elmhurst college alumni newsfall 2011

A GRAND STAGEAfter almost 40 years as an actor, David Rasche ’66 is busier than ever.

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fyi in this issue

02 WHAT’S NEW ON CAMPUSBluejays Launch LacrosseThe College begins a nationalsearch for two coaches, fall lecturesto focus on democracy and civicengagement and the Arboretumwins national recognition.

06 GIVING BACKIn HarmonyWilliam Malpede ’88, who has hitthe right notes in a successfulHollywood musical career, recentlyreturned to campus to share hisstory with students.

08 PERFORMING ARTSA Lincoln TributeThe Mill’s season finale showcasesthe College’s popular theatre program but underscores the need for more rehearsal space.

10 COVER STORY A Grand StageAlthough he’s enjoyed a successfulacting career over four decades,David Rasche ’66 retains the humilityof a Midwest preacher’s son.

14 CLASS NOTESWhere Are They Now?Find out how your classmates areadvancing in their careers and howthey’re serving their communities.

19 WHY I GIVEA Patron of the Arts Meet Meredith WollenbergMorrison ’72, a generous supporterof the College’s performing artsprogram.

20 OFFICE HOURSGroundbreaking ResearchWith a new federal grant, facultymembers Helga and Tony Noicetake their research on the aging ofthe brain to the next level.

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Elmhurst and the ArtsFellow Alumni and Alumnae,

The arts and humanities play an important role in our lives. From the architecture of ourcities to the music on our iPods, creative expression has the power to inspire us and changethe way we view the world.

Elmhurst College has a deep commitment to providing creative opportunities for all ofits students. Whether they’re touring Europe with the Jazz Band, teaching music in Jamaicaor taking to the stage, students at Elmhurst stretch their boundaries by engaging in artisticexpression at the highest level. Both my husband and I were able to experience this firsthandwith our intense involvement in the music department, which shaped our experience at theCollege.

In this issue of FYI, we highlight Elmhurst’s vibrant arts scene with an inside look at arecent Mill Theatre production, a profile of actor David Rasche ’66 and a conversation withHollywood composer William Malpede ’88. You’ll also find a rundown of recent news fromcampus, a profile of faculty members Helga and Tony Noice and updates from your classmates.

I hope these stories will spark memories of your own fine arts experiences at Elmhurst.And I hope you’ll take the opportunity to reconnect with the College’s creative life byattending a music performance or theatre production, viewing an art exhibition or joiningFriends of the Arts, which provides critical support for arts programming at Elmhurst.

I look forward to seeing you on campus!

Wishing you the best,

Sara (Douglass) Born ’02 Alumni Association President

PS: Visit elmhurst.edu/alumni to start reconnecting with the College!

Alumni Association President Sara (Douglass) Born ’02Members of the BoardCathryn Biga ’98, Sarah (Kiefer) Clarin’04, Trish DeAnda ’01 and MBA ’05, E.J. Donaghey ’88, Tom DuFore ’04, Michael Durnil ’71, Heather Forster ’08, DavidJensen ’00 and MBA ’02 , Cami (Kreft) Rodriguez MA ’08, Megan (Suess) Selck ’03, Cheryl (Kancer) Tiede ’74, FrankTuozzo ’72, Rick Veenstra ’00 Director of Alumni Relations Samantha Kiley ’07 Assistant Director of AlumniRelationsMonica Lindblom, Beverley McNulty ’10 Office of Alumni Relations (630) 617-3600, alumni@elmhurst.eduEditor Judith Crown Contributing EditorMargaret Currie Design DirectorMarcel Maas Creative Manager Sara Ramseth

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Search for Coaches Under WayThe College has begun a nationalsearch for two lacrosse coaches as itplans to begin men’s play in the springof 2013 and women’s competition in thespring of 2014. Both teams will playhome matches at Langhorst Field onthe west suburban campus.

“At Elmhurst, we’ve built a programaround genuine student-athletes com-peting for the love of the sport and theeducational value of the experience,”said Paul Krohn, Elmhurst’s director ofathletics. “Our addition of lacrosse willexpand the opportunities for our stu-dents to develop their skills and realize

their potential as players, students andpersons.”

Many high schools in the Chicagoarea have added the sport in recentyears, and several colleges and universi-ties have joined to form the MidwestLacrosse Conference.

Elmhurst’s athletic history beganmore than a century ago, when stu-dents turned a campus cabbage patchinto a baseball diamond. Today, aboutone in four Elmhurst students is a var-sity athlete. The College is a memberof NCAA Division III.

Elmhurst President S. Alan Ray saidthat introducing lacrosse is consistentwith the College’s strategic plan ofenhancing its athletic offerings and

increasing geographic diversity. Theaddition of lacrosse, he said, will helpElmhurst recruit more students fromaround the country, particularly theNortheast.

Fall Speakers to ExploreDemocracy and CivicEngagementAfter an in-depth look at religion andthe challenges of interfaith cooperationduring the 2010–2011 academic year,the College will host a series of discus-sions on democracy and civic engage-ment in 2011–2012.

Upcoming lectures will focus onhow access to higher education affectsparticipation in civic and political lifein our country, said President S. AlanRay. The keynote address for theCollege’s second Niebuhr Forum onReligion in Public Life will be deliveredby Jon Meacham, executive editor ofRandom House and the former editorof Newsweek, who will present “TheContent of Our Character: Race,Politics, Religion and Culture, andHow Traditions Unite and Divide Us”on September 30.

Other speakers in the upcomingDemocracy Forum series are MichaelEric Dyson, author of April 4, 1968:Martin Luther King Jr.’s Death and HowIt Changed America on September 15;legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, author ofThe Nine: Inside the Secret World of theSupreme Court on September 22; andauthor and political consultant NaomiWolf, who will present “CitizenEmpowerment 101.”

Last year the College presented

2 ELMHURST COLLEGE

The College will compete in men’s and women’slacrosse, one of the fastest-growing sports at thecollege and high school level.

Elmhurst to Field Lacrosse Teams

what’s new at elmhurst

Men’s competition begins in 2013, and women’s play starts the following year.

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Still Speaking: Conversations onFaith, which featured speakers fromevangelical Christian, Islamic, Jewish,Presbyterian, Episcopal and Catholicbackgrounds who explored criticalissues in religion and the promise ofinterfaith engagement. The yearlongseries also caught the attention of themedia and generated coverage onChicago Public Radio’s Eight FortyEight, the Chicago Tribune, the onlinepublication Inside Higher Ed and otheroutlets.Spring speakers included Father

Jack Wall, president of the CatholicExtension Society; John Shelby Spong,former Episcopal bishop of Newark,New Jersey; Michael Pfleger, pastor ofChicago’s St. Sabina Parish; JamesCarroll, an authority on anti-Semitismin the Catholic Church; and EbooPatel, the founder and executive direc-tor of the Chicago nonprofit InterfaithYouth Core, who led a panel discussionon Islamophobia.A number of speakers drew crowds

of more than 300, which Ray saidunderscores the significance of thetopic. “The total effect was larger thanwe expected, and we’re very pleased bythat. Clearly there is an appetite fordiscussions of this caliber in theChicago area,” he said. To explore the Still Speaking sea-

son, visit the Still Speaking web site:www.elmhurst.edu/stillspeaking.

College Wins Tree Campus USA Award In recognition of its dedication to nur-turing and maintaining trees on its

arboretum campus, Elmhurst Collegerecently earned Tree Campus USA sta-tus from the Arbor Day Foundation.As a candidate for the award, the

College submitted extensive documen-tation about the hundreds of trees oncampus, developed a comprehensivetree-care plan and formed an advisorycommittee of students, faculty andfacility management staff.During fall 2010, the College hired

certified arborists to inventory the treeson campus, using global-positioningsystems to locate each one on a digitalmap and tag them according to speciesand size. The electronic managementprogram will enable workers to quicklyfind specific trees for pruning, soilmanagement and other needs.Elmhurst has a tradition of preserv-

ing and protecting trees and shrubs onits 48-acre arboretum campus. Whenthe Elmhurst College Arboretum wasestablished in 1966, it had 65 varietiesof trees and shrubs. Today, there aremore than 150 varieties.

Measuring Elmhurst’sCarbon Footprint Elmhurst has made progress in contain-ing its carbon footprint, but there’s stillroom for improvement. That’s the conclusion of a recent

environmental-impact review commis-sioned by the College with supportfrom the school’s sustainability committee. The first inventory ofgreenhouse gas emissions will serve as auseful benchmark to measure futureprogress, said Jeannette LeBoyer, a con-sultant with Affiliated Engineers,

the Madison, Wisconsin, firm that conducted the review. It’s “a first stepin moving toward a more neutral footprint,” she said. The review was designed to identify

direct and indirect sources of Elmhurst’sgreenhouse gas emissions, and also todetermine how the school’s perform-ance compares with that of 11 othercolleges.By one of two key measures—CO2

equivalent emissions per full-time stu-dent—the College ranked at the top,with a modest 4.1 tons-per-studentratio that was lower than any otherschool in the peer group, and less thanhalf the output of several of its peers. By the second yardstick, which cal-

culated emissions per 1,000 square feetof building space, Elmhurst landed inthe top half, with a 14.6 tons rating thatmade it the fifth-lowest emitter.The study measured direct emis-

sions under the school’s control, suchas natural gas burned for heating, andfuel consumed by the school’s fleet ofvehicles. In addition, the review calcu-lated the CO2 emissions by utilitiesthat generate the electricity used onElmhurst’s campus. Those offsite emis-sions represent a whopping 50 percentof the school’s overall CO2 output, thesurvey found.The review also quantified a range of

other emissions for which the school isresponsible, such as the smog contribu-tion from the cars of the students,instructors and staffers who commuteto Elmhurst. It even included thegreenhouse-gas impact of the jet air-craft that carry students to and fromstudy-abroad programs.

ALUMNI NEWS 3

For more information on the Elmhurst College Arboretum, visitwww.elmhurst.edu/collections/arboretum.

The arboretum campus wins recognition.Fall speakers include from left, Jon Meacham, Michael Eric Dyson, Naomi Wolf and Jeffrey Toobin.

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4 ELMHURST COLLEGE

what’s new at elmhurst

Commencement speaker Alice Hunt, right, and Senior of theYear Genesis Jelkes, below

Have a BALL!Commencement Speaker SaysThe Reverend Dr. Alice Hunt urgedElmhurst graduates to live out theirpassions and love every moment duringthe College’s 140th Commencementon May 28. More than 700 undergradu-ate and graduate students receiveddegrees.Hunt, president and professor of

Hebrew Bible at Chicago TheologicalSeminary and one of only 25 femaleleaders of theological schools in theUnited States, urged the graduates to“go out and have a BALL!” Hunt usedthe word BALL as an acronym to makeher message memorable: “You may notremember me, but remember my mes-sage: Be, Act, Live and Love.”Hunt was awarded the honorary

doctor of divinity degree. Honorarydegrees also went to Earl C. Swallow,retiring professor of physics and aninternationally known researcher inparticle physics; Paul Yoh ’86, whoovercame language barriers, a hearingimpairment and financial constraints tobecome a respected optometrist; andJohn Pitman Weber, retiring professor

of art and an internationally knownmuralist and public artist.

Genesis Jelkes NamedSenior of the YearGenesis Jelkes, a member of the 2011graduating class from Chicago who ispursuing graduate study in geographicinformation systems, was named Seniorof the Year by the Elmhurst CollegeAlumni Association.The prestigious award, presented at

the Academic Honors Convocation onMay 5, honors a graduating senior whoexcels in academics, is involved in cam-pus life and shows a passion for contin-uing the Elmhurst College tradition.The honoree is selected annually by acommittee of the College’s AlumniAssociation.“To be honest, it feels like I’ve got-

ten so much more than I’ve given,”Jelkes said in an interview. “A goal that Ihad when I began attending Elmhurstwas to make the best of my collegeexperience and to leave some sort ofmark, whether to one person or to agroup of people. And I did my best todo that.”Jelkes, who majored in urban stud-

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ALUMNI NEWS 5

ies and minored in Spanish and inter-cultural studies, graduated with a 3.8GPA (on a 4.0 scale). In addition toplaying for four years on the College’ssoftball team, Jelkes served as the co-captain of the Jay Lightz Dance Teamand the secretary of the Black StudentUnion.

Jelkes said she plans to study for herGIS certification at Elmhurst beforecontinuing her education in graduateschool. “My motto is that if I’m notbusy, I’m doing something wrong. I feelas though there’s always work to bedone,” Jelkes said. “I can alwaysimprove myself, whether in the class-room or in an extracurricular activity.There’s always something that could be made better.”

Illini Band Director to Lead Music Department Dr. Peter Griffin, the former assistantdirector of bands and director of ath-letic bands at the University of Illinois,has been named chairman of theElmhurst College Department ofMusic. He replaces Ross Kellan, assis-tant professor, who will continue asdirector of music education and direc-tor of the Symphonic Band.

Griffin said he was drawn by theexceptional work of the Elmhurstmusic department. “It’s already a fineprogram. What can we do to improve itand take it further?” he added.

Griffin earned his undergraduatedegree, master’s degree and doctorateat the University of Illinois with teach-ing stints in Colorado in between hisstudies. From there, he became the

assistant director of bands at theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison. He held the band positions at theUniversity of Illinois for 17 years.

In MemoriamElmhurst College lost two dynamic anddedicated trustees and its longtimechief financial officer during the firstfour months of 2011.

Trustee William J. McCarter wasan exacting, no-nonsense, visionarybuilder who created what by severalmeasures is the most successful publictelevision station in the United Statesin WTTW-Channel 11. Mr. McCarter,who served the College for 15 years as adeeply respected, quietly effectivetrustee, died on April 21 at the age of 81.

Mr. McCarter led the parentcompany of WTTW-Channel 11 andclassical music station WFMT-FM for27 years. During those years, Channel11 shed a stodgy, complacent reputationto become the most-watched and best-financed public television station in theUnited States, with a reputation forinnovative local programming.

Trevor Pinch ’58, the College’slongtime chief financial officer whoscrutinized every budget request butdid so with a sense of humor, died onMarch 31 at the age of 77.

Mr. Pinch served as the top financeofficer for 32 years until his retirementin 1997. Veteran staff members remem-ber him as a tough guardian of thepurse strings who had a deep love ofthe College.“He brought financial stability to the

institution,” said Denise Jones ’90, sen-

ior vice president for finance andadministration, who succeeded Pinchwhen he retired.

Trustee Harold E. Pendexter, whoserved Elmhurst College for more than12 years as a trustee, benefactor andstudent mentor, died on January 27 atthe age of 76.

Mr. Pendexter had a remarkablecareer of more than four decades withChicago-based USG Corporation. Hisassociation with Elmhurst Collegebegan in the 1990s, when the Collegeoffered bachelor’s degree completionprograms in business management atUSG’s corporate headquarters inChicago’s Loop.

Mr. Pendexter particularly enjoyedserving as a mentor. “He was a lovingtaskmaster who cared deeply about students,” said Lawrence B. Carroll,executive director of the Center forProfessional Excellence.

Trustee Patterson Gets Obama’s Ear Trustee Dennis Patterson ’70 recentlyhad the opportunity to chat upPresident Barack Obama. During aspring fundraiser for the president inLos Angeles, Patterson and Dr. WilliamMohlenbrock, chairman of a medicalinformation technology companyowned by Patterson’s coaching consul-tancy, discussed health care reform andthe plan for new cooperatives to com-pete with established insurers.Patterson, co-chair of the College’sScience and Health InitiativeCommittee, has supported theInitiative with a $2 million gift.

Peter Griffin, left, is the new musicdepartment chair;Trustee DennisPatterson, at left side of right photo, metPresident Obama at a fundraiser.

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6 ELMHURST COLLEGE

any Hollywood transplants canrecall a pivotal moment thatcaptures the “only in

Tinseltown” sparkle of their new home.For William Malpede, it happened inthe late 1990s when he attended a premiere of Amistad, a film directed bySteven Spielberg, a life-long source ofinspiration. “I had about 30 secondswith Mr. Spielberg, who talked abouttrends in film scoring,” Malpederecalled in a recent interview. Theencounter was something of a turningpoint: “Meeting him gave me a feelingthat I was on my way to the next chap-ter in my career.”

Malpede didn’t have stars in his eyeswhen he arrived at Elmhurst College inthe mid-1980s to earn a music business

degree. Ultimately, though, his experi-ences with Elmhurst’s music programhelped launch a dynamic show-businesscareer that has included playing pianofor blockbuster Broadway musicals, andarranging or composing the music formore than a dozen TV shows andmovies including Spiderman 3, Rangoand The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

In March 2011, Malpede returned to Elmhurst to share what he’s learnedsince graduating in 1988. He alsoreceived the first Entrepreneurship inMusic Business Award, sponsored bythe College and the Illinois-basedColeman Foundation. Malpede said hewas honored not only by that recogni-tion, but also by the chance to speakwith Elmhurst students. He hopes his

personal story might “be an inspirationthat they can pursue a career in theentertainment business.” His involve-ment in Elmhurst College music groupsled to professional opportunities: “Iwanted to impress on the students theimportance of their work in the musicdepartment—how this, right now, is thebuilding block for their careers,” hesaid.

Malpede spoke to Elmhurst stu-dents in several classes, including thearranging class taught by jazz banddirector Doug Beach. “It made a hugeimpact on the kids,” Beach said.Successful musicians always make goodguest speakers, he noted, but when thatspeaker is an Elmhurst alumnus, it hasadded impact on students.

In addition to describing the scoringprocess to students and sharing exam-ples of his work, Malpede said heemphasized the importance of theirtime in school—not just for education,but also for the relationships they forge.“I told them, ‘A lot of these peoplemight become the ones you work with,’”Malpede said. “It’s all about who youknow. Everybody says that. But it’s therelationships you make with other peo-ple that are of primary importance.”

He also described to students theprofessional challenges he faces.“There’s a great deal of technical craftrequired,” he said. To have the mostdesirable, up-to-date sounds, composersmust regularly update their equipmentand keep learning how to use it.

After his talks, a handful of studentsapproached Malpede and gave him CDsof their work. One student followed updiligently, and that made an impression.

William Malpede ’88, who has hit the right notes in asuccessful Hollywood musical career, recently returnedto campus to share his story with students.

In Harmony

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giving back to Elmhurst

William Malpede’s show-business career has included playing piano for blockbuster Broadwaymusicals and arranging or composing the music for more than a dozen TV shows and movies.

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ALUMNI NEWS 7

Malpede noted that it takes him a whileto review others’ work, because he likesto provide thorough, helpful critiques.For the students who follow up, he’llset aside a chunk of time to do thatreview—even if it takes him severalweeks to work it into his schedule. “Andwhen I send the critique, I’ll say, ‘Emailme again.’ And if he does, I’ll talk tohim some more.”

Growing up in La Grange, Malpedefavored movies with memorable scores,such as The Ten Commandments, Journeyto the Center of the Earth and CloseEncounters of the Third Kind. After hetouched piano keys for the first timeduring a grade-school music class,music began to play a larger role in hislife. “The sound that came out of theinstrument when you pressed thekeys—that was like magic to me,” hesaid. Although he didn’t take formalpiano lessons until he was 12, Malpedestarted to play when he was nine. “Mydad [who played for fun, but not profes-sionally] showed me where the noteswere on the piano, and what theirnames were, and I took it from there,”he said.

When it came time to choose a col-lege, family and friends convincedMalpede to think of career opportuni-ties beyond performing. That meantobtaining a business-related degree. “Idecided to go to Elmhurst because ithad a music business program, andthere were just a few in the country atthat time,” he said.

Malpede’s success came as no sur-prise to Beach, who taught Malpede atElmhurst. “Here was this kid with allthis talent, and you just knew right

away he was going to have a life ofmusic. Even with all that talent, therewas never an ego.”

In addition to playing piano forElmhurst’s jazz band and performing inconcert choir, Malpede played piano forthe jazz vocal group directed by SusanMoninger. He also teamed up withMoninger to write music that was pub-lished by California-based Neil A. KjosMusic Company. “He had that triplethreat in the music business, as writerand player and singer,” Moninger said.

She remembers Malpede as a per-former who connected easily with theaudience. Even when Malpede wasn’tcenter stage, he couldn’t help but drawattention. That’s what happened at achoir competition, where Malpedeaccompanied Elmhurst’s jazz vocalgroup on the piano. One of the judgeshappened to be a prominent Broadwayconductor, and he asked Moninger ifMalpede’s likeability matched his musi-cal ability. Her answer: “Absolutely …the kind of person you’d want to workwith every day.”

Less than a year after that exchange,Malpede was working for that conductorin Detroit, substituting for the keyboardplayer in a touring production of AndrewLloyd Webber’s rock musical StarlightExpress. “I wasn’t thinking about being acomposer at that point. I was thinkingabout being a professional musician,”Malpede said. That gig led to a string ofopportunities that kept Malpede touringregularly in the United States andCanada. For two years, he played pianofor Cats, then Joseph and the TechnicolorDreamcoat, starring Donny Osmond,then the Andrew Lloyd Webber revue

Music of the Night. Meanwhile, his employers wanted

to groom him to fill the conductor’srole. “But I really didn’t want to be aconductor,” Malpede said. Night afternight, for more than seven years, he’dplayed other composers’ music. It wastime to write his own. In 1997, hemoved to Los Angeles, enrolled at theUniversity of Southern California andearned a certificate in scoring formotion pictures and television. Heearned one of his early film credits,Spiderman 3, working as an assistant forone of his USC professors, composerChristopher Young, who composed thescore for the film.

Malpede is being noticed. Herecently won an award—Best OriginalScore Award at the Rhode IslandInternational Film Festival—for anindependent movie he co-scored withRick Garcia: Another Harvest Moon,starring Ernest Borgnine.

When he’s composing for a scene,Malpede said he likes to watch it atleast three times before he considersideas for the melody. Sometimes inspi-ration strikes at inconvenient times. Onone occasion, Malpede had an idea for acomposition while he was driving. Hedidn’t want to lose the idea—so hepulled over and used his phone to videohimself singing the melody. People tell Malpede his work sounds

like fun, and it is, he said, but like any-thing worth doing well, it involves a lot of long hours and sweat. “It is greatwork,” he said. “But you have to reallylove the work.”

by Sandra A. Swanson

To find out how you can volunteer go to www.elmhurst.edu/alumni and click on Get Involved.

“He had that triple threat in the music business, as writer and player and singer.” —Susan Moninger

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lmhurst College’s theatre seasonwent out with a bang this year.Literally. The final play in the

Mill Theatre’s 2010–2011 line-up beganwith the assassination of AbrahamLincoln, followed by a five-year flash-back.

“I tried to portray the real guy, notthe iconic Lincoln,” said Billy Surges ’11,who grew a beard to play the lead inAbraham Lincoln but joked that he couldnot increase his 5’11” height. “In real life,he was modest, awkward aroundwomen, very self-conscious about hislooks. But he didn’t take crap from any-one.”

Faculty in the Elmhurst College the-atre program had set out to produce aplay about the Civil War in associationwith the Elmhurst Public Library, whosereading program commemorated thewar’s 150th anniversary. Surprisingly,there were few good scripts, said direc-tor and adjunct professor Frank DelGiudice. He settled on a 1918 work byBritish playwright John Drinkwater thatrecently had been updated by RobertBrock during his residency as artisticdirector of Kentucky RepertoryTheatre. To add drama and intimacy tothe script, Del Giudice wrote a pro-logue, set in Ford’s Theatre, and an epi-logue that dramatically brought the playfull circle to the fatal gunshot of theopening scene.

The play, in late April and early May,drew full houses of students, alumni,area residents and Civil War buffs. Theproduction triggered laughs as well astears. When an official accused GeneralUlysses S. Grant of drinking, Lincoln

replied, “Then tell me the name of hisbrand. I’ll send some barrels to the oth-ers. He wins victories.”

Abraham Lincoln capped an excitingMill season at a time when more stu-dents are becoming involved in theatre.Space limitations haven’t stopped thedepartment from staging ambitious pro-ductions such as Sweeney Todd: TheDemon Barber of Fleet Street and StageDoor. The recent season also includedfour student-directed undertakings:Almost, Maine; Dog Sees God: Confessionsof a Teenage Blockhead; Alice in Wonderlandand two one-act plays by David Mamet.

The number of Elmhurst studentswith majors or minors in theatre hasmore than doubled in the past 10 years,

according to Janice Pohl, associate pro-fessor and director of the theatre pro-gram. And that doesn’t count thedozens of others who participate in theatre productions.

“You don’t have to be a theatremajor at Elmhurst to be in a play,” Pohlsaid. “Some students do it for fun, andothers do it because they learn skillsthat they will use whether they becomedoctors, business leaders or educators.”

Jenni McCarthy ’13, who playedMary Todd Lincoln, said that Elmhurst’ssmall size leads to ample opportunitiesboth on stage and behind the scenes.“The Lincoln cast included freshmenthrough seniors and people from manymajors,” she said. “Everyone brought

8 ELMHURST COLLEGE

The Mill’s season finale showcases the College’spopular theatre program but underscores the needfor more rehearsal space.

A Tribute to Mr. Lincoln

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campus focus performing arts

Senior Billy Surges as Abraham Lincoln (center) is flanked by cast members (from left) John TaylorField, David Leviton, Corey Thonn, Josh Lutz, Mike Greco and Derek Dillon.

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different viewpoints.”Just as Abraham Lincoln was updated

to appeal to a contemporary audience,so must the Mill Theatre be modern-ized. The popularity of theatre hasstrained the Mill’s rehearsal and class-room capacity, said Richard Arnold,assistant professor and technical direc-tor. For example, in the weeks leadingup to Abraham Lincoln, the cast had tocompete for the Mainstage rehearsalspace with groups preparing for twostudent-directed shows and an end-of-term showcase.

The Mill, which once functioned asthe millworks building for a lumberyard (the scene shop was the ware-house), was converted to a theatre inthe late 1960s. In addition to moreclassrooms and rehearsal space, thelobby and restrooms need to be reno-vated, Arnold said. Indeed, theCollege’s 2009-2014 Strategic Plan callsfor the Mill and the adjacent Barbara A.Kieft Accelerator ArtSpace to be updat-ed. The College would like to turn thenorth side of campus into a center ofactivity for the arts.

Renovation won’t change the the-atre’s intimate setting. There are no badseats at the Mill, where seating encir-cles the stage. That intimacy workedwell for Abraham Lincoln, which includ-ed dramatic exchanges among themajor characters: Lincoln; his wife,Mary Todd; his cabinet and GeneralUlysses S. Grant.

“We didn’t want to bore peoplewith a history lesson,” said Surges, whoplayed Lincoln. “Everyone knows the

slaves were freed and Honest Abe wasshot. But what were these people like?Seeing the characters through Lincoln’seyes, we see them differently.”

The production benefitted fromsome additional resources. Pohl andseveral students received a grantthrough the College’s Center forScholarship and Teaching to researchCivil War fashions and produce cos-tumes for Abraham Lincoln. Using pat-terns from vintage sources, the stu-dents manufactured corsets, frock coatsand hoop skirts. “We used period tailor-ing and dressmaking techniques, adjust-ed for 21st-century bodies,” Pohl said.

The set design was a collaborationbetween Richard Arnold and JaySierszyn, associate professor of theatreat Wisconsin Lutheran College inMilwaukee. “Jay worked with our stu-dents on the Lincoln show, and Iworked with his students on a set [for adifferent play] there,” Arnold said.“This gave the Elmhurst students achance to work with a designer from adifferent background.”

Students in the play said theylearned much more than Civil War his-tory. Mike Greco ’14, who played severalparts, is a football player who never hadtime in high school to be in a play. “AtElmhurst, I took an acting class andFrank [Del Giudice] encouraged me totry out,” he said. “My mom was thrilledbecause she always said I had the per-sonality for theatre.”

Greco said the experience gave hima greater appreciation for drama. “Ifound out how much work and how

many people it takes to put on a play,”he said. “It’s a lot like being in a teamsport—you have to help your team-mates. When someone forgets a line,you jump in.”

On a spring night between shows,the cast got together to address prob-lems that had bubbled to the surface.They discussed how to improvise back-ground conversation while anotheractor is talking. “Keep talking, sayingwhat your character would say, but keepthe volume down,” Del Giudice toldone student.

“Try that again without ‘acting’ it,”Del Giudice said to a student whothought he was too stiff in one scene.The student ran the scene again, thistime with shoulders relaxed and linesdelivered with force. “That’s it! Thistime, you did it in character,” said DelGiudice.

To the actors who had gathered tofine-tune the scene, Del Giudice said,“Now, let’s take that again, from the top.”

by Leslie Mann

ALUMNI NEWS 9

The play, which drew full houses of students, alumni, area residentsand Civil War buffs, triggeredlaughs as well as tears.

For more information about the Mill Theatre, visit www.elmhurst.edu/ectheatre.

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10 ELMHURST COLLEGE

cover story

Though his name is in lights, David Rasche ’66 retains the humilityof a Midwest preacher’s son.

By John Wolfe

From Mamet Plays to Men in Black

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ALUMNI NEWS 11

In four decades since graduating fromElmhurst, David Rasche has carved out acomfortable niche in show business, work-ing steadily on stage, on TV and in movies.

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12 ELMHURST COLLEGE

e’s working with Robert DeNiro and Diane Keaton,and last month he was on set with Will Smith andTommy Lee Jones. Even so, actor David Rasche ’66

still wonders if the opportunities will keep coming.“It’s a difficult life,” says the 66-year-old actor. “You never

know what’s going to happen. Sometimes you go for longperiods without working. Not that I’m Henry Fonda, buteven Henry Fonda, whenever he finished his last job, wasalways convinced he would never ever work again. And thetruth is you just don’t know.”

Concerns notwithstanding, after almost 40 years as anactor, Rasche is busier than ever. In June he was cast in GentlyDown the Streamwith DeNiro and Keaton as the father of a girlwho wants to marry against his wishes. He recently finishedfilming Men in Black III with Smith and Jones, in which heplays the ornery head of the MIB Service in 1960s flashbackscenes where a young Will Smith first meets his partner.

He is joining the cast of HBO’s Bored to Death, now in itsthird season, in which he plays a mega-wealthy, retired techentrepreneur. And he plays the soulful husband of aHolocaust survivor in the upcoming German feature filmRemembrance.

In four decades Rasche has carved out a comfortableniche in the hardscrabble world of show business, workingsteadily on stage, on TV and in movies since kicking off hiscareer with Chicago’s famed Second City improvisationaltheater troupe. He’s appeared in more than 100 films and tel-evision shows, from the rogue cop in the 1989 movie AnInnocent Man with Tom Selleck to the President of the UnitedStates in the television series DAG (2000–2001). He is per-haps best known for his starring role in the ABC cult comedyseries Sledge Hammer! (1986–1988), in which he played thetitle role of a goofy cop who talked to his gun and handed outhis own brand of loony street justice.

Still, Rasche remains philosophical, even melancholy,about his chosen profession. He describes the anxiety of notworking, of waiting for the phone to ring and not knowing if

it will. He tells of getting a call out of the blue, asking him toread for a part because a casting director he had never metsaw his work once and thought he would be a good fit.

“And then I was talking to a friend of mine who is anactor and he said, ‘Well, I’m glad you’re working, you deserveit.’ And I said, ‘I don’t deserve it any more than you deserveit.’ That’s really not the issue. There are a lot of roles aroundthat I call CBA roles—Could Be Anybody. So why thosecome your way or don’t come your way, it’s very mysterious.”

Part of that reflective, contemplative attitude stems fromhis upbringing in Belleville, Illinois, near St. Louis, as the sonand grandson of ministers. In fact, nearly 50 members ofRasche’s extended family entered the ministry and many ofthem attended Elmhurst, which began as a proseminary.Rasche considered the field and even attended divinityschool at the University of Chicago for two years. “I gave it ago, but it was not my calling,” he said. “I had more questionsthan answers.”

While he may not have opted for the ministry, he is part ofan extensive family legacy at Elmhurst. “My grandfather wentto Elmhurst,” he said. “My great-uncles all went to Elmhurst.My father went to Elmhurst, my mother went to Elmhurst, myaunt went to Elmhurst, my two sisters went to Elmhurst andthey both married people who went to Elmhurst.”

At Elmhurst, Rasche lived in Niebuhr Hall, studied inGermany during his junior year and developed interests intheology, literature and philosophy. The esteemed Englishprofessor Robert Swords was a major influence.

“Professor Swords got me into an upper-level philosophycourse in my sophomore year,” Rasche said. “I shouldn’t havebeen allowed to take that course, but he helped me go whereI wanted to go.” It was Swords who convinced Rasche, uponhis return from Germany, to major in English and attendgraduate school at the University of Chicago, where heearned a master’s degree in English. He later taught Englishat Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota before returningto Chicago.

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cover story

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Rasche only dabbled in acting in his early years and hardlydid any theater work at Elmhurst, although he did sing in theschool’s glee club. It was the seminal comedy work of MikeNichols and Elaine May on the syndicated radio show TheMidnight Special on Chicago’s WFMT-FM that sparkedRasche’s acting ambitions. He was intrigued by the duo’simprovisational work.

“I would hear Nichols and May do these routines and Ithought that was absolutely the most wonderful thing I hadever heard,” he said, still recalling the thrill of this revelation.“I heard the folk music and I heard the stand-ups, but whatreally got me were those two people being funny.”

That led to workshop sessions at Second City, where heeventually landed a spot in the regular cast, replacing anotherChicago boy who had left for the grander stage of New YorkCity—John Belushi.

After a couple of years with Second City, Rasche beganperforming in Chicago’s thriving theater scene and was afounding member of the Victory Gardens Theater. He alsoworked for a time at Chicago’s Organic Theater, where hisprofessional relationship with the young playwright DavidMamet flourished. The two had first met in the early 1970s at Second City, where Mamet was working as a busboy.

“I saw him on stage at Second City and just thought hewas hysterically funny,” Mamet recalled in a telephone inter-view from his home in Los Angeles. “He was very dry andalways had a kind of ‘I know something you don’t know’ twin-kle in his eye—and maybe he does.”

At the Organic, Rasche appeared in one of Mamet’s firstplays, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, and went on to appear inmore than half a dozen of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author’sworks, including a star turn in Edmond at the Atlantic Theaterin New York and in Faustus at San Francisco’s Magic Theatre.

“He’s a wonderful actor,” Mamet said. “Like any reallygood actor, he is idiosyncratic and what you’re looking at ishim. A good actor doesn’t make stuff up and what you see ishis actual self. His personality shows through in the role he isplaying.”

Longtime friend Rev. Dick Wohlschlaeger, pastor of aPresbyterian church in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, saidRasche shows an affinity for Mamet’s work.

“One thing that makes David successful as an actor is thathe can be both outrageously, clownishly funny, but alsoembrace and communicate the penetratingly dark dialogueof a David Mamet play,” Wohlschlaeger said.

Though he makes New York his home, Rasche’s careermoves are tracked in detail by Hollywood’s show biz websites such as Deadline Hollywood and silverscreenhub.com.Yet he largely retains the modesty of a Midwestern preacher’sson. And he says his experience at Elmhurst played a role inthe person he has become.

“It was a very family sort of place,” he recalls. “Most of ushad known each other a long time by the time we got toElmhurst, and it was a very tight group. The people whograduated with me became people who helped the worldbecome a better place. They became ministers, teachers, hos-pital administrators and social workers. The religious atmos-phere sent people off in a direction that was not aboutmoney, and it wasn’t about fame. It was about helping peopleand about doing God’s work, and a lot of them did exactly that.”

ALUMNI NEWS 13

“Like any really good actor, he is idiosyncratic and whatyou’re looking at is him.”—Playwright David Mamet

From left: Second City, 1972; Sledge Hammer! 1986; Malcolm in theMiddle, 2003; Burn After Reading, 2008; The Seagull, 2008; SledgeHammer! 1986; Ugly Betty, 2009; and To Be or Not to Be, 2008.

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1930s and 1940sCarole Weise ’39 turned 93 in July andcontinues to enjoy ranch life inCalifornia.

Francis W. Karasek ’42 retired from a40-year career as professor of environ-mental chemistry at the University ofWaterloo in Canada. “Among my treas-ures is the Alumni Merit Award yourassociation gave me in 1989,” he writes.Francis and his wife, Irma, recently cele-brated the 68th anniversary of their wed-ding.

1950sMartha Johnson ’52 says she’s enjoyinglife and hasn’t had time for old age, keep-ing busy with music, friendship, a littletravel and a lot of good books with thetime to read them. “Life is great,” saysMartha.

James Hudson ’55 is a retired hospitaladministrator in Viroqua, Wisconsin.James and his wife enjoy working withhomeless cats and dogs at their localhumane society.

Nancy Koop ’55 painted a lively water-color of Navy Pier that was displayed atPalette and Chisel Art Gallery in Chicagoin May 2011.

Raymond Whitehead ’55 and Rhea(Menzel) Whitehead ’57 jointly receivedthe Katharine Hockin Award for GlobalMission and Ministry. It was awarded bythe Canadian Churches’ Forum forGlobal Ministries in Toronto in recogni-tion of their work in the Philippines,China, Burma, Zimbabwe, Korea, India,Angola and Congo.

Michael Galasso ’58 was appointedinterim DuPage County State’s Attorneyon December 13, 2010.

Leslie Papp ’58 and his wife, Pat, cele-

brated their 50th wedding anniversary onDecember 5, 2010.

David Sloan ’59 volunteers at a foodpantry where he helps serve 400 families.He currently lives in Bensenville.

1960sFran Kapsalis ’60 taught school for 14years and was a school psychologist for 14years at Proviso Area for ExceptionalChildren in Maywood. “Now I am retiredand enjoy participating in events on theElmhurst campus,” Fran writes. “I am soproud of my alma mater, as the school hasgrown so much in recent years.”

Jon K. Hahn ’60 recently had triplebypass surgery and is recovering well.

Sandra Schwartz ’61 and her husband,Pete, recently celebrated their 50th wed-ding anniversary.

Adrian Krieg ’62 has published a newbook, Rendezvous with the New WorldOrder. With 14 titles to his name, Adrianhas sold more than 50,000 books.

1970sElizabeth Pearson ’70 is the author ofPoints to Ponder: Poetry and Prose toChallenge Mind and Heart, and Kids Can!:Know God’s Rules and Rewards for RightChoices. Both books can be found in colleges and public libraries.

Peter ’71 and Karen ’72 Sauter haveretired from teaching. They are enjoyinggolfing, cycling, volunteering and spend-ing time with their family and their gold-en retrievers.

Dennis J. Frazen ’73 was ordained intothe pastoral ministry on January 30, 2011.He and his wife have been commissionedas Lutheran lay ministers and currentlyserve on staff at Trinity Lutheran Churchin Lisle. “Following graduation, I accept-

14 ELMHURST COLLEGE

Let us hear from you! Send us a note to alumni@elmhurst.edu,or call us at (630) 617-3600. Better yet, stop by the Office ofAlumni Relations on the first floor of Lehmann Hall.

Class Notes

alumni catching up

In the Driver’s Seat

Linda Marshall ’85 has been namedpresident of OnStar, General Motors’safety and information communicationsservice. OnStar provides owners of GMvehicles with a variety of GPS-based,in-vehicle services, including automaticcrash notification to a call center,remote vehicle unlocking, stolen vehicletracking, navigation and directions,concierge services and hands-free call-ing. The company is preparing tolaunch OnStar For My Vehicle (FMV)this summer, a retail initiative to makeOnStar services available in non-GMvehicles for the first time. “My chal-lenge now is to branch out from hereand find new products and segments inthe marketplace without disrupting thebrand (equity) that OnStar has,” Lindasaid. Linda has worked in telecommuni-cations for 25 years, starting withVerizon Wireless in 1986 when it was afledgling company with no customers.Prior to joining Detroit-based OnStarin November 2010, she was chief oper-ating officer of Revol Wireless, anOhio-based wireless carrier, and heldseveral executive positions at SprintNextel. In addition to her bachelor’sdegree from Elmhurst, she completedthe Executive Management Program atStanford University.

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ed full-time employment with DownersGrove National Bank and became seniorvice president and chief financial officerin 1984,” writes Dennis. “I became secre-tary to the board of directors in 1993 andserved on the board of directors from2004 to 2011. Upon my retirement as anexecutive officer with the bank in 2004, I earned my theological BA at ConcordiaUniversity Wisconsin. My most recent‘accomplishment’—and joy—is becominga grandparent for the first time. Amongmy best Elmhurst memories are autumnon campus and soft-serve ice cream onTwinkies in the lower level of the studentunion.”

Carol Barth ’74 recently started workingas the interim associate minister in theEastern Association, Ohio Conference ofthe United Church of Christ.

Susan (Palmer) Bowers ’74, director ofthe Department of Veterans Affairs’Southwest Health Care Network inMesa, Arizona, recently received theDistinguished Presidential Rank award.The award, given annually by thePresident of the United States, recognizesfederal government executives who arestrong leaders and consistently demon-strate strength, integrity, industry and arelentless commitment to excellence inpublic service. It is the top award given tocivilian employees of the federal govern-ment. Susan has worked for theDepartment of Veterans Affairs for 34years.

Jeffrey T. Brierton ’75 has been namedsuperintendent of schools for District 121in Gurnee, after four years as principal ofthe O’Plaine Campus at WarrenTownship High School. He earned theIllinois Principal Association-LakeRegion’s “Principal of the Year” award in 2007.

Russ Zick ’75 retired from coaching high

school basketball after 13 seasons atRochelle Township High School.

Kay Vasey ’76 is working as a nurse inNew Mexico.

Dr. Fran Roberts ’76 has been namedvice president for strategic alliances atDeVry Inc., a global provider of educa-tional services. Fran, who graduated fromElmhurst with majors in nursing and psy-chology, oversees business and clinicaldevelopment at DeVry by creating strate-gic healthcare alliances.

Barbara McNulty ’78 teaches Irish danc-ing in more than a dozen locations in theWestern suburbs. Now in her 40th yearof teaching, she works with some 300students a year, including dancers whohave qualified for the World IrishDancing Championships in Ireland.

Mary Storce-Klepaida ’79 works as aregistered nurse and for an insurancecompany. She also is enjoying life as agreat-grandmother of three.

Thomas R. Mitchinson ’79 has beenappointed to the Christian ScienceCommittee on Publication for Illinois.He is the media and legislative represen-tative for the Christian Science Church.

Dane R. Camp ’79, a mathematicsteacher at New Trier High School inWinnetka, has been elected to theNational Council of Teachers ofMathematics Board of Directors.

1980sStephen L. Guranovich ’80 is a memberof the South Barrington Village Board ofTrustees. He also serves on the board of theMichael Joseph Foundation, a Barrington-based nonprofit dedicated to providingtransitional housing for people in crisis.Previously, he served for eight years as plancommissioner of South Barrington.

Christina (Caplinger) Ryan ’82, CEO of the Women’s Hospital in Newburgh,Indiana, was included in Becker’s HospitalReview’s recent list of “52 WomenHospital and Health Care Leaders.” Thelist recognizes women who demonstrateoutstanding leadership skills within thehospital and health care industry.

Allison Stanger ’82 appeared on TheDaily Show with Jon Stewart in March totalk about her highly acclaimed book,One Nation Under Contract: The Outsourcing

ALUMNI NEWS 15

For more class notes, go towww.elmhurst.edu/alumni and click on Class Notes

Love in a Greek Village

Paula Renee (Akouris) Burzawa ’92published her first novel, Seasons of Sun(iUniverse.com) in September 2010. Acoming-of-age story about an Americanteenager who discovers friendship andlove in a Grecian mountain village, thebook was inspired by Burzawa’s ownsummertime experiences in Greece.Seasons of Sun has earned both anEditor’s Choice award and a Rising Staraward, as well as acclaim from a varietyof testimonial sources. “Prepare to beenchanted,” says John Dedakis,reporter for CNN's The Situation Roomwith Wolf Blitzer.

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of American Power and the Future of ForeignPolicy (Yale University Press, 2009).Allison is the Russell Leng ’60 Professorof International Politics and Economicsand chair of the political science department at Middlebury College. Shealso has served as a consultant to theUnited States Department of State’sPolicy Planning staff. The author ofnumerous articles and essays, she haswritten opinion pieces about the privati-zation of American power for The NewYork Times, Washington Post and FinancialTimes.

Steven Zeidler ’82, owner of Mr. Z’sSupermarket in Lombard, was presentedwith the Melvin Jones Fellowship award

by the Lombard Lions Club. It is thehighest award given by the club and hasonly been given five times in the club’s89-year history.

Hung Vu ’85 recently was named chieftechnology officer for eChalk, a pioneerin social learning platforms for effectivecommunication and collaboration in K-12education. Hung has 25 years of experi-ence in the software technology field.

Dawn Kuerschner ’85, associate profes-sor of nursing at Oakton CommunityCollege, has received a $10,000 NurseEducator Fellowship from the IllinoisBoard of Higher Education.

Debbie Zelinski ’86 is the new chiefhuman resources officer for SchoolDistrict U46 in Elgin.

Karin Rae Fox ’88 had an exhibit ofphotography on display at the Oak Lawn Library’s Art Gallery in January and April 2011.

1990sTwelve Elmhurst graduates from the late1980s and early ’90s gathered recently atGatto’s Restaurant in Downers Grove tocommemorate two of their late class-mates. “Roy Perry ’90 and Rob Hatch’90 lived in Schick Hall with us, and withRoy’s recent passing we realized we hadfallen out of touch with each other,”writes Mark Gappa ’89. “All 12 of usattended Elmhurst, and many of us livedin Schick Hall together.” In addition toMark, the group included Dave Butler’90, Mike Fisher ’91, Neal Gallo ’88,Vito Carnevale ’89, Marc Ruffino ’89,Jody Contorno ’90, Craig Mann ’91,Frank Gatto ’89, Andy Karns ’89,Elmhurst Mayor Pete DiCianni ’88 andDerek DiSera ’91.

Jeff Welch ’90 recently was promoted tochief financial officer at FORUM CreditUnion.

Dominic Sulimowski ’92 recently wonre-election to the board of trustees of theVillage of Norridge. Dominic currentlyserves on the board’s Law and Ordinanceand Village Properties, Sidewalks,Environment and EconomicDevelopment committees. Dominicmajored in business administration and

political science at Elmhurst and workedfor AT&T before retiring and becoming aNorridge trustee in May 2009.

Eric J. Fuglsang ’94, an attorney atQuarles & Brady in Chicago, was named a 2011 Illinois Rising Star by Illinois SuperLawyers magazine.

Rebecca Christiansen ’95 is the founderof Celebrate Differences, a nonprofitorganization that supports the families ofchildren with special needs. The organi-zation recently launched a scholarshipopportunity for an ELSA (ElmhurstLearning and Success Academy) studenton the Elmhurst campus. Rebecca gradu-ated from Elmhurst with a double majorin nursing and business administration.

Ian Narcisi ’95 has released an independ-ently produced progressive rock album,Phone Call to Infinity. Ian, a vocalist andmulti-instrumentalist, has also co-pro-duced several CDs with Tim Sandusky ofStudio Ballistico featuring bassist ErikSwanson.

Rebeccca (Cowie) Mulholland ’96 hasworked as a special education teacher at Cornerstone Charter Schools inMichigan for the past two years.

John Vincent Pierorazio ’96 has beenperforming as a Frank Sinatra imperson-ator since 2001. He released a CD in2003, and Chicago magazine named himBest Sinatra Impersonator in the city in2006. John has performed across thecountry and currently works as an enter-tainer at Ditka’s Cigar Bar Chicago.

Jeff Mytych ’96, MBA ’06 was sworn inas Schaumburg’s new Township Trustee inMay. Jeff also serves on the SchaumburgTownship Human Services fund and as aprecinct captain for the Republican Party.He works as a product manager for theChamberlain Group, Inc., in Elmhurst.

2000sJennifer Randall ’03 has been named the head women’s basketball coach atBeloit College in Wisconsin.

Ben Blaiszik ’03 was awarded a postdoc-toral fellowship to work at ArgonneNational Laboratories. He earned a Ph.D.in theoretical and applied mechanics

16 ELMHURST COLLEGE

alumni catching up

It’s Never Too Late to Graduate

Jim Kolkmeier ’11 graduated fromElmhurst with a bachelor’s degree onFebruary 6, 2011, more than 50 yearsafter first attending classes at theCollege. Jim left Elmhurst in the early1960s to begin working full time, firstfor United Airlines as a dispatcher andeventually for Southwest Airlines,where he worked as the lead dispatcherfor 22 years. After his retirement fromSouthwest, Jim and his wife, Leslie ’67,started a farm where they raised cattle.A few years ago, Jim began working on amaster’s degree at Chicago TheologicalSeminary, though he had not yet com-pleted his undergraduate degree. Lastfall Jim returned to campus and fin-ished his undergraduate coursework.Jim is currently working on his secondmaster’s at CTS.

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ALUMNI NEWS 17

from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009.

Erica Poremba ’04 is working on a master’s degree in education at NorthCentral College in Naperville.

Janelle (Kostich) Thoma ’05 completeda master’s degree in reading at ConcordiaUniversity in River Forest.

Peter Purin ’05, assistant professor ofmusic theory at Oklahoma BaptistUniversity, performed the role of DonBasilio in the university’s presentation ofMozart’s The Marriage of Figaro inFebruary and March 2011.

Simi Wakawa ’06 coaches the DownersGrove U12 Roadrunners girls soccerteam. On May 1, the team won the SpringClassic soccer tournament held in OakBrook.

Anthony McPherson ’07, head men’stennis coach at Elmhurst, recently wasnamed CCIW Coach of the Year—onlythe second Elmhurst tennis coach ever toearn Coach of the Year honors.

Brett Eldredge ’08, a country singer,performed as an opening act for WillieNelson at the Chicago Theatre in March.Brett released his first single withAtlantic Records, “Raymond,” and plansto release a full-length album later thisyear.

Mike Ptack ’09 recently won theChristie Clinic 5K at the University ofIllinois at Urbana-Champaign with a timeof 15:32. Mike is a volunteer track coachat York High School.

2010sStephanie Ferrini ’10 recently startedworking at Wilton Brands.

Eric Morong ’10 is the band director forWood Dale School District No.7 in WoodDale.

Peter Childs ’10 joined Dream TownRealty, the Chicago online real estatecompany. With specialties in residentialsales and luxury construction, Peter is athird-generation real estate professional.

In March, a group of young alumni writ-

ers and media professionals participatedin Sigma Tau Delta’s career panel on cam-pus. The group included BrittanyAshcroft ’05, managing editor of WestSuburban Living; Paula Burzawa ’92,author of the novel Seasons of Sun; AlisonEngelsman ’05, strategic solutions man-ager for Centro Digital Media Services;Bill Hillman ’04, freelance writer, editor,NPR contributor and founder of WindyCity Story Slam; and Brett Rush ’04, afreelance editor and communicationsspecialist.

Emily Elise Flaherty ’11 graduated fromthe College with honors in May, repre-senting the third generation of her familyto graduate from Elmhurst. Emily’sgrandmother, Carolyn Ann Foote, gradu-ated in 1983, and her mother, Wendy JaneFlaherty, graduated in 1986.

BIRTHSSara (Douglass) Born ’02, president of the Elmhurst College AlumniAssociation, and John Born ’03 becameproud parents with the birth of their firstchild, Leah Coakley Born, on June 22,2011.

Melissa (Hill) Kroplewski ’02 andPatrick Kroplewski ’03 became theproud parents of their first child,Johnathon Patrick, on November 6, 2010.Godparents are Stephanie (Hill)Cabrera ’00 and Steven Kroplewski.

Ashley Nolte ’07 gave birth to a daughter, Grace, on June 6, 2009.

MARRIAGESAyn Brendel ’09 of Oregon and TimColeman ’09 of Wisconsin were marriedon July 30, 2011, at St. Mary’s Parish inByron, Illinois.

Rachel (Hennessy) Foltyniewicz ’07married Reid Foltyniewicz on September2, 2007.

Correction:An earlier edition of FYImisidentified the wife of Hugh Howard’53. On May 10, 2010, Hugh marriedMary Lou Watts.

DEATHSRev. Stephen H. Schuette ’78, ofElmhurst, passed away suddenly onMarch 17, 2011. The beloved husband of

Barbara and loving father of Paul Williamand Jillian Lou, he began his ministry in1982 at St. James United Church of Christin Saline, Michigan, where he served forsix years. He also served First ReformedUCC in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, for 10years and Salem Evangelical UCC inQuincy, Illinois, for six years. At the timeof his death he had been serving BethelUCC in Elmhurst since 2005. He was apilot and certified flight instructor, activein the Elmhurst Ministerium, ElmhurstChoral Union and an avid bicyclist.

Glenn Martensen ’30, of Fenton,Missouri, on June 21, 2010.

Julia (Weigel) Pantermuehl ’39, of New Braunfels, Texas, on March 25, 2011.

Roy Alberswerth ’40, of Brookfield, on December 9, 2010.

Harold Grunewald ’42, of Ballwin,Missouri, on November 17, 2010.

James Cronin ’42, of Bensenville, on December 5, 2010.

Dean Plassmann ’44, of Peotone, on December 16, 2010.

Maurine Betty (Halbe) Jans ’45, ofMachias, Maine, on January 25, 2011.

Walter Stark ’45, of Pleasant Hill,Tennessee, on March 21, 2011.

Donald Klohr ’46, of Council Bluffs,Iowa, on April 13, 2011.

Harry Mahoney ’47, of Wheaton, on January 15, 2011.

Eugene Gloye ’49, of Grover Beach,California, on February 17, 2011.

Reuben Topp ’49, of Waverly, Iowa, on January 9, 2011.

Charles Cramer ’50, of Moline, on November 29, 2010.

Norman Burthwick ’50, on January 18,2011.

Jane (Hermann) Zimmerman ’50, of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania, on March 5, 2011.

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18 ELMHURST COLLEGE

John Riggs ’50, of Highland, Illinois, on February 5, 2011.

Shirley (Swanson) Wickman ’51, of Abilene, Kansas, on April 9, 2011.

Margaret McMichael-Peat ’51, ofIndian Creek, Illinois, on February 13,2011.

Lois (Mueller) Fink ’51, of Cherry Hill,New Jersey, on November 15, 2010.

Lois Bessman Moore ’52, of GreenMountain, Iowa, on January 16, 2011.

Bruce Andrews ’52, of Bent Tree,Georgia, on January 25, 2011.

Betty Jane (Garver) Wagner ’53, of Fort Myers, Florida (formerly ofBrookfield), on July 21, 2010.

Joyce Koch Carmichael ’53, of Marietta,Georgia, on June 29, 2010.

Allen Draugelis ’54, of Hebron, Illinois(formerly of Dundee Township), onJanuary 4, 2011.

Trent Middlekauff Jr. ’56, of FortMyers, Florida, on December 10, 2010.

Georgia (Lindstrand) Gibson ’56, of Wheaton, on May 10, 2011.

Richard Schiemann ’56, of Waverly,Ohio, on February 13, 2011.

Erika (Kunzl) Marshall ’58, of OakPark, on February 14, 2011.

Lester McCoun ’58, of Ambler,Pennsylvania, on January 29, 2011.

James Protine ’58, of Glen Ellyn, on March 13, 2011.

Norman Regitz ’58, of West Chicago, on March 16, 2011.

Trevor Pinch ’58, of Winfield, on March 31, 2011.

Neva Piepho ’59, of Chicago, onDecember 30, 2010.

Sylvia Heft Castronovo ’61, onNovember 19, 2010.

Gilbert Pilz ’64, of Longview, Illinois, on February 3, 2011.

Bruce Murdock ’65, of Mukilteo,Washington, on January 1, 2011.

Ralph Bus ’66, on March 22, 2010.

Ward L. Quaal ’67, of Winnetka, on September 27, 2010.

Pamela (Martens) Boughton ’68, ofChicago (formerly of Granville, Illinois),on November 27, 2010.

Linda L. (Gallas) Glover ’69, of IslandLake, Illinois, on November 22, 2010.

Ronald Carbello ’70, of O’Fallon,Illinois, on November 5, 2010.

Mae Marvin ’70, of Downers Grove, on February 23, 2011.

Lois (Dillen) Novatny ’71, ofBloomington, Illinois (formerly ofBensenville), on February 10, 2011.

Sarah Goenne ’72, of Chicago, on April 13, 2011.

William Smedberg ’72, of Pigeon Falls,Wisconsin, on December 17, 2010.

Ida Kastner ’73, of Chevy Chase,Maryland, on February 19, 2011.

Jane Wojtena ’74, of Fort Myers, Florida, on March 23, 2011.

Thomas F. Klos ’83, of South Elgin, on February 14, 2011.

Barbara Mullen ’83, of Sarasota, Florida,on September 24, 2010.

Robert A. Clark ’84, of Elmhurst, on December 7, 2010.

Sandra (Dybal) Del Re ’85, ofMundelein, on February 13, 2011.

Joan Thorson ’86, of Shepherdstown,West Virginia, on March 10, 2011.

Roy Perry ’90, of Chicago Heights, on April 26, 2010.

Robert Seputis ’91, of Schaumburg, on August 26, 2010.

Howard Canaday ’92, of St. Charles, on April 21, 2011.

Nancy Nelson ’93, of Sycamore, Illinois, on March 3, 2011.

Kim (Donley) Hoerman ’93, of Morton Grove, on July 12, 2010.

Brian Lautenbach ’95, of Hudson,Wisconsin (formerly of Chicago), onDecember 10, 2010.

Erik Metzler ’02, of Cape Coral, Florida, on January 11, 2011.

Mark Swibes ’05, of Munster, Indiana,on February 8, 2011.

John Riehle, offensive and defensivelines football coach at the College from1977 to 1982, on December 16, 2010.

alumni catching up

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had a fabulous experience in thetheatre program at Elmhurst. I madesome great friends there who are still

my best friends. When you work togetherto put on a show, you develop instantbonds.

One of my favorite Elmhurst experi-ences was performing with the ChancelPlayers, the College’s touring theatregroup. We traveled across the country,performing plays at UCC churches andstaying with local families. Travelingtogether was a great bonding experience,

and I loved meeting new people in differentcities. It was a total blast.

The Mill Theatre was relatively newto Elmhurst during my student days. Itwas a little rough back then, but we didn’tcare—that was part of the experience.Still, a good theatre program needs a goodfacility. So when President Ray asked meto consider making a gift to the Collegethrough my grandfather’s foundation, Iknew I wanted to support improvementsto the theatre.

For me, giving is more meaningful

when it supports a specific project.Providing this gift to Elmhurst makes itpossible for the College to upgrade theMill in significant, visible ways. It’s verygratifying to know I’m making a differ-ence.

Meredith Wollenberg Morrison ’72 works as a case manager for the National Center forMissing & Exploited Children in Alexandria,Virginia. She has made several significant giftsto support the College’s Mill Theatre throughThe Wollenberg Foundation.

Why I Give Meredith Wollenberg Morrison ’72 Falls Church, Virginia

I

For more information on alumnigiving go to our new giving site at www.elmhurst.edu/giving

Members of the ChancelPlayers, the College’stouring theatre group in1970

Top row from left: DavidHansen, Alan Weiger(now associate professorof theatre at ElmhurstCollege), Peter Bliznick,Bob Atkins, Dr. Don Low

Middle row from left:Kristina Bahl, PatriciaAnderson, Vince Pinelli,Ruth Talley, DougBerghorn, Marge Carter,Tom Zappe

Front row from left: MaryBeth Moran, MarleneFredette, MeredithWollenberg, NancyMeyer, Frank Boyd, KathyHarris, Michael Baily,Nancy Stephens

ALUMNI NEWS 19

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or close to 20 years, Dr. HelgaNoice, professor of psychology,and her husband, Dr. Tony Noice,

an adjunct faculty member in theCollege’s Department of CommunicationArts and Sciences, have researched theuse of acting techniques to enhance cog-nitive performance in older adults.Elmhurst and the University of Illinoisrecently received a $1.9 million grantfrom the National Institutes of Health(NIH), which will enable the Noices totake their research to the next level.

How do acting classes slow cognitivedecline in older people?Helga: Research has shown that plasticityis an important property of the humanbrain—its ability to restructure or rewireitself by processing new experiences.How can we do that? We know thatstimulating activities make the brainwork more efficiently, and an acting classprovides just the right kind of stimula-tion.

What is the gist of the acting class?Tony:We quickly build up to creatingcharacters, understanding motivationsand developing scenes. The idea is tofocus not on memorizing lines but onunderstanding the ideas behind the liter-al words, as well as on the physical andemotional dimensions of performances.

What does your new NIH studyinvolve?Tony:Working with researchers at theBeckman Institute for Advanced Scienceand Technology at the University ofIllinois at Urbana-Champaign, we’llspend three years actively working witholder adults in groups. We’ll be in charge

of the interventions but the scientistsat the Beckman Institute will conductfunctional MRI scans before and afterthe interventions, which will allow usto see specifically what brain changesoccur. The fourth year will be spentanalyzing the data with the help ofElmhurst College students.

Helga:We want to determine whataspect of the acting process helps cogni-tive functioning in older adults. We’llhave three groups of participants. Thefirst group will receive acting training.The second group will read and discussplays; the third group basically willreceive a course in theater appreciation.The second and third groups will learnabout theater but will receive no actingtraining at all. The question we hope toanswer is, do you need the actor’s experi-ence, specifically active involvement inthe acting process, to obtain positivecognitive benefits? A great plus of thisstudy is that it will enable us to see whatspecific parts of the brain are involved inhealthy aging through acting.

How will the study be structured?Helga:Twice a week for four weeks, par-ticipants will meet with their specificgroup. Besides the MRIs, we’ll test par-ticipants’ memories before and after theintervention using a standard paper-and-pencil test. We’ll also conduct a six-month follow-up with each participant.At the end of the study, we’ll have dataon close to 200 people.

Where do you find participants for your studies?Tony: In the past we’ve conducted ourresearch at such places as hospitals, well-

ness centers and retirement homes. Forthe current study, we’ll cast a wider netbecause not everybody is comfortablewith MRI examination. As a result,we’re recruiting volunteers by runningads in local newspapers, as well as con-tacting senior centers, churches, syna-gogues, mosques and city park districts.

What is the age range of participants?Tony: For our past studies, participantshad to be 65 or older. For this currentstudy, the age range is 65 to 80.

What do you hope to find at the end of the study?Helga:We fully expect to find a largercognitive boost in the groups involved in the acting experience.

Do other stimulating activitiesbesides acting—art and music, forexample—slow brain aging?Tony:We’ve looked at visual arts andsinging, and while we do see some posi-tive results from those activities, theydon’t work as well as acting. Scoresimprove more from acting than anythingelse we’ve tried, possibly because actingcombines a number of brain-boostingactivities simultaneously: it is novel; itrequires mental, emotional, and physicalenergy; and it takes place in a supportivesocial setting.

by Deborah Silver

20 ELMHURST COLLEGE

faculty office hours

Catching Up with Helga and Tony Noice

F

Acting Lessons and the Aging of the Brain

To see a video of Helga and Tony Noice on MSNBC go to http://tiny.cc/c6clm

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ALUMNI NEWS 3

Play it one moretime!Congress has obliged with an encore: The IRA Charitable Rollover has beenextended until the end of 2011.

Act fast! Under this legislation, direct giftsto Elmhurst College from your IRA can:1 Be an easy and convenient way to make

a gift from one of your major assets2 Be excluded from your gross income:

a tax-free rollover3 Count toward your required minimum

distribution

For your gift to qualify for benefits under the extension:• You must be 70½ or older at the

time of your gift• The transfer must go directly from

your IRA to Elmhurst College• Your total IRA gift cannot exceed

$100,000• Your gift must be outright

To learn more about this opportunity,contact us today:

Meg Howes(630) 617-3781howesm@elmhurst.eduwww.elmhurst.giftplans.org

119019_FYIMag:FYIMag 2011 7/28/11 7:47 AM Page 23

Homecoming 2011Friday-Sunday, October 14-16Plan your weekend online atwww.elmhurst.edu/homecoming. You canview the full list of 2011 activities, register forevents and see who is coming from your class.Questions? Contact the Office of AlumniRelations at (630) 617-3600 oralumni@elmhurst.edu

Theatre: The Country WifeThursday-Sunday, October 6-9;Thursday-Saturday, October 13-15This play, a Restoration comedy written in 1675,pokes fun at contemporary manners and moralsand was ahead of its time for its bawdy humor.

Lecture: Inside the Supreme CourtThursday, September 22Legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin will discuss thesecret world of the Supreme Court as part ofthe College’s yearlong focus on Democracy and Civic Engagement.

Niebuhr ForumFriday, September 30Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meachamwill present “The Content of Our Character:Race, Politics, Religion and Culture, and HowTraditions Unite and Divide Us.”

World Music FestivalSaturday, October 22Don’t miss this exciting, creative program thatblends Indian, U.S. and Afro-Caribbean musicaltraditions. The concert will feature GrammyAward-winning artists and the College’s ownmusical ensembles.

Lecture: Green ChemistryThursday, October 6Dr. Paul Anastas, known as the Father of GreenChemistry for his groundbreaking research onthe use of environmentally friendly chemicals,will present “Designing Tomorrow.”

For more information visit us at www.elmhurst.edu/events. You alsocan follow us on facebook.com/elmcol or twitter.com/elmhurstcollege.

Non-profit OrganizationU.S. PostagePAIDChicago, IllinoisPermit Number 5525

190 Prospect AvenueElmhurst, Illinois 60126-3296

events coming soon

Mark Your Calendar

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