That KU Connection
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“The Art Educator, Reshaping The Thinking of Our Community”
(43 visual artists, representing 12 public school districts and 11 colleges and universities from upstate NY)

Click here for the complete press release and more information

The Job Search - Pam Gockley Success Story
Pam Gockley was just a regular person with a dream. She wanted to go to college and find a good job with an excellent compensation package and a great work environment. She decided to attend Kutztown University to earn her degree and she was certain that finding a job would not be difficult.

However, Pam was unable to find many job opportunities after graduating, and, when she finally did get some offers, she was not satisfied for many reasons. But Pam is not a quitter, and she continued searching until 1996. One day she had an idea that would both make her successful and provide her with a great job.

Click here for the complete article about Pam and more pictures.

KU Alumna on Survivor: Palau Islands
If you have never been a fan of Survivor, this was the season to watch!  This season Wanda Shirk, a Kutztown University alumna, and 19 other “castaways” will try to outwit, outplay and outlast each other to become the sole survivor and take home the $1 million prize on the show’s 10th season, “Survivor: Palau Islands.”
 
Wacky Wanda Shirk, as she is known, earned her bachelor’s degree in Bible and speech communication from Wheaton College in Illinois.  And in 1974, she graduated from Kutztown University with a master’s degree in elementary education.  She now lives in Ulysses, Pa. and has been teaching English to high school and middle school for 28 years.
 
Being a parent is a big part of Shirk’s life.  She has two grown children, Dawn and Shawn, was a foster parent to 25 children and she has hosted exchange students from around the world.
 
According to the Reading Eagle, Shirk sent her audition tape to CBS in June, and then went to Philadelphia to interview with 1,000 other candidates in August. Finally, in Los Angeles she took psychological and physical tests in September.  She was chosen and the filming began in October and she returned home in December.  The outcome is being kept under tight wraps and Shirk is not allowed to discuss the show until the final episode.  
 
CBS officials said this season’s contestants are the most diverse, ranging from 57 to 21 years of age.  The season premiered at 8 p.m. Thursday, February 17 on CBS.  “Everything the survivors have come to expect will be wiped out in the first 10 minutes” the official CBS website states.
 
The show was filmed on the Palau Islands in the South Pacific.  The Palau islands are described as the ‘eighth wonder of the world,’ where colorful wildlife, dense jungles and an underwater world beyond belief are haunted by the wreckage and remnants of World War II.

Assistant Alumni Director Resigned
We regret to announce that Kim Justeson has resigned her position as Assistant Alumni Director. Kim has chosen to remain home with her new baby, Jake. We wish Kim, Jeremy and Jake all the best of happiness and health. However, this creates a job opening in the alumni office. For more information about the Assistant Alumni Director position please click here.

iPod Shuffle Winner
Congratulations to graduating senior Emily Creyer. She was the winner of the iPod Shufflle that was raffled off at our Spring 2005 Graduation Festival. The iPod was donated by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company.

Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
The 2005 Kutztown University Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Friday, October 21 in conjunction with the school's Homecoming festivities. 

The 2005 induction class is comprised of six standout athletes. The class includes Dr. Dennis Bonser, '63, a 1,000 point scorer in men's basketball from 1959-63 and retired English professer at KU; Tara Crozier, '98, a national champion, All-American and conference champion thrower in women's track & field from 1995-98; Harry Hoch, 1905, a standout from the early days of Kutztown baseball (1903-06) who went on to play in the major leagues; William Nill, '62, an offensive center and defensive linebacker in football from 1957-59; Ryan Vogelsong, 1996-98, an All-American in baseball and current member of the Pittsburgh Pirates; and Amy Wahl, '00, the all-time leader in scoring, assists and steals in women's basketball (1995-99).  

For more information, or to reserve tickets, call the Athletic Advancement office at 610-683-4755.

South America
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Alumni Travel Program invites you to enjoy a 16 day South American Cruise onboard the Insignia. January 17 – February 3, 2006. Argentina, Uruguay, The Falkland Islands, and Chile are your exotic destinations. This early booking opportunity includes free round trip air fare if your deposit is received by June 15, 2005 (limited availability). For more information about this great vacation and other KU travel opportunities please click here.

Germany
A Heritage Hostel trip to Germany will be hosted by the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center in conjunction with the Pastorius Heim in Bad Windsheim, Deutschland from June 20 to June 30. Areas of interest include the Open Air Museum, Wurzburg, Aspach (the birthplace of Conrad Weiser), the walled city of Rothenburg, Mainz, and others. Special emphasis will be on immigration, history, and genealogy. Call Berkleigh Travel at 610-683-8880 to obtain a brochure and make your reservation. Cost of the trip includes two meals per day, airfare, housing, museum, and other entrance fees as listed.

KU Mentoring Network Can Open Doors
Have ten minutes to spare? How about turning those few minutes into useful career advice for some KU students?

As an alumnus of Kutztown University, you continue to be a valuable resource. Now as a career professional, your experience and achievements become even more beneficial to current students interested in pursuing similar career initiatives. In today’s business world, developing a strong network is imperative for career opportunities. (read more)

We are proud to announce the 2005 alumni award recipients:

Early Career Excellence Award
Matthew Braccili ‘90
Jeanne Maier ‘91
Brandi Woodard ‘92
Jeffrey Becker ‘90
Christopher Tienken ‘94

Rothermel Award
Susan Allport-Schneider ‘61
David Afsah-Mohallatee ‘88
Michael Pladus ‘80

Citation Award for Service to KU
Raymond Melcher ‘73

Citation Award for Professional Accomplishment
Brigadier General Richard C. Zilmer ‘74

Win a Kutztown Alumni Assn. T-shirt!
Congratulations to Karen Rupp ’85! She successfully answered all three questions and won the KU Alumni T-shirt!

Answers were:
What year were athletics dropped due to the depletion of the college’s male population?
1943 due to World War II

Name three KU football players who went on to play professional football.
Doug Dennison, Bruce Harper and Andre Reed

What now famous song artist was the lead in act for Stevie Wonder when he performed here in the ‘70s?
Bruce Springsteen

This Issues Trivia - Remember you must be the first to answer all three questions correctly!!

What band’s concert movie was shown in Schaeffer Auditorium along with a performance by one of its songwriters in 1980?

What famous city mayor spoke at KU’s 2003 Decision Maker’s Forum?

In 1866, what was the tuition for the entire year (which included board, heat, light and wash) at the Keystone State Normal School?

Email your answers to alumni@kutztown.edu.