Class Notes | Spring/Summer 2019

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1950s

John C. Board, ’58, Helena, Montana, editor of A Special Relationship: Our Teachers and How We Learned, has been an educator in and out of classrooms for more than 60 years. In 2001, he began volunteering at Helena’s Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, putting his masters of library science degree to work by implementing a formal cataloging system for the foundation’s growing library. The Bray announced it was naming the library, now housed on the second floor of the Education and Research Facility, after him in honor of all his hard work. The John C. Board Library contains more than 3,000 periodicals, 800 exhibition catalogs, DVDs, and other materials.

1960s

Robert Lee Mejer, ’66, Quincy, Illinois, recently completed his 50th year as a distinguished professor of art and founding Gray Gallery curator in Brenner Library at Quincy University. Mejer has participated in more than 600 invitational or juried shows and 65 one-man shows in his career as an abstract watercolor artist.

Geraldine A. Turner, ’69 MAE ’69 EdD ’73, San Antonio, has written Mommy Loves You: A Tribute to People Who Have Cancer and to the People Who Love Them. The book is a memoir relating the stories of her children, Scott E. Turner, ’73 and Kelly A. Turner Smith, ’78, who lost their battles with cancer.

1970s

Phil Mullins, MA ’75, Deerfield, Illinois, was selected — along with Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb and two others — as a 2019 Hanover College Alumni Achievement Award recipient.

Gary W. Ricks, ’78, Indianapolis, accepted a position as assistant corporation counsel for the City of Indianapolis. In this role, he provides legal counsel to several city and county agencies.

Ron Collier, ’79, New Palestine, Indiana, Indiana Members Credit Union president and CEO, launched a new ad campaign featuring Indiana Pacers player Myles Turner. The campaign includes a backpack donation program; Collier is also featured in the commercials.

Julia Monk, ’79 BAR ’79, New York, Indiana, was one of three Ball State College of Architecture and Planning alumni to be elevated to Fellowship in the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Class of 2019. Monk is a senior vice president and director of hospitality based in HOK’s Hong Kong office. AIA Fellows have made exceptional contributions to architecture and society. Only 3 percent of members have this distinction. (See 1980s notes for the other two alumni.)

1980s

Otis Alexander, MLS ’83, Opa-locka, Florida, is still actively teaching music appreciation through dance at Florida Memorial University. Alexander teaches a combination of musical form and analysis and cadence organization. It lets students give feedback, connect through their experiences, and participate in group problem-solving. His approach illustrates that music and dance are parallel cultural activities.

Yung Ho Chang, ’83, Beijing, is professor of the practice and former head of the department of architecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Chang has exhibited internationally as an artist as well as architect and is published widely. He established China’s first private architecture firm, Atelier FCJZ. He is one of three College of Architecture and Planning alumni to be elevated to Fellowship in the American Institute of Architects’ Class of 2019. (See 1970s and 1980s notes for the other two alumni.)

Greg Weaver, ’83, Shelbyville, Indiana, has been hired as the new communications manager for Indiana Humanities. Weaver has more than 30 years of experience in Indiana media, including working as a government and business editor for 26 years.

Janette Blackburn, ’84 BAR ’84, Acton, Massachusetts, is a principal and leader in architectural firm Shepley Bulfinch’s education practice. With more than 30 years of practice, Blackburn presents and publishes regularly and is an active member of the American Library Association and the Society of Colleges and University Planning. She is one of three College of Architecture and Planning alumni to be elevated to Fellowship in the American Institute of Architects’ Class of 2019. (See 1970s and 1980 notes for the other two alumni.)

Jeffrey L. Wyckoff, ’84, Fort Wayne, Indiana, was promoted to field examination officer at Lake City Bank. In his new role, Wyckoff assesses collateral value, evaluates accounting system controls, and prepares field examination reports to help bankers make informed credit decisions.

James Prince, MPA ’87, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, was named vice president for finance and business at The College of Wooster. His responsibilities include management and oversight of the Ohio college’s bookstore, budget process, business office, facilities and facilities planning, food services, grounds, investments, and purchasing.

Patrick Mapes, ’88 MAE ’93 EdS ’04, Indianapolis, superintendent of Perry Township Schools, accepted on behalf of the district the inaugural National Award of Excellence for Educator Effectiveness during a ceremony in New Orleans.

1990s

Steve Schaecher, ’90, Avon, Indiana, was named a principal at Schmidt Associates, an Indianapolis-based architecture and engineering firm. A significant example of his work is the Penrose on Mass project in downtown Indianapolis. He has also published several architectural humor books that can be found on Amazon.

Jamison Eige, ’94, Hendersonville, Tennessee, joined ODL as vice president of sales and marketing. The company makes clear and decorative door glass and entry treatments.

Chris Martz, ’94, Noblesville, Indiana, was promoted to director of membership and education at Kiwanis International.

Ricardo Cazares, ’95, Daytona Beach, Florida, accepted a position as director of marketing for Advent Health Medical Group, Central Florida Division-North Region. He previously led marketing for Tenet Healthcare and Getty Images, among other national companies.

2000s

Patrick Kestner, ’00 BAR ’00, Anderson, Indiana; Jeremy Welu, ’03 BAR ’03, Fishers, Indiana; Brandon Farley, ’04 BAR ’04, Indianapolis; and Lora Teagarden, ’08, MAR ’10, Speedway, Indiana, were all selected to the board of directors of the American Institute of Architects Indianapolis. Teagarden was elected vice president, Farley is treasurer, Kestner was elected secretary, and Welu is ex-officio board member.

Hanna Kelley, ’01, Muncie, was promoted to director of health and wellness for the American Dairy Association Indiana. She will continue to oversee nutrition communications and assume supervision of youth wellness initiatives, including the Fuel Up to Play 60 program. Kelley currently is chairperson for the Cardiovascular and Diabetes Coalition of Indiana, and co-chairs the Healthy Schools Action Team for the Indiana Healthy Weight Initiative.

William Riggs, ’01, Palo Alto, California, is a professor at the University of San Francisco where he focuses on future mobility and smart transportation, economics, design, and urban development. Riggs edited the recent book, Disruptive Transport: Driverless Cars, Transport Innovation and the Sustainable City of Tomorrow, published by Routledge.

Jenni Purcell Browning, AS ’02 BS ’02 MS ’04, Carmel, Indiana. Browning, a native of Anderson, was recently promoted to CEO of American Dairy Association Indiana, which she has been a part of for 10 years. She received Ball State’s Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2018, and the Indiana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics gave her its Media Award in 2016. She is a past president of the East Central Indiana Dietetic Association and the Indiana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and has served on numerous boards of directors, including Action for Healthy Kids and Kids TRI for Kids.

LaVar Charleston, ’02, McFarland, Wisconsin, is the assistant vice chancellor for student diversity, engagement and success at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Charleston was most recently honored as one of Wisconsin’s 42 most influential black leaders of 2018. He is credited with more than 45 publications, including journal articles, book chapters, scholarly reports, and a book: Advancing Equity and Diversity in Student Affairs, published by Information Age. Charleston is on the board of Brothers of the Academy organization and directs the Graduate School Academy, held each year at the International Colloquium on Black Males in Education.

Heather Williams, ’02 MBA ’05 MURP ’13, has been named distinguished graduate of the year by the Department of Urban Planning for her contributions to both Ball State and the Muncie community. Williams is Ball State’s associate director for community engagement and program manager for Building Better Communities.

Emily Wood, ’02, Indianapolis, is executive director of the Indiana Wildlife Federation. The nonprofit is the state affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation and has been working on critical wildlife issues such as climate change, water quality, invasive species, and habitat loss for more than 80 years.

Four theatre and dance and one telecommunications alumni — Melissa Blue, ’03, Mishawaka, Indiana; Lynn Downey Braswell, ’04, Burbank, California; Kristen Day, ’04, Reseda, California; Adam Fried, ’06, Los Angeles; and Jeffrey J. Geiger, ’03, Tarzana, California — have teamed up to create several film projects in various stages of production. A film series called “Life Group” was accepted in a number of film festivals and won the IndieBOOM! festival for comedy. The Thing Birds Say is currently in post-production.

Matthew Sparling, ’03 BAR ’05, Fort Wayne, Indiana, of MKM architecture + design, received a Forty Under 40 Award given by Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly. Sparling has created a reputation for successfully planning, designing, and executing large-scale health care projects throughout Indiana.

Jason Guinn, AA ’04 BS ’05, Frisco, Texas, published a novel, The Wretched, through Burning Bulb Publications. Guinn is a horror/dark fantasy author with two other titles to his credit.

Christy Prince, ’04, Columbus, Ohio, has joined Tucker Ellis LLP as business litigation counsel. Prince represents clients in all aspects of commercial litigation, with a strong emphasis on creditor rights, bankruptcy, and real property litigation. Prince is experienced in commercial litigation, receiverships, and collection. She prosecutes and defends bankruptcy litigation, pursues guarantors, and optimizes clients’ outcomes in insolvency forums.

Grace Bauson, ’05 DA ’12, Odenton, Maryland, is one of only two harpists in the entire U.S. Army. Staff Sgt. Bauson travels all over the United States and abroad with the Army Field Band.

Andrea Farmer, ’05, Indianapolis, was hired as senior vice president of strategic communications and account services at Hirons, an Indianapolis-based advertising, public relations, and digital agency. Farmer has 15 years of marketing and communications experience and was previously associate director of strategic initiatives at the NCAA. She currently serves on the Public Relations Society of America’s East Central District board of directors and as an assembly delegate.

Mark Heiden, MA ’07 MAE ’09 EdS ’13 EdD ’15, Franklin, Indiana, was
named the Indiana Elementary Principal of the Year by the Indiana Association of School Principals for 2018. Heiden is also being recognized as a National Association of Elementary School Principals’ Distinguished Principal for 2019.

2010s

Emily Gaylord, ’13, Indianapolis, was hired by Hirons, an Indianapolis-based advertising, public relations, and digital agency, to design and implement earned media campaigns. Gaylord previously was press secretary for the Indiana House Republican Caucus. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America.