Class Notes — Winter 2022
Class Notes — Winter 2022
February 4, 20221960s
EDWIN L. DEMERLY, ’63, M.A. ’70 (Both in Arts and Letters), published his memoir, “First Years: A Farm Boy Faces the Future.” The third chapter describes his years at MSU from 1959 to 1963, when he received his bachelor’s degree in English and his 2nd Lieutenant’s commission in the army.
VINCENT L. MARANDO, M.S. ’64, Ph.D. ’67 (Both in Social Science), published his memoir, “When Gertrude Came, I Wasn’t Home,” chronicling his story as the son of Italian immigrants, a polio survivor and eventually a professor at the University of Maryland.
MARY BODE BYRD, ’67 (Arts and Letters), recently won Best of Show in the Mispillion Art League Members Show in Milford, Delaware. Byrd’s painting “Going to the Fair” features her signature color and an abstract twist on a realistic scene.
JANET HALFMANN, ’67 (Arts and Letters; Honors College), ’79 (Communication Arts and Sciences), published four children’s picture books in 2021. “The Clothesline Code: The Story of Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker” is a true story about a formerly enslaved couple who spied for the Union Army during the Civil War by using laundry on a clothesline. “Who Is Singing” celebrates birds and their songs. “Yay for Big Brothers!” is a celebration of big brothers by shining a spotlight on animal big brothers and “Caterpillar’s Surprise” is the story of a friendship between a caterpillar and a tadpole, big changes and growing up. Halfmann is the award-winning author of more than 40 children’s books.
CARL ROLLYSON, ’69 (Arts and Letters), published “The Life of William Faulkner in two volumes” through University of Virginia Press and “The Last Days of Sylvia Plath” through University Press of Mississippi. Rollyson’s work on Faulkner began at MSU in 1966 when he took a class on Southern literature with M. Thomas Inge
1970s
ESTHER E. ONAGA, Ph.D. ’73 (Social Science), has been named a director to the Peckham board. Onaga is faculty emeritus of Human Development and Family Studies at Michigan State University. Peckham is a nonprofit vocational rehabilitation organization that provides paid job training opportunities for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment.
JEFFREY M. SANGSTER, ’75 (Social Science), was recognized by The Salvation Army with the William Booth Award at the Detroit Advisory Board Civic Awards Dinner. Sangster has served The Salvation Army for more than 37 years. The William Booth Award—named after The Salvation Army’s founder—is the highest award the nonprofit bestows on an individual. Recipients are chosen for their dedication to The Salvation Army’s goal of service.
MICHAEL W. MCDONALD, ’76 (Business), and team were honored by the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C., with the President’s E Award for extraordinary export service. McDonald is the CEO and president of Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets, a natural, sugar-free artisan candy manufacturer experiencing incredible international growth.
KATHRYN L. DAVIS, ’78 (Communication Arts and Sciences), was recently elected to chair the Board for Leader Dogs for the Blind. Davis has served on the organization’s board of trustees since 2011. Leader Dogs for the Blind empowers blind and visually impaired people by providing lifelong skills for safe and independent daily travel, and service animals free of charge.
GREGORY G. HUVAERE, ’79 (Business), recently retired after a long and successful career in hospitality. Huvaere was responsible for opening the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona, and led the team in the development and opening of Kai Restaurant—the only AAA 5 Diamond Forbes 5 Star restaurant in Arizona and the Southwest.
1980s
FREDERICK A. KILLEEN, ’82 (Engineering), was named vice president of global information technology and chief information officer of General Motors. Killeen will report to CEO Mary Barra and lead the Global IT team, responsible for back-office IT support and using software to support growth across the company.
LORNA T. BEARD, ’84 (Communication Arts and Sciences), J.D. ’96 (Law), celebrated 24 years working for the Legislative Service Bureau. Beard is currently legal counsel and assistant division director for the bureau.
IBIRONKE O. LAWAL, M.A. ’85 (Communication Arts and Sciences), has been named a recruitment inclusive champion at Virginia Commonwealth University. As a champion at VCU, Lawal is responsible for assisting units in developing and implementing strategic recruitment plans targeting faculty candidates from underrepresented groups.
JOSEPH T. SPANIOLA, ’85, M.M. ’87 (Both in Music), received a Silver Medal from the Global Music Awards in the classical composition/composer category for his composition “UPLIFTED.”
AMY E. SULLIVAN, ’85 (Natural Science), has joined Peachtree Hills Place as director of lifestyle services for the Buckhead equity-based residential community for those 55 and older. Sullivan will be responsible for orchestrating educational, social and philanthropical member events, ensuring all Peachtree Hills Place members have valuable engagement experiences. Peachtree Hills Place offers adults a unique experience in its luxury 55+, continuing care retirement community in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia.
SHERYL IOTT, ’86, D.M.A. ’05 (Both in Music), recently published “Thinking and Playing Music: Intentional Strategies for Optimal Practice and Performance,” a book on music cognition and effective practice strategies through Rowman and Littlefield publishing company.
JOSEPH OFORI-DANKWA, MLIR ’86, Ph.D. ’87 (Both in Social Science), was recently honored as a Distinguished Professor of the Year by the Michigan Association of State Universities (MASU). Ofori-Dankwa holds the H.R. Wickes Chair in International Business and is a professor of management at Saginaw Valley State University. A native of Ghana, Ofori-Dankwa is a leader in expanding programs to Africa and has facilitated 10 trips to Ghana with students, faculty and Saginaw community leaders since 2000. In addition, he served as a faculty adviser for SVSU electrical and computer engineering students planning to design and install solar panels at a health clinic for the Royal Seed Home Orphanage in Ghana.
ALLEGRA CANGELOSI, M.S. ’87 (Agriculture and Natural Resources), has received the 2021 Great Lakes Leadership Award from The Great Lakes Protection Fund in recognition of her efforts to protect the health of the Great Lakes basin and the people who live in the region. Cangelosi pioneered the field of ballast treatment technology, which, with other management approaches, allows the shipping industry to limit the transfer of invasive species into the Great Lakes.
LANEITA GRAY, ’88 (Natural Science), has joined Moda Floors & Interiors as a project consultant for the flooring and window covering store in the West Midtown Design District in Atlanta, Georgia.
THOMAS E. KORFF, ’89 (Business), has been named vice president of Business Services at Peckham. Korff joins Peckham’s executive leadership team in steering the success of its Contact Center Solutions division. Peckham is a nonprofit vocational rehabilitation organization that provides paid job training opportunities for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment.
1990s
DOUGLAS S. HINE, ’92 (Engineering), is a Medtronic Technical Fellow and has been recognized as a Medtronic Bakken Fellow—the top technical honor achievement in a corporation of more than 80,000 employees. Medtronic is a global producer of medical devices and therapies, such as insulin pumps, pacemakers and diabetes therapies.
KAFELE J. KHALFANI, M.A. ’98 (Communication Arts and Sciences), has been appointed vice president of Student Experience (VPSE) and chief student affairs officer at California Institute of the Arts. As VPSE, Khalfani will be responsible for the offices at the institute that deliver student support services and offerings that form the core of the non-academic and developmental engagement with students.
2000s
ANNETTE MCCOY, ’02 (Agriculture and Natural Resources; Honors College), D.V.M. ’06 (Veterinary Medicine), was recently promoted to tenured associate professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
JOSH HOVEY, ’05 (Social Science), ANGELA MINICUCI, ’09 (Communication Arts and Sciences) and ANDREA L. POOLE, ’07 (Arts and Letters), M.A. ’09 (Communication Arts and Sciences), were recently recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business in their 40 Under 40 class of 2021. Hovey served as spokesperson and communications director on the winning 2018 campaign to pass Proposal 1 on the statewide ballot legalizing and regulating marijuana for adults 21 and older in Michigan. Minicuci led communications for the largest state government agency in Michigan—the Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)—for nearly a decade. She helped launch Michigan’s I Vaccinate campaign, which in 2020 won a Silver Anvil from the Public Relations Society of America. Poole has more than 15 years of communications management experience in the technology sector, higher education and government relations, and has managed award-winning social and digital media campaigns for Martin Waymire clients, from large corporations to statewide associations. Her work was instrumental in growing Bridge Michigan’s digital presence. All three are Martin Waymire vice presidents.
JACQUELYN A. DUPLER, ’08 (Social Science; Honors College), J.D. ’12 (Law), has joined Foster Swift Collins & Smith as an attorney in the firm’s Lansing office. Dupler will be a member of the firm’s Family Law Practice group.
2010s
CURTIS J. MATZKE, ’10, M.A. ’12 (Both in Communication Arts and Sciences), was recently selected to participate in an international accelerator program with legendary director Werner Herzog. Matzke and other filmmakers spent 11 days in the Canary Islands with hands-on mentoring provided by Herzog.
ERIKA MOUL, B.F.A. ’12 (Arts and Letters), was featured in NBC’s “Clash of the Cover Bands,” airing on E! Network. The show features the best cover bands from across the country celebrating music and performance art. Moul’s act ‘Baby Gaga’ pays homage to Lady Gaga.
RAMONA D. COX, Ph.D. ’14 (Education), has joined Doc Wayne as the director of the Champions Network. As director, Cox will lead a team of diverse facilitators and team members focused on professionalizing the field of sport-based therapy and offering engaging and accessible mental health support globally. Doc Wayne is an award-winning nonprofit that has pioneered sport-based therapy and catalyzed a mental health movement.
JOSHUA D. BRAWLEY, ’15 (Communication Arts and Sciences) and REESE T. VAN HECK, ’15 (Business), have established Fifth Wheel Freight (FWF) as one of America’s fastest-growing private companies by achieving 212% growth in full-time employees and 202% growth in revenue since 2018. Brawley and Van Heck’s relentless dedication to leadership and innovation propelled both from entry-level consultants to COO and CEO, respectively.
CAJETAN N. IHEKA, Ph.D. ’15 (Arts and Letters), recently published “African Ecomedia: Network Forms, Planetary Politics” with Duke University Press. Iheka examines the ecological footprint of media in Africa alongside the representation of environmental issues in visual culture, showing how African visual media such as film, photography and sculpture deliver a unique perspective on the socio-ecological costs of media production. Iheka is an associate professor of English at Yale University.
