NCE’s 2023-2024 fiscal year, illustrating how the College is following through with our commitment to the betterment of education on both a local and national level.
ALUMNI
ACCESS
NATIONAL LOUIS UNIVERSITY • FALL 2013
Message From the President
Dear Friends,
form lives, careers and communities.
In 1886, Elizabeth Har- rison opened the door to higher education for women seeking training to teach kin- dergarten. The found- ing of Miss Harrison’s Training School was a new opportunity for an underserved popula- tion, and for the young pupils they would instruct. It is to this Training School that National Louis University traces its origins. One hundred and twenty seven years later NLU and the proverbial door Elizabeth unlocked is still open and welcoming students to new opportuni- ties. Today we still maintain the pioneering spirit of our visionary founder and NLU still supports a tradition of open doors for students who have his- torically encountered barriers to higher education. By providing access to opportunity we can trans-
This is an extraordinary time for higher education. We are in an era of innovation and institutions are responding by offering a variety of improved educa- tional delivery methods. This ranges from the devel- opment of new classroom models and online cours- es to the exploration of partnerships as a vehicle to open new doors. Partnerships like the one Mark Larson, National Louis alumnus and faculty member, writes about in this issue (The First Word, p3). We invite you also to read about how fellow alumni Scott Kartsounas, Toni Freeman, Vince Woods and Fallon Brooks committed to furthering their educa- tion and unlocked their doors. I hope you enjoy this edition of our Alumni Magazine and remember that at NLU, the door to education is always open.
Best wishes,
Nivine Megahed, Ph.D., President
Institutional Advancement Staff
Table of Contents The First Word: Access to Ideas..................................... 3
John Bergholz, Vice President of Institutional Advancement
Jennifer Keller, Director of Development
Brian Kush, Communications Manager Danielle LaPointe, Associate Director of Advancement Services Mark Loper, Research and Prospect Analyst Kimberly Michaelson, Director of Alumni Relations Carey Smith, Special Events Coordinator Kaitlin Weiss, Annual Fund Manager
Mark Donahue, Web Communications Editor
Alumni Spotlight ................4
Matt Douponce, Associate Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations Karen Galea, Director of Public and Private Funding and Florida Regional Development Officer Jason Givan, Director of Advancement Operations Mallory Hitt, Administrative Assistant
Letter From the V.P. of Advancement ..................... 5 Father, Daughter Take Part In Commencement ..........6 – 7 NLU Alumnus Has Company On The Cutting Edge ..8 – 9 A Life Dedicated to Education...................10 – 11
Alumni Relations Make a Gift
www.nl.edu/alumni Contact Kimberly Michaelson at 312.261.3159 or alumni@nl.edu.
www.nl.edu/giving Contact Kaitlin Weiss at 312.261.3913 or kaitlin.weiss@nl.edu.
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The First Word
THE POWER OF CONVERSATION By Mark Larson ’93
I believe in the power of conver- sation to shape thought and change minds. “And when you change your mind,” Stephanie Pace Marshall has written, “you can change the world.” For the past three years we, at NLU, have been offering broad access to big ideas in education through free conversations with great thinkers. In a special part- nership with Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Golden Apple Foun- dation, we created an annual two and three-part series of discussion forums, now beginning its fourth year, on Theodore Zelden’s prem- ise that “all invention and progress comes from finding a link between two ideas that have never met.” The series itself began with a sim- ple conversation in the summer of 2010, when I had lunch with Marilyn Halperin, Director of Education and Communication at CST. I said that, in this time of significant turmoil for the field of education, I wished I could create a public dialogue. I wanted veteran educators who, for decades, have been engaged in the struggle for better schools to talk with their younger counterparts who are engaged in similar strug- gles today. In the next breath, Mar- ilyn said, “Do you need a venue?” I talked with my colleagues at NLU that same afternoon. “In fact,” they said, “why don’t we do three?” Marilyn and I quickly joined forces with long-time friends of NLU and CST, Golden Apple Foundation’s
NLU’s fourth education forum series will take place in January and March of 2014.
CEO, Dom Belmonte, and Penny Lundquist, their Director of Profes- sional Development. Soon the first series was being planned as part of NLU’s 125th anniversary, and, by happy coincidence, the 25th anni- versary for both partners. On March 26, 2011, long-time pro- gressive educators Deborah Meier, Bill Ayers, Sonia Nieto and, former New York Schools Chancellor, Har- old Levy, sat down for a conversa- tion with four educational leaders in the early years of their careers. Over the course of the next three years, our guests have included leaders such as Chicago Teachers Union president, Karen Lewis, Rev. Calvin Morris, Senator Miguel De- Valle, and MacArthur Foundation Director of Education, Constance Yowell. We have also hosted au- thors Tony Wagner, Pauline Lipman, Kieran Egan, James Paul Gee, and Stephanie Pace Marshall.
being a part of this series, Marilyn said, “Our work is so much bigger than what happens on our stages. Bringing people into our space to talk about the ‘big ideas’ that matter most as we look ahead at education in our country and beyond is an im- portant part of our work.” Dom Belmonte added, “It has been my desire to make Golden Apple an active agent in education change activity. One aspect has been the convening of ideas and this series addresses that. We are seeking conversations of depth and intensity, but that are also civil. I’ve grown very weary of posturing and blame. I want to counter that with the old fashioned, lively art of con- versation. Real conversation.” If you’re interested in big ideas, I in- vite you to save the dates: January 13 and March 3rd, 2014, and plan to join us for our fourth series which fo- cuses on the place of innovation and creativity in the schools of the future. Be a part of the conversation. Minds may change, including your own.
When asked why Chicago Shake- speare Theater was interested in
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Alumni Spotlight
A MINT MUSEUM WITH AN NLU TOUCH By Brian Kush
The Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina is the first art museum in the state and the largest in the southeast. The day-to-day operations of this North Carolina landmark are the responsibility of Chief Operating Officer and National Louis University alumna Toni Freeman. Toni, B.A. Education ’78, han- dles the finances, accounting, facility management, and special events for the 77-year-old museum. “I handle everything except the art. When I started on the job the first thing they told me was not to touch the art,” Toni said with a laugh. Toni’s journey to becoming the COO of The Mint Museum started at National Louis University as a student in the College of Education. The Milwau- kee, Wisconsin native liked the convenient loca- tion of National Louis University. It allowed her to live on her own, but still be close enough to go “The skills I learned at National Louis University gave me the ability to take difficult concepts and explain it in terms that people can easily understand.” — Toni Freeman ’78 COO, The Mint Museum home on weekends. Toni lived on campus during her four years at NLU and was very active with her sorority, Delta Sigma Beta. Delta Sigma Beta was a community-service fo- cused sorority and Toni’s time there inspired her to give back throughout her career. In the past, Toni has served as the chair of Women Executives for Community Services, a program that man- ages scholarships for nontraditional students.
Toni Freeman (with her current and senior-year photo) is currently the COO for The Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Toni has also served as board director for Hospice for Charlotte Region and Lincoln County, Teen Health Connection, and Habitat for Humanity. Currently, Toni serves as the President of Junior Leagues Inter- national and is a trustee for the YWCA (Young Wom- en’s Christian Association) of the Central Carolinas. After Toni graduated from National Louis Univer- sity, she continued to work in education at the University of North Carolina in their student affairs department. Even though Toni did not stay in the education field, she credits her education from Na- tional Louis University for equipping her with the skills to succeed in her current position. “The skills I learned at National Louis University, while studying to become a teacher, prepared me for the numerous presentations and various work- shops I give,” Toni said.
“It gave me the ability to take difficult concepts and ex- plain them in terms that people can easily understand.”
As a result of all of Toni’s hard work and service to the community, National Louis University honored her with a Reach award in 2005.
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Office of Alumni Relations
Connect With NLU “Like” us on Facebook and keep up with everything going on at National Louis University. Facebook.com/NationalLouis
Greetings! National Louis’ history of access is talked about a lot here because of the founding of this school. In my role as vice president for Advancement, it has been my pleasure to have had personal contact with alumni who credit NLU with giving them access to a high quality, affordable education allowing them to pursue fulfilling careers and lives. Our alumni have a variety of backgrounds and, while we have showcased some of them in our past magazines, there are far more stories of men and women whose goals were pushed forward by earning their degree at NLU. For instance, I’ve met with a Japanese- American alumna whose family was held in an internment camp during World War II. She was given the opportunity to move to Chicago and care for an Evanston family’s children in exchange for leaving the camp. Encouraged to attend NCE, she later graduated and had a successful career as a teacher. Another alum whom I have had conversations with, a Marine who took classes on the DC campus, now has the awesome responsibility of ensuring the security of our U.S. Senators. National Louis’ history has been built by alumni and students like these who have broken barriers to further their education and access their goals. Please enjoy reading stories about some of our proud graduates in this edition of the Alumni Magazine. And please, share your stories with us, too. John Bergholz
NOW’S A GREAT TIME TO PURSUE YOUR ADVANCED DEGREE AT NATIONAL LOUIS UNIVERSITY
Come back to NLU and rediscover your love of learning as you take the next step on your professional path. Degree options include: n M.A. programs in Psychology and Public Policy n M.A.T. program for aspiring teachers n MBA online or on campus n M.Ed. and Ed.D. degrees in several specialized areas of study n M.S. in Counseling n Ph.D. in Community Psychology n And many more!
get started today nl.edu/rediscover 855.NLU.INFO (855.658.4636)
Vice President of Institutional Advancement john.bergholz@nl.edu
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College of Arts and Sciences
Fallon Brooks (left) and her father Vince Woods graduated together at the 2013 NLU Commencement on June 22 in Chicago.
FATHER, DAUGHTER WALK IN 2013 COMMENCEMENT By Mark Donahue
Commencement at NLU is a spe- cial time, as families look forward to seeing a student — a son, daughter, sister, brother or parent — walk across the stage and begin a new chapter in life. For one Chi- cago family this year, that excite- ment was double.
ter, Fallon Brooks, 29, both partici- pated in commencement on June 22 at the Arie Crown Theater. It marked the end of a journey that both have said helped them grow closer while preparing them for the future.
degree; she’s my child, twenty-nine, getting her master’s,” Vince said with a laugh, adding that he’s very proud of his daughter. The journey for each to NLU was a little different. Vince saw the impor- tance of pursuing a degree for job security and as a way to advance. He’d already gotten his associate’s
“I just think of the irony that I’m her dad, fifty-six, getting my bachelor’s
Vince Woods, 56, and his daugh-
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College of Arts and Sciences
“It was a lot of hard work, a lot of long nights, but we both really helped each other as best we could.” — Fallon Brooks ’13 M.Ed., Early Childhood Administration
degree in physical education from a city college and was working as an addiction counselor — a job he did full time while pursuing his Bachelor’s in Applied Behavioral Sciences at NLU. For Fallon, who works part time as a special educa- tion aide for high schoolers in the Chicago Public Schools system, she wished to sharpen her skill set beyond her bachelor’s studies with a Master’s in Ed- ucation in Early Childhood Administration. Both said they truly enjoyed their NLU experience. Fallon liked the support she received from faculty and staff, and Vince gained new perspective that has helped him in understanding and communicat- ing with his clients on the job. “One of the things that really made sense to me at my age is taking a look at your life and, say, some- thing you’ve been doing for the last forty years and see today you need to change it or take a different look at it,” he said. “That was really amazing.” As working adults, both father and daughter also ap- preciated how their programs gave them flexibility: a full-online cohort M.Ed. for Fallon and a 15-month intensive bachelor’s with Saturday classes for Vince. “Once I got in, it was just tailored to my life,” he said. Fallon began her NLU studies first in June 2011, with her father starting in January 2012 — and a new di- mension in their relationship emerged, as father and daughter became peers in academics. “We really just encouraged each other,” Fallon said. “It was a lot of hard work, a lot of long nights, but we both really helped each other as best we could. I think it kind of made us grow a lot closer, too.”
chance to connect even further with Fallon, who spent a period of time living out of state.
Now both are looking at the next step. Vince was able to turn his new bachelor’s into a promotion, as a men- tal health professional with Human Resources Devel- opment Institute in Chicago. Fallon plans to dive back into her work in CPS classrooms, setting her sights on becoming an early childhood education site manager. Ultimately she wants to own her own childcare center.
It’s much to be proud of, and a big group of family and friends were on hand to cheer Vince and Fallon.
CAS News & Notes Lauren Heidbrink, Ph.D.,CAS, published a law review article in the Spring 2013 issue of the American Bar Association’s Children’s Le- gal Rights Journal. Her article is titled “Crimi- nal Alien or Humanitarian Refugee?: The Social Agency of Migrant Youth.” She also served as an invited guest at the Law and Society Associ- ation’s Early Career Workshop in Boston, where senior scholars in the research fields of law and social sciences mentor young faculty. CAS Alumni In The News Diane Picciuolo, Human Services ’98, was re- cently featured in the book ‘Legendary Locals of Aurora’ for her work with the very successful Back to School Fair in Aurora, IL. David A. Cavanaugh, M.S. Written Commu- nication ’13, was recently featured in the Chi- cago Tribune’s “Passion Profiles.”
Vince, a father of three, agreed and said he’s had a
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College of Management and Business NLU ALUMNUS HAS COMPANY ON THE CUTTING EDGE By Brian Kush
National Louis University prides itself on being a school that provides access to education. Access to education, due to circumstances, can be tough for many people. In Scott Kartsounes’ case, it was being a working adult with a wife and two young children. National Louis University’s MBA program provided Scott the access to obtain his Master’s de- gree and move up in his company. Scott was recently promoted to Chief Technology Officer at Manufacturers’ News, Inc. Manufactur- ers’ News, Inc. is the nation’s largest compiler and publisher of industrial directories and databases.
able program, but also had a very good reputation for quality, and good faculty,” Scott said. “I liked that the program was fast paced and I was able to complete the program in under two years. In the end, I think it was good pick.” Scott was right. The MBA program at National Lou- is University allowed him to finish the program at his own pace while balancing his life at home. Scott was in the MBA program with eight other working professionals, and the small class size allowed the instructors to work closely with the cohort and give special attention if needed. After completing the MBA program at National Louis University, Scott was immediately promoted to Chief Technology Officer at Manufacturers’ News
Located in Evanston, Illinois, Man- ufactures’ News, Inc. dates back to 1912. Scott started at Manufacturers’ News, Inc. in 1999, right after he graduated from college, as part of the information technology department. Scott helped Man-
“I liked National Louis because it was very affordable, but
Scott Kartsounes
ufacturers’ News, Inc. develop new technologies to help customers access information in more ef- ficient ways. “Recently we launched an online subscription ser- vice where customers can get unlimited access to our database for an annual fee,” Scott said. “We also started a mobile app and an app for the tablet. It’s all about giving customers new ways, more con- venient ways, to access our information.” After working in IT for several years, as well as run- ning his own software company, Scott gained a lot of business experience, but he didn’t have the founda- tional experience in business. He decided to take his career to that next level, he needed an MBA. With several options in the Chicagoland area in terms of MBA programs, Scott did his research and found that National Louis University was the best fit for him and his busy life.
also had a very good reputation for quality.”
— Scott Kartsounes ’13 Chief Technology Officer, Manufacturers’ News Inc.
Inc. National Louis University made it possible for Scott to take the next step in his career. Scott is now focused on the future of Manufacturers’ News, Inc. and moving them forward in a rapidly-changing environment. Part of the changing environment is the customer becoming accustomed to paying one monthly fee for unlimited services. We see this with companies like Netflix and Pandora. With that in mind, Scott has developed a new service called “Easy Select.” It’s a new subscription service that looks to shift Manufacturers’ News, Inc. from the traditional one- time sale to reoccurring revenue. Subscribers to Manufacturers’ News, Inc. can now access all the
“I liked National Louis because it was a very afford-
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College of Management and Business
CMB News & Notes Deb New, MBA, Academic Project Manager, Provost Office, was the guest presenter for Methodology Madness: Completing Your Projects While Saving Your Sanity. New pre- sented with Lou Russell, president and CEO of L+EARN and Russell Martin of NLU’s program redesign pilot project. This strategic project saw the creation and implementation of a rap- id redesign process for three academic pro- grams using the ADDIE design methodology (Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate). CMB Alumni In The News A. Marcin Binczyk ’97, Business Administra- tion, was named the general manager of sup- ply chain design and engineering of the Steel segment for The Timken Company. Marcin joined Timken in 1997 as an analyst in Canton, OH. He had previously held management po- sitions in global replenishment, order fulfill- ment, and supply chain. Marcin also held the role of deputy general manager of the Tim- ken plant in Sosnowiec, Poland. Diana Lawrence, M.S. Management , was pro- moted to the position of Dean of Academic Af- fairs for the Digital Media and Arts College in Boca Raton, FL. Diana previously held positions as an academic dean and as a vice president at multiple locations for Education Management Corp. and with ITT Technical Institute as a teach- er, associate dean, and academic dean. Michael Cobb, M.S. Management ’98 , has accepted the position of executive director for Hesed House in Aurora, IL. Hesed House is a not-for-profit organization that provides ser- vices for the homeless.
Scott Kartsounes took part in the NLU Chicago commencement on June 22.
information they need for a monthly fee.
“It’s a proud achievement for me because I think that’s the way that the future is headed,” Scott said.
National Louis University is a place that helps students achieve their career goals. Scott advanced his career at Manufacturers’ News, Inc. thanks to the access pro- vided by National Louis University. Scott can now make the necessary decisions to move his company forward.
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National College of Education
An educator for over 55 years, Mrs. Rose Johnson has had her heart in Chicagoland schools for most of her lifetime. From her first job at southside Chi- cago school, Carver Primary School, to her current Evanston home, Mrs. Johnson has spent a lifetime devoted to meeting children’s needs today in order to get them ready to face the world tomorrow. Mrs. Johnson’s family impressed upon her from a young age the importance of education. Coming from a family of teachers and with both of her par- ents having attended college for some amount of time, Mrs. Johnson said she learned that “It doesn’t matter where you are in life - education is key.” “It was kind of implanted without anyone saying any- thing that this is what you want to do,” Mrs. Johnson explained. Especially influential were her visits when NATIONAL LOUIS ALUMNA HAS DEDICATED HER LIFE TO THE CLASSROOM By Kaitlin Weiss
she was just six years old to Florida A&M College.
“You want to be like these young women in the dor- mitory doing all of these fun things. It was kind of a seed that had been planted there,” Mrs. Johnson said. It’s this same seed that she has spent her career planting in the youth whom she has taught. Mrs. Johnson’s career in education has spanned the last half century. She has served on school boards: the board of trustees of Spelman College and the board of the Warren “Billy” Cherry Scholarship. She has been both a Chicago Public School and Evan- ston Public School teacher, as well as a reading spe- cialist, and more. Her students can clearly see her legacy of powerful work being done in the Chicago- land area and beyond. “It was a lesson I learned that I think I have imparted to most of the children with whom I came in contact– that is if Mrs. Johnson can do it, if she went to this place and that place – then they know they can do it to or at least that there are possibilities.”
To begin her on the path for success, Mrs. Johnson
Rose Johnson ’79 dedicated over 55 years of her life to teaching children.
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National College of Education
attended Spelman College in Atlanta on scholar- ship for her undergraduate degree. “I spent four good years there, graduated in four years. It’s been a good ride ever since,” Mrs. Johnson said. She returned to Chicago from Atlanta to teach, mar- ried, and had two children. As she and her husband decided a move to Evanston was best for their fam- ily, she turned to the National College of Education at National Louis to gain the ability to work in Evan- “The best advice I can give is to treat each child as if he or she is your own. Sometimes you have to cut through the anger and the facades that children put up, the protective things, and get to the core of the child.” — Rose Johnson ’79 Retired Teacher ston schools. Working as a reading teacher and tak- ing care of two daughters, Mrs. Johnson attended classes at night after her husband returned home from his career. Mrs. Johnson graduated from NLU as her oldest was graduating high school and her youngest was graduating from middle school. Most of Mrs. Johnson’s childhood was spent in Chicago when schools were still segregated. She was inspired by “beautiful, caring [African-Ameri- can] teachers, who by their example showed what teachers could be.” This was ultimately her goal in her classroom. She wanted to set an example for her students by provid- ing them the ability to see possibilities, and by giving them creative tools to access their dreams. “The best advice I can give is to treat each child as if he or she is your own. Sometimes you have to cut through the anger and the facades that children put up, the protective things, and get to the core of the child. Look at them as if they are yours,” Mrs. Johnson said.
NCE News & Notes Edna Bazik, Ph.D., NCE , served as guest speak- er and presented a session to mathematics edu- cation leaders from throughout the nation at the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) Conference that was held in Denver. Dr. Bazik’s presentation was titled: Using Common Core State Standards in the Math Classroom by Engaging Students through Mathematics Prob- lem Solving Activities and Tasks. NCE Alumni In The News Virginia M. Jagla, Ph.D., NCE , co-edited the book “Transforming Teacher Education through Service-Learning.” This book is part of the volume “Advances in Service-Learn- ing Research,” in which she is the senior ed- itor. The book includes the chapter, “Critical Discourse Analysis of Service-Learning Per- spectives and Models: Transforming Teacher Education” co-authored by fellow NCE facul- ty members Antonia Lukenchuk, Ed.D. and Todd Price, Ph.D. Kellie Manning ’01, was named the principal and curriculum director for Fall River School in Wisconsin.
Lynn Westerlund ’95, M.Ed., is the new prin- cipal for Parker Junior High School, District 161.
Stephen Cummins ’12, Ed.D., was named the new director of public events for Chico State University in California. Scott Wuggazer ’03, M.A.T., has been pro- moted to assistant superintendent for special services for District 99. Jessica Hutchison ’04, M.Ed., accepted a promotion to assistant principal at Washington School in Park Ridge, IL.
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SUPPORT AND GROW NATIONAL LOUIS UNIVERSITY’S ANNUAL FUND
“ I give to National Louis because there is no way that I could possibly pay back National College of Education for the wonderful life I live.
— Margaret Lindman B.A. Education ’50
The NLU Annual Fund provides for financial aid resources, improves academic programs, upgrades technology in labs and classrooms, retains outstanding faculty members and enhances campus life. For information on how to give to NLU, please visit www.nl.edu/giving FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GIVING PROCESS, PLEASE CONTACT KAITLIN WEISS AT 312.261.3913
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