Pat White’s Invocation – “God, I Love Wabash”

April 25, 2013.  It was Pat White’s last Chapel talk.  A great crowd and a great message.  Grunge will not spill the beans – you’ll have to look it up and watch it, the whole “it”, on You Tube.

This poor, dumb fighter pilot has no business pretending to be a historian.  Got it.  But the Grunge’s recollection of the era of 2006-2013 will be one of Pat and Chris White and their absolute love of Wabash students and the greater community.  Pat loved the opportunity to teach and learn with Wabash guys.  Chris was equally engaged using her professional training as a nurse and her love of people.

Pat White makes a point

At the end…when Pat said “Always Means Always” it was crystal clear to me that their lasting memories will be good ones filled, overflowing actually, with students-turned-men who outperformed every expectation and changed the world.

The Standing “O”

Jeremy Wentzel ’14, Student Senate president, took to the podium and gave a warm, heartfelt student thanks to Pat and Chris.  He then declared them lifetime members of the Student Senate.

Jeremy Wentzel ’14 Congratulates the Whites

Jeremy then turned the tables and had the Student Body ring out the Whites.  A Great Moment.

The Students Ring Out The Whites

A Great Couple

“Dear Old Wabash”

Pat and Chris.  It isn’t “Goodbye” – it’s “Until we meet again.” You’ll always be in our hearts.  We are better for having known you!

“Always” Means “Always”.

Team Bachelor

Team Bachelor has done it again.  Every year the staff brings home multiple awards for their work and this year is no exception.  At the annual Indiana Collegiate Press Association Convention, Wabash was honored seven times.  Well done!  Here’s the story.

Jim Dimos ’83

Our own Jim Dimos, who has been a leader on the state and national level for many years, is the President-elect of the Indiana State Bar Association.  Here’s the link with the news.

Jim practices law at FrostBrownTodd LLC in Indianapolis.  Jim also finds time to serve as a class agent and is a past president of the board of directors of the National Association of Wabash Men.

Jim was a leader in the effort to renovate the Delta Tau Delta fraternity house and also spearheaded the effort for a reunion of Wabash Lawyers in 2009.

Congratulations Jim and the best of everything in this new and challenging role!  Jim Dimos is Some Little Giant.

Today is probably not the day to call and book…

Took these by Sugar Creek and Creekside Lodge.  (Across from the site of the old Coke plant for guys in my generation.)  Of course, Sugar Creek holds a special place in the lore of Wabash College.

Drive up window…for boats

The water is Sugar Creek is really moving…

The road to the canoe launch…

Senior Speak 2013

Rudy Altergott ’13- “Lessons Learned”

Matthew Paul ’13 – “These Fleeting Years”

Jimmy Kervan ’13 – “Wabash College: My Safety Net”

JJ Peller ’13 – “Walk In Like You Own The Place”

Link To You Tube Video.

No Grunge “Executive Summary”.  No Grunge lead in.  No Grunge corny comments.  Check it out and watch it all.

Sphinx Club President Jimmy Kervan ’13

That’s Jimmy Kervan ’13 coaching up the pledges at a basketball game this past winter.  Jimmy is finishing up in a few weeks and will be headed to work for Target Corporation.  If his performance there is anything like it has been here, his future is bright and unlimited.

Jimmy has been president of his fraternity – Beta Theta Pi.  He’s a member of the track team.  He’s been the Sphinx Club president.  He’s been the President of College Mentors for Kids.  He is a member of the Sons of Wabash.  And, he’s also found time to be a college student.

Jimmy is, of course, the guy I turned to when I needed to find the requirements for paint quantities for the Senior Bench.  I had the answer in less than 24 hours.

At this point, I am always asking myself if we can replace guys like Jimmy.  Thank goodness we can.  Regardless, Jimmy’s fingerprints are all over Wabash College and that’s a good thing.  Luck for Wabash, the Class of 2013 has many guys who have had the same kind of impact.

Here’s a list of some of the jobs and graduate schools for our seniors.  More will be posted as they complete their senior outprocessing.

FULL-TIME
–  Faculty Intern, Global Studies Program, Culver Academies, Culver, IN
–  Sales Support, Laurus Strategies, Chicago, IL
–  Bird and Plant Technician, Mississippi State University, DeKalb, MS
–  Account Representative, Adams Remco, Indianapolis, IN
–  Target Corporation, various locations (several management trainees)

GRADUATE SCHOOL
–  PhD Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
–  College of Law, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
–  University of Illinois College of Medicine Chicago, IL
–  Plant Ecology Intern, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD
–  PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
–  School of Medicine, Indiana University
–  Masters in Environmental Analysis and Decision Making, Rice University, Houston, TX
–  School of Law, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
–  Robert H McKinney School of Law, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN (at least three headed that way)
–  PhD Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor University College of Medicine, Houston, TX
–  PhD Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Jet jockies?  Wait until next year…

Here’s the announcement.  Rudy, Matthew, Jimmy, and JJ are all great guys.

“This Thursday at Chapel we will be having Senior Speak. Senior Speak is an old Wabash tradition that was revived by the Sphinx Club this past year. Our Wabash Brothers that will be speaking this year are as follows:

Rudy Altergott – Lessons Learned 

A Political Science major and History minor. He came to Wabash from Hinsdale Central in Hinsdale, Illinois, a southwestern suburb of Chicago. Rudy has been involved in various campus organizations, including service as President of the Independent Men’s Association, Class Representative and Senator in the Student Senate, and, most proudly, as a volunteer videographer for Wabash Football.

Matthew Paul – These Fleeting Years

Originally from Bloomington, Indiana, he played four years  of soccer at Wabash and was a senior captain. He has been an RA his sophomore, junior, and senior years. He studied abroad in Granada, Spain last year. He will spend next year as the faculty intern within the Global Studies Program at Culver Academies in Culver, IN.

Jimmy Kervan – Wabash College: My Safety Net

Originally from Indianapolis, he is a History major with an Economics minor. He runs track and for the past two years has done cross country for Wabash. He has been lucky enough to serve as President of Beta Theta Pi, the Sphinx Club, and College Mentors for Kids.

J.J. Peller – Walk in Like You Own the Place

Originally from Valparaiso, Indiana, he is an Economics major and  Spanish minor. He is glad to be a brother of Phi Delta Theta Indiana Beta. ”

The You Tube video should be up Friday or soon thereafter.  Here’s the link to our You Tube site.

Dutch Loved the Sigma Chis

Received word last night from Dan Susie ’68 that G.W. “Dutch” Freise ’48 passed away while on a cruise off the coast of Spain.  His health hadn’t been the greatest lately but he still kept a pretty hectic travel schedule.  Some poetic justice that he went from the cruise ship up to meet St. Peter.

Dutch loved Wabash, Ben Rogge, conservative values, Frank Sparks, private enterprise, conservative values, Hillsdale College, conservative values, Barbara his bride, and Joy his true friend and companion in later life.  Oh, did I mention conservative values?

Every visit with Dutch took on the same scenario.  We’d get together, he’d lambast me about something he didn’t like going on, then we’d talk like good friends do.  Life, family, Church, Wabash, etc.  He was a great friend, it turns out, to my namesake, Tom Mason ’47.  Uncle Tom was a Wally headed to Dental School with a permanent detour to a career as an Air Force pilot. Dutch would always ask about Tom’s widow, Aunt Margot.

Dutch made sure the new Sigma Chi house had the absolute finest kitchen setup possible. He also funded a scholarship to Wabash for young men from his neck of the woods.  He cared deeply about Wabash and what it offers young men.

Last time I saw Dutch he unloaded with both barrels on me.  It hurt.  Subject matter not important.  In the grand scheme of things, I hope Dutch didn’t pay any attention to my reaction.  I can be a h@#$ a%^ at times too.

Dutch – by now you’ve probably told St. Peter to get a real job, one in Industry.  I’ll bet he still let you in.  Thanks, my friend, for remaining so despite it all.

Dutch Freise – Some Little Giant.

It is the week that was…is…and will be…

So, it’s Pan Hell Week…

Oh, the stories…

One starts this way:  there was this XX feet long semi truck parked on campus near the XXXXX.   The truck was loaded with XXX cases / kegs of adult beverages.  It was so full, and the day was so warm, that it literally sank XX feet into the (pick one): ground, aspault, solid concrete, floor of Chadwick Court, bowling alley of Sparks.

All was not lost, however, as the men of the (living unit) rode in on their XXXXX and saved the day by (                    you can add this                             ).

It’s all true because it was reported in the _____________________.

Bed race today!