Vol. 19, No. 3 - Summer 2003

Alumni notes

1920s

Elva Schmid (B.A.,’22) died Feb. 13 at the age of 102. In the 1920s Schmid was the principal and English and history teacher at Canborn, Minn., High School. She was an avid proponent of literature and the arts and was an active volunteer throughout her lifetime.

1950s

Theron Whitfield (M.A., ’56, industrial arts), died March 29 in Elk Grove Village, Ill. He was a teacher at Main East High School where he taught electronics, was a guidance counselor, and constructed the first high school FM radio station.

1960s

Bruce Melander (B.S., ’68, elementary education) received Northwestern College’s Excellence in Teaching Award. The award is presented by the Northwestern College Alumni Association. He has been a faculty member at Northwestern since 1997 and prior to that was a teacher and administrator in the Minneapolis Public Schools and the Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial Independent School District.

1970s

Chuck Chamberlin (Ph.D., ’71) retired University of Alberta professor, died in February at age 67. He was a professor of elementary education specializing in social studies and citizenship education. Chamberlin was a passionate urban environment activist and a leader of the Sierra Club’s SmartGrowth campaign.

Norman Fintel (Ph.D., ’72) received a Trustee Award from Lenior-Rhyne College at its May 10 commencement. Fintel served as president of Roanoke College from 1975–1989. Since retiring, he has served as an educational consultant. Fintel served as interim president of Lenior-Rhyne in 2002.

Guy Shields (B.S., ’78, social studies) is the personal spokesperson for General Tommy Franks, commander of military forces in the Persian Gulf. During the Iraq war he was stationed in Kuwait City where he supervised a staff of 60 American and British troops, and guided hundreds of journalists to base camps and the front lines.

1980s

Daniel Johnson (B.S., ’80, recreation, park, and leisure studies) was named vice chairman of the Minnesota Council of Foundations. He is executive director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation.

Mary Johnson (B.S., ’82, recreation, park, and leisure studies) was selected head of the Casa Grande, Ariz., Parks and Recreation department. Prior to her promotion, she was the superintendent of the recreation division.

Myrna Kaner (M.Ed., ’81) died April 5 at the age of 61. She taught elementary school for the Minneapolis Public Schools until she retired and in 1997 began a new career as an ESL teacher for the Hopkins Adult Options Program. Kaner volunteered on the Plymouth Arts Council and tutored children in the Robbinsdale School District.

Terry Whittaker (M.A., ’81, educational psychology) was named assistant provost of student diversity and success, University of Delaware, effective July 1. Whittaker has been with the University of Delaware for 20 years and most recently served as assistant dean of its Lerner College of Business and Economics.

1990s

Joseph Erickson (Ph.D., ’90, educational psychology) was elected to a four-year term on the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education. Erickson is associate professor of education at Augsburg College and is a licensed psychologist in private practice at the Associate Clinic of Psychology.

Paula Freidson (B.S., ’90, elementary education; M.Ed., early childhood education) was the 2002 Minnesota elementary education winner of the President Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Friedson’s school received a $7,500 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and she attended recognition events in Washington, D.C., in March. Freidson is a kindergarten teacher at Katherine Curren Elementary School in Hopkins, Minn.

Kathryn O’Reilly Gainey (Ed.D., ’97) is an assistant professor of art education at St. Cloud State University. She is currently on the executive council of Art Educators of Minnesota and has recently published a musical CD—The Color of Songs—using art and music for learning the basics.

Robin Hasslen (Ph.D., ’93, curriculum and instruction) was named Minnesota 2002 Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Hasslen is chair of the Department of Child and Family Studies at St. Cloud State University.