Spring 2016 Issue
Past IssuesRichard McGrath retires after 22 years
Associate professor of communication studies Richard McGrath says rapid technological advances have transformed the field of communication studies during his 22 years at Central.
June 28, 2016
Debela Birru retires after 27 years
The world of business and finance has undergone significant changes during Debela Birru’s career. During his 37 years teaching full time at the college level (27 of those at Central) he’s witnessed the Black Monday stock market crash of 1987, the Asian financial crisis of ’97-’98 and the recent U.S. financial crisis of ’07-’09, and its after-effects, among other major events.
June 14, 2016
Candidates on Campus
Central was a popular stop for presidential candidates representing both Democrats and Republicans during the lead up to the Iowa caucuses. Five candidates held events on campus, giving students and community members the chance to hear their messages, ask questions and, in some cases, meet the
candidates in person.
Laura Billingsley '04
May 19, 2016
Mock Caucus Prepares Community
Students and community members had the opportunity to learn how to caucus during a non-partisan presentation of a mock caucus in Maytag Student Center Jan. 26.
Laura Billingsley '04
May 19, 2016
Professors Announce Retirement
Debela Birru, associate professor of business management, retired this spring. Birru taught at Central for 27 years, during which time he was selected as the recipient of the Outstanding Teaching Award three times (May 1996, 2007 and 2013).
Laura Billingsley '04
May 19, 2016
Surprise Men’s Basketball tourney run
Athletics
Central College transformed a fifth-place Iowa Conference finish into a league tournament title and NCAA Division III berth.
Larry Happel '81
May 19, 2016
Pestano second, Central wrestlers 20th in NCAA
Athletics
Sophomore C.J. Pestano became the first Central College wrestler since 1994 to reach the NCAA Division III national finals. Unseeded, Pestano knocked off three of the top seven seeds before taking second place at 125 pounds in the national meet in Cedar Rapids, closing with a 25-3 record. Top seed Lucas Malmberg of Messiah (Pa.) […]
Larry Happel '81
May 19, 2016
Saddoris to Final Four for Good Works Team
Athletics
A passion for basketball and service led Central College sophomore Jordan Saddoris to membership in the elite All-State National Association of Basketball Coaches Good Works Team.
Larry Happel '81
May 19, 2016
Marburger shatters Central Women’s Basketball rookie mark
Athletics
Forward Claire Marburger shattered Central’s freshman season scoring record.
Larry Happel '81
May 19, 2016
People of Vision: Ann Sobiech Munson ’91
As an architect, Ann Munson often works within fixed parameters. But she doesn’t believe those parameters are a damper on creativity.
Laura Billingsley ’04
May 19, 2016 | 1 Comment
People of Vision: Kevin Cool ’82
As editor of Stanford Magazine, Kevin Cool gets to learn about some pretty amazing subjects and talk with some very talented people. But he says the most profound learning experience in his life was spending a semester in Carmarthen, Wales, during his junior year at Central. The Centerville, Iowa, native had never been on an […]
Laura Billingsley '04
May 19, 2016
People of Vision: Leonard Kalkwarf ’50
Leonard Kalkwarf doesn’t necessarily think of himself as being creative. But his career tells a different story. After a lifetime spent tending to his flock, the retired minister is now indulging his passion for history and writing. Kalkwarf intended to study history in college, but the summer after high school graduation he felt a call […]
Laura Billingsley '04
May 19, 2016
We Will Teach You to Dream: 50 Years of Upward Bound at Central
Every five years, Central competes with colleges and universities across America for a federal grant to help high school students dream big about education. And for five decades, Central has won a grant in every competition and hosted more than 2,000 south central Iowa students for Upward Bound. This year marks the program’s 50th anniversary […]
Jenni Hodges
May 19, 2016 | 3 Comments
A Rewarding Career
Shakespeare connections are a hallmark of English professor Walter Cannon’s 36 years at Central.
Cindy Deppe
May 19, 2016 | 1 Comment
Train Your Brain, Train Your Body
Bryan Mejia ’16 helped athletes with disabilities take on physical and mental challenges during his Chicago internship.
Jenni Hodges
May 19, 2016
Shared Success
Everyone associated with Central wants to be engaged with a community that fosters a strong sense of belonging.
Mark Putnam
May 18, 2016
A View of Her Own
D.C. internship sets Taylor Schuelke on path to National Geographic.
Cindy Deppe
May 18, 2016 | 1 Comment
CAB Brings Rockers Parachute to Campus
Central students ask the Campus Activity Board (CAB) every year to bring notable
artists to campus, and this spring CAB engaged pop-rock band Parachute for a performance
March 1. Parachute electrified the crowd at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium. The concert was open
to students and the public.
Laura Billingsley '04
May 18, 2016
Dutch pull Men’s Indoor Track upset for league crown; finish 11th in U.S.
Athletics
A spectacular opening day propelled a surprising title run as the Central College men’s indoor track and field squad captured its fifth Iowa Conference crown in the past seven years.
Larry Happel '81
May 18, 2016
People of Vision: Rick Brown ’69
In music composition, as with so much in life, you have to learn the rules before you can break them. Rick Brown began his composing studies at Central, and he says eventually composers reach a place where “all the rules you learn in freshman theory, you can choose to follow them or throw them out […]
Laura Billingsley ’04
May 18, 2016
People of Vision: Lesley Diehl ’65
“A mystery novel is like a puzzle,” says Lesley Diehl. “You have to make all the pieces fit.” As an author of murder mysteries, Diehl has an advantage when working out the logical puzzle at the heart of the book’s plot—she formerly worked as a psychology professor at the State University of New York College […]
Laura Billingsley '04
May 18, 2016
People of Vision: Jennifer Osteen Voss ’00
“I train and coach foreign-born business professionals and vocational employees to communicate more effectively in their workplace,” – that’s how Jennifer Voss describes her job in a nutshell. But the work requires an open mind that’s able to look past cultural barriers and misconceptions and assist people in communicating, no matter their differences. Creativity is […]
Laura Billingsley '04
May 18, 2016