The little sunburst denotes an Alumni Association member.
Alumni Life | Fall 2015
Honor Roll
2015 alumni award recipients from the Kent State Alumni Association.
Julian Edelman
We caught up with Edelman, the 2015 Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal and a Varsity “K” Hall of Fame Inductee, and found out more about this sports star.
2015 Homecoming Photos Online
Thanks for coming—we had a blast! Whether you made it back to campus for Homecoming on October 3 or not, you can view photos from the weekend at www.ksualumni.org/homecoming.
Take Our Survey!
During the past year, the Kent State University Alumni Association has begun a process to more effectively and efficiently deliver programming, services and communications. In October we sent an online, confidential alumni attitude survey to all alumni so we can learn more about your Kent State experience, how it influenced your life, what you expect from your university and alumni association and the best way to communicate with you.
If you did not receive an email invitation to complete the survey, please email alumni@kent.edu. Thank you for your support and participation.
Send Us Your Class Note
We’d love to hear from you!
Complete the form at www.ksualumni.org/classnotes (you may include an image in JPEG, GIF or PNG format).
Write to Kent State University Alumni Association, Williamson Alumni Center, P.O. Box 5190, Kent, Ohio 44242-0001.
Please limit your notes to 100 words or less and include your class year, city, state and degree(s). Notes may be edited for length or clarity and published as space allows.
Deadlines for submissions:
Fall May 30
Spring September 30
Summer January 31
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Fall 2015: 1960s
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Keith McFarland ’62, PhD, president emeritus of Texas A&M University–Commerce, delivered the keynote address at the Commencement ceremony for those receiving their bachelor’s degrees at the Kent Campus on August 15. Joining him and his wife, Nancy (Myers) McFarland ’62, to witness the event and attend the Presidential Luncheon afterward were family and lifelong friends who attended Kent State, including his two college roommates and her three college roommates! Pictured (left to right): L.L. Mac McFarland, MBA ’80, Carole (Painter) Kane ’62, Hilary Kane ’90, Barbara (Ujcic) O’Donnell ’62, Sandra (Hickenbottom) Dobson ’62, Thomas Kozlevcar ’62, Nancy (Myers) McFarland, Keith McFarland and George Parsons ’63.68
Joe Grisola ’68, Beaver Falls, Pa., Ralph DeJesus, Lorain, Ohio, and Don Humphrey ’68, Concord, Ohio, were sophomore roommates on the third floor of Lake Hall in 1965-66. They reunited on the Kent Campus in August, after Grisola looked his friends up on the Internet. It was the first time back on campus for Grisola and DeJesus since the sixties, and they were amazed at the changes. The trio plan to keep in touch!
Watch their reunion on this news video: bit.ly/1E1qV66
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Douglas Shuck, Pittsburgh, Pa., retired from WTW Architects. He also served on the Township Planning Commission in Upper St. Clair, and he is a past president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. -
Fall 2015: 1970s
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Alan Lavine, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., the author of 15 books, is a contributing writer for Financial History, a publication of the Museum of American Finance in New York City. His March 2015 article, “Economic Titans Debate on Free Trade Versus Protectionism in 1869,” is about debates between Horace Greeley, publisher of the New York Tribune and Arthur Perry, a Williams’ college professor and leading economist of the day. 73
Bob McEvoy, Fayetteville, N.C., was named Vice President of Athletics at Methodist University, one of the largest Division III NCAA programs in the nation. He has served at the university for 24 years. 74
Gary Fincke, PhD, Selinsgrove, Pa., has published two new books in 2015: Vanishings (Stephen F. Austin University Press), a memoir, and A Room of Rain (West Virginia University Press), his sixth short-story collection. He is the Charles Degenstein Professor of English and Creative Writing at Susquehanna University.
Daniel List, Hanover Park, Ill., wrote, “It’s hard to get a job when you have grey hair and lines in your face like me, so I’ve decided to get a more youthful image. I’m getting my résumé a tattoo and a piercing. Meanwhile, I’m working on a screenplay about a sexy Middle Earth wizard. Working title: Fifty Shades of Gandalf the Grey.”
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Gail Fonda, Beachwood, Ohio, wrote, “I am finally working on my second book. It includes what happened to me at Kent.”
Kim Uhlik, MA, PhD ’99, Ravenna, Ohio, wrote, “Ever since taking a black and white photography class at Kent State, I’ve been encouraged to trust my eye and to develop a distinctive style. This lifelong vocation recently took me to the Pacific Ocean, the North Sea, and southern France, before returning to Kent. Twenty-five digital images acquired during that journey were exhibited at the KSU Downtown Gallery from February 25 through April 4, 2015.” 78
Paul Burke, JD, Murrysville, Pa., wrote, “After 30 years I left my Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania–based law firm, Sherrard, German & Kelly, and became the vice president and general counsel of Huntley & Huntley Inc., a century-old oil and gas exploration and production company headquartered in Monroeville, Pennsylvania.”79
Vikki Hawthorne, Columbus, Ohio, retired after a 30-year career with the Defense Logistics Agency. She spent nearly twenty years in their Small Business Utilization Office assisting small businesses in federal government contracting. She is currently owner and senior business development strategist at Market Your Wares, working with businesses to increase their footprint in the government contracting arena.
John Martin, London, Ohio, retired in 2010 from 30 years of service with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. He retired in 2015 from 24 years of service with the U. S. Navy as LCDR-intelligence officer. He is currently employed with the Madison County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office as the county school resource officer.
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Fall 2015: 1980s
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Matt Steele, Sandy, Utah, joined Alaska Aerospace Corporation as vice president for business development. He is responsible for securing small and medium class satellite launches from the Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska, as well as developing diversification strategies for AAC.81
Jose Gonzalez-Taboada, DBA, Caguas, Puerto Rico, is the new dean of the AACSB-accredited College of Business Administration of the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras.John Hollabaugh, Mentor, Ohio, wrote, “I am now an account executive at WKYC NBC3 Cleveland, thus completing a career working at WJW, WOIO/WUAB, & WEWS in Cleveland Television. Could never have done it without Kent State!”82
John Henning, MEd, PhD ’99, Athens, Ohio, was named new dean for the School of Education at Monmouth University. He joined the university community on July 1, 2015.
Heidi Johnson-Wright, JD ’86, Miami, Fla., an ADA compliance professional, attorney and author, spoke to the students in Professor Frank Martinez’s Architecture Design and Theory class about the importance of the University of Miami School of Architecture’s commitment to an inclusive built environment. Johnson-Wright, who has used a wheelchair for mobility for 40 years, has published more than 1,000 articles on universal and inclusive design and the built environment.
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Patrick Liverpool, DBA, Henrico, Va., has been appointed provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Michael Zagger, Redmond, Wa., was named vice president of sales and marketing at EndoGastric Solutions Inc., a leader in incisionless procedural therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), in June.
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Dean Tondiglia, MPA ’97, Stow, Ohio, has been named Kent State University’s new chief of police. Prior to leading Kent State Police Services, Tondiglia served as the university’s assistant chief of police and associate director of public safety (a role he will retain).
Steve Wright, Miami, Fla., celebrated in March the first anniversary of Steve Wright Marketing Communications. The Miami–based boutique firm provides marketing, business development, public relations, social media content and copywriting services to town planning, urban design, architecture, transportation, sustainability and related professional services firms. An award-winning journalist in Ohio, Wright worked as the senior urban policy advisor to the chairman of the Miami City Commission before heading the marketing group for Arquitectonica, one of the world’s largest global architecture firms.
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Kenneth Smith, MBA, Hudson, Ohio, retired from PolyOne Corp. in June, 2014. He had served as the company’s chief information officer since it was formed in 2000, and he had also taken on the role of human resources officer in 2003. Prior to that, he had been with BF Goodrich/Geon since 1989.89
John Burkey, MA, Kent, Ohio, published The Hearing-Loss Guide: Useful Information and Advice for Patients and Families (March 2015, Yale University Press), based on his twenty-five years as an audiologist at the Lippy Group for Ear, Nose & Throat in Warren, Ohio.
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Fall 2015: 1990s
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Heidi LeCount, Raleigh, N.C., wrote, “I completed 21 hours of post-baccalaureate coursework in human resources at Meredith College and obtained my Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification in June, 2014.”Paul Rohrbaugh, MLS, New Middletown, Ohio, designed and published the board game September’s Eagles: The Thompson Trophy Air Race, 1929-1939, in December, 2014. The race was the largest outdoor spectator event in the United States until the start of the Super Bowl. A leading game designer with many publication and presentation credits, Rohrbaugh released the game through his game publishing company, High Flying Dice Games, www.hfdgames.com.
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Graham Glynn, PhD, Miller Place, N.Y., was recently appointed provost at Fort Hays State University in Kansas.
Thomas Moore, Stow, Ohio, recently started his own content marketing firm, TM Communications, which provides a variety of services, including writing and social media. Learn more at www.tmcommunications.org.98
Aimee (Hagerty) Johnson, Northfield, Minn., is a children’s book illustrator whose work appears in the February 2015 issue of Ladybug, the long-running magazine for children.
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Blake Parton, Fort Wayne, Ind, was hired as an account executive with LABOV Marketing Communications and Training. Most recently, Parton was a brand manager at Summit Brands.
Paul Richardson, MEd, San Francisco, Calif., was selected as the newest board member for AIDS Legal Referral Panel, based in San Francisco. ALRP helps medically fragile individuals fight discrimination based on their condition. Michael Vollmar-Grone, MLS, Sidney, Ohio, retired in February as director of technical services for Shelby County (Ohio) Libraries. His previous careers included creating the visual communications service of Cedar Point Amusement Park, operating an independent photography business, and working at several Ohio newspapers.
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Fall 2015: 2000s
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Kathryn Grandstaff, Alexandria, Va., married Scott Bradford, of Melbourne, Australia, on January 18th in Las Vegas. The couple lives and works in the Washington, D.C. area.
Camille Morgan, Chicago, Ill., was the guest curator for Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair at the Milwaukee Art Museum from February 5 to May 3, 2015.
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Valerie Patton George, Santa Monica, Calif., was recently nominated as chair-elect of the California chapter of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, a professional organization promoting high standards of practice for scientists working in the personal care industry. She is a research and development chemist at Paul Mitchell, focusing on permanent hair color and other hair care products. She also was elected vice president of the Southern California chapter of the Kent State Alumni Association.
Ashley (Katona) Whaley ’06, MEd ’12 (Stow, Ohio) wrote, “I married Bill Whaley on July 31, 2015, at St. Ignatius of Antioch in Cleveland, Ohio. We had a great time celebrating with family and friends and have so many amazing memories of the day.” Pictured: Eric Toulouse, Chad Smith, Dan Klimkowicz ’04, Chip Fails, Adam Johnson, Jack Whaley ’14, Bill Whaley, Ashley Whaley, Katie Zabor, Dana Santoro ’02, Lori Mendise, Katie Walczak, Lauren Etzel ’06, Leslie Mutryn.08
Ryan Telzrow, Cleveland, Ohio, is an admission screening officer at Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center since last May.
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Fall 2015: 2010s
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Ben Hendricks ’10, Akron, Ohio, released a third full-length album with his band, Annabel. Having it All was released on the Tiny Engines label June 9, 2015. Bandmate and brother, Andy Hendricks ’11, designed the artwork and provided drums for the record. Corey Willis ’12 and Scott Moses complete the lineup. The album is available at annabel.bandcamp.com.
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Allison Brager, PhD, Atlanta, Ga., published a popular science book, Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain (WestBow Press) in February. The book bridges Brager’s work in neuroscience (which she began at Kent State) with her experience as an athlete and coach.
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David Siedlarczyk, Amsterdam, was promoted to designer, Calvin Klein Swimwear Mens, and he relocated to the European headquarters in Amsterdam. He joined the PVH Corp.—an American clothing company that owns brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Van Heusen—more than two years ago and was associate designer at Calvin Klein Underwear in Manhattan. Siedlarcyzk is recognized as the originator of the first Kent Fashion Week held in downtown Kent in spring 2012.
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Fall 2015: In Memory
In Memory
The little sunburst denotes an Alumni Association member.Loretta Holmes ’44, March 1, 2015
Loreto George ’50, March 22, 2015John Charlton ’51, April 1, 2015
Betty Wheeler ’53, May 1, 2013
Warren Herbert ’54, April 2, 2014
David Schmitkons ’55, January 12, 2015
Silvester Smith ’55, March 16, 2015
George Simpson ’56, November 27, 2014
Cliff Murphy ’57, July 24, 2014
Edwin Cairns ’59, September 5, 2014
Lewis Young ’59, February 27, 2014
Elaine Emerson ’60, December 17, 2013
George Vanderbilt ’60, February 1, 2013
Robert Wirth ’60, February 2, 2013
Norma Jones ’61, March 9, 2014
Mary Minadeo ’62, December 1, 2013
Richard Sistek ’63, February 14, 2013
Young Byun ’64, August 22, 2014
Rosalyn Sasala ’64, August 28, 2014
Thomas Everett ’65, April 1, 2015
Priscilla Haden ’65, January 1, 2015
James Schordock ’65, March 27, 2015Dennis Tischler ’65, May 12, 2014
Robert Felton ’66, January 1, 2015
Elaine Hoffmann ’66, October 2, 2014
Jack Rader ’67, November 20, 2013
Gary Sekerak ’67, October 30, 2013
Jacqueline DeCosmo-Carroll ’68, March 6, 2014
James Demetriu ’68, February 6, 2015
Jeffrey Pillars ’68, February 5, 2015
Sharon Clark ’69, July 20, 2014
Milton Cooper ’69, February 6, 2015
Robert Becherer ’70, December 26, 2013
John Kavcar ’71, January 2, 2015
William Hawley ’72, March 25, 2014
Deborah White ’73, January 24, 2014
Edgar Johnson ’74, February 1, 2015
James Johnson ’74, February 7, 2015
Diane Wells ’74, August 12, 2013
Dolores (Boyd) Wysocki ’74, MA ’75 , July 4, 2015
Dan Bobier ’75, February 23, 2015
Jeanette Hetz ’75, November 10, 2013
Harold Hicks ’75, September 2, 2014
James Massey ’75, March 12, 2015
Frederick Patrie ’76, September 6, 2014
Valerie Smith ’76, May 12, 2015
Jean Broida ’78, November 25, 2014
Jacqueline Campbell ’78, May 7, 2015
Gail Lozzi ’78, October 23, 2014
Mary Clark ’79, December 2, 2014
Beverly Bader ’80, June 27, 2014
Carol Lauer ’80, October 15, 2014
Nancy Olland ’80, January 5, 2015
Robert Shanafelt ’80, March 26, 2014
Stella Damico ’81, April 24, 2015
Janice Garver ’81, May 22, 2015
Patricia Hadaway ’81, December 16, 2014
Dave Werner ’81, September 1, 2014
Benjamin Heggy ’82, May 3, 2015
Oscar Schultz ’82, January 24, 2014
Gary Wunderlin ’83, January 4, 2015
Karen Denius ’84, November 21, 2014
Anker Studsgaard ’84, December 1, 2014
Philip Harnick ’86, March 1, 2015
Dale Sablotny ’86, May 7, 2015
Mary Paull ’89, May 12, 2015
Joseph Deshance ’91, January 10, 2015
Brenda Dallacheisa ’96, April 24, 2015
David Suhy ’98, March 22, 2015
Maryann Mitalski ’99, May 15, 2014
Patricia Davis ’00, January 18, 2014
Erin Myers ’00, May 2, 2015
Cameron Fleming ’13, July 29, 2014