Alumni Life

The little sunburst denotes an Alumni Association member.

For a list of life members, visit www.ksualumni.org/lifemembers.

46

Ardath Franck, BSE ’46, Akron, Ohio, is one of eight accomplished older Ohioans inducted into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Statehouse Atrium in Columbus on May 18. Franck, a speech therapist whose career has spanned more than seven decades, has helped generations of students achieve success in reading using innovative methods. 

49

Lucille Erb, BS ’49, Cleveland, Ohio, wrote: “The Kent State Performing Arts Library has accepted my gift of scores, CDs, programs and correspondence related to my late husband, Donald Erb, MM ’50.”

53

Donald Brail, BS ’53, Austinburg, Ohio, wrote: “Still alive and doing well. I live on 76 acres of wood and water (20 acres of water). My biggest problem is to decide what to do each day—go fishing or cut wood!”

59

 Ronald Fowler, BS ’59, Akron, Ohio, pastor laureate of Arlington Church of God (where he served as senior pastor for 42 years) and longtime community activist, received the first Lifetime Achievement award from the Akron Urban League at its annual Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration in January. Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan presented a proclamation dedicating January 16 as Rev. Fowler Day. Pictured above: Sadie Winlock, president and CEO of the Akron Urban League, and Rev. Ronald Fowler.

63

William Green, MA ’63, Lexington, Ky., is professor of government at Morehead State University, where he teaches constitutional law and comparative politics. His book, Contraceptive Risk: The FDA, Depo-Provera, and the Politics of Experimental Medicine, was published by NYU Press in May 2017.

67

Jay Lacy, MEd ’67, The Villages, Fla., wrote: “I was recently inducted into the Warren, Ohio, Sports Hall of Fame. A presentation was held at a game, with a dinner and induction the next day. My wife, Marlene, and I were married 60 years in August. Our daughter, Jana Lacy Rahrig, BA ’85, and son, John Lacy, BS ’88, went to Kent State.”

68

James Lowry, BA ’68, Hagerstown, Md., wrote: “After graduating from Kent State, I earned a MA in Classics (Greek and Latin) from the University of Chicago in 1970. I am married, have five children and 29 grandchildren. My latest book in a scholarly series of writings, Documents of Brotherly Love: Dutch Mennonite Aid to Swiss Anabaptists, Volume II, 1710-1711, was published by Ohio Amish Library, Inc., in December 2015. I have donated copies of most of my writings to the Kent State University Library.” 

69

William “Bill” Monroe, BArc ’69, MArc ’71, Yorktown, Va., was honored by the Kiwanis Club of Grafton, Va., with the Kiwanis International George F. Hixson Fellowship Award in February 2017.  Monroe, a retired architect who has been an active Kiwanian since 1974, was a founding member of the Grafton Club, has served as president, been on the Board of Directors, and has led many service projects over the years.

70

Bill Finley, BS ’70, Kent, Ohio, wrote: “I, along with my two sons, Jon and Peter, started a business in Kent called Lucci’s Place in June 2015. Thanks to the pizza gods, we have been extremely fortunate in this wonderful college town. The Kent Stater voted Lucci’s number one pizza in May 2017; prior to that we were recognized as number one pizza in Portage County by the Cleveland Plain Dealer. When the boys were small, I used to tell them what to do; now they tell me what to do. It’s been fun! 

71

Dale Barber, MEd ’71, Sandusky, Mich., has been appointed pastor of the Shabbona and Minden City United Methodist Churches in Michigan.

Ken Burgess, BA ’71, Brenham, Texas, wrote: “I implemented a successful alcohol/drug intervention program for Ural Steel, Novotroitsk, Russian Federation, while working as a consultant for Chestnut Global Partners, Bloomington, Ill. Ural Steel is one of the largest heavy industries in the Lower Siberian region of Russia. The program’s positive research results were recognized and published by the University of Southern California in their Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health (2015), and also appear in the University of Maryland School of Social Work Research Archives, April 2017.”

Harry Dempsey, BS ’71, Stanwood, Mich., wrote: “Although I retired from teaching music last year after 39 years at Ferris State University, I was brought back in January to serve as director of operations for the Department of Humanities. Evidently I flunked at retirement. I plan to try it again sometime within the next year.”

Dorothy Murray, BS ’71, Mogadore, Ohio, wrote: “I was one of 29 students chosen to attend the English-speaking Pahlavi University in Shiraz, Iran, for five months in 1970. Dr. Abbas Amirie, a political science professor at KSU at that time and an Iranian by birth, accompanied us along with his family. While taking classes at the university, we also traveled extensively throughout Iran and gained an appreciation for that country’s rich and varied culture. Because of that trip, the ‘travel bug’ bit me. I have visited all 50 states, 30-plus countries, six continents, and I still have a lengthy bucket list. I will always be indebted to KSU and that unique opportunity for my continued love of travel.”

Robert Rosenfeld, BS ’71, Solon, Ohio, was elected to the Board of Trustees of The Emily Jerry Foundation for Medication Safety (of Chagrin Falls, Ohio). He was also appointed its Chief Legal Officer and will serve as its Director of Planned Giving.

72

Richard Conrath, MEd ’72, PhD ’76, Miromar Lakes, Fla., wrote: “My first book, Cooper’s Moon, came out in spring 2017. (See www.coopersmoon.com.) The next two books, Blood Moon Rising and A Cold Copper Moon, will be coming out in winter 2018. The three-book mystery/crime fiction series is set in Miami, Fla., and the Everglades. Much of the action in Blood Moon Rising occurs in Cleveland.”

73

Dixie Benshoff Ludick, MEd ’73, PhD ’77, Aurora, Ohio, is pleased to announce the publication of her book, Increasing Your Personal and Professional Effectiveness: A Manual for Women Who Want to Accomplish More Without Changing Who They Are. She is also author of the children’s book, David Was a Pirate. (See www.drdixiebenshoff.com.)

Kathy (Miller) Ewing, BA ’73, MA ’76, Cleveland, published a memoir, Missing: Coming to Terms with a Borderline Mother (Red Giant Books) in August 2016, which Alix Kates Shulman calls “searching, touching, and elegiac.” Ewing blogs at www.kathyewing.com.

Sue Kutosh, MA ’73, New York, N.Y., wrote: “I am currently showing work on Your Art Gallery.com, with images and descriptions of two paintings and one pen and ink (https://www.yourartgallery.com/SueKutosh). Signed giclées are available on request.” Pictured above: Cleopatra VII, oil, 36 x 24 inches.

Christine Rosenbloom, BS ’73, Hartwell, Ga., after a 30-year academic career as a nutrition professor at Georgia State University, is publishing a book, Food & Fitness after 50, for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Stephan Wilder, BA ’73, North Canton, Ohio, retired in March as North Canton police chief, after working at the department for more than 35 years. He rose through the ranks and spent the last six years as chief. Wilder plans to continue helping the North Canton Area Chamber of Commerce and volunteering with the Boy Scouts. He has completed more than 35 marathons and hopes to get back into long-distance biking and swimming. 

74

Gary David, BA ’74, Tucson, Ariz., wrote: “Adventures Unlimited Press has recently released my fourth nonfiction book, Star Shrines and Earthworks of the Desert Southwest. I write about the Hopi tribe of Arizona and am also a published poet.”

Timothy Jay, MA ’74, PhD ’76, North Adams, Mass., is a professor of psychology at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. His newest book is We Did What?!: Offensive and Inappropriate Behavior in American History (ABC-CLIO, 2016).

Patricia (Hanlon) Sherman, BS ’74, Dover, Ohio, a retired registered nurse wrote: “In late 2015 I published my first book, The Blue Swing: Parental Abuse, Choices and Living Without Anger, a combination memoir and book of my own poetry, available on Amazon.com.”

75

Richard Duncan, BA ’75, MA ’79, Aurora, Ohio, specialized in urban geography and trained for a career as a city planner. He used this background as the basis of his run for U.S. president as an independent in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016. In the 2016 election, he says he received 24,307 votes, ranking him ninth in the nation, on an approximate $5,000 budget.

Nancy McManus, BSN ’75, Hudson, Ohio, was awarded the Gingy Harshey-Meade Excellence in Leadership Award by the Ohio Nurses Foundation at the 17th Annual Nurses Choice Luncheon on April 28 in Columbus.

76

Rick Niece, MEd ’76, PhD ’88, Hot Springs Village, Ark., recently published Perfect in Memory: A Son’s Tribute to His Mother, his third book in the award-winning Fanfare for a Hometown series. (See www.RickNieceBooks.com.) After a 45-year career in education, Niece retired as a university president and serves as President Emeritus for the University of the Ozarks in Arkansas.

77

Candy (Newcomb) Watkins, BS ’77, Tacoma, Wash., wrote: “I graduated in deaf education and relocated to the Seattle area a year later. After dabbling in various jobs, I landed in early intervention for infants and toddlers with disabilities. In 2001, I started a nonprofit agency in Tacoma—A Step Ahead In Pierce County—working with these children. I’m the executive director, and the agency has since grown to a staff of 25, enrollment of about 600 children annually and a budget of $1.8 million.”

78

Christopher Opalinski, BS ’78, Gibsonia, Pa., was recognized as one of the “Top 50 in Pittsburgh” in the 2017 edition of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, published by Thomson Reuters. An attorney with Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC, he was honored for construction litigation.

79

Rachel (Giannamore) Legg, BFA ’79, Tampa, Fla., wrote: “I am a freelance graphic designer and a partner with my husband, Bill, in R&B Realty Group—specializing in relocation to sunny Florida!”

Kevin Moore, BA ’79, Roswell, Ga., recently joined the 50 States Marathon Club—an exclusive group of almost 4,000 runners who have participated in marathons in all 50 states—and he has no plans to hang up his running shoes. His current schedule includes marathons in San Juan, Puerto Rico, followed by events in Raleigh, N.C., and Pittsburgh, Pa., as well as half marathons, culminating in a 50-mile race later in the year. 

Gregg Schoof, BA ’79, Shaker Heights, Ohio, serves as the manager of engineering student programs and is the assistant director of the Fenn Academy Program at Cleveland State University’s Washkewicz College of Engineering. He oversees recruiting, community outreach to middle schools and high schools, and engineering student organization activities. He obtained a MSSA from Case Western Reserve University in 1992.

80

Krista Taracuk, MLS ’80, Columbus, Ohio, was elected president of the State Library of Ohio Board.

Raymond Wulk, BBA ’80, Oaklyn, N.J., is the new executive director of Flaster Greenberg PC, a business law firm with offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Delaware. As of March 2017, he is responsible for managing and directing all administrative areas.

84

Beverley Laubert, BA ’84, Lewis Center, Ohio, wrote: “I received the Distinguished Alumnus Award for Career Achievement from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University, where I received my master’s degree in 1993. My acceptance remarks highlighted my gratitude to Kent State University: ‘My gerontology degree from Kent State University equipped me for who I wanted to serve—our nation’s elders—and the John Glenn College equipped me for how I wanted to serve.’ I am full of gratitude for the outstanding preparation Kent State gave me for a wonderful career.” Pictured above: Trevor Brown, Dean of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, and Beverley Laubert.

85

Michael Loderstedt, MFA ’85, Cleveland, professor in print media and photography at Kent State, announced his retirement in June. He served 35 years at the School of Art, recently as its interim director. Loderstedt plans to spend time in his studio making art after retirement. Ann (Darnell) Otto, MEd ’86, PhD ’96, Tallmadge, Ohio, recently published Yours in a Hurry, a historical novel of the 1910s based on her family history, including stories on the founder of Hollywood, Calif., an early aviator, and American military influence in the Pacific.

86

Kathleen (Barnum) Vogler, BS ’86, North Royalton, Ohio, wrote: “I retired from the Cleveland Metropolitan School district after 30 years of teaching and one year as a LD tutor in Strongsville. I taught every grade from 2nd to 8th, and spent the last 12 years teaching middle school and 15 years involved with the Cleveland Teacher’s Union.” 

87

Carol Bohatch, BS ’87, Madison, Ala., wrote: “I was chosen as James Clemens High School 2015-16 Teacher of the Year, Madison City Schools 2015-16 District Teacher of the Year, Alabama District VIII 2016 Teacher of Year, and State of Alabama Sweet 16 Teacher of the Year 2016.”

J.G. (Julie) Woodward, BA ’87, MEd ’91, Copley, Ohio, released Prose of Passion, Invincible Publishing, in December 2016, after publishing a series of four poetry books.

88

Darrin Mann, BBA ’88, Lithia, Fla., has been appointed national business development manager for Hercules Sealing Products in Clearwater, Fla.

89

Louis Aliberti, BBA ’89, Mentor, Ohio, was appointed as an administrative law judge for the U.S. Social Security Administration.

Douglas Detweiler, BBA ’89, Twinsburg, Ohio, has accepted the role of director, contract development and analytics with Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi Pharmaceuticals. Detweiler is the son of Myron “Mike” Detweiler ’59, uncle of Michael Detweiler ’12 and father of Halle Detweiler, a KSU fashion merchandising major with minors in public relations, marketing and media. 

90

Vicky Bartholomew, BFA ’90, North Royalton, Ohio, released a paranormal romantic suspense novel, Mind Waves, published by Wild Rose Press. It is the first book of four in the Mind Hackers series, published under the pen name Amanda Uhl. (See www.amandauhl.com.) 

Lisa Dael, BA ’90, MLS ’91, Athens, Ohio, wrote: “I was promoted to online and outreach programs coordinator in The Patton College of Education Curriculum and Technology Center at Ohio University in July 2016.”

Robert Melchioris, BBA ’90, Aurora, Ohio, was recently inducted into the distinguished Massage Therapy Hall of Fame at the 2017 World Massage Festival. This recognition honors leaders and pioneers whose work and dedication have furthered the profession of massage therapy. He was celebrated for his outstanding contributions, which include working at Ground Zero as part of the relief effort after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, being part of the official Winter Sports Massage Team at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and being a core medical staff member at the Dew Tour.

91

Aimee (Molnar) Downing, BFA ’91, Bradford Woods, Pa., wrote: “I currently work as a creative director at a marketing/communications agency in Pittsburgh. My debut novel, Into the Air (published under the name A.K. Downing), was a 2017 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist in the Young Adult Fiction category. It’s a post-apocalyptic adventure story about a girl who has lived her entire life underground, but receives a mysterious letter inviting her to embark on a journey that no one has been allowed to take for over a hundred years. Print and Kindle versions are available on Amazon.com.”

Trudy (Tinglan) Kelly, MLS ’91, Palm Harbor, Fla., is author of The Fenway Hotel: The Grand Lady of Dunedin; Her Struggles, Success, and Survival, published in 2016.

Michael Lanstrum, AS ’88, BS ’91, Cleveland, presented “Historical Women in Mathematics” for the Moses Cleaveland & Shaker Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution on October 12, 2016. He also published a review of Algebra: A Very Short Introduction by Peter M Higgins in the Mathematics Teacher, December 2016/January 2017; an opinion piece, “‘Hidden Figures’ show strength in numbers for women mathematicians,” Cleveland.com, April 30, 2017; and a commentary, “Adding up women’s influence on history of mathematics,” Sun Post, May 4, 2017.

92

Tom Rector, BBA ’92, Pittsburgh, was promoted to director of finance for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Community Behavioral Health Network. 

Rodger Roeser, BS ’92, Sheffield Village, Ohio, wrote: “After 20 years in New York and Cincinnati, I moved back to my hometown of Cleveland and opened the second office of The Eisen Agency, a full service marketing firm.”

Larry Wagenaar, MA ’92, Ada, Mich., was recently reappointed by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to a four-year term on the Michigan Historical Commission. The Commission serves as an advisory body to the Michigan Historical Center, which is a part of Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Wagenaar also is the executive director of the Historical Society of Michigan (since 2001) and publisher of HSM Magazines, which includes the largest circulating state history magazine in the United States, Michigan History.

94

Jeff Copetas, BA ’94, Maynard, Mass., recently was named director of e-commerce strategy and operations for Avid Technology in Burlington, Mass. Avid is the market leader for audio/video production software and storage, including its Media Composer software for video and Pro Tools software for audio.

95

Karen Adinolfi, MA ’95, Akron, Ohio, a partner in the employment services practice group at Roetzel’s Akron office, was named vice president of the Board of Directors for the Akron Area Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management.

Julie Manteria, BA ’95, New York, N.Y., has been promoted to director of marketing at UHY Advisors NY, a leading professional services firm. Based in New York, she is responsible for all national and international marketing initiatives for the Northeast and California offices, and she represents the United States on UHY International’s Ambassadors Committee, which drives thought leadership for the firm internationally.

96

John Grove, BA ’96, Seattle, Wash., was promoted from senior program officer to deputy director, evidence and policy, at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in July 2016.

97

Mary Neuenschwander, BS ’97, Kutztown, Pa., associate director for alumni relations with the Kutztown University Foundation, has been named Outstanding Advisor by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Affiliated Student Advancement Programs for District Two. She has been with the KU Foundation since 2012, and prior to that she was an elementary and middle school teacher in Illinois and Ohio.

Laurie Katusin Swallen, BA ’97, MLIS ’16, Canton, Ohio, a district library media specialist at Tuslaw High School, received the Dan Maclachlan School Library Media Award from Kent State University’s School of Library and Information Science (iSchool) in April. The award is given to iSchool graduates who have exhibited creativity, leadership and dedication to the K-12 audience. 

Jennifer Zisk-Vitron, BA ’97, Cleveland, was recently promoted to director of programs at Adoption Network Cleveland. She oversees programs for adult adoptees and birthparents, prospective and adoptive parents, families, youth in foster care and the Permanency Champions Mentoring Program. Zisk-Vitron holds a master of social work from Cleveland State University.

98

Erin Cole, BA ’98, Yellow Springs, Ohio, wrote: “Three generations of the Cole family to attend Kent State: [Above, from left to right] Lawrence Cole, BS ’74, MEd ’74, MLS ’83; Erin Cole, BA ’98; and Ayanna Cole, class of 2020!”

Jason Shelton, BA ’98, Arlington, Texas, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Texas at Arlington, was named director of the university’s Center for African American Studies, effective January 2017.  

Benjamin Thomas Wolf, BA ’98, Chicago, Ill., has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Congress in 2018, running as a progressive Democrat for the 5th Congressional District of Illinois. Wolf, a former FBI national security investigator and career U.S. diplomat and foreign service specialist, served multiple deployments in Iraq and North Africa. After entering the private sector in 2012, he became president of Keep Chicago Livable, a fair housing nonprofit. During his senior year at Kent State, Wolf interned on Capitol Hill as part of the Washington Program in National Issues. He credits his success to that program and his experiences at Kent State. See www.benjaminthomaswolf.com. 

99

Christopher Garber, BS ’99, Philadelphia, Pa., (at left above) is enjoying a third career of executive protection work. After serving in the U.S. Army, where he won the U.S. Army Corps Wrestling Championship, he enrolled at Kent State, where he was on the varsity men’s wrestling team. He later became a professional athlete in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, winning the 2008 National Championship in Rio de Janeiro, where he fought on the world championship Alliance team under world champion Fabio Gurgel (at right above). He now has his own security and firearms training company, The Self Defense Center (www.theself-defensecenter.com).

Scott Haws, BS ’99, Canton, Ohio, was a 2017 recipient of the 30 Faces of Leadership award by Leadership Stark County for contributing to areas of community impact, volunteerism, leadership roles and lasting achievement. He has been selected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cleveland Division, to the 2017 FBI Citizens Academy. Haws recently was selected as a finalist for the KSU Alumni Association Distinguished Citizen Award. The award honors alumni for their extraordinary service to the public and who have given of their time and talents for the enrichment of others and the betterment of the community.

Erich Merkle, MA ’99, MEd ’99, EdS ’06, PhD ’10, Stow, Ohio, was recognized as the Public Sector Psychologist of the Year by the Ohio Psychological Association. He is presently employed as a school psychologist in the Pupil Adjustment Program of the Akron Public Schools. Merkle was past president of the Ohio School Psychologists Association and remains on the Board of Directors for the Ohio Psychological Association.

Susan Spellman, BA ’99, Hamilton, Ohio, associate professor of history at Miami University, recently published Cornering the Market: Independent Grocers and Innovation in American Small Business (Oxford University Press, 2016). 

00

Chuck Thomas, BA ’00, Painesville, Ohio, was recently promoted to deputy director of the criminal intelligence unit at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).

01

Stephanie Buntin, BA ’01, Royal Oak, Mich., has become a shareholder in the full-service law firm Howard & Howard. She concentrates her practice on intellectual property.

Amy DeGirolamo, DPM ’01, Coral Gables, Fla., joined Florida Foot and Ankle Associates in 2011. She is a fellow of both the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and the American Professional Wound Care Association, and she  has participated in medical mission trips to both Jamaica and Dominican Republic.

Ellen Ernst Gavankar, BA ’01, Chicago, has become a shareholder in the full-service law firm Howard & Howard. She concentrates her practice in a variety of corporate tax matters.

Jenita McGowan, BS ’01, BFA ’01, Cleveland, chief of sustainability for the City of Cleveland, was honored by Midwest Energy News as one of “40 under 40” leaders in the region’s transition to clean energy.

02

Jayne Juvan, BA ’02, Twinsburg, Ohio, joined the business department of Tucker Ellis, LLP, as a partner in April. She advises public and high-growth private companies, private equity firms and venture capital firms on transactions, corporate governance and regulatory compliance. Juvan also co-chairs the American Bar Association’s Task Force on Director Misconduct and has been featured in the Harvard Business Review and Forbes for her use of social media as an attorney.

Tyra Oliver, BS ’02, Pittsburgh, staff attorney at the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, will serve a three-year term as the at-large minority governor on the Pennsylvania Bar Association Board of Governors. Her term began on May 12 at the conclusion of the PBA Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh. She previously worked as an assistant district attorney in Allegheny County.

03

Vincent Defebo, BS ’03, Toronto, has completed Steven Spielberg’s The BFG and Marvel’s Doctor Strange, and has relocated to Toronto, where he is continuing his career in film, working as a 3D producer on a much-anticipated fall release.

Julia Duhart, BS ’03, MArch ’04, Stow, Ohio, recently earned her architectural license. She works for Akron-based Braun & Steidl Architects on a range of project types that include higher education, K-12 schools, senior housing and hotels, and she is a sustainability leader in the firm.

Dori Gatta MacMillan, MEd ’03, EdS ’05, Niles, Ohio, is currently pursuing a PhD in educational leadership from Concordia University (Chicago), while providing school psychology services to students in Niles, Ohio. She plans to teach at a college level and/or consult for the state education department.

04

Brad Gable, BS ’04, MS ’05, Columbus, Ohio, has accepted the positions of site director, emergency medicine residency program, Riverside Methodist Hospital, and system medical director, OhioHealth Simulation.

Matthew Morris, MS ’04, Pittsburgh, was named a stockholder of engineering and infrastructure firm Gannett Fleming. He currently serves as the geotechnical practice leader and is based in the firm’s Pittsburg office. He has worked across North America, dealing with the geotechnical aspects of a variety of transportation and infrastructure development projects.

05

Joy Winstead, BA ’05, Mogadore, Ohio, wrote: “I published my first book of poetry, Walk My Path, available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle.”

07

Three alumni were honored as newly licensed architects at the AIA Pittsburgh’s President’s Holiday Party in December 2016. Pictured from left to right: Jason Hindes, MArch ’07, Pittsburgh; Lainey (Castelli) Phillips, BS ’08, MArch ’09, Midland, Pa.; and Jonathon Hoag, BS ’06, MArch ’07, Pittsburgh.

Allison (Pritchard) Jack, BS ’07, Avon, Ohio, completed a master’s degree in magazine journalism from Northwestern University and recently accepted a new role as a marketing writer at Lorain County Community College in Elyria, Ohio. She is also an adjunct professor at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. 

Jeremy Langham, BA ’07, Lakewood, Ohio, won $5,000 in the Community Change category of Accelerate 2017: Citizens Make Change pitch contest on February 22nd, for his idea to create a benevolent brewpub, “Ironborne Brew Works,” that raises money for nonprofit organizations.

Emilia Strong Sykes, BA ’07, Akron, Ohio, a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, received the Rev. Dr. Robert Denton Outstanding Victim Service Award from the Summit County Victim Assistance Program, a local nonprofit. The award is given to an individual who assists victims in the criminal justice, legislative, medical, mental health or social work arenas. Sykes has led the charge to protect victims of dating and domestic violence in Ohio.
Pictured above: Rep. Sykes speaks on new domestic violence legislation at a news conference.

08

Hallie DelVillan, BS ’08, MArch ’09, Akron, Ohio, was promoted to associate of Bialosky Cleveland. As the architectural firm’s marketing director, she is a primary author of the firm’s vision and values. She serves on the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Cleveland Board, co-founded the chapter’s Women in Architecture committee, and was honored at the 2016 Cleveland Design Awards in November with a Presidential Citation from AIA Cleveland, citing her hard work, strategic council and advocacy for equity.

Theodore Ferringer, MArch ’08, MUD ’08, Cleveland, was promoted to associate of Bialosky Cleveland. Filling the role of business development director for the firm, he also champions projects with deep social impact on communities. He is the project manager of the Cleveland Metroparks’ Edgewater Beach House, and he served as the 2016 Chair of the American Institute of Architects National Associates Committee.

Amy Gross, BA ’08, MA ’10, and Kurt Gross, BS ’12, Cleveland, announce the latest addition to their family: daughter Kennedy Presan Gross, born September 16, 2016.

09

Rebekah Curran, BBA ’09, Columbus, Ohio, has joined Columbus-based investment management and financial advisory firm Hamilton Capital Management, Inc., as a retirement plan services representative.

Gregg McCullough, MLIS ’09, Seaford, Del., was elected senior national curator of the National Society of the Children of the American Revolution for a two-year term in April 2016.

10

Lisa Davala, BS ’10, Canton, Ohio, has been promoted from marketing coordinator to director of marketing at the Akron-Canton Airport. She will lead all strategic brand, marketing, communications, air service development and public interaction initiatives. 

11

Chris Davidson, BBA ’11, and Amanda Green, BS ’11, Lakewood, Ohio, met at Kent State when they were both living in Stopher Hall their freshman year. They got engaged on the front lawn of the Kent Campus on November 12, 2016.

12

Rex Hughes II, MLIS ’12, Groveport, Ohio, has accepted the position of metadata and cataloging librarian with North Dakota State University, as of July 2017. 

Erin Monsman, BFA ’12, and Christopher Shippy, BA ’12, Broadview Heights, Ohio, met at Kent State in 2010 and were married on October 22, 2016.

13

Samantha Scholz, BS ’13, Urbana, Ill.,graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in May. She will be taking on a small animal medicine and surgery rotating internship at IndyVet Emergency and Specialty Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

14

Angelia (DiAntonio) Becker, BFA ’14, and Tobias Becker, BS ’14, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, were married on October 15, 2016, in Canton, Ohio. They met as freshmen during their first weekend at Kent State in 2010. Their wedding photos were taken by Amanda Goodin, BFA ’16.

15

Michelle Flynn, BFA ’15, Mars, Pa., was recruited in 2015 to host burghTV, a new social media platform showcasing Pittsburgh’s attractions and local talent. She was named the 2017 Disruptor of the Year by the Pittsburgh Public Relations Society of America in January 2017. She hosts stories at the channel, while also directing the newest team members.

Jasmin James, BS ’15, Fort Worth, Texas, is the new legal coordinator for JPS Health Network in the Behavioral Health Department. She is also studying for a Master of Arts in Counseling/Clinical Mental Health at Wake Forest University. All this while being a single mother of Andrew, born in September 2015.

Christopher Persons, BS ’15, MArch ’16, Cleveland, received an AIA Merit Award at the 2016 Cleveland Design Awards in November for Drydock 2, his graduate project under associate professor Gregory Stroh in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design.  

16

Courtney Klesta, BA ’16, Cleveland, joined Sweeney, a leading full-service agency headquartered in Cleveland, as a graphic designer supporting many of their consumer, business-to-business and industrial accounts.

Rosanne Hart, MA ’16, Plano, Texas, wrote: “I am teaching Fashion Public Relations at Southern Methodist University in Dallas as an adjunct professor, and I joined the part-time faculty of the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department starting with the Spring 2017 semester.”

Norma Jones, PhD ’16, Bridgeport, Texas, is now editor of The Popular Culture Studies Journal, as announced by the Midwest Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association in March. Part of the editorial team since the journal’s inception, Jones previously served as its associate, managing and production editor. 

Katelyn Walker, BA ’16, Cleveland, received an IIDA [International Interior Design Association] Honorable Mention at the 2016 Cleveland Design Awards in November for SCFBC [Stockyard, Clark Fulton and Brooklyn Centre Community Development Office] Revitalization, her studio project at KSU. 

17

Chantel Owens, BS ’17, Euclid, Ohio, celebrated her graduation with her mother, Heather Owens, BS ’94, at Kent State’s Commencement on May 13, 2017.  

Sixteen years old when she first arrived at Kent State in 2014, Chantel Owens was the youngest student on campus then—and she was one of the youngest students to graduate in the spring.

“My mom and aunt were hard workers, and they were part of my motivation to finish in three years,” says Owens, who earned a bachelor of science in public health. “Why not get out there and do something more?” 

Owens attended John Hay Early College High School in Cleveland and was a part of High Tech Academy, where she took classes at Tri-C, earning high school and college credits at that same time. When she came to Kent State, she had 45 credit hours. 

While she applied to several out-of-state colleges, Owens says, “My mom loved Kent State and would always say, ‘You have to go there.’ She instilled it in me forever, and it was only right for me to come here.” She plans to pursue a master’s degree in the health-care field this fall.

In Memory

The little sunburst denotes an Alumni Association member. For a list of life members, visit www.ksualumni.org/lifemembers.

1930s 

Gretchan Broom ’39, April 16, 2016

Flora Carlton ’39, November 8, 2016

1940s 

George Wegman ’40, August 10, 2016

Donald Sinn ’42, October 18, 2016

Stephie (Jicha) Roubal, MEd ’43, November 23, 2016

Carol Chamberlain, MEd ’44, January 1, 2017

Alyce Duncan ’46, August 16, 2016

Marshall Friedland ’47, September 24, 2016

C. Klein ’47, October 22, 2016

Cecil Huff ’48, May 11, 2016

Marie Dittebrand ’49, October 21, 2016

Joan Marie Gebhardt ’49, October 28, 2016

1950s 

Carl Albu ’50, August 25, 2015

Thomas Howells ’50, January 7, 2016

Harry Jeanneret ’50, May 10, 2016

John Lilley ’50, August 8, 2016

Anne Mason ’50, October 7, 2016

Harold Oseroff ’50, December 26, 2016

Hollis Ho ’51, April 14, 2016

J. Nearhood ’51, October 1, 2015

Thomas O’Brien ’51, September 30, 2016

Paul Calder ’52, October 28, 2016

Frances Litun ’52, October 18, 2016

Dean Putnam ’52, November 22, 2015

Dale Rarick ’53, June 13, 2016

Judith Schoenfeld ’53, May 1, 2016

Lowell Smith ’53, August 25, 2016

Richard Stewart ’53, January 10, 2016

James Tschantz ’53, February 6, 2017 

Kitty Anderson ’54, August 5, 2016

Mildred Cesen ’54, December 3, 2015

Terri Sippel ’54, January 22, 2017

Paul Amodio ’55, November 17, 2016

Thomas Competti ’55, October 1, 2016

John Gordon ’56, January 17, 2016

Jack McGeary ’56, April 30, 2016

William Buttriss ’57, August 16, 2016

John Barbour ’58, February 28, 2016

Wayne Kryszak ’58, MLS ’65, April 22, 2017

Sharon (Gentry) Cruickshank ’59, March 8, 2017

Richard Medve ’59, November 1, 2016

Daniel Pierog ’59, August 13, 2016

Barbara Pleis ’59, April 17, 2016

1960s 

Donald Flower ’60, MBA ’65, February 18, 2015

Mary Ramsey ’60, December  27, 2016

Richard Dean “Dick” Tate ’60, May 14, 2017

Judith Brown ’61, October 18, 2016

David Meeker ’61, May 26, 2016

Robert Mikolashek ’61, August 19, 2016

Ronald Widowfield ’61, March 19, 2017

David Clark ’62, October 18, 2015

Paul Krajcovic ’62, September 5, 2016

Eugene Degyansky ’63, January 22, 2016

William Gordos ’63, October 15, 2016

James Hultin ’63, March 30, 2016

Janice Molino ’63, January 24, 2017

Harold Lukens ’64, August 15, 2016

Ki Ryon Shim ’64, November 22, 2015

John Hobart ’65, June 21, 2016

James Lehman ’65, February 5, 2016

Kathleen MacRae ’65, April 27, 2016

Dale Craig ’66, August 26, 2016

William Telliard ’66, October 22, 2016

Virginia Allanson ’67, September 1, 2016

Rollin Linderman ’67, February 27, 2016

Dorothy Shepherd ’67, August 5, 2015

Ronald Vaughn ’67, July 13, 2016

C. Helen Derby BS ’67, MEd ’73, January 4, 2017

William Hedl ’68, July 29, 2016

David Uhrlaub ’68, February 20, 2016

Robert Cerny ’69, July 16, 2015

William Gold, MAT ’69, December 23, 2016

Walter McFarland ’69, August 14, 2016

1970s 

Michael Haughn ’70, November 1, 2016

Kenneth Kassouf ’70, October 4, 2015

Joyce Messina-Garrison ’70, March 31, 2017

Charles Donner, MBA ’71, March 9, 2017

Robert Katz ’71, October 23, 2016

John Perme ’71, November 1, 2016

Martha Volan ’71, August 17, 2016

M. McGeorge ’72, July 2, 2016

Maryann Ray ’72, August 25, 2015

John Waters ’72, December 23, 2016

Thomas Cavanaugh ’73, June 9, 2016

Padmanabha Pillai ’73, March 20, 2016

William Sprunk ’73, August 12, 2016

Kathleen Stephenson ’73, September 29, 2016

Edward Toth ’73, July 14, 2016

Russell Davison ’74, August 19, 2015

Leroy Smith ’75, April 27, 2015

L. Chapman ’77, May 13, 2016

Charles Fergusson, MSA ’77, January 12, 2017

Anthony Doskocil ’78, November 27, 2016

Joel Hanson ’79, September 29, 2016

Nathalie Kirlik ’79, August 1, 2015

Mary Odonnell ’79, September 10, 2015

Donald Witmer ’79, September 9, 2016

1980s 

Leamon Sims ’81, June 24, 2016

Martin Skipper ’82, December 8, 2016

Robert “Bob” Manak ’83, March 22, 2017

David McClure ’83, June 30, 2016

Robert Lowe ’85, November 5, 2016

Kathy Liszka ’86, October 1, 2016

Harry Filkorn ’88, April 28, 2016

Robert Dale ’89, September 29, 2016

Christopher Sommers ’89, September 6, 2015

1990s 

Charles Roberts ’90, November 24, 2016

James Pukys ’91, January 26, 2016

Kimberly Cossick ’92, August 17, 2016

Jarrett Sullivan ’94, September 7, 2016

2000s 

David Wilder, MFA ’03, MLIS ’07, March 25, 2017

Donald Bogert ’04, September 20, 2016

Heather Meyers ’08, February 22, 2016

FACULTY/STAFF

Robert Bauman “Yank” Heisler Jr., MBA ’74, former dean of the College of Business Administration (fall 2008–fall 2011), April 11, 2017

Ed “Ziggy” Ziegler, PhD ’02, former professor in the College of Business Administration (1999–2014), November 22, 2016.

Gary Hanson, MA ’99, former professor in the School of Journalism & Mass Communication (1999–2016), May 18, 2017