IPFW Alumni Magazine · IPFW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Extending the Personal Touch 1 » STAyINg ‘IN TOUCh’ Brand rollout With the objective of connecting the past, present, and future,

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I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y – P U R D U E U N I V E R S I T Y F O R T W A Y N E

IPFWA L U M N IM A g A Z I N E

Volume 12, Number 1, Fall 2008

«12 Happy hobbyists share their stories

C O v E R S T O R y

«1 Getting personal with our new brand

«11 Theatre schedule in the limelight

«25 Chancellor: “We’re growing up.”

I n s i d e

IPFW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Extending the Personal Touch

WhAT’S yOUR STORy?

Director’s letter

Dear Fellow Alumni,

What’s your IPFW story? It seems each time I meet alumni, they have stories to tell about their time at IPFW.

There are the stories of couples who met as students and married as graduates, and are now bringing a new crop of “legacy” students (their children) to enroll at IPFW. Sometimes the alumni office receives calls from people seeking a way to find that one special someone who was the “one who got away.” Where is she now? Will he remember me? What should I say?

Then there are the fun stories, like the one about Greek alumni who say they’d hop in the elevator in Kettler Hall, stop it between floors, and open the doors so they could write on the walls of the elevator shaft. And there are tales of the all-nighters pulled by the staff of The Communicator during its early days, with sleeping bags littering the newspaper office floor—that’s still going on today.

Plus, there are alumni stories of faculty impact: a kind word to keep the then-student going strong in her studies, a phone call to open a corporate door so a grad could embark on his career, and traveling overseas with an alumna entrepreneur for her first foray into that global market.

My story? IPFW provided me with a multitude of things:• My favorite professors—Dave Switzer, whose classroom stories hammered home

communication points I would need when I started my own newspaper, Hermione VanNuis, who made the minutia of Shakespeare’s writings sink in so I can usually get all the answers right in that Jeopardy! category, and Dave Maloney, who made physics a not-so-scary subject!

• My chance to be in on the ground floor of creating The Communicator student newspaper and watching it take hold, delighting through the years as it continued to publish, and now, still reading it weekly on campus.

• Real-world advice from adjunct faculty, helping me launch my own weekly newspaper business. So many shared their “been there” advice, which saved me lots of start-up grief and allowed me to succeed.

• And most importantly, the degree that led to my being able to find a decent job so I could raise my three children as a single parent … and watch them all earn their own college degrees!

So, what’s your IPFW story? Share it with me at [email protected]. I’d really like to hear it!

Sincerely,

Jennifer R. Bosk, B.A. ‘87, M.L.S. ‘01

Contents

1 Brand Rollout

4 Class Notes

10 Cover Story Alumni talk about their hobbies. It’s quite an eclectic collection of avocations.

20 Alumni Profile

22 Alumni Escape

Inside back cover:Chancellor’s Letter Chancellor Michael Wartell talks about how IPFW and its alumni are “coming into their own.”

© 2008 IPFWAlumni Association

Published by IPFW University Relations and Communications

Executive Director of University Relations and Communications:Irene Walters

Director of Alumni Relations:Jennifer Bosk

Produced by The Nichols Company

On the cover:(Clockwise from top left) Linda Buskirk, Kelly Klinker, Leah Chester, and Lisa Merriman are among alumni with interesting avocations.

IPFW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Extending the Personal Touch 1 »

STAyINg ‘IN TOUCh’

Brand rollout

With the objective of connecting the past, present, and future, the IPFW Alumni Association offers our new brand. What is a brand, anyway? Why do we need it? Why expend the effort? These are some of

the questions we received when we sent a test market e-mail to 7,000 IPFW alumni.

A brand is not just a logo or catchy tagline. It represents a total experience, articulates values, and communicates commitment. The IPFW Alumni Association undertook a process for developing a new vision and direction, one that would be more responsive to the diverse population of our more than 44,000 alumni. The brand implementation plan provides us with a road map to deliver on our brand promise.

We started with engaging a market research class to conduct a formal study for the association. Three student groups conducted research with members, non-members, and future members (students). Results showed that 72 percent of dues-payers are over age 40, and benefits, such as discounts, are not significantly related to satisfaction with the association, whereas connection to and support of the university rank somewhat relevant to highly relevant.

There was one theme that resounded in conversations with current and future alumni. The defining element that characterized the IPFW experience was the personal attention, encouragement, guidance, and support that students received from advisors, professors, coaches, and friends. The differentiating factor for an education from the IPFW campus versus other campuses was having more extensive access to work directly with professors, to opportunities to perform and compete, and to job connections. Nearly everyone has a personal story about an IPFW relationship that influenced his or her life — and some married that person.

Thank you to all who participated in the research surveys and to all who responded to the brand test (75 percent voted yes), and thank you for the great suggestions, such as having an alumni blog with students, and challenges (such as connecting with out-of-state alumni).

IPFW alumni are all professionals who are proud of their nationally recognized degree from Indiana University or Purdue University, and they value the people who empowered their educational experience.

Alumni Marketing TeamLouise TeagueAndrew Welch

Kelly Klinker,Daysha JacksonDebbie BranfieldDennis Emley

Association is to be an engaging organization that attracts membership, involves and serves the interest and diversity of IPFW alumni, and creates personal, social, and enriching opportunities for alumni to stay connected and support the university.

you received as a student.

by sharing your story and reconnecting.

through involvement in activities of personal interest to you.

and make a difference by volunteering.

future students by supporting an area of personal importance to you.

IPFW Alumni • Fall 2008

IPFW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Extending the Personal Touch« 2

10th Annual Mastodon Roast & Alumni Fountain Dedication

Tuesday, Oct. 14 • 5:30 to 8 p.m. • Tent by Walb Student Union, near Alumni Plaza

IPFW graduates and faculty are invited to this well-attended (more than 400 alumni and faculty every year) annual event for food, conversation, and networking. Dinner, including roasted hog carved by Chancellor Mike Wartell, is free for grads, faculty, and guests.

This year’s event includes the dedication of the new Connie and Dan Dickey Alumni Fountain in Alumni Plaza. Come see the water—illuminated blue and white—flow from the jets. Check out all the alumni engraved cobblestones surrounding the fountain—and order yours now (see page 23).

For food count purposes, and because alcohol is served (your first drink is free), your name and guest’s name(s) must be on the entrance list. RSVP with your name and IPFW grad year and major at [email protected], or call 260-481-6807.

Dining Etiquette and Networking Dinner

Oct. 22 • 6 to 9 p.m. • Holiday Inn at IPFW and the War Memorial Coliseum

IPFW grads in a variety of careers are needed to advise and network with students who will soon be graduating. Students and alumni will be grouped together by career for an evening of intense career conversations. It will be a great chance for you to find a student worker or intern, too!

To sign up, call Cassie in the Mastodon Advising Center at 260-481-4114.

general Studies e-Mentoring

Tuesday, Nov. 4 • 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. • Walb Student Union Ballroom

General studies grads are invited to meet junior and senior general studies students for career networking. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m., followed by “speed-dating” style interviews. To sign up, please e-mail Sandy at [email protected] or call 260-481-6828.

Dental hygiene Alumni Luncheon

Saturday, Nov. 15 • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. • Pine Valley Country Club, 10900 Pine Mills Road

All IPFW dental hygiene alumni are invited to this delightful luncheon during which the following graduating classes will be honored: 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, and 2003. Return to see many of your favorite faculty members and share your fun and funny dental stories with the group. There’s lots of camaraderie, prizes, great food, and fun. For details, contact Brenda Valliere at 260-481-6902 or [email protected].

Economic Outlook Luncheon

Wednesday, Nov. 12 • 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. • Walb Student Union Ballroom

Once again, the IPFW Alumni Association, in conjunction with the Northeast Indiana IU Alumni Chapter, will host the Economic Outlook Luncheon, which will feature a panel of experts from IU’s Kelley School of Business and local experts. The price is just $30 per person or $300 per corporate reserved table (seats 10).

The IU Business Outlook Panel will offer national, state, and local economic forecasts

UPCOMINg EvENTS

Alumni update

Nearly 400 alumni and friends gathered at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to enjoy Pole Day in May. Eight universities, including IPFW, joined together for this exciting event as we saw Scott Dixon claim the pole position. Other highlights included our alumni seeing Helio Castroneves, Danika Patrick, and racing legend A. J. Foyt.


for 2009. The starting point for the forecast is the Econometric Model of the United States, developed by IU’s Center for Econometric Model Research, which analyzes numerous statistics to develop a national forecast for the coming year. The center’s Econometric Model of Indiana provides a corresponding forecast of where the state’s economy is headed. The Business Outlook Panel then adjusts the forecast to reflect additional insights they have on the economic situation.

For registration information, please contact Eric Steenman at 260-490-1374, ext. 2864.

Eighth Annual Legislative Issues Luncheon

Thursday, Nov. 13 • 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. • Walb Student Union Ballroom

We need your supportive IPFW voice! In the past, your alumni support has helped our state legislators understand our funding needs for a variety of campus projects, including

the proposed student services center, the medical education building, and more student housing.

Join us for lunch and conversation with our 18 northeast Indiana legislators. We’ll update you on IPFW’s legislative needs for 2008–09. Lunch is $10 a person, and reservations can be made at 260-481-6807 or [email protected].

hOMECOMINg: Time Warp

Saturday, Nov. 22Pregame pancake breakfast

in the Memorial Coliseum’s Appleseed Room from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Game: IPFW vs. Eastern Illinois at the Coliseum at 1 p.m.

Alumni and their families are invited to join IPFW students for the pregame pancake breakfast to celebrate Homecoming 2008. Come enjoy the entertainment, sing the fight song while our pep band plays, and meet some of the celebrity pancake flippers!

Singer-performer Marie Osmond greeted the record crowd of 1,400 women who attended this year’s Tapestry: A Day for Women. The annual event has raised more than $230,000 for the Parkview Tapestry endowed scholarship fund in just seven short years.

At left: More than 100 women joined us for our second annual Women Beginner’s Golf Outing in May. The outing added $1,700 to the Children of IPFW Alumni Scholarship Fund and the IPFW Women’s Golf Team Scholarship.

At right: A record crowd of nearly 600 faculty and alumni gathered for our ninth annual Mastodon Roast last fall. This year’s roast, set for Oct. 14, will include the dedication of the Connie and Dan Dickey Alumni Fountain in IPFW’s newly named Alumni Plaza.



NEWS

BENEFIT BAR benefits our Children of Alumni Scholarship Fund

Be a part of helping students attend IPFW. Just install and click. Use it as your search engine. There’s no spyware, no adware, and no gimmicks. Each time you click, Benefit Bar pays us money for the Children of Alumni Scholarship Fund and the IPFW Brown Ink Society. Here’s how to install it: www.benefitbar.com/benefitbar/subscribe/toolpar:php?tooldbarid=745

Make cents for IPFW and for children of alumni!

Fore … a job well done!

We thank our 2008 golf hole sponsors for their support of our second annual Women Beginner’s Golf Outing. More than 100 women enjoyed a night that included nine holes of golf, a pro lesson, handouts on how to play in a golf

outing, dinner, gifts from Vera Bradley and WAJI Majic 95.1 FM, IPFW golf balls, a raffle, and more. Members of IPFW’s women’s golf team were on hand to provide tips on driving and putting.

This year’s hole sponsors were:

Financial Life Strategies/ New York Life

IU Alumni AssociationLake City BankNortheast Indiana CurvesNortheast Indiana Society

of Women EngineersPizza Hut of Fort Wayne

(two sponsorships)Promo CliksPurdue Alumni AssociationRaytheonRuth Wartell/Mary Kay CosmeticsThe Bride to Be

The outing and raffle, along with the sponsorships, raised more than $1,700 for the Children of IPFW Alumni Scholarship and the IPFW Women’s Golf Team Scholarship.

Thanks to Our Leading Alumni

IPFW’s Annual Fund, money contributed by our alumni, is used where the need is greatest for our alma mater. This year, more than $200,000 was donated to the fund by 2.5 percent of our total alumni. We thank all our alumni donors, and especially those alumni who made lead gifts to IPFW’s Annual Fund:

Dennis C. Becker, B.S. ’74AttorneyBarnes & ThornburgTom Blackburn, B.S. ’74PartnerBlackburn & GreenJohn Blocher, M.S.B.A. ’73RetiredAmerican Electric PowerRalph D. Crowe, A.A.S. ’68, B.S. ’70Vice President of InvestmentsUBS FinancialMichael Himes, B.A. ’73CEO Petroleum Traders Corp.Suzon Motz, B.S. ’91Community VolunteerJill A. Nichols, B.S. ’83Vice PresidentVera BradleyH. John Okeson, B.A. ’86DeceasedKel Ryan Preston, MBA ’92PresidentPreston InternationalJeff A. Taner, B.S. ’82CPA, DirectorDulin, Ward & DeWald Inc.

Eric Gaydos (right) accepts his new class ring from Chancellor Michael Wartell during the annual class ring ceremony. Gaydos, along with all of the other ring recipients, learned the tradition of wearing the ring with the seal facing in as a student, and then turning it around at graduation so the seal faces outward, signifying that he is an official graduate!


CLASS NOTES

Alumni update

1970

Edward E. Beck, B.A., economics, a personal injury litigation lawyer with Shambaugh, Kast, Beck & Williams LLP, was listed among Indiana’s Best Lawyers. 1971

Stephen Smith, B.S., business management and administration, of Fort Wayne Neurological Center West, has been re-elected secretary of the Allen County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals board of directors.

1974

Dennis C. Becker, B.S.B., accounting, of Barnes & Thornburg LLP, has been named a 2008 Indiana Super Lawyer.

1975

Charles D. Bitler, B.S., business, general management, has recently retired as president and CEO of Midwest America Federal Credit Union.

1976

Kathryn Brogan, B.A., sociology, who specializes in business litigation and employment and labor law, has been named a 2008 Indiana Super Lawyer.

1977

Mark A. Warsco, B.A., political science, of Rothberg Logan & Warsco, has been

named a 2008 Indiana Super Lawyer.

1977

Allan Frisinger, B.S., building construction technology; A.A.S., civil technology, an Allen County surveyor, has received the President’s Award as Outstanding County Surveyor for 2007 from the Indiana County Surveyors Association. It was the second time he’s received this award.

1978

Cheryl A. Truesdell, B.A., history, has been appointed dean of the Walter E. Helmke Library at IPFW.

Deborah Overcash, B.A., history, has been named chief operations officer at Fort Wayne Radiology.

1978

Wendy Robinson, M.S.Ed., elementary education; M.S.Ed., school administration (1987), superintendent of Fort Wayne Community Schools, spoke before the National Conference of State Legislators.

1980

Michael L. Summers, B.S., business management and public affairs, of Raymond James

Associates Inc., has received the Financial Advisor of the Year Award.

1981

David Snyder, B.S., business, is an account manager at AMO Office Supply.

1982

Mike Coil, B.S., business, has been elected to the Goodwill Industries of Northeast

Indiana board of directors.

1982

Jeff A. Taner, C.P.A., B.S., business, accounting, of Dulin, Ward & DeWald, will

serve as treasurer for Vincent Village Inc., formerly known as Vincent House.

1982

Jason Neil Burdick, B.S., electronic technology, is a service technician with Priority 1.

1984

Anne E. Simerman, B.S., business, accounting, has been elected a partner of Barrett & McNagny LLP.



1986

Thomas J. Markle, M.S., business administration, has been named a 2008 Indiana Super Lawyer.

1986

Jeff Krudop, B.S., A.S., organizational leadership and supervision, has been promoted to branch manager

at Conference & Travel Services.

1989

Dawn Modlin, B.S., organizational leadership and supervision, has started Training for Excellence Inc., a new employee development and training company serving northeast Indiana.

1991

Kathleen A. Smith, C.P.A., B.S., business, accounting, A.S. applied business studies, of Waterfield Shareholder LLC, has been re-elected treasurer of the Allen County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals board of directors.

1992

David Bressler, B.A., psychology, has joined Fifth Third Bank as a mortgage loan officer serving the Decatur and Fort Wayne areas.

1993

Ruth Schulien, A.A.S., interior design, of Conference & Travel Services, has achieved certified travel specialist status.

1993

Eric J. Steenman, B.S., business management and administration, has been promoted to assistant vice president of Lake City Bank’s Commercial Banking Division.

1993

Terah Brogan, M.S., education, of Lakeside Middle School, has been elected to the Allen County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals board of directors.

1994

Jason D. Brown, A.G.S., general studies, has been hired by Tower Private Advisors to serve as an investment executive with Tower Investment Services.

1994

Denice L. Beights, B.A., music education, of the Fort Wayne Women’s Bureau, has been elected to the Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana board of directors.

1996

Chad Salzbrenner, B.S., building construction

technology, A.S. civil technology, a project manager and senior design engineer, has received a Performance Award from the Bonar Group.

1997

Diane M. Moore, M.P.A., health systems administration-SPE, is a medical review specialist with the Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana’s Indigo Division.

1998

Nancy J. Bean, B.S., physical sciences, has been promoted to trust officer with Wells Fargo’s Private Client Services.

1999

Christine E. Boles, B.S., organizational leadership and supervision, has been named assistant vice president, human resources, by Tower Bank.

2000

Ann L. Keith, M.S., education, a retired Central Noble School teacher, is secretary of the Goodwill Industries of Northeast Indiana board of directors.

Shellie Goetz, B.G.S., general studies, a labor and employment lawyer with Baker & Daniels LLP, has received the Up and Coming Lawyer Award from Indiana Lawyer.


Leslie Raymer, M.S., education, of Ujima Resources, has been re-elected to the Fort Wayne Women’s Bureau board of directors.

2001

Christopher J. Kramer, B.G.S, general studies, is a sales engineer with Sweetwater.

Cat Voors, B.A., women’s studies, and her daughter Jennifer have opened Celebrations!, a Fort Wayne bakery, café,

and catering service.

Jamie L Garwood, M.P.A., of the United Way, has been elected vice president of marketing for the Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana board of directors.

2003

Dottie Davis, B.S., mental health technology, deputy chief of the Fort Wayne Police Department, has been elected vice chair for programming on the Fort Wayne Women’s Bureau board of directors.

Beth Hunter, B.F.A., graphic design, A.S., commercial art, of Conference & Travel Services, has achieved certified travel specialist status.

2006

Jessica J. Porter, B.F.A., graphic design, is a receptionist at Sweetwater.

Luke Forbing, B.S. business, accounting, was elected vice president of community involvement for the Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana board of directors.

2007

Nicole Halls, B.S., organizational leadership and supervision, is a sales representative for Aptera Software.

Christine Zygmont, B.A., Spanish, is a receptionist and development assistant at PBS39 WFWA-DT.

Abby Weilbaker, B.G.S., general studies, has been named development coordinator for PBS39 WFWA-DT. Luke Squires, B.S., A.S., business, of 1st Source Bank, has been elected vice president of membership for the Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana board of directors.

Pregame pancake breakfast

for alumni and their families

Saturday, Nov. 22

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Allen County War

Memorial Coliseum’s

Appleseed Room

Free pancake breakfast

with “celebrity” pancake flippers!

Game at 1 p.m. vs. Eastern Illinois (ticket required)

homecoming 2008

“TIME WARP”


Dear Alumni and Friends:“A renowned urban university with excellent

graduate programs in music, art, medicine, engineering, business, nursing, and many other fields; a community leader and a source of guidance to government and business leaders; one of the great universities in Indiana”—this is how IPFW will soon be characterized.

The new Medical Education Center is on its way to completion, the new John and Ruth Rhinehart Music Center is finished, and the new Student Services Complex is under way. Additional student housing is planned that will recast the nature of future student bodies. The new Holiday Inn at IPFW and the Coliseum will be directly connected to the university campus by the Ron Venderly Family Bridge. Many former students are returning to renew their education with advanced degrees. We can expect that under the direction of Chancellor Michael Wartell, many more new programs will be emerging on our campus.

“New” is the characteristic adjective for features of our campus. On the other hand, we are alumni. We are not “new,” for we have graduated. But, this does not mean that we are to be left out! We are the solution to the inherent problems of something “new.”

Growth, innovation, and change inevitably imply an absence of experience and tradition. Accordingly, your experience and insights

(acquired as both students and professionals) into solving problems and sharing your ideas are important to the growth of your university. You must become an ingredient in completing its development. As alumni, we have a role, and we must claim it; the operative device for this is your IPFW Alumni Association.

Our alumni association itself is a developing project, as marked by a significant new “brand” that you will see throughout this magazine. As the campus has grown, we recently contributed to this growth with the construction of the new Connie and Dan Dickey Alumni Fountain, which will be dedicated at the Mastodon Roast in October.

The Alumni Association board of directors has welcomed a marketing committee to undertake the project of identifying special interests in the alumni community. The association expects to appeal to members with projects contrived within narrowed areas of focus to elicit participation and to coordinate volunteers and contributors within the university.

Our organization welcomes new ideas and the vigor of our loyal alumni. Being an alumnus or alumna of IPFW is an outstanding accomplishment. Take that accomplishment a step further by giving back to your university by providing your time and becoming a member of the IPFW Alumni Association.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Alumni update

Alumni Board of Directors profile

I started college five years after high school, and it took me 12 years to finish my bachelor’s degree. Working for IPFW full time for the past 18 years may have slowed down getting my degree, but it’s also enhanced the way I earned it.

I joined the IPFW Alumni Association board of directors to encourage people to take pride in IPFW and to show their school spirit. One of the best ways is to participate in school events and provide leadership in getting others involved.

Feel like you’re missing out on IPFW events? Your IPFW Alumni Association will keep you up to date on the latest on-campus happenings with newsletters and event calendars. Go to www.ipfw.edu/alumni.

Karen Ramsey MielkeIPFW Alumni Association Board of Directors, Purdue-at-Large RepresentativeA.A.S. ’87, Computer TechnologyA.A.S. ’97, Organizational LeadershipB.S. ’98, Information Systems

Karen Clelland, A.G.S. ’94,B.G.S. ’01, PresidentIPFW Alumni Association


OMNIBUS

John L. EspositoThursday, Sept. 25

The U.S. and the Muslim World: What the Next President Should Know

A professor of religion, international affairs, and Islamic studies at Georgetown University, Esposito is a promoter of strong ties between Muslims and Christians. His books, 35 in all, and articles have been translated into more than 28 languages. A consultant to the U.S. State Department, corporations, universities, and the media worldwide, he’s often interviewed and quoted by national and international media.

Eugene RobinsonTuesday, Oct. 21

Politics and the NationRobinson uses his twice-

weekly column for the Washington Post to pick American society apart and then put it back together again in unexpected, revelatory new ways. He draws upon his wide-ranging life experience, from childhood in the segregated South to the heights of American journalism. Robinson appears frequently on MSNBC as a political analyst.

David BaldacciFriday, Nov. 14,

From Thriller to Tradition: Balancing Between Deadly Suspense and Wistful Southern Fiction

The years Baldacci spent in Washington, D.C., as a trial and corporate attorney gave him plenty of background to write a number of best-selling political and legal thrillers.

In addition to being a widely read author, Baldacci is an advocate for literacy and the importance of reading, and participates in numerous charities, as well as his own foundation for literacy.

*hal holbrook Thursday, Jan. 29

Mark Twain Tonight!A versatile Emmy and

Tony Award-winning actor, Holbrook is perhaps best known for his performance as Mark Twain. Holbrook isn’t simply an impersonator of Mark Twain, he’s also an authority on the writer about whom Hemingway said, “American literature began.” Holbrook is featured in Ken Burns’ Mark Twain, which aired on PBS in 2002.

*Bruce FeilerThursday, March 26

Moses in AmericaA New York Times best-selling

author of seven books, Feiler is an award-winning journalist and the writer-presenter of the highly rated PBS miniseries Walking the Bible, seen by more than 20 million people in its first month. He has traveled to more than 60 countries, on five continents, immersing himself in different cultures.

*Sandra Day O’ConnorThursday, April 23

… And Justice for AllNominated by President

Ronald Reagan, O’Connor became the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. During her 24 years as a justice, she was often a crucial vote on the court because of her case-by-case approach to jurisprudence and her relatively moderate political views.

Lecture series

The Omnibus Lecture Series is presented in the 1,600-seat Auer Performance Hall in the John and Ruth Rhinehart Music Center on the IPFW campus. Omnibus events and parking are free.

*These speakers will be appearing in conjunction with the Remnant Trust at IPFW, an on-site collection of original historical manuscripts, books, pamphlets, and related documents that changed the world—beginning January 2009.

Photograph of David Baldacci by John Foley/Opale. Photograph of Sandra Day O’Connor by Dane Penland, Smithsonian Institution, courtesy of the Supreme Court of the United States


Esposito

Robinson

Baldacci

Holbrook

Feiler

O’Connor


Sports

Name __________________________________________________

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Zip _______________ Phone _____________________________

Fax ____________________________________________________

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Reserved Seat Location Preference: Bench Side Opposite BenchSeason ticket holders in subsequent years will have right-of-first-refusal on seat location with their annual renewal.

VISA MasterCard Discover Exp. date ____________

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If paying by credit card, you may fax this form to 260-481-6002 or call the IPFW Athletics ticket office at 260-481-6000.

Otherwise, return this form with your check, payable to:IPFW Athletics, 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499

www.gomastodons.com

1. Check which kind of ticket. (season, individual-regular, individual-Michigan St., or mini packs).

2. Check which level of seat. (courtside floor, courtside box, blue, white, red).

General Mastodon RoyalSeason Market Public Society Dons Faculty/Ticket Value Season Donor Donor Staff

Courtside Floor $335 $300 $200 $250 $250

Courtside Box $2,650 $2,450 — — —

(12 seats)

Blue Level $167.50 $160 $100 $125 $125

White Level $114.50 $110 $85 $100 $100

Individual Ticket Regular Season Michigan St. Game

Courtside Floor $25 $35

Courtside Box $20.50 $30

Blue Level $12.50 $17.50

White Level $8.50 $12.50

Red Level $6.50 $10 (designated games only)

Four-Game Mini Packs Michigan St., Eastern Illinois (Homecoming), Oakland University,Oral Roberts (Pink Out–benefit for breast cancer education)

Blue Level $50

White Level $35 Seating priorities

Blue lower seating preference for seating will be for Royal Dons supporters at $250 and above.

Courtside floor seats will have a preference for Mastodon Society supporters and corporate sponsors first, then individual seating.

INDIVIDUAL PRICE QTY SUBTOTALSeason Tickets(fill in level price)

$ $

Individual Ticket(s)(denote which games below)

$ $

Mini Packs(fill in level price)

$ $

Women’s Ticket(s)(all home games at Gates Sports Center)

$

TOTAL AMOUNT DUE $

additional

$25per season ticket


2008–09 SEASON

Theatre schedule

how to Succeed in Business without Really Trying

Music and lyrics by Frank LoesserBook by Abe Burrows, Jack

Weinstock, and Willie GilbertBased on the book by Shepherd MeadDirected by Craig A. HumphreyWilliams TheatreOct. 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11 at 8 p.m. Oct. 12 at 2 p.m.(A sign-language interpreted performance is scheduled for Oct. 12.)

With the help of the instructional guide How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, eager and ambitious J. Pierrepont Finch is determined to do just that. On his climb up the corporate ladder, Finch encounters J. B. Biggley, the company president; Rosemary Pilkington, a romantically inclined secretary; Bud Frump, a wily competitor and the boss’ nephew; and Hedy La Rue, a sexy ex-cigarette girl with ambitions of her own. The intrepid Finch dodges, parries, and plans until victory is his.

Two Rooms

By Lee BlessingDirected by Jeffrey Casazza Studio Theatre in Kettler HallNov. 14, 15, 20, 21, and 22 at 8 p.m. Nov. 16 and 23 at 2 p.m.(A sign-language interpreted performance is scheduled for Nov. 23.)

Two Rooms, an intense, intellectual experience, focuses on Michael, an American professor taken hostage in Beirut; and his wife, Lanie,

back in the States, who awaits word of his fate. Michael is in one small room being held captive and tortured by Shi’ite Muslims, and Lanie, 10,000 miles away, is in a second room, stripped of furnishings, that was once Michael’s den. Lanie allows a select few into her inner sanctum—including a newspaper reporter who believes that by speaking out publicly, Lanie can save her husband.

Purely Dance 2008

Brittney Tyler Coughlin, Artistic Director

Mark Ridgeway, ProducerWilliams TheatreDec. 5, 6, 12, and 13 at 8 p.m. Dec. 7 and 14 at 2 p.m.

Purely Dance 2008, choreographed by the dance minor program faculty and alumni, will feature dance—and nothing but dance. An audience favorite, Purely Dance 2008 will be presented just in time for the holidays and be a great evening out.

The Taming of the Shrew

By William ShakespeareDirected by John O’ConnellWilliams TheatreFeb. 20, 21, 26, 27, and 28 at 8 p.m. Feb. 22 and March 1 at 2 p.m.High school matinee Feb. 25 at 10 a.m.(A sign-language interpreted performance is scheduled for March 1.)

Kate and Petruchio embody the classic battle of the sexes.

He would love to marry her for a variety of financial and strategic reasons, and she hates everything about him. Kate’s lovely and unquenchable younger sister Bianca cannot marry until Kate does, but Kate will have none of it, especially the marriage her father has arranged for her with the arrogant, self-serving, and boisterous Petruchio.

The Diviners

By Jim Leonard Jr.Directed by Jeffrey CasazzaWilliams TheatreApril 17, 18, 23, 24, and 25 at 8 p.m. April 26 at 2 p.m.(A sign-language interpreted performance is scheduled for April 26.)

New Haven, Indiana, native Jim Leonard’s earthy, funny, poignant, and profoundly tragic play echoes some of our nation’s greatest Depression-era writings. In the mythic southern-Indiana town of Zion, Buddy Layman has the incredible gift of divining for water. His talent for water witching comes from his terrible fear of water. A tragic accident left him brain-damaged and motherless, as his mother drowned while trying to save him. A charismatic preacher questioning his faith “stumbles” into this town, befriending Buddy, helping him overcome this intense phobia, and propelling The Diviners to its tragic finale.

Admission to all productions is free to IPFW students with ID. Admission for all other students with ID, faculty, staff, advocates of the arts, and seniors is discounted.

We welcome patrons with disabilities. Sign-language interpreted services are provided during some performances. Text telephone service is available for the hearing impaired, as well as assistive listening devices in the auditorium. Braille and large-print programs are also available at the box office.

Theatre box office: 260-481-6555

TTD (when office is open): 260-481-4105

For more information, visit www.ipfw.edu/vpa/theatre/news/calendar.shtml.



Alumni share how they

spend their downtime.

It’s a mixed bag of hobbies

to say the least.

Feature

A celebration of avocation

From left: Linda Buskirk, Kelly Klinker, Lisa Merriman, and Leah Chester.


A celebration of avocation


Roger Sheets

Jim Coe

Lisa Sells

Jeremy Sells


All work and no play ... well, that’s just wrong. Whether it’s organizing our

complete collection of Menudo albums, forming the Midwest’s biggest ball of twine, or just sittin’, whittlin’, and spittin’—we all need a pleasurable diversion we can turn to after we punch out for the day.

We put out some feelers to find out what our alumni do when they’re not toting that barge or lifting that bale. What we found was that many of them have some pretty interesting hobbies.

They collect things. They hunt for treasure. They put their limbs on the line for charity. They sit patiently for hours to capture the perfect moment. They grow gigantic fruit. They plan murder most foul. And, they follow their muses.

In some cases, we found that, as the saying goes, “A hobby is hard work you wouldn’t do for a living.”

givin’ us the birdRoger Sheets (B.S. ’70, mathematics) wanted

to get acquainted with some “birds” of an entirely different feather when he joined a group at Fort Wayne’s Bishop Luers High School in the late ’60s. Back then, classes at Luers were segregated by gender, but extracurricular activities weren’t.

“I thought participating in the bird-watching club at school would be good way to meet a few girls,” Roger says. “I didn’t really make any connections with the ladies, but I did discover that I thoroughly enjoyed bird watching.”

As an avid “birder” ever since, Roger has sighted and identified more than 250 different species, 180 of which he spotted in Florida, where he now makes his home. He lives in Tampa, close to Lettuce Lake Park, a large urban oasis for flora and fauna.

“I’ve been a computer programmer for more than 35 years, so that and bird watching are kind of my yin and yang,” Roger says. “I can hold my own in knowledge with most birders, but I’m not in the echelon yet in which I can lead Audubon Society trips. I’d like to be able to do that.”

Nonetheless, Roger does occasionally share his extensive knowledge of ornithology with

Roger Sheets


patients at the Moffitt Cancer Center on the nearby University of South Florida campus. Roger has plenty of empathy; he had his own set-to with cancer a decade ago.

Just a few years ago, Roger added another dimension to his avocation. “Bird watching and photography—I learned that there were very few people who could do both well. It unleashed the artist in me I didn’t think existed.”

He started out with a point-and-shoot camera. “Taking photos was a way for me to identify birds that I might see for only a second,” Roger explains. “I might have taken a lousy picture, but there might be something in the photo that would help me identify the bird. It got to the point where the photos were pretty good, and now it’s become more photography than just bird watching. It’s a lot of hard work, but a lot of fun, too.”

Roger hopes to spread his wings a bit and check out the avian action in the Everglades, Panama, and Dry Tortugas. You can check out more of his excellent photography at www.flickr.com/photos/rwsheets.

Murder she writesAs though the political intrigue inherent in running for mayor

of Fort Wayne twice weren’t enough for her, Linda Buskirk (M.P.A. ’94, public affairs) writes murder mysteries for dinner parties. A lifelong fan of mystery and crime novels, Linda wrote her first party mystery as a birthday present for a brother-in-law a few years ago.

“My stepdaughter had told me about a game she’d played at a party,” Linda says. “The game was more about examining clues and questioning subjects than acting out characters. I’d never seen the game played that I was patterning mine after, so I just made it up as I went along.”

Linda’s game is similar to a popular old parlor standby, Clue. In Linda’s mysteries, the victim is already deceased. Each player is assigned a character, complete with information about his or her character. And, of course, each character is a suspect. Clues are provided in chapters.

“They’re given clues about themselves and the other characters, but not everyone is given all the clues, so they have to discuss the case,” Linda explains. “One rule is that they can’t lie about what they’ve been told.”

Additional clues follow, and in the last chapter, players are told if they’re the murderer. “Then, the murderer can lie as much as he or she wants, but lying is usually what trips him or her up,” Linda says.

Depending on how much free time Linda has to devote, developing a story line and then completing a mystery game can take up to four weeks. “One of my favorite parts is coming up with names for the characters, like Ivana Specimen, the lab worker, or Abra Cadaver, the pathologist,” she says.

Linda’s partner in crime is her husband, Ron Buskirk (A.S. ‘75, forensics; B.S. ‘95, criminal justice; M.P.A. ‘99, public affairs), who retired as deputy chief of investigations for the Fort Wayne Police Department after a 30-year career in law enforcement. He’s now vice president of corporate compliance and ethics for St. Joseph Hospital. Linda, in the meantime, owns Accountable Solutions, a consulting company that provides strategic planning and governance education services to nonprofit agencies.

Linda was really in her element when she accompanied Ron to American Academy of Forensic Science conventions. “They talked about some of their most difficult cases,” Linda says. “I think that fueled my fire to try writing mysteries. Still, it’s just a hobby, and I only do it once in a while.”

Linda sometimes runs her mysteries past Ron to see if they’re forensically feasible. One mystery party in particular had to be dead-on—it was for a group of hospital lab technicians.

Was it Linda in the library with the lead pipe? Only Linda knows, and she’s not talking while the game’s afoot. Actually, Linda doesn’t get to play; she already knows whodunit. Ron, however, often leads the games as Detective “Eliot Mess.”

Between a rock and a hard placeThese days, Leah Chester (B.A. ’03, geology) is rockin’ and

rollin’ as a geologist with Avant, an environmental consulting and engineering firm in Fort Wayne, and as “R.I.P.tide,” a member of the Fort Wayne Derby Girls.

If you’re not familiar with the Fort Wayne Derby Girls, here’s the skinny. The Derby Girls belong to the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, which has more than 50 league franchises nationwide. Matches, called bouts, generate money for worthy nonprofits, and during the last two years, the Derby Girls have raised close to $30,000. Easter Seal Arc of Northeast Indiana and the Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities are just a couple of the agencies that have gotten a boost from a bout.

In addition to helping others, the Derby Girls, youngish women, actually, are in it for the fun and competition. They adopt play-on-word monikers and personas—Enya Grave, Pushycat, Rhoda Rage, Alotta Attitude, Taylor Trash, Ice BreakHER, Val Catraz—and their bout attire can be a bit outré. Fishnet hose, for example, is de rigueur.

But this isn’t your mom’s Roller Derby, which was akin to professional wrestling. “First of all, we skate on a flat track, not a banked track,” Leah says. “And nothing is staged. There’s a little bit of showmanship, but the action you see on the track is real. We have to follow rules. There’s no punching, biting, or tripping, and there’s a penalty box for rules violators.”

The genuineness of the competition is evidenced by the broken bones, sprains, and other injuries sometimes suffered


continued on next page


by Derby Girls. “I wasn’t sure about the contact part of it when I started, but it’s not so bad,” Leah says. “Actually, the contact is a lot of fun.”

In flat-track roller derby, each team has five skaters on the track at one time. Jammers score points by working their way through the pack, and pivots and blockers clear the way for jammers.

Leah, who doubles as a jammer and blocker, has skating in her blood. In fact, her parents met at Fort Wayne’s Roller Dome South in the ’70s. “I’ve always been a skater,” Leah says. “My parents used to take me skating as I was growing up. I even had my birthday parties at the roller rink.”

With practices two or three times a week, Leah has had to give up other favorite pastimes, such as volleyball and softball. “The Derby takes up all my free time, but it’s worth it,” she says. “I have a great bunch of teammates from all backgrounds and walks of life. They share my love of the competition and the camaraderie.”

For more information on the Fort Wayne Derby Girls and their upcoming bouts, go to www.fwderbygirls.com.

In pursuit of the great pumpkin

It’s hardly peanuts, the money awarded for growing prize-winning giant pumpkins. In fact, thousands of dollars in prizes are carved up by winners at some contests.

But Kelly Klinker (B.A. ’07, economics) isn’t it in for the lettuce; he’s growing humongous pumpkins and other fruit (yes, fruit, botanically speaking) just for the joy of watching them get big—real big.

“It’s a fascinating sight,” Kelly says. “During one week in July, a pumpkin will grow from the size of a golf ball to the size of a beachball. And what else can you grow that can weigh 1,000 pounds and be such a beautiful bright orange?”

Kelly, coordinator of the Annual Fund and Class Gift in IPFW’s development office, was introduced to pumpkin growing by Tom Beachy (B.A ’06, accounting). Tom, a prize-winning giant pumpkin grower himself, had been a classmate at Woodburn (Ind.) High School.

“Tom and I didn’t really hang out together in

high school, but we were in many of the same classes at IPFW,” Kelly explains. “We’re both IU basketball junkies, so we started getting together at each other’s places to watch the Hoosiers. During halftime of a game in the fall of 2001, Tom asked me if I wanted to see some giant pumpkins he’d grown. I was amazed by them.”

Kelly soon began to develop his own orange thumb by attending local seminars on pumpkin growing and doing considerable reading on the subject. In 2003, Kelly grew two 500-pounders from special seeds provided by Tom. The following season, Kelly went all out, growing an 814-pound prizewinner.

Of course, Kelly still has his work cut out for him; the current world record is 1,689 pounds, and the Indiana state record is 1,273 pounds.

If you’re wondering how much Cool Whip it would take to cover all the pies made from those giants, prizewinners are usually kept on display, and sometimes carved into intricate designs, such as castles, dragons, and sports mascots. Kelly donated one of his behemoths to the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, where it was fashioned into a Peanuts Great Pumpkin scene.

Kelly now serves on the board of the Indiana Pumpkin Grower’s Association and has made friends among other growers from the East Coast to the Plains and up into Canada. “Growers are eager to share their seeds and growing techniques,” Kelly says.

If pumpkin growing sounds good to you, go to www.ipga.us. There, you’ll find plenty of information and links to other sites. In addition to pursuing big orange, Kelly has branched out in to growing giant tomatoes, and he recently raised a very robust 4-pounder.

From Russia with loveThose were “heady” times indeed when James

Coe (B.S. ’72, business) made his first trip to Russia in August 1991. He was a member of a Council of Christian Colleges and Universities delegation invited by the Russian government to develop an MBA program.

The Soviet Union was in its last throes, and it was strongly suggested that all U.S. citizens


leave the country. At the American Embassy, James and his colleagues were asked how their bodies could be identified if their heads were severed. But despite the danger, the contingent of professors decided to stay.

Since then, James—you can call him Jim, unless you’re a student at Spring Arbor University in Michigan, where it’s Dr. Coe, dean of the Gainey School of Business—has returned to Russia many times. He’s become a celebrated visitor and lecturer at Lobachevsky State University in Nizhny Novogrod, one of Russia’s largest cities.

Jim was recently honored by both the city and the university for his efforts, which have fostered business education and economic development. Groups of MBA students and faculty members from Russia also travel to the United States for business-education programs.

Over the years, Jim’s Russian friends have shown their

appreciation with a wide variety of gifts. He and his wife, Linda, who sometimes travels with him, have a collection that comprises around 500 pieces, much of which is folk art.

“We purchased some of the items in our collection, but our most prized pieces are those that were given to us by special friends we met throughout the years of traveling and working with the university,” Jim says. “The Russian people are big gift givers; it’s part of their culture.”

A favorite of the Coes is Khokloma tableware, brightly painted bowls, cups, vases, candlesticks, and utensils made of Linden wood. Khokloma tableware was first crafted in the 17th century by peasants who wanted to create something resembling the tableware made of precious metals used by nobles.

“Each region of Russia has its folk art traditions,” Jim says. “Russia has kept much of its folk art alive, while it seems much of ours has fallen by the wayside. Russians have a very strong

Jim Coe with his art collection.



sense of aesthetics, and they express the human experience through their folk art, literature, and music.”

The Coes’ collection also includes carved and lacquered wooden boxes, ceramic figures, linens, scarves and shawls, matryoshka (nesting) dolls, paintings, books, lapel pins, a samovar

(an ornate Russian teapot presented by a visiting MBA class)—and medals and awards presented to Jim for his service to the MBA program in Russia.

The value of their collection is secondary to the Coes. It’s the friendship it represents they cherish most. “So far, we’ve kept most of our treasures, although we’ve occasionally given some away as special gifts to friends,” Jim says.

hide and seek“Muggles” (a Harry Potter pejorative) is what

Lisa Merriman and her fellow “cachers” call those of us who haven’t discovered the magic of geocaching. Growing in popularity, geocaching combines technology, elements of a scavenger hunt, a bit of journalism, and exercise in the great outdoors. It can be a solo endeavor, or fun for the whole family.

Lisa (M.A. ’07, English) has been caching for about a year-and-a-half, and she’s found more than 250 caches and nearly 200 “travel bugs.” Longtime cachers, however, may have more than 5,000 caches to their credit.

“I’m very excited about geocaching,” says Lisa, who teaches English at Fort Wayne’s Carroll High School. “It’s an adventure, and it makes me do things I wouldn’t otherwise do, like climbing under spider-web-infested bridges and hiking three miles for a single cache.”

Geocaching essentials include a handheld GPS receiver and a computer connected to the Internet. To start, go to www.geocaching.com, where you’ll find the longitude and latitude for caches hidden in your area—and all over the world. Online maps come in handy, too.

While there are many variations, traditional geocaching entails finding a cache hidden by a fellow cacher. And although caches can vary greatly, too, they’re typically small waterproof containers, such as film canisters and ammo boxes. All caches contain logbooks, and some hold “treasure”—usually a trinket of little value. Or, a cache may contain both a logbook and treasure.

Once you’ve found a cache, you can leave a message about your hunt in the cache—and later on the Internet. You can keep the treasure

Jeremy and Lisa Sells


if you leave something of similar value for the next cacher. There are also travel bugs and “geocoins,” which are moved from cache to cache, and whose movements are monitored on the Internet.

Caches are usually camouflaged and hidden outside, both in the country and in the city. “I’ve found only one cache that was hidden inside, and it was very unique,” Lisa says. “It was a book in the Monroe County Public Library in Bloomington, and you had to decipher clues to find it. Once you found it, you could write in it about your caching experiences. The people at the library were in on it and knew what we were doing. As a rule, you don’t want to geocache anywhere without permission.”

Cachers trek through woods, climb trees, crawl through culverts—it’s great exercise. Geocaching can also be thought-provoking, as in the case of a “spirit quest.”

“A lot of caches are hidden in cemeteries,” Lisa says. “When I’m in a cemetery, I take time to read the headstones, and it often makes think about the sacrifices made by the veterans buried there.”

Geocaching has its social side, too. Northeast Indiana is a hotbed of caches and cachers, who have get-togethers about once a month. Register at geocaching.com to receive e-mail updates about new caches and cacher events in your area. There are discussion forums as well.

“We need more cowbell!”Dance ’til you drop, or stay on the floor and yell for more with

LemonWheel, an Indy-area party band featuring Lisa (Ferguson) Sells (B.S. ’96, mathematics) and husband Jeremy Sells (B.A. ’94, general studies; B.A. ’98, Spanish).

Lisa is a vocalist and percussionist (tambourine and, yes, cowbell), while Jeremy provides drums and vocals. By day, she’s a pharmacokineticist with Eli Lilly, while he’s an investigator with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Jeremy and Lisa met in 1991 through their on-campus jobs and married in 2000. But while they’ve both been performing with various bands for several years, Lisa and Jeremy just recently moved under the same marquee with LemonWheel.

Jeremy first picked up the sticks in high school. In 1990, he began what became an 18-year stint with Pop ’n Fresh, a popular Fort Wayne blues band.

Lisa didn’t have much musical experience beyond her grade-school and church choirs. Her first professional singing gig was as a KJ (karaoke jockey) at Pierre’s in Fort Wayne. In 1997, Lisa began singing a number or two during Pop ’n Fresh gigs, but she wanted more. “That just wasn’t enough,” Lisa says. “I got tired of sitting in the audience most of the time.”

The couple moved to Indy in 1998, but Jeremy stayed on with Pop ’n Fresh, returning to Fort Wayne on the weekends. In 2002, Lisa started her own band, ElekTrik Blue, which lasted for two years.

“We did our own thing on weekends for seven years,” Lisa says. “We missed each other, but I think it’s healthy for couples to have separate activities. During that time, I learned how to manage and market a band. After all, I watched Pop ’n Fresh from the audience for eight years, and I figured out what people want to hear.”

LemonWheel, the six-member band Lisa formed in 2004, plays an eclectic mix of tunes from several genres: disco, rock, pop, and country, from the ’70s to the present. The emphasis is on music that makes you want to move.

“Too many cover bands are self-indulgent; they play to themselves,” Lisa says. “To be a successful cover band, you have to play to the audience, and you need to be able to play requests that are pretty much within the genres you feature.”

Jeremy’s solidly behind LemonWheel now after joining in 2007, but he does miss that old band of his. “Pop ’n Fresh was very stable for a long time, and there was a lot of room for artistic expression,” he says. “LemonWheel plays for the audience more, and there’s less individual expression. But I like LemonWheel. We’re trying to take things to a new level as far as putting on a show for people, and they seem to like it.

“Performing gets in your blood—it did for me anyway,” Jeremy adds. “I often wish it were my profession, but I wouldn’t want to deal with the business end of it.”

Leave that to Lisa. “We’re definitely not in it for the money—it’s never been about the money,” Lisa says. “Sometimes, a band’s bar tab can be more than what it’s being paid to perform.”

You can tune in to the band at www.LemonWheel.com.

And speaking of hobbies ...So there you have it—some interesting folks doing some

interesting things in their spare time. A hobby may involve a considerable amount of hard work, or it may be just pure pleasure.

Many famous people have offered their perspectives on hobbies through the years. For example, Dame Edith Sitwell (an appropriate surname), the British poet and critic, extolled a more austere approach to avocation: “My personal hobbies are reading, listening to music, and silence.”

Comic Steven Wright has a hands-off, passive approach: “I have a hobby ... I have the world’s largest collection of sea shells. I keep it scattered on beaches all over the world. Maybe you’ve seen some of it.”

But as you’re choosing any avocation, just remember what Benjamin Franklin said: “Beware the hobby that eats.”



If you’re putting Jason Bourne through his paces on your PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, punching, kicking, and blasting the bejesus out of the bad guys, don’t forget to give Carrie Jones her props.

Carrie, a 1998 fine arts grad, was a member of the team at

High Moon Studios that developed Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy, a new video game published by Vivendi in June. It’s a third-person espionage and action adventure that expands upon the themes presented in the Bourne books and movies.

Carrie joined High Moon Studios in sunny San Diego as a shader artist two years ago. In a nutshell, a shader artist employs software to define the interaction between object surfaces and light.

“I worked with the characters, and I also did

Fine arts alumna Carrie Jones played

a big role in bringing Jason Bourne

to your video game console.

A CONSPIRACy IS ‘BOURNE’

Alumni profile

Carrie Jones is loving life in San Diego.


some in-game aspects on The Bourne Conspiracy,” Carrie says. “This was my first video game, so it was a great learning experience and very exciting, too.”

High Moon Studios is also known for Darkwatch, a popular first-person-shooter video game. The studio employs more than 150 at its state-of-the-art, 50,000-square-foot facility in Carlsbad, a seaside community in San Diego County. The area is a hotbed of video-game development, with more than a dozen companies striving to create the next big thing.

Carrie is as happy as a clam in the surf, sun, and artistic and intellectual milieu. “I can’t think of any place I’d rather live,” she says. “I live six blocks from the beach. The people are great. It’s just wonderful. San Diego is more artsy, more hippy-ish than LA. I like this kind of environment.”

Los Angeles was Carrie’s first destination when she went west in 2006. “I came out here with a couple of prospects,” she says. “Originally, I was hoping to get a job in the movie industry, but then I was offered this position at High Moon Studios. I couldn’t be happier—I work with and work for some great people at High Moon.”

Despite being perfectly content in her job and surroundings in Southern California, the Fort Wayne native and Concordia High School graduate is proud of her roots. “I’m glad I grew up in Fort Wayne, in the Midwest,” she says. “I feel I’m more grounded in some respects than some of the people out here.”

At IPFW, Carrie was an active member of the Art Students League. One of her favorite professors was Robert Murray. “He was awesome,” she says. “Professor Murray brought with him the beginnings of 3-D animation classes, and that’s what I do now.”

After graduation, Carrie worked in Chicago for a year before returning to Fort Wayne, where she spent four years in Web development and information technology with United Arts Education. Then, she was southbound, earning a master’s of fine arts at the Savannah (Georgia) College of Art and Design.

“I’m pretty happy with my career track so far, but my goal is to transition into teaching—that’s why I went to graduate school,” she says.

Carrie has some immediate guidance for artists aspiring to excel in today’s world. “More than anything, it’s important to have art skills, but it’s increasingly important to have technology skills,” she says. “For example, I’m rare in my position as a shader artist because I don’t have a computer science degree. If you go to Pixar or DreamWorks, all of their artists have computer degrees.”

And even if you land a job that combines art and technology, don’t let your artistic skills get stale. “I still paint and draw, and I still do photography. I like hands-on stuff, arts and crafts,”

Carrie says. “It’s extremely important to keep those skills by using them. Otherwise, you’ll lose them when you’re sittin’ and clickin’ all day long.”

And speaking of things that click, what’s up next at High Moon Studios? “We can’t talk about upcoming projects,” Carrie says. “I can only say we have two games in development.” Of course, she could tell us, but then she’d have to send Jason Bourne after us.

“I can’t think of any place

I’d rather live. I live six

blocks from the beach.

The people are great.

It’s just wonderful. ... I like

this kind of environment.”

—Carrie Jones

B.F.A. ’98



Palm Island Resort is located along the Intracoastal Waterway on Florida’s southwest gulf coast. The resort encompasses a two-mile portion of private, pristine beach on the Gulf of Mexico at the northern end of Palm Island. Resort guests stay in privately owned tropical villas and travel to the resort by boat or car ferry. Golf carts, bicycles, and walking are the only means of transportation at the resort. Check out the resort at www.palmisland.com.

All included in these low package prices*:One bedroom/one bath: Two bedroom/two bath:

Double occupancy: $1,195/person Quad occupancy: $882/personSingle occupancy: $1,950/person Triple occupancy: $1,025/person Double occupancy: $1,318/person Single occupancy: $2,196/person

*As airlines add more fees, such as luggage fees, we will notify you. Those fees are the traveler’s responsibility.**Each cluster of villas has its own heated pool, hydra spa, and gas barbecue for your use.

$50 off the 2009 Palm Island Alumni and Friends Trip!

$50 off per-person full-package price when that person:• Is a current IPFW/IU or IPFW/Purdue Alumni Association dues-paying member

(Membership must be current or can be purchased today via IPFW. Membership is open to the public).• Makes his or her trip deposit by Nov. 1, 2008.

*Non-refundable deposit is 50 percent of the package price listed above.

ALUMNI ESCAPE

Alumni trip

Come sail away on tropical breezes …while everyone is shoveling snow back home!

Fifth annual IPFW Alumni & Friends Palm Island Resort Trip

Jan. 29 to Feb. 3(open to the public)

Sign up by calling 260-481-6807.

Airline seats and gulf-view villas are limited!

We sell out every year, so hurry and sign up today!

Six days and five nights

PLUS

Sunday IPFW Luau Luncheon Party

Seashell class on the beach

Nature cruise

Beautiful gulf- view villa**

Round-trip, nonstop air from Indianapolis

to Fort Meyers

Indiana and Florida ground transportation

And all the seashells you can pick up

and pack!

All accommodations include:Screened porch, central air, linens, washer and dryer, ironing board, VCR, cable television, cookware, microwave, utensils, coffee maker, dishwasher, refrigerator, toaster, ice maker, range, and oven. The Island Internet Café is nearby, offering Internet services as well as a snack bar for breakfast items, pizza, and ice cream. The island restaurant and bar, Rum Bay, is open for lunch and dinner. The island’s mainland restaurant and bar, Johnny Leverocks, is a short water-taxi ride away. The island gift shop carries apparel, gifts, food, and drinks. We make a stop at an inexpensive, mainland grocery store before boarding the ferry to go to the island on Jan. 29.

See last year’s fun at www.ipfw.edu/alumni/

news/alumnitrip.

❑ $500 Pacesetter gift to the IPFW Annual Fund to become an IPFW Alumni Pacesetter. This premier group receives special perks, invitations, etc.

❑ $250 mastodon footprint in the Alumni Plaza patio. Includes up to three lines of text.

❑ $100 fountain cobblestone surrounding the soon-to-be-built Connie and Dan Dickey Alumni Fountain.

❑ $50 Alumni Millennium Walk brick with your name and graduation year.

❑ One-year membership in the IPFW/IU ($40) or IPFW/Purdue ($50) Alumni Association. Members receive several benefits including IPFW Alumni Magazine and newsletters and invitations to the annual Mastodon Roast, Tapestry: A Day for Women, the annual Palm Island Alumni and Friends Trip to Florida, Homecoming, legislative events, job placement assistance, and career networking opportunities.

P l e a s e c o m p l e t e t h e i n f o r m a t i o n f o r m o n t h e r e v e r s e s i d e .

Leave your mark on IPFW... It’s your Legacy!

YES! Extend my personal touch to the IPFW campus and Alumni Plaza!


Alumni Millennium Walk

Mastodon footprints in Alumni Plaza patio

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ame

IPFW 2008

Your NameIPFW 2008

2008 PACESETTERSMr. Dennis C. BeckerB.S. ‘74AttorneyBarnes & Thornburg

Mr. Tom BlackburnB.S. ‘74PartnerBlackburn & Green

Mr. John BlocherM.S.B.A. ‘73RetiredAmerican Electric Power

Mr. Ralph D. CroweA.A.S. ‘68, BS ‘70Vice President of InvestmentsUBS Financial

Mr. Michael HimesB.A. ‘73CEO Petroleum Traders Corp.

Mr. Mark MichaelA.A.S. ‘78, B.S. ‘83President Fort Wayne Metals Research Products Corp.

Ms. Suzon MotzB.S. ‘91Community Volunteer

Mrs. Jill A. NicholsB.S. ‘83Vice PresidentVera Bradley

Mr. H. John OkesonB.A. ‘86Deceased

Mr. Kel Ryan PrestonM.B.A. ‘92PresidentPreston International

Mr. Jeff A. TanerB.S. ‘82CPA, DirectorDulin, Ward & DeWald, Inc.

Mr. Daniel R. WeirichA.A.S. ‘73Co-ownerG. W. Micro Inc.

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Mail this form and payment to : IPFW Alumni Relations, 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499

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ALUMNI RELATIONS IPFW2101 E COLISEUM BLVD FORT WAYNE IN 46897-7517

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gROWINg UP

IPFW alumni—and the

campus itself—come

into their own.

Chancellor’s Letter

At a Northwest Allen County School administrator’s meeting

that I recently attended, Superintendent Steven Yeager

asked how many of those sitting at the table hold degrees from

IPFW. Of the 20 administrators present, 19 raised their hands.

This kind of IPFW representation among peer leaders tells

me that we’re doing more than educating students in Allen

County and the surrounding regions. We’re growing up with

our graduates of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. We’ve come into our

own, much as they have in their careers. IPFW is growing up,

and growing up strong.

In the past 44 years, we’ve graduated more than 44,500

students. Of these, 80 percent remain in Indiana, with

40 percent staying in northeast Indiana—infusing the local

economy with an educated workforce. While IPFW alumni

are equipped to pursue careers anywhere in the world, most

choose to stay right here.

Our alumni can be found in every field. They are leaders in

business and industry. They educate us in the boardroom and

the classroom. They make the laws, enforce the laws, and pass

judgment on those who break the laws. They care for our minds,

bodies, and souls. They shape our quality of life.

Future leaders

We’re expecting to develop a lot more leaders in coming

years. We’ve just finished a new, six-year strategic plan. I’d like

to sum up our obligation as administrators as defined in that

document in six simple words: “our students, our university,

our community.” We intend to develop students and the

university, and as we do so, we’ll develop intellectual products

that support the community.

Here are just some of the ways we will accomplish

those goals:

Residential living

IPFW continues to support and develop campus life, in part

through our infrastructure. We currently house 744 students

on campus, with plans to add another 450 beds in the future,

to accommodate 1,200 residential students total.

But our focus on residential life is more than buildings. With

the residential nature of the campus has come a different vibe—

one of greater unity than we’ve ever seen before. Whether

we’re filling auditoriums and gymnasiums for sporting events

and concerts or training future leaders through residence hall

leadership, IPFW’s campus life is providing a rich, well-rounded

experience for those who choose to live here—all the richer

for the more than 50 countries represented in our student body.

Leadership training

IPFW has always offered a vibrant array of student activities.

Student Life sponsors more than 2,800 student activities per

year. Students can choose to get involved in any one of nearly

100 different organizations. In the past, the bulk of our

leadership training took place in these venues. This year, we’re

opening up our leadership training to anyone who desires it,

with a strong focus on freshmen. Through leadership retreats

and a new six-week leadership luncheon series, we’ll be investing

in any student who seeks to grow as a leader.

But let’s not forget the leadership training that happens in the

classroom, which provides all sorts of opportunities for student

leadership, as does the community at large. As our students go

into the community for internships, they enter a real-world

laboratory right next door—in some cases run by our graduates.

Faculty involvement

Another focus this year is increased faculty-student interaction

on a more personal level (the student-faculty ratio is currently

17 to 1). IPFW will support all faculty members who wish to

host a dinner for students at their homes. Research shows that

the institutional variable most likely to affect student success is

whether or not they make at least one meaningful connection

on campus.

IPFW:

Northeast

Indiana’s

Intellectual

Property

Nearly 80 percent of our graduates stay in the area, infusing the local economy with an educated workforce.

Our hope is that these simple but meaningful programs will

lead to increased faculty-student connections and encourage

collaborative faculty-student research projects, in which students

learn and grow in a more focused setting.

Community service

Another way IPFW provides students with well-rounded

learning experiences is by sending them into the community,

where they continue to learn how to be good citizens and

develop the ability to think and solve problems. But it’s not

just through internships that they learn this.

IPFW maintains a strong tradition of community service.

We have an obligation to support the community with our

expertise. Whether it’s students and faculty building a home

through Habitat for Humanity, staff and faculty serving on

nonprofit boards, or faculty offering pro bono work to young

entrepreneurs, we’re proud of our service heritage. It’s one of

the best ways I know to instill the kinds of leadership qualities

that have made our alumni shine.

This kind of service attitude has paid off for the university as well.

As we treat people with respect, they respond in kind. That’s why

IPFW is regarded as one of the best places to work in northeast

Indiana. We take care of our own. And as we open our campus

to the entire community, the community enriches us as well.

Investing in our core

So, yes. IPFW is growing up. Like our graduates in the past

few decades, we, too, are coming into our own. Not satisfied

with past accomplishments, we continue to press forward on

every level to ensure that the quality of education our students

receive is the very best. Our students, and the graduates they

will soon become, are at the core of what we do. One look

at our graduates in this city and around the world will tell you

that we do it very well.

Sincerely,

Michael A. WartellChancellor

Alumni RelationsIndiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne2101 E. Coliseum Blvd.Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499

NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDFORT WAYNE, INPERMIT NO. 92


IPFW’s center of campus is

now officially “Alumni Plaza.”

Join us as we dedicate

the Connie and Dan Dickey

Alumni Fountain in Alumni

Plaza on Oct. 14.




Documents

IPFW Alumni Magazine · IPFW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Extending the Personal Touch 1 » STAyINg ‘IN TOUCh’ Brand rollout With the objective of connecting the past, present, and future,