{"id":5047,"date":"2020-09-18T14:46:11","date_gmt":"2020-09-18T19:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/?p=5047"},"modified":"2021-08-18T11:43:38","modified_gmt":"2021-08-18T16:43:38","slug":"alumnotes-fall-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/2020\/09\/18\/alumnotes-fall-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Alumnotes Fall 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

Timothy O’Connor \u201979<\/b> has moved to Warrenton, Missouri where he serves as a Concessions Manager for Delaware North.<\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew Fry \u201988<\/b> received the 2019-20 Jackson Parkhurst Award for Special Achievement from the North Carolina Symphony.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roberta (McDaniel) Dias \u201991<\/b> recently retired from the St. Joseph School District after 29 years in education.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trenny (Schroeder) Wilson \u201991<\/b> has been promoted to Assistant Chief of Police at Missouri Western.<\/span><\/p>\n

Col. Grace Link \u201992<\/b> stepped down as the executive director of the Missouri Veterans Commission for a new role at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She had served in the Missouri role since April 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian Shindorf \u201994 <\/b>retired as Chief of Learning for the Jefferson City School District in June 2020. Shindorf began his career as a teacher in the St. Joseph School District, where he also served as a principal and assistant superintendent.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stephanie Stewart \u201997<\/b>, assistant professor of nursing at Missouri Western, has been awarded with the 2020 Parkinson\u2019s Foundation Nurse Faculty Award, which includes grant funding to launch a Navigating the Parkinson\u2019s Journey program in St. Joseph, Missouri.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jennifer Hill \u201900<\/b> has moved to Leander, Texas where she serves as a Revenue Officer for the IRS.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chad Fehr \u201902<\/b> is the Dean of Residential Campus\/Assistant Dean of Students at Marymount California University.<\/span><\/p>\n

LaShaundra Randolph \u201903<\/b> has been re-elected to the National Association for Campus Activities\u2019 Board of Directors. She is currently the Coordinator for Campus Life and Leadership at Metropolitan Community College \u2013 Penn Valley (Missouri).<\/span><\/p>\n

Traci Howell \u201908<\/b> published \u201cRudy,\u201d a tale about the children of Santa Claus\u2019 first reindeer team. Howell earned a degree in English from Missouri Western and a master\u2019s in fine arts from National University.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cassandra (Schuster) Cyril \u201907<\/b> and her husband, Romel, announce the birth of a daughter, Veronica \u201cRonnie\u201d Cyril, born Sept. 25, 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jena (Pickerell) Williams \u201909<\/b> and her husband, Tyler, announce the birth of twin sons, Jack and Judah, born Nov. 4, 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dan Ritter \u201912<\/b> is the head football coach at East Buchanan High School in Gower, Missouri.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kelly W. Puckett \u201914<\/b> was appointed Grundy County Prosecuting Attorney by Gov. Mike Parson on May 1, 2020. Puckett had been serving as the interim prosecuting attorney since January 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jacob Wagner \u201919<\/b> is a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame. He is working with the Development and Optimization of Red-shifted Fluorescent pHi Biosesor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brianna \u201915 and Jacob \u201917 Blaylock<\/b> announce the birth of a son, Jackson, born Feb. 2, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2019, <\/span>Merle Phillips \u201920<\/b> was selected to participate in a prestigious Research Experience for Undergraduates program, where he conducted research at Harvard University for 10 weeks. He was subsequently accepted into Harvard\u2019s biological and biomedical science PhD program, and began his studies there this fall.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben \u201920 and Abby \u201920 (Wolff) Smith<\/b> tied the knot on August 20th, 2020. They were surrounded by many members of their Missouri Western family and are looking forward to championing the fine arts together. Ben and Abby hope to pursue a MFA in performance\/pedagogy and PhD in theatre respectively. The two are still avid supporters of the Xi Eta chapter of Alpha Psi Omega, Griffon Film Society and Missouri Western Players.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Two alums inducted into the Black Archives Hall of Fame<\/b><\/p>\n

Hamilton Henderson \u201966 and Danielle McGaughy \u201996 were inducted into the Black Archives Museum of St. Joseph\u2019s 2020 Hall of Fame. Henderson retired from the St. Joseph School District after a long career as a history teacher, is active in politics at the city level, and serves on many committees and boards.<\/span><\/p>\n

McGaughy serves on both the Bartlett Center and Inter-Serv boards. She started a community garden in the Midtown area and has been instrumental in the Juneteenth celebrations in St. Joseph.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In Memoriam<\/b><\/p>\n

We remember those who have passed away. If you want to include someone in this listing, please call (816) 271-5676, mail the information to MWSU Magazine, Missouri Western State University, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, or email <\/span>magazine@missouriwestern.edu<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Claudia Ackley \u201956<\/b>, Ironton, Missouri, June 21, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

Mark D. Colgan \u201904<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, Jan. 30, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert A. Cummings \u201978<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, Feb. 22, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carole Everett ’93<\/b>, Troy, Kansas, July 19, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brenda G. Farmer \u201991<\/b>, Cowgill, Missouri, March 13, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gena Fisher \u201991<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, Feb. 22, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marvin “Kody” Free ’81<\/b>, Agency, Missouri Aug. 8, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stephanie Gabbert \u201997<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, Feb. 6, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucretia Hawley<\/b>, Hamilton, Missouri Aug. 17, 2020. Lucretia was a former Professor for Business and Economics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert W. Hurlbut \u201989<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, Feb. 29, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gary Hurst \u201998<\/b>, Savannah, Missouri, May 22, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rudolph Jenkins ’76<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, Aug. 4, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rebecca A. King \u201909<\/b>, Country Club Village, Missouri, April 27, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert Kunkel Sr. ’74<\/b>, Bellevue, Nebraska, July 14, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Terry J. Jimenez \u201986<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, March 19, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Christel Marquardt \u201970<\/b>, Topeka, Kansas, March 8, 2020. Marquardt was named an Alumni Association Distinguished Alumna in 1983, the first year the awards were given.<\/span><\/p>\n

Daren Nigus ’87<\/b>, Topeka, KS, Aug. 28, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew Nold \u201999<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, Feb. 16, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Darlene O’Banion ’78<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, July 20, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

William Oberle ’75<\/b>, Overland Park, Kansas, Aug. 6, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Diane Pace ’09<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, Aug. 11, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jean Parker ’71<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, July 23, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Janet Peters \u201945<\/b>, Liberty, Missouri, June 25, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joye N. Rhodes \u201976<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, May 19, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Natalie Root \u201913<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, May 19, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stacie (Wells) Root ’94<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, Aug. 31, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Louise H. Schaaf ’35<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, July 27, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

George R. Smith ’76<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, Aug. 6, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Steven Keith Streeter \u201976<\/b>, Boulder, Colorado, April 28, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lacreaca L. Tolliver \u201905<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, May 9, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sharon Wagner<\/b>, St. Joseph, Missouri, Aug. 17, 2020. Sharon was a former Associate Professor for Business and Economics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tahler J. (Johnston) Wildman \u201912<\/b>, State Center, Iowa, April 16, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Timothy O’Connor \u201979 has moved to Warrenton, Missouri where he serves as a Concessions Manager for Delaware North. Matthew Fry \u201988 received the 2019-20 Jackson Parkhurst Award for Special Achievement from the North Carolina Symphony. Roberta (McDaniel) Dias \u201991 recently retired from the St. Joseph School District after 29 years […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":5345,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[20,33],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5047"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5047"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5047\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5117,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5047\/revisions\/5117"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5047"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5047"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5047"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}