Kat (Mason) McCreery, a former all-conference catcher for the Titans, has been named head IWU softball coach.

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.

(top row) Brette Bower ’04, Van Miller ’04, Laine Twanow ’04, Dan Elwood ’09, Mike Bragg ’05, Brandon Christol ’04, Jason Ozbolt ’04, (bottom) Beth Crowley ’04, Molly May ’06, Katie (Elwood) Bragg ’06, Joe Brickler ’04

Sigma Kappa’s had a Sunday picnic at Kate Olmsted-Morris’s house in Bolingbrook with most of the husbands and kids for a rare chance for all of us to get together and see everyone’s kids!  It was a beautiful day and we had a great time catching up and watching the kids all play together.  We are the class of 2004 and here is everyone there:  Kim Di Nino-Olson, Tara Shepley-Goy, Erin Wetherille-Cullen, Kelly Green, Ashley Pletz-Mitnz, Julia Socke, Megan Miklusak-Mitchell, Stephanie Azzano-Blaszczyk, Kat Mason-McCreery, Juliana Giraldo-O’Connell, Jackie Smith-Heim, Kate Olmsted-Morris

Michael Jackson and Jill Schafer Jackson  recently moved to Singapore for a 2-3 year tour for their jobs.  Michael is the Asia Pacific Corporate Cost Manager for Caterpillar and Jill is a Director in Transaction Services for PricewaterhouseCoopers.  Michael and Jill have two children Abigail (2 1/2 years) and Mackinsey (1 year).

I recently became an Assistant Professor of Law in the Law Department at the United States Air Force Academy!