North Central NOW Annual Report 2010

President's Message

"At this institution, teaching comes first. Great teaching isn’t just about reaching the most talented students … it’s about reaching every student.” This fall, when U.S. News & World Report once again named North Central College as one of the 80 best places in the nation for undergraduate teaching, the magazine confirmed what all of us committed to this college know and believe. Great teaching is our raison d’etre, our reason for existence. And that teaching takes place all over campus.

Gary Ireland: Challenging New Leaders

Formerly the College's dean of students, Ireland is now sharing his 25 years of experience by teaching graduate-level classes and mentoring graduate assistants. Most of the students in his fall term class are specializing in the new higher education leadership track within the master of leadership studies program.

Summer Grants Encourage Scholarship

Wendy Koenig, associate professor of art, has long been interested in Holocaust studies and found a new dimension to research as she visits museums: the atmosphere created by sound and sound design. "I realized I'd never read anything about sound in this field," she says. That inspired her to spend the past two summers experiencing and evaluating the use of sound in Holocaust museums in Skokie, IL, Washington, D.C., Augusta, ME, Detroit and at the Holocaust Tower at the Jewish Museum in Berlin, Germany.

Brad Weiss '97

Brad Weiss writes a Radio, Media and Marketing Strategy Blog at bcarsonradio.wordpress.com. He’s also the midday host and content manager on WKQK-FM 94.1 in Memphis, TN, program director for WMFS AM/FM, executive producer for the Gary Parrish Show and a voice artist with Studio Center Memphis.

Amanda Williams '08

Amanda Williams was promoted to account executive in the corporate sales division of SmartEd Services in Cleveland. She began her career with SmartEd as a technology researcher, working to create technology solutions for corporate clients. SmartEd is the largest reseller of SMART Technologies in the Midwest, supplying K-12, corporate and higher education clients, including North Central College.

Manno '05 tapped for new MTV show

After years as a late night DJ, Kevin Manno '05 is finally working the day shift—and enjoying a promising promotion to television personality. He now co-hosts a daily live show for MTV called "The Seven" from a sunny studio overlooking Times Square in New York City. For years, Manno was a force on late night Chicago radio at WKQX-FM 101.1 (known as Q101) and before that, as co-host of "All Ages Radio" on WONC-FM 89.1. The highly respected show earned Manno and friend Gordon Mays '05 Silver Dome Awards from the Illinois Broadcaster's Association.

Jena Morrow '99

Jena Morrow chronicles her lifelong battle with an eating disorder in her debut book, titled “Hollow: An Unpolished Tale,” released in May 2010 by Moody Publishers. She studied music education at North Central College. She lives with her son in Crest Hill, IL, and may be reached at jenamorrow.com.

Michelle Corless '10

Michelle Corless won the first-place award for Best Radio News Reporting—a prestigious 2010 National Student Production Award from Collegiate Broadcasters, Inc. She won the top award for her WONC-FM 89.1 coverage of Evan Lysacek Day in Naperville last March. Corless is working as a reporter/production associate for Naperville Community Television, NCTV 17.

Former career back on the 'front burner'

A life of academic curiosity that was nurtured at North Central College continues for Charlotte Roederer '65. A math and music major as an undergraduate, Roederer has shifted from a law career back to research she started more than 30 years ago after earning a doctorate in music history from Yale University. "I have the opportunity to 'front burner' the research I started as an academic and kept warm all these years," she says.

Kevin Stahr '99

Kevin Stahr is the public information coordinator for the City of Aurora, IL. He’s responsible for writing news releases, fielding media inquiries, coordinating special events and helping develop various media strategies. Stahr had spent the last 11 years with Suburban Life Newspapers as a reporter and news editor. He lives in Aurora with his wife Toni Drost ’99 Stahr.