In Memoriam

’53

JOSEPH B. LYZNICKI on June 9, 2022, in Plainfield, Illinois.

JAMES “JIM” MCKINZIE, M.S.Ed. ’55, on Aug. 8, 2022, in Sterling, Illinois.

’54

RITA A. NAGEL, M.S.Ed. ’79, on Dec. 27, 2022, in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

’60

JOHN “JACK” HALL, M.S. ’73 on Dec. 22, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Florida.

EUGENE “GENE” LAURITZEN on Aug. 10, 2022, in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin.

’64

JOAN SANDMAN on July 6, 2022, in Geneva, Illinois.

’65

WILLIAM E. KELSEY on Oct. 5, 2022, in Elk River, Minnesota.

NEAL MACDONALD, M.S.Ed. ’71, on June 9, 2022, in Plainfield, Illinois.

CAROL VIRKUS on Nov. 16, 2022, in Naperville, Illinois.

’66

CAROL ELIZABETH ANDERSON on Dec. 16, 2022, in Illinois.

’67

JAMES E. ALLEN, M.S.Ed. ’77, on Jan. 29, 2023, in Vancouver, Washington.

GRAYSON BROTMILLER, M.S.Ed., on Nov. 27, 2022, in Sterling, Illinois.

MICHAEL DREHER on June 19, 2022, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.

’68

DONALD GOSSETT, M.S.Ed., on Oct. 27, 2022, in Eldorado, Illinois.

ROBERT JAMES JONAS, M.B.A. ’75, on July 4, 2022, in Fontana, Wisconsin.

’69

DICK RENZI on July 14, 2022, in Overland Park, Kansas.

LAURA WIERSCHKE, M.S.Ed. ’73 on Oct. 22, 2022, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

’70

RUTH WEGFORTH, Ed.D., on Aug. 16, 2022, in Mokena, Illinois.

’71

LARRY LONIS, M.S.Ed. ’75, on Aug. 5, 2022, in Geneva, Illinois.

DONALD WHITNEY on Dec. 28, 2022, in Barrington, Illinois.

’73

LEE HANSEN on June 4, 2022, in Savanna, Illinois.

LIZ HATCH on Sept. 23, 2022, in Spring Grove, Illinois.

JOLENE SCRIVEN, Ed.D., on July 28, 2022, in DeKalb, Illinois.

’74

FRED KASTEN on Dec. 8, 2022, in Freeport, Illinois.

JUNE ROLLINS, M.S., on Sept. 1, 2022, in Batavia, Illinois.

’75

MICHAEL JERETINA on June 27, 2022, in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

CHRISTINE O’CALLAGHAN on June 6, 2022, in Wheeling, Illinois.

’76

ALAN SU KIONG YONG, M.B.A., on Jan. 6, 2022, in Coldwater, Michigan.

’77

BERNICE SUMMERVILLE FOSTER, M.S.Ed., on July 9, 2022, in Maywood, Illinois.

LANNY FRAWLEY on Nov. 10, 2022, in St. Charles, Illinois.

JAMES T. MASCAL on June 3, 2022, in DeKalb, Illinois.

’78

CATHERINE BLACK on June 28, 2022, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

CAROL J. GARNER on Oct. 27, 2022, in St. Paul, Minnesota.

‘79

THOMAS “TOM” HOEY, JR., M.S. ’81, on June 22, 2022, in Ocala, Florida.

’81

RICHARD “RICK” EBEL, M.A., on May 16, 2022, in Silverton, Oregon.

MARK YOUNG, M.S.Ed., on July 24 in Sterling, Illinois.

’84

DAVID FLISS on July 24, 2022, in Grayslake, Illinois.

SCOTT SNIVELY on May 31, 2022, in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

’85

STEVEN B. RUBINSON, M.B.A. ’88, on Nov. 7, 2022, in Racine, Wisconsin.

’88

THOMAS HAYENGA on Dec. 6, 2022, in Loves Park, Illinois.

’91

DAVID ZAMEIC on July 20, 2022, in Joliet, Illinois.

’94

SHARON K. WRIGHT, M.S.Ed., on June 26, 2022, in Normal, Illinois.

’98

THERESA KINNIRY, M.A., on June 21, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona.

’00

CATHERINE “KITTY” GREEN, Ed.D., on May 25, 2022, in Mishawaka, Indiana.

’02

ERIC DAMS on July 6, 2022, in Lake Villa, Illinois.

’09

AARON PAUL SCHILLING, on Jan. 3, 2023, in LaGrange Park, Illinois.

’13

JOSHUA HURLIMAN on May 26, 2022, in Rockford, Illinois.

Faculty, Staff & Friends

Jerry Ball, retired faculty, on Dec. 28, 2022, in Yakima, Washington.

Charles “Bill” Crum, retired faculty, on Dec. 29, 2022, in DeKalb, Illinois.

John “Jack” Hall, retired faculty, on Dec. 22, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Floann Hamilton, staff, on Jan. 19, 2023, in Illinois.

Roger Irle, retired faculty, on June 20, 2022, in Spokane, Washington.

Jolene Scriven, retired faculty, on July 28, 2022, in DeKalb, Illinois.

 

NIUAA President Letter

I would like to welcome our newest alumni, the class of 2023 who will join the 262,000 NIU alumni around the world. In this issue of Northern Now we celebrated our golden graduates who graduated 50 years ago. Whether you crossed the commencement stage this May or 50 years ago you are bound by that sense of accomplishment in earning your diploma.

As the NIU Alumni Association President, I hope you will find a lifetime connection with NIU. By staying connected with your alma mater you can enjoy the social, educational and volunteer opportunities the university and the alumni association offer. There is a wide variety of activities you can participate in from listening to the jazz orchestra to cheering on the Huskies at a football game to learning about microbrewing. There is something for everyone. Check out the list of activities at www.myniu.com.

Besides attending events, become engaged with your alma mater by joining an affinity group made up of alumni with a common bond, or you may want to volunteer or contribute during our annual Huskies United Day of Giving. See www.myniu.com for the full list of those affinity groups and volunteer opportunities.

If you want to know more about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities or have an idea you want your alumni association to consider please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at alums@niu.edu. The board and staff of the NIU Alumni Association are here to serve you, fellow Huskies.

We look forward to seeing you in the coming year.


RICH ESCALANTE ’74, M.A.P.A. ’ 78

Slow, Deep Breaths

Paul Wright

Falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries for adults 65 and older.

Emergency rooms treated three million senior citizens for falls in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

Of those, more than 800,000 were hospitalized – and more than 34,000 died.

Medical bills resulting from falls, meanwhile, amount to $50 billion each year. Medicaid and Medicare shoulder the burden of those payments to the tune of around $38 billion.

With statistics like those, the importance of maintaining strength and balance in older adults is abundantly clear.

And what do those two centers recommend to seniors hoping to avoid the floor, ground or ambulance? Tai chi.

“It helps to train anyone to develop their body-mind connection, such as a better sense of where their center of gravity is, how their weight is distributed in their legs and how their posture is aligned,” says Paul Wright, professor in the NIU Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KNPE) who has studied and taught tai chi for decades.

“So many of us aren’t used to paying attention to things like the way our weight is distributed across our feet,” Wright offers as an example. “Is our weight more forward, where we’re feeling it more on the toes? Or is it rocked backward, and we’re feeling it on our heels? Is my weight shifted more to my right leg or my left?”

Proper posture and body-mind awareness “has you halfway there to preventing falls,” he adds, “but it’s like any skill. It’s something you have to develop through practice.”

Certified teachers are needed, which is why Wright invited staff from Oak Crest DeKalb Area Retirement Center and the B.R. Ryall YMCA of Northwestern DuPage County to NIU for a two-part workshop on tai chi for arthritis and fall prevention.

Jim Starshak, a master trainer, taught seated and standing tai chi movements in the Anderson Hall gymnasium; participants then demonstrated what they had learned by leading the exercises that improve strength, health, quality of life and inner harmony.

NIU alumna Abby Baumbach came from Oak Crest, where she works in Resident Services and helps to organize activities such as movies, crafts and exercise classes.

Baumbach, who earned a graduate certificate in leadership and aging studies in 2022 and a bachelor’s degree in human development and family sciences (with an emphasis in family social services) in 2020, now plans to teach a seated tai chi class for those residents who find it difficult to stand.

Key to her work, she says, is making sure the seniors understand that whatever they can achieve is good enough.

“During the workshops, I was so focused on having every movement perfect because, as I was getting the teacher certification, I thought I needed to,” Baumbach says. “But I realized that I didn’t need to be perfect, and I think this will be really helpful for the older adult population: knowing that maybe if they can’t lift their arms up all the way to do one of our movements, or if they can’t extend their arms across their bodies, they can still do a modified version.”

YMCA yoga instructor Kathy Stiegal came to learn a different approach for older students who’ve left her classes because they can no longer kneel after knee surgeries or because they’ve started to use wheelchairs.

“Something like this might help them because it gives them movement,” says Stiegal, who also hopes to teach tai chi at her church. “It’s a great program for aging adults, and it might be just what they’re looking for. It’s basic, it’s slow and they don’t have to worry about hurting their knees. They can stay within their own comfort range.”

Anderson Hall was indeed a comfortable place during the October workshops.

Recordings of wooden flutes and acoustic guitars furnished a peaceful and relaxing soundtrack fit for a tropical rainforest.

Master Trainer Starshak sat in front of the arc of seated participants, who included KNPE faculty Emerson Sebastião, Dave Benner and Wonock Chung, along with doctoral student Vitor Siqueira.

Quietly narrating his movements, Starshak laid his hands by his side or on his lap, repeatedly raising them, pulling them toward his chest and then pushing them away. He turned his head slowly, about 70% to the side at first, then 80% and finally 100%.

He made a circle shape with his arms. He flexed his shoulders. He crossed his arms, with his hands gripping the sections above the elbow, and rotated side to side. He lifted his legs and extended them forward while reaching back with his hands. He massaged his knees.

“I’m teaching much faster than you should ever plan on teaching,” he told them. “Remember, when you’re dealing with seniors, socialization is important.”

Students then divided into groups, choreographing and leading their own routines while Starshak observed and critiqued.

“Thumbs to the front of the room. Parry. Thumbs to the back. Parry. Shift your weight. Rotate. Slow, deep breaths.” Wright is among those on the gym floor but by no means a beginner.

He first learned the ancient art more than 30 years ago, including private lessons with an elderly Chinese grandmaster, earning his certification in 1994.

During the mid-to late-1990s, Wright then built on his own background in martial arts to work with a physical therapist in the development of tai-chi for-balance programs. He also taught one himself at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago to help patients who had suffered strokes or other impairments.

But people of all ages and abilities can benefit, he says, through tai chi’s holistic focus on relaxation and socialization and its rejection of the “no pain-no gain, mindless repetition.”

“That’s how we model exercise in the West for people who, usually, are younger. But as they get older, those things really don’t work very well for them and, in fact, can sometimes be pretty dangerous and detrimental,” Wright says.

“Your therapist or your personal trainer says, ‘OK, do three sets of 20 of those and two sets of 50 of these.’ And while you’re doing those exercises, your mind can be anywhere. ‘Oh, I didn’t get that load of laundry switched. What are we going to have for dinner tonight? Have those strawberries gone bad yet?’ That sort of mental chatter feeds into our stress,” he adds.

“Tai chi is how it all comes together. When you do body-mind exercises, it actually requires you to put your mental focus into what you’re doing. You’re more mindful and aware in the experience, which tends to be pleasant and engaging because it’s healthy, it’s social and it’s got some challenge to it because you’re learning new material.”

Established in 2011, the program emphasizes the university’s responsibility to serve the public, contribute to the betterment of society and promote the application of knowledge and the interaction of faculty and practicing professionals.

KNPE’s 35-year relationship with Oak Crest, where students in several majors deliver personal fitness training under Benner’s guidance, made immediate sense.

“Dave (Benner) was a perfect person to involve because he’s able to embed tai chi into the KNPE 493 curriculum,” Wright says. “He’s now got certification in this approach to teaching tai chi; he’s well qualified to give his students some exposure and orientation in this and to suggest integrating a couple of these moves into what they do at Oak Crest with the seniors.”

For Sebastião and Siqueira, the tai chi certification augments their research toolbox.

The pair are exploring exercise-oriented interventions for people with Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis, Wright says, and are likely to include tai chi in their list of possibilities as they conduct tests with Oak Crest residents.

Connecting with a YMCA, meanwhile, adds tai chi as a class option for its physically active senior citizen membership. Promoting such physical activity for seniors is a particular interest for Chung, an assistant professor of sport management who is looking to form partnerships with community agencies such as the YMCA.

Wright hopes the participants from both community organizations “walked away with a greater sense of partnership” with NIU and KNPE specifically.

“I didn’t want to just fund training for the community partners. I wanted us to actually work together. I wanted to break down some of the barriers between the university and the community, the researchers and the practitioners and even professors and grad students,” he says.

“Our approach was, ‘Everybody here has a similar commitment and a similar interest. Let’s work together as a team and do something fun and worthwhile,’” he adds. “I think that’s a big outcome: I hope they’re more likely to approach us, whether it’s about tai chi or something else, and that they see us as folks ‘who roll up their sleeves and work with you, get out there and help and give advice. They respect who we are and what we do out in the community.’”

Class Notes

’59

VIRGINIA RAY was recognized in October 2022 by The Whiteside County Honor Flight Committee for her devotion to the group, which enables veterans to fly to Washington, D.C., in salute of their service.

’66

JEREMIAH JOYCE launched his new book, Still Burning, which offers important insights into Chicago’s political history, in September 2022.

JOHN PROCHASKA, M.B.A. ’70, was awarded a 50-year National Continuous Membership Certificate from the Park Ridge, Illinois, American Legion in June 2022.

’68

ALEXA TUNTLAND, M.S. ’70, celebrated with her husband Terrie Tuntland, ’69, M.S. ’72, the 20th anniversary of their Waterman Winery and Vineyard in August 2022.

’70

DR. JOHN AKINYEMI, M.S., published his new book, Coming 2 America, in November 2022. The work chronicles his late wife’s immigration to America.

’73

DR. PATRICK FOLEY was named president of The American Board of Orthodontics in June 2022.

DAVID MANIGOLD was honored by Ottawa High School’s Hall of Fame for his career in the medical field, as well as his volunteer work in the Ottawa community, in December 2022.

’74

HON. LOUIS APOSTOL, M.B.A., J.D. ’78, was reappointed as public administrator of Cook County in June 2022.

JIM MORLEY played a role in Sam Shepard’s “Buried Child” at Chicago’s Edge Theater last fall.

GEORGE PREDIC retired from his role as regional vice president for S. Abraham & Sons’ Wisconsin and Illinois in June 2022.

VICKI QUADE performed in her show “Christmas Bingo: It’s a Ho-Ho-Holy Night” in Chicago in November and December 2022.

POLLY SWOPES, M.S.Ed. ’78, was happy to celebrate the women who were initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.’s Delta Omicron Chapter on the campus of Northern Illinois University in 1972 for their 50th anniversary as “Golden Sorors.”

’75

CAROL BURLINSKI was named the 2022 recipient of the Bishop Roger L. Kaffer Outstanding Principal Award from Lewis University in October.

’78

HON. GARY A. DOBBS was appointed by the Supreme Court of Illinois as a resident circuit court judge of Grundy County in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in July 2022.

HELEN HARRIS, M.A. ’81, was a presenter for The Great Falls Public Library’s presentation “Montana Fibershed-Connecting Montana Folks with Montana Fiber” in January 2023.

’81

DIANE DUNGEY was inducted into the Northern Star Hall of Fame for her work as a journalist with the Daily Herald in August 2022.

ROGER EDDY was named interim president for Olney Central College in July 2022.

BILL REH retired from his role as meteorologist at CBS 17 in Raleigh, North Carolina, in December 2022.

JIM VARGO, M.B.A. ’94, was named senior vice president and business development officer of asset-based lending and corporate banking with Associated Bank in August 2022.

’82

RICHARD ERICKSON joined the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) in January 2023 as a research staff member in the Operational Evaluation Division of IDA’s Systems and Analyses Center.

PHIL JURIK was named managing editor of the Chicago Tribune in January 2023.

’83

HON. GENO CAFFARINI was appointed as resident circuit court judge in the 13th Judicial Circuit in Illinois in May 2022.

MICHAEL CHESNEY was sworn in as deputy regional administrator of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Region 5 in June 2022.

HON. EUGENE G. DOHERTY, J.D. ’89, was assigned as an appellate court justice in the Fourth District of Illinois in July 2022.

BRENDA MALLOY was promoted to the role of CEO for Herbert Mines Associates in New York City in September 2022.

’84

RICH PONDEL joined Associated Bank in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, as senior vice president and portfolio manager for corporate banking in July 2022.

JOEL WASSERMAN was appointed to the role of VP of corporate communications and global brand management for James Hardie Industries in January 2023.

’85

APRIL ARNOLD was appointed as executive director of the Board of Trustees of Associated Colleges of Illinois in July 2022.

ANN GANTZER, M.S. ’90, was appointed chief nursing officer for Intermountain Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette, Colorado, in October 2022.

DAVID ALLEN KUESTER, M.A., received the Illinois Theatre Association’s 2022 Award of Excellence in College/University Theatre in August 2022.

STEVEN ISOYE, M.S.Ed. ’99, Ed.S. ’02, Ed.D. ’11, was appointed to the role of chair of the Illinois State Board of Education by Governor JB Pritzker in September 2022.

’86

TERRI CRAIN GOODMAN, B.M. ’87, performed as a soloist with the DeKalb Municipal Band, conducted by Kirk Lundbeck, in its 168th season.

JORDAN LAMM was named managing director for the valuation practice at Andersen in Chicago in December 2022.

KELLI SINCLAIR, M.S.Ed. ’95, was named vice president of student services for Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, Illinois, in August 2022.

PAT SPODEN retired from the National Weather Service after 34 years of service as a meteorologist in July.

’87

MICHELLE LENKAITIS was appointed to the Ames Community School District Board of Directors in August 2022.

MICHAEL ROSS, M.A., was named director of exhibitions and education for The Studios of Key West in November 2022.

’89

MILAGROS BRAVO retired as the bilingual program director for Community Consolidated School District 62 in Des Plaines, Illinois, in June 2022.

KERRY M. BELL, M.B.A., was awarded the Standards Medal from the NFPA for heroutstanding contributions to fire safety in August 2022.

MARQUITA FURNESS DAVIS was named KinderCare’s chief academic officer in December 2022.

JIM HAAG retired from his role as police chief of Milledgeville, Illinois, in January 2023.

’91

HOLLY HARPER-KELLY was named principal of Hynes Elementary School in Morton Grove, Illinois, in June 2022.

CHRISTINE SHEA, M.A.S., was named manager with Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. in Holyoke, Massachusetts, in August 2022.

TIMOTHY TAYLOR was named CFO of All Faiths Food Bank in Sarasota, Florida, in September 2022.

’92

KEVIN BERRY joined WeWork as senior vice president of investor relations in June 2022, splitting his time between its Chicago and New York City offices.

TIA ROBINSON COOPER, Ed.D. ’15, was named chancellor for Ivy Tech Community College’s campus in South Bend- Elkhart, Indiana, in June 2022.

KEN MACKLIN, M.S. ’95, was named the new head of Mississippi State University’s Department of Poultry Science in January 2023.

’93

CAPTAIN DAN PAPP retired from his position as program manager for the U.S. Navy’s Air Anti- Submarine Warfare (ASW) Systems Program (PMA- 264) in June 2022, after 27 years of dedicated service.

ANDREA O’BRIEN was promoted to the role of court administrator for the 16th Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois in October 2022.

MARC SOBLE, M.B.A., J.D., was named CFO of Armstrong Teasdale in November 2022.

LAWRENCE A. STEIN, J.D., joined the faculty of the College of Law as an assistant clinical professor and director of the law school’s new Business Innovation Law Clinic in August 2022.

’94

MICHAEL ADELBERG, M.P.A., was named executive director of the National Association of Dental Plans in November 2022.

ELLEN BAER, M.P.A., was honored by the Illinois City/Council Management Association for her work as Western Springs village manager in July 2022.

BILL BRUCE was appointed as special prosecutor in the criminal division at the McHenry County States Attorney’s Office in McHenry, Illinois, in August 2022.

MARC SPACONE was selected as the 2022-2023 Middle School Principal of the Year by the Illinois Principal Association’s Kishwaukee Region.

’95

SARA DEITER was appointed to vice president of consulting services for Health Dimensions Group in Minneapolis in August 2022.

MATTHEW KNOTT, M.S. ’07, was named fire chief for Green Bay Metro Fire Department in December 2022.

HON. JOHN MCADAMS was appointed as a circuit court judge for the 23rd Judicial Circuit in Illinois in August 2022.

JAIME QUEZADA started a new position as chief of acute care at Tomah Veterans Administration Medical Center in Tomah, Wisconsin, in September 2022.

’96

MATT CRAWFORD was appointed president and CEO of Onyx Graphics in July 2022.

SARAH HERSEY, M.S. ’01, was named vice president and head of Translational Sciences & Diagnostics at Bristol Myers Squibb in July 2022.

JEFF LIETZ was promoted to principal at Charles Vincent George Architects in Naperville, Illinois, in October 2022.

CHRISTINE SOBEK, Ed.D., retired from her role as president of Waubonsee Community College in January 2023.

TOM WAGNER rejoined Motor Coach Industries to lead the team of regional sales vice presidents in the U.S. and Canada in September 2022.

ADAM WENDT joined Trustmark National Bank as senior vice president and equipment finance credit manager in January 2023.

’98

JENNIFER PASCUA began a new role as marketing director for Broadway Grand Rapids in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

DAWN RAFTERY was named vice president of communications at Chicago’s Shriver Center on Poverty Law in June 2022.

’99

JOSHUA AUBEY joined Chicago’s WellBe Senior Medical as its chief compliance officer in June 2022.

AMY BUSS was hired as a sixth-grade social studies teacher at Oelwein Community Schools in Oelwein, Iowa, in August 2022.

HON. CARLO COLOSIMO was appointed as an associate judge for the 23rd Judicial Circuit of Illinois in August 2022.

DR. TRACY MORRIS, M.S.Ed., Ed.D. ’12, was named president of Illinois Valley Community College in December 2022.

REP. JOE SOSNOWSKI, M.P.A. ’22, was elected the state representative for Illinois’ 69th Legislative District in November 2022.

’00

THOMAS YU, J.D., was appointed as city attorney for the City of Champaign, Illinois, in August 2022.

’01

TANYA DIAZ was promoted to lieutenant colonel in command of the 377th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico in July 2022.

REYNA GILBERT-LOWRY was promoted to senior associate athletics director for inclusive excellence and alumni engagement at Virginia Tech in September 2022.

RYAN HAMER, J.D. ’04, was appointed to the role of LaSalle County public defender in Illinois in December 2022.

HON. BRYAN KIBLER was appointed as resident circuit court judge of Effingham County, Illinois, in August 2022.

MELISSA YUSKA, M.S.Ed. ’04, was awarded the 2022 Outstanding Principal Award from the Golden Apple Foundation for her work at Windsor Elementary School in Loves Park, Illinois, in June 2022.

’02

DREW HALBESMA was named district administrator for Genoa City School District in Wisconsin in June 2022.

JILL KONEN, J.D., was appointed as associate judge in DeKalb County in July 2022.

JODI MEGERLE, M.S., Ed.S. ’15, Ed.D. ’20, was appointed as the superintendent of The River Trails School District 26 in July 2022.

ADAM REIDEL was named the head of people operations for OneScreen.ai. in Boston, Massachusetts, in August 2022.

’03

ALAN ROOD was named the football coach, as well as physical education, health and driver’s education teacher, at St. Anne Community High School in St. Anne, Illinois, in June 2022.

’04

YUKO ASADA was featured in the “Women in Pan” web series, which explores contemporary issues in pan through the lens of five outstanding women, in September 2022.

SHAUN CRISLER, M.S.Ed. ’08, was appointed provost for student development at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, in June 2022.

NOELLE FAHEY, M.S.Ed. ’10, was named principal of Prairie Point Elementary School in Oswego, Illinois, in June 2022.

NICOLE KIRIAKOPOULOS was named director at PCE Investment Bankers in November 2022, becoming responsible for leading buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions.

’05

KATE BUCKSON was named director of the St. Charles Library in St. Charles, Illinois, in November 2022.

ANDREAS LUCIDO was promoted to managing director with Alvarez & Marsal’s Public Sector Services in Washington, D.C. in September 2022.

JEREMY MORGAN was promoted to senior manager at Glenview, Illinois’ Weiss & Company in January 2023.

BRIAN REIS, M.A., retired from his role as executive director of Ellwood House in DeKalb, Illinois, in October 2022.

JOSH SEGURA was named principal of Woodstock North High School in Woodstock, Illinois, in June 2022.

KYLE WOLFE held his second solo exhibit in the Kortman Gallery in Rockford last fall.

’06

RYAN GOYAL was named a principal at public accounting firm Novogradac in January 2023.

BETH GRABIN was named the CFO of Ascentra Credit Union in Bettendorf, Iowa, in August 2022.

’07

RYAN BILLER joined Chuhak & Tecson as an associate in the firm’s Corporate Transactions & Business Law division in January 2023.

CAPT. SONJI DAVIS was awarded the “Blacks in Government Military Meritorious Service Award” in August 2022.

ALLISON FOX, M.S.Ed. ’16, joined the PE/Health Department at Mendota High School in Mendota, Illinois, in August 2022.

’08

ERIC DOBRADIN was hired as an attorney at Gardi, Haught, Fischer & Bhosale Ltd. in Schaumburg, Illinois, in June 2022.

JUDY GAWCZYNSKI was named vice president of membership for The News/Media Alliance in October 2022.

JACOB GURKE, M.A.S. ’09, was named CFO of Glass Solutions Inc. in January 2023.

LUCAS SCHULTZ, M.S.Ed., joined Hall High School in Spring Valley, Illinois, as its science teacher in September 2022.

’09

DR. AMIT SHAH, M.P.A., began practicing family medicine for Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston, Missouri, in December 2022.

’10

MICHAEL PALLARES, M.B.A., was named vice president of real estate lending at Itasca Bank & Trust Co. in Itasca, Illinois, in October 2022.

‘11

TERRANCE HOPSON, M.S.Ed. ’13, was named regional vice president for the Midwest Region at WGU Missouri in July 2022.

SCOTT SIMPSON was promoted to associate attorney at Meagher + Geer in Minneapolis in January 2023.

TODD TREXLER, M.A.S. ’12, took on the role of growth and development director for Northwestern Mutual in Oak Brook, Illinois.

’12

HEATHER FRIEDLEIN, M.S. ’16, was appointed as athletic director for Northbrook School in July 2022.

FABIAN RATULOWSKI, M.A.S. ’13, was named vice president of accounting for Urban Innovations in July 2022.

’13

SAMANTHA ALBRECHT, J.D. ’16, joined Burnette Shutt & McDaniel as an attorney in July 2022.

MICHAEL CKLAMOVSKI, J.D., was appointed as managing director and president of Northern Trust’s Northern California region in September 2022.

KRISTINE LEGLER was named marketing assistant for Engineering Enterprises, Inc., in Sugar Grove, Illinois, in November 2022.

’14

SEAN TOTSCH was named to the United Soccer League Championship’s All-League First Team in November 2022.

’15

MORGAN JOHNSON was named partner at Missouri-based law firm Stinson LLP in January 2023.

’16

JOSIAH ACCOLA, J.D. ’19, was named assistant state’s attorney for Bond County, Illinois, in June 2022.

SHAWN COLLINS, M.P.A., earned his professional Chief Fire Officer designation last fall.

JENNIFER COMERFORD became a nurse practitioner with OSF Medical Group in Princeton, Illinois, in November 2022.

DONNA LARSON, M.S.Ed., was appointed principal of DeKalb High School in DeKalb, Illinois, in June 2022.

’17

MAX FINLEY was named the assistant equipment manager with the Hershey Bears in Hershey, Pennsylvania, in October 2022.

YAZMIN NAMBO was named director of Rochelle Community School District’s HUB Program in November 2022.

MAX SCHARPING, M.S.Ed. ’18, signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in September 2022.

’18

IMAAD DADA, M.S.Ed., as appointed as the new business manager for the Komarek School District 94 in North Riverside, Illinois, in August 2022.

CORINNE GAHAN landed a co-starring role on “Chicago Fire,” with her episodes premiering in February 2023.

ANTONIO GONZALEZ was named head coach of the Proviso East High School varsity boys’ soccer team in August 2022.

’19

KRISTEN COX took on the role of executive assistant with the American Association of People with Disabilities in winter 2021.

TRAYSHON FOSTER signed with the Frisco Fighters as a defensive back in January 2023.

ALEXANDER HALL was hired as an associate attorney with Angel, Isaacson and Tracy in Princeton, Illinois, in December 2022.

MARCI LEMUS, M.S. ’19, took on the role of primary care provider for OSF HealthCare in Mendota, Illinois, in November 2022.

’20

LACEY JAMES signed with the professional basketball team Grand Rapids Gold in December 2022.

RANDEE MENNENGA was named executive director for the Oregon Chamber of Commerce in Oregon, Illinois, in January 2023.

WILLIAM RICHARDSON, M.F.A., was appointed to the role of professor of scenic and lighting design at Athens State University in Athens, Alabama, in November 2022.

’21

CHRISTIAN HARRIS was hired as a science teacher for Putnam County School District 535in Granville, Illinois, in September 2022.

SCOTT LATIOLAIS, Ed.D., was appointed as president of Cuyahoga Community College’s Westshore campus in July 2022.

CLINT RATKOVICH, M.B.A., signed with the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad.

DR. LISA RICHARDSON, Ed.D., was appointed to the role of executive dean for student success and retention at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, Illinois, in December 2022.

KYLE SEEBACH, M.S. ’22, signed with the Lake Erie Crushers in July 2022.

’22

JOYCE DEFAUW completed her degree in liberal arts more than 70 years after she began her college journey, triggering a nationwide news story and Huskie pride across the country.

KATELYN HUBER was hired as a police officer with the Village of La Grange, Illinois, in September 2022.

BROOKLYN LONG joined Hall High School in Spring Valley, Illinois, as its life skills teacher in September 2022.

Letter from the Editor

For many of us, our college days seem like yesterday, even as the years stretch on to decades. There is something about that time in our lives— when many of us are finding our way, molding who we will become, and meeting some of the people who will make the biggest difference to us—that stays with us and shapes everything that comes after.

However, like it or not, we are getting older, and the days since graduation will only grow from here. Sure, there can be graying hair and the occasional wrinkle, but there are also many positives as we grow older, such as being more financially secure and available to share the wisdom we’ve collected during along the way. Still, aging is an issue that will affect all of us, if we are lucky, and many of us share some similar challenges along the way.

In this edition of Northern Now, we focus on topics and experiences that impact us as we age. From hearing aid research being done in the College of Health and Human Sciences to NIU’s Lifelong Learning Institute and our upcoming Class of 1973 Golden Huskies Reunion, there are so many ways our current campus works with and for our aging community. That’s not to mention our very own Joyce DeFauw who, after taking 70 years off, finished earning her degree from NIU at the age of 90 last winter! Her inspiring story led to nationwide headlines and inspired many.

Now, we have all been told that age is a number, and we are only as old as we feel, right? I hope that you can feel inspired by the stories we share here, and that you’re even more proud to embrace your age, your singular experience, and your NIU bonds.

Let’s grow old gracefully together, Huskies, and remember, we always go forward together.

GO, HUSKIES!

Reggie Bustinza
Executive Director, Operations and Alumni Relations,
NIU Foundation

It’s a great time to be a Huskie!

There’s a renewed sense of energy and momentum on campus that drives everything we do. We’re together again in classrooms and labs; filling the student center with activities; marveling at our performers and artists; and cheering on our athletes.

Our students continue to demonstrate an extraordinary eagerness to get involved and become successful, and they are surrounded by a community devoted to supporting them. You, our alumni and donors, play a leading role in this endeavor, and for that, we thank you.

This issue of Northern Now highlights NIU’s contributions to the understanding of the process of aging, a topic familiar to us all. As individuals, we mark each passing year by our accomplishments and the challenges we’ve overcome to achieve them. The lessons we learn along the way help us evolve and grow stronger. The same can be said for our great university. Standing together—united by a deep sense of commitment—with each passing year, we expand our impact and reach new heights for our students and the communities we serve.

Across campus and around the globe, Huskies are changing the world through their energy, hard work, and gifts to others. With your help, we can continue to make an NIU education accessible to every qualified student who is willing to dream big and work hard. I am deeply grateful to our faculty, staff, students, alumni, friends, and generous donors who are helping to lead NIU toward a brighter future for us all.


Catherine B. Squires, CFRE, NIU ’80

President & CEO, NIU Foundation
Vice President, University Advancement

Aged to Perfection

It has been said that age is only a number.

But in the world of beer and wine, the exact number of days, weeks and months a beverage is aged could not be more important. It is an exact science— an equation that yields countless satisfied sips.

An Art and a Science

No one understands the significance of time like former science teachers, wine connoisseurs and Huskie alumni Terrie, ’69, M.S. ’72, and Lex Tuntland, ’68, M.S. ’70, who founded Waterman Winery in Waterman, Illinois.

As with so many quality indulgences, good things come to those who wait at their 12-acre vineyard.

“Our fermentation process occurs naturally and does not require any electricity. We harvest our grapes during the fall and begin fermenting the same day they are picked. During the cool autumn weather, temperatures are just right for natural fermentation.

(L-R): Lex, Terrie and Tricia Tuntland

As the winter becomes colder, the wine naturally chills without electricity,” said Terrie, who manages the daily vineyard operations.

“Slowly chilling the wine allows some of the acids to precipitate out, naturally reducing the acidity of the wine, and giving it balanced flavor. We bottle everything by hand, helping us conserve water and energy along the way. We hand-wash and hand-cork each bottle,” he added.

The vineyard requires a lot of physical activity with pruning, netting, spraying, picking and daily checking of the grapes. Patience is a virtue at Waterman Winery.

“It takes a year from when we get fresh grapes to a finished wine. The harvest, crush and fermentation occur in the fall, the cold stabilization and aging happen during the winter, and the bottling takes place in late winter or spring,” said Lex. “When we open in April, we usually have at least five new wines for our guests to taste. The wines we produce are fresh and fruity.”

While they prefer to sell out of a vintage while it is still lively in flavor, they are aware that some customers prefer dry, red wine. To create that flavor, they barrel-age the wine in a unique process.

“A very small percentage of wine is meant to be aged for a long time,” Terrie noted. “Aged wine is usually kept in oak barrels, but in a barrel, only a small percentage of the oak comes in contact with the wine. For example, we have a dry red wine called PRIME, and to help age it, we place spiral pieces of oak in a stainless steel tank that will come into contact with more of the wine and ensure a more consistent taste.”

Lex often marvels at what the team is able to accomplish with a simple scientific method.

“Some people say wine is mysterious. That aging wine also is mysterious,” she said. “The wine definitely mellows. It tends to change color and perhaps becomes less fruity and less acidic over time. It absorbs flavors from the oak barrel.”

Ryan Weidner

A Tale of Ale

For Pollyanna Brewing Company Co-Founder and CEO Ryan Weidner, ’98, M.B.A. ’12, learning to cultivate signature beer flavors has been years in the making.

“Aging beer in a barrel takes time—at least several months to a couple years— to develop the desired flavor,” Weidner said. “The beer moves in and out of the wood as temperatures and humidity change, and it can’t be rushed. Only time can do the trick.”

Founded in 2012 in Lemont, Illinois, Pollyanna Brewing provides its customers with an intimate experience that goes beyond what’s in their glass. By sharing their knowledge and advancing the culture of craft beer and craft spirits, Pollyanna focuses on creating a relationship between customers and the brewery, brewer, distiller and local community.

Weidner added that barrel-aging imparts the flavor of the spirit that was previously aged in the barrel. It also adds the wood’s character to the beer. So, typically, the wood’s char level determines how much vanilla, coconut, or caramel is passed into the beer. Weidner has fun tweaking recipes and processes to introduce unique characteristics to beer.

“The fact that the process can’t be rushed is appealing because it tells a great story about all the work and patience that goes into making a barrel-aged beer,” he said. “My personal favorite barrel-aged beers are our Orenda line of beers. These are big Belgian beers aged in fruited brandy barrels— grape, cherry, and apple, to name a few. They’re pretty unique to Pollyanna and are unlike anything around.”

An NIU Vintage

“I grew up in a small town, Waterman, in the shadows of NIU on a family farm!” Terrie said. “Agriculture was my early education. I had no idea what I wanted to do, except have fun and continue the family farm. I enrolled at NIU so I could study biology and still work on the farm.”

NIU provided the foundation for Terrie and Lex’s future. They met as lab partners in class.

“Terrie and I met at NIU in organic chemistry lab, as we both were working on achieving minors in chemistry,” Lex said. “He says the fumes got to him, I say it was good chemistry. We dated all through college and became engaged during grad school at NIU. We were married in April of 1970, and we both had to be back in the classroom on Monday for our graduate teaching positions.”

While they embarked on their careers as middle school teachers, each returned to NIU for their master’s degrees in biological sciences. Meanwhile, Terrie always had agriculture as a second career. For 30 years, Terrie tended to livestock before and after teaching school.

Then, in 1998, Terrie and two teacher friends who also enjoyed wine decided to retire in 2002 and to form a corporation. They began to attend workshops and prepare to become a licensed winery, producing grapes on their farm. Terrie and his two partners bought equipment to make and bottle wine. They planted several acres of French American hybrid grapes suitable for Northern Illinois. It took four years until Waterman Winery had a grape harvest, and it opened in December 2002 with 600 bottles of wine to sell.

Today, the vineyard is a sustainable business, it relies on recycling materials and other eco-friendly practices. While many of these practices were put into place in 2002, the winery is constantly improving. Terrie and Lex have a new partner in the business, with their daughter and fellow Huskie Trisha Tuntland, M.B.A. ’15, working as a co-owner and ensuring these principles will continue into the future.

Like Terrie, Weidner grew up in Woodstock as a bit of a farm boy, but also had an industrious spark.

“My dad worked in construction, and my mom stayed home and raised the four of us kids,” he said. “I was a numbers geek, loved math, and was entrepreneurial at a young age, always looking to make money. At 15, my friend and I started a sports card promotions company where we rented out venues and ran card and collectibles shows and did pretty well! I knew at that point I would be involved in some business start-up later in life. I caught that entrepreneurial bug.”

Like the Tuntlands, Weidner’s trajectory shifted when he attended NIU. Weidner put himself through college, spending his first two years at a community college before transferring to NIU as a junior in the business program. Through campus recruiting, he interviewed his senior year with Graybar Electric, and started two weeks after graduation, where he has remained throughout the last 25 years as area financial manager. In 2012, Weidner returned to campus to earn his M.B.A.—a decision that only strengthened his drive to start his own company.

“Getting an M.B.A. was a bucket list item for me for personal development. Returning to NIU was a no-brainer, as they have a great program,” he said.

For Weidner, founding the brewery was a combination of several things converging at once, and earning his M.B.A. provided a catalyst to follow his entrepreneurial dreams and ambitions to start a company.

“While I had minimal craft beer knowledge, I had friends who had gotten into homebrewing, and I was able to learn about the craft and the industry through them,” he said. “We were able to assemble a diverse and talented partner team that could launch and operate a brewery—and this all happened when the craft beer industry was exploding. It was truly the proverbial ‘perfect time and place.’”

Today, Pollyanna Brewing has grown to have four locations, and Weidner’s roots at NIU have led to a partnership that has grown to epic successes.

“Our NIU-branded Kölsch-style beer, Dawgma, has provided a partnership between Pollyanna and the NIU Foundation that has grown to something well beyond what I had originally imagined it could,” he said. “We conjured up the idea over a beer, naturally, nearly five years ago as a way for me, as an alumnus, to connect with my alma mater and give back in some small way.”

From there, Dawgma has grown to be a brand sold in nearly 100 points of distribution throughout Chicagoland, including major grocery and liquor store chains, being served in Huskie Stadium, the Convocation Center and the NIU Student Center, having its own merch line, and even being promoted on NBC Chicago Today in March.

The NIU Foundation’s efforts to get behind and market the co-brand to the 100,000+ NIU alumni that live in the Chicagoland area, many within 5-10 miles of a Pollyanna location, have had a significant impact on growing not only the Dawgma brand, but also the Pollyanna brand as a whole.

“With a portion of every sale of Dawgma going back to the NIU Foundation, I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve collectively accomplished and am excited at what the future holds for the partnership.” Weidner said.

NIU has also collaborated with Waterman Winery along the way, with the university serving its wine at several football pregame events.

“Alumni have been to the vineyard and winery,” Terrie said. “We are working together with sustainability projects in the area, and Lex and I travel with the alumni travel program!”

For Weidner and the Tuntlands, their businesses are about more than just aging tasty beverages.

“We work to create a sense of community, bringing people together through unique experiences, with our offerings—beer, spirits, cocktails, music—as the backdrop,” Weidner said. “Continuing to provide our customers a reliable and consistent offering through different experiences, is the goal, and frankly, it’s what I obsess over.”

After all this time, the Tuntlands have similar sentiment, always investing in their core principles.

“It is all about staying true to our philosophy of responsibly growing and harvesting grapes and handcrafting delicious unique regional wines,” Lex said. “Our passion is at the core of everything we do.”

Step by Step

Dependence on traditional assistance devices like canes and walkers are used to increase a patient’s
base of support, improve balance and increase activity and independence.

It is no secret that mobility can be a major challenge for people as they age. With that, dependence on traditional assistance devices like canes and walkers are used to increase a patient’s base of support, improve balance and increase activity and independence.

But what if there was an assistance device available that did all of that and more, including helping individuals raise and lower to a seated position? This is the question a senior design team within the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET) asked before creating a prototype for a robotic walker.

The team—made up of engineering students Joshua Keene and Kyle Matthews, who have since graduated— came together to design and build a prototype during the 2019-2020 school year, and when the global pandemic brought a halt to some of the in-class efforts, the work continued on until Fall 2022.

CEET Dean Donald Peterson is excited for this project’s potential.

“This powered, robotic walker represents the ability to provide someone with more independence than they normally have with a typical walker that exists, like one with a basket on it or one that someone gets coming out of rehab and they put tennis balls on the legs,” Peterson said. “This will provide the ability to move around without any power, just like those other walkers can, with nice smooth motions, but it also can provide power for mobility to move forward, backwards, turn. And, in addition, it can also help to lower and raise someone from a seated and to a seated posture. It will be able to go backwards and line someone up with a chair, and the individual can use the walker to help lower them to the chair. Or this unit can move up and help someone stand up from a chair and then move.”

The prototype was constructed out of aluminum, in order to be light-weight.

“We feel it’s unique. The technology to do this is not in itself novel, but bringing it together to make it happen is the novel and tactical aspect of it.”

Constructed out of aluminum, in order to be light-weight, the walker runs on rechargeable DeWalt Max 20V batteries while also containing a microcontroller board that allows for “Smart” programming. Various sensors are used to provide functionality including tilt detection, stair/ledge detection, and battery monitoring.

The focus of the original design was creating a high-functionality, low-weight and low-maintenance walker that would increase the freedom of movement of the user. It is compact enough to move through small doorways and aisles and can help a person in sitting and standing while also helping them to avoid any unseen obstacles or dangers.

Once the prototype was created, the team focused on their design presentation, including a detailed abstract and poster, which included detailed illustrations of the product. Then art student Erin Crawford ’20, was chosen to create the drawings for the team, and it was an experience she found very rewarding.

Erin Crawford was tasked with illustrating the use of the walker without showing any proprietary design or technology used.

“I got involved in the project when my professor told his classes about an opportunity to partner with an engineering team as an independent study,” she said. “I thought it would be good practice for me to start creating artwork for people outside of the art community, so I jumped on the opportunity. I was given a list of projects and told to select the ones of interest to me.”

Crawford chose the mobility walker not only because it was an interesting project but also because of the help it would potentially give people.

“Most of the illustrations I created were for a user manual. I also was tasked with creating an illustration for a blog that would express the idea of the design without giving away any intellectual information on the project, which was a really wonderful challenge,” she said.

The walker runs on rechargeable DeWalt Max 20V batteries while also containing a microcontroller board that allows for “Smart” programming.

Crawford noted that the experience has remained with her as she has graduated and continued her art career.

“(The project) wasn’t like any opportunity I’d had before, and it gave me a lot of insight for how to communicate with clients that haven’t much experience in the art world. It also really helped me learn to ask the right questions to provide the team the artwork they needed. It definitely opened my eyes to what a freelancing job may look like for me in the future,” she said.

Experiential learning is part of NIU’s promise to students who need real-world experience in order to be competitive in the job market. While engineering focuses on this type of hands-on training, many NIU programs rely on these real-world projects to teach skills to their students, including art students like Crawford.

Within CEET’s bachelor’s degree program, students form teams to take on a senior design challenge.

Various sensors are used to provide functionality including tilt detection,
stair/ledge detection, and battery monitoring.

These team projects involve creating or improving commercial products or industrial processes. To complete the project, students use classroom knowledge to integrate concepts, apply theories, and construct a prototype or process. Along the way, they are mentored by faculty and industry professionals. When finished, they present their projects at their Senior Design Day event. Since that time, the plans for the robotic walker have resided with the Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships, where it is being prepared for patent application.

Karinne Bredberg, director of the Office of Innovation, within the Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships, has high hopes for where this particular design will lead. While NIU has not filed a patent yet on the technology, it has decided to wait for a more advanced prototype before filing a patent application.

“The NIU Technology Transfer Office has been in discussions with a company who wants to take the original design and produce a prototype that would be easier to manufacture on a larger scale,” Bredberg said. “I believe that the project has great potential to help increase the mobility of individuals with disabilities, injuries or general aging if we can develop the manufacturing process and keep the cost of the device accessible for most users. The most likely outcome would be that NIU would license the technology to an established manufacturer who would then brand the product.”

Bredberg noted that this project highlights NIU’s engineering expertise and the types of interesting projects that come out of NIU and our Senior Design Project program.

“It is always exciting to see one of NIU’s technologies reach the market. The health care space, in particular, is significant (for NIU) as these products often have positive impacts in patient’s quality of life,” she said. “It is extremely satisfying for me, personally, to see projects like these fulfill the many facets of the NIU mission of providing benefits to our community through our research and student experiential learning opportunities. It is a point of pride to be a part of a university that has such strong values.”

Peterson said, “Every engineering student and engineer has the power and potential to become entrepreneurs. We are innovators. It’s the nature of the discipline in that we are in. And, so, this gives the opportunity for students to ideate, design, construct, test, debug, refine and get it to a point where it is a proof of concept and there is the opportunity to go after a patent.”

The senior design program is made possible by CEET’s clients and sponsors, who present our student teams with challenges faced by their organizations. Our students are learning the latest theories and technologies. They’ll bring an innovative approach to the creation or improvement of your product, system or process.

“There is a huge potential in each engineering student and giving them the hands-on opportunity to understand the power that they have to make significant changes in society but also significant changes in our economy,” said Peterson. “Most engineering students in our senior design program are working with high-end projects, either for a company or for a faculty in or outside of the college, the national laboratories, or even with the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, also known as JPL, to develop technologies or systems, whatever those clients need. These are things that don’t exist, so we don’t see clients giving students projects that are just a recreation of something that already exists. These are really cutting-edge types of initiatives.”

NIU Jazz Excels on National Stages

NIU has long boasted one of the best and most accomplished jazz programs in the nation, and the tradition continues as recent audiences from DeKalb to Aspen to New York City can happily attest.

A jazz quintet made up of School of Music students Arman Sangalang (saxophone), Kirby Fellis (trombone), Austyn Menk (piano), Morgan Turner (bass) and Noah Brooks (drums) were selected for the 2022 Jazz Aspen Snowmass Academy in Aspen, Colorado.

(L-R) Kirby Fellis, Noah Brooks, Morgan Turner, Austyn Menk, and Arman Sangalang. 
Photo credit: Steve Mundinger Photography, Aspen, Colorado.

The quintet, named IRIS, were one of just four groups from colleges and universities all over the nation to be selected for the academy. For two weeks in July, they rehearsed and played with great musicians and mentors. They participated in workshops and master classes and had several opportunities to perform before audiences.

The academy isn’t just about playing music.

“They wanted us to become better equipped to deal with the ins and outs of the industry,” Menk said. “We talked about music licensing, publishing, the mixing, editing and mastering processes. We talked about the influence of jazz on pop music, and ways to monetize your compositions and arrangements. I’ll be going through my notebooks and voice memos from the academy forever.”

IRIS performs at an outdoor café in Aspen
during Jazz Aspen Snowmass Photo credit:
Steve Mundinger Photography, Aspen, Colorado

In the fall, the NIU Jazz Orchestra received a personal invitation from jazz legend Wynton Marsalis to compete in the 2023 Jack Rudin Jazz Championships at the historic Lincoln Center in New York City on January 15-16.

One of just nine bands from throughout the nation selected for the Jazz Championship, they brought home five awards. Pete Zimmer earned the outstanding drums honor, Fellis was honorable mention for trombone, Evon J. Sams was honorable mention soprano saxophone, the trombones earned the outstanding section award and the rhythm section earned honorable mention.

The Jazz Orchestra’s director, Reggie Thomas, professor of music and head of jazz studies said he was proud of their fearlessness on one of the grandest stages in all of music.

“I am proud of them because they worked not for self but for each other,” Thomas said. “And because they found joy in our mission to bring joy to the world.”

Sondra Parys to Lead NIU Volleyball Program Into New Era

The Northern Illinois University volleyball program has a new leader. Sondra Parys, an Illinois local, was introduced as head coach on December 15, 2022, by Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Sean T. Frazier.

The seventh head coach in program history hopes to guide NIU back to a MAC Championship and NCAA Tournament berth, something the team hasn’t accomplished since 2016.

Parys spent the past five seasons (2018-2022) as an assistant coach at Loyola University Chicago, helping guide the Ramblers to five consecutive winning seasons, including back-to-back regular season league championships in 2021 and 2022.

Most recently, the Ramblers won their first Atlantic 10 (A10) Volleyball Tournament Championship, capping a historic season in which the team won 25 matches, the most in 20 years.

With the A10 automatic bid in hand, the program made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2005.

A proven recruiter, in 2019, Parys was one of 11 NCAA Division I women’s volleyball coaches to be honored with the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s (AVCA) Thirty Under 30 Award, which recognizes up-and-coming stars in the profession.

Parys was assistant coach at Division II Queens University of Charlotte (N.C.) for two years (2016-2017) prior to her time at Loyola Chicago. She helped Queens reach back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2016, as well as the first South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Championship in program history.

Parys began her collegiate coaching career as an assistant at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, from 2014-2015.

It’s a full-circle moment for the Parys family as her father, Joe, was on the 1981-82 NIU Hall of Fame men’s basketball team and her mother, Lori, was a cheerleader at NIU.

Parys was a volleyball student-athlete at the University of Toledo from 2009-12 where she earned a spot on the MAC All-Freshman Team and led the Rockets in kills her junior year. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Toledo and a master’s degree in college counseling from The Citadel.