Education Commons^™

Nicole Brown, Nicole Brown '99, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Dr. Nicole Brown, Class of 1999, recalls her days as a leader of the Black Student Union, lessons learned from the corporate world and goals as the Director of Multicultural Affairs. She further relates examples of IWU’s lack of progress on lasting change with regard to hiring and retaining Black faculty. In each portion of her IWU affiliations, Brown recalls the achievements and frustrations she experienced.

Ken Fahsbender, Ken Fahsbender '49, Josh Immke 2019

All oral histories

Ken Fahsbender is a member of Phi Mu Alpha. He majored in music and two years after graduation he joined the Army and the Ft. Leonard Wood Band. Later he pursued a Master's from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a PhD from Stanford. He retired from teaching in the California school system.

During this interview he recalls the benefits of being in a fraternity talks about being in a men's choral group, intramural and extramural sports, and competing in track. He also remembers interacting with Coach Jack Horenberger, Lee Short, and Lloyd Pfautsch. He speaks of the value …

Dave Moravec, Dave Moravec '84, Francine Krieger 2015

All oral histories

In this interview, Mr. Moravec reflects on a dorm tradition that led him to his future wife Susan, changes to campus over the years, and his time as Tommy Titan.

Other topics include the campus jobs he had (Admission, Saga, and Dolan Hall), and the benefit he later found to the rigors of his English Composition class.

He briefly discusses his wife Susan’s activities on campus and the annual student-faculty basketball competition.

Mr. Moravec is a businessman in the Bloomington-Normal community and active in mentoring students through the Hart Career Center. In 2009, he and Susan took part in the …

Janet Mcnew, Janet Mcnew, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Janet McNew was Illinois Wesleyan's Provost and Dean of Faculty and Professor of English from 1993-2003. She also served as Acting President from 2003-2004 following the death of Minor Myers, jr.

During this interview, McNew discusses her career progression, before and after IWU, and some of the distinctions involved in Provost/Dean duties as they relate to managing the budget and changes to curriculum.

She shares her views on how monitoring national issues, addressing educational goals with faculty, and responding to tragedies affected IWU. She includes favorite memories of President Myers.

Reflecting on her time as acting President, McNew comments on …

Carren Moham, Carren Moham, Francine Krieger 2015

All oral histories

Dr. Moham was Professor of Music at Illinois Wesleyan from 1998-2014. She matriculated from The Ohio State University in Columbus where she earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Pedagogy and Black Music History.

During this interview she recounts her move from her doctoral program at the Ohio State University, to the Washington Cancer Institute and her choice of Illinois Wesleyan. Moham also discusses some of the memorable moments from her teaching and performing career in Illinois. After retiring, she became artist teacher voice at Illinois State University and is the owner of a voice rehabilitation business in …

Patrick Mclane, Patrick Mclane, Francine Krieger 2015

All oral histories

Mr. McLane worked in IWU's Information Technology office starting in 1991 and retired in 2014. He discusses the changes in technology and personnel he witnessed and also provides career highlights prior to IWU.

Mary Murphy, Mary Murphy '78, Abigail Szunyogh 2014

All oral histories

Mary Murphy majored in Biology with a pre-professional Medical school focus. She was the first in her immediate family to go to college. Murphy recalls faculty relationships and teaching assistant responsibilities and shares impressions about campus culture. She also mentions extracurricular activities such as church choir and the Homecoming planning committee. Dr. Murphy is a pediatrician in Ohio.

Amanda Toney-Logan And Myrtis Sullivan, Amanda Toney-Logan '74, Myrtis Sullivan '74, Elissa Ledvort 2013

All oral histories

The primary subject of this joint interview is the founding of the Iota Zeta Chapter of the national service fraternity Delta Sigma Theta. Logan served as first Vice President and Dean of Pledges. Logan and Sullivan also discuss the group's activities on campus and their thoughts on the reason the IWU chapter closed. The two friends also recount their recent efforts in getting the chapter restarted and tell stories about the connections they made in life because of their Iota Zeta friendships.

Other topics include dorm and social life, "short term" and the cost of tuition. They discuss IWU's small …

Mary Beth Phillips, Mary E. Phillips, Abigail Szunyogh 2014

All oral histories

Mary Beth Phillips worked at IWU for 27 years. In that time she served as Administrative Assistant for three different Presidents and for two of the Vice Presidents for Business and Finance.

Her stories include the office's role in the campus building projects during her tenure and the changes she's seen to campus's connection to the Methodist Church.

David Berry, David S. Berry '74, Abigail Szunyogh 2014

All oral histories

Topics covered are meeting his spouse Susan Merritt, Class of 1975, close faculty mentors, athletics and campus traditions. Mr. Berry also speaks frankly about his experiences at IWU as a person of faith.

Paul Schley, Paul Schley, Abigail Szunyogh 2014

All oral histories

Paul Schley worked in the Admissions Office at IWU for 39 years. In this interview he recounts his travels as an international recruiter, the campus traditions he's observed and a few office pranks.

He mentions the effects of campus beautification and facility improvements on prospective students’ decisions and his interest in keeping in touch with alumni and their families.

Warren Johnson, Warren Johnson, Max Polisky 2013

All oral histories

Mr. Johnson retired from IWU after a 30 year career and most recently served in the position of Assistant Manager of Maintenance. In this interview he recounts his experiences before joining the IWU staff and relates some of the highlights he recalls from working on campus.

Anne Weston Mcgowan, Anne Mcgowan '76, Abigail Szunyogh 2014

All oral histories

Anne Weston McGowan graduated with a BA in English in 1976. She moved to Bloomington-Normal when her husband James joined the English Department faculty in 1969. Anne is a former Board member of the community organization Ecology Action Center (founded in 1971 and called Operation Recycle). She remains active in that and other community organizations.

James Mcgowan, James Mcgowan, Elissa Ledvort 2013

All oral histories

James McGowan, Professor of English Emeritus, joined IWU's faculty in 1969 and retired in 2000. He and Anne (Class of 1976) remain active in the community. Dr. McGowan read his original poem commemorating the inauguration of IWU's 15th President Richard F. Wilson may be found at http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/wilson_inauguration/15

Mary Ann And Robert Guenzler, Mary Ann Hagmeyer Guenzler '53, Robert Guenzler '53 And '56, Marsha Guenzler-Stevens '78

All oral histories

Mary Ann (Hagmeyer) and Robert Guenzler are members of the Class of 1953. Robert also graduated with a Masters in Music Education in 1956. Their daughter Marsha (Class of 1978) conducted this interview.

Marsha Guenzler-Stevens, Marsha Guenzler-Stevens '78, Taylor Washington 2013

All oral histories

Dr. Guenzler-Stevens discusses her family's history at IWU, her student activities, her continued contributions to IWU, and her path from Biology Major to her current role as Director of the student union at the University of Maryland.

Susan Anderson-Freed, Susan Anderson-Freed, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Dr. Susan Anderson-Freed began teaching in the Sociology Department at Illinois Wesleyan University in 1977. A few years later she was reappointed to a position in the Computer Science program where she remained until her departure in 2008.

Anderson-Freed left teaching due to the effects of cancer treatments she was receiving and died on November 4, 2012. A long-time knitting enthusiast, she used the time of her treatments to design patterns and published two books on the subjects. Proceeds from these volumes, which have already been translated into several languages, are designated for the Community Cancer Center, Normal, Illinois. Her …

George Churukian, George A. Churukian, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Dr. Churukian joined IWU's faculty as Director of the Secondary Education program in 1976 and retired in 1993. He became active in the International Society for Teacher Education before retiring and has enjoyed a long post-career of activity with this and local community groups.

Mark L. Sheldon, Mark L. Sheldon '70, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Mark Sheldon, Class of 1970, who majored in Political Science reflects on his time at IWU and afterwards. Sheldon chaired the Alumni Association for five years and so served on the Board of Trustees. He continues his involvement with campus in a number of ways including by recruiting international students.

Wendell Hess, Wendell Wayne Hess, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Wendell Hess became a professor in the Chemistry Department at IWU in 1963 and also served as Provost and acting President before retiring in 1989. Remarks on his continuing service to his discipline and to the Bloomington-Normal community are also shared in this interview.

Edelbert Rodgers, Edelbert G. Rodgers '33, Yvonne Jones

All oral histories

Rodgers speaks of how he came to enroll at IWU (from his home in St. Louis), racism as well as kindness he encountered in Bloomington, and jobs he held as the sole provider of his expenses at school during the Depression. He also describes research he conducted while a student and how he went to the University of Minnesota for his Master's work prior to being drafted in World War II and the Ph.D. in Psychology he received from New York University afterwards. Virginia Rodgers speaks briefly about her Nursing education in Maryland. The two eventually settled in Flint, MI …

Maurice E. Zetterholm, Maurice E. Zetterholm '15, Lee Short '44, Jerry Bidle

All oral histories

Maurice E. Zetterholm, a Law graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University in the Class of 1915, was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha and Pi Kappa Delta fraternities during his time here. He began studying Law at the University of Illinois in 1913, but decided to transfer to Wesleyan on the advice of his mentor, Illinois Supreme Court Justice C.C. Craig.

Side one of the original tape contains reflections on his personal history, education and business careers. On side two he discusses his military career. The two sides have been combined into one digital recording; the original may be used …