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Telling Our 甜瓜视频 Stories

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The 甜瓜视频 experience is dedicated to intellectual inquiry and wholeness of person attained within a diverse residential community. Every Tiger has a story to tell, shaped by their unique experience at 甜瓜视频.

The Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement created an opportunity for 甜瓜视频 alumni to share their stories. Now that the collection is complete, we are thrilled to share a few of these unique stories that were compiled into a book celebrating 甜瓜视频's remarkable history.

Below, we have selected a few stories for online presentation from the hundreds we received. They are categorized as: Beloved Professors, Community Service, Greek Life, Life After Witt, Life At Witt, Student Organizations, Study Abroad, Tiger Athletics, Tiger Friendships, and Witt Wed Couples.

This opportunity is possible thanks to a partnership between 甜瓜视频 and Publishing Concepts, Inc., (PCI). In addition to collecting stories, PCI assisted 甜瓜视频's Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement with collecting updated biographical information from alumni to ensure we are able to stay connected with Tigers everywhere.

For those who ordered the 甜瓜视频 University 2024 Oral History Project publication, the book is expected to be shipped by late 2024. If you have any questions about your order or you would like to order a digital version, please contact the publisher by emailing customerservice@publishingconcepts.com or calling 1-800-982-1590.

We鈥檙e grateful to everyone who participated in the project. We hope you鈥檒l enjoy learning about our alumni as much as we did. Enjoy the selection of stories below!

Beloved Professors

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Mary Alice Neely

Mary Alice Neely 鈥�75

Mary Alice describes her 甜瓜视频 experience as "incredibly meaningful," thanks in part to her relationship with an influential education professor, Dr. Virginia Lucas.

Jeff Orner 鈥�79

Jeff is grateful for his time at 甜瓜视频, which gave him the opportunity to learn from an esteemed political science professor who prepared him well for a lengthy career in the federal government.

Lori Rentz 鈥�97

Amazing professors representing a range of academic disciplines provided a great experience for Lori and the tools necessary to successfully pursue a career in marketing.

Jon Osman '17

When he wasn't making memories with his cross country teammates, Jon was building vital relationships with professors who went the extra mile to prepare him for a career as a physical therapist.

Community Service

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Brian Duke '12

Brian's service-learning experience in Lesotho was eye-opening. It taught him the importance of community and helped him understand the concept of Ubuntu, which is 鈥淚 am because we are.鈥� His experience challenged him to grow and expand his mindset.

Dana Neufeld Beatty

Dana Neufeld Beatty 鈥�81

Dana's 甜瓜视频 experience taught her "about discipline, teamwork, leadership, and the importance of community service," all skills that have played a significant role in her career as an executive with IBM.

Jennifer Lewis-Thornton 鈥�96

Jennifer Lewis-Thornton 鈥�96

Jennifer had "the opportunity to develop my character and learn how to speak up for myself" during her years at 甜瓜视频, allowing her to learn "how to become a leader and organize community service events."

Evan Cameron '14

Evan "felt overall that 甜瓜视频 had a higher percentage of young adults who cared about serving their neighbor than other liberal arts schools." He adds that he was inspired by the spirit of service and loving your neighbor.

Greek Life

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Carolyn Hickman

Carolyn Hessong Hickman 鈥�57

Carolyn describes her 甜瓜视频 experience as "amazing." She was a leader in Alpha Xi Delta sorority and co-editor of the yearbook as a senior, and she met her husband, Tom, a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, at 甜瓜视频. She loved every moment at 甜瓜视频 and is grateful for the memories.

Edward Everhart

Ed Everhart '60

Ed joined Beta Theta Pi fraternity as a 甜瓜视频 student, and he remains in contact with many of his brothers after holding leadership positions as an undergraduate. He says those brothers are like family to him. His education taught him about discipline, teamwork, leadership, and community service.

Rick Crawford '86

Rick describes his 甜瓜视频 experience as "life-changing...from the moment I stepped foot on campus, I knew I had made the right decision." That included his membership in Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, "which added to my overall college experience. It was a special, comfortable, safe, and friendly environment."

Cara Riggle Shebak

Cara's "amazing" 甜瓜视频 experience was highlighted by all of opportunities to get involved. She was a cheerleader for football and basketball, a student-worker in the Business Office, and a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority, among many other academic and co-curricular activities through which she "made lifelong friends."

Life After Witt

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Gretchen Bonfert

Gretchen Bonfert '81

The diversity of Gretchen's 甜瓜视频 experience prepared her well for a Life After Witt that included leadership in environmental conservation in Illinois, environmental policy advocacy in Minnesota, grant-writing for nonprofits in Louisiana, and even a musical career under a stage name.

Amb. Robert Perry '67

Devoted 甜瓜视频 professors helped Robert apply for a Ford Foundation fellowship, which included a State Department internship and an M.A. from American University that launched a 34-year career in the Foreign Service, beginning in Vietnam and including several posts in Latin America and Africa.

Becky Sittason '89

One of 11 people in her family to attend 甜瓜视频, Becky's collegiate experience was transformative. "Looking back, I feel that my time at 甜瓜视频 prepared me for life after graduation. I became a great writer, researcher, and communicator, which I use in my career. It was challenging, but worth it."

Joel Capell '00

A record-setting swimmer, a shifter, and a Spanish major at 甜瓜视频, Cappell's Life After Witt included a call to military service in Iraq and a book, 'Radio Silence,' about his experiences. He now works with the Department of Defense doing work for which 甜瓜视频 provided great preparation.

Life At Witt

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Lariece Grant Brown 鈥�95

Lariece Grant Brown 鈥�95

Lariece says her Life at Witt was "amazing." She recounts the impact of so many faculty and staff members who helped her grow as a person. 甜瓜视频 provided a great foundation for her career. Her liberal arts background helped her to communicate complex mathematical analysis.

Bob Cindrich '65

甜瓜视频 provided Bob with "a great opportunity to learn more about Christianity, the Old Testament, the New Testament, and other religions. The school had excellent speakers who were knowledgeable about religious matters." 甜瓜视频 grounded him in a way that he may not have experienced elsewhere.

Miriam Weber Brown 鈥�68

Miriam Weber Brown 鈥�68

Coming from a small high school, 甜瓜视频's small college atmosphere was perfect for Miriam. She says, "I grew and changed as a person during my time there, becoming more serious about my future. I developed a strong connection with my faith and spirituality."

Wesley Petzinger '00

For Wesley, Life At Witt meant comfort and warmth. He enjoyed his experiences with his professors. "They understood that you were there to learn, and they were your guide. If you had a question or a concern, you could go speak to a professor, and you were treated like you were part of the family."

Student Organizations

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Manas Mudbari '13

Manas joined the Entrepreneurship Club at 甜瓜视频. This experience put him on track to become an entrepreneur. After graduating, he moved to Silicon Valley. He remains in close contact with friends whom he met at 甜瓜视频 who supported his professional aspirations.

Martey Schaper Rhine 鈥�70

One of just two women majoring in business in the late 1960s, Martey got involved in a business honorary organization as part of a well-rounded liberal arts education. "If you want to contribute to the work world, you have to be willing to put in the time and energy to get there."

Robert Stockton

Robert Stockton '90

As an African American student at 甜瓜视频, Robert pursued his passions of music performance and running on the Tiger men's cross country and track & field teams "I was able to meet people from all over the world and learn about their cultures as a participant in the international student organization."

Andi Griffin Pickrell

Andi Griffin Pickrell 鈥�00

Andi grew in ways she never thought possible and gained a deeper understanding of her spiritual upbringing. She was elected president of the Gospel Choir, had a tremendous experience in Concerned Black Students, and has used the skills learned at Witt to start her own business.

Study Abroad

Read Their Stories

Dr. Adrienne Conliffe James 鈥�75

Adrienne's well-rounded 甜瓜视频 experience included an amazing study abroad semester in Spain, in part because she met her husband there. She says Witt is where "I developed my independence, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills."

Dr. Scott Voorhees 鈥�78

At 甜瓜视频, Scott enjoyed meeting new people. After a study abroad experience in Japan, he completed a double major in biology and East Asian Studies that led to a master's degree in environmental science with a focus on international affairs and a doctorate in medical science.

Christopher Poehlmann

Christopher Poehlmann 鈥�86

Studying abroad was life-changing for Christopher, helping him to "realize that my artistic inclinations should be channeled into a potential vocation." The photography classes he took at 甜瓜视频 led him to look into a focused photography program at Salzburg College.

Kat Eifert 鈥�21

For Kat, a month-long trip to South Africa with 28 other students "was an eye-opening and educational experience that I will never forget. Living in another country for a month, surrounded by people instead of tourists, and performing meaningful work for the community made my heart swell."

Tiger Athletics

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Jim Thrasher '71

Jim followed in the footsteps of his legendary brother as a standout with 甜瓜视频 Men's Basketball, and he spread his wings as both a student and an athlete during his four years. His professors inspired him "to chase my dreams and serve the most needy of children, and that has been my life's work."

Aaron Powers '97

Aaron says his time at 甜瓜视频 "was an incredible experience" as he played four years of winning football while shifting gears academically to find a professional calling in the area of business management. He credits a coach and one of his professors with having a big impact on him.

Jenn Korsberg McCammon

Jenn Korsberg McCammon 鈥�02

Jenn played four years of basketball and was a captain as a senior, and she also was a member of the track and field team for two years. She says her time at 甜瓜视频 "helped me develop independence, and I kept all of my friends and teammates I had acquired through college."

Katie Snead Boyd

Katie Snead Boyd 鈥�10

Katie's 甜瓜视频 experience was "greatly shaped by my involvement in volleyball." In addition to making lifelong friends and memories with her teammates, she was "challenged and learned much about teamwork and leadership" and found a professional calling in psychology.

Tiger Friendships

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Mandy Jo Clapp 鈥�03

For Mandy Jo, 甜瓜视频 provided an "incredibly meaningful and formative" educational experience. "I was able to build friendships that have endured time, and these relationships encouraged me to reach my full potential." In her career, she is working to make an impact in the education policy field.

Ronald Schott '54

For Ronald Schott, his 甜瓜视频 experience included a fraternal brotherhood and athletic opportunities with the Tiger football and baseball teams. His greatest takeaway was that it opened up opportunities to become a teacher and a coach while creating lifelong friendships.

Dwight Carter '94

The moment Dwight arrived on campus, he was welcomed with "open arms." From a tour guide who became a teammate to impactful professors to teammates and coaches in the Tiger football program who felt like family, he "fell in love with the campus and the culture" at 甜瓜视频.

Amy Mortimer Kilgore 鈥�96

Amy's 甜瓜视频 experience led to "self-discovery" as she "was pushed to believe in myself while discovering new capabilities" in her academic pursuits. She "learned more about myself and the world around me, and I was able to connect with friends whom I still keep in touch with today."

Witt Wed Couples

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Val Parfitt Unger

Val Parfitt Unger 鈥�77

It was love at first sight for Val, even though her friends thought she was crazy. After meeting through a mutual friend, Val and Jim's 甜瓜视频 romance led to 44 years of marriage before his passing in 2021. Along the way, their daughter also attended Witt.

Tom Hickman 鈥�56

For Tom, it was a "privilege" to attend 甜瓜视频 University. His "amazing experience" included serving as president of his fraternity and the student body and contributing to the Chapel Library. Best of all was the opportunity to meet his wife of 64 years, Caroline Hessong.

Dave Flesner 鈥�66

Amazing professors and a study abroad opportunity in Germany prepared Dave well for Life After 甜瓜视频. He is equally thankful that he met his future wife, Susan Zinck '65, at a get-acquainted dance, leading to a Witt Wedding that lasted 46 years until her passing in 2013.

Kori Gunther Frank

Kori Gunther Frank 鈥�10

Kori met her husband, Paden, during their freshman year at 甜瓜视频 University, and seven years later they were married in historic, picturesque Weaver Chapel. "It's been an amazing journey, and I'm grateful for the experiences I've had," Kori says.