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Stan Cobbs attended the National Music and Worship Conference of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians held this summer at Mo-Ranch. There he ran into Erich Thompson ’79, pastor, religious furniture creator, and woodworker, as well as David Johnson ’78, now director of networking and information services at Mo-Ranch. Adding more Kangaroo connections, Stan was a member of the Austin College staff from 1970 to 1982, and he met up with former Austin College staffer John Sniffen, now director of church relations and public relations at Mo-Ranch.
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A ’Roo Renaissance Man
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G. Ward Beaudry, managing Partner of Winn, Beaudry, and Winn, has been named to the Texas Super Lawyers list as one of the top attorneys in Texas for 2012. Operating for more than 50 years, the law firm is consistently rated one of the top estate planning and probate law firms in Dallas. The Super Lawyers list, which appeared in the October 2012 issue of Texas Monthly, includes outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
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Nick Lund serves as chairman of the Arizona State Committee on Trails, which makes recommendations to the Arizona State Parks Board about trails nominated for inclusion in the State Trails System, which now includes more than 800 trails. He also is president of TRACKS, a group of 400-plus volunteers who plan, build, and maintain more than 200 miles of trails for hikers, mountain bikers, trail runners, equestrians, and cross country skiers in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests of northeast Arizona. Lund also co-chairs the Arizona Game and Fish Heritage Fund Public Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations about use of the state lottery funds earmarked for wildlife preservation, habitats, scientific study, and education.
65
Buck Files of Tyler received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Criminal Justice Section of the Texas State Bar in July at the State Bar’s Advanced Criminal Law course in San Antonio. “Buck’s attributes and contributions to the State Bar of Texas and the criminal justice system are far too numerous to list,” David Botsford, incoming chair of the Criminal Justice Section Council, said. “He has endlessly devoted himself to the improvement of the criminal justice system and has had a pronounced impact upon thousands of people, lawyers and non-lawyers, and effectuated incredible change within the criminal justice system throughout his career.” The State Bar of Texas is an administrative agency of the Supreme Court of Texas that provides educational programs for the legal profession and the public, administers the minimum continuing legal education program for attorneys, and manages the attorney disciplinary system. Files was sworn in as president of the State Bar of Texas earlier this year.
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Michael Walker recently retired as college professor after teaching for 43 years at the University of Houston, Georgia State University, the University of Oklahoma, North Texas State University, and the University of Cincinnati. He taught 27 years at the University of Cincinnati where he was the Virgil M. Schwarm Professor of Finance and Investments and served terms as a department head and as an associate dean.
74
Mark Miller, a partner in the law offices of Jackson Walker, was included in a recent list of best lawyers in San Antonio for his work in intellectual property. In a survey conducted by San Antonio Scene magazine, attorneys were asked to nominate peers in different practice categories. The list appeared in the June/July issue of the publication. Miller chairs Jackson Walker’s intellectual property section and his work focuses on counseling, transactions, and litigation concerning intellectual property (patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets), franchise, license, and antitrust matters.
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Ellen Nelson Clarke reported a momentous year, finishing a two-year term as president of the West Hartford Garden Club in June, and in January, she and her husband, Brian, had the honor of playing the king and queen of the Boar’s Head Festival at Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford, Connecticut. Then, Ellen enjoyed a family reunion with her five far-flung children when her older son was married in August. In addition to her children coming from China, Australia, Florida, Texas, and Panama, alumni Dacia Calvert Panich ’75 and Ellen’s nephew Joe Peters ’03, attended the festivities. Ellen, pictured with her daughters and daughter-in-law in their wedding finery, is second from the right.
79
Erich Thompson crafted furniture for and taught a class in sacred space at the Mo-Ranch Worship and Music Conference in June. Erich is a minister at large in Salem Presbytery and works in Greensboro, North Carolina. He ran into former Austin College first lady Anna Laura Page at the conference.
82
Joseph H. Roosth, M.D., was appointed to the rank of major with the Texas State Guard and serves with the Houston Medical Response Group as chief medical officer. He encourages anyone interested in the guard to email him at J.Roosth_1@DrRoosth.com.
87
Gregg Fort was named vice president for institutional advancement at Hilbert College in New York in July. He leads all aspects of Hilbert’s fundraising efforts and the college’s government relations and alumni affairs programs. He had spent the previous five years as assistant vice president for university advancement at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Gregg and his wife, Nicci, who is head women’s basketball coach at Colgate University, live in Buffalo.
88
Sharon Vincent Down has returned to her first love of teaching after spending more than 10 years in the business world. She spent over three years teaching in for-profit education and recently was appointed to a full-time position at Gateway Community and Technical College in Edgewood, Kentucky, where she teaches English composition and literature.
89
James R.Webb has been named senior vice president–legal and general counsel for Chesapeake Energy Corporation, headquartered in Oklahoma City. He had worked on a contract basis with the firm for several months as chief legal counsel before the appointment.Webb had spent 17 years practicing law at McAfee & Taft, Oklahoma’s largest law firm, and served as a partner for the past 12 years.
95
Aaron Cernero, M.D., was named a Texas Super Doctors 2012 Rising Star in the list published in the July issue of Texas Monthly. He owns the North Texas Center for General and Bariatric Surgery with offices in Sherman and McKinney. He and his wife, Ailee, are life-long residents of Sherman and now have two daughters, Sophia and Allie, and a son, Charlie. Certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery, Cernero received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in 2001. After residency at Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth, he returned to Sherman to open his practice.
96
Joanna Lo and Jason Fabrikant, a native Washingtonian and a professor at American University, were married July 17, 2011, in Washington, D.C. Joanna received a master’s degree at George Washington University in 2000 and works on trade remedy cases at the U.S. International Trade Commission. Jason is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Washington College of Law at American University. The bride and groom met while working part-time at a yoga studio and continue to live in Washington, D.C. Several Austin College alumni attended the wedding and are pictured left to right, Lynn Choi Tam, Chau Pham Axelrod, Joanna Lo Fabrikant, Ajita Reddy, Jon Deason ’95 (who caught the bouquet!), Karla Lopez Minai, and Kim Jefferson. Jacqueline Quan Bryce attended but is not pictured.
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Denice Hicks Trimble has joined the law firm of Riddel Williams and its real estate and land use practice. She advises public and private clients with real estate and land use interests, including acquisition and disposition, residential and commercial development, and leasing and finance. She began her legal career at Hughes & Luce (now K&L Gates) in Austin, Texas, and was a partner at Van Ness Feldman Gordon Derr before joining Riddel Williams.
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Eric W. Cox was named an associate professor of political science at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, in April 2012. In addition to teaching, Eric serves on the TCU Common Reading Steering Committee and directs the TCU Model United Nations Program. He is an elected faculty representative on the National Model UN-New York Advisory Board.
98
Mark Kellogg became the head women’s basketball coach at Northwest Missouri State in April 2012. He had spent seven seasons as the head coach at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. During his tenure there, the Fort Lewis team won 79 percent of its games, and Kellogg earned three Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Coach of the Year awards and two Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Region Coach of the Year honors.
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Adam Meierhofer was elected to a three-year term on the school board of Richardson Independent School District and began his term in May. Pictured, left to right, Adam’s dad Mike, Adam ’98, Adam’s wife Brandy Harmon Meierhofer ’99, Adam’s mom Libby, and in front, Adam and Brandy’s children, Ava, Slade, and Elizabeth.
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Jeff Duffey was selected as one of the “Best Real Estate Agents in Dallas” in a D Magazine listing this summer. He has worked in real estate, serving Park Cities, Preston Hollow, Lakewood, and surrounding areas for nearly a decade, and in 2010, started his own real estate firm, Jeff Duffey and Associates. He enrolled this fall at SMU Dedman School of Law.
02
Gregory Parks and Paula Peterman were married May 21, 2011, at Wynne Chapel. The wedding party included maid of honor Ellen Bond, best man Harrison Parks ’07, and bridesmaid Jane Lee Parks ’06. Reverend Amy Summers-Minette Fetterman officiated. Honored Austin College guests included the groom’s father Wayne Parks ’72, aunt Nancy Parks Shamburger ’75, Rachel Branaman ’01, Lisa Thiebaud Nicoli, Kimberly Van Exell, Christine Soliva Krasnozhon, Anthony Escobedo ’01, Michael Bardgett, and Karl-Hans Larsen ’07. Gregory and Paula live in Lexington, Kentucky, with their dogs Roxy and Roscoe. Paula is pursuing a master’s degree in education. Gregory recently completed his neurology residency at University of Kentucky and is in private practice.
02
Amy Summers-Minette and David Fetterman were married on December 29, 2011, in Richmond, Virginia. Attendees included bridesmaid Neli Moyo ’05, Ellen Bond, Lisa Thiebaud Nicoli, Paula Peterman Parks, and Noell Rathbun-Cook.
03
Lindsay Thompson and Robert Cleland, a graduate of Georgia Tech, were married on April 1, 2012, in the Texas Hill Country. The wedding party included Sarah Steward- Lindsey, Deidre Woodruff Baird, and Christine Martin Sterkel ’04. Alumni attending included Dianne Hardie Thompson ’68, Memie Adams Hardie ’70, Paula Hardie Kleypas ’78, Christopher Thompson ’92, Jenny King ’92, Jill Gin Dinges ’01, Rebecca Silva ’02, Carrie Beach ’01, Irene Yardley ’03, Allison McBee Dawson, Greg Dawson ’05, Kristen Molloy Greene ’02, Ashley Allison, Stephanie Helvey Richards, Natalie Ridley Baerwaldt, Kristin Shapiro ’08, Julie Herron Hayes ’04, Andrea Barnett ’04, Jacque Decoux ’04, Laura Shelton Mendenhall ’69, and Brandon Baird ’04.
04
Ariana Vasquez Crowther was appointed co-chair of the Graduate Student Council Division of the American Educational Research Association for the 2012-2013 and 2013–2014 academic years. She also was named programs director for the Graduate Student Assembly at the University of Texas at Austin for the 2012–2013 academic year.
05
Elizabeth “Liz” Christian graduated with her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Texas Woman’s University in May 2012. She was offered a commission as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and serves as a physical therapist in the Medical Service Corps.
David Savage ’07 has been elected the American Medical Association Speaker of the Governing Council for the AMA Medical Student Section (MSS). Eight members of the Governing Council work with AMA staff to lead the 50,000 members of the student section of the AMA. The term of the national office is from June 2012 to June 2013 and, as speaker, David worked with staff and the vice speaker to plan and run the national meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, in November 2012 and will plan the June 2013 meeting in Chicago, Illinois. He also will attend the MSS Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., in February 2013. He said this leadership role with the AMA will help enhance his organizational skills and refine his speaking skills. “I want medical advocacy and politics to be an integral part of my lifelong career as a physician, and this position is an additional step in my preparation,” he said. “The career network I have built with students, residents, and physicians nationwide the past three years will also be invaluable to my future aspirations in medicine and advocacy.” A fourth-year M.D./Ph.D. student, David also is one of 240 Albert Schweitzer Fellows selected around the nation who are carrying out service projects this year in under-served communities, while continuing their academic responsibilities. David’s work is with the Alliance for Multicultural Community Services, empowering refugees to navigate Houston’s healthcare system. “I am passionate about tackling health disparity problems, and I aim to make it central to my future career as a physician,” he said. “The past few years, I have worked closely with Students Improving Global Health in Texas at medical school, working on projects in Houston for refugees and for a very mixed immigrant community on the U.S.-Mexico border. These have been some of the highlights of my training, and this fellowship will allow me to gain valuable skills in problem solving, resource management, and leadership that will help me to achieve my future goals in service.” David, a student at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, plans to pursue a career in oncology upon completing his M.D./Ph.D. program. |
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Harrison Parks and Jane Lee ’06 were married at Cityplace in Dallas, Texas, on November 19, 2011. Attendees included the groom’s father Wayne Parks ’72; the groom’s aunt Nancy Parks Shamburger ’75; best man Gregory Parks ’02; Paula Peterman Parks ’02; groomsmen Karl-Hans Larsen, Benjamin Hamid-Khani, and Benjamin Morgan; maid of honor Christy Lee ’03; bridesmaids Amy Newton ’05 and Grace Huh ’07; Teena Thomas Chacko ’03; Danielle Leung ’03, Malini Velamati ’07, Kristin Saboe ’07, and Jonathan Walgama ’07. Harrison graduated from Baylor College of Dentistry in 2011 and is completing his specialty in periodontics. Jane graduated from Baylor College of Dentistry in 2012 and is working as an associate general dentist. The couple lives in Dallas near White Rock Lake with their dogs, Fella and Charlie.
07
Adam Spore earned his Master of Divinity degree from Perkins School of Theology at SMU in May 2012. He is associate pastor at Whitewright/Marvin United Methodist Churches.
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Drew Kelly received his medical degree with honors from Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine in May 2012. He was joined in celebrating by his wife, Nicole Hagenbuch Kelly ’07, and their daughter, Evelyn. Drew is continuing his medical training as an orthopedic surgery resident at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City, and Nicole works part-time from their home in Edmond, Oklahoma, for the finance department of Titus Transportation and also as a full-time stay-at-home mom.
Outstanding Research
“An Austin College education is an invaluable preparation for medical school and beyond,” Kamran said. “It is because I developed very personal relationships with my professors at Austin College that I was able to model from them a love for learning, a passion for self-development, and a commitment to servant leadership. The liberal arts education at Austin College allowed me to broaden my view of the world, and I have continued to develop, within my mind, the beautiful connections between the various fields of academia.” |
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Neal Spradlin has been elected to the Texas Tech University School of Law executive committee for the Board of Barristers, Tech Law’s premiere advocacy organization that conducts intra-school competitions in mock trial, moot court, and negotiations. Members of the Board of Barristers are selected from advanced students who demonstrated competence in advocacy competitions and are interested in assisting other students to improve their skills. Neal serves as vice chair of appellate advocacy. At Tech Law, he is a member of the Phi Delta Phi honors legal fraternity and serves as the vice president of the Business and Bankruptcy Law Association. He is pursuing a J.D./M.B.A. and plans to practice business litigation and transactions.
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Alexander Clark and Katherine Perkins were married May 26, 2012, at Wynne Chapel. The wedding party included Shamyal Khan ’08, Dallas Key ’10, Chris Donovan, best man Mark Hagge ’13, Riley Howell ’13, Eristeo Perez ’13, and Yasien Eltigani ’14. (Fun Fact: Alex, Shamyal, Dallas, and Mark all are past Austin College student body presidents.) Alex and Katherine live in San Antonio, Texas, where they both are 2012 Teach For America corps members. Alex teaches third grade at Stewart Elementary, and Katherine teaches special education at Barkley-Ruiz Academy.
Your Legacy Gift to Austin College will positively impact the lives of young people in the future.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Pearson, JD, CFRE, associate vice president for Institutional Advancement, by calling 903.813.2336 or emailing estateplanning@austincollege.edu.
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