At the October meeting, the UW-Stout Alumni Association elected Thomas Fonfara '84, Roman Gill '57 and Julie Beaver Kinney '76 to join its board of directors.
Thomas Fonfara received a degree in business administration. Fonfara is currently serving as executive assistant in the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. As executive assistant, he works closely with secretary Mark Bugher in the overall management of the 1,200 person agency and leads the legislative and government relations function of the agency. Prior to this, Fonfara served as legislative liaison for the Commission of Banking for a little more than a year. For nearly seven years, Fonfara worked in the Office of Governor Tommy G. Thompson. As one of the Governor's original staff members, he worked in various positions and ultimately became policy director, where he managed a staff of six policy advisers and for years was Thompson's key adviser on education issues. Fonfara and his wife, Robin, have one son, Phillip, and make their home in Sun Prairie, Wis.
Roman Gill received a bachelor's degree in technical education and master's degree in industrial technology. In 1990, Gill retired from 33 years of teaching including 17 years as an athletic coach in Wisconsin and Michigan high schools. Currently, Gill is a member of the City of Escanaba HUD Housing Commission. He is a life member of the American Legion and MEA/NEA Retired School Personnel. Gill and his wife, Gayle, have two grown children and two grandchildren. They reside in Escanaba, Mich., where Gill enjoys hobbies of fishing, hunting and bowling.
Julie Beaver Kinney is the vice president for All American Manufacturing of Boyceville, Wis. It's a company Kinney and her husband, Mark, started in 1982 in the basement of their home. The firm now employs 140 persons, including several UW-Stout graduates in key posts. Kinney serves as the Menomonie Sunrise Rotary treasurer. She holds a degree in vocational rehabilitation. The Kinneys and their two daughters, Katie and Angela, reside in Menomonie, Wis.
One board member was re-elected and named secretary:
Marilyn Krause Leccese '74, family and consumer education, director of educational resources, Broadlawns Medical Center, Des Moines, Iowa.
Special thanks to these members who have retired from the board:
Colleen Hartmon '88, applied math, MIS consultant, Larson Allen Weishair & Co., Minneapolis, Minn.
Ted Hein '52, industrial education, retired from IBM.
John Zupek '81 '90, hospitality and tourism management, marriage and family therapy, Institute for Human Resources, Minneapolis, Minn.
Graduate scholarships must be used for a graduate program at UW-Stout. All applicants must have completed a degree from UW-Stout or be currently enrolled at UW-Stout in an undergraduate or graduate program.
Fellowship applicants must have attained a degree from UW-Stout prior to applying for the award. A total plan explaining the use of the stipend should be included. The fellowship may be awarded for several types of study: research projects, doctoral studies, seminars that enhance a program you are now involved in or a program that may aid in a career change. An individual can be awarded the fellowship no more than two times. No single factor will be responsible for an applicant receiving a scholarship. Factors which are considered include academic performance, recommendations, professional activities, extracurricular activities, community involvement and written application statements.
The Scholarship Committee will review applications and make selections in the spring, and inform the recipients in May, subject to the approval of the UW-Stout Alumni Association Board of Directors.
UW-Stout Alumni Association scholarships and the fellowship are financed by funds collected from past membership dues (eliminated in 1982). In addition, royalties from the Alumni Association University and University Gold cards through WESTconsin Credit Union contribute to the endowment.
Applications and letters of reference must be postmarked on or before March 1, 1996 and sent to the UW-Stout Alumni Office, PO Box 790, Menomonie, WI 54751-0790. For an application or more information, call 715/232-1151.
Greetings! In response to your interest about fellow UW-Stout graduates living in your area, you may download a map [165k] of the United States noting the number of graduates by state. Although the map indicates that 80 percent of the graduates reside in Wisconsin and within bordering states, geographic distance need not inhibit your involvement with and support of the University.
As an individual you can serve as an advocate of UW-Stout to prospective students, assist the University with the identification of co-op locations for current students, participate in the UW-Stout Alumni Association credit card program, nominate fellow alumni for awards and to the Alumni Association Board, and serve as a host/hostess at regional gatherings.
If you reside in Wisconsin, your legislative contacts in support of the UW System, particularly to deter decisions around budget cuts, are greatly appreciated. Also, volunteers are needed to serve on committees to review scholarship and fellowship applications, and alumni award nominations; these committees normally operate via teleconference and do not require travel to Menomonie.
You are welcome to maintain contact with the University and Alumni Association through the Internet. Finally, I encourage you to keep the UW-Stout Alumni Association informed about what is happening in your life, so that this information can be shared with fellow alumni in the Class Notes section of the Stout Outlook.
In August, the UW-Stout Alumni Association launched an exciting new credit card program available to UW-Stout alumni, students, faculty and staff. Thank you to everyone who has taken the opportunity to participate in this program. Every time a UW-Stout card is used, a portion of the purchase goes to support the UW-Stout Alumni Association Graduate Scholarships and Robert S. Swanson Fellowship. In October, the first royalty check was presented to the Alumni Association Board of Directors and added to the endowed account that supports these programs.
Some of you may say that you already have the UW-Stout Alumni credit card offered through MBNA. The Alumni Association is no longer affiliated with that organization and is not receiving any benefits from your use of their card.
I think you'll find this new card, which is offered through WESTconsin Credit Union (WCU), a great bargain. It's less expensive than most credit cards. WCU's interest rates and fees are reasonable, and they have a great reputation for fine service.
WCU offers you the option of consolidating your current cards into the UW-Stout Alumni Credit Card. You also have an Air Travel Mile Program with the option of airline tickets or $300 cash back with the UW-Stout Alumni Association Gold MasterCard. For more details, contact WESTconsin Credit Union at 715/235-3405.
Again, on behalf of the UW-Stout Alumni Association, thank you for your support in this very important new UW-Stout Alumni Association endeavor.
Rediscover Stout
Mark your calendar now to attend Reunion '96, June 28-29 at UW-Stout. Learn from outstanding Stout faculty, renew those great friendships and start some new ones. This is an important opportunity to reacquaint and reinvolve yourself with the university and the friendships that began here.
All classes ending in 6 and 71, from the Class of 1956 to the Class of 1986, are invited to return to campus to celebrate their class reunions.
Reunion alumni will have the opportunity to become reacquainted with UW-Stout and to recall their student days through seminars and lectures on current topics of interest, and tours of the campus, including the newly renovated Fryklund Hall.
In 1993, class reunions were changed from homecoming weekend to the summer. This change made dormitory space available and enabled more people to attend the reunions.
Further details will be mailed with registration forms by mid-April. If it's not your reunion year, don't feel left out. Reunion '96 is open to anyone interested in returning to UW-Stout.
Be sure to call roommates and college friends today to make plans to meet on campus in June.
Plan to attend Reunion 1996. Come alone, or bring your family; but come and reconnect. Reunion is fun.
Reunion Class Giving
What is a Reunion Class Gift?
Reunion class gifts raised $29,000 of unrestricted funds to support the university. This year's goal, $54,000 in unrestricted funds to support the university will provide benefits to students and faculty.
Of the total amount raised, half will go to fund the Chancellor's Honor Scholarships, which are awarded in the amount of $1,000 to entering freshmen who are in the top 10 percent of their graduating class. The goal is to support 27 students with $1,000 scholarships.
The other half will support the unrestricted dollars that provide funds for UW-Stout not accommodated by the university's budget, such as faculty development and faculty grants. Who is included in the '96 Reunion Campaign? Alumni who received their undergraduate degree in 1956, '66, '71, '76, or '86. The reunion gift is usually larger than an annual gift, to celebrate the reunion year. All gifts credited to the class since July 1, 1995, including:
| Class Year | Goal | Number of Scholarships | Number of Class Members |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | $ 6,000 | 3 | 111 |
| 1965 | $10,000 | 5 | 301 |
| 1971 | $ 8,500 | 4 | 961 |
| 1975 | $13,500 | 7 | 835 |
| 1985 | $16,000 | 8 | 1198 |
When does the 1996 Reunion Gift Campaign end?
All gifts received from reunion years by June 30, 1996 are included in class totals. Class gifts, which include the Chancellor's scholarships, will be presented to Chancellor Charles W. Sorensen during the reunion luncheon.
How can I participate with my class?
Interested individuals are encouraged to contact their reunion committees or the Stout University Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 790, Menomonie, WI 54751-0790, phone 715/232-1151.
1996 Reunion Committees
1956
1966
1971
1976
1986
Edward Clary - Prescott, Ariz.
Myra E. Cohen - Granada Hills, Calif.
Mary Jacobs - Modesto, Calif.
Helen H. Kleven - Ruther Glen, Va.
Jane M. Leetz - Dunlap, Ill.
Orville Nelson - Menomonie, Wis.
Nancy B. Sabatke - McFarland, Wis.
David Beveridge - Acton, Mass.
Ronald Boyer - Renton, Wash.
Gene Chriatiaansen - Duluth, Minn.
Charles Geurink - McFarland, Wis.
Dianne L. Hallongren - Elmhurst, Ill.
Diann H. Malueg - DePere, Wis.
Jon Moberg - Fanwood, N.J.
Eileen Myrick - Escanaba, Mich.
Thomas Rhode - Eagle, Wis.
Mary B. Sabin - Plymouth, Minn.
John Waskow - Albuquerque, N.M.
Karen K. Wittwer - Tacoma, Wash.
Chuck Yost - Menomonie, Wis.
Lynn M. Abitz - Appleton, Wis.
Douglas Anderson - Menomonie, Wis.
Michael Andres - Green Bay, Wis.
Harald J. Barry - Clarksville, Va.
Sharon D. Daniels - Marshfield, Wis.
Ellen J. Gibb - York, Penn.
Mary Beth Jung-Ganser - Waukesha, Wis.
Delores M Parker - Kodiak, Alaska
Elizabeth L. Zucker - Boca Raton, Fla.
Nan A. Baumgartner - Fond du Lac, Wis.
Frank Geracie - Hartford, Wis.
Joseph W. Holland - Menomonie, Wis.
Brett Huske - Lahaina, Hawaii
Cynthia S. Jenkins - Menomonie, Wis.
Philip McGuirk - Menomonie, Wis.
Elizabeth K. Murphy - Durango, Colo.
Kent D. Myhrman - Minneapolis, Minn.
Steven M. Nechvatal - Kansas City, Mo.
Donna S. Skidmore - Thousand Oaks, Calif.
John B. Benson - Bloomington, Minn.
Susan M. Block - Appleton, Wis.
Carrie L. Coenen - Menomonie, Wis.
Karl L. Kuehn - Des Plaines, Ill.
Ann C. Kunst - Clear Lake, Iowa
Bradley Kunst - Clear Lake, Iowa
Sharon A. McKinney - La Mesa, Calif.
Gregory A. Meyers - Coon Rapids, Minn.
Kathleen M. Swan - Prescott, Wis.
Mark Swan - Prescott, Wis.
Leonard A. Vetsch - Elk Mound, Wis.
Gary L. Vinge - Albert Lea, Minn.
