Doane College presented six alumni awards at the annual awards banquet Saturday, May 17. Paul D. Kersenbrock Humanitarian Award
The Paul Kersenbrock Award is given to alumni who exemplify the characteristics and life of the late Paul D. Kersenbrock, a member of the class of 1963 and a native of Crete, who distinguished himself by extraordinary, unselfish service to others.
Brenda K. Kastens, 02L, 04C, Palmyra
Brenda Kastens graduated from Doane in 2002 with a bachelor's of arts degree in human relations. In 2004, she completed her master of arts in counseling degree.
A native of Omaha, Kastens has been a volunteer for more than 20 years, starting in high school with DARE and Teen Outreach Programs. Kastens has devoted countless hours to numerous philanthropic organizations, however, she has most deeply been involved in Hospice and the American Cancer Society.
Kastens began serving as a Hospice volunteer in 1999. Through her experiences she developed "Caring for the Caregiver," a program to support Hospice volunteers who struggle with the continuous losses in their field. Similarly, Kastens also created a grief program to provide follow-up care to patients' families during their time of grieving.
For six years, Kastens also has been a captain for Relay for Life teams and in the last two years her team has raised more than $15,000 for the American Cancer Society. Additionally, she has been team captain at Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
In 2006, she was invited to join the Lancaster County at Haymarket Park Relay for Life Planning Committee. The same year, she was selected as one of 24 legislative ambassadors representing Nebraska at the 2006 Celebration on the Hill in Washington, D.C. Most recently, she has served with the Nebraska Regional Advisory Committee, which includes networking with volunteers across the state, sharing the American Cancer Society's mission, and planning statewide volunteer-training events.
Kastens also works with the Make-A-Wish foundation as well as local agencies that assist domestic violence victims.
Kastens owns and operates a private counseling practice, Kastens Counseling and Resource Center in Lincoln. She is one of two mental health counselors in Nebraska who are certified as a Fellow Thanatologist, specializing in grief and bereavement. She is also an adjunct instructor at the Doane College Lincoln campus, where she has twice received Outstanding Teacher-of-the-Year awards.
Kastens and her husband, Kurt, live in Palmyra.
Young Alumnus Award
This award, presented to Doane graduates 35 years of age or younger, recognizes their commitment to excellence in a chosen career.
Jeremy T. Wilhelm '98, Visalia, Calif.
A 1998 graduate of Doane College, Jeremy T. Wilhelm graduated cum laude with a double major in finance and management. A native of Unadilla and a standout athlete, he was a three-year starting tight end and two-time NAIA Academic All-American for the Tiger football team.
After graduating, he spent five years combined at First National Bank and U.S. Bank, both in Omaha. In 2002, he left his position as assistant vice president of the U.S. Bank to join Farm Credit Services of America as vice president of Commercial Lending.
While at Farm Credit Services, he spurred the company's break into the ethanol industry and grew his division's portfolio into the largest, fastest growing and most profitable in the company, while positioning Farm Credit Services as one of the leading ethanol lenders in the U.S. -- financing more than 40 percent of the industry.
Wilhelm currently heads up all corporate development and serves as interim CFO for Cilion, a renewable fuel company he helped found in 2006. At Cilion, Wilhelm led one of the largest private equity rounds in the renewable fuels industry, raising over $200 million from investors of companies such as Virgin Fuels, eBay and the Yucaipa Companies.
He has also raised one of the largest debt raises the industry has seen by closing on a $215 million loan, capitalizing the company with more than $400 million. In 2007, the Cilion company was recognized as one of the Top 100 Companies Going Green in the world.
In addition to his work at Cilion, Wilhelm serves on the board of directors of two renewable fuel companies located in the Midwest.
Wilhelm and his wife, Irene George '98, '04E, have one daughter, Reagan. The family currently resides in Visalia, Calif., but is in the process of relocating to Chicago where Cilion is transitioning its executive offices.
Exceptional Service Award
This award is presented to alumni for extraordinary service to forward the goals and objectives of Doane College.
Lana Frese Browne, '80, Lincoln
Walthill native Lana Frese Browne graduated from Doane with a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1980. Browne was one of the charter members of Doane's Capital Alumni Chapter in 1992, and has served on the board continuously since.
Browne has been involved in every facet of the chapter as well as other area alumni events.
Currently, Browne is president for the chapter but has held the offices of vice president, secretary and treasurer, and has served on every committee. She has chaired the scholarship committee for several years, spearheaded and completed two revisions of the chapter bylaws, and has been on the event planning committee numerous times.
In particular, she has been instrumental in organizing the Capital Chapter Silent Auction since its inception. A once small event, the silent auction has become a highly regarded fundraiser. Funds from this event and others were combined to endow a scholarship in 2008, a goal that started with the Capital chapter's inception.
Along with her husband, Bob, the couple has co-hosted alumni and chapter events, and on several occasions the couple has even opened their home to fellow alumni for events.
She is employed with Veyance Technologies, formerly Goodyear, in Lincoln where she has been a computer analyst for the past 23 years.
Browne and her husband have one son, Grainger. The family resides in Lincoln.
Alumni Educator of the Year Award
This award is presented annually to alumni who have made outstanding contributions in the field of education.
David R. Hartman '95, '99E of Waverly
David R. Hartman, Waverly, has been a mathematics teacher at Lincoln Southwest High School since 2002. At Southwest, he also serves as a member of the math professional learning community and is a cooperating teacher for University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Doane student teachers.
From 1995 - 2002, Hartman taught mathematics at Robin Mickle Middle School as part of an interdisciplinary team. In 2000, he received a $15,000 competitive national grant for problem solving with wind energy from GTE Growth Initiatives for math and science teachers.
Hartman developed curriculum and taught a mathematics course for the Bright Lights summer enrichment program in Lincoln from 1999-2003.
He has given presentations to various local, regional, and national groups, including the National Science Foundation. At the Math & Science Partnership Evaluation Summit II in Oct. 2006, Hartman presented his work, "A Study of Middle Level Students' Mathematical Understanding Using Alternative Assessments" with Dr. Ruth Heaton. The pair's work was also published in 2006.
Since 2004, Hartman has served on the research team and instructional team for the UNL Math in the Middle Institute-Partnership, which has been funded by a $5 million NSF grant.
He has received numerous teacher awards including the Miss Myrtle Clark Outstanding Mathematics Educator Award in 2005, the 2006 Lincoln Rotary Club #14 Don W. Miller Math Award, and in 2007 was a Nebraska State Finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
Hartman received his Bachelor of Science degree in math from Doane in 1995, graduating summa cum laude. He earned a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Doane in 1999 and is a doctoral student in educational studies at UNL, with a Ph.D. degree anticipated in May 2009.
He and his wife, Katie Hartman, live in Waverly with daughters, Lauren and Brianna.
Builder Awards
Builder Awards are presented yearly to alumni who have made immeasurable contribution of time and effort to the building of the college and whose leadership has set a living example.
Dale F. Sloan '46, Springfield, Ill.
Dale F. Sloan, a native of Ragan, Neb., enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942. In 1944, he was selected for the V-12 officer-training program at Doane College. Additional training followed at Harvard Graduate School of Business, where he was commissioned an Ensign, Supply Corps, U.S. Navy. He then graduated from Doane with honors in 1946.
His Naval career continued with Sloan serving a variety of assignments both at sea and ashore. He later graduated with honors from the School of Management, Naval Post Graduate School at Monterey, Calif.
Sloan retired from the Navy in 1970 with the rank of Commander.
From 1971-1975, he worked for the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington, D.C., first as head of computer operations, then as director of accounting.
Sloan was an active alumnus of Doane College's V-5/V-12 officer training programs. He personally located 258 former participants in the program prior to the group's 50th reunion in 1993, and assisted in establishing the USS Doane scholarship. Since 2000, he has served the college as the V-12 class agent, communicating significant news about Doane, reunions, and promoting the USS Doane Fund.
He and his wife, Patricia Connolley, reside in Springfield, Ill. He has five step-children, seven step-grandchildren, and 12 step-great grandchildren.
(Builder Awards cont.)
Donald J. '50 and Glennys R. Tyser '50 Ziegler, Crete
Don and Glennys Tyser Ziegler met as fellow members of Doane's class of 1950.
Glennys, a native of Beatrice, earned her degree in math and psychology. Don, a Grand Island high school graduate, completed a history degree at Doane, followed by his doctorate from the University of Nebraska.
Don was one of Doane's first Fulbright Scholars. In Munich, Germany, he completed research for his dissertation. Glennys taught at Hickman High until it was time to leave for their year in Munich.
It would be many years before they returned to Doane. Don served four Midwestern liberal arts colleges during his career -- two as professor of European history and two, including Doane, as academic vice president and dean of the college.
He and Glennys returned to Doane in 1975, where he served for 11 years. During that time, he initiated curricular changes leading to major revision of the college's general education requirements. He also proposed and led the creation of Doane's Lincoln campus.
Glennys' work was both visible and behind-the-scenes, helping with registration, hosting faculty candidates, students, speakers and consultants, sponsoring a sorority and serving as proofreader for her husband's writing projects.
The author of published works on European history as well as short stories in NEBRASKA LIFE magazine, Don has written extensively about the history of Doane. These works include "Historic Doane Families," "Doane College in Lincoln," and "A College on a Hill: Life at Doane, 1872-1987," followed by a recently expanded edition, "A College on a Hill and Beyond, Life at Doane, 1872-2005."
Their dedication to Doane did not end with Don's retirement and "Dean Emeritus" title. Together, they served as class agents for the class of 1950 and members of Doane's Alumni Council. They have opened their home to guests of the college and can be found at nearly every Doane reunion, Homecoming and Commencement, as well as fine arts programs, speakers and lectures.
Don received the Trustee Award for Distinguished Service from Doane in 1990. Doane awarded its Exceptional Service Award to Don and Glennys jointly in 1999.
In addition to Doane, their combined list of service organizations and memberships has included leadership in the United Church of Christ First Congregational, Women's Fellowship, Crete Rotary Club, the Wednesday Club and AAUW.
They have five children and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.