U N I V E R S I T Y MAGAZINE SPRING 2012 WEBER STATE Weber State University News for Alumni & Friends Weber State University Magazine Vol. 17, No. 1, Spring 2012 editor in chief Amy Hendricks art director Hillary Wallace ’98 Contributing writers Amy Hendricks Allison Barlow Hess Karin Hurst John Kowalewski Jonathan McBride ’08 Brice Wallace designer Emily Caraballo photographers Bryan Butterfield ’13 Robert Casey Jonathan McBride ’08 Zac Williams ’01 contributing editors Margie Esquibel Lynell Gardner Contents 10 After 10 Years, WSU President Says Farewell Ann Millner reflects on her time at Weber State. 15 Research and the Undergraduate WSU faculty and students take learning to another level. 22 Only Online WSU alumnus Daniel Hubler discusses relationships, teaching and research. Comments and questions about Weber State University Magazine may be sent to the editor at the address below or forwarded by phone: 801-626-7359, fax: 801-626-7069 or email: magazine@weber.edu postmaster: Send address changes to Weber State University Magazine, Weber State University, 4025 University Circle, Ogden UT 84408-4025. weber state university web weber.edu wsu alumni association web alumni.weber.edu weber state university board of trustees 2011-2012 Alan Hall ’69, Chair Jim C. Beardall, Vice-Chair W. Bryan Bowles Kyle Braithwaite ’12 Camille Cain Mary Hall ’85 Kathryn Lindquist Scott Parson Steven E. Starks ’03 Gen. Kevin Sullivan (ret.) 24 When Harry Met Sally An alumnus shares a student housing story from the past while the future — Wildcat Village — goes up. 27 We hope you enjoy the extra content, including videos and slideshows, only available in this digital fomat. Watch for the highlighted links. Class Notes Classmates check in. On the cover, left to right: WSU chemistry professors Robert Beishline and Edward Walker in the lab; WSU undergraduate researcher Preston Kerr at NCUR 2012; WSU undergraduate researcher Amanda Truong in the DNA Lab Weber Now WILDCAT TRAVEL Delve into 2012 and uncover all the fun things happening at WSU! HOMECOMING 2012 WSU vs. Eastern Washington, Sept. 22, 2012 weber.edu/ homecoming September 15–23, 2012 Experience village life in England’s Cotswolds. Charming countryside. Rich cultural traditions. Historic landmarks. Starting at $2,995 plus air For more information, visit alumni.weber.edu/Cotswolds WEBER WATCH wsu news & events john kowalewski and brice wallace, university communications running away with a title In dramatic fashion, the WSU women’s indoor track team won the 2012 Big Sky Track and Field Championship in late February. The Wildcats edged two-time defending champs Sacramento State 132-131 to claim their ninth title in 25 years, and first since 2007. Following the win, head coach Jim Blaisdell was named the Big Sky Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year. trailblazer Heather Wokurka ’05, ’11 didn’t just earn her diploma in December. She also became the first graduate of WSU’s new electronics engineering (EE) degree program. Wokurka, whose first degree was in the electronics engineering technology program, pursued her latest studies while working full time as an electrical test engineer at ATK’s Promontory plant. Designed to meet the needs of local industry, the new EE degree program has attracted more than 140 students, far exceeding orginal enrollment projections. The program is preparing for its accreditation review. Wokurka looks to be the first in a long and steady line of newly minted electronics engineers. Sarah Callister, Women's MVP of the Big Sky Championship Living the Dream WSU’s Dream Weber program is expanding to help even more students pursue their educations, without worrying about the price tag. The Dream Weber program provides free tuition and fees to Utah resident students whose annual household income is equal to or less than $27,000 and who are Pell Grant eligible. The increase in qualifying household income and the addition of fees are the result of a $1 million gift from Kem wsu magazine | spring 2012 and Carolyn Gardner. Since its 4 inception in 2010, the program has supported 1,445 students. The first day of December 2011 was a bad-hair day at WSU, to put it mildly. A blast of arctic air came ripping down the mountains with winds of 40-50 mph and some gusts topping 80 mph. In its aftermath, the Ogden and Davis campuses sustained $1.84 million in damages and toppled trees. Fortunately, there were few injuries. VIDEO Check out a Wizard of Ozinspired video of the windstorm. what’s up, doc? risky business Parents, take heart. Research conducted by WSU psychology professors Eric Amsel and Leigh Shaw indicates that teenage risktaking may not be simply the inevitable consequence of adolescents’ raging hormones or immature brain development. Instead, the findings reported in the Journal of Research on Adolescence suggest that parents and others can help adolescents anticipate the ramifications and regret that they will experience if they undertake risky activity. Amsel says proactive parenting can help teens learn how to make better decisions. weber.edu/wsumagazine Photo: H. Ulmshneider (BLM) and R. Dixon (IDFG) Did you know that Utah is home to the world’s smallest rabbit? Jennifer Schmalz ’11, who graduated with majors in zoology and botany, has spent parts of the past two years studying pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) and their habitat, with her “classroom” being remote, windswept rangeland near Woodruff, Utah. Schmalz first learned of the little creatures, which typically weigh less than a pound, as part of a research project funded by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. 5 WEBER WATCH wsu news & events across the pond mobile mentality With smartphones, tablets, e-readers and laptops, it is difficult to disconnect in today’s world. Against that backdrop, WSU faculty Scott Rogers, Susan Matt and Luke Fernandez taught a course this spring asking “Are Machines Making Us Stupid?” The course, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, featured directed readings and explored whether constantly being connected prevented more in-depth, reflective thoughts. As part of the course, William Powers, author of New York Times bestseller Hamlet’s Blackberry, spoke on campus and offered advice on how to balance our digital lives. Assistant economics professor Mary Wrenn is trading the Goddard School of Business & Economics for Great Britain — Girton College at the University of Cambridge to be precise. Wrenn was selected for the Joan Robinson Research Fellowship in Heterodox Economics, one of the first of its kind in the world. During her stay in the United Kingdom, she’ll pursue her research agenda and also teach an array of economic courses. wsu magazine | spring 2012 making connections 6 More than 180 youth came to WSU in January to play with LEGOS® — all part of a qualifying competition put on by the nonprofit organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). FIRST stages robotic competition programs encouraging students to excel in math and science. The competitions introduce schoolage children to real-world engineering challenges by having them build LEGO robots to complete specific tasks. Participants design, build, test and program the robots; apply math and science concepts; research challenges; learn criticalthinking, team-building and presentation skills; and compete at tournaments. This was the first time that WSU has hosted a qualifying event. PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION. MASTER IT. weber.edu/mpc 801-626-8924 Master of Professional Communication weber.edu/wsumagazine WSU athletic training students had front row seats for assisting in treating some of the most extreme athletic injuries on the planet. A contract between WSU and Winning Medicine International Corp. allowed students to work with athletes competing at Dew Tour stops in Utah. Valerie Herzog, associate athletic training professor and director of the Graduate Athletic Training Program, said that during these four-day competitions, students witnessed injuries that they might not see in 10 years working with football teams. In addition to helping medical staff treat injuries, the agreement allowed WSU students to conduct research aimed at better diagnosing concussions and other traumas. Such findings could eventually lead to better protective equipment. Beyond the Dew Tour, athletic training students and graduates work with athletes in professional baseball, football, ice hockey, soccer and arena football. 7 8 wsu magazine | spring 2012 Join Us Lindquist Family Symphony Pops and Fireworks Weber State University Sunday, July 15, 2012 PICTURES Click the icons for extra online only content. weber.edu/wsumagazine 9 10 A Memorable Decade, AN UNFORGETTABLE PRESIDENT Millner announces plans to step down Amy Hendricks, University Communications Photos by Zac Williams ’01 Wearing her signature purple suit, Ann Millner stood in front of the Wattis Business Smith Lecture Hall and gazed into a crowd of 200+ Weber State University faculty and staff. They filled every seat, packed onto stairs, and spilled out doorways. She took a deep breath and began, “When I first became president of Weber State, I told everyone I’d like to serve eight to 10 years.” One sentence. That’s all it took. What happened next was a testament to Millner’s leadership and a show of appreciation for her years of dedicated service. T wsu magazine | spring 2012 he crowd let out a collective, audible gasp. Millner looked down for a moment, smiled and continued: “This October marks my 10th year. I’ve asked the Board of Regents to form a search committee to select a new president for Weber State University.” 10 Millner didn’t cry during her announcement — “I had to keep telling myself, ‘Buck up, Ann,’” she said later, laughing — but there were moments when her voice broke. Those moments came when she spoke of faculty, staff, students and alumni. Quick to give credit to anyone but herself, this time was no different. Millner, who has given 30 years to Weber State — 20 as an educator and administrator and 10 as president — talked about others who have made the institution, in her words, “great, great, great!” Making a Difference in Students’ Lives Yasmen Simonian, dean of WSU’s Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions, was emotional during Millner’s announcement. “She’s the epitome of integrity,” Simonian said afterward, tearing up. “Anytime Ann does anything, she looks at it from every direction, even 3-D. It’s very important for an institution to have a president like that.” Asked about university accomplishments that have made her proud, Millner laughed and said, “Where do I begin?” After all, the university has achieved many milestones in the past 10 years. But the biggest success, in her eyes, is the difference that Weber State has made in students’ lives. Simonian, a former medical laboratory sciences professor at WSU and 2005 Utah Professor of the Year, said she’s appreciated Millner’s support. “I was so honored to receive the Professor of the Year award and to have won it during Ann’s presidency. It’s been wonderful serving with her.” Millner describes Weber State as an outstanding teaching university that has a sincere dedication to personalized learning experiences for students. She is pleased that, today, 90 percent of students participate in engaged learning, such as community-based learning, undergraduate research, internships, study abroad or capstone courses. Because of these experiences, Weber State students stand out. And Millner is their loudest cheerleader, attending competitions, research presentations, performances and events. VIDEO To hear Alan Hall's remarks on Millner's presidency, click here. weber.edu/wsumagazine “Making a difference in students’ lives is what has driven me every day for the past 10 years,” Millner said, noting that graduation is her favorite event. “To see our students graduate, to see the excitement on their faces, to know that they are now going to go out as alumni and make our community, our world a better place, that is incredible. It’s awe-inspiring to know the effect they’ll also have on their families and for generations to come.” 11 10 A Memorable Decade, I n 2008, Weber State received recognition for its community engagement through the prestigious Carnegie classification. The university has also lifted the undergraduate research program to the national stage. WSU students have been selected to present research at the celebrated Posters on the Hill event in Washington, D.C., seven of the past eight years (including 2012). And, this spring the university welcomed more than 3,000 students and faculty mentors from across the country to campus for the prestigious National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Growing Weber State wsu magazine | spring 2012 During Millner’s presidential tenure, WSU has seen one of the largest enrollment growths in its history, jumping from 18,000 students in 2002 to 25,000 in 2012. 12 To better serve students, WSU has added programs, certificates, associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and dramatically expanded students’ access to higher education through WSU Online, hybrid and technologyenhanced course work, as well as expanded programs for first-generation and disadvantaged students. WSU also launched Dream Weber, an innovative program that helps low-income students earn their college degrees. In the past decade the Ogden campus has renovated and revitalized several facilities to improve educational resources for students, including Lampros Hall, Shepherd Union, Stewart Library and the Swenson Building. The campus also celebrated the construction of Elizabeth Hall, the Hurst Center and the first two buildings of the new Wildcat Village residence hall complex. Even before becoming president, Millner, alongside other key players from WSU’s leadership team, worked closely with state and local lawmakers to create the Davis campus in Layton. The first building at Weber State University Davis opened in 2003. Funding for a second building was approved in 2011. “[The Davis campus] is a ‘close-tohome’ educational opportunity for the citizens of Davis County,” said state Sen. Jerry Stevenson, past chair of WSU’s Board of Trustees. “It's also a great feather in the cap of Hill Air Force Base. It's rare to have a base of that size and a campus of that size that close.” Millner’s leadership has always impressed Stevenson, who said she has earned tremendous respect from the governor’s office, the lieutenant governor’s office and the Utah Legislature. “Every cause needs a champion, and there is no bigger champion for Weber State than Ann Millner. She’s logical. She’s methodical. She doesn’t back down when she knows she’s doing the right thing for Weber State. For all those reasons, she is well respected at the Capitol.” Engaging the Communit y Weber State’s involvement in the educational, economic, social and cultural well-being of the community is another hallmark of the university. During Millner’s tenure, WSU has championed economic development in the region. In 2006, WSU was selected to house the Northern Utah Technology Innovation Center for the Utah Science, Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative. The center connects the expertise of faculty with the needs of local businesses, entrepreneurs and agencies interested in developing and launching new products. To support the aerospace and defense industry of Northern Utah, WSU convened the Aerospace Cluster Acceleration Project in 2010, and as part of that project created the Utah Center for Aeronautical Innovation & Design (UCAID). The center serves the nation’s aviation and aerospace industries by conducting contracted applied scientific and engineering research for aviation industry partners and their clients. In the past decade, WSU has also expanded cultural offerings and staged artistic events for the community to enjoy, while providing outreach programs, such as Science in the Parks and Arts in the Park, to area youth. Mac Christensen, a former member of WSU’s Board of Trustees, said in addition to the student body, faculty and staff, the community has been one of Millner’s number one concerns. “She’s shown great, great judgment in so many different things, and she has a gentle, sweet way that makes everyone want to give 110 percent. We have been blessed to have her as our president at Weber State.” Remembering a Loya l President WSU Provost Michael Vaughan has worked with Millner since her arrival at Weber State in 1982. He knows it’s going to be hard to replace her. “She’s very patient. She looks at multiple sides of every issue. She has always been willing to do whatever needs to be done to accomplish an objective, to succeed in achieving a goal,” he said. One of Vaughan’s favorite memories of Millner isn’t really just one; it’s a memory of all the times she’s talked about the institution in important meetings. “Anybody who could have heard her speak about Weber State would be proud. She is effective, and I believe most people view her as that. She’s been very loyal and has never put herself first.” To learn more about President Millner, click here. T hese are WSU’s core values, adopted in 2011 by the University Planning Council, and formally incorporated into the university’s mission in 2012. “These values are what make Weber State special. In my 10 years as president, I'm proud to say I've seen them demonstrated often,” Millner explained. LEARNING ACCESS COMMUNITY Weber State: A National Model for Dual-Mission Universities For more than five decades, Weber State has successfully pursued a dual mission. One of the hallmarks of a dual-mission university is the educational pathway it creates for students, Millner explained. For example, students can earn certificates or associate’s degrees, move into the workplace, and easily re-enroll at Weber State to earn their bachelor’s, even master’s degrees. And they can do this under one roof, without physically transferring from a community college to a university. Now, nearing the end of her presidency, Millner believes WSU is poised to be recognized as the national model for dualmission universities. “Due to economic conditions, technology, societal changes and shifting needs, this is the model for the future. What sets Weber State apart is we’ve done it for 50 years and done it well. It’s embedded in the fabric of this institution, and we’ve knitted that fabric together in such a way that it’s seamless for students and a great value to this state.” weber.edu/wsumagazine And that was evident during the final moments of Millner’s announcement to faculty and staff. After receiving a two-minute standing ovation, she stood silently, and then in her usual fashion, pointed back to the crowd as if to say, “These are your accomplishments, not mine.” LEARNING, ACCESS AND COMMUNITY 13 ple p A w e The N is iPadilable at! s e a r o t v S a SU Campus W Starting at $499 wsu magazine | spring 2012 For an unbelievable price, you get a “magical and revolutionary product” with stunning retina display, 5-megapixel iSight camera and ultrafast 4G LTE. 14 W E B E R S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y OGDEN BOOKSTORE | DAVIS BOOKSTORE | ART ELEMENTS | CAMPUS SUPPLIES | ART SERVICES You could be eligible for exclusive savings on the new Apple iPad through WSU Campus Stores.* *Must have a valid WSU ID WSU Campus Stores is an Authorized Apple Campus Store and Apple Authorized Service Center. Other Apple Products offered include iPad, iPod, iMac, MacBook Pro and Apple TV. Shop our convenient locations: Ogden Campus Store & Davis Campus Store Visit bookstore.weber.edu for store hours and locations. Get your parking validated with any purchase. For undergraduate researchers at Weber State University, an unanswered question can be the start of a tremendous journey ... an adventure that takes students and teachers beyond the classroom. Together, they have studied underwater habitats, phenomena from outer space, DNA, dinosaurs, songbirds, stepfamilies, and much more. Through National Science Foundation grants or the backing of private donors, they have tackled research as far-ranging as coal liquefaction and pharmacy fatigue. The biology of the Great Salt Lake has and continues to be the source of many scholarly studies. This journey often leads to published papers, prestigious presentations, distinguished graduate programs and outstanding careers. Original research results from students who think critically and creatively for a better understanding and deeper appreciation of their fields of study. For all of these reasons and more … Undergraduate Research is a Pinnacle of Learning at Weber State allison barlow hess, university communications F estooned with banners and filled with enthusiasm, Weber State University welcomed the 26th annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research, March 29-31. Weber State has always been known as an outstanding teaching university, but over the VIDEO Paul Alan Cox, director of the Institute of Ethnomedicine in Jackson Hole, Wyo., spoke at NCUR. Click the icon to watch his presentation. “As I think of Weber State over its 100+ years of history, the underlying theme has been enriching students’ lives, helping them make better lives for themselves, their families and their communities,” said Kathleen Lukken, former associate provost, retired faculty member and proponent for engaged learning. “Undergraduate research is another tool to help students prepare for a fairly chaotic, increasingly complicated world where the answers aren’t clear or simple.” weber.edu/wsumagazine PICTURES With more than 3,000 students and their faculty mentors from around the country, the conference celebrated scholarship; it also underscored WSU’s significant commitment to undergraduate research. years, many on campus have used undergraduate research to enhance the classroom. 15 From Weber State to Space to the Smithsonian During the satellite program of the 1980s, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) asked Weber State to build a satellite that could receive signals from FAA radar at airports. The resulting Northern Utah Satellite (NUSAT) launched from the space shuttle Challenger in March 1989. It operated for 20 months and then deorbited as planned. “To accomplish what the FAA wanted, we had to make something that we ejected out of a can,” remembered Bob Twiggs, who oversaw the project as a professor in electronics. “NASA had not allowed this before, so part of the project was not only to develop the satellite but also to develop the launcher system. We liked to tell people that ‘We didn’t realize the complexity, so we went ahead and completed the project.’” The project brought together faculty, industry professionals and students. wsu magazine | spring 2012 The resulting satellite turned out to be a very significant event in the space program, bringing a resurgence of interest in launching small versus very large satellites. The research continued, and a second satellite called WeberSat was launched in 1990. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum now houses a replica of the NUSAT in its collection. 16 “Helping organizations, such as the FAA, businesses and individuals in the community is common,” said zoology professor John Cavitt, who helped established WSU's Office of Undergraduate Research and is now the director. “Our students are not just doing lab work with limited practical application. We have many interested partners who say they are eager for students to work on a project for them, so the students are doing projects needed by the community.” Creative Undergraduate Scholarship Shapes Writers’ Lives Acclaimed authors Mario Chard and Bret Anthony Johnston have never met — they live and work on opposite coasts — but they share professional gratitude, both crediting WSU’s National Undergraduate Literature Conference (NULC) for opening their eyes to the possibility of writing professionally. And that has made all the difference. In 2011, Chard captured a prestigious Wallace Stegner Fellowship in fiction and poetry from Stanford University. Highly competitive, 2,000 individuals apply for the honor each year. Ten are chosen. An alumnus of Weber State University and Purdue University, his works have been published in Rattle: Poetry for the 21st Century and Third Coast magazine. ard Mario Ch Johnston is the creative writing director at Harvard University. He is a National Book Award winner for writers under 35. His debut piece, Corpus Christi: Stories, won multiple awards. Chard remembers the moment of epiphany that changed his professional life. “I had been writing poetry since I was 8. Most of it was awful, maybe all of it was, but in that workshop, I wrote something, and for the first time I could say, ‘This is a poem.’ NULC allowed me to read and study with some of the best writers in the country and instilled in me the confidence that I could write even if I was a small-town kid from Morgan, Utah.” Johnston learned about NULC from a flier hanging on his favorite professor’s door at Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi in 1995. continued after insert Bret A nthony Johnst on PICTURES Johnston submitted two pieces of work for consideration — a literary critique and a short story. Both were accepted. “I know this sounds strange, but growing up in South Texas, the idea of being a writer wasn’t really anything I knew,” Johnston said. “Once I went to the conference, it felt as if this world of possibility had opened. I had never been around that number of people who cared about language, about story and about poetry in the way everyone there did. I suddenly understood this was possible, and I knew it was what I wanted to spend my life trying to do.” One-of-a-Kind Just completing its 27th year, NULC is the only undergraduate literature conference in the nation. WSU English professor Mikel Vause launched the conference because he saw a need for students to gain confidence researching, writing and presenting their work to peers from other institutions. He planned to name it the Utah Undergraduate Literature Conference and took a stack of homemade, mimeographed fliers to a professional language association meeting. “Immediately someone from Ricks College [in Idaho] asked to participate, so we crossed off the name Utah and put Western States Undergraduate Literature Conference,” Vause remembered fondly. “Then a professor from Florida asked if her students could submit. We said, ‘Sure, why not,’ so we crossed out Western States, and within an hour it became the National Undergraduate Literature Conference.” About 25 Weber State students attend each year. Another 150 come from institutions around the country. This year, 71 different schools were represented. NULC accepts approximately 50 percent of its submissions. “It’s a chance for students to present their wares in a professional setting where they can be asked legitimate questions and have the opportunity to shine in the spotlight for a few minutes,” Vause said. “It’s invaluable to a student’s intellectual growth, not just as a thinker, but as a person who’s a part of a community,” Shea said. “It’s wonderful. It’s just magical.” Undergraduates Attract Authors The fresh perspective and enthusiasm of undergraduates has attracted many distinguished authors who headline the annual event, including Norman Mailer, Ray Bradbury, E.L. Doctorow and Larry McMurtry. “We’ve had students research which author is coming, and then prepare a paper on that author to present at the conference, and sometimes the author has attended the session,” NULC co-director Carl Porter said. “Undergraduates have a certain naïve hutzpah. They think, ‘Well, that author might learn something from me.’ Noted authors seem to love the undergraduates because they come with that naïve confidence.” The confidence is not misplaced. Vause said many times he has been startled by the originality of the thinking and writing. He and many other faculty members mentor students beforehand to polish their work. For Chard, NULC was the confidence builder required to apply to graduate school. “I’ve met with students who come from highly ranked private universities, and I was able to feel secure in my preparation,” Chard said. “A lot of the confidence comes from having to work hard on my own end, and a lot of if comes from luck, but I think I was very well prepared at Weber State and am very grateful for that experience. “ The National Undergraduate Literature Conference is like opening the jacket of a powerful new book: Unimaginable adventures await, and it’s an experience that makes a difference. “I find myself on a regular basis trying to figure out ways to give back to the conference,” Johnston said. “For as long as I have been teaching, I have sent my students from Harvard. I also have been invited back to read and teach. I expect that’s the way it will continue for the rest of my life; I will send students. It just feels necessary to me.” weber.edu/wsumagazine Mike Shea, chair of the English department at Southern Connecticut State University, said his students left NULC empowered and serious about their work. With all the findings, awards and successes, what undergraduate research has launched most successfully are the critical-thinking and problem-solving skills required for Weber State students to tackle the complex challenges of today and tomorrow. 17 jodi smith at work Undergraduate Research Propels WSU Alum from Softball to Surgery When pediatric neurosurgeon and Weber State College alumna Jodi Smith was 8 years old, her dad asked if she wanted to participate in a free-throw shooting contest. A born competitor who loved basketball, Smith did not hesitate. jodi smith at bat for the wildcats The next week, when she and her dad walked into the National Guard Armory, “You could have heard a pin drop,” she remembered. “It was all boys and their dads. We walked up to the desk, and the organizers got out the rulebook and thumbed through and couldn’t find anywhere girls couldn’t enter.” Smith made the contest. out of free throws and won “And you know what, the next year I went back, and they had a contest for girls,” she said laughing. Smith was good enough that, at 4 feet 11 inches, she competed in both high school basketball and volleyball. Eventually a softball scholarship to play left field paid her way through college. In 1979, she was recruited by many schools, but at Weber State she found a welcoming coach, beautiful mountains and great opportunities. wsu magazine | spring 2012 Softball and Studies 18 “Weber State prepared me for life,” Smith said. “Softball wasn’t easy; we spent a lot of time in the gym or traveling. I had to figure out how to get everything done.” Somehow Smith struck a balance between athletics, academics and her sometimes noisy roommates; she maintained a perfect grade point average with an eye toward medical school. “When it would get too loud in my apartment, I’d get in my car and go find a light shining on campus and study in my car,” Smith remembered. “That’s when I discovered the science department was open until 11 p.m. I then went to the Science Lab to study.” Discovering Research In that building, she also found faculty who were willing to engage her in their research. In 1982, zoology professor Gloria Wurst invited Smith to participate in a senior research project on pituitary gland development. “It was amazing just to watch how Gloria could think so critically about a problem,” Smith said. “Her ability to write was also just amazing. I was kind of in awe. She helped teach me those things through our association in the lab doing undergraduate research, and it changed my life.” Now retired, Wurst said she conducted research because she enjoyed it, and introducing undergraduates to research was “always a blast.” She also appreciated their labor and fresh perspective. “Students didn’t know what was supposed to happen because they were not immersed in the research, so sometimes they came up with a novel approach and new ideas,” Wurst remembered. “When the students and I would leave the lab late at night all covered in chemicals from the electrophoresis experiments, none of us was looking particularly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed,” Wurst recalled. “But, I think it helps students understand faculty members as people, not just talking heads. This is an actual person with a sense of humor — or perhaps not,” she said laughing. At the end of a long day of surgery, Smith’s athletic training and stamina combine for a final act of kindness. The research propelled Smith to apply to graduate school. She earned a Ph.D. in anatomy, with an emphasis on nervous system development. Pediatric Neurosurgery A neurosurgeon recognized her talent and encouraged her also to study medicine. She eventually graduated first in her class at the University of Utah and completed advanced training in pediatric neurosurgery at Children’s Hospital Boston, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital. Smith now heads pediatric neurosurgery at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health and is an assistant professor of neurological surgery at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Smith’s young patients call her “Dr. Jodi.” They come to her when they have severe seizures, sometimes up to 1,000 a day, and medication isn’t working. She helps children with spina bifida or who have suffered a stroke or whose skulls have fused prematurely, constraining brain development. “I don’t really have a life. I basically spend all my time at the hospital,” Smith said. “These kids are my kids. I cry with their families. I laugh with their families. I go to graduations. I send graduation presents. I know that when a family hands a child to me, they’ve given me their most-valued possession in this whole world, and I never take that lightly.” “Even if I’ve operated for 22 hours, I’ll still take that extra half hour to wash the child’s hair, comb it, braid it, do whatever I need to do to make the child presentable to the family.” As a surgeon, Smith helps children individually; as a researcher, she hopes to help all children who have epileptic seizures. During surgery Smith removes a tiny sample of brain tissue and rushes it to the lab where she and a research assistant study the tissue at a cellular level to discover why seizures occur and how to prevent them. To meet the extraordinary demands on her time as an administrator, teacher, surgeon and researcher, Smith schedules as many as 15 of her monthly meetings before 7 a.m. Guiding Young Researchers And yet she opened her schedule recently for a two-day job shadow with WSU senior Amanda Truong. A zoology major, Truong has done groundbreaking genetics research on brine flies. She wants to follow in Smith’s academic footsteps. “Job shadowing Jodi was awesome,” Truong exclaimed. “The first day she removed a brain tumor from a 15-year-old boy. The surgery was about nine hours long. Jodi stood up the entire time. She did not take a break at all, and I got to watch the whole thing.” During the visit, Truong witnessed the same attributes at play that Smith displayed in that free-throw contest from childhood: a steady hand, confident performance and a positive attitude. Her abilities still amaze and inspire. amanda truong & jodi smith WSU's Office of Undergraduate Research was established to provide research funding, guidance and standards. 2007: Ergo, WSU’s undergraduate research journal, began publication. 2011: $12. 5 million in funded research and external projects was available for undergraduate students and faculty. The money comes from federal, state and private sources and has doubled since 2004. weber.edu/wsumagazine “She is so great. I love her so much,” Truong said. “Jodi is just a cheery person who loves her patients and her profession. She is definitely my idol, and I want a career just like hers.” 2004: 19 Chemistry bonds unite generations of faculty and students In the summer of 1954, three undergraduate chemistry students helped move the Weber College chemistry department from the school’s original downtown location to the current campus. At the time, no one had an inkling of the long-lasting bonds that would be discovered in that department — and not just between chemicals. It seemed destiny that one of those young men, Spencer Seager, would continue his chemistry education and in 1961 return to Weber State as a professor. He remembers the early days when teachers and students ran between their classes and the lab to conduct experiments. One of the first big purchases for the lab was a gas chromatograph, an instrument that measures the content of various components in a sample. Seager and his student Lee Stone decided to put it to use analyzing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). They had to insert DMSO through long lengths of copper pipe, which they rigged from refrigeration tubing. wsu magazine | spring 2012 “To get enough length we had guys get on the fourth floor of the Science Lab to run the tubing out the window to the first floor,” Seager reminisced. 20 As with many experiments, success finally came after long hours, many trials and a little luck. “It was serendipitous. We were heating our column, and somehow Lee got distracted. The column got hot — quite hot, a lot hotter than it should have,” Seager recalled. “When that happened, I said, ‘Well, I don’t want to build another column right now. Go ahead and inject a few samples through it.’” Stone did, and it worked. They separated DMSO from water and in 1970 co-authored a paper published in the Journal of Chromatographic Science. Turns out unlocking the secret of DMSO wasn’t the greatest discovery made that day. The more significant revelation was the potential for knowledge and success when faculty and students collaborate in research. The excitement was contagious. As chairman of the chemistry department, Seager hired a number of other enthusiastic, inquisitive teachers who engaged in research with students. Robert Beishline was one. National Science Foundation In 1974, Beishline received a $50,000 National Science Foundation grant that he renewed several times. With the money and a question about coal liquefaction, or turning coal into fuel, he gathered a team of students to put samples through the gas chromatograph. After approximately 18 months of testing, the substance they were seeking finally emerged. Beishline, now retired, remembers with fondness the moment of success. “I couldn’t have done it without my students; it was simply too time consuming,” Beishline said. “The project allowed the students to see that if they had a plan and the educational background to understand the principles they could make unknown discoveries.” They shared their findings in a number of presentations and papers published in works such as The Journal of Organic Chemistry. One of the students on Beishline’s team was Edward Walker, who after burning coal all day, went home so stinky his wife made him leave his clothes outside. He still brims with excitement remembering the fun they had on the research and with the brilliant professor who could offer such an unexpected variety of help. “Bob would teach class, but he’d come right back to the lab to show us how to do things. At that time, many instruments weren’t available commercially, so he’d help us make them,” Walker said. “He was quite the glass blower and machinist, and he would bend glass to various shapes. If we needed something to connect A to B, he’d make it at his shop at home. I had no idea you could be so personally involved in a project. He loved everything he did.” Cranberry Research Walker wanted to continue learning in the Weber State lab, so he earned his Ph.D. and returned as a professor who then gathered his own team of undergraduate researchers for various projects, including a study of cranberries in the early 1990s. They set out to discover the chemical compound effective in preventing urinary tract infections. “I didn’t realize how young Dr. Walker was,” recalled former student Jennifer Nielsen. “At that time, I thought he was an old guy,” she laughed. “He really wasn’t, and he was having so much fun. What I loved about him and the chemistry professors Cranberry Team in the early ’90s Left to right: Rich Mickelsen, Charlie Thompson, Jennifer Nielsen Mickelsen, Shawn Hogge, Clayton Ericson at Weber State was they went way beyond their duty to help us learn.” Students and teachers together in the department have conducted groundbreaking research on many subjects, including polymers, goldplating and copper analytics. Like the cranberry research team, many have worked together night and day to run thousands of tests. “We were testing tablets, so the capsules in the machines were swooshing up and down, and breaking into pieces,” said Rich Mickelsen, another student on the cranberry project. “The lab was just like your stereotypical ‘Nutty Professor’ lab. It literally looked like that. We had all different kinds of glassware. Things were brewing, and hotplates were bubbling.” The research eventually produced six patents and a new family: Jennifer and Rich married and now run their own lab, RJ Analytical in Plain City, Utah. They primarily focus on testing herbal supplements. When they get a new idea or get stuck on an idea, they contact their former professors. process a certain way, which takes a huge amount of resources and effort,’” Rich recalled. “I told him, ‘I’m doing it the way we pioneered, and it works,’ and asked, ‘Why don’t we write a paper on it?’” Walker still listens to his students and helps them investigate scientific questions. Now his young researchers can perform a lab test in one afternoon that would have taken Walker all summer long when he was an undergraduate. What remains unchanged, however, are the human bonds forged during research. They remain as strong as they were 50+ years ago when the Department of Chemistry found its new home. “I called Ed the other day and said, ‘Everybody in industry conducts one “Operations, logistics, marketing and finance — I speak the language of each business sector.” —Reyn Gallacher, MBA CFO, Amedica Lead the conversation with one of WSU’s new MBA Graduate Certificates. Visit today to learn more! weberMBAcertificate.com Research Unlocks Relationship Secrets for WSU Grad Daniel hubler paul ldt ve schvane D wsu magazine | spring 2012 aniel Hubler is a Weber State University alumnus who loves to people-watch, and as an undergraduate researcher, all the way through his doctoral program at Oklahoma State University, he has documented his observations with a scientist’s precision. 22 Hubler uses cameras, computers, and skin-temperature, heart and respiratory monitors to examine the conversations of couples involved in romantic relationships. The data allows him to study communication patterns, marital satisfaction and the couple’s willingness to learn and change. As a student in the Department of Child and Family Studies at Weber State in 2006, Hubler planned to be a therapist, but then he heard Paul Schvaneveldt, an associate professor in the department, present research findings about relationships at the Families Alive conference. Hubler was fascinated by the possibility of using numbers to predict relationship correlations and strength. “I began to catch the research bug,” Hubler said. He sought out Schvaneveldt and requested the chance to conduct undergraduate research as an educational and résumé-building opportunity. research university where mostly graduate students would work one-on-one with professors,” Schvaneveldt said. “It provides our students opportunities that give them a leg up in their profession or graduate school.” That certainly proved to be true for Hubler whose research and publication record were so strong, he was accepted quickly into every graduate program he applied to: Ohio State University, University of Maryland, Texas Tech University, Oregon State University and Oklahoma State University. He selected Oklahoma State and picked the research methodology track – heavy with numbers and data. The more he learned, the less satisfied he became with merely accepting textbook answers. “It was a joy to work with Daniel because he was so eager to learn,” Schvaneveldt said. “Undergraduate research is not for everyone, but for those like Daniel who want to do it, it pro"My experiences vides a really deep and invaluas a researcher and able learning experience.” Asking questions for science came easily; as a double major in family studies and journalism, Hubler was also a reporter asking questions for WSU’s student newspaper, The Signpost. a reporter taught me there was more to education than memorizing and regurgitating information ... " “My experiences as a researcher and a reporter taught me there was more to education than memorizing and regurgitating information on an exam, getting an A and then taking the next class,” Hubler recalled during a phone conversation from his lab in Oklahoma. “Learning is about developing skills, finding your passion and then following that path.” His undergraduate research with Schvaneveldt led to a joint paper and presentation, titled “Mate Selection in Bolivia: Comparison of Rural and Urban Practices,” at the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) in Minneapolis in 2006. “I think undergraduate research provides a unique niche that students don’t get at a major As a student, Hubler co-authored four publications on relationships between parents, peers and couples that have been submitted for review, and he has presented at a dozen professional conferences around the country. The newly minted Ph.D. soon will begin his professional dream. He was hired to teach in WSU’s Department of Child and Family Studies beginning fall semester 2012. He wants to help other Wildcats gain intellectual confidence from asking and answering original questions. “My challenge is to get students to think critically. This brings out the ability to say, ‘Hey, I have a view on this, and I am okay talking about this view, and I’m OK challenging this view as well,’” Hubler said. “I love helping people reach those ‘aha’ moments where they can discover and think about new things. Teaching and research are where that happens.” weber.edu/wsumagazine Schvaneveldt has mentored dozens of students in undergraduate research over the years, resulting in 28 papers and presentations, four of which garnered national awards from NCFR. “As a critical consumer of information, I have learned to question trends,” Hubler said. “Now I ask, ‘Where are those trends coming from? What kind of methodology do they use?’ I wonder how people base conclusions on such limited information. It has really changed my paradigm and has been fun to think about. Now I know how to ask my own questions, conduct research and propose solutions.” 23 The Big Handsome Football Player the Beautiful Little Redheaded Girl Alumnus Harry Diavatis shares the serendipitous story of how he met his wife, Sally Stringham, 46 years ago in Weber State’s Wasatch Hall. I wsu magazine | spring 2012 t was late February 1965 when I accepted a football scholarship from the Weber State Wildcats and moved from the San Francisco Bay area to Ogden. 24 The following year — 1966 — I was hanging around Ogden in anticipation of the start of the football season. It was a very hot July day, and I was quite bored. Just for kicks, I drove up to the Wasatch dormitory, which housed dozens of young coeds. A bank of doorbells, which rang in all the various rooms, was prominently displayed on the wall, so with the attitude of “nothing ventured, nothing gained” and the haughtiness of youth, I pushed all the buttons, one after the other. The first couple of girls who came down weren’t my type, so I looked the other way as they peered around to see who might have rung their doorbells. A few minutes later my patience was rewarded as the cutest little redheaded girl appeared and said, “Did you ring my doorbell?” I replied in the affirmative and introduced myself. Her name was Sally, and she was an 18-year-old freshman enrolled in summer session. After a minute or two of preliminary “chit-chat,” I asked if she wanted to go out for a Coke and check out my new wheels, a beautiful 1962 Galaxie 500XL convertible that my father helped me buy a few weeks earlier. She sadly replied that she couldn’t WSUAA It's About Community alumni.weber.edu/ membership possibly because she was “going with someone.” I had to think fast, so I said, “Hey, that’s okay. I’ll just be your big brother.” She bought that line, and we drove out to a drive-in on Riverdale Road for a Coke. I created many more excuses to see her in the ensuing days, and a couple of weeks later she broke up with her boyfriend. We were married in August 1968 and have three children and 10 grandchildren. Our children’s While the brick and mortar of LaSal, Wasatch and Stansbury halls may be gone — with Promontory Tower soon to join them — the memories of what happened within those dorm walls, like Harry and Sally’s story, will live forever. favorite story growing up was “The Big Handsome Football Player and the Silly Little Redheaded Girl.” Of course, when Sally told it the title changed to “… the Beautiful Little Redheaded Girl.” In truth, I’d have to agree with her on that. And you know what? Forty-six years later she’s just as beautiful. We’ll never forget Weber State and our serendipitous meeting on that glorious summer day. Standing in place of the dorms is WSU’s new Wildcat Village, which will eventually feature three buildings. Hall One was constructed in 2011. Hall Two, or Stewart Wasatch Hall, will be ready for students to move into this fall. Hall Three will follow. Catch the fall 2012 edition of Weber State University Magazine to see how today’s students live — think Food on Demand — and make memories in Wildcat Village. You’ll also find even more alumni stories about the old dorms and the collegeday antics that went on inside (and sometimes outside) them. To share your housing story, visit weber.edu/wsumagazine. A Fond Farewell A pril Fools’ Day dinner is one of my family’s favorite traditions. Each year we invite unsuspecting friends to a meal where nothing is ordinary. Unusual eating utensils and delicious, but unrecognizable, foods present engaging challenges that provide new perspectives on routine daily activities. Like those who come to our dinner, I didn’t know quite what to expect when I arrived at Weber State University in April 2001. I knew WSU was recognized nationally and that the campus was beautiful. I was surprised to learn what an extraordinary experience Weber State students have, how wonderful the faculty are, and how many different opportunities a WSU degree provides. Graduates often tell me how well prepared they find themselves in the workplace and at graduate school. They leave WSU ready to compete with those who attended better known and much more expensive schools. Many students tell me they didn’t recognize their own potential until someone at Weber State helped them understand what they could accomplish. wsu magazine | spring 2012 | class notes Stories about WSU students’ classroom experiences inspired me to quickly enroll, and I continue to take courses whenever I can. It is a privilege to learn from amazing faculty who not only share their intellect but also their concern for others and the world we live in. WSU offers more than 200 majors and programs, 11 master’s degrees and hundreds of online classes to all who seek engaging challenges and new perspectives. Whether you’re considering starting classes, finishing a degree or just learning something new, WSU welcomes you. 26 As I retire from my job as executive director of WSU Alumni Relations, my plan is to follow the example of so many remarkable alumni volunteers and dedicate my time and resources to helping others. And when I’m not running rivers, I’ll be taking more classes at Weber State! Thank you for 11 wonderful years. CLASS NOTES A L U M N I U P D AT E S 30s 50s After graduating from Harvard Business School in 1940, Robert L. “Bob” Wangsgard ’36 established an accounting and income tax preparation practice in Ogden. In 1948, he became manager of Stimson Markets, eventually assuming full ownership and retiring in 2004. Bob has served as director and board chairman of Associated Food Stores and its financial subsidiary Merchants Inc. He has been a 56-year member of the Ogden Kiwanis Club, also serving as president, and the Ogden Executive Association. He and his wife of 72 years, Patricia, have four children, eight grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and two great-greatgrandchildren. Frank M. Anderson ’52 served in the U.S. Army near the front lines of the Korean Demilitarized Zone. He was a member of his family’s orchestra and also performed in Ogden and Salt Lake City with the Milton & Morganaires Barbershop Quartet. Frank worked as a mechanic and a service manager for many automobile agencies. After 22 years, he retired from Hill Air Force Base where he maintained heavy diesel vehicles. He has six children, 25 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren, with one 40s An artist and designer, Marjorie Andelin Crittenden ’42 worked for more than 30 years at Klenke Floral, eventually becoming chief wedding designer and Christmas display artist. She enjoys visual and performing arts and regularly attends ballets, operas and plays. She has attended the Utah Shakespeare Festival every season for the past 39 years. She and her husband, Don, have five children. Marjorie recently celebrated her 91st birthday. 60s CAREER ,SHIFT, found the the II found perfect job! job! perfect in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. They also have fun watching their grandsons play football. The Foxleys live in Layton, Utah, and have four children and nine grandchildren. more on the way. Frank and his wife, Lois, recently celebrated his 80th birthday. JR Tribe ’56 worked with Junius R. Tribe Co. selling real estate and insurance. He and his wife of 50 years, Lynda, created Julyn Enterprises, a company that managed and maintained rental units in Ogden. The Tribes live in Ogden and have five children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Lifetime Member of the Alumni Assocation Annual Member of the Alumni Association Donna Sparks Burdett ’60 served as student body secretary while attending Weber College. She worked as office manager for Burdett Dental PC. She serves on the Treehouse Museum Board and is president-elect of the WSU Emeriti Alumni Council. Donna has also served on the Ogden City Planning Commission, Ogden City Council and WSU Alumni Board of Directors. She and her husband, Wm. Michael ’60, have four children and 10 grandchildren. Mike is a retired dentist and has served as president of the Weber District Dental Society and as president of the WSU Alumni Association. He serves on the Ogden Union Station Foundation Board of Directors and is a member of the Emeriti Alumni Council. LM LM Lee J. Malan ’58 served as student body president during his time at Weber College. He earned his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Utah and in 1974 opened his own practice, Image Refinement Surgery in Ogden. Lee and his wife, Becky, have 13 children, 42 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. LM Keith A. Anderson ’65 retired after teaching in the Weber School District for 34 years. He and his wife, Janice, have been alumni.weber.edu LM Allan L. Foxley ’58, ’65 retired after 30 years with the Utah Department of Workforce Services. He and his wife of more than 50 years, Lorraine, enjoy spending time at the cabin they built with their son Thanks Thanks to to J. LaRon Zundel ’56 retired in 2001 after spending the majority of his career in the AM For more than 30 years, Robert C. Van Dyke ’58 was an educator and administrator in many areas of education for the deaf in the United States, teaching classes at Columbia University and the University of Utah. He also taught classes in Canada and Mexico. In addition, Robert was a professional ski instructor and also worked with the Snowbasin Ski Patrol. He and his wife, Sharon Adams ’58, have been married for 50 years. Sharon taught school in Ogden and Salt Lake City for 30 years. auto repair business. He and his wife, Kathleen Toombs ’58, have been married for more than 50 years. Kathleen retired from nursing in 2000 after working for the original Thomas D. Dee Medical Hospital, McKay-Dee Hospital Center, and in a hospital in Oregon. They currently live in North Ogden, Utah, and have four children and 15 grandchildren. 27 CLASS NOTES real estate school as a realtor and broker, a position she held for 10 years. She worked for 12 years in the home mortgage business as a loan officer. She has been a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Junior League, Ogden School Foundation and served as secretary for the PTA. She is the secretary for the WSU Emeriti Alumni Council. married for 50 years and have four children, 17 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. They live in Taylor, Utah. LM wsu magazine | spring 2012 | class notes LM 28 Carol Cope Freestone ’65 was involved in student activities and government while attending Weber, serving as activities vice president. After 32 years, she retired from America First Credit Union as records manager/membership officer. Carol serves on the WSU Emeriti Alumni Council as past president. She and her husband, Edward ’67, have three children, all of whom graduated from WSU. Ed performed a lead role in Weber College’s first large-scale production of Carmen and went on to teach choral music at Ben Lomond and Ogden high schools. In 1991, he became a technology specialist for the Ogden School District, retiring in 2001 as a supervisor. Ed started a software development company in 1989 that produced several student records programs for the Ogden and Weber school districts. He is president of the Emeriti Alumni Council. LM Dee Phillips ’67 worked for the Utah State Division of Youth Corrections for more than 30 years, mostly at the Juvenile Detention Center in Roy, Utah. The last few years before retirement, Dee served as a case manager/parole officer. He has been involved in scouting for several years in various capacities and in 2001 received the District Award of Merit in the Island View District. Dee and his wife, Suzanne Cornia ’62, met while attending Weber State and both currently serve on Kaye Miller Cox ’67 is the youngest of five daughters of former Weber President William P. Miller. Kaye and her AM husband, Roger W. ’58, have five children and 17 grandchildren and live in West Haven, Utah. Kaye graduated from AM LM the Emeriti Alumni Council. Suzanne retired after working for 45 years in nursing. She received the YWMCA Courage to Care Award in 1988 and the Outstanding Nursing Alumnus Award from the WSU Department of Nursing in 1997. The Phillips have three children, all of whom graduated from Weber State. AM LM Robert D. Callister ’67 worked for Morton-Thiokol and was assistant manager for the Weber State Bookstore. He also worked for Asael Farr & Sons as plant manager before retiring with 27 years of service. He and his wife of 50 years, Sandra, live in Ogden and have five children and seven grandchildren. AM A L U M N I U P D AT E S Lifetime Member of the Alumni Assocation Annual Member of the Alumni Association Billee Wright Petersen ’68 retired from a career in nursing in 2000 but has remained active as a Red Cross volunteer disaster health nurse. She serves as the Red Cross nurse liaison for the state of Utah. She was an assistant professor and taught nursing at Weber State for five years and enjoyed a 20-year career in nursing at McKay-Dee Hospital Center. Billee was also a nurse practitioner in the Diabetic & Endocrine Clinic for 10 years. She serves on the Emeriti Alumni Council. Howard M. “Bud” Trewet Jr. ’68 served in the U.S. Army in Colorado and with the Military District of Washington at Fort Myer. He retired from W.R. White Co. as accounting manager. He also worked for the Internal Revenue Service and H&R Block Co. He and his wife, Dixie, have two sons and six grandchildren. 70s Donna M. Parker-Dahl ’72 was instrumental in creating the Mutton Hollow Improvement District, serving as a trustee. She worked for many businesses and retired after 21 years of teaching and counseling at Layton High School. She has traveled extensively and served in many civic and church positions. Donna splits her time between Syracuse and St. George, Utah. She has six children, 32 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren. July 21, 2012 | 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Single-Day Passport: $33.95 Regularly $44.95 (all ages, includes rides, Lagoon-A-Beach, Pioneer Village and daily entertainment) Children 2 years old and younger may enter the park and LagoonA-Beach at no charge. They may ride the carousel and train on their parents’ laps. Other rides and activities require a Single-Day Passport or individual ride tickets. Backyard Barbecue Lunch FREE for dues-paying WSU Alumni Association members & one guest, or $5/plate. No charge for children 2 years old and younger For passports/lunch tickets visit: alumni.weber.edu/Lagoon We want you to help make Weber State University Magazine even better. AM Take 15 minutes and visit weber.edu/magazinesurvey to tell us what you like and what you don’t like about your alumni magazine. We have new iPads to give away to two survey participants. To enter the drawing, be sure to enter your name and your current, working email address in the comment box of Question 18. Respond by July 31, 2012, for your chance to win an iPad. For a full list of contest rules, visit weber.edu/magazinesurvey. Michael G. Malaska ’76 is a Weber State Athletics Hall of Fame golfer. He was awarded the 2011 PGA National Teacher of the Year Award. His 38 years of playing in PGA Tours and Champions Tours, and his teaching expertise, have been featured on the Golf Channel. He has appeared as cover stories in Golf Magazine, Golf Digest and PGA of America. He has also been featured in a number of other publications and DVDs. Mike and his wife, Charlene, live in Mesa, Ariz. They have two daughters, Jennifer and Ashley. over patrol. He teaches criminal justice and law enforcement for two high schools in Tooele, Utah. He was awarded the Tooele Citizen of the Year award in 2002 for his work with drug education and enforcement. He and his wife, Sharmae, have four children. LM LM LM John F. Guipre ’78, ’96 retired from Pioneer Concrete and Fuel Inc. in 2010. He is enjoying retirement with his wife, Sandy, in Helena, Mont. They are the parents of four children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Jo Ann Nielson Schmalz ’79 worked for Intermountain Healthcare for more than 23 years as a social worker, community liaison and activity director for the Cassia 80s AM Stephanie Bossenberger ’81 is chair of the Weber State dental hygiene department. During the last decade, she has enhanced community service- After graduating from Weber State, Diana Burdett Talbot ’85 attended Brigham Young University where she received her bachelor’s degree in nursing. She worked at McKay-Dee Hospital Center in Ogden and in the pediatric intensive care unit at St. Joseph Hospital in Omaha, Neb. She is married to Bryon J. Talbot ’89, who received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Creighton University in 1993. Bryon’s dental practice is located in Ogden, where the couple lives with their four children. XX SEAT 28 After 25 years of service, Steven J. Swartzfager ’77, ’10 retired from the Tooele City Police Department as lieutenant AM Memorial Hospital in Burley, Idaho. Later she worked at McKay-Dee Hospital Center as a medical social worker for 11 years. Jo Ann serves on the Emeriti Alumni Council and the North Ogden City CERT Council. She lives in Ogden with her husband, Charles L. ’61, who worked as a chemist for the Utah-Idaho Sugar Co. and later Amalgamated Sugar. He retired after 28 years of service. They have three children and 10 grandchildren. *Offer is good for regular-season games only and excludes premium games. alumni.weber.edu For more information, visit alumni.weber.edu/membership ROW AM learning in the dental hygiene curriculum. Her students provide oral care education, dental screenings and direct dental hygiene treatment to thousands of local residents, particularly children and under-served populations. Her teaching role includes student supervision of dental hygiene treatment for veterans at the Salt Lake City Veterans Affairs Medical Center Dental Clinic. She has worked to influence state legislation to permit dental hygienists to serve in settings such as Head Start programs and elderly community programs. She received WSU’s John A. Lindquist Award in 2010. 29 CLASS NOTES LM Todd C. Liston ’86 received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia. He completed a fouryear specialty residency training program and obtained a certificate in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and a Master of Science degree from Ohio State University. He is a fellow in the A L U M N I U P D AT E S American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, diplomat of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and a member of the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Dental Association and American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. He is the senior partner at Oral Maxillofacial Surgeons of Utah LLC. Todd and his wife, Kara, live in Ogden and are parents of three children. Chérie Cox Johnson ’88 is an artist and has a greeting card business called Ma Chérie Cards. She is a substitute teacher in the Davis County School District. Her hobbies are swimming, skiing, exercising, drawing and gardening. She lives in Fruit Heights, Utah, with her husband, John S., and their four children. ORDER YOURS TODAY! Call 1-800-877-6554 90s AM AM James W. Campbell ’92 retired from the U.S. Air Force after 23 years of service and was employed with Computer Science Corp. and Ogden City in the Management Information Systems department. Presently, he is employed at St. Paul Lutheran Church. Jim's wife, Gail, attended Weber State and retired from the university after 23 years as manager of the Dental Hygiene Clinic. She serves on the Emeriti Alumni Council. The Campbells have three children, all of whom attended WSU, and three grandsons. They reside in Farr West, Utah. Wm. Gregory Burdett ’93 received a law degree from Brigham Young University in 1997 and works as an attorney for Ogden City. He is married AM to Janice Kae Dilworth ’92, who is a second-grade teacher at Wasatch Elementary in the Ogden School District. They are the parents of two children. wsu magazine | spring 2012 | class notes AM 30 “Compelling … Fascinating … This is the book I’ve been waiting for.” — A.N. Alumnus LM AM Lifetime Member of the Alumni Assocation Annual Member of the Alumni Association Shane C. Aardema ’95 is a project manager at Setpoint Systems, which designs and manufactures custom lean automation solutions and manufacturing equipment. Shane has more than 17 years of industrial chemical experience in a variety of industries. He and his wife, Melissa, live in North Ogden, Utah. AM Daniel S. Burdett ’95 served as board chairman of campus activities for Weber State and received his master’s degree in social work from the University of Utah. He worked for two years at Weber Human Services and in 1999 became a licensed clinical social worker. Daniel returned to WSU to complete required courses for dental school and graduated from Creighton University Dental School in 2005. He is presently serving as chairman of the board of the Wasatch Adoption Agency and working in his dental practice in Washington Terrace, Utah. He and his wife, Jennifer, are the parents of four children. Roger W. Cox II ’95, ’97 is a certified public accountant and is owner of All Points Tax LLC, an income tax preparation company. For the past 12 years, he has been president and CFO of Interwest Associates. He is a past president of the Utah chapter of the Construction Financial Management Association and is presently on the organization’s board of directors. Roger is married to Shawna Halford ’95, who was inducted into the Weber State Athletics Hall of Fame for track and field. A member of the American Fitness and Aerobics Association, Shawna is a certified fitness and yoga instructor working at the South Davis Recreation Center in Bountiful, Utah. Roger and Shawna have six children. LEAVE YOUR MARK! Jody Cox Lyons ’95 worked for eight years at LDS Hospital with the trauma team, eight years at McKay-Dee Hospital Center in surgery and the emergency room, and four years at the Snowbasin Clinic. She is employed at the Ogden Clinic Grandview location. Jody is a member of the Utah Society of Radiologic Technologists, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists and American Society of Radiologic Technologists and is a member of Davis County Search and Rescue. She and her husband, Matt, have three children. by donating $500 or more to the WSU Alumni Association Scholarship Fund. Visit alumni.weber.edu or call 801-626-7535 00s LM Brandon Checketts ’01 is owner of BookScouter.com, a company he started in 2007. He lives in Athens, Ga., with his wife, Kelly, and their four children. Brett A. Dagley ’01, ’02 was named principal at Schmitt, Griffiths, Smith & Co. in Ogden, where he has worked for 12 years. He specializes in business and individual tax and estate planning. Brett and his wife, Stephanie, reside in Kaysville, Utah, with their three daughters. Brett enjoys boating, camping and playing racquetball. LM AM After graduating cum laude from WSU with a degree in accounting, Paul K. Bachman ’02 attended the University of Wyoming College of Law and graduated in 2005 with his Doctor of Jurisprudence. He then went on to complete a Master of Laws in Taxation at the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law. He is an associate attorney with the law firm of Van Cott, Bagley, Cornwall & McCarthy, and is a member of Van Cott’s Tax, Estate & Benefit Planning Group and Business Organiza- tions Group. He practices in the areas of estate planning, probate, and estate and trust administration. He is president of the WSU Young Alumni Council. Paul and his wife, Christina Mitchell ’04, have three sons. Dee R. Hansen ’02 served as student body president of WSU in 1999-2000 and again in 2000-01 while earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration and technical sales. He is the owner of The DRH Company, a commercial real estate development and brokerage company in Salt Lake City. After graduation, Dee attended Johns Hopkins University, where he earned his Master of Real Estate and worked in Washington, D.C., for nine months. He returned to Utah and started his business seven years ago. He and his wife, Adrienne, reside in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, with their son, Taz. He is a member of the WSU Student Affairs Advancement Council. Jeffrey J. Callahan ’06 recently used his degree in business administration and marketing to start his own business, Safari-Supply, which distributes outdoor, hunting and fishing equipment. He resides in Clearfield, Utah, with his wife, Mary, and their two children. Adam D. Stonehocker ’07 is a sales coach on MarketStar’s Google Team in Ogden, a position he has held for the past year. Previously, he was a national sales manager for Hammaka Hammocks and alumni.weber.edu Brad P. Olsen ’01, ’02 is an audit senior manager for Tanner LLC and has more than 10 years of experience in public accounting. He serves clients in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, oil and gas, financial services, and software development. Brad also has extensive experience with ERISA and Department of Labor rules and regulations. He is a licensed certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants. He and his wife, Traci, have four children. 31 CLASS NOTES operations manager for Claim the Web. Adam lives in South Ogden, Utah, with his wife, Jodi Ann Hollopeter ’09, who is a real estate agent for Keller Williams. Anna Pawlowich Wright ’09 is a sixth-grade teacher at North Ogden Elementary School, where she has taught for three years. She lives in Salt Lake City with her husband, Nikolas. A L U M N I U P D AT E S 10s Matthew D. Gerrish ’10 works as a copy editor for the Standard-Examiner and lives in Layton, Utah, with his wife, Jennifer. Tawna Nicholls Halbert ’10 is a dance teacher at Ben Lomond High School in Ogden, a position she has held for a year. She also is a dance coach at Ogden High School. Her husband, Jonathon, is a current student at WSU and works for KSL and Sonora Grill. Tawna recently received the Emeriti Alumni Council Purple Paw Award for her contributions to the community and WSU, and is serving on the Young Alumni Council. at Lakeview Hospital in Bountiful, Utah. She is a member of the WSU Young Alumni Council, serving as chair of the Success Committee. Jennifer resides in Ogden. For the past three years, Jennifer A. Mitchell ’11 has worked as a radiographic technologist ize m o t s u C d l u o u Sh o Y y h … W s s e n r o o s t a S e s R u 5 p p m o T U Ca S W h g u o r h T 6-6375 Call 801-62 Your Apparel wsu magazine | spring 2012 | class notes edu ices@weber. rv e s rt a il a or em rmation. for more info 32 1 2 ss yourself It’s fun. Expre ts, polos, through T-shir s, trophies rm o if n u , ts ir h sweats free design and more. Get you need it. assistance if al. We offer It’s profession en-printing, digitizing, scre ser engraving la d n a ry e id ro emb up fees. with zero set- 3 4 5 We offer 100 . d e te n ra a u g It’s ction. percent satisfa groups. It’s perfect for ns, teams, reunio s rt o p s k in h T re. ments and mo rt a p e d , s p m a c l. Weber State It’s economica y and staff are alumni, facult counts. eligible for dis rd annual H. Aldous Dixon Awards Dawn M. Gatherum, professor of botany, and Lynell L. Gardner, executive director of Alumni Relations, are the recipients of the WSU Alumni Association’s 2012 H. Aldous Dixon Awards. DAWN M. GATHERUM, Professor of Botany What better name than Dawn for a professor who, for 41 years, has illuminated the inquisitive minds of students at Weber State? Dawn Gatherum planned to become a veterinarian, but a negative experience with college chemistry courses sent him searching for a new major. “I went into botany only to find I needed those same courses,” he says, “so I buckled down and finished chemistry.” Weber State hired Gatherum as a lab manager and technician in 1971, but he soon discovered his passion for teaching. “I filled in for faculty when they went on sabbatical,” recalls Gatherum, “and I just had a blast.” With an eye toward a full-time teaching position, Gatherum left Weber State temporarily to work on his Ph.D. He completed his course work in a single year. Gatherum is a tireless promoter of hands-on learning, organizing countless field trips to Utah, Oregon and Mexico. “It’s exciting to watch students recognize plants they’ve only seen in slides,” says Gatherum. Under his direction, WSU’s Botany Club grows and sells greenhouse plants to fund a student scholarship. Gatherum has directed the prestigious Ritchey Science and Engineering Fair of Utah for 12 years. The regional competition draws hundreds of junior and senior high school scientists to campus. Gatherum, who has served on numerous campus committees, will retire in June. LYNELL L. GARDNER, Executive Director of Alumni Relations When Lynell Gardner’s husband handed her a newspaper notice for an alumni director position at Weber State University, she hoped she would get an interview. “But I never anticipated getting the job,” Gardner recalls. That was 11 years ago, and Gardner not only got the job, she used her unique blend of spunk, intelligence, ingenuity and humor to forge an administrative style that was challenging to replace when she retired in April. Gardner put her wealth of experience to good use at Weber State. She cultivated affinity partnerships with businesses to boost WSU Alumni Association (WSUAA) assets. “With operating income from a different source,” says Gardner, “we could use membership dues to increase the number of scholarships we provide.” She also campaigned for the Alumni Association president to play a role at commencement ceremonies and lobbied to lengthen the WSUAA president’s term of office. She worked with campus departments to provide more services to alumni and served her colleagues as chair of WSU’s Professional Staff Advisory Committee. During Gardner’s tenure, WSUAA created a donor recognition path at the Lindquist Alumni Center, resurrected lost campus traditions like the ringing of the Victory Bell, and established new ones such as the Wildcat Alumni Band. The Alumni Association also enhanced the WSU Salutes event and started a campus-wide recycling program. alumni.weber.edu Named in memory of the former Weber College president, the H. Aldous Dixon Awards have been presented annually since 1970 to honor faculty and staff who have demonstrated careers of excellence and have gone beyond the call of duty to support students. Dixon served as president of Weber College from 1919 to 1920 and again from 1937 to 1953. 33 Non-profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 101 Department of University Communications Liberty, MO 4025 University Circle Ogden, UT 84408-4025 Team Honors The year: 1959. The event: the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) championship game in Hutchinson, Kan. The teams: Weber College and Bethany Lutheran Junior College from Minnesota. The final score: 57-47 Weber College. The reaction: Sheer excitement. Fast forward 53 years. The event: the Weber State University Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony. The inductees: the entire 1959 Weber College men’s basketball team. The reaction: Sheer excitement, with twinges of nostalgia. Allen “Stretch” Holmes, the former 6-foot-3-inch stand-out forward, perhaps described the win and the team the best: “That game, well, I can’t remember a greater experience in my life. We were more than a team; we were a family. I recently told my son that to be a champion, you have to have teammates who enjoy each other, who are willing to share and willing to understand.” Stretch recalled one instance, in particular, where friendship helped him earn 40 points in a game. “I was close to 40. Gary Gardner had the ball from a breakaway. He got to the goal, stopped, and waited for me to get there so I could get the points to get me to 40. Now that’s friendship,” he said chuckling. The induction ceremony, which includes vintage video from the 1959 championship game, can be viewed by clicking the video icon. VIDEO