Masters Alumni 1970-79

The Department of History at Western Michigan University honors its alumni. If you are listed on an alumni page, please contact us with career updates.

1979

Jomes B. Bilsborrow

David K. Crosswell

Wayne E. Eirschele

Gregg A. Newby

Teresa Diane Sharon

Inamae Skutt

Peter D. VanderSchaaf

Patrick N. Welbourne

1978

J. Michael Balyo

Mike graduated in 1978 with an MA in history. He has been teaching since 1983 on the West Coast (Oregon) in a number of universities and colleges, including Western Oregon University, Linn-Benton-Community College, Corban University, and since 1987 at Chemeketa Community College (Salem, OR) (full-time since 1997). Mike teaches World History, U.S. History, and Middle East History, including two on-line classes every term. He says, "I enjoyed a very good experience at WMU and still have my notes from several classes I took, including those of Dr. Howard Mowen (great professor!). I now have a son who lives in Kalamazoo so I'll probably be in the area more often. Thanks for the great start I received at WMU."

William A. Coutant

Alfred John Eppens

William L. Hafter

Shirley Ort

Shirley Ort retired as associate provost and director of Scholarships and Student Aid at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She administered a comprehensive program of over $350 million in student aid funds to 20,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. She advised campus administrators on matters related to tuition, student aid policy, student aid research, and national issues and trends related to the role of student aid in higher education finance. Prior to joining Chapel Hill in 1997, Ort served as deputy director for student financial aid at the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board for 18 years. Ort is active in national student aid associations, demonstrating leadership on issues related to access, affordability and student success. Since 2006, she has served as a Trustee of the College Board and currently serves as vice-chair. Shirley was the Department of History Alumni Awardee in 2013.

J.D., Law, Seattle University (1986)
M.A., History, Western Michigan University (1978)
B.A., History/Political Science, Spring Arbor University (1968)

1977

Richard M. Cahow

Anne Louise Cavanagh

Jessie Chou

Rose A. Covell

Larry J. Frank

Myung-Soon Ha

Valerie Catherine Hauch

Thomas A. Herrick

Robert L. Jones

(Deceased May 2004)

Karen Lynn Knapp

Larry B. Massie

Phyllis G. Pelletier

Charles Sikkenga

Paul M. Trap

1976

Cassius Bultman

Robert S Feeley

Toni L. Fiorillo

M.A., History, Western Michigan University (1976)
B.A., History, Western Michigan University (1974)
Toni was employed by the U.S. Postal Service in 1978 and retired in 2001. She enjoyed traveling and making jewelry.

(Deceased July 2013)

Fred Flegal

Dr. Richard H. Harms

Dr. Harms is the Curator of Archives at Calvin College. He is widely published, having authored six books and forty-six articles.

@email
Ph.D., History, Michigan State University, (1984)
M.A., History, Western Michigan University (1976)
B.A., History, Calvin College (1973)

Kenneth C. Kan

Patrick J. Lally

Brenda Fay Lauer

Dr. Albert J. Pleysier

Dr. Pleysier is a professor of history at Piedmont College, Georgia. In addition to survey courses, he has also taught a broad range of topical courses including History of Modern Germany, History of Spain, History of Women, History of Ancient Egypt, History of Constantinople, and History of Russia and the Soviet Union.

Ph.D., History, West Virginia University (1981)
M.A., History, Western Michigan University (1976)
B.A., History, Calvin College (1971)

Robert Swantek

James D. Swope II

1975

Ingo E. Banse

Virginia A. Caruso

Dennis J. Clarke

Robert W. Eich

Margarete E. Fochtman

Bruce Mitton

Dorothy Priscilla Plato

Laura L Sills

Gary B. Sleeper

Allan Robert Vernier

1974

Donald Lee Bergman

Tom Alan Buursma

Susan Deborah Chaikin

Donald C. Hipp

Kenneth E. Kolk

Larry B. Massie

James Stander

Carla Ann VanWormer

(Deceased December 2005)

1973

Mary E. Blankenhorn

Elizabeth M Forsmay

Joseph C. Jeltema

James J. Karagon

Karagon shares: "I recently retired from Marygrove College, Detroit, as an associate professor in the Bachelor of Social Work program. My professors at Western included Doctors Tompkins, Mange, Hamner, Houdek, Nodel, Snell, Dunbar, Cordier, Schmitt, Mowen, Elasser, Hahn, Nahm and Gregory. All were excellent teachers who emphasized scholarship, a commitment to accuracy and being able to write concisely. Dr Gregory was my advisor and role model. I hope I was able to pass on to my students their dedication to learning.

I remember a story about Dr C. David Tompkins. In 1964-65, he was my professor in U.S History to 1877 and U.S. History since 1877.  At one lecture, the day was brutally hot. Dr Tompkins, who was somewhat portly, was sweating profusely. He looked around and took off his sport jacket. He looked around again, then unloosed his tie. He looked around again, and took his tie off. He then looked around and said “class dismissed, let’s meet at the Knollwood,” which was the local bar on campus! Dr. Tompkins was against American intervention into Vietnam before most people were against intervention. I remember one of his assigned books was The Tragedy of American Diplomacy by Walter Appleman Williams. Another history major and my roommate at Western was John Janzaruk, who also had Dr. Tompkins as a professor. John and I have been good friends for 50 years and have dinner with each other once per week. We often talk about Dr. Tompkins and other professors at Western and how they helped us to examine assumptions and to critically think about issues."

M.A., History, Western Michigan University (1973)
B.A., History, Western Michigan University (1967)

William E. McNellie

Walter Rudecki, Jr.

William H. Schell

Thomas A. Stahr

Eric R. Stromsta

Carlos A. Vazquez

1972

Arnold D. Masunungure

William R Mitchell

David W. Schreuder

Ruth Ann Writer

1971

Bern G. Allen

Marcella Cochran

Robert C. Engels

Paul A. Hirning

Dr. John Alan Kriekard

Kriekard spent 32 years in education, primarily in the Scottsdale Unified School District as Principal of Chaparral High School and of Mountainside Middle School as well as assistant superintendent overseeing the planning of Desert Mountain High School and Mountainside Middle School. He was named superintendent of the Paradise Valley Unified School District in 2003. Under his leadership, PVUSD increased teachers’ salaries and positions, dramatically improved school labels of student achievement, and advanced technological innovation in both curriculum and instruction. State and national recognition followed, including being named Arizona’s Superintendent of the Year for Large Districts and receiving the Bob Grossman Leadership in School Communications Award from the National School Public Relations Association, both in 2007. He retired in 2009 but continues to consult with school districts and other organizations.

Ed.D., Educational Administration, Arizona State (1985)
M.A., History, Western Michigan University (1971)
B.A., Liberal Arts, Kalamazoo College

Warren J. Lawrence

Warren Lawrence spent seven years as a teacher and administrator in Portage Public Schools. He then served for 25 years as director of the Regional Educational Media Center in the former Kalamazoo Valley Intermediate School District. In 2012, he was awarded with a STAR award for lifetime volunteerism.

M.A., History, Western Michigan University (1971)
B.A., Western Michigan University (1960)

Janet E. McMullen

Michael R. Micklatcher

(Deceased March 2002)

Patricia A. Nikolitch

Dianne Sue Parkison

Charles A Pratt

1970

Dr. Kenneth Aupperle

Dr. Aupperle is a professor at the University of Akron in the Department of Management.

@email
Ph.D., Management Policy and Strategy, University of Georgia (1982)
M.B.A., Finance, Kansas State University
M.A., History, Western Michigan University (1970)
B.A., History, Western Michigan University (1968)

Jack Boelema

Mr. Boelema serves as County Commissioner for Kent County, Michigan. He also taught history and American government at Westside Chapel Schools for 35 years.

M.A., History, Western Michigan University (1970)
B.A., History, Calvin College (1968)

Jerome Geimer

Paul Robert Hallman

Eric D. Hansen

Victor E. Hart

Dr. Linda Hayner

Dr. Hayner is currently the Department Head for the Department of History at Bob Jones University.

Ph.D., History, Vanderbilt University
M.A., History, Western Michigan University (1970)
B.A., History, Western Michigan University (1968)

 

George D. Jepson

M.B.A., Western Michigan University (1973)
M.A, History, Western Michigan University (1970)
B.A. History, Western Michigan University (1966)

 

 

Stuart Michael Jones

Craig Joseph Kaelin

Lawrence Leo LaPomarda

LaPomarda was born in Portland, Maine to Joseph and Camilla (Trepanier) Lapomarda and he lived in Muskegon since childhood. He attended St. Francis De Sales Elementary School. He played basketball all four years that he attended Muskegon Catholic Central High School. He also played baseball his junior and senior years, and was awarded a Magazine Drive award during his sophomore year. After graduation, he received his bachelor's and master's degrees in history and English from WMU. He was a high school teacher at Orchard View High School. He was also a coach and referee for boys and girls. LaPomarda was known as "the voice of the Cardinals" having announced Orchard View varsity football for years. He married the former Carol Chaney and had two daughters, Jessica and Nicole and two grandchildren. He passed away in September 2004.

M.A., History, Western Michigan University (1970)
B.A., English, Western Michigan University (1968)

(Deceased September 2004)

Charles Wayne Lockwood

Douglas W. Lombard

Kay L. Long

David J. Mowrey

George T. Sink

Melvin Russel Starr

Mr. Starr was born and grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He taught history in Michigan public schools for thirty-nine years, 35 of those in Portage, Michigan, where he retired in 2003 as Chairman of the Social Studies Department at Portage Northern High School. He is the author of the Hugh de Singleton, surgeon chronicles.

M.A., History, Western Michigan University (1970)
B.A., History, Greenville College – Illinois (1964)

 

Lawrence Treadwell, III

Robert E. Treloar

David Alden Winter