American

Upcoming Events
For more information or to register for an event please
visit the Events and News section of the
Alumni & Friends site www.rio.edu or contact
Annette Brown Ward at 740-245-7431 or award@rio.edu
Table of Contents
2...................Faculty/Alumni Win Prestigious Awards
3............Student Groups Have Impact on Community
4.........New Textbook Tutorials for the iPhone Thanks
to a Rio Professor
4........................... Making Something Out of Nothing
5................................................................ Class Notes
7................................... Rio Grande Soccer Schedules
8................ Reunion of the 1965 Rio Grande Redmen
Basketball Team
8.........New Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
October 31, 2009
The University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College
is pleased to announce the much anticipated return of the Bell
Tower Ball! The event will be held on Saturday October 31,
2009 in the Davis University Center at Rio Grande. This has
been a well attended and enjoyable formal event for alumni,
students, faculty, staff, friends and community members in
years past and it promises to be again in 2009. A Social Hour
& Silent Auction will begin at 6:30 p.m. and conclude at 8:00
p.m. when the live music begins. This year’s event features
R & B Station Band with Sharell Andrews, former American
Idol contestant. A short live auction will begin at 10:45
p.m. with the event concluding at Midnight.
Group Tables: ........... $600.00 (Seats 8 individuals per table)
A limited number of special reserved tables will be available.
Early Bird Special: ..................$100.00 per couple by 9/1/09
Couples: ...................................................$125.00 after 9/1/09
Individual: .....................................................................$75.00
Rio Students: ........................................$55.00 per individual
More details will follow in print, mail, email and on the
Alumni & Friends site at www.rio.edu.
We hope you will plan join us!
Alumni Board Members
Mary McCurdy Pierce ’67, Vice President
Hope Leedy Keller ’59, Secretary
Sabrina Hurt ’02, Treasurer
Mary Kay Vollborn Ervin ’71
Nanetta Fults ’72
Larry Guglielmi ’73
Raymond Jackson ’50
Bradford Krings ’74
Charles Kunkel ’70
C. Robert Leith ’65
Patrick “Jack” Morgan ’96
Editor:
Annette Brown Ward ’98
Contributing Writers:
Mark Williams ’96
Nick Claussen
Graphic Designer:
Jean Ann Vance ’86
On the Cover
Photos by Jean Ann Vance ’86
Familiar Rio Sites:
• Cora Mill
• Tycoon Lake
• Bob Evans Shelter House
• Bob Evans Windmill
• The Weeping Virgin Monument

Alumni Reunion 2009
Reflections
Date: Saturday August 22, 2009
Time: Noon-5:00 p.m.
Location: Rio Grande Campus
Cost: $10.00 per person
On Saturday August 22, 2009,
Rio Grande will once again
hold its annual Alumni
Reunion. We are excited to have you
back on campus so this year’s event
will feature many special activities!
The traditional picnic luncheon
will be held at Noon on the Green
with your favorite burgers, hot dogs,
summer salads, drinks and desserts.
The cost is $10.00 per person and due
at time of registration.
The Gallia County Model A Ford
Club will be on hand to give tours of
your favorite local haunts…How long
has it been since you’ve been to the
old Cora Mill or Tycoon Lake? Take
a scenic trip in one of these grand ole
automobiles! There is no cost to take
the tour but your donations to the
Club would be greatly appreciated.
The Alumni Awards presentation
will be held at 3:00pm in the Berry
Fine and Performing Arts Center.
This year’s recipients are Frank
Bullock ’71 and Hope Leedy Keller
’59. Please join us in honoring these
outstanding alumni for their service
to Rio Grande.
This year we are pleased to feature
a family scavenger hunt. Created by
Troy ‘93 and Kelley (Montgomery)
’94 Tripp, this promises to awaken
many memories…especially for those
1980’s and 1990’s grads. We know
you and your family will have a great
time! Prizes will be awarded.
Bill ‘67 and Gwen (Angell) ’69
Grant are working to contact former
members of Circle K and Kayettes.
We hope to see many of you here on
campus for the reunion! To contact
Bill or Gwen, please email them at
grantgy@aol.com
The classes of 1960-1975 have
special events going on all weekend
thanks to their planning committee.
On Friday night, members of those
class years will meet at the Holiday
Inn in Gallipolis (877-863-4780)
where they may take advantage of
reduced room rates by mentioning
the Rio Grande Reunion. Registration
will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
in the hotel’s lobby. They will enjoy
visiting with friends around the pool
and making plans for dinner, drinks
and evening fun. On Saturday, the
group will join the reunion activities
at Rio Grande. Spouses or those not
wishing to attend the Rio Reunion on
campus may take advantage of the
many things Gallia County has to
offer. This might include golfing at
Cliffside (740-446-4653) or a trip
to the local winery (merryfamilywinery.com).
On Sunday morning,
a breakfast has been coordinated at
Bob Evans Farms Restaurant in Rio
Grande. Folks are encouraged to
meet by 8:30 a.m. so service may
begin by 9:00 a.m. This will be a
super way to fill up before heading
home. Thanks to the Archon Active
Order’s generous sponsorship,
this event is free of charge for all
1960-1975 Alumni. Please contact
a member of the Reunion Committee
for information on these special
events.
Jim “Squirrel” Leftwich ’68.......................................jdleftwich@sbcglobal.net
Jane Ingram O’Neil ’70..................................................ingram@wowway.com
Bob Hughes ’68.........................................................jrhughes@windstream.net
Tom Williams ’69.......................................................... bcat381@sbcglobal.net
Larry Guglielmi ’73................................................................ gug001@aol.com
Mary McCurdy Pierce ’67............................................... mpierce535@aol.com
Kurt Williams ’66........................................... kurtewilliams@columbus.rr.com
Susan Burnside Hagar ’70........................................sbhagar@columbus.rr.com
Information and registration for Rio Reunion 2009 is available at
www.rio.edu under the Alumni & Friends tab. You may also contact
Annette Brown Ward ’98 at 1-800-282-7201 ext. 7431 or award@rio.edu
for information or credit card payment.
www.rio.edu
1

Tower & Times • Summer 2009
2
Rio Grande
Faculty/Alumni Win Prestigious Awards
Ellen
Brasel
was
chosen as the
winner of the
2009 Edwin
A. Jones
Award for
Excellence
in Teaching
while Professor
Raymond C. Matura. Ph.D.,
received this year’s Ernie Wyant
Outstanding Teaching Award.
The Jones Award is voted on
each year by the faculty and then
presented to one faculty member for
outstanding work in teaching Rio
Grande students.
“I am very pleased that Ellen
Brasel won this year. She is very
deserving of this award,” said
Barbara Hatfield, associate provost/
Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
“She is very knowledgeable in the
subjects she teaches and is dedicated
to helping her students. She has high
expectations for them.”
Brasel, an assistant professor of
history, is a resident of the Gallia
County village of Addison.
“It’s especially an honor for me
because the faculty members on
campus include quite a few of the
professors that I took classes from
when I was a non-traditional student
here in the 1990s,” Brasel said.
She was nervous that she would
feel out-of-place on campus when
she decided to attend Rio Grande
as a non-traditional student, but
said she never felt that way. “The
students worked together very well
then, just as they do today”, Brasel
said.
She studied history and political
science at Rio Grande, and earned
her bachelor’s degree in 1993. Brasel
then went on to earn a master’s
degree from Ohio University and
then returned to Rio Grande to
teach history.
Brasel also greatly enjoys working
with the other faculty members
at Rio Grande. “I have a lot of very
good colleagues,” she said, adding
that she also learned from some of
them when she was a student.
The award is named after Edwin
A. Jones, a former Jackson resident
who excelled in several areas in his
life. He was a star quarterback at
Yale, where also was an outstanding
track athlete and equaled the
world record in the 60 yard dash. As
a scholar, Jones was elected to the
prestigious Skull and Bones Honor
Society, and as a performer he was a
member of the famed Whiffenpoof
singing group. He had a successful
industrial career, including his
work in Jackson where he headed the
Globe Iron Company, as well as other
companies in nearby towns. He also
was involved in community and philanthropic
organizations and was committed
to helping higher education.
Jones set up this award for teachers
who excel on campus.
Ray Matura,
Professor of
Sociology and
Wyant Award
winner, earned
a degree in
history from
Rio Grande
in 1971. He
also received
degrees from Ohio University and the
University of Florida., while also taking
part in post-graduate programs at
the University of Southern California,
Penn State University, the University
of Michigan and Miami University.
He also has served as a contributing
author or reviewer for several textbooks
and has published and presented
at numerous national and regional
conferences, particularly in his major
scholarly interest of gerontology.
Matura is also active in several
professional organizations and has
served as the president of a state
gerontology association. He has been
honored with several teaching awards
during his time at Rio Grande, including
the Sears Award, Edwin Jones
Award and the Alumni Award, but
explained that the Ernie Wyant Award
is special to him because selection is
done by the students.
“Awards are humbling and
somewhat embarrassing in that there
are many outstanding faculty at Rio
Grande,” Matura said. He added that
the award represents the influence
his numerous colleagues have had on
him and on the institution, and he is
honored to receive it.
Amanda Lotycz, a psychology
major from Plain City, nominated
Matura for the award.
“What makes Dr. Matura such a
good professor is that he inspires students
to want to learn,” Lotycz said.
“He does so by getting to know each
student individually and leading by
example.” “It seems that any student
I ask enjoys Dr. Matura’s classes a
great deal.”
Matura said he feels privileged to
be a teacher at Rio Grande where he
has been able to work with so many
fine students and then watch them
achieve great things.
The award is named after Ernie
Wyant, who was born in Scioto
Township in the Redbrush area of
Jackson County. He attended elementary
school at Riegel School
and high school at Petersburg School
in Scioto Township before enrolling
in Rio Grande, where he earned his
teaching certificate. He went on to
teach in one-room schools in the area
while continuing his education at Rio
Grande and receiving his degree in
1937. The 1937 Grandion referred to
Wyant as “Little but Mighty.”

Student Groups Have Impact On Community
With over 40
Students
Groups on
campus, Rio Grande
students have a direct
impact on the community.
Many of these
organizations hold community
service projects
throughout the year.
The Students In
Free Enterprise (SIFE)
chapter at Rio Grande
held the food drive
project as part of the
national “Let’s Can Hunger” project
sponsored by the Campbell’s Soup
Company. The SIFE students hold
numerous community service projects
each year, in addition to their projects
promoting economic education and
free enterprise in the region.
For the food drive, the SIFE
team students worked with Addaville
Elementary School, Rio Grande Elementary
School and Vinton Elementary
School.
At the end of the food drive, the
SIFE team had collected 1,077 items
from the three schools. With donations
from campus, they had a total
of 1,179 items for the food drive.
Kroger of Jackson also donated to the
program.
The food items were then donated
to the Vinton Baptist Church Food
Pantry. The food pantry appreciated
the food items, which were then distributed
to local families.
“We’re planning to do this again
next year,” Smith said, adding that
the SIFE students want to expand the
project. One part of the goal of the
national program is to call more attention
to the problems of hunger and
poverty around the country, and the
SIFE team wants to do more work to
raise awareness about these problems
in the region, Smith said.
Reflections
Sorority and fraternity members
at the University of Rio Grande just
finished a very busy academic year,
and completed an amazing number of
community service projects.
Marshall Kimmel serves as an advisor
for the All-Greek Council at
Rio Grande, and said he was proud
of the work the students completed
throughout the year. The students in
the fraternities and sororities enjoyed
the projects that they worked on, and
the organizations are an important
part of campus life.
“It’s been the driving influence
of why I’ve stayed on campus,” said
Rich Reffitt, president of all All-
Greek Council at Rio Grande during
the 2008-2009 academic year. “It’s
been my starting point with everything
that I do on campus.”
Being a member of a fraternity has
allowed the senior marketing major
from Beaver, Ohio, to work on
projects and activities that he
greatly enjoys.
The All-Greek Council, for
example, put together a campus
clean-up day in March.
Most projects are done by
the individual fraternities and
sororities, however. The projects
this year included a story
time for children at the Davis
Library by Delta Theta, a cleanup
project in the Welsh Garden on
campus and the ΛΟΨ project where
students slept on the Green in an
effort to raise money for local organizations
that help the homeless. There
was an Easter Egg hunt sponsored by
AXN, a Christmas toy drive by ZΘX
and even a talent show by TKE. The
fraternities and sororities hold events
both on campus and in the community,
and Reffitt said that they do an
excellent job.
The Zeta Theta Chi sorority won the
award for the Top Sorority on campus
this year, while the Tau Kappa
Epsilon fraternity won the award for
the Top Fraternity.
Rio Grande has between 60 and
75 students in its nine Greek organizations
each year.
The community service work is
a part the mission for each fraternity
and sorority, and the students learn
a great deal by taking part in the fun
activities that benefit local organizations
and area residents.
www.rio.edu
3

Rio Grande
.
New Textbook Tutorials for the iPhone Thanks to a
Rio Professor
College students around the
world will soon be downloading
their educational
materials onto their iPhones thanks
to a Rio Grande professor.
Richard Campbell, associate
professor of accounting, has
worked with textbook publishers
over the years, and recently began
working with Wiley and Sons publishers
on several of their accounting
books. Campbell’s previous
work has involved creating extra
educational tools that can be used
in addition to the textbooks.
His newest project includes putting
together materials for students
around the world to download onto
their iPhones, in order to help them
study and learn different principles
of accounting. His past work has
included making video examples of
different problems for students where
he works on the accounting problem
and explains the different aspects of
each of them. He was able to do the
work on each problem through a videotaping
system in his office at Rio
Grande.
Students around the world were
then able to download his tutorials
onto their computers, and learn from
Campbell’s expertise. The students
had to purchase access to the tutorials
and extra materials through the
purchase of their textbooks, and the
materials have proved to be very successful.
Now, Campbell has created educational
materials that are available
for students to download onto their
iPhones.
If students purchase certain
textbooks for which Campbell has
created tutorials, or if the students
choose to just purchase the Web access
for the books, they are able to
download his materials straight to
their iPhones. This is new technology
in the textbook market, and the
Campbell’s tutorials became available
in May. This makes the materials
more accessible to students, and gives
them extra opportunities to study and
learn.
“They can be on the beach if they
have Internet access,” Campbell
explained. “They don’t have to have
a laptop with them, they can just use
their iPhones. They can be exercising
in the gym.”
In addition to his work on the
downloadable tutorials, Campbell is
also working with publishers such
as McGraw Hill to create on-line
quizzes and study materials that can
be used with textbooks focusing on
different aspects of accounting.
Campbell enjoys working on the
different projects that can be used by
students around the world, but his
main focus is on teaching students
at Rio Grande. Campbell teaches
accounting in the Evans School of
Business.
He is an excellent teacher that is
reaching students here in the community,
as well as students around the
world.
Tower & Times • Summer 2009
4
Making Something Out of Nothing
The old phrase “Making
something out of nothing,”
took on a new meaning for
some students during the spring
semester. The students in several
programs in the School of Technology
had the opportunity to work
with a machine that builds parts,
prototypes and designs out of practically
nothing. The machine is a
“Rapid Prototype” machine, and it
is also known as a 3-D printer.
“It actually takes three dimensional
designs of different objects
and then creates them,” explained
Mike Dyer, faculty member in the
School of Technology. The machine
builds small objects inside, needing
only a design and several hours to create
the pieces. The objects can be very
intricate and can be used for a wide
range of purposes.
Personnel who work with the Rapid
Prototype machines create the designs,
and then enter the designs into the
machine. The machine is then able
to build whatever is being designed,
within a certain size limit, out of plastics
and other materials.
The machines are being used
more and more in manufacturing, as
they can allow industries to make the
custom parts that that are needed for
different uses and can be used to create
molds that are used to make more
parts. The machines have applications
in a wide range of businesses
and industries, and their popularity is
growing.
Dyer wanted his manufacturing
continued on page 11

Reflections
1955
Deceased: Roy A. Moses
passed away on Tuesday
July 7, 2009. He was a
member of the legendary
1952 – 1953Redman
basketball team and URG
Athletic Hall of Fame.
Moses taught at Oak Hill
High School for 30 years
and has served as President
of the Welsh Heritage
Museum. He sang with
several local Welsh Choirs,
was a member of the
Thurman United Methodist
Church and a 50- year
member of the Centerville
Masonic Lodge #372.
Moses was also an Army
Veteran. He is survived by
his wife, Josine Thomas
Moses ‘54 and sons Steve
Moses ’80, Tom Moses ’89
and Rob Moses ’84.
1966
Richard and Cheryl
Cartwright of Gahanna
appeared recently in the
Columbus Dispatch. The
story featured the couple’s
visits to 73 countries during
their 52 year marriage.
1973
Champe Butler II, DDS,
member of the West Virginia
Board of Dental Examiners,
recently attended the
W.V. Dental Association
100th Anniversary at The
Greenbrier Resort.
1975
Stacy Osborne, DPM of
Cincinnati, Ohio has written
a novel, “Life 101”. It can
be read free online at www.
flipreality.com.
Tom Smith retired in May
after 35 years in education, 33
of which were in Portsmouth
City Schools. Smith resides in
Portsmouth.
1977
Steve Shaw recently retired
from the Ohio Department of
Education Office of Federal
Grants Management. Shaw
currently resides in Delaware,
Ohio.
1980
M. Stephen
‘Steve’ Moses
has been
named the new
advertising
representative
for The Red Springs Citizen,
The St. Pauls Review,
and The Robesonian, all
sister papers of Heartland
Publications, LLC, a
newspaper holding company
out of Connecticut. All three
local newspapers are located
in Robeson County, North
Carolina. Moses and his wife
Mable reside in Lumberton,
North Carolina.
1987
David Corbett and Angela
Beans were united in marriage
in May. The couple
resides in the Columbus, Ohio
area.
1988
W. Todd Johnson has been
named as the new Vice
President, Chief Compliance
Officer, at the University of
Rio Grande and began his
work in the new position on
May 18, 2009. Johnson and
his family reside in Gallipolis.
1990
Scott and Emily Paulitsch
are pleased to announce the
birth of a son, Henry James-
Edward, in March.
1992
Jennifer Leist Hrusch
completed her Master’s of
Library and Information
Science degree from Kent
State University in December,
2008. Hrusch is currently
employed as the Library
Manager for the Columbus
Metropolitan Library. She
resides in Canal Winchester.
1993
Deceased: George Ulrich
III who lived and worked
in Columbus, Ohio. A
celebration of George’s life
was held in Columbus while
the memorial service was held
in Proctorville at the New
Hope Church.
Bryan S.
Kimble is
currently
ranked 1st
nationally on
the Natural
Athlete
Strength
Association (NASA) Power
Sports Military-Police-
Fire Division Top 10 List.
Kimble is a Preacher at
Revival Baptist Church in
Reynoldsburg, OH, where he
resides with his wife Jessica
and daughter Kaylea. Kimble
is also a Chaplain Candidate
for Ohio Army National
Guard, attached to the 371st
Special Troops Battalion at
Newark, Ohio.
1994
Jody Vice and Kelly Beall
will be married in September
2009. Vice currently works
at the Ohio Department of
Education in Columbus, Ohio
as an Education Consultant.
Chad
Carroll is
currently
coaching
Varsity
Baseball at
Huntington
(Ross) High School and
has been recognized
as the Scioto Valley
Conference 2008 Baseball
Coach of The Year.
Carroll is employed by
Kenworth Trucking Co.
www.rio.edu
5

Tower & Times • Summer 2009
6
Rio Grande
in Chillicothe, Ohio. He and his wife
Jayme have four children: son, Cy (11),
daughters, Carly (10), Camryn (4) and
Kaci (2).
Michael Fisher
and Tricia
Lynn McMillen
were married
on October
11, 2008 at
St. Mary’s
Catholic Church
in Mansfield.
The couple is
employed with the State of Ohio and
resides in Powell, OH.
1997
Darin Logan has been named
principal at Meigs Intermediate School.
Logan and his wife Angela reside in
Middleport.
1999
Amber D. Wolfe Oliver announces the
birth of a daughter, Dixie Diane Oliver,
in February. The family resides in Point
Pleasant, WV.
2000
Seneca Herring graduated from
Xavier University in 2008 with a
Master of Education degree in Sports
Administration. He currently serves
as the Southwest Ohio Regional
Community Affairs Director for Ohio
State Treasurer Kevin Boyce. Herring
resides in Cincinnati, Ohio.
2002
Debra Dillon Good graduated in
May from Capital University’s
Accelerated Nursing Program with a
BSN-RN degree. She resides in Canal
Winchester.
www.rio.edu
Jamie and Emily
Harrison ’03
Conway announce
the birth of their
first child, Alec
James, on March
5th, 2008. Jamie
is employed by
ResCare Inc. as a Qualified Mental
Retardation Professional. Emily is a
Customer Service Representative with
Ohio Valley Bank and is on the bank’s
Business Development Team. She has
been employed with Ohio Valley Bank
for the past 5 years. The family resides in
Patriot, Ohio.
Aaron and Tamara Thomas Rykowski
of Vinton, Ohio, are pleased to announce
that two-year-old son Nathan was among
10 semifinalists from almost 300,000
entries in the Beautiful Baby Search on
Live With Regis and Kelly.
Jeremy Fryman began a new position
as a full-time Instructor for Marion
Technical College (MTC) in Marion,
Ohio beginning Winter Quarter 2009.
He has worked as an adjunct faculty for
MTC since 2005 beginning shortly after
completing his MBA at Otterbein College
in Westerville, Ohio. Fryman resides in
Marion, Ohio
2003
Dwight and Amy Priest Evans announce
the birth of a daughter, Emily Kate on
September 8, 2008. She was welcomed
home by big brother Carter, age 2.
Ben and Valerie Harris Purdy were
married on June 12, 2009. The couple
resides in Berea, Ohio.
Jen Doute and Ryan Smith were married
on June 7, 2008. The couple will be
moving to the Athens, OH area when
Ryan begins medical school at the Ohio
University College of Osteopathic
Medicine.
2004
Alexis R. Davis started a new position
on June 1, 2009 at Southern Illinois
University-Carbondale. She serves as the
Box Office and Patron Club Coordinator
of Event Services. Davis resides in
Carterville, IL.
Samantha Casella has been named
Assistant Professor in the Holzer School
of Nursing at Rio Grande. She resides in
Proctorville, Ohio.
2005
Michael and Stephanie Evanich-Marks
recently adopted a baby girl, Korin,
from Guatemala. The family resides in
Scottown.
Daniel Hepler and Janine Miller are
engaged and will be married on August
1, 2009. Hepler is currently employed
with Harbor Educational Services in
Kent, Ohio.
2007
Niki Hansen and Brian Dillon were
married on June 20, 2009. The couple
resides in Powell, Ohio.
2008
Sara Carr is currently employed
with the Columbus Center for Human
Resources as a Home Program Trainer.
Her responsibilities include teaching
aging individuals with MR/DD
independent living skills. Carr resides in
Reynoldsburg.
Jessica Murphy was recently hired by
ResCare in Gallipolis as the Passport
Manager. Murphy resides in Gallipolis,
Ohio.
2009
Raymond E.
Snyder IV and
Marilyn M.
Valdez were
married on June
20, 2009 on the
Green at Rio
Grande. The
couple will continue their education at
Rio in the MBA program. The couple
will reside in Rio Grande.

Rio Grande Soccer Schedules
Reflections
MEN’S SOCCER SCHEDULE
AUGUST
28 ST. XAVIER (CHICAGO) AWAY TBA
29 ILLINOIS INSTITUTE AWAY TBA
SEPTEMBER
11 BRYAN COLLEGE AWAY TBA
12 MID-CONTINENT AWAY TBA
(CEDARVILLE TOURNEY)
19 LINDSEY WILSON HOME 7:00
26 CAMPBELLSVILLE AWAY 2:00
27 PIKEVILLE HOME 7:00
30 MT. VERNON HOME 7:00
OCTOBER
3 UNIV OF CUMBERLANDS AWAY 2:00
6 ST. CATHERINES AWAY TBA
15 CEDARVILLE HOME 7:00
17 NOTRE DAME COLLEGE HOME 7:00
19 WEST VIRGINIA TECH HOME 7:00
23 HOUGHTON AWAY TBA
24 ROBERTS WESLEYAN AWAY TBA
28 GEORGETOWN AWAY TBA
31 WALSH HOME TBA
NOVEMBER
4-14 MID-SOUTH CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS
21 NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 1ST ROUND
DECEMBER
1-5 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, FRESNO CAL
MID-SOUTH CONFERENCE IN BOLD RED
Women’s Soccer Schedule
August
21 Mt. State University Home 5:00
25 Alderson-Broaddus Away 5:30
September
1 Muskingum Away 5:00
5 Univ. of the Cumberlands Away TBA
8 Ohio Valley University Home 6:00
12 Carlow University Away TBA
16 Bluefield College Away 5:00
19 Notre Dame Home 2:00
22 Malone College Away 1:00
26 Ursuline Away TBA
27 Pikeville College Home 5:00
30 Alderson-Broaddus Home 5:30
October
6 St. Catharine Away 2:00
9 Campbellsville Univ. Away 4:00
15 Lindsey Wilson Home 5:00
23 Houghton Away TBA
24 Roberts WesLEYAN Away TBA
27 Shawnee State Home 6:00
30 Georgetown Away 7:00
November
2 West Virginia Tech Home 6:00
4-13 Mid-South Conference Tournament
@ Georgetown University
MID-SOUTH CONFERENCE IN BOLD RED
The Rio Grande Alumni
Association is now on Facebook.
Check it out at:
www.facebook.com/RioAlum
www.rio.edu
7

Tower & Times • Summer 2009
8
Rio Grande
Reunion of the 1965 Rio Grande Redmen Basketball Team
Row 1: Irene Shedd Swisher, Sondra Drake Stowbart,
Ruth Lusetti Heigle
Row 2: Jim Marshal, Terry Williams, Paul Dillon
Row 3: Frank Bullock, Don Trainer, Coach Lanham
Row 4: Patty Forgey, Bob Heigle, Dick Lusetti, Sharon Gregory
Ever tried describing a sunrise to someone that
was not on the sandy shore sharing the majesty of
light unfolding before you? This is the difficulty
I have describing the reunion of a group of former
Rio basketball players, cheerleaders and coaches.
This incredible outing occurred on June 28, 2009 in
Cincinnati. The group is from the ’65 era give or take a
few years and they have been meeting annually for the
last 6 or 7 years. A special thanks to Dick Lusetti for
hosting this year’s event. He and his wife, Paula, truly
rolled out the red carpet.
It was great to hear all the stories and to hear the
counter “real” stories. You know how that goes!
As I sat listening, it reminded me of all the practices,
games and fun times I had with this group when I was
7 years old. The stories ranged from the trips on the old
bus, driving through the middle of campus and trying
to find a gym to practice in each day. This is a special
group of Rio Alumni!
The ’65 group is planning another reunion for June
29, 2010 at the University of Rio Grande. If anyone is
interested in attending, please contact the Rio Alumni
office at 740-245-7431 or alumni@rio.edu.
Jeff Lanham
Athletic Director
New Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
Rio Grande and Shawnee
State University are teaming
up to offer a new Occupational
Therapy Assistant program in
order to meet a demand from medical
centers in the region.
The program is being offered by
Shawnee State University, but area
residents will be able to take many
of their classes on the Rio Grande
campus.
The program is set up in a
similar fashion to the new Medical
Laboratory Technology program,
which is being offered by Washington
State Community College on
the Rio Grande campus. That program
was created by Rio Grande
and Washington State in order to
meet a demand from local medical
facilities for medical laboratory
technologists, and area residents
still have time to apply and enroll.
In the new occupational therapy
assistant program, students will take
classes on the Shawnee State campus
one or two days a week, but will be
able to take their general education
courses at Rio Grande. The program
takes two-years to complete and
allows students to earn associate’s
degrees.
“We have experienced a longterm
need for occupational therapists
and occupational therapy assistants
in the region,” said Ron Saunders,
director of therapy services at Holzer
Medical Center. Holzer sometimes
has searched for between 6 months to
1 year to find qualified occupational
therapy assistants, and Saunders said
he is pleased to see Rio Grande working
with Shawnee State University to
offer this new program.
Saunders recommended to Rio
Grande officials that they host this
program in order to help area residents
and help medical facilities in the
region. He explained that occupational
therapy assistants play a key role in the
level of care that is offered to patients.
These professionals work with occupational
therapists and are qualified to
carry out the rehabilitation plans set by
the occupational therapists.
Occupational therapy assistants
can work in in-patient, out-patient,
in-patient rehabilitation, extended care
and home health care settings.
“They provide a very valuable service
and play an important role in the
rehabilitation process,” Saunders said.
These professionals are in demand in
the region and all across the country.

Making Something Out of
Nothing
continued from page 4
technology students to have a chance to work
with a rapid prototype machine so he arranged
for the college to borrow the machine. Eventually,
he would like to have one permanently on
campus for students to use and learn from, but
they are very expensive. The Rapid Prototype
machine could be used to assist local businesses,
though, and it may work out that local
industrial leaders may want to partner with Rio
Grande to purchase a machine.
“It’s a win-win situation for everybody,”
Dyer said. The machine could be very helpful
for local businesses, and it can be a valuable
learning tool for several programs at Rio
Grande, such as the manufacturing technology,
fine woodworking and drafting programs.
“It’s been a very good experience for the
students to be able to see this,” Dyer said. He
also invited local business leaders to look over
the machine and learn more about how it could
benefit them. Rio Grande partners often with
businesses all around the region in many of its
programs. The manufacturing technology program
in particular regularly assists businesses
in Ohio and West Virginia on different projects.
While Dyer hopes to have a Rapid Prototype
machine on campus permanently in the
future, he was also very pleased to be able to
have the equipment on loan for his students.
The students enjoyed working with the machine,
and it was an excellent learning experience
for them.
We Want To Hear About You!
If you recently found a job, were promoted, were married, moved,
had a baby or did anything else of interest, please let your University
of Rio Grande family know about it. Fill out the form below
and send it to the Office of Alumni Relations, University of Rio
Grande, PO Box 500, Rio Grande, Ohio 45674.
Name_____________________________________________________
Phone________________________________ Grad. Yr.____________
Street_________________________________ City________________
State_______________________Zip________ County______________
Email Address__________________________
■ Check if this is a new address.
News:_ ___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Parents: If this issue of Tower & Times is addressed to your son
or daughter who has established a separate permanent address,
please notify us of the new address: 740-245-7431, or
800-282-7201, ext. 7431, or award@rio.edu
Reflections
Nomination Form Request
The University of Rio Grande accepts nominations for the following
awards on a continuous basis. The deadline for nominations
within a given year is February 1 of that year. Nomination forms
are kept on file and reviewed yearly.
■ Alumni Awards (Distinguished Alumnus, URG Alumni, Atwood
Achievement, Faculty Citation, Citation of Appreciation)
■ Athletic Hall of Fame
■ Educators’ Hall of Fame
Please send the nomination form indicated above to:
Name_____________________________________________________
Address___________________________________________________
Mail this request to: Office of Alumni Relations, University of Rio
Grande, PO Box 500, Rio Grande, OH 45674
The University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College do not discriminate
against applicants, employees, or students on the basis of race, color,
creed, religion, age, sex, marital status, veteran status, national origin, ancestry,
citizenship, or disability. Questions about this policy should be directed to the Human
Resources Director, Allen Hall, 740-245-7228. Accommodations for persons
with disabilities may be made through the Human Resources office.

F-990 OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
PO Box 500
Rio Grande, OH 45674-0500
www.rio.edu
Non-Profit
Organization
PAID
Permit No.200
Chillicothe,
OH 45601
Rio Grande Graduates Continue Their Educations
While hundreds of new graduates from the University
of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community
College are moving onto careers in the
community and around the world, many are also continuing
their educations to work on their master’s or doctoral
degrees.
2009 graduates Amanda Lotycz and Emily Walker, for
example, are both continuing their educations in master’s
degree programs around Ohio.
Lotycz, who is from Plain City,
which is in the Columbus area, was
also named the Outstanding Psychology
Graduate at Rio Grande. In the
fall, she will be attending Miami University
and will begin working toward
earning her educational specialist
degree in school psychology. “My
future plans are to become a school
psychologist, and then eventually pursue
a doctorate degree and become a
professor,” Lotycz said. She hopes to
Amanda Lotycz
one day teach psychology at the collegiate level, and said
that Rio Grande has prepared her well for the next step in
her education.
“The professors and faculty have given helpful suggestions
for continuing in my educational pursuits. I have enjoyed
my time here and feel prepared for my future studies
thanks to the professors who have encouraged and helped
me throughout my collegiate career,” Lotycz said. She
especially pointed out all of the assistance she received
from the late Dr. Gerald W. “Jerry” Sparkman, who died in
2008.
“I had the majority of my psychology classes with him,
and I wish that her were still around to see me graduate,”
Lotycz said. “He was always willing to discuss future
plans and give advice to me. I am forever thankful to him
for that.”
Walker, who is from Thurman,
will be attending Ohio State
University and studying in the
master’s degree program in nursing
specializing in psychiatric
mental health.
After completing the threeyear
graduate program, she will
be a psychiatric mental health
nurse practitioner and will be able
to work in hospitals, private practices,
state hospitals or numerous
other health care facilities.
Emily Walker
During her years at Rio Grande, she enjoyed the small
classroom settings and the one-on-one instruction from the
professors.
“I am very excited to have that background, as I feel
it will very much prepare me for my nursing courses,”
Walker said. She added that she enjoyed her time at Rio
Grande, and is prepared for the adjustment for the much
larger campus at Ohio State University.
Associate Professor Janice Vidic said that she expects
Walker and Lotycz both to excel in both their academic
and professional careers.
“Emily and Amanda are two excellent students who will
do extremely well in graduate school. They’re bright and
hard working, and they each have professional attitudes
toward their education and work. It has been a pleasure for
me to work with them,” Vidic said. “I hope more prospective
students will read about their accomplishments and
decide that psychology is the major for them.”