College of Lake County

AlumNewsPUBLISHED FOR GRADUATES OF THE COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY WINTER 2012

Sporting Excellence at CLC:

Former Basketball Pro Returns to Give Back

Standout Women: Then & Now

Women's Soccer Team Excels

CLC: Conference Dominators

2 | COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

AlumNews is published three times a year by the College of Lake County’s Officeof Alumni Relations and Special Events.

Director of Alumni Relations and Special Events JULIE SHROKA

Administrative Secretary DORAE BLOCK

To submit story ideas, email Dave Fink, AlumNews editor, at dfink@clcillinois.edu

or call him at (847) 543-2243.

Address change? Call (847) 543-2400.Share memories, ideas and

comments at the CLC alumni website, at www.clcroundtable.org.

To Our Readers:From basketball to baseball, soccer

to tennis, sports are an important part of the CLC college experience, and manyalumni fondly remember their time attendinggames or wearing the Lancer uniform.

That’s why this issue of AlumNewsfocuses on athletics at CLC and how sportshave contributed to the later success ofalumni. For many, playing for CLC meant a way to help pay for school. But it was also a learning and character-building experience, teaching life skills and forginglasting friendships. And, as you will read in the stories to follow, for some it even led to careers in athletics.

We hope you enjoy the stories in thisissue. Send us your feedback on our alumniwebsite at www.clcroundtable.org.

Julie ShrokaDirector of Alumni Relations and Special Events

ContentsFEATURES

3 ‘Hand of Gold,’ Heart of GoldAdept at shooting three-pointers, Jose Garcia starred on the Lancer basketball teamfrom 2004 to 2006 and played two seasons in Mexico’s top professional league. Nolonger a pro player, he has parlayed his longtime basketball passion into a positiveforce to help young people.

5 Women’s Place: Definitely on the Playing FieldThe year 2012 celebrates the 40th anniversary of “Title IX,” the federal law thatled to expanded opportunities for women in college sports. Read how CLC sportstaught four former Lancer athletes valuable lessons leading to career success.

8 Today’s CLC ChampionsThe 2011 women’s soccer team posted a 17-3-1 record, winning it’s sixth SkywayConference Championship and the first since 2006. Find out how the team jelledon and off the field.

10 A Tradition of ExcellenceThroughout its 40-year history, CLC has been an athletic powerhouse. Find out at aglance how the men’s and women’s teams have dominated the Skyway Conference.

14 Foundation Update: A Scholarship Is the Name of the GameEach year, the CLC Foundation funds scholarships in memory of Keith Ryan, a

long-time Lake County sportscaster.

DEPARTMENTS

13 Class Notes

15 News Roundup

16 Upcoming Events

Cover: Jose Garcia, who starred for the Lancers in 2004-06 and played professional basketball in Mexico,has returned home. He now is assistant coach of the Lancer men’s team and mentors at-risk youth inKenosha County, Wis.

AlumNews

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COVER STORY

‘Hand of Gold,’ Heart of GoldFormer Lancers star and pro player returns as coach, youth mentor.

important thing to me. I help them with school-work and anger management, intervening ifthey have flare-ups. If they don’t learn copingskills here, they’ll wind up in either another (juvenile) center or in prison. When you’rehelping young people and seeing them grow and improve, you feel like you’re part of their journey.”

Garcia’s own journey inspired his drive tohelp young people. “In the neighborhood whereI grew up, there was lots of gang activity anddrug dealing,” explained Garcia, the youngestof five children. “There was fighting all the timein the middle of the street, and I once witnessed

A fter helping lead the College of LakeCounty men’s basketball team to athird-place finish in the 2006 National

Junior College Athletic Association finals, Jose Garcia played two seasons in Mexico’s top professional league. His ability to sink criticalthree-pointers prompted a TV announcer to give Garcia the nickname “Mano de Oro (Hand of Gold).”

Garcia no longer displays his golden touch as a professional basketball player.Rather, these days he’s returned to the KenoshaCounty, Wisc., area where he grew up and is focused on lending a helping hand to youngpeople as a teacher’s assistant and mentalhealth specialist at the Allendale Foundation’sBenet Lake, Wis. facility. There, his job is helping teenage boys cope with issues rangingfrom anger to bipolar depression.

Garcia, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Dominican University in 2010, admitted that he could beearning much more money in the businessworld. But he considers helping at-risk youth to be a higher calling.

“I love working with kids,” he said. “Making a difference in their lives is the most

a drive-by shooting in which my cousin almostgot shot.”

Encouraged by his mother to find healthyoutlets, Garcia took up basketball in third grade and became enamored with the sport.“There was a basketball park located near myneighborhood, and our next-door neighborshad a hoop,” he recalled. “I ate, drank and slept basketball. After school, I’d play until dark. I also played in Boys and Girls Club programs.”

Garcia’s dedication paid off, as he was offered a scholarship to play for St. JosephCatholic Academy in Kenosha, where he played

“When you’re helping

young people and seeing

them grow and improve,

you feel like you’re part

of their journey.”

—Jose Garcia

continued on page 4

Jose Garcia, playing for Loros de Colima in Mexico’s professional league, drives thelane in a 2008 game.

4 | COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

COVER STORY

on a varsity team that went to the Wisconsinstate high-school tournament in his sophomoreand senior years.

Hearing that CLC was a strong school academically, Garcia enrolled and joined theLancers in 2004. As a shooting guard, he helped the team to a record of 13 wins and fourlosses. In his sophomore year, Garcia was theonly returning player, leading the team to 27 wins—best in team history—en route to the NJCAA finals.

Garcia was reliable and easy to coach, recalled Jason Black, an assistant coach during Garcia’s years. “We were a little worriedabout his speed in the beginning,” Black explained. “However, Jose listened well, workedhard and adapted. He became a crafty playerwho found ways to create space to get his shotoff. He came on as our main shooter. We couldalways rely on Jose to hit that big three-pointerwhen we needed it to build momentum at anypoint in time during a game.

“In the 2005-06 season, Jose hit big shots all the time for us. He helped us spread the floor and make it a nightmare for defenses to guard us. That was the key factor to our 27-win season.”

Garcia credited the coaching and athleticstaff for creating a winning atmosphere. “I gained more confidence by being a part of the basketball team at CLC,” said the 6'1"Garcia. “The head coach, Shawn Chism, wasvery motivational. He set up a study table in the locker room and organized study groupswhere we’d help each other. We also had team-bonding activities, such as going as a group to see uplifting sports movies like ‘Glory Road.’And Chad Good (athletic director) was alwaysat practice. If we needed someone to talk to, he was there. The team chemistry was great. We all became friends, and I still stay in touchwith many of the guys.”

Through a contact he met at the NJCAAtournament, Garcia received an offer to play

‘Hand of Gold’, Heart of Goldcontinued from page 3

Former CLC star Jose Garcia, center, brings pro playing experience to coaching.

professionally in Mexico. He joined Halcones UV de Xalapa for the 2006-07 season, played the following season for Loros de Colima andtasted a little fame along the way. “When I’d go to a shopping mall, people would ask me for my autograph,” he modestly recalled.

Returning to Kenosha in 2009 to be with his fiancée and daughter, and to begin his studiesat Dominican, Garcia decided to give back to his community. For two years, he volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club of Kenosha, runningafter-school basketball and educational programsfor children ages nine to 14. “I organized seminars and brought in guest speakers on anger management, underage drinking and how to be a team leader,” he said. “I didn’t let the kids play basketball until they attendedthe day’s seminar.”

Last summer, he joined Allendale Foundationand in the fall, he returned to CLC, this time as an assistant coach. “What’s nice is that Josehas been through the program recently and hasa lot in common with the players,” said HeadCoach Joe Paul.

The players also appreciate his recent college and pro experience, but they respect his no-nonsense approach, too. “If he doesn’tthink you’re working hard (in practice), hemakes you run laps,” noted Layne Gierke, a 6'0" freshman guard from Highland Park.

Garcia said he would like to eventually earn a master’s degree in sports administration,become head coach of a college team andlaunch a non-profit organization mentoringyouth through basketball.

Wherever Garcia’s path leads, young lives stand to benefit from the helping “Hand of Gold,” whose victories reach beyond the basketball court. “At the end of the day, you liveyour life to be happy,” he explained. “I can gohome, lay my head down and feel positive thatI’ve made a difference in someone’s life.”

ALUMNEWS | 5

COLLEGE FOCUS

For Women, like Men, Success Starts on the Playing Field

throw with no time left on the clock. Brooks’spontaneous gesture boosted the confidence ofher teammate, who then sank both shots in a74-73 win.

“DeLys was just a great all-around playerand had great quickness for being that height,”recalled Chuck Schramm, who was headcoach for the women’s basketball team, whichwon Skyway Conference championships in 1979and 1980. “She encouraged everybody, andnever had a bad word to say. All the girls lookedup to her.”

Brooks loved the friendships she made participating in competitive athletics at CLC.Growing up in a Navy family, she moved arounda lot, living in three states before moving to

I f you peruse old CLC yearbooks or early issues of the Cornfield Chronicle (the original name of the college’s student

newspaper), it’s obvious that men’s intercollegiateathletics were a big part of student life going all the way back to the college’s opening day in 1969. But it would be seven more years untilwomen would suit up in Lancer uniforms andplay intercollegiate athletics.

CLC was like most colleges and universitiesat the time, which didn’t offer many sports for women. However, all that changed with the passage of Title IX in 1972, which affordedwomen many more opportunities to participatein competitive intercollegiate athletics.

In 1976, CLC launched intercollegiatewomen’s teams in volleyball, basketball andsoftball, and other sports followed. Since then,four decades of female athletes have reaped the same benefits that the men have enjoyed:scholarships, camaraderie, heart-poundingfun—and the chance to learn life skills thatwould carry them into successful careers.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Title IX, AlumNews caught up with formerCLC women athletes DeLys Brooks, Erika Offerdahl, Becky Kirby Dziekan and Jessica Gutierrez, whose athletic successesproved to be an excellent training ground fortheir future achievements, both on and off the field of play.

The ‘nice’ competitorDuring a tense moment in a 1980 basket-

ball playoff game, 6'3" center DeLys Brooksjumped off the bench to encourage a nervousteammate who was shooting a one-and-one free

Waukegan, and she found making friends couldbe difficult. “When you play sports, it’s a greatway to meet people,” she said. “Your teammatesbecome your friends.”

At CLC she also overcame feeling awkwardabout her height. “Growing up, being tall wasdifficult,” she recalled. “But seeing other playersas tall as me made me appreciate my height.”

Brooks received a scholarship to PurdueUniversity, where she played in the 1981-82 season and still ranks second in the Boilermakers’all-time field goal percentage (61.8) and thirdin most blocked shots in one game (7). After injuring her knee and changing majors, Brooksleft Purdue after two years. She later moved toSouthern California and earned a phlebotomy

Left: DeLys Brooks now works in a research lab. Right: A 1980 magazine covershowed Brooks (right) and pro player Retha Swindell.

continued on page 6

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COLLEGE FOCUS

certificate. Today, she works as a lab technicianat the University of California-San Diego’s Antiviral Research Center, where she assists doctors who are researching hepatitis and a potential cure for HIV.

Working in health care may not provide the thrill ride of competitive sports, but helpingothers is a lesson Brooks also learned on thebasketball court.“You learn to be competitive,but in a nice way,” she said. “Playing sports alsoteaches you to work with others— and thinkabout others before yourself.”

Entrée to the sports worldAn All-American member of the tennis team

that won Skyway Conference titles in 1996 and’97, Erika Offerdahl today has a career thatgives her the opportunity to meet internationaltennis stars like Roger Federer and Venus andSerena Williams. As promotions manager forracquet sports at Wilson Sporting Goods, basedin Chicago, Offerdahl travels around the

country to work at the grassroots level, promot-ing tennis and Wilson products among youth.

Offerdal was part of the ‘97 team thatposted a 24-0 record and earned a number 2ranking for Division II junior colleges. Offerdahl earned All-American status with doubles partner Julia Sapozhnikova.

“Erika was adept at moving into net afterhitting powerful serve or forehand, putting away a volley or making her opponent commit errors,” recalled Richard Watson, her head coach.

In her two seasons, Offerdahl’s record was54 wins and three losses. She later played forWestern Illinois University, where she graduatedwith a bachelor’s degree in communicationsand broadcasting.

Her career at Wilson has been boosted byboth her education and her experience playingcompetitive tennis at CLC, where her coaches,Richard Watson and his father, Dick Watson,helped build her self-confidence.

“They were very encouraging and very good mentors, both in academics and in life. As an athlete, when a coach believes in you,that’s huge.”

Now a member of the Wilson team, Offerdahl still draws on the lessons she learnedon the tennis court at CLC. “You push yourteammates to do their best, encouraging themwhen they’re down and celebrating wins as ateam,” she said. “It translates into yourcurrent job.”

“Working for Wilson has been fantastic,”she said. “I’m really passionate about juniortennis, so I’ve been able to follow my dreamwhile continuing to learn the business side of racquet sports.”

From player to coach“You hear about players with heart. That

kid had it in bundles,” said soccer coach Dave Beck about Becky Kirby Dziekan, a defender and goalkeeper whom he coachedduring the team’s 1997 and 1998 seasons.

“She communicated with other players and made everyone around her improve theirperformance,” he said.

Beck named the “kid” as a player/assistantcoach in 1999. Together, they coached the teamto Skyway Conference championships in 2000,2001 and 2002.

The experience proved a good trainingground for Dziekan, who today is assistant athletic director at Zion-Benton Township High School.

“I wasn’t planning to go on and playcompetitive, intercollegiate soccer,” she said.“When Dave offered me the job of assistantcoach, it was the perfect opportunity to transition to coaching and the administrativeend of sports,” she said. “Dave and I workedwell together. He supported me in my coachingdecisions and pushed me to be as good as Icould be.”

Erika Offerdahl (center) joined tennis star Roger Federer (wearing cap) and Wilsonsales staff at the 2009 Sony Ericsson Tennis Tournament in Florida.

Women’s Place: Definitely on the Playing Fieldcontinued from page 5

ALUMNEWS | 7

COLLEGE FOCUS

Dziekan graduated from University of Wisconsin-Parkside in 2003 with a bachelor’sdegree in sports management. She earned amaster’s degree in educational administrationfrom Dominican University in 2008 and a master’s in athletic administration from Ohio University in 2009.

At Zion-Benton Township High School in Lake County, she handles the myriad logisticsand scheduling for 23 varsity sports teams, coping with everything from spring rainouts to rescheduling games, and she also mentorsstudent athletes on leadership, sportsmanship and character.

Playing on a team of rivalsAt one of her first practices as a Lancer

basketball player in 1999, Jessica Gutierrezgot an earful from one of her new team mates,who came up to her and said, “We used to hateyou. We used to call you the garbage picker because you would get every rebound.”

The team mate was talking about the dayswhen the Lancer players all competed for different high schools. Gutierrez, a MundeleinHigh School graduate, played power forward at CLC from 1999-2001. “It was a great opportunity to become a team with other playerswho once were my high school rivals,” she said.

Head Coach Bill Braman said Gutierrezexcelled in rebounding and shooting and was a “well-rounded, true team player.” “She was personable and had a fantastic attitude,” he said.

Gutierrez graduated from Illinois College in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and

is now a lab supervisor at Hospira, Inc., a LakeForest-based pharmaceutical and medicationdelivery company, where she began workingeight years ago as a lab technician. The first inher family to attend college, Gutierrez said herbasketball experience was great preparation for the work world. “I supervise a staff of 12 people, some of whom are much older than I am and have been with the company fordecades,” she said. “You have to gain others’ respect. When you play competitive sports, youlearn sportsmanship and how to work with others one-on-on and in groups.”

Becky Dziekan now enjoys mentoringhigh school students.

Jessica Gutierrez in 2001.

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COLLEGE FOCUS

Today’s CLC ChampionsThrough more than four decades, CLC sports teams have won an impressive 123 Skyway Conference

championships. The 2011 Lancer women’s soccer team is the latest to bring home the hardware.

Some sports teams unravel after a crushing, early-season defeat, whileother teams jell into a winner.

The latter was the case last fall with the CLC women’s soccer team. At an invitationaltournament in Minnesota in early September,the Lancers suffered a 5-0, non-conferencethrashing to Illinois Central College. But theteam quickly regrouped, then rebounded withan eight-game winning streak en route to a 17-3-1 record, culminating with winning its sixth Skyway Conference championship (the first since 2006).

The winning streak included a 7-0 drubbingof Morton College and a 11-0 dismantling ofPrairie State College. But the most memorablematch, according to head coach Saverio

Traversa and two tri-captains, was the Sept. 14victory over archrival Waubonsee CommunityCollege. “They were undefeated and the team to beat,” he explained. “We came back from a 1-0 score at half, to beat them 2-1.”

“The girls deserve the credit,” said Traversa,who coached his “phenomenal” third season.“When the season starts, it’s always a challengefor a coach to have 16 or17 individuals with different playing styles, skill levels, playing experience and to bring the variables together.”

To mold the team, Traversa emphasizedbonding activities on and off the field. Ratherthan practicing with the full 11 players per side, he had the team scrimmage in groups of four vs. four or five vs. five to instill a sense of team play.

Left to right: Tina Mitropoulos, Cassie Schambari and Ashley Chernich helped theCLC women's soccer team bond as they won their first conference title since 2006.

During the season, he stressed possessionsoccer. “If we keep possession of the ball andplay keep-away, it makes the other team run,”said Traversa. “They get tired, and it lets usbuild up play and create scoring opportunities.”

Off the field, he encouraged team bondingactivities ranging from a cookout to playingcharades. The idea worked, said the players.

“This year, it was easier to bond together asa team,” said Tina Mitropoulos, a sophomoredefender and tri-captain. “Outside of soccer, we had fun at the cookout and parties. And wecreated a team Facebook page, where we sharedinspirational quotes and videos with each other.”

Mitropoulos, a pre-pharmacy major andLake Zurich resident, credited Traversa forbringing out the best in the players. She alsoconsiders soccer to be a “huge stress reliever”from her hectic academic schedule.

Cassie Schambari, a freshman defender/midfielder and tri-captain, agrees that playingsoccer pays dividends off the field.

“Soccer taught me to be a leader, to talk to people and to be motivated,” said the Libertyville High School grad. “As tri-captain, I tried to positively encourage the other players.If a teammate did something that’s incorrect, I showed them how to do it correctly rather than tell them. When they do something right,I’d tell them it’s awesome.”

The players set an ambitious goal of reachingthe national championship tournament inFlorida, but a 3-0 regional playoff loss toWaubonsee on Oct. 31 cut short the Lancers’successful run. “We’re proud to have won theSkyway conference,” said Mitropoulos, keepingwith the team’s focus on the positive.

ALUMNEWS | 9

COLLEGE FOCUS

CLC defender Tina Mitropoulos, right, battles an ElginCommunity College player for the ball in a 2011 gameplayed at the Grayslake campus.

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COLLEGE FOCUS

Since the Skyway Community College Conference was founded in1970, the College of Lake County has been a powerhouse in manysports. Below is a chart listing the current conference members and

the total number of championships won by each.

Baseball/Men’s—18Basketball/Men’s—4

Basketball/Women’s—4Cross-Country/Men’s—9

Cross-Country/Women’s—1Golf/Men’s—20

Soccer/Men’s—7 Soccer/Women’s—6

Softball/Women’s—17 Tennis/Men’s—13

Tennis/Women’s—10 Volleyball/Women’s—10

Wrestling/Men’s—4

A Tradition of Sporting ExcellenceCollege of Champions: Lancers reign as four-decade powerhouse of Skyway Conference

College of Lake County—123

Waubonsee—61

Elgin—48

Oakton—33

McHenry—33

Moraine Valley—24

Morton—14

Prairie State—0

In six of the last eight years, at least one Lancer athlete has won the Dick Durrant award, named after a respected teacher, coach andathletic director at Elgin Community College from 1961 to 1985. The

Skyway Conference gives the award each year to a full-time student athletewho has completed at least 48 credit hours with a GPA of 3.0 or better.

Academic Excellence: CLC athletes who have won the Dick Durrant Award

Pick a sport: Lancer teams have brought home trophies

SOURCE: WWW.SKYWAYCONFERENCE.COM

2010-11 Caroline Mrowiec, women’s basketball

2009-10 Colin Drayton, men’s golf; Katie Ostrander, women’s basketball

2008-09 Arturo Rosiles, men’s soccer; Kelli Goodwin, women’s basketball

2006-07 Kacie Sheridan, women’s soccer

2004-05 Sara Carlson, women’s soccer

ALUMNEWS | 1 1

CLASS NOTES

Alumni NewsHoward Quednau (’79) is acting chair of fine arts and associate professor at theMinneapolis College of Art and Design.

David Schiefelbein (’83) spent more thantwo decades as a newspaper journalist, including 19 at Missouri's Lake of the Ozarksregion. He is presently working on a histori-cal fiction novel centered around the NewMadrid, Mo.-area earthquakes of 1811-12.

Darrell Woodard (’88) is an assistant princi-pal at McNeel Middle School in Beloit, Wis.

Nancy Winter (’98) is a customer servicerepresentative at Underwriters LaboratoriesInc. in Northbrook, Ill. In November 2011,she received the Community Volunteer ofthe Year award sponsored by the BuffaloGrove Area Chamber of Commerce and Buffalo Grove Bank & Trust.

Dawn Desjardins (’99) is a Libertyville-based author and illustrator of children’sbooks. Her latest works include “Leopold’sBirthday,” which explains the concept ofleap year, and “The Autumn Marathon,” a personification of fallen leaves.

Clay Erickson (’07), is an executive chef for Morrison (a food-service provider) worksat the Weinberg Community for Senior Living in Deerfield, Ill.

Joshua Smith (’10) is the owner of TotalBalance Massage & Wellness in Gurnee, Ill.

Carolyn Cerf (’11) is a compliance specialistfor Walgreen Co. in Deerfield, Ill.

What have you been doing lately?Let your fellow alumni know! Post your submissions online at www.clcaa.com. Look for the message board that corre-sponds with your graduation decade. Selected entries also will be published in the AlumNews.

CLC’s first athletic director, Gene Hanson, coached the baseball team for more than 30 years before retiring

in 2004. During his legendary career as coach,Hanson posted a record of 964 wins, 383 losses,16 Skyway Conference championships and twoNational Junior College Athletic Association Region IV state titles.

Among the athletes he coached were 35 players who signed professionally, includingEddie Sedar, the current third-base coach of the Milwaukee Brewers. In 1996, Hanson wasinducted into the Illinois Athletic Hall of Fame.Two years later, the baseball field at the college’sGrayslake campus was named after him. Hanson now lives in Florida.

Gene Hanson: Lancer excellence personified

Did You Know?

All Lancer games are free of chargeto alumni and the public. Schedulesof the sports are available atwww.clcillinois.edu/athletics. Thecollege and our athletes welcomeyour fan support!

Among the athletes

he coached were 35 players

who signed professionally,

including Eddie Sedar, the

current third-base coach

of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Faculty supporting Changing Lives include

(clockwise from top)Pat Gonder (English/Humanities)Martin Ley (English/Writing) Scott Reed (Mathematics)Teresa Aguinaldo (English)Lauren LoPresti (Administrative Office Systems)Tracey Hoy (Mathematics)Margie Porter (Mechanical Engineering)

(center)Wendy Brown (Anthropology)

COLLEGE FOUNDATION

Join Us in Supporting Changing Lives, the CLC Foundation’sCampaign for Scholarships

“The Foundation scholarships take off theburden so you have time to focus on what’s

really important—your education.”

Pablo AstudilloHonors Scholarship Recipient,

Majoring in Accounting

“I really appreciate the Foundationscholarship I received. There are a lot of expenses with going to school, and with

a large family, I cannot work at the same time that I am doing

this rigorous program.”

Charlene BiondoAcademic Achievement Scholarship Recipient,

Nursing student and mother of six adopted children

“I’m the first in my family to go to college.It’s important for me to be able to have a career to provide for my family and

be a positive role model.

If you asked me why donations to the scholarship campaign are important,

I’d say, it’s important for students to have a hand up and not a hand out.”

VerDéna L. Jones-Davis Career Scholarship Recipient

ALUMNEWS | 13

To learn more about Changing Livesand to make a donation, visit

www.clcillinois.edu/changinglives.

A s a CLC alum, you know first-hand that the College of LakeCounty offers a great education that literally has the power tochange lives. But did you know that, despite CLC’s efforts to keep

tuition affordable, many students struggle to afford the educational opportunities offered by the college?

Each year, the CLC Foundation awards scholarships to help these students.(Last year, the Foundation awarded over $500,000 in student scholarships.)And, because the need is so great, the Foundation is working to do evenmore, conducting the Changing Lives campaign for scholarships.

We are supporting the campaign and urge you to join us by making a donation. A gift of any size can make a difference and will be greatly appreciated!

14 | COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

COLLEGE FOUNDATION

it easier for him to attain his dream of becominga sportscaster.

“I’ve loved watching ESPN as much asplaying sports,” said Bennette, a 2010 graduateof Grant High School, where he played baseballand was sports editor of the school’s studentnewspaper. “I love interviewing players and coaches,digging deep, finding out facts and writing.”

After earning his bachelor’s degree, the journalism major and Round Lake Beach resident would like to become a sports writerand eventually have his own radio show.

Chapman, a pre-med major and center for the women’s basketball team, said that thescholarship is helping finance her path to a bachelor’s degree and ultimately medicalschool. “I honestly love to help people,” she explained. “Helping people medically is the best way I can help someone.”

For CLC students Bret Bennette, HeatherChapman and Alex Morgunov,competition means more than winning

in competitive sports. All three have won a CLC Foundation-funded Keith Ryan Memorialscholarship.

Three $1,000 scholarships are awarded annually to a male and female sophomorestudent athlete and a student pursuing a careerin either print or broadcast communications.Recipients must attain at least a 2.0 GPA. An annual banquet funds the scholarship, namedafter the late Keith Ryan, a sportscaster who spentnearly 25 years promoting Lake County sportsuntil dying of cancer. The scholarship programwas created in 1988 by the CLC Foundation.

Bennette, editor-in-chief of The Chroniclestudent newspaper, said it “feels good to be ap-preciated” for his efforts. The scholarship makes

Foundation Update: A Scholarship Isthe Name of the Game

Having played basketball since she was little,Chapman said the sport “de-stresses” her. “It alsomakes me be a better teammate, and it helps mework hard for what I want, manage time and becompetitive,” said the Ingleside resident. “And it’sfun to be with teammates, striving for one goal.”

Basketball also has broadened the horizonsof Morgunov, a California native and 6'9" center on the CLC men’s team. Home-schooledin Sacramento, Morgunov played basketball ina private school league. At a national tournamentin Missouri, he met Lake Villa resident KatieOstrander (’11) and moved to Lake Villa in2010. The couple will get married this summer.

Though Morgunov, a sociology major,hopes to continue playing for a Division I or IIschool, he said the scholarship will help himachieve his eventual goal of becoming a probation or parole officer.

“Growing up in a rough neighborhood, I didn’t have the best childhood,” he explained.“When I was nine, my dad left the family, and I had to step up and be the man of the house.We never had a lot of money. If I can go fromthat to school, averaging A’s and B’s, succeedingon the basketball court and in life, I can relateto kids and influence them by example.”

Solid GPAs mean scholarships for athletes Heather Chapman and Alex Morgunov.

Bret Bennette, right, and John Kupetz,journalism instructor.

ALUMNEWS | 15

NEWS ROUNDUP

Foundation Scholarship Gala raises $125K

The annual CLC Foundation Scholarship Gala, held Oct. 29 at the Hotel InterContinental on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, raised more than $125,000for the Foundation’s scholarship fund.

Three hundred guests bid on 200 silent auction items, eight live auctionitems, enjoyed a black-tie dinner and danced to the music of The Ron Harris Band. “We are very thankful for the support and generosity of the Lake County community and our corporate sponsors,” said JulieShroka, director of alumni relations and special events.

New evening seminar offer tips in project management and more

CLC’s 2012 Alumni Professional Seminar Series features three free workshops on presentation skills (March 28), project management (April 25) and leadership (May 23). Each will be offered from 6-8 p.m. in Room V336 at the Southlake Campus in Vernon Hills.

For more information, visit www.clcroundtable.org or call the Alumni Association office at (847) 543-2401.

Alumni savor lunch, holiday lights in Chicago

More than 30 CLC alumni and friends boarded a chartered bus Dec. 4 to celebrate the holiday season in Chicago. After enjoying lunch atLawry’s – The Prime Rib restaurant, they shopped the Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza and later viewed holiday lights at Navy Pier. Left to right:Sue Dinardi (’75); Nancy Winter (’98); Julie Shroka, director of alumnirelations and special events; Ed Oilschlager (’89) and Dee Oilschlager.

Alumni board seeking a former Lancer athlete

The CLC Alumni Association Board is seeking an alumnus who participated in Lancer athletics as a CLC student to serve on the board. If you are interested, please email the Association at alum@clcillinois.edu.

Association seeking student mentors

Interested in helping current CLC students on their career paths? The Alumni Association is seeking CLC graduates who willing to mentor students/student clubs, offer classroom presentations and participate on career panels. Out-of-state alumnican help through email. Interested? Visit www.collegecentral.com/clcillinois and click on the ’Alumni’ graphic. On the nextpage, click the ’Mentoring Network’ link. Then click the ’Join’ link; password is cps.

Enjoy 24/7, online contact with fellow alumni

Stay in touch with fellow alumni online. On Facebook, find the page by entering CLC Alumni Association in the search field.Don’t forget to “like” us! Also, visit the Alumni Association’s website at www.clcaa.com.

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AlumNewsCollege of Lake County19351 West Washington StreetGrayslake, IL 60030-1198

www.clcillinois.edu

UPCOMING EVENTS

Joan Legat Memorial Golf OutingFriday, May 18Glen Flora Country Club, Waukegan

Enjoy a fun-filled day of friendly competition

while you help deserving CLC students reach

their educational goals. The event benefits

the CLC Foundation Scholarship Fund. For

more information, please visit www.clcround-

table.org/golf2012.

Alumni Family Day at Six FlagsGreat AmericaSunday, June 17

Defy gravity on X-Flight, the ground-breaking

wing coaster that is scheduled to open at

Great America this summer! X-Flight is the

first coaster with no track above or below

you. Soar at speeds of 55 mph through 3,000

feet of intense drops and five inversions,

including a barrel roll and zero-g roll.

Avoid parking hassles; A chartered bus will

leave the Grayslake campus at 10:30 a.m. and

return at 6 p.m. The special group admission

price for this day is only $30 per person. To

reserve tickets, visit www.clcroundtable.org

or call the Alumni Center at (847) 543-2400.

Cubs vs. Brewers at Miller Park Monday, Aug. 20

Watch these rivals battle in Milwaukee’s

Miller Park. The bus will depart from the

Grayslake campus at 5 p.m. and the game

begins at 7 p.m. Cost is $35 per ticket

and $15 for bus transportation. To reserve

tickets, visit www.clcroundtable.org or call

the Alumni Center at (847) 543-2400.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetJuly 20, 21, 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m.July 22 and 29 at 2 p.m.Mainstage Theatre

This heart-pounding Tony Award-winning

thriller has been hailed a musical masterpiece.

Sweeney Todd tells the tale of an unjustly-

accused man transformed by grief into the

murderous “Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”

Tickets: $16 for general public;

$13 for CLC staff/students/Seniors 65+/

JLC Subscribers.

To order tickets, call (847) 543-2300 or visit

www.clcillinois.edu/tickets

CLC Trustees Barbara Oilschlager andRichard Anderson at 2011 Golf Outing.