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1960s
Tom Phillips (B.S., ’66) is the co-author of Fire in the North: The Minnesota Uprising and the Sioux War in Dakota Territory. The true-life thriller tells the story of three families thrown together in the chaos of war. Until the events of 9/11, the little-known 1862 uprising would represent the highest number of civilians ever killed by hostile action on American soil. The book is a balanced account of the conflict which eventually extended far west into the Great Plains.
1980s
Stephen C. Torbit (Ph.D., ’81) was recently honored by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for his conservation efforts. Steve received a special recognition award “For outstanding contributions to the Association and to the advancement of professional fish and wildlife management in North America.”
David Thaemert (B.S., ’89) started a new position as a Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering Hydraulics and River Engineering at University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom in September 2018.
1990s
COBank Vice President, James Shanahan (B.S., ’91), has been named to the Interest Rate Benchmark Reform Subcommittee of the CFTC’s Market Risk Advisory Committee.
Michelle Eccellente Stevenson (B.A., ’92) is the founder of the awareness initiative, “Cultivate Caring,” which highlights caring about yourself, others and the world. She is selling original artwork at MES Studio Art. Her art is lyrical abstract pieces that focus on color and mood.
Rebecca Ruch-Gallie (D.V.M., ’99; M.S., ’02) was named 2018 Veterinarian of the Year at the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association annual convention last fall. She is an associate professor of clinical sciences in CSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and has worked as service chief for the Community Practice at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital since the service began in 2000. In this role, she oversees general and preventive care for the pets of community residents and teaches veterinary students to deliver primary care for their animal patients. Ruch-Gallie – known for her commitment to underserved populations – has led efforts to help care for the pets of homeless people and rescue animals in area shelters. She also has served as state delegate to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Her words of advice were recently included in a New York Times article about keeping pets safe and healthy during the holidays.
2000s
Brian Johanson (B.A., ’06) has released an album with the band, Sugar Britches, in December of 2018. It is all original music written by Johanson and is available on all digital platforms. Johanson tours and plays throughout Colorado with Sugar Britches and as a solo artist.
David Herasimtschuk (B.S., ’07) graduated in fish, wildlife, and conservation biology and lives in Corvallis, Ore., where he works as a professional photographer cataloging water ecology and creatures. Many of his global photographic expeditions are completed with Freshwaters Illustrated, a nonprofit founded by Jeremy Monroe (B.S., ’99; M.S., ’02), a fellow alumnus in aquatic ecology, that uses photography and videography to educate and advocate for clean and healthy rivers. In October, Herasimtschuk won a category of the 2018 Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest sponsored by the National History Museum of London. Herasimtschuk’s winning shot, in the category of Behaviours: Amphibians and Reptiles, is titled “Hellbent” and depicts a hellbender salamander preying on a northern water snake in a stream in eastern Tennessee. He also won a “highly commended” honor for an image titled “The Spring Ball,” which captures rough-skinned newts gathered in a pond during breeding season. The images are on display at the museum.
Kayle Austin (B.S., ’08; M.S., ’10; M.A.G.R., ’11; D.V.M., ’17) owns Austin Veterinary Services, a large-animal practice based in LaSalle, Colo. She is one of the first recipients to receive funding from the Colorado Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program, established in 2017 by the Colorado General Assembly. The program encourages veterinary graduates to provide livestock medicine in Colorado’s rural and agricultural communities by helping recipients to repay college loans. A story about her award is at: https://cvmbs.source.colostate.edu/kuntz-austin-named-as-first-recipients-of-colorados-veterinary-education-loan-repayment-program.
2010s
Callie Kuntz (B.S., ’12; D.V.M., ’17) recently established a veterinary practice in Yuma, Colo., to serve the state’s northeastern plains. She is one of the first recipients to receive funding from the Colorado Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program, established in 2017 by the Colorado General Assembly. The program encourages veterinary graduates to provide livestock medicine in Colorado’s rural and agricultural communities by helping recipients to repay college loans. A story about her award is at: https://cvmbs.source.colostate.edu/kuntz-austin-named-as-first-recipients-of-colorados-veterinary-education-loan-repayment-program.
A team of northern Colorado runners with CSU ties, called Siemers’ Dreamers, recently finished sixth in the men’s open 10-kilometer race at the USA Track and Field Club Championships in Spokane, Wash. The team is named in honor of Art Siemers, head coach of the Colorado State cross-country program, who has worked with some runners in the group and has guided the University team to historic finishes in the Mountain West Conference and at the NCAA championships. Members of Siemers’ Dreamers, pictured from left, are Andrew Lesser (B.S., ’13), Brian Eimstad, Cody Moore, Joshua Mirth (M.S., ’17), Grant Fischer (B.S., ’18), Jerrell Mock (B.S., ’18), Adrian Macdonald, and, below, Andrew Epperson, an assistant track and cross-country coach at CSU. Mock, a former CSU standout runner who earned All-America honors, was top finisher on the team, with a time of 30:05. The Dreamers continue to train and compete together; some of the runners hope to qualify for the Olympic marathon trials.
In Memoriam
*indicates Alumni Association membership
1940s
Arthur T. Corey (M.S., ’49)
1950s
*Eloise E. Norton (B.S., ’49; B.S., ’50)
Fred G. Heise, Jr. (B.S., ’53)
John Carrol Patterson (B.S., ’53)
*LaVern C. Nelson (B.S., ’54)
Patricia A. Gillispie (B.S., ’55)
*Tom Bradbury (B.S., ’58)
*John T. Goodier (B.S., ’59)
1960s
James B. Donnelly (B.S., ’61)
James H. Parker, III (B.S., ’64)
*John D. Opalka (D.V.M., ’69)
Barbara M. Devitt (B.A., ’66; CERT, ’67; M.A., ’69)
Walter Eugene Atherton (M.A.T., ’69)
Loris D. McDaniel (B.S., ’69)
*Nona B. Thayer (M.S., ’69)
1970s
Larry D. Sabatka (B.S., ’69; M.S., ’71)
David S. Dodson (B.S., ’71)
Arvin I. Lovaas (Ph.D., ’72)
Robert W. Keller (M.Ed., ’73)
*Ann S. Liggett (B.S., ’74)
Daniel G. Bakker (B.S., ’73; M.S., ’77)
John A. Chartz, Jr. (B.A., ’76)
Laura L. Green (B.F.A., ’79)
1980s
Scott Frey (Ph.D., ’80)
Bogusz Bienkiewicz (Ph.D., ’81)
1990s
Robert C. Martin (M.Ed., ’90)
Rachel J. Lagowski (B.S., ’97)
2000s
Rebecca L. Rogers (M.S., ’07)
Jonathan T. Martin (B.A., ’08)
Attended
Emily E. Hansen
Laurence O. Wolfe
Faculty and Staff
Gustav Richard Jansen
Douglas M. Murray
Garrett W. Ray
Alice L. Timm
Friends
Norton A. Billings
Leanna M. Carroll
Richard A. Knaus
Janet S. Rothe
