockhurst alumni is president or CEO of anorganization, but did you know that one ispresident of a country?Far from landlocked Kansas City, three-fourthsof the way from Hawaii to Indonesia, the FederatedStates of Micronesia spans 2,500 kilometers acrossthe Pacific Ocean. The country’s president, Joseph J.Urusemal, earned a bachelor’s degree in administrationof justice from Rockhurst in 1976.Urusemal said he became interested in Rockhurstwhen three classmates from Xavier High School in hishome country enrolled a year before him.After he graduated, Urusemal worked for the JacksonCounty Department of Correction for six yearsbefore returning to Micronesia in 1982. He becamepresident in 2003.Micronesia comprises four states — Chuuk, Kosrae,Pohnpei and Yap. Urusemal said one of his prioritiesis creating unity among them.“I find my biggest challenge thus far has been theestablishment of a common ground to bridge the fourstates, which are distinctly different in cultures andbeliefs, yet united through strong traditional values,”Urusemal said.Those who envision his country as remote anduntouched might be surprised.“I don’t think most people in the United Statesrealize the extensive influence the Western world hasin the Micronesian islands, especially the FSM,”Urusemal said. “Long gone is the pristine paradiseliving. Today’s FSM shares the realities of other smalldeveloping nations and is equally afflicted by issuesglobal in nature.”Moving to Kansas City to attend Rockhurst wasUrusemal’s first exposure to foreign culture and headmits to feeling a bit of culture shock.“Rockhurst not only kept me grounded in thevalues and beliefs that transplanted me to the UnitedStates, but it also instilled in me a deep sense of aweand appreciation of the diversity of humankind,”Urusemal said. “To this day, the marvel of humankindcontinues to be a daily inspiration for me in my work.”ROCKHURSTFALL 2005 25

CLASS NOTES ’48William R. Conwell wasrecently elected to his thirdterm as mayor of Atherton,Calif. He also serves aschairman of the San MateoCounty Criminal Counciland on the governingboards of the San MateoCounty City/County Associationof Governments,the San Francisco AirportRoundtable and the SanCarlos Airport.’49Jospeh P. Kessler lives inthe St. Joseph VillageRetirement Apartments inCoppell, Texas.’58The Rev. Roger W. Houghretired in March 2005 after40 years of active ministryas a priest in the diocese ofSalina, Kan.’62John J. Jurcyke Jr. wasfeatured as a collector at“Tons More Things PeopleCollect” at Kansas City’sCrown Center in June2005. Jurcyke displayed hismore than 100 figures andscenes of law.’63Robert Dell’Orco retiredfrom the American RedCross in January 2005.’65Sam Enna, Ph.D., professorin the Department ofPharmacology, Toxicologyand Therapeutics, receivedthe 2005 PharmaceuticalResearch and Manufacturersof America (PhRMA)Foundation Award inExcellence for outstandingcontributions in pharmacology.The award is presentedeach year to scientistswho received aPhRMA Foundationresearch grant early in theircareers and who went onto distinguish themselvesthrough scientific and academicachievements.Lawrence W. Reiter, Ph.D.,has been named director ofthe Environmental ProtectionAgency’s NationalExposure Research Laboratoryin Triangle Park, N.C.,one of three national laboratorieswithin the EPA. Inhis new position, Reiterwill direct a staff of morethan 400 federal employeesin research facilitieslocated in North Carolina,Ohio, Georgia and Nevada.He has served in the EPA’sOffice of Research andDevelopment for 32 years.Robert “Bob” D. Rowan,who lives in Clarksville,Ga., recently retired. Heworks part time at aCatholic camp.’67James C. Wirken was electedto the board of governorsof the Missouri Bar for the2004-05 term. Jim will actas liaison to both the technologyand computer lawcommittee and the specialcommittee on mental anddevelopmental disabilities.Wirken recently wasnamed the “Best of the Bar2005” by Kansas City BusinessJournal after beingvoted for the honor by hispeers in the legal community.He has a regular sloton Sunday’s “Kansas City’sMorning News” on KMBZAM radio. He also writes“Wirken Tips: Law OfficeMarketing, Managementand Economics,” a weeklycolumn for The DailyRecord legal newspaper.’68John J. Kolich Jr., presidentof Kolich & Company,was featured in the AIRCommercial Real EstateAssociation newsletter inFebruary 2005. Kolich isan 18-year veteran of commercialreal estate brokerage.He and his wife,Arlene, and their daughter,Tara, live in Rancho PalosVerdes, Calif.George Joseph Pierronhas been a judge on theKansas Court of Appeals inTopeka for the past 14years. He married DianaCarlin in 2003. Carlin isthe dean of the GraduateSchool and InternationalPrograms at the Universityof Kansas.’71Philip E. Bower is a productionmanager for GeneralDynamics in Lincoln,Neb. He and his wife,Terry, who works for theNebraska Golf Association,have five grandchildren.Terry Dunn received theOrder of the Lion Awardfrom Sigma Alpha Epsilon.The award recognizes outstandingcommitment andloyalty to the fraternity byan alumnus. Dunn is aRockhurst Universitytrustee.Jayme (Jay) W. Hofferbecame president ofBiltbest Products Inc. inSt. Genevieve, Mo., inMarch 2005. He retiredfrom the Navy after serving20 years.John Stacy, a RockhurstRegent, received the Orderof Minerva Award fromSigma Alpha Epsilon. Thisaward, the third highestaward an SAE alumnus canreceive, recognizes outstandingcommitment andloyalty to the fraternityover an extended period oftime. Stacy has given morethan 25 years of service toSigma Alpha Epsilon.’73Jeff Karl, women’s soccercoach for Meramec CommunityCollege, wasinducted into the St. LouisSoccer Hall of Fame in September2005. Karl, whostarted his 23 rd season26 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

with the Magic this fall,has more wins than anyother junior collegewomen’s soccer coach inthe nation (287-89-30).His Meramec squads wonback-to-back nationaltitles in 1991 and 1992,and he has coached 34All-Americans.Michael Shirley was recognizedby the ExecutiveRecruiter News for qualityreputation and professionalismon his 25 th anniversaryin retained executivesearch. Shirley has led hisown independent firm inKansas City for the past15 years.Richard Sullivan, whoserves as chairman of theboard and CEO of McBride& Sons Enterprises, willmove full time to his roleas CEO, effective Jan. 1,2006. The company is theSt. Louis region’s largesthome builder. Sullivanrecently was appointedto the Rockhurst UniversityBoard of Trustees(see Page 4).’74Roger William Playerserves on the board ofWestern Catholic UnionFraternal Insurance Companyand served on theQuincy Notre Dame HighSchool foundation board.He and his wife, Nancy,live in Quincy, Ill.’75Marian Weilert Sauveyhas been promoted tosenior vice president atAtlas World Group. Shealso serves as generalcounsel and secretary forAtlas World Group andAtlas Van Lines.’76John Klotz, Ph.D.,co-authored CarpenterAnts of the United Statesand Canada, the first bookentirely devoted to thelifestyle of carpenter ants.Klotz is associate cooperativeextension specialist inthe Department of Entomologyat the Universityof California, Riverside.Bob Merrigan was namedDirect Marketer of the Yearby the Kansas City DirectMarketing Association forhis contributions to theorganization and to thedirect marketing field.Merrigan has more than 30years of experience indirect marketing andadvertising. He started hisown business in 1990,Merrigan & Company,which specializes in marketingcommunications forbusiness-to-business, notfor-profitand fund-raisingprojects.’78Larry Daniels wasappointed general managerfor Hyatt Regency DFWat Dallas/Fort Worth InternationalAirport. He managesthe day-to-day operationsof the 811-roomhotel and its 350 employees.Daniels has been withHyatt Hotels & Resortssince 1980, previouslyserving as general managerof the Hyatt Regency NewBrunswick in NewBrunswick, N.J.’80Tom Brennan has beenpromoted to general managerfor central Illinois atNegwer Materials Inc. Heoversees all yard operationsfor the company’slocations in Springfield,Decatur, Urbana, Bloomington/Normaland Peoriaand monitors sales, safety,margins and personnel.’81Jonathan Edward Frazierwas ordained to the priesthoodon Dec. 6, 2004.Steve Rygelski joinedNational Real Estate ManagementCorporation as itschief financial officer inJune 2005.’82 XMBARandall Lyne founded PreferredPump & Equipmentin 1982. Today, PreferredPump & Equipment LPremains a closely heldcompany, with 28 locationsin 12 states and 250employees.’83The Rev. ChristopherGeorge Frechette, S.J.,received a doctor of theologydegree in Old Testamentat Harvard Universityin June 2005. He is anadjunct professor of OldTestament at Loyola MarymountUniversity, LosAngeles.ROCKHURSTFALL 2005 27

CLASS NOTES Timothy McDaniel,assistant professor ofmathematics at BuenaVista University, wasawarded BVU’s highestfaculty honor, the prestigiousGeorge Wyeth Awardfor Teaching Excellence.’84Peter France retired fromthe United States NavalReserve following 28 yearsof Naval Service. He hasbeen honored with numerousawards, and recentlyreceived the Joint MeritoriousService Medal for hisnaval service after beingrecalled to active duty forOperations Noble Eagleand Enduring Freedom.France lives in Wildwood,Mo., where he consults onmatters of national defenseand policy.’85Gina Kay (Nichols) Greggworks in case management/utilization review andresource management atthe Genesis Medical Centerin Davenport, Iowa.She is pursuing a master’sin health care administrationand raising threesons, Zachariah, Austinand Dalton.’86Elda M. de la Pena wasreappointed by ColoradoGovernor Bill Owens toa four-year term on thestate board “Special FundsBoard for Workers’ CompensationSelf Insurers”in March 2005.Robert C. “Haef” Haefnerowns an entrepreneurialand franchise consultingbusiness, The EntrepreneurAuthority.’89Ronald E. Hardin Jr. wasappointed chief informationofficer for Arizona’sDepartment of EnvironmentalQuality Agencyin March 2005. He alsoserves as the agencyrepresentative on variousadvisory and oversightcommittees for statewidetechnology initiativesmandated by GovernorJanet Napolitano.’90Joseph Reardon was electedmayor of the UnifiedGovernment of WyandotteCounty, Kan.Scott C. Trout is managingpartner and COO ofCordell & Cordell P.C. inSt. Louis, Mo. The Troutsare happy to announce thebirth of their son, HuttonCarter, born Dec.1, 2004.Hutton joins siblingsGraham, Hannah, Cullenand Brogan.’90 MBAKhalid Abedin waspromoted to senior vicepresident to lead the CreditRisk Management Groupat Constellation Energy.Abedin is a frequent speakerat the Energy Power RiskConference and served onthe board of directors forthe International EnergyCredit Association. He andhis wife have a daughter.’91Jeffrey Bruce Beshonerwas ordained to thediaconate with the FranciscanFriars of the ThirdOrder Regular on May 21,2005, in Loretto, Penn.He teaches at FranciscanUniversity in Steubenville,Ohio.Debra (Church) Davis is acharge nurse and preceptorin the neonatal ICU atResearch Medical andvolunteers as a docentat the Kansas City Zoo.Davis and her husband,Brian, have two children,Natalie, 3, and Jackson,5 months old.Brad O’Neal has been promotedto district managerfor Ajilon Consulting’sHouston office.’92Pulchratia Lynn (Falkner)Kinney-Smith works forthe State Universitizes CivilService System. She has amaster’s degree in laborand industrial relationsand an advanced certificatein human resources educationfrom the Universityof Illinois. Kinney-Smithis married and has threechildren.Kimberly Ann (Six) Tatomand her husband, Monty,sell, repair and rent videoarcades, pinball machinesand jukeboxes in KansasCity.’93Brian Matthew Brownriggearned his MBA at LoyolaUniversity in Chicago in2002.’94Suzette Naylor has beenpromoted to controllerat the Kansas City ArtInstitute. Naylor also ispursuing a master’s degreein theology at the GreatCommission School ofMinistry. She is an activevolunteer at the MemorialMissionary Baptist Church– New Vision MinistriesInc, serving as prayerleader, young adult leaderand president of thesingles ministry.28 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

Trek to Mongolia Inspires EffortA Rockhurst education, especially theology courseswith the late Fr. Don Murphy, S.J., inspired myinterest in the practices of other religions. Last year,I traveled to the Gandan Monastery Temple inUlaanbataar, Mongolia — a site included on everytourist itinerary and the highlight of mine. Themonastery was established in 1835 and by the early1900s, Gandan was the center of Buddhist learningin Mongolia.During the 1930s, the socialist government closedall monasteries and the monks were jailed or executed.Gandan reopened in 1944 as the only functioningmonastery during the socialist regime. After thedemocratic change took place in Mongolia in 1990,Buddhism returned. The young monks picturedare a few of the hundreds who live and learn atthe monastery.During a tour of thegrounds I learned thata renovation project isunder way to providesafe housing for theyoung monks. Thecurrent heating systemis failing and duringthe brutal Mongolianwinters many becomeill as a result. I haveorganized a fund-raisingeffort, but we are Buddhist monks in Mongolia.Nina Moyer, ’84, with youngstill thousands of dollarsshort of our goal.To learn more about the effort, or visiting themonastery, contact me at nmmoye@earthlink.net.— Nina Moyer, ’84’95Robert “Radar” EdwardAdams has accepted a newposition with AmericanTrust Administrators Inc.as senior network engineer.Adams, an instructor atNational American University,was awarded the 2004Missouri Governor’s Awardfor Excellence in Teaching.‘96Margot Jane Nitzsche ispursuing a master’s degreein educational technology.She is a technology coachfor teachers and a mentorfor new teachers in her district.Nitzsche has fourchildren and eight grandchildren.’96, MPT ’98Brian W. Lynch was selectedas national sales representativeof the year forJohnson & JohnsonAdvanced Wound Care.’97Brad Doty graduated fromCleveland ChiropracticCollege in December 2004.His practice is located atWaldo Chiropractic Clinic.Jaynelle Dawnette Nixon,who moved back to KansasCity in September 2004,has taught in Georgia, Californiaand Alaska.Nicklas Sainato is a fieldchemist for Von Roll AmericaInc. He and his wife,Anita, live in Ballwin, Mo.,with their children, Zach,9, Noah, 4, and newborndaughter Anna.’98, MPT ’00Brian Patrick Murphy isthe area therapy directorfor RMY Co. His territoriesinclude North Carolina,South Carolina and Savannah,Ga. Brian and hiswife, Shannon, live in theRaleigh-Durham area,where Shannon teachessixth grade math.’99Kristen Suzanne (Mader)Guillaume recently movedback to Kansas City fromDunedin, Fla. She is amember of HealthcareInformation Systems Societyand American Collegeof Healthcare Executives.Gregory Ledwon was promotedto sales managerwith Glazers Midwest. Heand his wife, Jessica(Jansen), ’99, moved toColumbia, Mo., in August2004.Ron Ira Steel completedhis master’s degree inhuman resources organizationalmanagement fromThe University of Phoenixin June 2005. He ownsSteel Photography LLC.’00 MBATom Finocchiaro wasnamed vice president ofoperations excellence atApplebee’s International.He and his wife, Ann, havetwo children, Collin, 14,and Eric, 8.ROCKHURSTFALL 2005 29

CLASS NOTES ’01Heather “Beau” V. Bowmanis pursuing a master’sin marketing at WebsterUniversity in St. Louis, Mo.Shannon Marie Stoops isan occupational therapistat Cedars-Sinai MedicalCenter in Los Angeles. Shelives in Thousands Oakes,Calif.’02Marybeth Mall, who isserving in Iraq, recentlywas promoted to captainin the U.S. Army.Christopher Mulligangraduated from GeorgetownUniversity Law Centerin Washington, D.C., inMay 2005. Mulligan is anassociate in the corporatelitigation department atDewey Ballentine LLP inNew York City.’03Sarah Westman has beenhired as a research analystin the research departmentat Bernstein-Rein AdvertisingInc. in Kansas City.Prior to joining the agency,she served as a juniorproject director at TNS.XMBA ’03Marvin Rollison has beenpromoted to vice president,corporate culture andcommunity strategy, forKCP&L. Rollison, who hasbeen with the company for15 years, has been leadinginternal efforts to create acorporate culture knownfor engaged employees andleadership at all levels.’04Navy Fireman John D.Berg recently completedU.S. Navy basic training atrecruit training commandin Great Lakes, Ill.Marriages’80Carolyn Elise Wagner andMichael L. Maphies weremarried in July 2005 inOverland Park, Kan. Carolynis human resource managerat Custom Energy LLC andMike is a sales representativewith RamAir Inc.’98Christina MichelleThompson and WilliamEmery Patterson were marriedon April 30, 2005, atSt. Therese Church inParkville Mo. They areboth employed at the Universityof Missouri–Columbia.Christina is pursuing amaster’s degree and worksin the Student Health Centerand Will is a sales executivefor the Mizzou sportsmagazine.’99Andy Bond and ClareBarnes, ’02, were marriedApril 23, 2005, in St. Louis,Mo. The couple lives inBrookside in Kansas City, Mo.’00Chris Kesting and BlairChamblin, ’02, were marriedon Nov. 27, 2004, atAscension Church in OverlandPark, Kan.’00, ’02 MOTJessica Jerden marriedCharlie Behrends on April 2,2005. The couple lives inSt. Louis, Mo.’00, ’02 MPTRachel Ellebracht andMichael Casey McGraw,’00, were married Dec. 4,2004, at St. Peter’s CatholicChurch in Kansas City,Mo., by the Rev. LukeByrne, S.J. Rockhurst alumniin the wedding partyincluded: bridesmaidsAngela (Ellebracht)Charles, ’95, Kim (Zeiler)Mason, ’00, MeghanMcCormack, ’02, Michelle(Blackburn) McGraw, ’97,Amy (McGraw) Bristow,’96; groomsmen SeanMcGraw, ’95, ThomasCharles, ’95, Dan Mullane,’99, Bryan Menges, ’99;and usher Matt Pomianek,’00. The couple resides inKansas City.Jill Mandrell marriedSteven Ecker in June 2004.She is employed at St. Luke’sHospital as supervisor ofphysical therapy.Update your bio or senda class note atwww.rockhurst.edu/mag’02Vince Carney and ShelleyPientka were married onApril 2, 2005. The couple,who started dating theirfreshman year of college,live in Mission, Kan.Laura Snyder marriedBryan Michael Fox in June2003 in Lenexa, Kan.Brian recently joined theSpecial Forces of the U.S.Army. The couple plans tomove to North Carolina inFebruary 2006.’03Elizabeth Wilson Vickershas been working inWashington, D.C., forCongressman Ike Skeltonsince September 2003.Vickers recently waspromoted to legislativeassistant. She handlesissues related to labor/pension, housing andscience/technology.’03 MIHEChukwudi Nicholas Anyaand his wife, Gerra Shelise(Williams) Anya, ’04, havetwo children. Chukwudiworks for Costco Wholesale.30 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

Births’89Beth Fuegner Crane andher husband, Tim,announce the birth of theirson, Kevin Patrick, bornMarch 9, 2005. Kevin joinsbig sister, Lauren, 5. Bethteaches fifth grade at TwinChimneys Elementary inO’Fallon, Mo.’90George Simon and hiswife, Elaine, announce thebirth of their daughterElizabeth on April 28,2005. She joins her fiveolder sisters Maria,Therese, Sarah, Carolineand Rebecca.’92Shannon (Shaw) Coleman,and her husband,Jonathan, are pleased toannounce the birth of theirthird child, Tatum Kathleen,born January 31, 2005.She joins big sister Reece, 3,and big brother, Nash, 2.Her proud grandparents,who now have eight grandchildren,are Dick andDaffy Shaw.’93Teresa M. Guerrra-Yorkand her husband, Michael,welcomed their secondson, Gabriel Standley. Hejoins big brother Michael,who is 3.’94, MBA ’96Jeff Bush and Kate(Hanna) Bush, ’96,announce the birth of theirdaughter, Eleanor Colleen,born November 5, 2004.Ellie joins sister Hanna, 1.’95Robert “Radar” EdwardAdams and his wife, KathleenRagogna-Adams,announce the birth of theirfirst child, Sophia Rose,born Nov. 30, 2004.Michelle (Kokotajlo)Ginn and her husband,Jason, welcomed their firstson, Stephen Alexander, onDec. 22, 2004.Kristine (Goth) Pace,and her husband, Frank,announce the birth ofsecond son, Charlie, bornDec. 10, 2004. He joins bigbrother, Michael, at homein Lee’s Summit. Krisreturned to RockhurstUniversity in August 2003,working part-time as afinancial analyst in theBusiness Office.Holly (Urbom) Palacioand her husband, Luis,announce the birth ofDaniel Paul, who joins bigsister Anna. The familyrecently moved back to theKansas City area.Lori (Morgan) Shank andhusband, Anthony Shank,’97 MBA, are proud toannounce the birth of theirthird child, AlexanderChristian, born March 14,2005. He joins big brotherAndrew, 3. and big sisterAinsley, 1.’96Julianna Madrigal-Osbourne and her husband,Rob, announce thebirth of daughter, Annessa,born Nov. 2, 2004. Annessajoins two big brothers,Austin, 5, and Brantley, 2.’96, MPT ’98Michael Vogel and hiswife, Molly, announcethe birth of their daughter,Clare Ann, born May 3,2005.’97Craig Burroughs and Sara(Hesse) Burroughs, ’99,welcomed their first child,Hannah Leigh, bornMay 18, 2005.Kristen (Bergner) andMatthew Muckerman, ’99,MBA ’03, announce thebirth of their first child,Shane Matthew, born inJune 2005.Christy D. (Cramer)Preston and her husband,Scott, welcomed theirdaughter Bailey Christineon Dec. 28, 2004. Christyis an attorney in Rolla, Mo.’99Stephen Hunter, M.D.,and Natalie (Hammond)Hunter, ’00, welcomedbaby Matthew Gabriel,born Nov. 28, 2004. Hejoins big sister Miriam, 3.The Hunters live inLouisville, Ky., whereStephen is a resident inpediatrics at the Universityof Louisville.Gina (Larson) Adamsand her husband, Slade,announce the birth of theirfirst child, Jillian Margaret,born Feb. 28, 2005.Gregory and Jessica(Jansen) Ledwon areproud to announce thebirth of their second child,Luke Gregory, born Nov.29, 2004. He joins bigbrother Nicholas, 2.Ellen (Helmsing) Wunderlich,and her husband,Steve, welcomed their firstchild, Elizabeth “Ellie”Marie, born Feb. 10, 2005.Rockhurst magazineearned a PRISMaward, which signifiesfirst place, in thefour-color magazinecategory from theGreater Kansas CityChapter of the PublicRelations Society ofAmerica. The chapterpresented the awardsat a September banquet.ROCKHURSTFALL 2005 31

CLASS NOTES In MemoriamJack F. Whitaker (’32)May 19, 2005John Beverly (Bev)Cameron (’35)July 16, 2005Fredrick Joseph Frey Jr.(’37) April 5, 2005Maurice C. Rubin (’38)May 8, 2005John W. Spoor (’38)March 25, 2005Harold F. Livers (’39)May 25, 2005Charles WarringtonBarnes Jr. (’41)June 30, 2005Felix David “Phil” Fortin Jr.(’41) April 11, 2005James Joseph Mangan (’41)April 3, 2005John F. Fogarty Jr. (’42)June 2, 2005George B. Shrewsbury, DDS(’42) Dec. 27, 2004John Edward (Jack) Stuart(’43) July 14, 2005Robert Anthony Meyers(’44) April 21, 2005Col. John D. Noble (’44)May 16, 2005Phillip V. (Fee) Thomas(’47) Jan. 2, 2005William G. Cahill (’48)Jan. 14, 2005James F. Conrow (’49)July 13, 2005Joseph McLiney Crowe Sr.(’49) Feb. 12, 2005Edward Patterson Graney(’49) Feb. 15, 2005Clement Joseph Hessel Jr.(’49) April 21, 2005Warren E. Peak III (’49)June 20, 2005Victor P. Wirtz (’49)Feb. 4, 2005Robert W. Wallerstedt(’49) May 7, 2005Richard Lee (Dick) Wicker(’49) Jan. 21, 2005D. Eugene (Gene) Hart(’50) July 16, 2005Rev. Roger FrederickMiller (’50)March 12, 2005George J. Capra (’51)Feb. 15, 2005Mayhue (Mike) Kiriakos(’51) Jan. 16, 2005James Reid McDonald (’51)May 7, 2005Leo Andrew Wernel Jr.(’53) April 28, 2005Rev. William Kellett, S.J.(’54) July 18, 2005Thomas Edward Shine(’54) Jan.14, 2005William E. (Bill) Weigers(’54) June 22, 2005Robert E. Bradley (’55)Jan. 9, 2005William Garies (’55)July 16, 2005John Terrence Dunn (’56)June 13, 2005Bud Greener (’57)Jan. 1, 2005Vincent D. Koehler (’60)May 11, 2005John Michael Burke (’61)March 6, 2005Walter Lewis Gilhaus (’62)June 4, 2005Ramon Ramirez (’63)June 23, 2005Marvin L. Van Kirk (’63)May 19, 2005Bill L. Freeman (’64)Feb. 16, 2005William L. McCasland(’64) Feb. 11, 2005Walter Henry Tylicki (’64)April 5, 2005Terrance “Terry” Meyer(’65) Dec. 6, 2003John P. Foley (’68)March 19, 2005Richard A. Messbarger(’70) April 19, 2005Leroy George Huff (’72)Jan. 11, 2005Timothy L. Farrell (’73)March 3, 2005Shaun O’Rourke (’75)May 14, 2005James Gregory Pressley(Nkosi Imhotep Shabaka)(’78) Feb. 19, 2005Daniel M. Tartaglia Jr.(’79) June 3, 2005Laura Marie (Ernst)Campanini-Pape (’87)Jan. 22, 2005Virginia Rose Krueger(’89) Dec. 31, 2004George M. Lichtenauer(’89) April 1, 2005James Thomas Rank (’89)July 26, 2005Linda Jean Wilson (’96)April 21, 2005Deborah Ann Moles (’97)Jan. 2, 2005Go Online to GiveIt is faster and easier than ever to make a contributionto Rockhurst University. Just visit our onlinegiving page at www.rockhurst.edu/onlinegiving,make your gift through our secure server, and wewill mail you a receipt. Want more informationabout giving to Rockhurst? Contact Jody Burgard,director of advancement services, atjody.burgard@rockhurst.edu or (816) 501-4629.32 ROCKHURSTFALL 2005

Fall for OurDouble DareYou could try to double your money through arisky investment, but how about a more foolproof way?Make your first donation to Rockhurst University’s AnnualFund this academic year and your gift automatically will bematched by an anonymous Rockhurst alumnus.Give $25 and the University receives $50; give $100 andRockhurst gets $200…you get the picture. Those are better oddsthan you’d find at any casino – and your gift, no matter the size, willhelp provide scholarships and financial aid for future Rockhurst alumni.To make a gift, call Shelly Laubhan at (816) 501-4431, or visitwww.rockhurst.edu and select “Giving to Rockhurst.”

Rock Aroundthe CityHave you seen thesefamous faces? The newRockhurst billboards,which feature 2005 graduates(from left) JacquelineSchumacher, MichaelNigro, Essence Scott andJeremy Schumacher, arecurrently located at I-70and Highway 40. Thebillboards will be rotatedto various locations inKansas City throughJune 2006.C A L E N D A ROCTOBER29 10 th ANNUAL GALA –ROCKHURST IS JAZZEDNOVEMBER4 ALUMNI WINE TASTINGDECEMBER3 CEREMONY OF LESSONSAND CAROLS1100 Rockhurst RoadKansas City, MO 64110Nonprofit Org .U.S.POSTAGEPAIDKansas City, Mo.Permit No. 782Please send address changesto alumni@rockhurst.eduor to the alumni office.