Alumni Connections
HOMECOMING 2021
During the weekend of Oct. 1–3, Valparaiso University welcomed over 1,000 alumni back to campus for Homecoming 2021. Celebrations included combined recognition for the 2020 and 2021 VUAA award recipients and Classes of 1970 and 1971, as well as a grand tennis reunion in honor of retiring coach Jim Daugherty. Alumni also participated in blessing the newly renovated Emory G. Bauer baseball field, ribbon cutting at the Phi Psi House, the annual Street Fair, Homecoming football game, choral and orchestra concerts, and the Guild Oktoberfest.
INAUGURATION LECTURES
As part of events leading up to President Padilla’s inauguration on Oct. 30, 2021, District Court Judge the Honorable Rebecca R. Pallmeyer ’76; NASA researcher Robert Bryant ’85, ’19H; and former MLB player and manager Lloyd McClendon ’81, ’05H spoke to Valpo students, faculty, staff, and alumni about their experiences at the University and how their Valpo education prepared them for distinguished careers at the top of their fields. Video recordings of these lectures are available at youtube.com/valpoalumni.
CLASS OF 2020 COMMENCEMENT
On Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, members of the Class of 2020 returned to campus for a long-awaited chance to walk across the commencement stage and into the Alumni Association. Alumni Engagement and the VUAA were proud to welcome these resilient Valpo graduates into the alumni community.
ALUMNI EXPERTS AND OTHER VIRTUAL EVENTS
In July 2021, President José Padilla hosted a series of virtual town halls for alumni and friends of the University. These sessions were a successful opportunity to get to know President Padilla and for him to meet alumni from all generations and programs.
In October 2021, season two of Alumni Experts debuted with OBGYN Dr. Heather Mitchell ’74 Johnson and continued with events featuring Valparaiso University bioengineering professor Bethany Powell ’13 Luke, Storm Prediction Center meteorologist Jared Guyer ’99, and photojournalist Shaun Elliott ’00. In November, alumni gathered online for another incredible charcuterie tutorial with Northwest Indiana’s favorite Gourmet Goddess, and our loyal hoops fans met for Inside Valpo Men’s Basketball with Coach Lottich in December.
In February 2022, members of the President’s Circle giving society heard updates from Chair Susan E. Weston ’73, President Padilla, and students Lem Cartman, Moira Lindner, Dahliah Wilkes, and Matthew Yee. In March, LatinX In Valparaiso for Excellence (L.I.V.E.) members hosted alumnae Amy Hernandez ’13 Cisneros and Krystal Pena ’21 for a virtual panel, and in April, the Black Student Organization (BSO) hosted alumni Kenya Jenkins-Wright ’00, Samyra Leonard ’19, and Cody Cotton ’16 for another virtual discussion.
Finally, in June, we learned how to build a personal brand on LinkedIn from director of the Center for Career and Professional Development Lori Miltenberger ’92, ’95 M.A. Full recordings and highlights of these virtual programs are available at youtube.com/valpoalumni.
REGIONAL EVENTS AND DAY OF CARING
In August 2021, alumni in the Chicago and Milwaukee areas helped us send off local students and their families as they prepared to begin their Valpo journeys in the fall semester.
In October, the Valpo Club of Minnesota met to catch Valpo Football take on St. Thomas, and California alumni and friends met at Stanford University for a meet-andgreet with President Padilla prior to a men’s basketball non-conference matchup against Coach Lottich’s alma mater. In November, we welcomed men’s basketball fans to the Baha Mar Hoops tournament in the Bahamas.
The new year began with a pregame party in Chicago prior to the men’s basketball game against Loyola, and continued with brunch with President Padilla in St. Louis during the Arch Madness tournament. We also welcomed alumni to the Quad Cities for the women’s basketball tournament, Hoops in the Heartland.
The Valpo Club of Washington D.C., met President Padilla for drinks and laughs at Wunder Garten, and Chicago alumni met for cocktails at Ice Miller in a reception hosted by Kim Geiger ’00 Stapleton.
Colorado alumni met for a service project with Annie and Millie’s Place hosted by Kristen Baltrum ’93 in June, and alumni and friends once again engaged in service together for Valpo Alumni Day of Caring on July 23. The Valpo Clubs of Milwaukee and Chicago met at American Family Field for Cubs at Brewers on August 26.
SPRING VUAA BOARD MEETING
In April 2022, the Valparaiso University Alumni Association (VUAA) Board of Directors met on campus for their spring meeting, which included selected student, faculty, and award recipients. The recipients of the 2022 Distinguished Student Awards were honored at a May 2022 luncheon. The VUAA Alumni Award recipients will be honored with a banquet on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022. The Distinguished Teaching Award recipient, Associate Professor of Meteorology Kevin Goebbert ’03, Ph.D., will be honored at December 2022 commencement.
2022 VUAA ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA
Jennifer Love-Pruitt ’81
ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Mark Fisher ’87
Luke Gore ’06 M.S.
Rhoda Grever ’77 Schuler
Tiffany Vivo ’97, ’00 J.D.
OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNA/ALUMNUS
James Lockridge ’14
Jaclyn Kollmann ’07 Wuebbles
ALUMNI SERVICE
Michael Nevergall ’05
ALUMNI COMMUNITY SERVICE
Kristen Bruner ’93 Baltrum
Mitchell Peters ’80, ’84 J.D.
HONORARY ALUMNI
Mark LaBarbera
Mark Wilson
2022 DISTINGUISHED STUDENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
Eric Burkholder ’22
Maddie Henry ’22
Cassandra McMorrow ’22
Ashley Oyer ’22
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Mark Lorenz ’22
CHRIST COLLEGE
Jakob C. Wiegand ’22
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Alex Hurtig ’22
COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH PROFESSIONS
Dakota Kampmeier ’22
2022 DISTINGUISHED TEACHING AWARD
Kevin Goebbert ’03, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Meteorology
FACULTY DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
George Pati, Surjit S.
Patheja Chair In World Religions and Ethics and
Professor of South Asian Religions and Cultures
Carlos Miguel-Pueyo
Professor of World Languages and Cultures
Claudine Ruzga
Clinical Instructor for the Physician Assistant Program
Jelena Byers ’04
Visiting Assistant Professor of Education
Julie Brandy ’95 MSN, ’96
Associate Professor of Nursing
LOOKING AHEAD
We hope you were able to join us at Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2022. It is always a special time on campus. Be sure to mark your calendar for Homecoming 2023, scheduled for Sept. 22-24, 2023. You can also register for upcoming events at alumni.valpo.edu/events, and watch replays of virtual sessions at youtube.com/valpoalumni.
Join us in recognizing Valpo grads doing great things for their communities and for a world that needs them by tuning into Torchbearers: The Valpo Alumni Podcast. Search any podcast platform, visit the Valpo Alumni YouTube channel, or listen at alumni.valpo.edu/podcast.
