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Volume 12 • Number 1 • Summer 2011
Artist Lorenzo Pace creates and captivates
Lorenzo Pace, Ed.D. ’78 is one of the most versatile multimedia artists around. A font of energy and creativity, he combines a vivid imagination, an irrepressible sense of humor and a sonorous theatrical voice—perfect for performances.
Graduate’s work changes jury selection process
When she was rolling perms and snipping bangs at age 18, she never thought she’d be in a courtroom someday, helping top trial lawyers win multimillion-dollar awards and ‘not guilty’ verdicts. But that’s what LaDonna Carlton ’78, M.S. ’81 does, providing opinions to attorneys as to whether they should reject or accept a potential juror
Teachers vs. tech: Alum helps overcome classroom struggle
The adage that defines school as the place to learn “Readin’ and ‘ritin’ and ‘rithmetic” doesn’t hold true for the classroom of 2011. Technology has been added to the list as a fundamental factor in today’s teaching and learning equation. Working it into the curriculum throws off more than the rhythm of the popular lyric
FBI alum builds life behind the badge
Bill Matens ’67 feared the worst when he received a call from the FBI his freshman year at Illinois State. The request for him and roommate Ken Hancock ’69 to “come down and talk” could only mean one thing. “We thought we were in trouble,” Matens said.
Milestone celebrated in College of Education center
Illinois State’s Special Education Assistive Technology (SEAT) Center has for a decade been preparing future teachers to better educate students with disabilities. The center has supported every education major and offered nearly 20,000 open laboratory hours since opening in 2001. More than $1.7 million has been secured, as well as an equipment and software inventory
Where are they now? John Kirk
Emeritus Professor of Theatre John Kirk A number of former students already know something about my current whereabouts, having contacted me on Facebook. I have very much enjoyed finding out about many of you on that wonderful medium. My wife, Peggy, and I are still living in a nearly 160-year-old farm house north of Normal.
Mail to the Editor: August 2011
Letters to the Illinois State editor for August 2011: TREE LOVE To the Editor, I am so proud of my university being awarded for its love and care of trees and environmental stewardship. I remember a science class I was in where we toured the campus and learned about the trees in the arboretum. Carol
New era begins in Athletics with Gary Friedman
Gary Friedman has been chosen to serve as Illinois State’s 10th Director of Athletics in the NCAA Division I era. He replaces Sheahon Zenger, who took the director of athletics position at Kansas. With more than 22 years of combined university and athletic administrative work, Friedman is experienced in fundraising, sales and marketing, strategic planning,
Hancock set to lose section of stands
Seating in the south end zone of Hancock Stadium will be removed before the start of this year’s football season. The change was made based on a university commissioned structural engineering study, which found the stands potentially unsafe. Temporary bleachers will be installed to accommodate the Big Red Marching Machine, and the student section will
Redbird women’s golf team makes history
The women’s golf team proved that the fourth time is a charm, as the Redbirds overcame the odds and recorded their fourth-consecutive State Farm Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Championship title at the Weibring Golf Club in the spring—a first in the history of the league. Head coach Darby Sligh was named MVC Coach of the
Redbird softball earns tournament berth
The Illinois State softball team headed back to the NCAA Tournament, as the Redbirds received an at-large bid to the 2011 NCAA Division I Softball Championship. With the bid, Illinois State made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the second time in program history. The Redbirds also earned consecutive trips in 2006 and 2007.
Young alumna finds calling at juvenile detention center
Deidre Graham ’08, a juvenile justice specialist with the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, walks a fine line between counselor and disciplinarian—a difficult task given the mental condition of the youngsters in her unit at the Illinois Youth Center-St. Charles. The center is one of the largest in Illinois for juvenile justice. It is a
Teacher picked for exchange program in Kazakhstan
On a regular school day, Crystal Thiele ’00 teaches social studies to middle school students in Brooklyn, New York. But the past school year was not normal for Thiele, who was one of 110 exceptional teachers from across the United States chosen to participate in a two-way exchange program that provides professional development opportunities to
High school coach joins National Wrestling Hall of Fame
John Swalec ’56, M.S. ’58, Ph.D. ’75, coached high school wrestlers as an undergraduate member of ISU’s wrestling team. He placed in numerous conference tournaments as a Redbird. Swalec’s 1964 Joliet Junior College team was crowned national champions. He was responsible for gaining Olympic qualifying status for all junior college athletes, and coached aspiring Olympians.
Rondi Reed plays ‘Mike & Molly’ mom
Fans of the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly may not know Mike’s mom, Peggy, is played by theatre alumna Rondi Reed ’77. The part is one of many successful characters for Reed, who won a Tony Award for her performance as Matie Fay Aiken in August: Osage County. The honor is one of 20 major
Retired educator becomes award-winning storyteller
Michael Lockett ’72, M.S. ’75, Ed.D. ’92, devoted 33 years to public school education as a teacher and administrator. In retirement he is an award-winning storyteller. Known as “The Normal Storyteller,” children call him “Grandpa Mike.” He has used humor and dialects to engage audiences in more than 3,000 programs around the world. He has
How we met: Joe French and Margaret ‘Peg’ Gallagher
In the spring of 1945, most 18-year-old boys thought they would soon be in military service. A few younger boys entered Illinois State (Normal) University (ISNU) when it was a single-purpose teachers’ college and had an enrollment of about 1,250. One member of the largest freshman class since the beginning of World War II was
Redbird legacy: The McAvoy family
When a family has three children in college at once, getting everyone together can be an absolute headache—unless you are a legacy family like the McAvoys. For Ted ’64 and Marilyn, visiting Michelle ’87, Scott ’89, and Jeffrey ’90 just took one short trip from their hometown of Geneseo to campus. “When we would go
Thanks to you: Olamide Adeyooye Scholarship
RoDina Williams ’10 accomplished plenty by age 27. With a kinesiology degree and six years experience at Loyola Center for Health and Fitness, she was on track to a bright career—just not the one she wanted. Hoping to find a job she loved, she enrolled at Illinois State in 2008 to study medical laboratory science.
