ISU finance professor Joe Trefzger, M.B.A. ’81, and his daughter, Amanda Trefzger ’07, were once suspected of being “plants” at the University’s annual Legacy Brunch during Family Weekend. The event celebrates families with more than one generation of alumni and/or students (and also sibling grads). That suspicion was held by a Redbird grad whose granddaughter was an undergraduate student. When she found out that the talkative father-daughter duo were employees, she was convinced that they were sent to mingle with the “real” alums and students.
“I told them no, we are also grads, and we bought tickets just like everyone else!” Amanda said. “We find the Legacy Brunch to be really inspirational, and it’s a nice bonding experience for us.”
She’s attended the event with her dad since 2016, the year after its inception.
Illinois State legacies
The Trefzgers’ connection to the University dates back four decades. Joe teaches in the College of Business in the Department of Finance, Insurance, and Law and Amanda serves as an admissions and records coordinator for the Registrar’s Office. She earned her bachelor’s in psychology and a certificate in technology project management from the University in 2007 and 2011, respectively. Her father nabbed his MBA from Illinois State in 1981.
But the positive vibes exuding from them are entirely genuine. Not only are they proud of their alma mater, they’re always excited to be in community with fellow Redbird families.
“Seeing this event grow each year gives a glimpse into the large number of grads who encourage their children or siblings to become Redbirds too,” she said. “That’s evidence of the quality of our programs and the lifelong value of the ISU experience. Plus, it shows the warm feeling that alumni have toward Illinois State. ISU grads are very loyal to the institution, and that’s something that you don’t always see at other universities.”
Joe said that he appreciates the sense of community and history the brunch captures. Past events have featured an original film showing Redbird connections, a personal message from one of the legacy families, and updates from the University’s president.
“Going to the legacy brunches gives me better insights on how an essential constituency relates to our university, but also keeps me alert to the importance of promoting the legacy idea,” Joe said. “When meeting with students, I often ask if their parents are grads, and in a surprising number of cases the answer is ‘Yes.’”
Joe has made it a habit to find when his students are legacies and encourage their families to attend the brunch. He also uses it as an opportunity to bring the older, successful Redbirds to campus for discussion panels and presentations. That includes Kelsey Franklin ’19, and her mother, Karen Purnell Franklin ’84, who both carved out careers in human resources.
The mother-daughter team spoke at a camp for underrepresented high school and first-year college students at Illinois State University. The camp was hosted by the College of Business’ Dr. Tina Williams, professor and the chair of the Department of Management and Quantitative Methods.
“That shows why it’s definitely worth it to ask the legacy question. The Franklins’ presence added a lot of value to the camp for those young Redbirds and potential Redbirds,” Joe said.
“Small Redbird world”
For the Trefzgers, uncovering common acquaintances with other attendees at the Legacy Brunch is like playing seven degrees of Kevin Bacon with the world’s top movie buff.
“I now have a list many pages long of family connections that I personally know of, and that’s just within the College of Business,” he said. “Imagine the legacy connections we have campus-wide!”
“It’s a small Redbird world!”
aMANDA tREFZGER
“It’s a small Redbird world!” Amanda adds.
Among those they’ve rubbed shoulders with at the event are Bonnie Bernardi ’64, M.S. ’72, whose late husband Bernard Bernardi, M.S. ’66, Ph.D. ’76, owned a successful print shop in Bloomington; Theresa Sahaefer Hoss ’88, M.B..A. ’72, and her husband Eric Hoss ’87, M.B.A. ’90, two high-performing leaders from State Farm, Carl Kasten ’66, a decorated lawyer and one of Illinois State’s first trustees, and the list goes on.
The Trefzgers’ own legacy is indicative of the support Illinois State employees, particularly those who are alumni, have for the University. In just the Registrar’s Office, Amanda counts five Redbird colleagues whose children are students or Illinois State grads.
“The idea that staff send their own family here shows the confidence that we ‘insiders’ have in our own academic programs,” she said.
The President’s Table
In 2021, the Trefzgers became the first folks to sit with then-new President Terri Goss Kinzy at the Legacy Brunch. It gave them an opportunity to have a personal exchange with the University’s new leader. However, the seating arrangement initially came as a bit of a surprise.
“When we arrived, the alumni staff said ‘Come this way, we need to seat you. You will be at the president’s table,’” the younger Trefzger said. Amanda laughs that she and her father probably would have dressed up a bit more for the brunch had they known where they would be sitting.
“It’s usually more of a casual event,” she said. “But the president made us feel very welcome there.”
Joe adds that he was impressed with President Kinzy from the outset.
“Dr. Kinzy, with her outgoing personality and scientist’s mind, instills tremendous confidence. We are fortunate to have her in the university’s top leadership role,” he said.
Can’t stop, won’t stop
The Trefzgers also attended the event early this past October, and plan to observe this tradition for years to come. They hope to see the event grow even larger, with as many Redbird families attending as possible.
If you’re part of an Illinois State legacy family, and you want an elevator pitch, here’s Amanda and Joe’s take: “The Legacy Brunch is inspiring, fun, there’s great food, and you get to see Reggie and hear about the latest developments on campus. So we encourage all legacy families, not just those with students still enrolled, to come back to Normal on the Sunday morning of Family Weekend, any year when you can, to reconnect with the campus and meet fellow grads who share the Illinois State University legacy commitment.”
