September 26, 2014 QuickNotes: Farewell to a Friend

September 26, 2014

Farewell to a Friend

It has been a somber week on Carroll’s campus as friends, colleagues, students and alumni are mourning the passing of Dr. Mike Franklin, Director of Counseling Services. Mike was a much loved and valued member of the Carroll community since 2003 and his absence is, and will be, greatly felt. Mike passed away on Saturday, September 20, 2014. 

The Carroll community has gathered together in prayer and solace. In Father Marc’s homily delivered on the evening of Sunday, September 21, he spoke of Mike, “If you didn’t know Mike, you missed a good man, a really good man. Mike was a wonderful friend, he was a wonderful presence and he lived a really beautiful life. And he loved you…he loved this place…but he loved you.”  Listen to Fr. Marc’s full homily here.

A community gathering to celebrate Mike’s life will be held on Saturday, September 27 at 2 p.m. in the Carroll College Campus Center.  All are welcome.

Mike had been an active advocate for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Those wishing to honor Mike’s memory are encouraged to participate in the annual NAMI Walk to be held this coming Sunday, September 28 in Memorial Park. Mike had been organizing a SAINTS FOR HOPE team at the time of his death. Details can be found here.

Mike’s obituary from the Helena IR can be read here.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Mike’s family, friends, students and colleagues during this difficult time.

Join Us for Homecoming 2014!

We have a full slate of activities planned for Homecoming weekend, October 3-4. 

We hope you’ve made plans to join us in Helena.

Friday, October 3

4:00-6:00 pm – Welcome Reception - Campus Center Lobby Complimentary appetizers, cash bar 6:00-9:00 pm – Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet - $35pp - Campus Center, lower level Inductees include:  2004 National Championship Football Team,1998-99 Women's Basketball Team, Tara Zoanni '04, Dan Avansino '96, Mary Lester '04, Natalie Conroy '02, and Gary Lynch '03 Warren Nelson Award - Mike & Tina Mundt

Saturday, October 4

9:00 am – Mass at the Grotto 10:00-11:00 am – Open House Tour of Campus  Highlights include: new student apartments renovations in St. Charles Hall & President’s Office new research and learning lab featuring Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer library digital sandbox and multi-media auditorium classroom nursing department birthing lab alumni living room in St. Al’s 11:30 am-1:00 pm – Alumni Tailgate 1:00 pm – Saints Football vs. Western 7:00-10:00 pm – Reunion Parties and 100 Years of Football Celebration, Campus Center Lobby, casual attire Come visit with classmates and former professors. See old photos. Enjoy complimentary appetizers and desserts and a no host bar. Class photos 2009, 2004, 1999, 1994, 1989, 1984, 1979, 1974, 1969, 1964, 1959, 1954, 1949 All football photo to be taken at 7:00 pm "Survived the Blast" photo

Sunday, October 5

9:00 am – Mass at the Cathedral

To register for homecoming, please email alumni@carroll.edu or call 406-447-5169.

Lessons in What Not to Do

Pictured from left to right: Belle Marie, Bo Antila, Lauren Larsen, Jerraca Allhands, Faith Kjosa, Dalton Allen, Mary Ternes, Ariel Bevier

Dr. Belle Marie and seven senior accounting students attended the annual Fraud Conference jointly sponsored by the Montana Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA) and the Big Sky Chapter of Certified Fraud Examiners held in Helena in mid-September. 

Students appreciated lessons learned from FBI forensic accountants, FBI special agents, and keynote speaker, Andrew Fastow, the former CFO of Enron. Fastow, who in 1999 earned CFO Magazine’s Excellence Award for Capital Structure Management, later served six years in federal prison for his role in Enron’s fraudulent financial reporting which led to the corporation’s collapse in 2001.

Dr. Marie and her students are all members of the MSCPA and Dr. Marie was a founding member and past president of the Big Sky Chapter of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Faculty/Staff News

Carroll's Renaissance Man

Dr. Carson Cunningham, coach of the men’s Fighting Saints basketball team, is a man of many talents. He teaches history at Carroll and holds both a PhD from Purdue and an MBA from DePaul. He was a standout basketball player for the Purdue Boilermakers. He is the husband of assistant volleyball coach Christy Cunningham and father of four children AND if all that wasn’t enough, he just published his fourth book, 21st Century Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 

Cunningham shared this about his newest endeavor, “I was really intrigued about the idea of bringing Huck Finn’s unique personality, his independent-mindedness, creativity, and resourcefulness, to bear upon 21st century America. At each stage of life that I’ve read the original, I’ve not only been entertained, but I’ve gotten something new out of it. I hope people feel the same about the 21st Century Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”

Learn more about Carson’s newest book and pre-order a copy on Kickstarter through October 7.

In addition, Cunningham was profiled for the WHERE ARE THEY NOW? feature on nwitimes.com.

Plus, Helena's local CBS affiliate recently showcased the family with a special segment - Carroll College Introduces the Cunninghams

Student News

A Nepalese Adventure

Photo courtesy of Cory Crouser

Senior Cory Crouser from Troutdale, Oregon had one of the better summers on record. Combining international travel, adventure and community service, Crouser spent six weeks in Nepal.

Crouser traveled with an organization called GapForce, which specializes in uniting students with international adventure and humanitarian work. GapForce has programs all over the world and Crouser chose a trip to Nepal which included language classes, visits to a jungle reserve, time spent with children in a Kathmandu orphanage and a hike to the base camp of Mount Everest.

In a profile in the Portland Tribune, Crouser said witnessing extreme poverty and experiencing a dramatically different culture from his own was life changing. He will take back the lessons he learned this summer during his final year at Carroll College.

Forging Friendships

Lorel Johnson hails from L.A. and Alejandro Santos Piqueras is from Madrid – yet a love of basketball has united these two as both roommates and teammates.

These two seem different in every way but what brought them to Carroll was an opportunity. Johnson wanted a great education and a chance to broaden his horizons while playing hoops. Piqueras wanted to continue to play basketball and go to school, something that is hard to do in Spain.

Read more about their experience in this athletic profile: Two Worlds Come Together at Carroll

Lorel Johnson and Alejandro Santos Piqueras

Alumni News

McKittrick Wins Prestigious Award

D. Patrick McKittrick ’63, was awarded the prestigious William J. Jameson Award at the State Bar of Montana’s Annual Meeting in Big Sky on September 25.

The award, named after the late Montana federal judge, is the State Bar’s highest award, going annually to the attorney who has exemplified the highest values of the legal profession throughout his or her career.

In the feature story of Montana Lawyer, the State Bar of Montana newsletter, McKittrick says of the award, “I’m just totally surprised. It’s the zenith of a career. It’s the highest award an attorney can receive in the state of Montana. Judge Jameson was the model. To receive something in his name is just a wonderful honor.”

Read the full article on Pat McKittrick in the Montana Lawyer.

Congratulations Pat – Carroll is proud to call you one of our own!

Gettin' Hitched

Kellie Blankenstein ’10 and Jason Tanascu were wed May 31, 2014, at Swans Trail Farms in Snohomish, Washington.

Kellie graduated from Carroll College with a Bachelor of Science in nursing in 2010. Kellie works at Seattle Children’s as a pediatric oncology nurse. Jason spent three years at Carroll before graduating with a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice in 2011 from MSU-Billings. Jason is in the Washington Air National Guard as a tactical air controller.

Kellie and Jason initially met at Carroll, Jason was a member of the Fighting Saints basketball team and Kellie was a Saints cheerleader.

Career Moves

John Moore ‘97, RN, BAN received a Master’s of Healthcare Administration degree from Kaplan University in Davenport, Iowa, in June 2014. Moore previously received a bachelor of arts degree in nursing from Carroll College. Moore has been employed at St. James Healthcare in Butte for 18 years and is the director of surgical services at the hospital.

IN MEMORIAM

Robert Earl Williams ’62 passed away on September 19, 2014. He was born on September 1, 1940 in Missoula, Montana. Robert was raised in Missoula and graduated from Missoula County High School in 1958. Upon graduating from high school he went to Carroll College, and received a Bachelor of Arts in history, and then a master’s degree in arts in history at the University of Montana.

Robert found time to serve his country and enlisted into the United States Marine Corps. He was a pioneer throughout his life and worked for the U.S. Forest Services Job Corp for 39 years. Robert traveled the globe and lived in many cities in America. In December 2005, Robert married the love of his life Gwendolyn. Robert and Gwendolyn loved each other dearly and enjoyed their life together.

Read more on his life here.

Upcoming Events

Picturing Paradise: Cuadros from Peruvian Women for Visions of Hope Exhibition, Runs through Oct. 9, Carroll Art Gallery, St. Charles Hall, Carroll College

Curated by Rebecca Berru Davis, PhD, Picturing Paradise is an exhibition that features embroidered and appliquéd fabric pictures called cuadros, created by the women of Compacto Humano and Manos Anchashinas, two art cooperatives located in Pamplona Alta, a shantytown situated on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. The exhibition places emphasis on the women as artists and the way their art reflects creativity, resilience, and hope despite the harsh conditions of their lives.

The gallery will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and is closed weekends and college holidays. For more information, visit the Visual Arts Current Gallery webpage or call 447-4302.  

Hope for Haiti 5K Color Run, Sept. 27, 10 a.m., Bill Roberts/Batch Field Parking Lot, 2201 N. Benton Ave, Helena

Join the Carroll Outreach Team in a fun run to help raise money for dental and medical team equipment and expenditures for the annual outreach trips to Haiti and other third world countries, as well as areas in need in the Helena community including God's Love and others.

There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places and a free t-shirt for all participants.  You can register online at www.active.com or the morning of at the Carroll College PE Center.  For more information, check out the Hope for Haiti 5K Color Run Facebook page.

"Saints for Hope" NAMI 3K Walk, Sept. 28, 12 noon, Memorial Park, N. Last Chance Gulch, Helena

Carroll students, faculty, staff and friends and family are invited to join the "SAINTS FOR HOPE" Team in the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Walk. The event is designed to destigmatize mental illness and raise money for NAMI Montana.

Carroll students donating $10 or more receive a pair of Carroll sunglasses. $100 or more will get you a NAMI t-shirt. Wear your Carroll colors: purple and/or gold. Register by noon (registration opens at 11:30) at the Carroll tent, designated by the Carroll flag.

Lean and Green: Theology for the Next Generation Lecture, Oct. 2, 7 p.m., 101/202 Simperman Hall/Wiegand Amphitheatre, Carroll College

Carroll College's Theology Department is hosting a guest lecturer, Dr. Thomas Hughson of Marquette University, who will address the challenges of communicating theological ideas to the younger generations of Americans increasingly skeptical of religious values. This event is free and the Helena community is encouraged to attend.  

Homecoming 2014, October 3-4, Carroll Campus

We have much to celebrate with 100 years of football, the 25th anniversary of the train explosion and class reunions as well. Make plans to come back to Carroll and join in the celebration. Check out the full schedule of events at www.carroll.edu/alumni.

Mark your calendars for the Founders Day and Parents Weekend, November 7 & 8

 Stay up-to-date on all that's happening at Carroll.

Find a complete list of campus activities and events online.

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