On July 17, over 2,500 alumni and friends made gifts to IWU totaling over $450,000. Unless otherwise specified by donors, all the money raised went to student scholarships and financial aid.  The “All in for Wesleyan” challenge began when Illinois Wesleyan Trustee John Horton ’82 and his wife, Joann, offered a gift of $100,000 if alumni and friends could raise $50,000 in one day.  When that challenge was met, several more challenges followed — and each was fulfilled.  Howard ’60 and Sharon ’60 Fricke offered a $10,000 gift if 600 donors participated.  Ed ’62 and Lin Phelps then offered $25,000 for 1,000 total donors.  Korey ’00 and Heidi Coon offered a $15,000 challenge for 1,200 donors.  Dr. Mike Sombeck ’83 offered $25,000 if we could reach 1,500.  Finally, at the end of the day, Dr. Randy ’73 & Jodie Reed offered $25,000 and Ed ’62 & Lin Phelps added $10,000 more to match every new gift, dollar for dollar…up to a total of $35,000 in gifts before midnight.

It was an exciting day to be a Titan.  The challenge became about so much more than numbers and dollars and donors.  It provided our alumni and friends with a chance to share their pride and explain how much IWU means to them.  If you weren’t following these conversations on social media, you can click here to read them now.  THANK YOU to all of our loyal alumni and friends who made July 17 an incredible day for our school and our students.

I recently received tenure and promotion to Associate Professor of Spanish at the University of South Carolina Beaufort

Started a Social and Emotional Learning program as Principal at diverse middle school.  Troy Middle School educates students from Joliet, Shorewwood, and Channahon IL.

Matthew Schuldt recently accepted a new role as Portfolio Manager at Adage Capital Management LLC in Boston, one of the largest hedge funds in the U.S.  Matt spent the previous seven years at Fidelity Management & Research as a mutual fund Analyst and Portfolio Manager.  Matt lives in Wellesley, MA with his wife and two kids.

Publications, Performances, and Exhibitions = I published _Approaching Disappearance_ in February 2013 at Dalkey Archive Press.  The book focuses on the work of Maurice Blanchot, one of the most influential figures in French literature and criticism in the 20th century.  My study applies his thought to the reading of short fictions by Jorge Luis Borges, Franz Kafka, Nathalie Sarraute, and Louis-Rene Des Forets.