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SUMMER 2009

KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

Visions of an Entrepreneur Jen Groover ’95

Measuring

OUR PROGRESS

five-year strategic plan, we are refocusing attention and organizing our efforts to move Kutztown University forward. The strategic plan includes goals and objectives in four overarching areas: academic excellence, community engagement, nurturing a caring campus community and making enhancements to our overall university infrastructure. In my mind, though, it is not enough that we point to these goals and say we are making progress. Because success in moving a university forward is judged by different audiences with different models and measurements, there needs to be a measuring stick, so to speak, that will allow everyone to know just where KU is going. The foundation for determining progress in academic excellence lies in the success of our students, achievements of our faculty and the accomplishments of our alumni. Already, proof of our commitment to academics can be seen across campus. At the Academic Achievement Awards ceremony held in April, thirteen young men and women were presented to faculty, family and peers, exemplifying the practical application of their scholarly works. Dedication to academics is also seen in the more than 1,700 students named to the Dean’s List each semester; the 84 percent of KU graduates working within their selected fields of interest within six months of graduation; and in our record number of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Scholar-Athletes.

Evidence of faculty achievement can be seen in the hundreds of peer-reviewed professional contributions of our professors. These are presentations, publications and performances evaluated and annually cited for excellence by a world-wide audience for commitment to the arts, sciences, business, industry and education. Confirmation is also seen in the contributions of KU alumni around the world who make a difference every day in our society with their unique insights. Our alumni continually point to KU as the source of their inspiration; where their dreams began. Some of their stories are highlighted in this magazine. Excellence in the area of community engagement is seen in the commitment of KU students who, last year, contributed more than 40,000 hours of service to the institution, their towns and their communities, raising an estimated $50,000 in support of various charitable causes. It’s a statistic that may not show up in reports or publications, but continues to be a core value of our students — success in academics and success in service go hand-in-hand. Advancement tomorrow means the continuation of commitment today. Progress is achieved through the ongoing hard work and dedication of our students, staff and faculty. The measurements that define Kutztown University tomorrow are happening now. F. Javier Cevallos President

President Cevallos congratulates David J. Rieksts ’09, nominee for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s 2009 Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence, during the May 2, 2009 graduation ceremonies. Rieksts earned a bachelor of science in mathematics with a dual minor in physics and computer software development.

PHOTO BY LEGACY PHOTOGRAPHICS

As we continue to define our new

ON THE COVER

Tower Magazine CHANCELLOR OF THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION: John Cavanaugh

Jen Groover ’95 is so successful at everything she does that pinning a label on her is as difficult as predicting next year’s fashion trend — a problem Groover doesn’t have — she creates the trends. (Photo by Clint Blowers)

CHAIRMAN OF THE PASSHE BOARD OF GOVERNORS: Kenneth Jarin PRESIDENT OF KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY: F. Javier Cevallos VICE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT: Prudence S. Precourt DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS: Glenn Godshall ’75, M ’90 DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS: Matt Santos M ’03 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR/PUBLICATIONS: Camille DeMarco ’81, M ’01 PERIODICALS MANAGER/EDITOR: Craig Williams DESIGN: Lorish Marketing Group – Leanne Boyer ’06, John E. Lorish ’70 PUBLICATIONS CONSULTANT: Klunk & Millan – Jim Santanasto CONTRIBUTORS: Jimmy Johnson M ’09, Dana Naugle ’00, M ’09

VOLUME 12, NUMBER 1 > SUMMER 2009

Volume 12, Number 1 of the Tower Magazine, issued July 6, 2009, is published by Kutztown University, a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The Tower is published two times a year and is free to KU alumni and friends of the university. Address correspondence to: Kutztown University, Office of University Relations, P.O. Box 730, Kutztown, PA 19530 or e-mail [emailprotected]. Telephone: 610-683-4841 Fax: 610-683-4647 Submissions for Classnotes may be sent to: [emailprotected].

CONTENTS> DEPARTMENTS 4 News & Notes What’s going on in and around the KU community.

16 Alumni Day – May 9, 2009

Coloring Outside the Lines

Jen Groover ’95, inventor of the Butler Bag™, has been called a “serial entrepreneur” and a “creativity guru.”

Dissolving Gender Barriers through Science

Women are embracing careers in science in growing numbers.

The Singular Signature Theatre

Eric Schaeffer ’84 built a Tony Award-winning theatre through innovation, hard work and some unique ideas.

18 Back to Class with ... Catch up with Dr. John “Jack” Schellenberg, a favorite science professor and founder of the ENTRA student orientation program.

19 Classnotes

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New Victorian Bed and Breakfast Highlights Historic Kutztown

The Main Street Inn offers 19th century hospitality with all the amenities of a modern bed and breakfast.

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Pam Corrado, co-owner of the Main Street Inn, said the beautiful Victorian appointments make visits to her bed and breakfast a special experience.

PHOTO BY ROXANNE RICHARDSON ’10

half bathrooms. The couple added four more bedrooms, six baths, a guest kitchen, a main kitchen and laundry – effectively doubling the floor space through an architecturally matched extension to the rear of the building. A new courtyard decorated with a water fountain and flowers complements a sitting porch replete with wicker furniture. When they finished adding Victorian appointments to all the rooms, including antique furniture, unique claw-footed bath tubs, and beautiful murals by a local artist, the bed and breakfast opened to the public in May 2008. “We receive visitors from all over the globe,” Pam said. “We’ve had guests from Italy, Germany, England, Asia, and throughout the U.S. Our theme is ‘Enter as Strangers – Leave as Friends,’ and we work to make sure this happens every time guests stay at the Main Street Inn.” If you would like to become a friend of the Corrados and the Main Street Inn, visit www. kutztownmainstreetinn.com.

PHOTOS BY ROXANNE RICHARDSON ’10

When Pam and Angelo Corrado saw the beautiful Victorian home of Kutztown resident Anna Deisher for sale in 2007, it was love at first sight. So, they decided to buy the turn-of-the-century mansion at 401 W. Main St., and open the Main Street Inn to share the experience with others. At the time, their daughters, Shena ’07 and Jo ’08, were preparing to graduate from KU and their youngest daughter, Angela ’10, was on track with her business degree. “When we first looked at the building, I thought of opening a restaurant,” said Pam. “But I realized Kutztown was in need of lodging. And with the children starting lives of their own, we felt it was the perfect time for us to open a bed and breakfast.” The original structure was large by any measure with four bedrooms and two-and-a-

Updike Connections

Dr. Barbara Darden, dean of Library Services, oversees the KU collection of first editions signed by John Updike.

With the passing this spring of John Updike, one of America’s greatest authors, many of his loyal readers know the Reading, Pa., native often called upon images of the city and the neighboring town of Shillington, where Updike grew up, as settings for his famous “Rabbit” series of novels. Few may realize that his mother Linda Grace Hoyer Updike, a published and renowned author in her own right, graduated from Keystone State Normal School in 1919. His mother is often credited with encouraging the young author to develop his writing talents. Today, the Rohrbach Library is host to a collection of 32 signed first-edition Updike novels, which were donated by Constance Green-McAleer ’71.

PHOTO BY HUB WILLSON ’71

KU’s King of Horror Unleashes His Latest Screenplay

10. Yogen (Premonition) This Japanese horror will mess with your head and make you cancel your newspaper subscription. 9. The Thing (1982) Hate the cold? Dig into this Antarctic horror show where you’ll be lucky to get out alive. 8. The Ring Who knew a creepy kid with a crude arthouse video could scare you to death? 7. Ôdishon (Audition) You'll beg for mercy from this demented and completely disturbing "romance," but you'll never get it.

A vampire hit squad is going to kill the President and only the Philadelphia vampire SWAT team can stop them! KU English instructor William D. Prystauk’s screenplay “Red Agenda” was such a hit at the 2008 International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival that eight Hollywood producers are seriously considering turning it into a movie. Though this isn’t the first screenplay Prystauk has written, “Red Agenda” has definitely bitten into the psyche of horror fans and earned a top-five recognition at the 2008 Los Angeles Screamfest competition. “When I was a kid, I would watch horror movies and be scared to death,” said Prystauk. “As I got older, I revisited these films and found that they weren’t scary at all.” To remedy this lack of thrills and chills, Prystauk turned his attention from “writing the great American novel” to crafting plays that take the audience to the edge of their seats. “When you write horror stories, you are asking the readers to put their realworld beliefs aside, but you still have to be accurate. I even go so far as to research how a certain injury would affect a person,” Prystauk said, noting that revealing any more would give away the plot of his next scary screenplay. An unabashed fan of the genre, Prystauk has created a top-ten list of horror movies you must see:

6. Janghwa, Hongryeon (A Tale of Two Sisters) Get the willies with this bizarre Korean ghost story, and you'll realize your sister is pretty darned stable. 5. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956, 1978) It’s an alien invasion without guys in monster suits or spaceships on wires, but the plants will suck you dry. 4. Identity There’s nothing better than being stuck in a rundown motel with a cast of characters trapped by floods — until the murdering begins.

Sharadin Arts Building Lights the Way

2. The Changeling (1980) A dead kid with a haunting attitude takes you into the heart of creep city. 1. Alien (Prystauk’s all-time favorite movie) So what if your buddy has an alien stuck to his face? Bring him on the ship, nothing can go wrong ... Missed your favorite movie? Go to www.kutztown.edu/tower and offer your own list of all-time great horror movies.

Pictured is the new Sharadin Arts Building façade at night featuring an ever-changing modern-art light column that welcomes visitors to the main entrance.

PHOTO BY JENNA PERFETTE ’09

In January, the newly remodeled and expanded Sharadin Arts Building celebrated the project’s completion during a special ribbon cutting ceremony. The event marked the culmination of years of planning by the university and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors, with support from the KU Foundation. Beyond the new entrance and beautiful façade, a spacious mezzanine opens to larger classrooms, modern faculty offices and a new art gallery. Upgrades to the building’s infrastructure and a new wing, which increases the building’s size by approximately one-third, are designed to foster the use of new technologies and support the university’s vision of academic excellence. On the outside, two support columns, complete with internal lighting, welcome visitors to the main campus and College Boulevard entrances with ever-changing colors. To see video of the Sharadin Arts Building ribbon cutting ceremonies, go to KU’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/KutztownUniversity.

3. Frailty Check out this all-Texas cast, where a father and his sons are doing the Lord’s work — or are they?

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SUMMITS OF EXCELLENCE— PHOTO BY JOHN SECOGES

The 2009 Academic Achievement Awards

Patrick Donmoyer ’09, John Burnett ’09, Amanda Keith ’09 and Casey Smith ’09 (pictured from left) are among the top 13 students honored with the 2009 Academic Achievement Award.

Every year the university honors the outstanding achievements of KU students through the Academic Achievement Awards. Established in 2004 through a generous gift provided by Dr. Carlson R. Chambliss, professor emeritus, this year’s award ceremony recognized 13 students whose achievements include groundbreaking research and extraordinary commitments to making the world a better place to live. Among those honored were Patrick Donmoyer ’09, whose original research and cataloging of the hex signs and barn stars of Berks County, and his restoration of a historic carpet loom in the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center, contributed to the collective knowledge of the region’s heritage. Casey Smith ’09 descended deep into Pennsylvania coal mines to discover fossilized insect tracks in regional deposits. Though no insect fossils have ever been found in these

rock formations, Smith’s eye for detail captured original evidence of their existence. John Burnett ’09 tackled a challenging topic – investigating the differences in the environments in which older adults reside. He was awarded four research grants to support the project. Amanda Keith ’09, an English and anthropology major, puts her words into action. Keith spent her career at KU volunteering and serving with campus and community organizations. In the spring of 2009, she organized and secured funding for a service project in Honduras for six students and two faculty members. These award winners are joined by nine other outstanding KU students who were honored for their commitment to helping make KU a regional center of excellence. For information on the 2009 Academic Achievement Awards, go to www.kutztown. edu/admin/urelations/academic achievement.

In March, Kutztown University and the KU Foundation welcomed legendary newswoman Barbara Walters as the featured speaker for the 20th Annual Decision Makers Forum. Walters spoke about “Lessons Learned” from her long and storied life in journalism to a large crowd in Keystone Hall. During the afternoon Sovereign Bank Academic Session, students from KU and regional high schools and middle schools got a chance to interview the interviewer. Walters shared her views on journalism, interviewing presidents and balancing a career and family. The Decision Makers Forum offers a unique opportunity for business leaders,

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community members, friends of the university, and KU students to hear national leaders of business, industry, politics, and education speak on important topics relevant to today’s events. Previous Decision Makers Forum speakers include former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley, Lady Margaret Thatcher, Michael Eisner, Tim Russert, President George H. W. Bush, and General Colin L. Powell (ret.). To see a video of the 20th Annual Decision Makers Forum, go to KU’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/KutztownUniversity.

PHOTO BY JEFF UNGER

News Legend Barbara Walters Shared Her Lessons Learned

Off the field, former Kutztown University punter Ryan Nye ’09 has more than three seconds when it comes to managing his day, but the same concept applies to all that he does. “It’s really time management,” said Nye, the KU football program’s first ESPN The Magazine First-Team Academic AllAmerican. “You really have to balance your priorities.” Nye, who taught fourth graders at Muhlenberg School District during the 2009 spring semester, has spent the last four years balancing his time between athletics and academics. Now, it’s his turn to teach the next

PHOTO BY PAT HEALEY, SR.

s a punter, time management is crucial to getting the job done right. Catch the snap, spin the ball to place the laces up, drop the ball and boot it down the field before the oncoming rush of defenders gets to you—and do it all in less than three seconds. If it’s any longer than that, you most likely will pay for it.

generation of student-athletes how to become Academic All-Americans. “It’s about knowing that football isn’t everything,” he said, “and knowing that you will likely be doing something else after you leave school. It’s about the academics.” Nye has always wanted to become a teacher as well as a football coach. Nye’s love for teaching came from his grandfather, Vincent O’Bara, who became an administrator in the Reading School District. O’Bara also had a college career in football, playing as Penn State coach Joe Paterno’s first quarterback. “I want to be just like my grandfather,” Nye said. On the field, Nye finished as the KU record holder with a 39.6 career yards-per-punt average. He also finished third in career punts (199) and punting yards (7,883). His best punt came in his final season, booting a 70-yarder out of his own end zone against Shippensburg. Three weeks later, he played in his final home game at University Field. “It was tough knowing it was going to be the last time I was playing here,” Nye said. “It was tough leaving.”

PHOTO BY JEFF UNGER

Star Punter Angles for Success A Nye faced another difficult departure when he graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in education and a concentration in coaching. Like many who attended the commencement ceremonies, his first task was to find a job, but unlike other KU graduates, he will be interviewing for the National Football League. Nye plans to work out at the NFL Combine in Baltimore, Md., hoping to grab the attention of an NFL team needing a punter. He said he’ll also entertain any interested Canadian Football League teams. “It’s on the table for me to take,” Nye said. “It’s a once-ina-lifetime shot.” And if it doesn’t work out, he’ll be back in the classroom, helping mold the next generation of college graduates – also a once-in-a-lifetime shot.

Ryan Nye ’09 is fast on his feet — he has to be. As the Golden Bears star punter during the 2008 season, Nye became the KU football program’s first ESPN The Magazine First-Team Academic All-American.

Paint the Town Gold Wins NCAA Award Paint the Town Gold, a community-wide celebration held the week of Family Day in September 2008, won the 2009 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Community-Engagement Award of Excellence for Division II. The Division II Community Engagement initiative established the award last year to build momentum and reward

institutions for advancing community-engagement programs. Northern Michigan University won the inaugural award in 2008. The KU Paint the Town Gold event is a cooperative effort among the university, the Borough of Kutztown and Maxatawny Township, and is coordinated by the KU Department of Community Relations and Development

Services, Athletic Advancement and Athletics Department. The event brings students, community residents and businesses together in a colorful celebration of regional pride. Activities included a window-painting contest, a pep rally on Friday night and a community-based “Spirit Strut” to the stadium on game day. Last year, business owners, the

Northeast Berks Chamber of Commerce, the Kutztown Community Partnership, KU staff and art majors, middle and high school art students and KU athletics teams participated in Paint the Town Gold. This year’s event will be held Oct. 1-4. For more on Paint the Town Gold and the NCAA award, please go to www. PaintTheTownGold.com. Summer 2009 | TOWER 7

COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES

with

Jen Groover BY BEVERLY (HAAS) KEIM ’85, M ’11

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JEN GROOVER PRODUCTIONS

ou can bet that as a child, Jen Groover ’95 rarely colored inside the lines. “In many ways, I’ve always marched to my own beat,” admits Groover, who had the feeling she was meant to do something different with her life, something a bit outside the norm. There’s no question that Groover – tagged as a one-woman brand, serial entrepreneur, and creativity guru – has done that, and more. Since 2006 when the launch of her innovative handbag line, Butler Bag™ (see sidebar), first catapulted her into the public eye, Groover has been thinking way outside of the box, which has taken her

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well beyond the world of fashion. As if masterminding and leading a multi-million dollar lifestyle brand weren’t enough, Groover is a much sought-after speaker, author, and featured business and lifestyle expert for TV programs such as Fox News’ “Strategy Room,” ABC’s “Money Matters,” and CNBC’s “The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch.” And then there is her soon-tobe-released first book “What if ... and Why Not?” chronicling her inspiring journey. Groover’s broad appeal, vision, and capacity for crossing and merging the boundaries of business, politics and culture enable her to identify with and motivate diverse audiences. The creator and

host of Launcher’s Café, a multi-media, interactive entrepreneur’s forum, is also revolutionizing the way budding launchers learn, share information and accelerate business development. A fervent voice for small business owners and nurturer of the entrepreneurial spirit, Groover has assisted in launching more than 50 other companies, and her tutelage continues to impact thousands of business professionals. Just what curious combination of factors inspired this irrepressible innovator? Groover credits her KU experience with helping to focus her creative energies and intuitive nature. “The program at Kutztown was steeped in creativity. This was so important in developing who I am today,” said Groover, who earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a minor in psychology. She calls on both disciplines daily. “They give you all the skills you need to succeed in business… to fly as an entrepreneur,”

explains Groover. She draws a parallel between lesson plans and business plans, between teaching a subject and pitching a product idea. “It prepared me to take an idea, research it, formulate it into a model, and pitch it,” she affirms. Further back, the influence of her pioneering, politically active, women’s-advocate mother MaryAnn Groover exposed her to passionate participation. While her friends were hitting the playground, she was hitting the campaign trail with her mother or fidgeting in television studios waiting for her to finish taping the award-winning program “For You and About You,” which aired on cable television. In addition to business and politics, MaryAnn’s reach shaped her daughter’s platform for women’s empowerment.

A look inside the Butler Bag Jen Groover ’95 thrives on ideas. Some that keep her up at night. And Jen gets very little sleep, which is a good thing for the rest of us, as evidenced by the phenomenal rise of the Butler Bag™. What began as her personal solution to every woman’s nightmare — the chaos of her handbag’s interior — has made the Butler Bag one of the most popular brands in handbag history. “Sometimes, it’s as simple as putting two things together,” said Groover. “One day, I simply dug the cutlery organizer out of my dishwasher and slipped it into a diaper bag.” The Butler Bag, with its built-in compartment organizer and leather exterior, sold out within minutes of its October 2008 debut on QVC television network. Part of the bag’s success lies in the variety of styles available — from fashion accessory, to totes and satchels for busy moms and corporate executives — Butler Bags complement the many lifestyles of the modern woman. For more on Butler Bags, go to www.butlerbag.com.

“The program at Kutztown was steeped in creativity. This was so important in developing who I am today.” “Parents often underestimate their ability to have a lasting impression on their kids,” said Groover. She believes it is important to explain to your children your work and why it is important to you. “It might not seem like they’re getting it at the time, but I can say I’m very much who I am because of my mother, the experiences she exposed me to, and the dialogue she had with me,” Groover said. She passes on the tradition to her own daughters. And it is a sure bet she encourages them to color outside the lines.

Summer 2009 | TOWER 9

PHOTO BY HUB WILLSON ’71

At KU, women say “Yes” to science BY CRAIG WILLIAMS

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Barriers

WHEN ERIN LEASE ’11 ENTERS A ROOM, HER ENTHUSIASM for astronomy precedes her. “It just amazes me that you can look up to the night sky and see one tiny dot of light that could be a nebula creating many more stars,” she said.

PHOTO BY JEFF UNGER

PHOTO BY PAUL MARKERT

With an easy-going manner, Lease, dressed in a pink sweater and black slacks, says this is standard gear for a modern astronomer – no need to wear a lab coat when analyzing data on a computer. Lease, a physics and secondary education major, is part of a generation of women who look to science for a career. “A lot of fields are opening up for women,” she said. “And more women are saying ‘yes, I can do this!’” Statistically, most women choose the social sciences over a career in the physical sciences – a number that has always troubled Dr. Anne Zayaitz, acting dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “When I started to teach at KU in 1985, I was the first woman in a tenure-track position in the biology department,” said Zayaitz, who taught microbiology. “At that time, there were more men than women in my science classes.” Comfortable in a lab coat and in front of a computer, Zayaitz has helped generations of women discover their potential and find successful careers in industry, medicine and research.

Dr. Anne Zayaitz, acting dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has helped many women scientists fulfill their professional goals.

Opposite Page: KU geology professor Dr. Sarah Tindall, Erin Lease ’11 and Monique Boykins ’09 (pictured left to right) are a small representation of the many women who chose a career in science. Lease is looking to become an astronomer, while Boykins balances her work as a lab technician with coaching high school basketball. Right: General Mills microbiology manager Dr. Kelly Stevens ’89 combines an active family life with an exciting career in food science.

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PHOTO BY JOHN SECOGES

As a scientist, Dr. Angelika Antoni often looks at life through a microscope. As a KU professor of biology, she reminds women the study of science should be a part of a well-planned career.

Role Models Are the Key According to a 2005 National Science Foundation report, 57 percent of all college students in the U.S. are women, but women account for 35 percent of physical science students. Dr. Kurt Friehauf, Department of Geology, saw the report and didn’t like the numbers. A deep thinker, he knew that part of the reason for the gender disparity was a lack of female scientist roles models. So he decided to help rewrite the equation. “Why are women only one third as likely to pursue careers in science? One of the most important facts affecting any young person’s choice is simply awareness of the field.” he said. In 2008, Friehauf worked to create the Women in Science Project (WISP). Funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, the program pairs high school students with KU women studying science. Another component brings notable women scientists to campus to present lectures and interact with students. Free and open to all high schools in the greater AllentownKutztown-Reading area, WISP works to break down negative stereotypes while promoting science. “We want to empower young women to pursue an education in science before they get to college,” Friehauf said. “The nation needs all of its best minds to compete in a global economy.”

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DR. KELLY STEVENS One alumna who followed Zayaitz’s advice is Dr. Kelly Stevens ’89. After graduation, Stevens earned both a master’s and doctoral degree in food science from North Carolina State University and today works as a microbiology manager for General Mills, manufacturer and marketer of brand-name food products such as Betty Crocker, Bisquick and Cheerios.

“I think the world is changing. I can remember times, earlier in my career, when I was the only woman in the room.” This busy scientist spent her early career working in three manufacturing plants as a quality engineer and manager. The job often took Stevens directly onto the factory floor to consult with plant managers and production supervisors. “I think the world is changing. I can remember times, earlier in my career, when I was the only woman in the room,” she said. “But, because of my career choice, my daughter will have a greater advantage over previous generations.”

DR. ANGELIKA ANTONI “I love teaching, and I love school,” admits Dr. Angelika Antoni, professor of biology. Throughout her academic studies, Antoni’s life has been focused on science. But as she worked through her advanced degrees, she

began to realize that, for women, choosing a career in science is more than just lab work, lectures and research papers. “Women have different struggles than men,” Antoni said. “When I was doing my post-doctoral work at the University of Chicago, there were plenty of men in graduate school with a family. However, many women were putting off having children until later in their lives.” Now a mother herself, Antoni said it is important for college-aged women to see the broader picture and plan for a career in science, not just a degree. “We should encourage young women to pursue science, but we also need to support them in their plans for a family,” she said.

MONIQUE BOYKINS Athletic and smart, Monique Boykins ’09 grew up just outside of Philadelphia, Pa. To stay out of trouble, she joined the school basketball team and spent every free moment practicing – until she was bitten by the science bug. “In 7th grade I took a life-science class, and the more I learned, the more I wanted to know,” she said. While spending her class time looking through microscopes during her senior year in high school, Boykins was still able to attract the attention of the KU women’s basketball coaches and headed off to Kutztown as a student-athlete, not sure which major she would pursue. “Then I was captured by the science program. Dr. Zayaitz told me I can do anything I set my mind to,” said Boykins, who is completing her degree in biology this summer. As a working professional finishing her education, she continues to move between two worlds. At night, Boykins is a lab technician at Merck pharmaceuticals in

Philadelphia manufacturing vaccines. In the afternoon she coaches the Penn Wood High School Lady Patriots basketball team in Lansdowne, Pa. “Science is learned by definitions,” Boykins said. “We learn the definition of cells, organisms and other forms of life. So, I simply asked the question: What defines me? The answer is science and basketball.”

DR. SARAH TINDALL Geology professor Dr. Sarah Tindall knows how definitions can change the way people perceive reality, and she works hard to help her students erase misconceptions about women scientists. “I was always encouraged by my parents to pursue whatever I wanted to do,” she said. But in high school, Tindall ran into outdated notions of what it means to be an intelligent woman. “I encountered gender barriers,” she said, “and an attitude that being smart was not cool.”

By proactively addressing all the challenges facing students today, KU faculty members continue to support and invigorate young minds, helping the next generation of scientists realize their career goals. “The equations have all changed,” Zayaitz said of a long campaign by the education community encouraging bright high school students to follow their dreams. “From middle school up, we are telling women ‘it’s okay to like science.’”

PHOTO BY HUB WILLSON ’71

“I tell my students — pursue your interests, and don’t let anything stand in your way!”

That didn’t matter to Tindall; geology was her passion. If you meet Tindall heading off to do field research decked out in hiking boots, a bucket hat and rucksack, you immediately understand that the coolest thing to rock her world is – rocks. “I have been interested in geology since birth,” she said. “After I was born, when my parents would put me down, I started picking up rocks.” Even though she is slight in stature, Tindall takes KU students to the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah during the summer break to study the geology of the region. Leading students through canyons, over mountains and across some of the roughest terrain in the west, this geologist teaches more than just field science. Both a full-time professor and researcher, Tindall is also a new mother. Through her example, she helps students consider science as a viable career choice that also is compatible with family life. “I tell my students – pursue your interests, and don’t let anything stand in your way!”

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A Singular Stage — A Signature Theatre KU Alumnus Stages Cutting-Edge Productions BY MELISSA NURCZYNSKI PHOTOS BY SCOTT SUCHMAN

ric Schaeffer ’84 has a vision of the popular ’80s musical “Les Miserables” that may not be what you would expect. The eerie, somber lighting suggests German Expressionism. The doomed prisoners are shirtless, with their numbers tattooed across their chests. Surreal chairs fly up and down on wires – prostitutes and street urchins look damaged and sickly, rather than Dickens-charming. There is no carousel rotating the cast, no iconic red flag at the end of the second act and Javert (the lead character) is wearing a pair of leather pants that would make most people blush.

Eric Schaeffer ’84 has a vision of the popular ’80s musical “Les Miserables” that may not be what you would expect.

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These innovations are no accident. Since co-founding The Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va., in 1989, Schaeffer has used his talents as artistic director to stage new plays and reinvent classics such as “Les Miserables.” In fact, it was Signature’s reputation for innovation that helped Schaeffer obtain the rights to “Les Miserables” – by some measures the most popular play in history – from its protective owner, theatre legend Cameron Mackintosh. “He said: ‘Eric, if I let you do this, you have to totally redo it.’ And I said okay,” says Schaeffer from his cluttered, sunny office on the fourth floor of Signature’s sleek, multimillion dollar building. The bespectacled, salt-and-pepper haired Schaeffer speaks with boyish enthusiasm about how far he’s come since the Signature began presenting plays in a renovated garage two decades ago. “When people ask what Signature is about, I say, well, it’s really about inventing and reinventing. It’s inventing new work when we mount world premiere shows, and it’s taking a classic show like “Les Miz” and saying let’s turn it totally inside out,” says Schaeffer. And that’s been true since the Signature’s very first productions. While working at an ad agency and volunteering in community

theatre, Schaeffer became frustrated by the lack of professional theatre in Arlington and wanted to work with more challenging material. He and his collaborators took matters into their own hands and founded a production company. The Signature’s first show was called “Mill Fire,” a complex drama about grief and small town life.

“You’re creating pictures on the stage, and doing the color palettes and the lighting and the costumes, that all goes back to the graphic design training.” And while he never studied theatre formally, he credits his highly visual directing style back to his communication design studies at KU. “You’re creating pictures on the stage, and doing the color palettes and the lighting and the costumes, that all goes back to the graphic design training,” he says. Beyond that, his training came in handy when his budding, low-budget theatre needed professional-looking promotional material. “I designed all show logos and did all the posters for the shows and the season brochures. Literally, I only stopped doing those about four years ago,” he says. “It was kind of fun because I was doing what I was trained to do.”

KU is something of a tradition in the Schaeffer family, who are from Fleetwood, Pa. Schaeffer’s grandfather, father and uncle all graduated from KU. His nephew also graduated from KU, and his niece plans to attend for a master’s degree. Schaeffer originally resisted going, as he wanted to attend college far away from home and live on campus. But his parents suggested a compromise. “My parents were great. They said you should go, but you should live on campus,” he says, “which was really good because that’s so much of the college experience.” And as he reflects on the experience, which led him to a life of doing what he loves – working with the giants of theatre, Mackintosh and Sondheim, as well as building a small theatre into a regional powerhouse – Schaeffer carries with him many small, but important, lessons about life he learned at KU. “I remember we had a typography teacher, Mr. (Donald) Breter, and he and I got into this long discussion one day. He said: ‘Eric, anyone can make you a better artist but no one can make you a better person,’ and it’s one of those things I’ve just kept with me and used to build up this place and make it what it is.” For more on the Signature Theatre, go to www.sig-online.org. Professor Melissa Nurczynski teaches in the KU Department of English, specializing in magazine writing. Her work has appeared in Newsweek, Budget Travel, US Airways Magazine and The Houston Chronicle.

Top Opposite Page: As co-founder and artistic director of the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va., Eric Schaeffer ’84 has successfully staged some of the most respected off-Broadway productions in the nation including “Les Miserables.” Bottom Right: Top of the bill! The Signature Theatre was named winner of the 2009 Regional Theater Tony Award. The award is given annually to one of the nation’s leading regional theaters and was presented at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 7. Foreground from left: Signature Theatre managing director Maggie Boland and artistic director Eric Schaeffer ’84. Background from left: award presenters actress Laura Benanti and actor Brian Stokes Mitchell.

PHOTO COUR TESY OF SH EVETT STUDIO S

“So here we were, a new theatre doing a new play, and it was the first time they were going to have full frontal nudity in Arlington,” laughs Schaeffer, who adds that the community fully supported their art, and soon the Signature began growing. For nine seasons, Schaeffer worked fulltime jobs in addition to his hours at the theatre, including a stint as the art director of the local public television station – making his work week 70-plus hours. The first year, the theatre had 128 subscribers. Today, it has 5,500. The first year’s budget was $28,000; this year’s budget was $8 million. Over the years, Schaeffer developed a close relationship with composer and lyricist Steven Sondheim, staging productions of his musicals nearly every season. The Signature also has commissioned new works, including an upcoming musical version of “Giant,” based on the Edna Ferber novel rather than the James Dean film.

Summer 2009 | TOWER 15

ALUMNI DAY> MAY 2009 PHOTOS BY BRAD DREY

lumni Day 2009 was full of laughter, hugs and tears as former classmates and old friends from 10 class years gathered for reunions in the McFarland Student Union on May 9. During the annual Alumni Awards luncheon, the classes and guests applauded 12 special alumni who were recognized for their professional and personal successes as well as outstanding contributions.

Laura Kriner Kauffman ’29, who celebrated her 80th-year reunion on Alumni Day, taught in Upper Merion Township, Panther Valley and Orwigsburg (now Blue Mountain) school districts. “In the 1920s, we were allowed to walk as far as the cemetery and Papa Sal’s snack shop,” she said. “The students were never allowed to walk downtown.” Kauffman told President Cevallos (pictured) that the new buildings on campus make the university look “fabulous.”

16 TOWER | Summer 2009

One of the joys of coming back to Kutztown for Alumni Day is meeting old friends. Pictured from the Class of 1949 (from left) are Leroy Heckman, Joyce Bretz Todak, Bernice Webber Wilson, Paul Wilson (seated) and Joseph Todak (background).

Henrietta Patrick ’69 graduated with a double major in English and Spanish. Attending her 40th-year reunion, Patrick worked for 18 years as an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher and 19 years as an assistant principal in the Philadelphia School District.

Left: Druce Peiffer Hanshaw ’44 received a bachelor’s degree in art education and taught for 33 years. Hanshaw said she remembers dropping handwritten notes to U.S. Army cadets as they trained on campus during World War II. She noted that Kutztown State Teachers College ladies were not permitted to talk to the young cadets in 1944, but they did anyway.

Right: A 16th-generation Lenape, Anne “Ruth” (Charles) Py ’74 is proud of her Native American heritage. For two months each year, this teacher and librarian participates in a living-history rendezvous and reenactment as a storyteller and teacher. Py is a member of the Whispering Wolf Band of the Eastern Lenape.

Summer 2009 | TOWER 17

Back to Class with JOHN SCHELLENBERG BY HEATHER MAYER ’08

18 TOWER | Summer 2009

Schellenberg paired incoming students with upperclassmen guides and provided a variety of activities, programs and classes designed to teach students about how the campus works. This approach allowed freshmen to acclimate to college life much faster and helped new students to make sound academic decisions. The ENTRA program, which has evolved into the CONNECTIONS program, was so successful that many universities and colleges began to copy the “Kutztown model” for their own orientation programs. In 1989, Schellenberg felt his work with ENTRA was

complete and moved on to serve as the chair of the Department of Physical Sciences until 1993. When his tenure as department head was over, Schellenberg became the first director of the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching (CET). The center is devoted to providing the tools and resources that help faculty members develop innovative teaching strategies and keep up with emerging technology. In 2003, Schellenberg retired from KU and established the John P. Schellenberg Award to recognize early-career faculty members who have demonstrated outstanding work within the CET mission.

“He always valued the student experience, inside the classroom and outside the classroom,” said Dr. Andrea Kirshman, assistant vice president, New Student Programs and Services, and CONNECTIONS supervisor. “And he was willing to go outside the box. Both teaching and student affairs were important to him.” Winner of the 1995 Arthur and Isabel Wiesenberger Award for Excellence in Teaching, Schellenberg continues to teach part-time at Lehigh County Community College. See this issue’s Hindsight Revealed for more on the ENTRA program.

PHOTO BY ROXANNE RICHARDSON ’10

uring his 37-year career at Kutztown, Dr. John “Jack” Schellenberg became much more than a professor of physical sciences. With a clear vision and a love for education, today he is considered the founder of one of the most effective student orientation programs in the nation and the first director of the KU Center for Enhancement of Teaching. Schellenberg came to campus in 1966 to teach chemistry and physics to non-science majors – a tough job given the trepidation that many non-majors bring to their first college-level science course. But Schellenberg was determined to engage the students and make learning fun. By grouping students into learning modules, he presented problems and let the students work together to find the solutions. It was a technique new to teaching at the time, but this student-centered approach worked for Schellenberg and was the basis for a model he continued to use and refine throughout his career. “There is more to teaching than lecturing,” he said. “There has to be a broader, wider adventure to learning.” His view of learning as an “adventure” was further expanded in the early ’70s when he met Jim Dolak ’71, who was working as a residence hall monitor. “I didn’t have a real flavor of student life,” said Schellenberg, “so I spent a full day and night with Jim in the residence hall. He made me look at the whole picture. And I realized – what happens in front of a blackboard represents only a fraction of what the students are learning.” As he thought about it, the science professor realized the learning adventure begins the very first day a student sets foot on campus. That inspired him to create the ENTRA orientation program in 1971 to help new and transfer students learn about the ins and outs of college life.

Dr. John Schellenberg is the creator of the ENTRA orientation program, which has evolved into today’s CONNECTIONS program. Pictured with Schellenberg (far right) are CONNECTIONS student representatives (left to right): Amanda Scarpa ’10, Elizabeth Schroeder ’10 and Bryan Van Schaick ’10.

CLASSNOTES> 1940s

1959

1943

Frank “Pete” Nye has been working on new ceramic foundations that include marble and granite. His wife Joan has a new line of paintings.

Marie (Bachman) Hartman is teaching sculpture classes to senior citizens for a recreational organization in Green Valley, Ariz. Viola Wert celebrated her 100th birthday in March 2009. She was honored by family, friends, former co-workers and students at a luncheon at Willow Tree Grove in Orefield, Pa.

1950s 1950

1933 Edith (Dallas) Long has had a full life as a teacher and librarian. She started the first library in her hometown of Tamaqua, Pa. Long currently resides in a retirement facility in Sun City Center, Fla., where she started a library that has been dedicated in her name.

Bessie Reese Crenshaw celebrated the 40th anniversary of Youth of Yesterday Inc. in Reading, Pa. The organization provides book grants for students enrolled in accredited colleges, some of whom are KU students. Crenshaw has been a member for 36 years.

1951 Ellenor (Josefo) Shectman is retired, painting and entering art shows. She participates in group and solo exhibitions and is active in professional art education and education. Her family includes her husband, five children, three sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, 10 grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.

1952 Joyce (Matis) Rebholz and her husband Don took a cruise around the world in early 2008.

1955 Joan (Greene) Costello is living in a retirement community and is enjoying teaching art to her peers. Irene (Bieber) Keller released a booklet in October 2008 titled “Graduates of the Oley Valley School District, 1907-2008.”

1956 1941 John M. Buzas celebrated his 90th birthday with family and friends on Dec. 15, 2008.

Dr. George Neff’s “Incredible Puppet Company” performed an original production of Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” at the International Toy Theatre Festival in the Netherlands in May 2009.

George M. Meiser IX published “The Passing Scene-Volume 16,” his 17th book. “The Passing Scene” series of books are compilations of illustrated Berks County histories. He is serving his 10th year as president of the Historical Society of Berks County. During the May 2009 commencement ceremonies, Meiser was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by KU. Charles Keffer was elected president of the Board of Directors of the Montgomery County/ Pennsylvania Head Start Program. Margaret L. Kanischak’s new granddaughter Misha was born in June 2008. Her future plans are to have a permanent home in Florida.

1960s 1961 Richard Powell is a marketing coordinator and counselor for the Pottstown, Pa., chapter of the Service Corps of Retired Executives.

1963 Susan (Pecsek) Ditterline has two new grandchildren to give her a total of four. Maddie and Liam were born on Sept. 30, 2008. Her grandson Ben is in his sixth year of singing with the Philadelphia Boys Choir. Bonnie J. Miller retired from Northern Tioga School District, Elkland, Pa., after 44 years as the Williamson High School librarian.

1964 Peggy (Margaret Malman) Jocher’s husband died in June 2007. She still lives in Tennessee and serves on two library boards. Sara Jane (Hatter) Kimmel retired from Manheim Township School District, Lancaster, Pa., in 1997. She continues to Summer 2009 | TOWER 19

PHOTO AND ARTWORK COURTESY OF TOM WARBURTON ’90

substitute to fulfill her love of teaching and working with children. Ada Seltzer retired in June 2008 after 43 years as a professional librarian, 21 of those years was spent as the director of the Rowland Medical Library-University of Mississippi Medical Center.

1966 Rev. Dr. Joseph R. Foster participated in his second Katrinarelated mission to the Gulf Coast in April/May 2008. He went to Biloxi, Miss., where he assisted in building a house.

Cartoon Creator Kid at Heart As soon as you meet him, it’s obvious Tom Warburton ’90 likes to make people laugh – trying to get a straight answer from him is almost impossible. He loves to draw too, so it is little wonder that this KU communication design major created the Cartoon Network animated hit “Codename: Kids Next Door.” The show ran from 2002 to 2008 and featured five kids on a mission to free the world from the tyrannical rule of adults – and teenagers. Viewers both young and old enjoyed the many references to modern spy and science fiction movies and the light-hearted humor.

Roseanne McCarty is teaching Spanish culture and basic Spanish phrases at a private elementary school on a part-time basis. Angela (Fiorini) Bubbenmoyer retired after 32 years of teaching at Cabrini Academy in Reading, Pa.

1967 C. Richard Houser retired after 38 years of teaching at the Wilson School District, West Lawn, Pa. He is now working part-time at Penn State University/Berks County Campus.

Williams Real Estate. They are also the proud grandparents of Elise Christine Grayzyk, who is two years old.

1971 LeRoy Hinkle and his wife E.M. Vasilia (Magdalinos) ’72 celebrated 35 years of marriage in October 2008. Robert Cozza retired as assistant principal of Brick Township High School after 32 years with the Brick Township School District, Brick, N.J. He now lives in Cape Coral, Fla. Raymond O’Connell has been elected to the Allentown/ William Allen Hall of Fame. O’Connell served the Allentown School District (ASD) for 35 years. He served on the ASD Athletic Council and has also been a member of the City of Allentown Recreation Commission for 15 years.

1972

Gail (Brown Held) Kahn is a children’s book author who has published three books under the pen name Ryke Leigh Douglas. Her work may be seen at www.rykeleighdouglas.com.

Georgeanne Bonifanti celebrated her 36th year as a school library media specialist. She instituted the first library consortium in Vermont, which combines an elementary school library, a private high school library and a public community library into the Northshire Library Media Consortium. For more information go to www.northshirelibraries.com.

Sheryl E. (Fritz) Roland retired in 2006 after teaching third grade for many years for Conrad Weiser Area School District, Robesonia, Pa.

Cynthia (Reichard) Hillgass retired in June 2009 after 35 years as a social studies teacher at Brandywine Heights High School, Topton, Pa.

Peter Riffle retired after 40-plus years in the classroom and is now teaching at Reading Area Community College. He has four children and 11 grandchildren.

Lynn (Harding) Millar is a fine artist and graphic designer. Her work can be viewed at www.lynnmillarart.com.

This past spring, Warburton turned his ink-stained hands to writing a children’s book. 1000 Times No is inspired by his son’s most favorite word.

1970s

“Making people laugh is one of the greatest things in the world,” Warburton said in a behind-the-scenes Cartoon Network interview. “And making cartoons is a great way to do it.”

Christine (Bobek) Roth has been enjoying two new careers since she retired after 35 years of teaching. She and her husband Tom are realtors for Keller

Cornelia Thompson won first place for her work as a silversmith and was awarded the Ruth Koch Memorial Award during the Hazelton Art League Students’ Award Show.

Though Warburton set out to become a graphic designer, midway through his university studies he decided that drawing cartoons was his real passion. He took every animation course offered at KU, and even created a few of his own through independent study. When he graduated, Warburton incessantly knocked on the doors of all the animation studios in New York City looking for work. “Eventually, a company called Buzzco Associates got sick of hearing me whine and gave me a job as a production assistant,” he said. From there Warburton floated from studio to studio, toiling in the animation trenches as a production designer for a variety of projects including the first season of MTV’s “Beavis and Butthead.” During his fascinating cartoon career, Disney used his skills as the lead character designer for “Pepper Ann,” Cartoon Network hired him to direct “Sheep in the Big City,” and Saturday Night Live asked him to animate and direct new episodes of “TV Funhouse.” His animation also has been featured on commercials for Levi’s, Converse, Slim Jim and Volkswagen.

To read Warburton’s blog, go to warburtonlabs.blogspot.com

20 TOWER | Summer 2009

1968

1970

1973

Raymond H. Melcher Jr. has been named chairman of the

Michael Pyles, chief of the Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Radiation Protection’s Radon Division, has been honored with the 2008 Radon Hero Award from the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors for his efforts to reduce the health effects of radon exposure.

1975

1975 John M. DeVere was appointed vice president of Workforce and Economic Development/Community Education at Reading Area Community College. In this new role, he will serve on the President’s Senior Administrative Team, which is involved in strategic planning and budgeting for the entire institution. DeVere joined the college in 1982 as a faculty member. Since 1991 he has held several administrative positions in academic affairs.

Berks Visiting Nurse Association’s 100th Anniversary Celebration. Rev. Alana (Lucyk) Kelley is a pastor for the United Church of Christ in Elyna, Ohio. She and her husband David, who teaches Chinese history at Oberlin College, are proud grandparents of 6-year-old Solomon. Phyllis N. Rutchauskas retired at the end of the 2008-2009 school year. She has been a librarian at Greater Nantico*ke Area School District for 35 years.

1974 Kim Edwards was recognized by KU as its Distinguished Honoree at the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Philanthropy Day event held in November 2008. He served as the 2008 Chair of the Lehigh Valley Division of the KU Business and Industry (B&I ) Campaign. This is

his 14th year as a B&I Campaign volunteer. For the past 10 years, he has been the program director for the Financing Assistance Program at the Lehigh University Small Business Development Center and has more than 22 years banking experience as a small business lender. Thomas Lepley designed special wine bottle labels for William “Chet” Schreiber’s (’72) Mt. Chet Vineyards latest award-winning wines. Guido Pichini, a trustee at KU, has been re-elected president of the Pennsylvania Association of Councils of Trustees (PACT), a group that comprises the members of the Councils of Trustees of the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities. Pichini, who also is a member of PASSHE’s Board of Governors, will begin a second one-year term as PACT president on July 1.

Thomas Ardizzone’s musical composition “Seven Worlds” was used as a soundtrack for the film “Redline America.” The film was voted Best Special Interest Documentary at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival 2008. The instrumental is influenced by a blend of world music and ambient styles.

Kessler also had a solo show at the Schmidt Dean Gallery in Philadelphia, which was displayed from Dec. 12, 2008 to Jan. 24, 2009. His show received rave reviews by the Philadelphia Inquirer. Darlene Krause-Clemence is a senior sales director for Mary Kay Cosmetics. She is proud to announce the Mary Kay Charitable Foundation has donated $20,000 to Allentown Turning Point, a shelter for victims of abuse and their children. Debbra (Becker) Dorward and her husband Norm celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in September 2008. Their two daughters have successful careers in their chosen fields. Their

1976 Robin (Garraway) McDevitt is working at A.I. duPont Hospital for Children as a billing liaison for general surgery and urology.

1977 Martha A. Krieger graduated from Bloomsburg University in December 2006 with a master’s degree in special education. She is a high school emotional support teacher in Shikellamy School District, Sunbury, Pa. Carroll Yorgey is working as a freelance writer and editor for various Web sites.

1978 Melanie (Koder) Lister is a full-time database specialist for “4C” (Community Coordinated Care for Children Inc.), a nonprofit agency that administers government funding for subsidized childcare. Her son is a supervisor in the call center for Hilton Grand vacations. Her daughter is studying for a master’s degree in international business and trade at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. Michael Kessler’s solo exhibition titled “Graftings” was shown Nov. 5-30, 2008 at the Artamo Gallery in Santa Barbara, Calif.

1979 Larry and Denise (Findora) Evans adopted two foster children on Aug. 20, 2008. They have been foster parents for 14 years and adopted three children in December 2000. They now have six children: Daniel, Brittany, Peter, Jonathan, Elissa and Sarah. Evans is an art instructor at Luzerne County Community College in Nantico*ke, Pa. Her favorite class to teach is typography, which she credits to her favorite KU professor John Landis.

Summer 2009 | TOWER 21

oldest daughter Jen lives in Baltimore and is a registered dietician at the Children’s Hospital at Johns Hopkins. Their youngest daughter Jess works at the Children’s Home of Reading, Pa.

1979 William J. Davis retired after 30 years of service as an English and speech teacher at Jim Thorpe Senior High School, Jim Thorpe, Pa. Katherine (McFeeley) Brittian received the 2008 Elinor Long Educator of the Year Award, which recognizes a professional in the field of education of students with blindness and visual impairments. The award was presented at the Penn-Del AER Vision Conference. Dr. Warren Simpson, noted for his work in student professional development, curriculum design and leadership/mentoring, was recognized as the 2009 Recreation Educator of the Year by the Texas Recreation and Park Society.

Simpson currently serves as the coordinator of graduate studies in kinesiology at Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas. Erika (Bogdanoff) Shulkusky is working with KenCrest Services, a provider agency for communitybased services for individuals with autism and other intellectual challenges.

1980s 1980 Eileen (Williams) Teater completed her dream trip to Africa. She spent 24 days on safari and visited four countries. Kathleen C. (Consaley) Davis created a business making handmade greeting cards. She is now one of the most sought-after commercial designers in the country. Her products can be found at retail outlets such as Target, Walmart and American Greetings.

1981 Richard Brown celebrated 26-

plus years with CONCERN, a therapeutic foster-care agency. He relocated to Prince George’s County, Md., to develop one of the first agencies of its kind in Maryland and has served as the office’s regional director for the past 20 years. Catherine (Rosevear) Botch unveiled her painting “The Trombone Choir’s Midnight Carol” at Lehigh Valley/Muhlenburg Hospital in February 2009. The commissioned painting was completed in memory of Dr. George Tyler who began the Severe Wounds Unit at the hospital. Botch, a former teacher, works out of her Blue Unicorn Studio and lives in Allentown, Pa., with her husband Ron and their sons James and Jonathan.

1982 Cmdr. Vito Petitti, U.S. Navy, graduated from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, Calif. He lives with his family in southern California. Jacqueline (Trautman) Dorian is a million-dollar producer with Prudential Landis Home Sales, Pottsville, Pa. She also received the Par Excellence Award. Curtis Smith published a novel titled “Sound and Noise.” More information is available at www. curtisjsmith.com.

1984 Jennifer (Plavcan) Swope earned her master’s degree in social work from Widener University in June 2008. She is employed by Bethany’s Children’s Home as the family social worker for the Philadelphia area. Swope celebrated 20 years with the children’s home in March 2009.

1979 “Major” Benjamin Brooks (seated far left) and his basketball team “The Xquisites” won the 55-and-older open recreation league tournament at the Buffalo Masters 16th Annual North American Championships. 22 TOWER | Summer 2009

Robin (Townsley) Arcus is organizing a natural foods cooperative in Durham, N.C. She also works for a consumer credit counseling agency teaching financial literacy classes. Arcus earned a master’s degree in divinity in 1991 from Duke Divinity University.

1982 Dr. Christine J. (CJ) Rhoads was awarded the John P. Schellenberg Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning from the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching at KU. Rhoads also was named one of Pennsylvania’s Best 50 Women in Business by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

Michelle (Boyer) Biever is the textbook manager at Lebanon Valley College, Annville, Pa. Susan (Smith) Klinger exhibited in the Artist’s Equity Select Exhibition at Barnstone Gallery in Phoenixville, Pa. She also exhibited in the Artist Garden Show at the Hardcastle Gallery in Centerville, Del. Joseph Scott McKeon retired from the New York City Police Department and has relocated to Florida where he is working as a safety manager for a construction company. Mary Borst has been hired as a clerk typist at KU. She splits her time between the KU Women’s Center and the GLBTQ Resource Center. Carla Pavlick has been assigned to work on the Pennsylvania Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission through the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College.

Kristen Tuerk, a Kutztown Middle School art teacher, created a collaborative, community art project with retired Kutztown Elementary school teacher Adrienne Katter, wife of professor emeritus Eldon Katter. From 1993 to 2005, Katter collected one million bread clips from her students. Tuerk took the collection and, through community involvement, strung the bread clips to create an installation art piece that was displayed in the lobby of KU’s Sharadin Arts Building in the Spring of 2009.

1990s 1990 Marlyn (Linski) Kissner is employed as vice president of regional councils for the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. Her husband Sgt. William Kissner is an officer in the City of Bethlehem undercover/drug/ special-operations unit. He has been with the city for 18 years.

1985

1989

Margaret (Peggy Mericle) Hoppes was published in “Christ in our Home,” a quarterly devotional from Angsburg Fortress Publishers. She continues to write daily on her Web site www. awordfortoday.org.

Mike Shelby oversaw the creation of an interactive exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. The exhibit features two kiosks titled “Ocean Today,” which are updated daily with current information. Visitors may interact with the kiosks through touch screen monitors to access the latest ocean news and accompanying images.

1986 Vincent McLoughlin was invited to be Toad Creek Gallery’s guest artist for the April/May 2009 exhibition. He has been showing work for more than 20 years and founded the STAIRMASTERS gallery, an artist-run cooperative gallery in Chelsea, New York City.

1987 James E. Miller retired from the Allentown Fire Department in January 2000. From 2001 to 2007, he served as fire marshal for the Allentown State Hospital. Currently, he is working with the Reading Fire Department.

1988 Lori Angstadt has been teaching social studies and computer applications for 16 years at Brandywine Heights High School, Topton, Pa. Last year she was named the Keystone Technology Integrator in her building. She also has been very involved in a “Classrooms for the Future” grant. Dawn (Edwards) Fisher has entered her fifth year as giftedstudent support specialist for the Catasauqua Area School District,

Catasauqua, Pa. She is married to Philip and has two children Max (13) and Kate (8). Kimberly Fahey is in her 21st year teaching first grade in Elizabeth, N.J. She also is an adjunct professor in the Mathematics and Natural Sciences Department at Centenary College in Hackettstown, N.J. She is pursuing a doctorate of education in teacher leadership from Walden University and plans to graduate in December 2009.

1989 Michael Pittaro attended the annual New Jersey Mental Health Administrators Conference where he was the keynote speaker. He spoke on his new textbook about cyber crime. Megan (Mateyak) Frantz accepted the position of assistant high school principal for Tamaqua Area School District, Tamaqua, Pa. She resides in Tamaqua with her husband Aaron and two children Adam (12) and Chelsea (10). Rachel Roland completed a master’s degree in communication management from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse

School of Public Communications. In addition to her full-time job as a manager in the corporate communications department at Air Products in Allentown, Pa., Roland has taught communication classes at Lehigh University and Muhlenberg College. KU Hall of Fame Inductee and Top-30 KU Athlete of the Century selection Lisa (Marrella) Wortman is the supervisor for customer service for Carpenter Technology. She is married to Dan. They have three children Alex (17), Amanda (14) and Drew (11). Doreen Golembeski has been delegation leader for the Peopleto-People Student Ambassador Program for the past four years. She has taken junior high school students to European countries, China, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia. The program began more that 50 years ago and was started by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as a way to bridge cultural and political borders through education and exchange. Golembeski is a library media specialist at Lincoln School in Caldwell, N.J.

Cindy O’Neil is assistant regional director of CONCERN of Berks County, a foster care agency. She worked with Natalie Yuengel, a junior at Fleetwood High School, to collect and distribute “Shoeboxes for Kids.” The project gives toys and games to foster children served by CONCERN.

1991 Mark Kenney received the Eminent Practitioner Award from the Pennsylvania Counseling Association in October 2008.

1992 Thomas E. Kauffman was recognized as KU’s Distinguished Honoree at the Philanthropy Day event of the Berks County Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals in November 2008. He was a KU Foundation Business and Industry Campaign volunteer in 1997, team captain in 1998, and he now is serving for the fourth year as the chair of the Reading Division. Kauffman also is an active volunteer with many other community organizations. He is employed at Reinsel Kuntz Lesher LLP, where he is the partner in charge of the tax services group in the Wyomissing office. Felicia E. McAllister M ’96 is principal of Pennridge South Middle School, Perkasie, Pa., and is the recipient of the 2009 Bucks County Intermediate Unit Caring Community Award.

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1993

A Life in Art and Kutztown

Jefferson Hayman was chosen by the KU Department of Fine Arts to give an individual presentation during the department’s Big Art Day 2009. The program showcases successful alumni who return to KU and share their career stories. Hayman spoke about his work and the traditional photographic mediums he uses to produce timeless and iconic imagery. Recently, selections of his art have been purchased by the Museum of Modern Art.

PHOTO BY ROXANNE RICHARDSON ’10

Like many artists, John F. Dreibelbis ’38, associate professor emeritus, Department of Art Education and Crafts, discovered at an early age he had a talent for making beautiful and practical items out of everyday materials. “I had no toys as a child, so I would borrow my father’s tools and make my own,” he said. From the lessons learned in the tool shed of his family’s farm just east of Kutztown, he developed a love for art and a career that touched the lives of generations of school children and Kutztown State College (KSC) students. When Dreibelbis graduated from Kutztown State Teachers College in the late 1930s, elementary and high school art teachers were few. His first teaching job took him to 10 different schools throughout rural Berks County. Serving in the Army Air Corps as a radio signal instructor during World War II, he returned to Kutztown and taught in the public school system for another 18 years, earning a master’s degree from Columbia University in New York City along the way.

24 TOWER | Summer 2009

Wendy Jones and her husband Heath have two children Emily and Aidan. They live in Strasburg, Pa., where Jones teaches preschool.

1994 Joe Vianna married Maria Helena in 2007. They have a new baby Gabriel. Vianna works at National Securities Corporation as senior managing director and is co-head of Institutional Equities. Then in 1966, KSC President Italo L. deFrancesco literally grabbed Dreibelbis by the shirt sleeve and insisted he join the Kutztown faculty. “I was kind of a handyman back then,” remembers Dreibelbis, who said deFrancesco tagged him one day on his way home from school. “I had a vast knowledge of jewelry making, silversmithing, weaving and threedimensional design. Plus, I could manage a classroom.” Retiring from KSC in 1980, Dreibelbis said he can’t count the number of students who have come under his tutelage, but he can name a score of successful jewelry shop and gallery owners, teachers and artists, many of whom are now his closest friends. Perhaps it is the Kutztown upbringing, or a strong can-do attitude, but this art education and crafts teacher never abandoned his philosophy that art should be useful. “The ability to create can make life both pleasant and comfortable,” Dreibelbis said.

Jeffrey Halikman has been married to Karin for 10 years. They have three children together: Noelle (6), Charles (3) and James (9 months). Halikman is in his 11th year with Comcast SportsNet. David Readinger has been promoted to regional director of the Valley Forge, Pa., office of Wentworth Property Management.

1996 Stephanie (Holz) Ciampoli is teaching English as a second language, advanced conversation and English at Centenary College in Hackettstown, N.J. John Acquavita is the new director for Creative Kids Inc., a non-profit community center in Baltimore. As director, he coordinates presentations, outreach education and job training events to members of the community. In addition, he and an assistant run an after-school tutoring program serving Baltimore city students.

Daniel Moyer exhibited a solo show titled “Awe Beep Beep” at the Connexions Gallery in Easton, Pa., in November 2008.

THE BALL STOPS HERE

Michael Wilson welcomed daughter Alexandra to his family in December 2008. He lives in Springville, Tenn., with his wife Tara and son Braxton.

Teacher fields the fouls as Phillies Ballgirl

New York City artist Todd DiCiurcio was commissioned by Bob Melet, owner of Melet Mercantile, N.Y.C., to build and curate an installation piece that was placed across from Melet’s surf shack. The installation was on view for three weeks and represented what has been forgotten in society’s push toward progress.

1997 The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce appointed Scott J. Weiland vice president of Chamber Operations. In addition, Weiland is an adjunct instructor of leadership, marketing and communications at Marywood University and Penn State Worthington/Scranton. In August 2008, Tim Delaney and his wife Melissa moved to Tempe, Ariz. He is the senior director of broadcasting for the Arizona Cardinals. Richard (Rickey) Hummer has been married to Nicole for eight years. They have two sons Connor (5) and Caden (3). Hummer is the pension coordinator for Luzerne County, Pa. He also coaches wide receivers and defensive backs for the Hanover Area Hawkeyes with his brother, head coach Ron Hummer. William Mahler earned his real estate license in August 2007 and joined Prudential Fox and Roach Realtors in Newtown, Pa. He and his wife had their first child Brayden Richard Mahler on July 11, 2008.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAUREN LITZENBERGER ’06

Victoria (Valletti) Cifelli is married with two children Olivia (3) and Jason (3 months).

Florida Marlin shortstop Hanley Ramirez has a league-wide reputation for hitting vicious line drives. Just ask Lauren Litzenberger ’06. The Phillies Ballgirl nearly came face-to-face with one of his hard-hit foul balls last season, but she was able to duck out of the way just in time. “I felt a breeze across my face, heard the stadium gasp, and my heart was pounding,” she said. “But it was worth it.” Its worth grew exponentially when Phillies closer Brad Lidge recorded the final strikeout in Game 5 to win the 2008 World Series title. Litzenberger was on the field to take it all in. “It was definitely the greatest experience I’ve ever had,” she said. “Never in a million years could I have imagined this happening.” Her trek to the World Series began more than a year ago when her father saw that the Phillies were holding tryouts for new ballgirls, and Litzenberger, who at the time was searching for a teaching position, thought, “How hard could it be?” As it turns out, it is a more involved process than she thought. It began with 800 applicants. A hundred were invited to tryouts, which included

hitting, fielding and throwing drills – because they also will be a member of the Phillies Ballgirl softball team at charity events. From there, 20 applicants were chosen for a final interview, and in the end, 10 were selected. Litzenberger was one of the 10, and now, she’s back for a second season. “I was really excited to be invited back,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to this season.” All the students at Durham Nockamixon Elementary School, Kintnersville, Pa., where she teaches fourth grade, also are excited to see her back on the squad. The students were treated to special pep rallies during the World Series run. The Phillies generously gave playoff rally towels to every student in the school – the same towels Litzenberger saw spinning wildly throughout a crowd of nearly two million fans packed along Broad Street in Philadelphia for the celebration parade as her float drove by. “It was an amazing experience,” she said. And if the Phillies play like they did last season, this summer promises to provide plenty of thrills, just like a line drive hit off the bat of Hanley Ramirez. That’s no problem for Litzenberger – she’s ready to take a stab at it.

Summer 2009 | TOWER 25

Eric Moyer earned his master’s of science in human factors and systems engineering from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He is working toward a second master’s of science in computer information systems from the Florida Institute of Technology. He married Emily in 2005.

Renee M. Miller is presidentelect for the National Capital Area American Planning Association.

Ryan Riccitelli is a senior art director at Euro RSCG in New York City. He returned to KU to give a presentation to communication design majors during “David Bullock – Return of the CD Grads” in 2008.

1998 Tara (Crozier) Wallick is an art teacher at Harry S. Truman High School, Bristol, Pa. She has been a teacher for the past 10 years and is the throwing coach for the high school track and field. Wallick was inducted into KU’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005. She has two children Michael and Madison. Christopher Hayes celebrated his marriage to Cathleen (Waters) on Sept. 13, 2008. Hayes has completed 11 of the 13 classes in the master’s of science program at Penn State University. Michele Sodrosky earned her MBA with a concentration in accounting in 2008. Jim Leiner was honored by 10News, San Diego, Calif., with a leadership award for his work in creating and opening the Pioneer Day School. The school works with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. William A. James is living in Tulsa, Okla., and is working as a research and development chemist for Baker Petrolite, a division of Baker Hughes. He has a son Hagin.

1999 Philipp Lagrossa opened Gigi Restaurant and Lounge in Old City Philadelphia. For more information, go to www.gigiphilly.com.

26 TOWER | Summer 2009

PHOTO COURTESY OF KRISTIN PEDEMONTI ’89

Jason Urban was chosen by the KU Department of Fine Arts to give an individual presentation during the department’s Big Art Day 2009. The program showcases successful alumni who return to KU and share their career stories. Urban’s prints, paintings, drawings and installations have been exhibited nationally and internationally in more than 15 solo exhibitions and more than 50 group and juried exhibitions.

Former KU tennis player Tom Bixler is working for PNC Bank as a commercial loan underwriter. He was married in 2007.

Melissa Putz returned to KU with the Lenhart Dance Company for a performance in March 2009. Putz is an avant-garde choreographer working in Philadelphia. She collaborated with Patricia Brown, a former dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, to choreograph the KU performance. Crystal King-Seidel married Kevin on July 26, 2008. They honeymooned at Peter Island in the British Virgin Islands. KingSeidel earned a master’s degree in instructional technology from Misericordia University, WilkesBarre, Pa., in May 2003. She earned a second master’s degree as a reading specialist from King’s College in May 2009. Yorel E. Pressley has been working for the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton for nine years and was promoted to associate. Jennifer Hyde Breton opened a studio on the fifth floor at the Goggleworks in Reading, Pa. Now in her third year of business, Breton is a modern children and family photographer serving the tri-state area. She resides in eastern Berks County with her husband Joe and their three children. Her work can be found at www.jenniferbreton photography.com.

A Storyteller’s Fabled Life When you ask Kristin Pedemonti ’89 about her professional life, she hardly knows where to begin – women’s health advocate, cancer researcher and children’s librarian. Today she works as a freelance storyteller, delighting audiences of all ages with her often comical interpretations of cherished childhood favorites. “I studied speech and theatre at KU and use everything I learned to bring multicultural folktales and children’s stories to life,” said Pedemonti. “The entire audience gets into the act and helps to tell the stories using simple costumes and dialogue.” In 2005, her life dramatically changed. During a vacation to Belize, Pedemonti realized her talents could help to increase the literacy rate of the former British Commonwealth country. That year Pedemonti sold her house in the U.S. and set aside some of her income to fund a storytelling and folktales preservation tour of Belize. Over the past four years, Pedemonti has visited the country nine times, often living in huts and traveling by bus to the small village schools that dot the countryside. “It is definitely not a vacation. I spend at least 90 percent of my time in Belize volunteering, and I live very simply,” she said. This spring she returned to Belize to continue her reading, writing and storytelling workshops. Over the years she estimates that 28,000 children in Belize have been touched by her special gift. For more information, visit www.storytellerkp.com.

2000s 2000 Dr. Timothy B. Coyle, a thirdyear internal medicine resident at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, Pa., spent the month of September in Africa ministering to AIDS patients at a Kenyan hospital. He was one of four residents chosen to participate in the program. Coyle also was one of four residents selected to represent Lehigh Valley Hospital in a Medical Jeopardy tournament. He served as captain, and his team won the northeast division title. The team also won first place for the Pennsylvania state title in the national finals in Philadelphia in April 2009. Sarah (Rogers) Eckenrode married Chris in August 2001. They have two sons Gabriel, born in June 2003, and Aiden, born in June 2006. Stephanie E. Petner completed her master’s degree in public administration at Kutztown University.

2001 Nicole Sedorchuk received her master’s degree in social work from Marywood University, Scranton, Pa., in May 2008.

Summer Doll is the art supervisor at Grey Healthcare Group. She returned to KU to participate in “David Bullock – Return of the CD Grads” in 2008 where she presented to communication design majors.

2002 Jessica (Byler) Miller walked 60 miles in the Philadelphia Breast Cancer three-day event and raised $3500 to help find a cure. Jessica Lang earned a master’s degree in English from George Mason University, where she also taught as an adjunct professor. She is now a fifth-year doctoral student in cultural studies. She holds two broadcasting degrees from Columbia School of Broadcasting and has worked in television news for two years. Lang currently hosts a television show on Comcast called “That’s What She Said.”

2003 Keri (Vangreen) Shultz was promoted to executive director of the Reading Musical Foundation. Shultz has worked for the foundation for five years, most recently as program director.

KU FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2007-2008 CORRECTIONS: Please note these corrections to the 2007–2008 KU Foundation Annual Report presented in the Winter 2009 issue of the Tower.

Class of 1990 Contributors Club Kimberly Stofflet Spang + Patrick H. Spang +

Class of 1995 Century Club Kiersten Larsen Knecht +

Emeriti Century Club Dr. Allida McKinley

In memory of Mr. Fred D. Hafer Ketchum Family Fund Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Wetherhold

Antoinette Colon was hired by Cheyney University of Pennsylvania as the director of public relations and marketing. Randall Bossler was accepted to Penn State Hershey Medical School for the fall 2009. He also is applying for the Health Professions Scholarship Program through the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. His wife Jodi is substitute teaching and looking for a full-time art teaching position. Their daughter is 10 and wants to be a veterinarian; and their son is 6 and wants to be a race car driver. Interim executive director Erica Hesselson (M ’08) of Friend Inc., Kutztown, Pa., is preparing for the foundation’s 20th benefit auction.

2004 Jeffrey Dunn earned his master’s in geography from West Virginia University and is now attending University of Connecticut for a doctoral degree in geography. Kathryn C. Zazenski was chosen by the KU Department of Fine Arts to give an individual presentation during the department’s Big Art Day 2009. The program showcases successful alumni who return to KU and share their career stories. Zazenski works as a staff sculptor and project coordinator at the Digital Stone Project in Mercerville, N.J.

2005 Charles Cieri was accepted to attend the Peter Jennings Project for Journalism and the Constitution in Philadelphia.

2006

+ Denotes 5 years of consecutive giving

Leslie (Klopp) Hardy and her husband James are the proud owners of Healthy & Hardy, a natural/organic grocery store in Lititz, Pa. They are members of the Sierra Club, Leave No Trace and the Susquehanna Sustainable Business Network.

Shelley Cooper and Michael Fealtman have announced their engagement for an October 2009 wedding. Cooper is a senior human resource specialist for Ross Department Store. Fealtman is a team leader for Wegman’s Grocery Store. They both reside in Mechanicsburg, Pa. Beth Renfro was hired by the Berks Arts Council in December 2008. Ryan Ross has been promoted to corporate partnership manager at Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Va. Previously he worked as corporate sales executive at the raceway and for NASCAR and Pocono Raceway.

2007 Ruth Malenda, daughter of KU art education and crafts professor Jim Malenda, passed her qualifiers in physics to become a candidate for a doctoral degree at Lehigh University. Mark J. Kozlowski was elected editor-in-chief of the Michigan State University College of Law’s Journal of International Law. The journal is an internationally recognized legal publication. Please Note: “Marriages, Births, and In Memory” will no longer appear in the Tower. These items are now updated monthly on the Alumni Center homepage at www.kutztown.edu/ alumni/wiesenberger and can be found by clicking on “Submit Class Notes.”

Don’t Miss an Issue! If you like to spend your winters away from home, but still want to receive the Tower magazine, please forward your seasonal address change and the dates you will be there to: Alumni Relations Kutztown University P.O. Box 730 Kutztown, PA 19530 Or simply e-mail [emailprotected].

Summer 2009 | TOWER 27

UpcomingEvents CALLING ALL VETS CLUB MEMBERS

from the 1970s

It is hard to believe that 30 years have passed. In the 1970s, Bearfest had just begun and the new Student Union Building and Chez Nous were the popular gathering spots on campus. Also, it was a time when the Vets Club was active on campus. Among numerous other activities, the club performed security at many of the great music concerts that brought famous names to Kutztown such as Stevie Wonder, Richie Havens, Billy Joel, Procol Harem, Jethro Tull, Chicago and Frank Zappa, to name a few.

All alumni from the ’70s are invited to join former members of the Vets Club for a special tailgate picnic and football game on Saturday, Sept. 19, when Kutztown takes on Bloomsburg under the stadium lights. The tailgate begins at 5 p.m. on the patio of the Student Recreation Center. Kickoff is 6:05 p.m., and the outdoor patio provides a spectacular view of the game at field level. The tailgate and game are free, but reservations must be made by Friday, Sept. 4. RSVP by calling 800-682-1866 or e-mail Glenn Godshall, director, Alumni Relations, at [emailprotected].

28 TOWER | Summer 2009

Reunite! Early ’80s

IF YOU REMEMBER DISCO, BIG HAIR, celebrating on the DMZ when the Phillies won the World Series, or the year Kutztown State College became Kutztown University, then make plans now to join alumni from the early ’80s for a special Homecoming “5th Quarter” celebration and reunion in the South Dining Hall on Saturday, Oct. 17. Coordinated by the Alumni Association, classmates can register to take part in the festivities at www.kutztown.edu/ alumni/wiesenberger/Calendar/october.html.

SEE YOU IN OCTOBER!

MEMORIAL GOLF OUTING TO HONOR DR. DOROTHY CLAUSER MOYER We are sad to report that Dr. Dorothy “Dottie” Clauser Moyer ’59, M ’63, who was featured in the 2009 winter issue of the Tower, lost her battle with cancer on Friday, Jan. 30, 2009. In memory of her long list of academic accomplishments and her passion for the game of golf, the inaugural Dr. Dorothy Moyer Memorial Golf Outing will be held Sunday, Oct. 4, with a 1 p.m. shotgun start at the Woodbridge Golf Club, 440 Albright Road, Kutztown, Pa.

Cost is $260 per foursome – singles will be teamed by the tournament committee. For more information contact Denny Moyer at [emailprotected] or the KU Athletic Advancement Office at 610-683-4755. Reservations are limited to the first 30 paid teams and are due no later than Sept. 4, 2009. A number of teams have already committed to the event, so early registration is advisable.

Proceeds from the event will be directed to the Dorothy Clauser Moyer ’59, M ’63 Scholarship Fund, designed to benefit KU female student athletes majoring in education.

Summer 2009 | TOWER 29

UpcomingEvents 2009 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE AUGUST Sat. 29

1:30 p.m.

Each year the Awards Committee solicits nominations for outstanding alumni in several categories.

at Clarion SLIPPERY ROCK BLOOMSBURG at West Chester

6 p.m. 7:05 p.m. 6:05 p.m. 6 p.m.

The committee meets each spring to determine the award winners, and those individuals are honored at the Awards Luncheon on Alumni Weekend.

OCTOBER Sat. 3

CHEYNEY 1:05 p.m. (Family Day/Paint the Town Gold) at Shippensburg 1 p.m. EAST STROUDSBURG 1:05 p.m. (Homecoming) at Millersville 1:30 p.m. at C.W. Post 1 p.m.

Sat. 10 Sat. 17 Sat. 24 Sat. 31

NOVEMBER Sat. 7

2010 Alumni Awards

at St. Anselm

SEPTEMBER Sat. 5 Thu. 10 Sat. 19 Sat. 26

NOMINATE YOUR OUTSTANDING ALUMNUS/ALUMNA

INDIANA (PA)

1:05 p.m.

Home games in BOLD CAPS

The deadline to nominate an outstanding alumnus/a is February 1, 2010. There are two categories of awards: The Early Career Excellence Alumni Award recognizes alumni who have graduated within 15 years of being nominated for the award and who are attaining notable success in their chosen profession. The Rothermel Alumni Award recognizes the notable and distinguished achievements of alumni in their professional life 16 years or more after graduation from KU. Nomination forms can be found at www.kutztown.edu/ alumni/wiesenberger/awards.htm. Contact the Alumni Relations Office at 800-682-1866 or e-mail [emailprotected] with any questions.

For more information go to kubears.com.

2009-2010 Season

PERFORMING ARTISTS SERIES

Wednesday, December 2 Cherish the Ladies Friday, February 5 Paragon Ragtime Orchestra The Mark of Zorro Monday, March 1 STREB Extreme Action Wednesday, April 7 Thank You, Gregory! A tribute to the legends of tap

CHILDREN’S SERIES Saturday, October 17 They Might Be Giants

30 TOWER | Summer 2009

Sunday, November 22 Soul Street Dance Sunday, March 21 Theatreworks/USA: Junie B. Jones

PHOTO BY BRAD DREY

Sunday, October 4 I Musici de Montreal featuring Pictures at an Exhibition

SPECIAL EVENTS Tuesday, November 3 Yamato: Drummers of Japan Thursday, February 11 & Saturday, February 13 Actors from the London Stage: Romeo and Juliet For information and tickets: www.kutztown.edu/activities/ kupas.

Alumni Awards are an important way for members of the Kutztown community to recognize outstanding alumni achievement. In May 2009, at the Alumni Awards luncheon, the Alumni Association recognized Peter Riffle ’68 with the Distinguished Professional Achievement Citation, KU’s highest honor. Riffle, who was inducted into the KU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994, was set to become a pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, but an early career tragedy left him blinded in one eye. This award-winning educator dedicated his life to improving the lives of others and wrote about his grass-roots approach to teaching children with learning disabilities in his book “The Cloud Chaser.” But just as important, Riffle shares a unique bond with each student, one that often continues well beyond graduation.

Homecoming 2009

GETTIN’ DOWN IN K-TOWN! Friday, October 16 6 p.m.

KU Athletics Hall of Fame Reception and Banquet McFarland Student Union Multipurpose Room $25 per person. For ticket information call 610-683-4755.

7 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball vs. Millersville Keystone Hall

9 p.m.

Pep Rally and Fireworks Alumni Plaza Sponsored by SGA through Student Union & Involvement Services

Tavern’s finest beverages, and an opportunity for College of Business grads and friends to network and visit with members of the faculty. 1:05 p.m. Kickoff – Football vs. East Stroudsburg University Field Purchase tickets at the gate for this great fall classic. Halftime activities feature the crowning of the 2009 Homecoming King and Queen. 2-4 p.m. Children’s Festival Alumni Plaza 3 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball vs. Shippensburg Keystone Hall

Bookstore open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

4 p.m.

9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Drop by the Wiesenberger Alumni Center and enjoy light refreshments

They Might Be Giants Children’s Show Schaeffer Auditorium

4-6 p.m.

“The 5th Quarter” Alumni Homecoming Party and ’80s Reunion South Dining Hall

Saturday, October 17

10:30 a.m. Electronic Media Mixer Rickenbach Learning Center Studio LC 4 11 a.m.

Tailgate City Keystone Field House Come tailgate before and during the Homecoming game with the organizations you participated in when you were a student. Participating organizations will send invitations with details to their alumni.

11 a.m.-1 p.m. College of Business Mixer Kutztown Tavern

Complimentary refreshments 6 p.m.

Track & Field/Cross Country Homecoming Alumni Gathering Kutztown Tavern $15 per person. For additional information and to register call 610-683-4755 or e-mail [emailprotected].

7 p.m.

Field Hockey vs. Seton Hill University Field

7:30 p.m. They Might Be Giants Concert Schaeffer Auditorium

$16 per person (pay at door). Includes hors d’oeuvres, the

Go to www.kutztown.edu/alumni/wiesenberger for up-to-date information and to register.

15200 Kutztown Rd. Kutztown, PA 19530-0730

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID READING, PA PERMIT NO. 2000

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

HINDSIGHT>

The Renaissance Faire was the highlight of the spring semester in the late 1970s and 1980s. Musicians, singers, dancers, jugglers and jesters would gather either on the DMZ or behind the Rohrbach Library for a Saturday of activities including mock battles, human chess games, and dancing around the Maypole. If you know the names of these earnest madrigal singers, please drop us a line. Send responses to: Craig Williams, Tower editor, Kutztown University, P.O. Box 730, Kutztown, PA 19530 or [emailprotected].

HINDSIGHT REVEALED> The last issue of the Tower magazine features a photo from 1972 showing the beginning of the ENTRA orientation program (see Back to Class with ... on page 18). Standing behind the table handing out literature is student

co-director Lucy Trittenbach-Szabo ’74. She said ENTRA volunteers handed out literature on a variety of activities in one of the first “informative orientations” ever held on campus. Today, Szabo teaches algebra at Maple Heights High School just outside of Cleveland, Ohio, and noted that her students can’t believe her hair was ever that long!

[PDF] Visions of an Entrepreneur Jen Groover 95 - Free Download PDF (2024)