2007 GRADUATES



Kirk Builta
SAC member 2004-07
SAC president 2006-07
HCD—Agricultural Education, Leadership
Le Roy

Kate Legge
SAC member 2006-07
Animal Sciences
Fairfield          

Kristin Morgan
SAC member 2005-07
Animal Sciences
Downs

Amy Murray
SAC member 2006-07
HCD—Agricultural Education, Leadership
Rantoul



Craig Sondgeroth
SAC member 2006-07
Crop Sciences
LaMoille

Darla Steele
SAC member 2004-07
HCD—Agricultural Education, Leadership
minor in Animal Sciencs
Gilson

Jen Traficanti
SAC member 2004-07
Animal Sciences
Burr Ridge

2007-08 Committee

a
David Allspach
third year member
senior, ACE—Agribusiness, Farm and Financial Management
Mt. Pulaski

Alyssa Bane
first year member
sophomore
HCD—Agricultural Communications
Arrowsmith

Jason Bollivar
first year member
senior
ACE — Agribusiness, Markets and Management
Wataga

Andrew Bowman
second year member
senior
Crop Sciences—Agronomy
Oneida

Scott Burris
second year member
junior
ACE—Agribusiness
Newman

Mathew Carton
first year member
sophomore
ACE—Agribusiness, Markets and Management
Atkinson



Karlie Elliott
second year member
junior
HCD—Ag Communications
Rankin

Brian Fisher
second year member
senior
Crop Sciences
Mandan, ND

Bruce Frank, SAC president
third year member
senior
ACE—Agribusiness, Farm and Financial Management
Athens

Jim Goldenstein
second year member
junior
HCD—Ag Communications
Gilman

Ashley Hanold
first year member
sophomore
HCD—Ag Communications
Brighton

Travis Huls
first year member
senior
Crop Sciences—Crop Agribusiness
Carthage

Jamie Ingold
first year member
senior
NRES—Horticulture: Production and Management
Fisher

Sydney Jarrett
second year member
senior
Crop Sciences—Biological Sciences
Peoria

Jay Kelley
third year member
senior
ACE—Agribusiness, Markets and Management
Chillicothe

Kayla King
first year member
sophomore
HCD—Agricultural Communications, minor in Crop Sciences
Nokomis

Paul Kirbach
first year member
senior
Animal Sciences—Biotech/Pre-Vet & Crop Sciences—Plant Biotechnology/ Molecular Biology
Jerseyville

Nathan Kurfman
first year member
junior
Animal Sciences—Science & Biotechnology, Pre-Vet
Fishhook

Jacqueline Langlois
first year member
senior
Crop Sciences
Grant Park

Becky Littlefield
second year member
junior
HCD—Agricultural Education, Teacher Certification
Gibson City

Jonathon Lower
second year member
senior
Crop Sciences
Lanark

Thomas Maske
third year member
senior
Animal Sciences—Science & Biotechnology, Pre-Vet Med
Mt. Pulaski

Ryan Miller
first year member
junior
ACE—Agricultural Accounting
Amboy

Katie Murray
first year member
junior
ACE—Agricultural Accounting
Rantoul

Brittany Powers
second year member
junior
ACE—Policy, International Trade and Development
Edwardsville

Carly Rakes
first year member
sophomore
HCD —Agricultural Communications
Auburn

Collin Reeser
first year member
junior
ACE—Consumer Economics and Finance, Financial Planning and Counseling
Bloomington

Blake Ruebush
first year member
junior
NRES
Pittsfield

Andrea Steele
second year member
junior
HCD—Agricultural Education, Leadership
Marseilles

Jordan Tate
first year member
sophomore
ABE —Technical Systems Management
Good Hope

Kelly Wagahoff
first year member
junior
HCD —Agricultural Communications, Advertising
Raymond

Laura Wallace
first year member
junior
ACE —Agribusiness, Markets and Management
Farmer City



Levi Welbourne
first year member
junior
ACE —Agribusiness, Markets and Management
Pittsfield

John Wyss
first year member
sophomore
Crop Sciences
Chebanse

SAC Fall Retreat: A Tale of Confidence

The rainy day only added to the challenges ahead
for the 2007-08 Student Advancement Committee.

The College of ACES Student Advancement Committee (SAC) experienced something new at their annual fall retreat held at 4-H Memorial Camp in Allerton Park. Arriving early on Monday, August 20, the group weathered rain and the great outdoors to take on the rock-climbing wall and slip-line through the forest.

Bruce Frank, a senior in ACE, was elected president at the end of the spring semester. Elections for this year's executive committee took place during their first regularly scheduled meeting. The following members were elected:

Andrea Steele, vice chair alumni relations
Sydney Jarrett, vice chair college relations
Matt Carton, vice chair special events
Jamie Ingold, secretary/treasurer
Brittany Powers & Laura Wallace, ACES Councel representatives

Students will participate in fundraising and alumni activities during the school year.

The 2007-08 Student Advancement Committee in front of the wall.

Carly Rakes, a sophomore in
ag com, checks her progress
on the rock-climbing wall.

SAC adviser Jeremy Robinett, Jim Goldstein, and
Jason Bollivar watching SAC members scale the wall.

Nathan Kurfman (junior majoring
in animal sciences) gives
Levi Welbourne (junior majoring
in ag and consumer
economics) a leg up.

Andrea Steele (junior majoring in ag education
and leadership) gets help with her climbing gear
from a 4-H camp worker.

Jordan Tate takes a moment to
decide his route up the wall.

Nathan Kurfman , Levi Welbourne, Sydney Jarrett,
Alyssa Bane, and Laura Wallace keep an
eye on everyone's progress.

SAC ALUMNI UPDATE

Tara Anderson

‘02 Food & Agribusiness Management

‘06 MPA from UIC

Tara graduated in December 2006 with a masters degree in public administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago . In July 2007,  she started a new position as director of alumni relations for the Chicago-Kent College of Law of the Illinois Institute of Technology. She also serves as the young alumni representative for Chicago on the ACES Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Jill (Frank) Berg

‘03 Agribusiness, Farm and Financial Management

On May 26, 2007, Jill married Jack Berg.  Following a wonderful wedding and honeymoon, they moved from Minnesota to the Waterloo , Iowa , area.  Jill was able to transfer within Syngenta, and she is now a sales rep for NK Syngenta Seeds in northeast Iowa .

Kirk Builta

‘07 Agricultural & Environmental Communications and Education

After graduation, Kirk began a career as information director for the Champaign County Farm Bureau.

Maureen Cheng

‘00 Food Science
’07 MBA Marketing/ Entertainment, Media, & Technology ( New York University )

Maureen was on a three month work assignment in Unilever , Italy , last year!  It was a wonderful experience to be immersed in another country and have the opportunity to collaborate with different colleagues.  Maureen returned to the US to complete her MBA degree in May. And most recently, she became engaged to her best friend, Jhilson Ortiz!

Katie Dierker

‘03 Food and Agribusiness Management

Katie Recently transitioned from a territory customer support manager role in Knoxville TN to the ag management solutions factory in Urbandale IA.   With that change, I have been able to spend more time with family and friends from the Midwest !

Jessica Duval

‘06 Agriculture

Andy Robertson and Jessica got engaged April 21, 2007, at Starved Rock State Park . They began dating during their senior year while in SAC together!

Luke M. Feeney

’02 Agriculture & Consumer Economics

‘05 Law

This summer Luke kept busy by competing in a few triathlons, including the Chicago Triathlon and Chicago Marathon.

Maura Gill

‘05 Human Development and Family Studies

Currently Maura is pursuing a master’s degree in human resources and industrial relations and an MBA in marketing, both at U of I.  She worked this past summer for Procter & Gamble as a business account manager in marketing strategy and planning.

Brea (Nelson) Harms

‘02 Agribusiness, Farm & Financial Management

’03 MS Agricultural Education

Ryan, Carter, and Brea relocated to the Kansas City area in early November 2006 for a new position with John Deere.  She now works in an office environment serving John Deere dealers in the Minneapolis sales branch.  When they moved, Ryan left his job at Fort Hay State University and he now works as the director of development for the KU School of Pharmacy in Lawrence .  They’ve been enjoying being closer to Illinois and they also enjoy the KC area.  Carter continues to grow, and he makes us laugh every day.  His new little brother or sister is due in early February!

Abby (Dean) Hendren

‘06 Agricultural Communications/Advertising

Abby was married June 9, 2007. She also received a promotion with her current employer.

Amy (Matthews) Lloyd

‘00 Agricultural and Environmental Communications and Education, Teacher Certification

Amy has launched her own business, “Without Seams,” giving sewing lessons, making hand-made gifts, and doing custom sewing work.

Alvie McCormick

‘92 Agriculture Economics/ Agriculture Education

Alvie has successfully completed the end of my second marriage.  May sound facetious, but he is very excited about it and says he’s much better off.  He’s also proud of being the custodial care parent of his son, Bailey, and proving that he can be a single parent and work 50-60 hours a week.

Rebecca Ropp

‘95

’02 MBA ( Illinois State University )

The past year has been a whirl-wind for Rebecca’s family.  Rebecca, Ken, and his parents opened their own on-farm cheese processing business and retail store in November.  Ropp Jersey Cheese is the brand name, www.roppcheese.com .  This past year she has been in the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program and in March she received a promotion at Growmark as manager of the Career Development Department. Leah is having fun keeping up with all of the activates around their house and she is excited to start kindergarten this fall.

Amy (Ludwig) Rouse

‘00 Agricultural and Consumer Economics

We have welcomed our son George Ludwig Rouse into the world on Thursday, May 24th.  Family is doing great and he is such a little blessing!  We are starting him off on the right foot with a mobile above his bed that plays the Illinois Fight Song!!

Tracy (Boe) Steffen

‘96 Ag Communications

Tracy is very excited to be working for herself.  She gives personal skin care consultantions as well as coach women to start and build their own businesses with Mary Kay Cosmetics.  She became a senior sales director in June, and in the past year she has earned her third free career car – a Platinum Pontiac Grand Prix.  While she is not really working in agriculture, she appreciate the training and leadership skills learned through her past ag careers and experiences.  She still writes some for “This Week in Agribusiness,” a one-hour television show aired on RFD-TV and hosted by Max Armstrong and Orion Samuelson.

Rod Stoll

‘89 Dairy Science

It has been Rod’s privilege to be a part of the College of ACES team as a development officer these past 11 years.  He is grateful for getting to know and work with so many loyal and fascinating alumni and so many talented and enjoyable students.  Although he will miss working directly with the ACES and 4-H families, he looks forward to exploring new horizons and experiencing opportunities to grow, learn, and contribute in his new career with Farm Credit Services of Illinois.

Rob Swinger, DVM

’99 Animal Sciences

‘03 Veterinary Science

Rob has completely finished his ophthalmology residency and is now an uncle to Finnley, his  brother Matt’s baby.

Lori (Bowen) Tillock

‘93 Foods in Business

‘01 MBA DePaul

In the last year, Lori has started her own business providing recipe editing, copy writing, and Web content management services to food companies.

Carrie (Muehling) Vogel

‘01 Agricultural Communications and Education

Carrie continues with her part-time early morning radio job at WJBC.  She spends the rest of her day at home with Caleb, who turns two in October.  She also enjoys teaching piano lessons two nights a week and helping to lead worship at church as a vocal musician.  She is also participating in the Illinois Agricultural Leadership and will be traveling to the Ukraine and a few other Eastern European countries this spring as a part of the program.  Her husband, Scott, still teaches first grade and coaches junior high baseball and basketball.  He is working on his master’s Ddegree in administration at Illinois State University , so life’s pretty busy at the moment.  Still flying the orange and blue flag even though Scott’s attending ISU…one of Caleb’s first words —truly— was Illini!

Derek Weber

‘00 Agribusiness, Farm & Financial Management  

Derek took a new job at ADM as a college recruiter focusing on engineering recruiting.  He and wife Kelly are expecting their first child in February 2008.

Jim Zumwalt

‘94 Agriculture Communications  

Jim and his wife welcomed their second child, Evie, on May 30.

Student Advancement Committee Members Honored

Andrea Steele '09, who is majoring in ag education,
received the SAC Impact Award, which is presented
to a new member who has served as the best
new representative of the organization.

Kirk Builta '07, also majoring in ag education,
received the Karena C. Elliot Loyalty Award,
named after the founder of SAC. It is given
to a graduating senior who has best served
SAC during his/her membership. Kirk has
been president of the group this past year.

ExplorACES

College of ACES alumni came back to campus during ExplorACES to be part of a panel discussing their career paths. Former SACer Katheryne Stoll (left) and Beth Peralta joined Meg Cline and Derek Weber as panelists. More than 500 high school students attended the March 9 and 10 event.

Feed Your fACES

Feed Your fACES was held on Friday, September 7, on the ACES Quad. The event was sponsored by the ACES Alumni Association and the Student Advancement Committee.

More than 350 people attended the luncheon this year and were greeted by ACES Alumni Association board members, SAC members, student organizations, and faculty and staff.
It was a great afternoon!

Jay Kelley and Karlie Elliott outside
the tent at Feed Your fACES.

ACES College Connection
Homecoming 2007

Alumni board president Angie Eckert '94, treasurer Amy Rouse '00, and Chicago young alumni representative Tara Anderson '02 keep up their SAC connections.

 

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Presidents Council Reception

Paul Kirbach visits with members of the President's Council during Foundation weekend.

Sydney Jarett enjoyed the President's Council reception held in the Heritage Room at the ACES Library, Information and Alumni Center.

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Salute to Agriculture Day

Thomas Maske '08 animal sciences and Karlie Elliott '09 ag communications received Orion Samuelson scholarships. They were honored during the event.

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Master Farmers

Andy Bowman represented SAC during the Master Farmers event held on campus.