A DREAM COMES FULL CIRCLE In 2012, WSU outpaced perennial favorite Johns Hopkins University to be named the Best Radiologic Technology Training Program in America by Auntminnie.com, an honor bestowed by professional peers in the field of medical imaging. CASEY NEVILLE ’09, ’10, ’12 • Assistant professor WSU Department of Radiologic Sciences Casey Neville started with one goal: getting into WSU’s Associate of Applied Science in Radiography program. That led to another: getting into the Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences program. That led to yet another: getting into the Master of Science in Radiologic Sciences program. Today, Casey — the first person in his family to graduate college — is living his ultimate dream: pursuing his doctoral degree while teaching and mentoring students at his alma mater, home to the best radiologic technology training program in America. For more information on WSU's radiologic sciences programs, Worthy of Your Dreams visit weber.edu/radsci. Weber State University News for Alumni & Friends Weber State University Magazine Vol. 18, No.1, Spring 2013 editor in chief Amy Hendricks art director Hillary Wallace ’98 Contributing writers Matt Gerrish ’10 Paul Grua ’02, ’13 Amy Hendricks Allison Barlow Hess Karin Hurst Kimberly Jensen designer Amy Hajdas photographers Robert Casey Sara Lleverino ’01 Zac Williams ’01, ’13 contributing editors Nancy B. Collinwood ’94 Margie Esquibel Karin Hurst John Kowalewski Brad Mortensen Amber Robson ’05 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 2012-13 Alan E. Hall ’69, chair Jim C. Beardall, vice chair Karen Fairbanks Andrew Gardiner Mary C. Hall ’85 Kathryn Lindquist Scott Parson Steven E. Starks ’03 Jeff Stephens ’84, ’87 Retired Gen. Kevin Sullivan We hope you enjoy the extra content, including videos and slideshows, only available in this digital fomat. Watch for the highlighted links. NoW ONLINE! MASTER’S DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE • Degree can be completed in 12 to 16 months • More than $30,000 in scholarships available annually • Classes taught by professors with real-world experience • Designed for students with bachelor's degrees in criminal justice, as well as other fields Visit WSUMastersCJ.com to learn more. CONTENTS 10 Half Century of Hoops WSU celebrates 50 years of Division I basketball. Plus, Damian Lillard wins NBA Rookie of the Year. 14 A New Element Meet WSU’s 12th president. 19 A Summer in China English professor details wondrous world of Middle Kingdom. 22 The Young & the Studious At 15, WSU’s youngest student is dreaming of medical school. wsu magazine | spring 2013 28 4 Class Notes Classmates check in. 24 Parkman of Alcatraz Alumnus is park ranger on “The Rock.” weber.edu/wsumagazine 5 WEBER WATCH wsu news & events allison barlow hess, university communications Verbal Volley No one was at a loss for words when the nation’s top collegiate debaters descended on Ogden to test their mental agility, verbal acuity and research ability at the 67th National Debate Tournament. The competition attracted 500 of the best orators from public and private universities around the country, including Dartmouth, Harvard and Northwestern. Endowed Chair Selected Selected for his outstanding research and dynamic teaching, Stanley Fawcett was named to the John B. Goddard Endowed Chair in Global Supply Chain Management. He is the first WSU professor to hold the title of endowed chair. The tournament was last held at Weber State 25 years ago. Coach Omar Guevara said the competition was an opportunity to showcase WSU’s commitment to collegiate debate as well as the scenic campus and community. “Dr. Fawcett will bring national attention to our program, lead the curriculum and recruit new students from all over the nation,” said Jeff Steagall, dean of the John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics. WSU has the only supply chain management program in Utah, boasting a 100 percent placement rate from its degree and certificate programs with employers such as Hill Air Force Base, Ford, Boeing and General Electric. Inspirational App Computer science major J.R. Westmoreland ’13 has a large homevideo collection, so he decided to write an iPhone app that would catalog and organize movies and note who borrowed what and when. 6 “As far as we know, this has never been done before,” said Rob Hilton, associate professor of computer science. “J.R. has proven that a blind person can create an app from scratch, even though there is a strong visual component to the process.” zac williams wsu magazine | spring 2013 On his laptop, he typed, searched the Internet, created and designed — all without sight. Westmoreland is blind. His work required a few special tools, such as a Braille display and a screen reader that tells him in a human voice what is on his monitor. Westmoreland hopes his design ends up in the app store and is an inspiration to other blind designers. Extreme Research The extreme thrills and spills of Winter Dew Tour athletes in Colorado contributed to valuable concussion research for a group of WSU athletic training and nursing students. sara lleverino Rock On After 100 years in operation, the WSU Bookstore (or Campus Stores as it’s now called) wanted to contribute something substantial to the university. The goal was achieved with the gift of a 65,000-pound granite boulder, 9 feet tall and 15 feet in circumference, etched with the flaming “W.” The students used helmet sensors, video monitors and blood draws to gather novel information as part of a fouryear study investigating overall brain health in college athletes. The research uses biomarkers to identify possible brain decay and memory loss in athletes who participate in contact sports throughout their college careers. “It’s not just the athlete who is sidelined for a concussion we’re concerned about, it’s the athlete who takes repeated, undetected blows to the head,” said Jordan Hamson-Utley, assistant professor in athletic training. “We can’t repair the damage, but we can stop it from happening.” Campus Stores collaborated with Facilities Management to install the rock as part of the renovation of Tracy Plaza. The plaza beautification includes trees, benches and a water feature, and is part of an overall landscaping master plan that brings the majesty of the mountains to the campus. weber.edu/wsumagazine photo courtesy of jordan hamson-utley haslam photography/shutterstock.com Students quickly adopted the new space. The first dance was held around the rock just two weeks after installation, and it’s already a favorite backdrop for graduation photos. 7 WEBER WATCH wsu news & events Crime Seed Investigation Key information from native plants may help Weber County law enforcement investigate crime scenes. Botany major Jackie Parker ’13 is creating a plant database that will eventually grow to include 750 plant varieties found in Weber County. She catalogs each variety with information, including line drawings, photos, pollen traits, growing altitude and common locations. Finding traces of a specific plant or pollen on a body may reveal important clues to investigators. Parker has presented her research at the Utah State Capitol and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research conferences in 2012 and 2013. She plans to study botany in graduate school and wants to offer her knowledge as a crime scene consultant. zac williams Wee Wildcats The first class of kindergartners soon will learn their ABCs, and much more, at the Weber State University Charter Academy (WSUCA) — Utah’s first charter academy authorized by an institution of higher education. Beginning in fall 2013, WSUCA will offer two half-day kindergarten sessions with 22 students in each. 8 New classroom space for the academy will be located next to the Melba S. Lehner Children’s School in the McKay Education Building. zac williams wsu magazine | spring 2013 Educators from the Jerry & Vickie Moyes College of Education created the academy as a place for faculty, students and families to work together to develop children’s abilities — academically, socially, emotionally and physically. zac williams Customer First The new Alan E. Hall Center for Sales Excellence will focus on the most important aspect of sales — the customer. A pledge of $3.5 million from Alan ’69 and Jeanne ’69 Hall helped launch the initiative. The only one of its kind in Utah, the center will help find creative ways to stimulate and grow the economy through collaboration between the technical sales program and industry leaders nationwide. The center will deepen the real-world experience and résumés of graduates, while providing executives fresh ideas from faculty and students at the university. Purple Partners The successful Damian Lillard NBA Draft selection party held at The Junction in downtown Ogden generated enthusiasm for a closer partnership between the university and the city. With five representatives each from WSU and the city, a 10-member "College Town" team is turning ideas into action. The kickoff was Football Friday, where the city hosted pep rallies and parties at The Junction before each Weber State home game. Other plans include a WSU building downtown where people can buy event tickets and bus passes, pay tuition, purchase Weber paraphernalia and eventually take courses. Enthusiasts say “painting the town purple” will enhance the university and the city with a new vibrant varnish. Abounding in Green The 2013 edition of the “Princeton Guide to 322 Green Colleges” confirms what the campus community already knows: Weber State bleeds purple but lives green. Everyone is taking part. Student initiatives include installing 24 new campus bike racks and eight water bottle refilling stations in various buildings. With solar panels, new energy efficient lighting and improvements to the steam tunnel, the university saved energy and nearly $1 million in utility costs in 2012. The Arbor Day Foundation has also taken note, naming WSU a Tree Campus USA for the second year in a row, citing not only the university’s dedication to trees, but also its commitment to getting students involved in green servicelearning projects. weber.edu/wsumagazine In addition, WSU’s Dee Events Center was honored at the conclusion of the 2012 Energy Star National Building Competition. Hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the competition featured teams from across the country racing to improve energy efficiency. The Dee reduced its energy use by 22.1 percent and prevented 337 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the course of the year, equal to the energy use from 17.3 homes. 9 P O O H GENDS E L S From left: Bruce Collins, Ron Abegglen, Jimmy DeGraffenreid Celebrating 50 years of D1 men’s basketball F or Wildcat men’s basketball fans, there have been great moments and then there have been the spillyour-popcorn, hug-the-person-sittingnext-to-you, scream-until-you’ve-lostyour-voice moments that, years later, still give you goose bumps. Like when Jimmy DeGraffenreid sank a 40-foot buzzer beater to miraculously slip past Utah State 87-86 in 1993 (the Wildcats didn’t lead that amy hendricks, university communications paul grua, wsu athletics anniversary of Division I men’s basketball. For a few hours, they shared details about big plays, great players and unforgettable coaches. Like what happened the moment after DeGraffenreid hit the long bomb. “I made the shot and everybody dog-piled me. I thought I had tied the game, not won, so I kept thinking, ‘We’re going to get a technical!’ In the chaos, someone poked me in the eye, My dad was a janitor at church, so we went there. I went one-on-one against Willie, and he beat me to death.” Former coaching greats Motta, Johnson, Ron Abegglen, Gene Visscher and others all had stories to tell, as well. Abegglen recalled a Big Sky Championship game against Montana. “We had to win the game to go to the NCAA Tournament. I remember “Weber State basketball changed me. I hope I changed Weber State basketball.”– Bruce Collins wsu magazine | spring 2013 game until the very end). Or when Weber State took down No. 3 seed Michigan State in the 1995 NCAA tournament, and four years later, in perfect Cinderella fashion, upset North Carolina 76-74. 10 And while it’s fun for fans to reminisce about those thrilling moments, it’s even more fun to hear the players and coaches relive them. An all-star lineup of former Wildcat greats returned to their old home court in March for an “Evening With the Legends,” in celebration of Weber State’s 50th so I couldn’t even see the scoreboard,” DeGraffenreid said with a chuckle. Or how Willie Sojourner — who was drafted 20th by the Chicago Bulls in 1971 — came to play for Weber State. With a sly grin, Nolan Archibald, who played from 1966-68, said, “I’m the reason Willie was here. Coach (Dick) Motta and (Phil) Johnson had brought Willie out to Ogden to watch him play, but the floor was being refinished in the Weber State gym. They called me and asked if there was any other gym where they could watch (Willie) play. thinking I had to say something good to these guys, so I said, “Ruben (Nembhard), when we win, you go and shake the opposing team’s coach’s hand. Jimmy (DeGraffenreid), you jump up and down after we win.’ They had to be thinking, ‘This old guy’s nuts,’ but we went out there, had fun, and we destroyed them.” Johnson recalled one of the first games with Sessions Harlan and Justice Thigpen. It was an away game, and the two weren’t playing up to their potential. “They weren’t quick. We could not get the ball into play, and we got beat. Afterward, Coach (Motta) cornered them at the water cooler and said, ‘You CANNOT play that way. You HAVE to get us into play and play PROPERLY.’” “What Coach Johnson failed to tell you was that Coach (Motta) had tears in his eyes,” Thigpen said. “We were drinking water, and I felt a tug, and there he was. It was a shock to see him crying. He taught us about the importance of teamwork and victory. He brought out the best in me.” On a night filled with nostalgia, WSU's alltime scoring leader Bruce Collins summed it up best saying, “Weber State basketball changed me. I hope I changed Weber State basketball.” With a roar of applause, the fans believed he — and all of those on the 50-member, 50th-anniversary team — did. For the full team listing, click here. 2012-13 NBA Rookie of Harold “The Show” Arceneaux the Ye ar matt gerrish, university communications W hen Randy Rahe took a trip to Oakland, Calif., in 2007, he didn’t know what he was going to find. He was tipped off by a friend about a driven young point guard, and like most recruiting trips, the Weber State men’s basketball coach intended to sign the best player he could get his hands on. When he first arrived to watch the 16-year-old play, he unknowingly witnessed a unique talent that would some day become the 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year. “An AAU coach and good friend of mine called me up and told me about this kid named Damian Lillard who “I’m not sure we can actually get this kid. He might be too good.”– Randy Rahe Six years later — after an illustrious career at Weber State that included two Big Sky MVP awards and an AP All-American honor — Lillard is taking the NBA by weber.edu/wsumagazine was still in his junior year of high school,” Rahe said. “So I went out in the spring of that year with one of my assistants and the first time I saw him, I looked at my assistant and said, ‘I’m not sure we can actually get this kid. He might be too good.’” 11 storm. On May 1, Lillard became the first player from a mid-major college basketball program to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award since the 1982-83 season, also becoming just the fourth player to win with a unanimous vote. Drafted No. 6 overall by the Portland Trail Blazers last June, the rookie guard immediately earned a spot in the starting lineup, and started all 82 games for the upstart Blazers. Lillard led all rookies in scoring with 19 points per game, in assists with 6.5 per game and in 3-pointers made. His 185 “treys” set a single-season franchise record and also broke Stephen Curry’s 2009-10 NBA single-season mark for rookies. He also became the first-ever rookie to lead the NBA in minutes played (3,167). wsu magazine | spring 2013 As the season progressed, the awards 12 started to pile up for the Wildcat. He was chosen to participate in the All-Star Weekend Rising Stars Game, and then won the Taco Bell Skills Challenge in dominating fashion, taking the crown away from perennial All-Star Tony Parker. He swept all six NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards, in addition to earning the league’s Kia Community Assist award, recognizing his charitable work. Looking back on Lillard’s successful rookie season in the NBA, Rahe is still proud that he managed to talk the superstar into playing for Weber State. “We got the recruitment started and we stayed with him and developed a relationship,” Rahe said. “As more higher level schools started to show up to his games, we were starting to get discouraged. But Damian was different. He didn’t really care about the level of play. He wanted to be with the people he trusted.” Lillard’s loyalty and impact on WSU continues, long after he is gone. “What he’s been doing to this point has been terrific exposure,” Rahe said. “Our name is out there. Every time they talk about Damian, they talk about Weber State. It’s been nothing but positive for everyone involved. You put that on top of being the NBA Rookie of the Year from Weber State and it just adds to all of that.” Click here to read more about the successes of the men's basketball program — including the historic 2012-13 season. 20% OFF NBA Rookie of the Year 2012-13 any online purchase! Apply promo code "LILLARD" at online checkout. Offer ends Aug. 31, 2013 Shop WSU Campus Stores from home! Visit our new website and choose from a large selection of alumni gear, Wildcat wear, gifts and more. shopWeberState.com weber.edu/wsumagazine Campus Stores 13 He’s a physical chemist, professor, administrator, pilot, long-distance runner, patent holder, investigator of rocket propellants and high explosives, reader, author, food enthusiast, husband, father, and to some extent, a software programmer. He’s what you might call a modern-day Renaissance man, but with an eye-crinkling smile and a firm handshake, he’ll tell you he’d much rather be called Chuck. amy hendricks, university communications 14 There, the sailor-turned-math teacher-turned principal, and his wife, a reading and language arts teacher, raised Wight to love learning, though there was never any indication that he would become a chemist. Except maybe one. zac williams wsu magazine | spring 2013 Born in Glen Cove, N.Y., Charles Albert Wight, at two weeks of age, began the journey typical of any Navy kid. His father, Charlie, who was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on the day of his son’s birth, and his mother, Dorothy, who was staying with her mother in Long Island’s North Shore region, moved from station to station before settling in Virginia, not far from Washington, D.C. Getting up from his chair in his newly occupied and still somewhat barebones office, he said, “I’ll show you.” Opening the glass door of a curio, he removed a vintage Gilbert chemistry set. “I had one just like this.” A red metal box, complete with small jars of chemicals labeled sodium bicarbonate, calcium oxide, and so on, the set was a gift from a friend on Wight’s 40th birthday. The original didn’t make it to adulthood. A wonderful children’s toy, it was not enough to sway Wight — who had declared a pre-medicine major at the University of Virginia — to the realm of chemistry. For that, it took doing research in a chemistry lab as part of a summer fellowship. “I really enjoyed using the instrumentation to find out new things about molecules,” said Wight, who would later change his major to chemistry and eventually become an expert in rocket propellants and explosives. As for becoming an educator, that was just in his genes. After earning a doctoral degree in chemistry from Caltech and completing post-doctoral work at the University of Colorado, Wight searched nationwide for teaching positions. In 1984, after being offered jobs in three different states, Wight chose the University of Utah (the U). There, he rose through the ranks, becoming a full professor of chemistry in 1993. He was known for making science fun and approachable, taking on the nickname “the chem-dog” in the chemistry department, and “the science dad” at his daughters’ elementary school, where he demonstrated the magic of chemistry. Wight loved the classroom and continued to teach Honors Chemistry at the U even as he moved into administrative positions such as associate dean of Undergraduate Studies, assistant vice president of Continuing Education, associate vice president of Undergraduate Studies and Dean of the Graduate School. “I enjoyed teaching very much. When you’re a professor, you make a big difference in the lives of a relatively small number of people … in a classroom, in a research group, in a department. Your sphere of influence is deep, but restricted in scope. When you’re an administrator, you can make a difference in the lives of many more students,” Wight said. So when the opportunity to support more than 26,000 students as president of Weber State University arose, Wight put his name in the hat. “I was ready to take the next step. My mentors and advisors encouraged me to apply, and it worked out well for me,” he said, smiling. Though he still misses the classroom. “I’ve thought about teaching a class, but I decided it wouldn’t be fair to students. Being fun for me is not a good enough reason to do it. I’m afraid I wouldn’t have enough time, and students need a professor who can make a firm commitment.” That thoughtfulness and dedication to doing the best job possible is what Wight brings to Weber State as the 12th president of the university. AT A GLANCE: New president: Charles A. “Chuck” Wight, former chemistry professor and administrator at the University of Utah Children: Linda, 29; Jennifer, 27; and Heather, 24 Enjoying a moment with his wife, Victoria weber.edu/wsumagazine Wife: Victoria Rasmussen, who enjoys a career at the Utah Education Network Something That Makes Him Smile: Thinking of a game he used to play with his daughter Linda. “Any time she was grumpy or sad, I’d point to her stomach and say, ‘There’s a smile in there. It’s going to bubble up and appear,’ and she’d smile every time. Sometimes she’d get annoyed that she couldn’t stop it,” Wight said, laughing. 15 LISTEN COMPLETELY A long-distance runner who has completed more than 35 marathons, as well as the Wasatch Front 100-Mile Endurance Run, Wight is familiar with the old adage, “Slow and steady wins the race.” And while his first few months on the job were anything but slow — “I’ve met at least 1,000 people,” he said — he does not want to rush to consider any changes. Asked to describe his leadership style in one word, Wight said, “Well, I need two: consensus and transparency. I like to gather people, talk about ideas and come to a consensus about the direction we need to go in before setting a strong agenda. When people have asked about what new programs I’m going to institute at WSU, I have consistently said, ‘For 100 days, I’m going to do more listening than talking. Let’s find out where Weber State is in the grand scheme of things before deciding where we want to go.’” PRESIDENTIAL TRAITS wsu magazine | spring 2013 Running the Wasatch Front Endurance Run 16 For those who are close to Wight, that comment makes perfect sense. A good listener is, in fact, just how they describe him. Peter Armentrout has known Wight since their graduate student days at Caltech. They took separate career paths, but both eventually landed at the U, where Armentrout is a distinguished professor of chemistry and a Cannon Fellow. He and Wight were co-presenters of the U’s annual Faraday Christmas Lectures, and the two remain running partners and friends. Armentrout has even acted as a pacer for Wight in 100-mile ultramarathons, running alongside him for 15 miles, serving as a motivator. “He’s faster than I am,” said Armentrout, who has never competed against Wight in an ultramarathon but has competed against his friend in regular marathons. “I’ve never beaten him.” In all seriousness, Armentrout said, “Chuck is one of those people who is able to listen first, to find out what the situation is, what people are interested in, what their goals are, and then amass that information, synthesize it and put it into a plan.” Armentrout also cites Wight’s ability to “adapt well to the unanticipated” as another trait that will serve him well as president, recalling a Faraday lecture where the unexpected happened, or rather, didn’t happen. Paying homage to famed 19th century scientist and gifted lecturer Michael Faraday, the two would dress in Victorian-era tuxedos, complete with tails and top hats. The presentations — featuring small but impressive explosions — were wildly popular and often sold out. One year, in front of a packed house, Wight forgot an ingredient in his last explosion. “It came to that point in the presentation, and he stepped toward the set up and realized he had forgotten to pour a liquid on top of the salt. Without it, the explosion wouldn’t happen. A slideshow was going along with the presentation, so he couldn’t just completely ignore it and be done. So he looked at me, looked at the audience, shrugged his shoulders and with a smile simply said, ‘Well, I forgot!’” Everybody had a good laugh. Being able to roll with the punches made him a good colleague, and it will make him a good president too,” Armentrout said. Even those meeting Wight for the first time have commented on his listening capabilities. WSU student body president Andrew Gardiner served on the presidential search committee. “There aren’t many people who, when being interviewed in a group setting, can listen to what you have to say and make you feel like you’re the only person in the room. He can do that, and that is what I like about him,” said Gardiner, who was also impressed by Wight’s sincerity. “After the announcement was made that he was going to be president, I went up to him and said, ‘Congratulations, President Wight,’ and he said, ‘Thank you, Andrew, but call me Chuck.’ He’s warm and welcoming. You don’t feel like you’re talking to a scary university president; you feel like you’re talking to a friend, someone who has your best interests at heart,” Gardiner said. VIDEO A GLIMPSE AHEAD To date, Wight’s listening tour has made stops in the community, with the mayor of Ogden, the presidents of the local applied technology colleges, chambers of commerce and others. He has visited the state Legislature and met with the state Board of Regents. He has met with university trustees, vice presidents, deans, chairs, many faculty and staff, and students, as well as alumni and donors. Flying over the San Rafael Swell in Utah TAKE TO THE SKIES When Wight received Microsoft’s Flight Simulator as a gift from his brother, he was captivated. So much so, that he became a pilot not just on the computer screen, but in real life. “Flying a real plane is a lot easier than flying Microsoft’s Flight Simulator,” he said, only somewhat jokingly. Today, Wight co-owns a small plane, a single engine Mooney, and is a volunteer pilot for Angel Flight West, a charitable organization that arranges free medical flights for those in financial need. Having a little fun on vacation in South Carolina Wight suggests that he will unveil his agenda for the university during his formal inauguration in October. Until then, he has hinted at areas on which he’d like to focus: access, excellence and cost. “Otherwise known as the Iron Triangle, these are the things that keep most university presidents and provosts awake at night,” he said. “We all want to increase access and excellence and decrease cost. All three of those pressures threaten to collapse on a university, and it is up to presidents and provosts to push against all three sides to expand what we can offer and do.” “Being in the air is very exciting, but flying missions for Angel Flight West has truly lent an amazing perspective,” said Wight, recalling one passenger in particular who made quite an impression. “She was a young woman, probably in her 20s, and she was dying from cancer. Even though she had a terrible prognosis, she had the most tremendous outlook on life. She was trying to make the best use of her last days on this planet. She was the most incredibly upbeat and optimistic person you could imagine. Getting to know people like this young woman gives you an amazing perspective, and for me, is the biggest benefit of volunteering for Angel Flight.” Admittedly, this job is different than anything he’s ever done, but Wight is confident. Click here to learn about Wight's fascination with technology and how he believes it can transform education. weber.edu/wsumagazine “If you’re passionate about something, you’ll work hard to do it well. I am passionate about education.” 17 Upgrade to an ocean view room, buy your monthly commuting pass, donate to your favorite charity…whatever moves you most. As a Weber State University alum, you could save up to $427.96* on your auto insurance with Liberty Mutual. You could also enjoy valuable discounts tailored to the way you live today and save even more by insuring your home as well. wsu magazine | spring 2013 Responsibility. What’s your policy? 18 CONTACT US TODAY TO START SAVING CALL (800) 524-9400 CLICK www.libertymutual.com/weberstate Client # 101332 COME IN to your local office This organization receives financial support for allowing Liberty Mutual to offer this auto and home insurance program. *Discounts are available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state. To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify. Figure reflects average national savings for customers who switched to Liberty Mutual’s group auto and home program. Based on data collected between 1/1/2012 and 6/30/2012. Individual premiums and savings will vary. Coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA. © 2013 Liberty Mutual Insurance. IN LEARNING WE TRUST Teaching & Traveling in CHINA Michael Wutz, WSU Department of English, editor of Weber – The Contemporary West, and Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor s the China Eastern Airbus descended into Shanghai Pudong International, overhead monitors reminded passengers to get their circulation moving again. After being pressed into an airplane seat for 14 hours, we were glad to finally limber up with a set of exercises called “sunshine calisthenics.” Think the chicken dance with virtually no wiggle room and hundreds of bobbing behinds and flailing hands. A the seams and shrouded in a cloche of smog. The “calisthenics” part of the phrase, with its overtones of intellectual stretching, flexibility and new learning, didn’t set in until the next day, as I plunged into the wondrous world of the Middle Kingdom. weber.edu/wsumagazine “Sunshine calisthenics” … a curious phrase, it struck an immediate chord with me. Upon arrival in Shanghai, and eventually Beijing, my first impressions of China were, indeed, the lack of space and sunshine in the country’s megacities, which were bursting at 19 Preceding page: Temple at Hua Shan, Shaanxi Province Rooftop in the Imperial Summer Palace, Beijing Traditional dancers at the Mountain Resort, Chengde TEACHING In 2012, I had the privilege of teaching at the International Summer School of Renmin University of China (RUC), one of the country’s most prestigious schools in Beijing’s desirous Haidian district. Renmin derives from the Chinese word for “people” and gestures to the institution’s historical connections to the Communist Party. But except for some party-affiliated appointments in key positions, that connection has, at least publicly, been attenuated. The most visible connection of RUC to its communist legacy resides, perhaps ironically, in the student body. Then as now, a sizable number of students are children of the Communist Party elite, their privilege showing, not in the uniformed attire or political rhetoric of yore, but in the Beamers and Audis crawling along on a crowded Digital signs projected what matters campus. most to a generation of tech-savvy wsu magazine | spring 2013 youth hurtling through the tubes of China’s capital: “In Learning We Trust.” 20 Less ironic, for students without political connections, is the competitive entrance process. To get into Renmin, or any top-tier institution, students must score extremely well on the National Higher Education Entrance Examination. Those that do, exude a spirit of confidence that their future is secure. At the same time, competitive pressure breeds an urge for excellence and an ethos of rivalry. From my first day in the classroom, students were as interested in their final grades as they were in American history, knowing that only a maximum of 20 percent in each class were, by administrative fiat, allowed an A. During my walks on campus, sometimes as early as 5 a.m., I would hear students practicing their English by reading novels aloud or, in some instances, acting out plays (such as Arthur Miller’s The Crucible) in a grove of trees. On Renmin’s English Language Corner on Friday evenings, my colleagues and I were, within minutes, surrounded by hundreds of students — including those from adjacent schools — eager to try their English and get perspectives from abroad. At nearby Peking University, I witnessed tour buses of parents taking pictures of their children (often barely out of diapers) at the university’s entrance gate, to instill a spirit of ambition. And in what struck me as the most visible demonstration of the country’s desire for educational pre-eminence, state-sponsored digital signs projected against the subway tunnels signaled what matters most to a generation of tech-savvy youth hurtling through the tubes of China’s capital: “In Learning We Trust.” TRAVELING If learning was suspect during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), when Mao Zedong purged the country of what he perceived as a lingering bourgeois intellectualism, so were most forms of religious contemplation. If it had not been for the personal intervention of Mao’s more moderate right-hand man, Zhou Enlai, Beijing would have lost one of its major attractions, the Yonghe Lamasery, or the “Palace of Peace and Harmony.” With numerous shrines and a 55-foot Buddha carved from a single sandalwood tree, the temple ranks among the largest Tibetan monasteries and offers refuge from the bustle of Beijing’s infernal traffic. Religion and spirituality are alive and well in communist China, and I traveled to wondrous sites of devotion. Badachu, Mandarin for “Eight Great Sites,” is a complex of Buddhist temples east of Beijing, where the incense of throngs of worshipers — lit in gigantic burners — suffused the air with a veritable scent of contemplation. An adventurous, five-hour bus ride north took me to Chengde, a town famous for the breathtaking summer retreat of the 18th century Manchu emperors, but also for a set of awesome temples — among them the Potala and Panchen Lama palaces — built to commemorate the visit of Tibet’s Buddhist figurehead in 1786. Together with thousands of pilgrims, I hiked the five strenuous peaks of Hua Shan — one of China’s Great Five Mountains — in Shaanxi Province and was impressed by the physical and spiritual strength of worshipers offering prayers in the shrines dotting the terrain. Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, is home not only to the fabled Terracotta Army, but also to the Hui, an ethnic minority of about 50,000 Muslims, whose ancestors brought their faith over mountain passes of the Silk Road and into central China. Surrounded by a labyrinth of canopied alleys that make up the city’s boisterous bazaar, the Huis’ Great Mosque — much like Beijing’s Lama Temple — is beautiful and offers respite to travelers overwhelmed by the smorgasbord of nose-, sound- and eye-candy. Music, too, filled the air at every corner. Large choirs sang folk songs accompanied by an accordion; accordionists themselves would play in groups; and the nasal twang of the erhu (a two-stringed fiddle), the tremolo of the pipa (a fretted lute with four strings), and the soft vibrato of the dizi (a flute made from bamboo) added to the traditional soundscape. On the other side of the musical spectrum, I heard a musician playing Bach on his flügelhorn, western-style combos playing dance I played Chinese hacky sack with music from around the middle-aged men and women, globe, and a gang of communicating with my legs and joints aging hepcats — comwhere a common language failed us. plete with berets and the usual beatnik wear — improvising a Charlie Parker tune … something you would expect in New York City’s Central Park, not in downtown Beijing. If the Chinese are among the most gracious and hospitable people I have encountered, they are also among the most rhythmic and graceful. Sixth century Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu famously said, “Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.” I was privileged to hear that soul — the soul of the Chinese — resonating through the universe. In that sense and more, teaching in China taught me more than I was able to impart. Xie xie (thank you), China! An exhibit featuring photographs from Wutz's travels will be on display in the Stewart Library through Dec. 10. Worshippers in Badachu Boat riders in Zizhuyuan Park, Beijing weber.edu/wsumagazine If street markets provide a window into the “real” China — its cuisine, culture, and aesthetics — so do the country’s public parks. This is partly a function of population density, often tight and multigenerational living quarters, reduced entrance fees for senior citizens, and the urge for a patch of airy green in the congested urban spaces. I felt nowhere more in touch with the Chinese people than in these belts of ponds and trees lacing their way through the cities. At Beijing’s Imperial Summer Palace — noteworthy for its spectacular lakes and landscape gardens — I was treated to ice cream by a young family eager to learn about America. In Zizhuyuan Park behind the National Library, I saw retirees dancing to Viennese waltzes, Argentinian tangos, and the rumba, with an occasional Chinese dance thrown in. In the coastal city of Qingdao — known to Americans for its legendary Tsingtao beer — I posed, as the Western novelty, with young couples for their official wedding photos. And in Beijing’s Jingshan Park, I played Chinese hacky sack with middle-aged men and women, communicating with my legs and joints where a common language failed us. TUNING IN 21 WSU’s youngest student is studying for medical school ... at 15 Kimberly Jensen, Contributing Writer D riving through the Dee Events Center parking lot, Jessica Brooke is all jitters. In the passenger seat, her mom gently reminds her, “Keep your hands at 10 and 2.” At 15, Weber State University’s youngest student is more nervous about getting her driver’s license than passing her honors physics course. “I’m so scared to take the test for my learner’s permit, even though I’ve studied,” Jessica said. “I want to get my license on my birthday in August.” wsu magazine | spring 2013 Getting her permit shouldn’t be a problem. Passing tests comes easily for Jessica, a WSU senior majoring in zoology and math. She plans to apply to medical school before most her age graduate from high school. 22 “I’m still a teenager,” Jessica insisted. “Instead of taking classes in a high school, I’m just taking classes at a university. I’m not trying to grow up fast; I just love to learn.” Despite meeting all measures defining a child prodigy, Jessica doesn’t consider herself one. “I’ve just been given really great opportunities,” she said. “My mom and dad have always had very high expectations of me, and I’m very motivated.” At 5 feet 9 inches, Jessica looks older than she is and blends in on campus with her backpack, a full social calendar and a wide smile. “I’ve made the best friends here, and I love going to my study groups where everybody wants to learn,” she said. “I’ve become everyone’s little sister.” Jessica considers herself a typical teenager who fights with her siblings, has chores and gets moody, but her journey has been anything but conventional. Growing up in Gilbert, Ariz., Jessica wowed math tutors throughout elementary school, skipped the eighth grade and high school, and at age 12 enrolled at the local community college. “I would still hang out with friends my age,” she said. “I just got to skip the social drama and gossip of junior high.” Two years later Jessica graduated with two associate’s degrees and began her university search. “Most universities we spoke to didn’t know what to do with a 14-year-old,” said Rachel Brooke, Jessica’s mom. “I wanted a smaller university with a student body that aligned with LDS church values, offered an institute program and had a high placement rate for pre-med students.” They discovered all of that at WSU. “Jessica is the youngest student ever to enroll at Weber State,” said WSU Provost Michael Vaughan. “Because of our early college program, we had already addressed the issues that surround young teenage students, such as computer access and restrictive materials.” Physics professor Bradley Carroll instructs Jessica in his honors class. “She’s like any of the other smart, capable and interesting students in my classes,” he said. “If you had told me I had a 15-year-old in one of my classes, I wouldn’t have been able to pick her out. She fits right in.” Because of her age, Jessica lives at home and is not allowed to date or go to college parties. That’s just fine with her. “I hang out with a lot of friends from church that are still in high school,” Jessica said with a smile. “I could still experience prom. That’s if I get asked.” Jessica has encountered her fair share of critics along the way. “I’ve had friends tell me I’m missing out on my childhood,” she said. “Others assume my mom pushes me to succeed, but when they get to know me they’ll see I love the challenge.” Extreme focus and hard work are how Jessica explains her success. “Nobody criticizes a teenager who is intense at sports,” she said. “Just because my intensity is on learning, some people think I’m weird. Defending myself can be very frustrating.” With no plans to slow down, Jessica maintains a full course load with classes in chemistry, physics and music. She also volunteers for a humanitarian organization twice a week. When Jessica isn’t studying, going to class or hanging out with her friends, she plays classical music on the piano and cello. "I am really happy with where I am in my life right now," weber.edu/wsumagazine Jessica said. “And pretty soon, my mom won’t have to drive me around anymore. We’re both really excited about that.” 23 A mile and a half off the craggy coast of San Francisco lurks a sinister chunk of sandstone with a reputation as chilling as the wind-whipped waters from which it rises. For thousands of years, Native Americans avoided the desolate, 22-acre isle believing it to be cursed. From 1934 to 1963, Alcatraz Island was home to America’s most notorious outlaws — incorrigible criminals whose rebellion at other institutions earned them all-expense-paid stays in the maximum-security prison nicknamed “The Rock,” “The Isle of No Return,” “The Ring of Fire” and “America’s Devil’s Island.” Inmates were sent there to learn how to follow rules. T hey were sent there to be broken. karin hurst, university communications wsu magazine | spring 2013 photo courtesy of jayeson vance 24 Yet, according to Weber State alumnus and U.S. National Park Service Ranger Jayeson Vance ’70, time served as a federal penitentiary is only one chapter in the Alcatraz saga. Vance has led tours on the island for more than a decade and calls Alcatraz “a layer cake of history.” He says while most people know that Alcatraz Island was the site of an infamous prison, very few realize that the nation’s first Pacific Coast lighthouse was located there; that it was a Union fortress during the Civil War; that it took center stage in a protest that ignited modern Native American activism; and that it is now considered an ecological preserve. “Rock” of Ages Uncanny Connection As the country expanded westward in the late 1800s, American Indians were routinely imprisoned on Alcatraz Island. A January 1895 article in the San Francisco Call described the arrival of “murderouslooking Apache Indians.” (They were, in fact, 19 Hopi leaders from Arizona who had resisted government attempts to force their children into boarding schools.) With thousands of troops passing through San Francisco during the Spanish-American War, the prison’s population grew and another complex was hastily constructed. Vance never intended to work at Alcatraz, but his personal connection to the island is uncanny. “It’s as if all my schooling becomes relevant and all my interests come together on Alcatraz,” says Vance, who studied history and psychology at Weber State. As an interpretive ranger, he prepares historical presentations. “And with Alcatraz,” he adds, “you also have the psychological aspects of crime and punishment, isolation and remoteness, and then redemption of the soul.” Vance cut his acting teeth as “Malcolm” in a Weber State production of Macbeth. “Leading tours is theater in a way,” he says, “because you’re standing there on a little podium with a microphone, and you have to know how to keep people interested or they’ll just wander away.” Vance loves nature and says visitors are often surprised to discover stunning views, lush gardens and rare wildlife habitats on Alcatraz. His wife, Judy, is even related to the famous artist who made the tiles used in the warden’s house. The Alcatraz story began with the 1848 discovery of gold along the American River. Suddenly, hordes of treasure hunters headed to San Francisco. A lighthouse was built in 1854 to help them arrive safely. To protect the mineral-rich Bay Area against possible foreign invasion, the U.S. government blasted the island’s unyielding rock, erected steep, stone walls and built a sturdy, three-story brick citadel with rifleslit windows. During the Civil War, Fortress Alcatraz became a military prison where deserters and thieves were hobbled with heavy chains and iron balls. In 1912 a large, reinforced concrete cell house was built to replace two flammable wooden structures. The island became a minimum-security disciplinary barracks in 1915, with a new emphasis on education and rehabilitation. The Army transported soil to Alcatraz and taught prisoners how to garden. In 1924, the California Spring Blossom and Wild Flower Association donated 100 pounds of nasturtium and poppy seeds, and 300 trees and shrubs to beautify the barren landscape. the psychological aspects of crime and punishment, isolation and remoteness, and then redemption of the soul.” weber.edu/wsumagazine “With Alcatraz,” Vance says, “you also have 25 “an inmate could be boarded with less expense in New York’s Waldorf Astoria than in Alcatraz Penitentiary.” lost their minds. Thirty-six men (including two who tried twice) staged 14 separate attempts to break out of America’s first maximum-security civilian penitentiary; 23 were recaptured, six were shot dead, two drowned and five were never heard from again. wsu magazine | spring 2013 By 1963 Alcatraz had become too costly to operate. One lawmaker told the U.S. Senate “an inmate could be boarded with less expense in New York’s Waldorf Astoria than in Alcatraz Penitentiary.” Attorney General Robert Kennedy pulled the plug. 26 photo courtesy of jayeson vance Alcatraz entered its most unnerving phase in 1934 when the Army left the island and handed custody of its 32 worst offenders to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Over the next 29 years, a veritable Who’s Who of public enemies crammed into claustrophobic 5-foot by 9-foot cells. Troublemakers were isolated in the darkened D Block, or “The Hole,” where 30 inmates allegedly From Prison to Park During debate about what to do with Alcatraz, a group of Native American activists arrived there on Nov. 9, 1969, and claimed the island in the name of “Indians of All Tribes.” Their symbolic occupation lasted 19 months before fizzling shortly after the 13-year-old stepdaughter of a charismatic leader fell three floors down a dilapidated stairwell to her death. A Texas oil heir wanted to turn Alcatraz into a shopping mall, but instead, the island became part of the newly created Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) in 1972. Administered by the National Park Service, the GGNRA is considered one of the largest urban parks in the world. Alcatraz tours began on a trial basis one year later, despite objections from officials who feared they would glamorize criminal behavior. Former Bureau of Prisons Director James V. Bennett declared, “There’s something completely incongruous about young children running in and out of Al Capone’s cell.” Today, Alcatraz Island is the Bay Area’s second most popular tourist attraction. On any given day, more than 5,000 people shuffle through the maze of 102-year-old prison walls. Tickets sell out weeks in advance. Vance believes part of the lure is morbid curiosity aroused by Hollywood movies that sensationalize tales of quirky inmates (Birdman of Alcatraz), ingenious breakouts (Escape From Alcatraz), and brutal prison guards (Murder in the First). Yet despite its astonishing popularity, the future of Alcatraz is uncertain. The facility is disintegrating and federal funding cutbacks may limit repairs. Then there’s Mother Nature’s tendency to torment the strange little island. “One of our concerns is climate change,” says Vance. “We’re probably looking at a 6- to 12-inch rise in sea level in the next 10 years or so, which may threaten some of the historic structures.” In the meantime, Vance happily continues his workday routine — fielding questions about forts, fights and phantoms. If Alcatraz Island really is a layer cake of history, it seems the history buff from Weber State just can’t seem to get his fill. Did you know? Despite claims that no one could survive a swim from Alcatraz to the San Francisco shore because of sharks and dangerous currents, Anastasia Scott, 17, made the crossing as a publicity stunt in October of 1933. (In 1955 at age 41, fitness guru Jack LaLanne did the same thing, only handcuffed!) The curious escape of 1962 is still an open case. A U.S. marshal is currently trying to track down a letter postmarked Honduras purportedly written in the 1980s by escapee John Anglin — officially listed as missing and presumed drowned. Sources: Interview with National Park Service Ranger Jayeson Vance, Feb. 4, 2013 Alcatraz Island, National Park Service website, nps.gov/alca/index.htm Alcatraz Prison, history.com/topics/alcatraz Alcatraz, alcatrazhistory.com Alcatraz Prison, geography.about.com Alcatraz, MPI Home Video, 1977 Alcatraz: Island of Hate, Mariner Films Ltd., 1971 Alcatraz: Deconstructed, video clip (2:35), history.com/videos/alcatraz-deconstructed#alcatraz- deconstructed weber.edu/wsumagazine While attending Weber State College, Jayeson Vance was known as Clark Walker. He had his name legally changed after moving to San Francisco in the 1970s at the height of the city’s Erhard Seminars Training (est) movement. The intensive, 60- hour, est human potential workshop encouraged participants to disengage from the past and adopt a new sense of self. 27 CLASS NOTES 40s LM A L U M N I U P D AT E S 50s N. Dwight Stevenson ’48 was drafted into the U.S. Army at the end of his first quarter at Weber College. He served in World War II and trained as a surgical technician while stationed in Korea. Upon discharge, he returned to Weber, completed his studies and married LuRue Alma Peterson ’48. The couple moved to California, where Dwight worked for Southern California Gas Co. for 38 years, first in engineering, then upper management. In 1990, the Stevensons moved back to Ogden, where LuRue passed away in 2001. Dwight serves on the WSU Alumni Association’s Emeriti Alumni Council. Active in the LDS church, he has served as bishop, stake president, temple ordinance worker, and is currently fulfilling a service mission. Dwight and LuRue have three children, 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. After graduating from Weber College, Gerald L. (Monty) Shupe ’56 earned his bachelor’s degree at Utah State University. LM After 23 years of service, F. Dee Stevenson ’53 retired as branch He returned to Weber, where he worked as program director, chief of the Chemical Sciences and later assistant director, for Division of the Office of Basic the Union Building. He also Energy Sciences, a program served as Weber’s director of within the U.S. Department of housing. He is a member of the Energy. He was also a professor WSU Alumni Association’s in the Department of Chemical Emeriti Alumni Council and is Engineering at Iowa State Unialso active in the community, versity and a research assistant having been Ogden City’s for California Research Corp., th now Chevron Research. In addi- July 24 parade director for 10 years. Monty is married to tion, Dee worked at Associated Western Universities. A mem- LM Delores Anderson ’57, who is a retired elementary school ber of the American Institute teacher. of Chemical Engineers, he also poor in El Salvador. They also volunteered at a hospital for patients with leprosy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In addition, Leon and Peggy have served in Tonga, Guatemala, the Philippines, Korea, Vietnam, Israel, Uganda and China. The Clarks live in Riverton, Utah, and have nine children, 17 grandchildren and one great-grandson. LM had membership in the American Chemical Society. He was a member of Sigma Xi, a science research society, and Pi Mu Epsilon, an honorary national mathematics society. Dee lives in Salt Lake City with his wife of more than 60 years, Beverly. They have five children, 21 grandchildren and a growing number of great-grandchildren. R. Leon Clark ’57 retired in 2000. He and his wife, Peggy, have since volunteered their time and finances to provide humanitarian dental care in developing countries. With equipment donated by Utah dentists, the couple helped start a four-chair dental clinic for the LM F. Kent Lundquist ’58 retired in 2006 as a certified public accountant. He is a co-founder and former chief financial officer of Digicert Inc., a company in Orem, Utah, that offers Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates to businesses, with a goal of ensuring safe Internet browsing. Kent is also a former Salt Lake County deputy auditor. He and his wife, Karen, live in American Fork, Utah. Together, they have seven children and 35 grandchildren. limited time "Pick-a-Plate" Promotion WSU License Plates wsu magazine | spring 2013 | class notes & Alumni Membership 28 35 $ for you get ... &One-year WSUAA membership your choice of: OPTION 1 - WSU State (Utah) Plate* * $25 scholarship donation certificate to take to a Utah DMV location to obtain WSU license plates OPTION 2 - WSU Commemorative Plate Visit alumni.weber.edu/lp or call 801-626-7535 Proceeds benefit WSU Alumni Association scholarships and programs 60s LM LM LM AM Neil Chase Van Eerden ’60 retired as the executive vice president for Fabergé, a perfume and cosmetics company. While in the fragrance industry, he created the perfume “Me.” A resident of Sparta, N.J., he currently serves as CEO of Van Eerden and Associates Inc. and is a member of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. Civically engaged, he volunteers for the family and criminal courthouse as a judicial assistant. Neil authored What You Don’t See When You Ain’t Got a Gun, which was inspired by his grandfather. He and his wife, Eleanor, were married for 60 years. He has three children and four grandchildren. Jo Ann Nielson Schmalz ’61, ’79 retired as a social worker in 2003 from McKay-Dee Hospital Center. She also worked at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley, Idaho, as a longterm care activity director and hospital social worker. Jo Ann serves on the WSU Alumni Association’s Emeriti Alumni Council. She and her husband, Charles Schmalz ’61, live in Ogden. Charles retired in 2005 from Amalgamated Sugar Co. as a technical services manager after 28 years of service, having spent a total of 40 years in the sugar beet industry. Jo Ann and Charles have three daughters, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. AM Claudia Bennett Weathers ’65 worked as a social worker for Ogden City Schools with the first Head Start program. She also worked for the Weber School District as a counselor at Bonneville High School and at South Ogden Junior High School in the Options Program. Claudia served as PTA president for Uintah Elementary School and South Ogden Junior High School. She was a member of the Junior League of Ogden and currently serves on the WSU Alumni Association’s Emeriti Alumni Council. Claudia lives in Ogden with AM her husband, Val Weathers ’59, who was in banking, finance and real estate development until his retirement. Val served on the Wildcat Club Board of Directors. The Weathers have three children and eight grandchildren. LM Marlene Barrett Orme ’66 retired after 28 years as an elementary school teacher. She worked 10 years in Weber County and 18 years in Utah County. Marlene lives in Springville, Utah. Run d n u F f or t he of it ! Young Alumni 5K & Kid K Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013 5K $20 adult $15 current WSU student Includes entry fee, T-shirt & breakfast $5/non-participant breakfast FREE Kid K (age 10 and younger) Includes T-shirt & breakfast Campus & Community invited Proceeds benefit WSU Alumni Association scholarships and programs Visit alumni.weber.edu/YAC5K to register or call 801-626-7518 LM AM Lifetime Member of the Alumni Association Annual Member of the Alumni Association alumni.weber.edu Ellwood (Woody) E. Curtis ’64 is semi-retired as owner/ manager of a commercial window-washing business. For 29 years, he was an owner or manager in the outdoor advertising and sign industry, including time spent as gen- eral manager of Martin Outdoor Advertising of Kansas. Woody received many awards in his lifetime, including the Distinguished Service Award from Northglenn, Colo. He is active in civic and humanitarian organizations, including Northglenn/Thornton Rotary Club, Northglenn City Council, Northglenn City Charter Commission, Northeast Kansas Better Business Bureau, Kansas Outdoor Advertising and Colorado Jaycees. Woody and his wife, Jan, live in Windsor, Colo. 29 CLASS NOTES Dell Isham ’68 was a state senator, mayor and lobbyist in Oregon. He went on to become the executive director of the Oregon Dental Hygienists’ Association, the Devils Lake Water Improvement District and the South Carolina chapter of the Sierra Club. He recently published his third book Goodbye Vietnam: Love, War and Espionage in Vietnam. AM C. Lee Crittenden ’69 is owner and manager of Crittenden Glass Co., a family business where he has worked for more than 50 years. He served on the board of the National Decorating Products Association, on the North Ogden Planning Commission and as president of the Ogden Lions Club. He is a member of WSU’s Wildcat Club. Lee is married to Pam W LM U S A L U M N I U P D AT E S Wheelwright ’70, who taught school for eight years and is currently working in medical doctors’ offices. She was president of the Ogden Lady Lions Club and is a member of the North Ogden Civic League. Both Lee and Pam serve on the WSU Alumni Association’s Emeriti Alumni Council. They have four children, three of whom are Weber graduates, and 13 grandchildren. Preece Miner ’69, ’86 taught history and English at Ogden’s Bonneville High School for 25 years, retiring in 2011. She previously worked for WSU’s Stewart Library in archives for five years. She is a member of the National Education Association, Utah Education Association and Weber Education Associa- tion, and serves as president of the Sigma Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, a professional honorary society for women educators. She is also a member of the United Nations Organization and the Utah Social Studies Organization and serves on the WSU Alumni Association’s Emeriti Alumni Council. She was a recipient of the Utah High School Social Studies Teacher of the Year award. Karen lives in Ogden and was married to former WSU chemistry professor, Bryant Miner, who passed away in 2012. Their three children are all Weber State graduates, and five of her seven stepchildren are also graduates of Weber. AM Karen y a D LM Michael D. More ’69 is a board-certified podiatrist and surgeon in Cheyenne, Wyo. He graduated from Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine and is a member of the Wyoming Association of Podiatric Surgeons and is a past president of Wyoming’s Board of Registration in Podiatry. Michael is an Eagle Scout, having been active in scouting for more than 25 years, is a certified ski instructor and was the medical advisor for the National Ski Patrol System for eight years. He served the Army Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) Ham Radio network for three years, helping soldiers communicate with their Wyoming families during Operation Desert Storm. He and his wife, Daenette Coons ’70, who has worked as his office manager for the past 24 years, have three daughters, three sons and 13 grandchildren. g o a on! L t a Saturday Aug. 3, 2013 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. For passports & lunch tickets, visit: alumni.weber.edu/lagoon ADULT Single-Day Passport $29.95 wsu magazine | spring 2013 | class notes (Regularly $45.95) Age 4 and older 30 TODDLER Single-Day Passport $24.95 (Regularly $40.95) Age 3 and younger 1 – 2 p.m. BBQ LUNCH at Davis Pavilion (Prize Drawings) FREE for current WSU Alumni Association members & children age 3 and younger OR $8/plate 70s Francis M. Wikstrom ’71, a shareholder in Parsons Behle & Latimer’s Salt Lake City office, has been elected secretary of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He has the distinction of being the first fellow from Utah to become an officer of the college. He has served on the organization’s Board of Regents for four years. Fran practices complex civil litigation and white-collar criminal defense. He has served as an assistant U.S. attorney and as a U.S. attorney for the District of Utah. He received his doctorate of law from Yale Law School. Fran and his wife, Linda, live in Salt Lake City. AM LM Floyd E. Hebdon ’72 retired after 40 years of working for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Family History Department. He worked with acquisitions, references and as a cataloger of records from the United States. He and his wife, G. DeLynne, live in Salt Lake City. Gary Lowe ’76 is owner of Lowe’s One Stop Blast shop in Hooper, Utah. He has worked in the auto body and paint business for more than 45 years. Gary has two sons, two daughters and 10 grandchildren. Michael S. Gove ’79 has been a head PGA golf professional for 23 years, serving Astoria Golf and Country Club in Oregon and, most recently, the Inglewood Golf Club in the Seattle area. He and his wife, Carrie, live in Snohomish, Wash. After attending Weber State, during which time he worked at Hill Air Force Base (HAFB), LM Wayne K. Brown ’81 furthered his knowledge in logistics, attending 13 classes at the Air Force Institute of Technology. He was manager for many different military programs within the F-16 Aircraft and the Peacekeeper Missile directorates for several years. His assignment for his final three years was division chief in the Training and Training Devices Directorate. Wayne has been retired since 2006. He is a lifetime member of the Mormon Battalion Association and an active member of the Northern Utah Historical Society. Wayne was awarded 17 individual awards as well as some team awards as an employee of HAFB. He and his wife, Lawanna, live in Riverdale, Utah, and have 12 grandchildren. LM A certified public accountant in Utah, Dan C. Milne ’85 is a partner at Eide Bailly LLP. He previously served six years as vice president of the SGS Technology Group in Ogden and was a partner for 12 years. Dan is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants and Institute of Management Accountants. He has numerous advanced professional credentials, including the certified management accountant and certified information technology professional designations. Dan has served as president of the WSU Alumni Association’s Young Alumni Council and Board of Directors. He and his wife, Leanne, live in Ogden. Lifetime Member of the Alumni Association AM FREE WSU Alumni App Stay connected WSUAA members receive the latest news and info about WSU. Share your Wildcat pride with fellow alumni and friends. Have access to exclusive activities and opportunities. https://itunes.apple.com/us/ app/weber-state-alumni/ id580562139?mt=8 AM Rebecca Winger Okey ’88, ’98 is the elementary literacy specialist for the Weber School District. She previously worked as a teacher in WSU’s Melba S. Lehner Children’s School and helped develop and teach in the Family Literacy Project. Rebecca was also an elementary teacher and school reading specialist. She served on the policy council and is currently on the board of the Ogden-Weber Community Action Partnership Annual Member of the Alumni Association Head Start Program. She is also on the board of directors for the Utah Council of International Reading Association. Rebecca and her husband, Kay, have five children and five grandchildren. Gregory S. Anderson ’89 is an associate professor of information systems at Brigham Young University. Prior to this position, he was chair of the alumni.weber.edu LM 80s 31 CLASS NOTES computer science department at Weber State, where he was a Crystal Crest Teacher of the Year. He received his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Colorado and his doctorate from Indiana State University. Greg is owner/president of Bit by Bit Technologies. He is the co-author of Connecting with Computer Science, as well as other textbooks, and has been a contributing editor for technology magazines. He researches the effects of collaborative video gaming. Greg has three daughters, two of whom are Weber State graduates, and one son. He and his wife, Gina A L U M N I U P D AT E S Dalton ’85, live in Springville, Utah. She received her registered nurse degree from the University of Utah and works in maternal fetal medicine research for Intermountain Healthcare. 90s Jed W. Spencer ’91, ’92 has been the director of financial aid and scholarships at WSU since 2006. He previously worked for 13 years as an audit manager at the Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority. Jed is a member of the Utah Association of Certified Public ADD CURB APPEAL & HELP STUDENTS The WSU Alumni Association and Sport My Curb are teaming up to raise money for students. Purchase a custom WSU curb and/or mailbox decal. Proceeds will benefit WSU Alumni Association scholarships and programs. wsu magazine | spring 2013 | class notes For a limited time, enter promo code “WSU Wildcat” and receive a special discount. 32 To order, visit alumni.weber.edu Accountants. He and his wife, Patsy, live in Bountiful, Utah, and have three children. Melinda Roylance McGrath ’93 is a global staffing director at TriQuint Semiconductor, a company that provides radio frequency solutions and technology for communications, defense and aerospace companies worldwide. She lives in Hillsboro, Ore., with her three children. 40th attorney in the nation to be awarded board certification in DUI defense at the National College of DUI Defense Summer Session conducted at Harvard Law School. Glen and his wife, Laura, have three daughters. Jennifer Graviet ’95 was selected as the 2013 Weber School District Teacher of the Year and was second runner-up to Utah’s Teacher of the Year. She is Utah’s nominee for the 2014 National Education Association Foundation's Award for Teaching Excellence. She is in her 18th year of teaching English and creative writing at Sand Ridge Junior High School in Roy, Utah. P. Bret Millburn ’93 has served as a Davis County commissioner since January 2007. Prior to being elected, he was director of planning and development for United Way of Northern Utah. Bret served on the Salt Lake bid and organizing committees for the Olympic A certified public accounWinter Games and Paralympic tant, Jill Starley Calton ’96, Winter Games of 2002 and ’97 is managing director for was general manager of athlete JD Clark & Co., where she transportation. He was also an has worked for 14 years. She assistant to the speaker of the previously worked for the audit, Utah House of Representatives. tax and advisory firm KPMG Bret serves on many boards, as an auditor. Jill served on including the Utah Transit the board of directors for the Authority, Utah State AssociaOgden Valley Winter Sports tion of County Commissioners Foundation from 2009 to 2012. and Council Members, Safe Harbor, and Davis Citizen’s AM Neal T. Clarke ’97 is the direcCoalition Against Violence. He tor of logistics at Amedica and his wife, Michelle, live in Corp., where he has worked Centerville, Utah. They have since 2007. He previously two sons, three daughters and worked for Kimberly-Clark one granddaughter. Corp. for 11 years in various supply chain roles in Ogden In 1997, Glen W. Neeley ’94 and Everett, Wash. Neal received his doctorate of law currently serves on the WSU from Oklahoma City UniverAlumni Association’s Board of sity School of Law. He is an Directors. He and his wife, Roattorney at Glen W. Neeley, zanne, live in Riverdale, Utah, Attorney at Law P.C. in Ogden. with their two sons. Glen is the Utah delegate for the National College of DUI Elizabeth Weston Covill ’99 Defense and is a member of the has been the owner of Covill National Association of CrimiFuneral Home in Pinedale, nal Defense Lawyers and the Wyo., for the past nine years. Utah Association of Criminal She lives in Pinedale with her Defense Lawyers. He was the Did you take classes here? If so, mark your calendar for the ... Weber College 25th Street CAMPUS REUNION Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013 REUNION: 2 p.m. & WSU Football game Hurst Center, Dumke Legacy Hall Weber State Wildcats vs. Stephen F. Austin State Lumberjacks Visit alumni.weber.edu/25 or call 801-626-7535 husband, Curtis J. Covill ’01, who serves as funeral director and embalmer. 00s LM Zachary A. Williams ’01, ’13 is the owner of Williams Visual, Inc., a visual communications company in Ogden that develops branding and communication media for advertising and publishing clients. He is a strategic communication and marketing professional with 14 years of experience working with clients in the finance, Lifetime Member of the Alumni Association AM manufacturing, publishing and transportation sectors. Zac serves as vice chair for Wasatch Peaks Credit Union. He has written five cookbooks, including Hungry Campers and the Little Cowpokes Cookbook for young chefs. Zac and his wife, Aimee Aardema ’98, have three children. Natalie Murphy ’02 is a certified public accountant and audit manager with member- Annual Member of the Alumni Association ships in the Utah Association of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. She has 11 years of experience in the accounting, financial reporting and auditing of privately and publicly held companies. After spending 10 years with Child, Van Wagoner & Bradshaw CPAs in Salt Lake City, she recently joined Adams & Petersen CPAs in Clearfield, Utah. Natalie resides in West Point, Utah, with her husband and four children. alumni.weber.edu For the past five years, Carla T. Miali ’01 has taught elementary school at an ocean-view school in Huntington Beach, Calif., where she resides. She previously served as head coach for the girls’ volleyball program at California’s Fountain Valley High School. 33 CLASS NOTES A L U M N I U P D AT E S Brandon J. Fisher ’03 is a rathe world in honor of cancer diation oncologist with Gamma patients. West Cancer Services at Ogden Regional Medical Center’s Val LM Lynlee M. Robinson ’06 is a A. Browning Cancer Treattransportation optimization ment Center. He is a delegate analyst at Kimberly-Clark to the American College of Corp., a position she’s held for Radiation Oncology’s Board two of her six years at the comof Chancellors and sits on the pany. She resides in Knoxville, Young Physicians Committee. Tenn., with her husband, Lee A supporter of global availabilToothman, who also attended ity of cancer care and an avid WSU. He has worked for six climber, he founded Radiating years as a sales representative Hope, a nonprofit organization for Printedge. comprised of radiation oncologists and mountain climbers Kristin M. Kelemen ’07 is the who raise money to provide and art director and production update radiation equipment in manager in the marketing developing countries. Brandon, department at Maverik Inc., who is also part of the Weber located in North Salt Lake, County Search and Rescue Utah. Kristin is a board memTeam, carries Radiating Hope’s ber of “teamgive,” a charity prayer flags to peaks around LM Lifetime Member of the Alumni Association AM that increases awareness of rare neurological diseases in children, and a volunteer for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, and No More Homeless Pets in Utah. She lives in Bountiful, Utah. Ernesto Hernandez Jr. ’09 graduated in 2012 from San Jose State University with a master’s degree in library and information science. He is an emerging technologies librarian at Nevada State College. He previously worked at the Weber County Library and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Ernesto and his wife, Brandi Lyn, live in Henderson, Nev. 10s Joseph R. Jones ’11 works at Primary Residential Mortgage as a human resources clerk and at Costco as a front-end assistant. He and his wife, Ruth, live in Riverdale, Utah. Jason A. Francis ’12 is the designer/production manager at Signature Books in Salt Lake City. He previously worked as a graphic artist at WSU Printing Services. Jason is a member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts, the professional association for design. He and his wife, Michelle Francis ’04, live in West Point, Utah. Annual Member of the Alumni Association SAVEBig on Custom wsu magazine | spring 2013 | class notes Apparel 34 ... through WSU Campus Stores! Perfect for family reunions, sports teams, clubs and fundraisers! Call 801-626-6375 for more information < < < Take a behind-the-scenes tour of Art Services' production facility. BRENDA M. KOWALEWSKI Professor of Sociology David C. Trujillo, director of the Upward Bound program, and Brenda M. Kowalewski, professor of sociology, are the recipients of the WSU Alumni Association’s 2013 H. Aldous Dixon Awards. DAVID C. TRUJILLO Director, Upward Bound Program It’s a good thing Dave Trujillo ignored his Davis High School guidance counselor. When the track star confided his dream of becoming a coach, the woman laughed. “She said I wasn’t college material,” Trujillo recalls. Weber State College didn’t laugh. Trujillo received a four-year athletic scholarship and graduated in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a teaching certificate. He accepted a coaching post in Roswell, N.M., but returned to Ogden each summer to work for Weber State’s Upward Bound program. He was hired full time in 1973 and became Upward Bound director in 1986. Upward Bound targets high school students who have the potential to pursue a college education, but may lack adequate skills or support. Trujillo works with about 75 students a year and takes his job very personally. “I teach family values like honesty, trust, accountability and sacrifice,” he says. He also encourages students to participate in community service. “It’s amazing to see these low-income kids giving up their food to help other people,” says Trujillo, who also knows the value of being able to list service projects on a college application. Trujillo’s secret weapons are his self-deprecating humor and ability to relate to kids whose odds of attending college are stacked against them. “I tell them I was just a fat little Mexican kid who was given a great opportunity and took advantage of it,” he says. He recounts numerous stories of students who conquered crippling obstacles. He tells of one teen who had an alcoholic father, an abusive, drug-addicted mother, and a severe speech impediment. With Trujillo’s guidance, the boy persevered and eventually received a $43,000 scholarship to Stanford University. “How do you inspire kids to go somewhere beyond average?” asks Trujillo. “By giving them dreams, and then opportunities to make those dreams become realities.” 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. alumni.weber.edu As a graduate student at the University of Maryland, Brenda Marsteller and some of her fellow sociology program cohorts met regularly for happy hour. They’d catch up and discuss new teaching techniques. One trend, in particular, fascinated Brenda. The more she heard about service learning, the more dedicated she became to having her students participate in communitybased learning projects. “It’s hands-on learning,” says the since-married Brenda Marsteller Kowalewski. “And it’s for real people, with real needs and real consequences if we don’t come through.” Kowalewski came to Weber State in 1995. In 2006, she became the director of Community-Based and Experiential Learning. Her first task was to create a Community Involvement Center that would match students with service opportunities and show faculty how to convert existing courses into community-engaged learning (CEL) classes. Her enthusiasm for experiential learning is apparently contagious, as the popularity of this teaching approach has spread phenomenally at WSU. “It started out as this grass roots kind of movement,” says Kowalewski, “and in five years has grown to 66 faculty teaching 197 formalized CEL classes.” Kowalewski has won multiple awards and national acclaim for her groundbreaking studies and academic publications. But more than anything she hopes students leave her classes feeling empowered. "When you put students in a situation where they can see change, or the potential for change, that they, themselves, are creating, then I’ve done my job.” 35 Non-profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 151 SLC, UT Department of University Communications 4025 University Circle Ogden, UT 84408-4025 zac williams Aging Graciously A lot happened in 1906. President Teddy Roosevelt pushed for progressive reforms. Ford Motor Co. introduced its $500 Model N automobile. Broadway audiences tapped their toes to George M. Cohan’s catchy new song, You’re a Grand Old Flag. The first hotel and casino opened in downtown Las Vegas. The average U.S. worker earned 22 cents per hour. A killer earthquake brought San Francisco to its knees … and a Pennsylvania couple, Samuel and Flora Derr, had a baby girl named Marguerite. Marguerite Derr Groff Flickinger is Weber State University’s oldest living donor. On March 9, 2013, she turned 107. At a private celebration, President Charles Wight presented Marguerite with a purple blanket and led hospice workers and university representatives in a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday. Sporting a megawatt smile and a stylish copper-blonde hairdo, Marguerite waved and blew kisses as 107 helium balloons were released in her backyard. “God still gives me the power to enjoy life,” says Marguerite, who, along with other family members, started a scholarship fund in 1979 to honor her grandson, a gifted student artist who died in a tragic skiing accident. To date, the Douglas P. McFarland Memorial Scholarship in the Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities, has helped 25 talented art students pursue their educational dreams. President Wight wishes Marguerite a happy 107th birthday. To support the Douglas P. McFarland Memorial Scholarship, or another university scholarship or program, visit weber.edu/give or call 801-626-6138.