Teaching a world apart
Kevin Suess ’99, ’01, is among the nation’s best high school history and geography instructors. He was one of six teachers across the U.S. awarded a 2010 Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship. Offered through Lindblad Expeditions and the National Geographic Society, the program welcomed teachers aboard the National Geographic Explorer to survey the Arctic Circle during the summer. The experience empowered Suess to further enrich his classroom. He will incorporate his photos of glaciers, polar bears, and blue whales into a Google project for his students. He is developing a videoconference to link his Normal Community High School classes with students in Nunavut.
Mastering the abstract
Abstractionist painter Deborah (Muirhead) Dancy, M.S. ’76, M.F.A. ’79, has had solo exhibitions across the country, with her work in the permanent collections of The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas; Detroit Institute of Arts; The Baltimore Museum of Art; and the Vanderbilt Museum of Art. The Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship award-winning artist has been covered by The New York Times and The Boston Globe. Dancy’s newest work investigates the liminal world of space and place wherein forms collide and transformed fragments merge, becoming new elements. Her paintings are on display through December 18 at the G.R. N’Namdi Gallery in Chicago.
Basking in rebounds
College of Business alumnus Glenn Hudson ’77 can take partial credit for helping to improve the talent of future NBA stars. The certified public accountant from Florida has invented the SKLZ Rapid Fire. The 14-foot net clips onto the bottom of a backboard and returns the ball to the player after every shot. The net can stretch to 13 feet wide, allowing the player to stay in the rhythm of shooting instead of chasing the ball. The invention was initially produced and shipped worldwide from Hudson’s home. It is now available in retail sporting goods stores nationwide and online.
Keeping a Latin beat
Manny Cepeda ’70 is an international Latin music expert. He took to the stage at age 7, performing in a Salsa Band televised in his native land of Puerto Rico. After completing his music education major, Cepeda joined the U.S. Navy music program. He traveled around the world during his three decades with the service, and led the famous Navy Steel Band. Now leader, vocalist, and composer for the band Ritmo Caribe, Cepeda lives and performs in California. He teaches at Grossmont College, has released CDs, and is making headlines, as his work has been showcased in the International Musician.
