My Dear Titan Alumni,

2016 is drawing to a close. I did not want this year to end without sending you my best wishes for a spectacular Christmas, or Hanukkah or, Kwanzaa. Please, celebrate safely with friends and loved ones. For some of you, I will be speaking to you this week. You see, I, like Santa am checking my list which says you generously, contributed to the Wesleyan Fund last year, but for whatever reason have yet to do so, this year. Luckily, it is not too late! Your year-end giving check need only be postmarked by December 31st, and it will count for this year. Your gift allows IWU to help many students who are seeking a quality education; exactly, like the one we received when attending “Dear Ole’Wesleyan.” So please, if you are able, give.

Lastly, please, wish me luck as I venture to the great state of Ohio, next year. I have accepted a teaching position at Central State University, in Wilberforce. In the Department of Humanities, as adjunct faculty I will teach English and Writing. Best of all, I will be near my one and only grandson, Wyatt, my oldest son, Nicholas, and my lovely, daughter-in-law Sherie. Look out “Buckeye” nation, here I come!

Once again, have a blessed holiday, I hope that Santa brings you something special; because I know that you have been good boys and girls!:-D

DRBF

There is a lot of joy in Chi-Town! Holy Cow! I dare say a lot of elation in all of Illinois. After an 108 year drought, we beat the billy goat curse, and have won a World Series. As we know, back in 2005, the Chicago White Sox claimed the honor. Now, the Northsiders have done the same. This feat came after being down 3 to 1 by “The Tribe,” in Cleveland. God, and Cubbie legends; Ernie Banks and Ron Santo, no doubt, were smiling down on these young men, peppered with some seasoned vets. Both, and a skipper like Joe Maddon, are what it took to get the job done. Alleluia!

Right in the midst, of this championship endeavor, was our very own, IWU alum, Wayne Messmer ’72. Wayne sung “God Bless America,”for Game Three of the World Series; and the National Anthem for both Game Five of the Series and at the rally, yesterday! Speaking of that rally, five million people converged in Grant Park to celebrate with the team and its awesome fans! That, I am told was the 7th largest gathering in the world, year -to-date.

Wayne Messmer ’72 and Kate Tock ’14 before game 5 of the World Series at Wrigley Field

So, congratulations Chicago Cubs! Thanks! Sports Illustrated magazine says that Chicago has the best fans in the country. True! Next year is this year, people! SI also says, that Chicago has a new goat. Greatest Of All Time!

Wow! It was a week or so ago, but I am still smiling about my time spent “going home” to I.W.U. There was the 5k Run/Walk, pancake breakfast, the football game, and Club Tommy’s.  This time, for the first time, the Alumni Awards celebration was held Friday evening as a dinner, instead of as a Saturday luncheon. There the “undefeated” 1965 football team was recognized, in addition to the traditional alumni award recipients. An extra-special, good-time was had by all!

Our Titan team battled valiantly against the rival Wheaton, football team, but unfortunately lost the game. Fellow ’70’s alums that I ran into include; David Darling ’77, James Robinson ’75 and Dave Gaither ’75. Those last two fellows were my ex-Argus staff members. I sure hope that you will plan to attend next year’s homecoming events. I look forward to seeing you there!

On a different note, here are a couple of updates on two busy titan alums. Annie (Perry) Culverson ’73 is now a retired media specialist from School District #92 in Broadview, Illinois. Annie has just returned from a month long trip to Ghana, West Africa. Back in September, she went on an Alaskan cruise. Way-to-go, Annie, that’s what I call retirement!

Lastly, Bill Haworth ’74, former owner of Pearls & More, a jewelry business. is also, a Delta Airlines flight attendant. Recently, Bill and three other members of his flight crew were given the “Save the Day” Award. They were responsible for saving the live of a female passenger, who suffered a stroke at the completion of an international flight to Shanghai, China. Congratulations, Bill, for a job well done!

Take care, fellow Titans, enjoy your Fall, wherever you are! God Bless!

Ray Bradford ’75 – Ray’s position title is Director of Programs, Entertainment Media.  Sorry, Ray!  DRBF

Hey there, fellow Titans, hope that you are enjoying your summer! I, started my summer off, in grand fashion, on Memorial Day weekend in Dayton, Ohio. My oldest son, Nicholas Wyatt Frazier married Sheri Elaine Marcellus in a beautiful ceremony. In the company of 280 friends and relatives they “jumped the broom,” literally and figuratively. It was truly a blessed event! There were all smiles from this mother-of-the-groom.:-)

Marva (Mech) Petty ’73 retired from the Medical Resource Network, in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Marva was the first employee when MRN was established in 1996. She ended her 20 years as a legal nurse consultant, with a 43 year successful nursing career. During her career, she worked as floor RN, critical care RN, nursing supervisor, nurse manager, instructor in an associate degree nursing program and legal nurse consultant.

    Ray (Rodriquez) Bradford ’75 since January, has been Director of Programs, Enrichment Media for GLAAD (the largest global advocacy organization rewriting the script for LGBT acceptance). In this position, Ray advocates for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of our LGBT community in film, TV, music, video games, and comics. Ray’s previous position of 13 years was at SAG-AFTRA as their National Director of Equal Employment opportunities. There, all labor concerns of the LGBTQ community were addressed across all content areas of the unions (television news/media performers, performers, broadcast journalists and sound recording artists).

After accomplishing his “bucket list” of visiting all seven continents, including two weeks in Antarctica: hiking, camping on ice, and sea kayaking). Ray married his longtime partner, Terry, and happily resides in the Belmont Shore neighborhood of Long Beach, California.

Dr. Debbie Burt-Frazier ’75 spent five days last week on a college tour of southern Illinois and Missouri, with 30 students from Eisenhower High School, Blue Island. The participants are all a part of the Moraine Valley Community College TRIO Upward Bound program. The program offers tutoring in Math, Science and English(yours truly) while also offering ACT preparation with college readiness. Our group visited seven colleges and universities which included; University of Illinois, Springfield and Edwardsville campuses and St. Louis University.

Lastly, let me give a quick shout out to some of my generous alums of the 1970’s classes with there quick response to my phone requests for contributions to the Wesleyan Fund before IWU’s fiscal year ends, this month. I, personally called 50 Titans, and had some great conversations! Here are the names of a few donors: Jacqueline Beard ’73, Craig Johnson ’75, Patricia Kuni-Rogers ’75, Mary Leonard ’74, Jill (Gaw) Girolami ’75, Helen Peck ’74, Barre Mulliken-Briggs ’72, Hope Turner ’72, Helen Peck ’74 and Barbara Vendt ’75. Thank you, Titans!!!

Enjoy the rest of your summer, be safe!

Yes, it is official! Warmer weather, birds singing trees budding are all harbingers of Spring. Not only has Mother Nature been busy, but your fellow Titan alums have been so, as well.

Joyce Beaulieu (1970) who now lives on her family farm located in Lomax, Illinois is a priest for Grace Episcopal Church in Galesburg, Illinois. This position is for the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, where she serves as congregational development consultant and group facilitator for new clergy. Also, Joyce is Adjunct Faculty in the DMin Program in Congregational Development at Bexley Seabury Seminary in Chicago.

Another clergy alumnus, Karen Turner-Kyles (1974) is celebrating her fifth year as pastor of Church of God Church, in Chicago.

Next there is, my fellow classmate and good friend, Janet (Laier) Green (1975) the author of a book entitled: Create a New Reality: 4 Simple tools to Revolutionize your life. Launched on April 15th in Toronto, Canada, Jan received an award there. To purchase the book online, go to: www.CreateaNewRealityNow.com. Janet wants all to know that 15% of all book sales is donated to The Insight Project for Kids, a non-profit which seeks to hire more teachers to teach stress management tools to school children ages 3 – 19.

Lastly, there’s me, the editor, who just completed a successful community theater run at South Suburban Community College’s Kindig Theater, of “Man of La Mancha.” The musical performances ran from April 19th until April 24th! It was great fun! I was blessed to be directed by SSC faculty theater genuis, Bobbie Saltzman. In addition, the high-spirited, diverse, talented, and youthful cast shared their energy with this mature thespian!

Well, until next time, oh, thanks for showing up for our annual “All In For Wesleyan,” on April 7th.  It turned out to be a great day for giving! And, here goes a big shout-out to our new President Eric Jensen who was inaugurated on April 2nd. Welcome to “The Prez,” and to his lovely wife, Elizabeth. Take care, Titans!

Wow! Just twenty-one days until Christmas, three weeks, yikes! I don’t know about you, my fellow Titans, but I’m feeling the pressure of the holidays. Thanksgivings was great, time spent with family and friends was wonderful, but now it is Christmas full-speed ahead! There is gift-shopping, holiday parties, year end responsibilities and plenty of activity(when will I get to the Xmas cards?) to go around. If you happen to have a college student in your household, he or she has finals looming. I have a law student who is taking finals and I think that I am more stressed out than he is!

I hope that you are able to take a moment or two to renew your spirit and not become overwhelmed with all of the holiday hub-bub. I often suggest that you give yourself a gift prior to Christmas. It can be a movie, a massage, an outfit, anything that pleases you and will rejuvenate your spirit. Don’t feel guilty about it, either, just enjoy. I also encourage you to post your holiday happenings here via the newsletter, send photos if you like. My wish for you all is to have a blessed and safe holiday season.

So, Season’s Greetings, Happy Holiday! Happy Chanukah, and Merry Christmas! I hope that Santa brings you something special, especially if you have been a good Titan! Best wishes to you and yours, and I will talk to you next year (or sooner -:-)

Peace,

Dr. Debbie Burt-Frazier, EdD