From the Hawk's Nest Podcast: Recent Episodes
Quincy University
Quincy University's alumni podcast From the Hawks Nest is brought to you by the Office of Alumni Relations. This season we will connect with alumni, discuss what is happening on campus, and all with a Franciscan perspective.
Teresa tells us about her work with the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, created by Pope Francis, and her journey to be able to serve at this level. Teresa also shares some of her experiences working with the Illinois State Police, and she recalls favorite QU memories and shares how she stays connected with alumni.
Sam has served as QU’s Director of Safety and Security since 2011. As he nears his retirement, Sam reflects on his career and work experience before coming to QU and walks us through the responsibilities and the most rewarding moments of his service at QU. He also shares some advice for QU students.
Liz tells us about her experience serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco including her journey to get into the Peace Corps, her areas of service and what life is like there. Liz also shares some fun memories of her time at QU and how she stays connected to former classmates and alum.
Jessica shares with us her journey from being a graduate assistant coach with the QU women’s basketball team, to coaching at several other colleges and then joining the coaching staff with the University of Nebraska women’s basketball program. She also recalls some great moments at QU on the women’s basketball team and offers some advice to student athletes.
Fr. Daren talks about his approach and outreach as he looks forward to being the QU Director of Campus Ministry, and he walks us through his decision to assume this role. He shares his Quincy background and his connection with QU students, and he encourages us to integrate Franciscan values into our daily lives.
Daniel tells us about his service at QU as a theology professor and how he started his education studying for the priesthood. He shares some of the career and service opportunities that theology graduates pursue. Then Daniel give us an overview and deeper understanding of and appreciation for the President’s Honors College, of which he is the dean.
Bob tells us about his journey to becoming faculty at QU, how long he has served in the QU Art Department, and how many courses he has taught. He shares the array of awards and recognitions he’s received and tells us about his favorite artists and forms of artwork. Bob also highlights how he stays connected with and is motivated by QU alum from the art program.
Kathleen tells us about her work as a learning management systems analyst in the Chicago area and her involvement in physical therapy and personal training, starting with her time at QU as a sport management major. We’ll learn about Kathleen’s love for sailing and her recent sailboat race. She also shares some of her fun memories at QU and how strongly connected she is to alum.
Courtney shares her journey to becoming the head women’s basketball coach at QU including her time on the court as a student athlete and how she moved into coaching. Then Courtney tell us about her first season as QU head coach. She highlights some standout moments, her approach with the team and her expectations.
David Frolick tells us about his 36 years of experience as a political science faculty member with a private college in Naperville, Illinois. David takes us back to his Quincy roots and what brought him to Quincy University and what life was like on campus then. He also shares his experiences and thoughts on different faith communities working together for the common good.
Daryle Hightower shares her approach regarding the chiropractic services she offers and what led her to pursue this career. She also discusses what life was like as a QU student and student athlete, and she shares some of her favorite memories and how she stays connected to former classmates and teammates.
Grant is the assistant director of QU campus ministries. He shares the responsibilities and goals of campus ministries and some of the services and activities that are ongoing and planned for the future. He explains ways they are advancing peer-led groups and missions opportunities and how campus ministries is working with athletes.
Amy discusses her current responsibilities in diverse roles with the Jefferson City Medical Group and as owner and manager of a Quincy business. She explains their family’s involvement in football from her sons playing to her husband who’s a high school football coach. Amy’s husband is also a QU alum, a podiatrist practicing in Jefferson City. Amy shares with us her continued connections with QU and how she enjoys watching her son on the QU football team.
Angie tells us about how she progressed from earning her degree in athletic training, to being an athletic trainer, and to serving as an adjunct at a community college. Angie also shares how she and her brothers came to QU from New York and their connection with a former QU baseball coach. Angie discusses her memories at QU and how much she and her family stay connected to the Quincy area.
Matt shares his journey to becoming the head baseball coach at QU and his early seasons as pitching coach and assistant coach. Then we discuss the baseball team’s historic, record-breaking season last year, how far they advanced and what Matt’s approach is for this season. We also get Matt’s reaction to several prestigious awards he received last season.
Fr. Joe has been serving at QU in a variety of roles for over 5 decades. Fr. Joe takes us back to his childhood and what led him into the priesthood and walks us through earning his doctorate at Harvard and his service at QU. Fr. Joe also shares his journey as a historian. We focus on his recent publication about the history of the Sacred Heart Province and get Fr. Joe’s insight into the merging of Sacred Heart and five other provinces into one province.
Sarah tells us about her career path to becoming QU’s Provost & VPAA. In addition to her academic experience, Sarah has also worked as a medical entomologist with the US Army Reserves and served as a captain in the Army. Sarah shares her goals for the university and the things that stand out to her and her family about QU and the Quincy community, and she offers some advice to students.
Nancy Benz tells about some of the projects she’s working on as the curator of collections and exhibits at the Quincy Museum. Nancy recently researched and published a coloring book for all ages highlighting the historical women who lived in the Quincy region, and she shares some of those stories. Nancy also shares some fun, memorable moments of her days as a QU student.
Mike Sennett discusses his role as antitrust and competition partner at his international law firm and shares some of his experiences representing clients in countries throughout the world. Mike tells us about his current work with the Water Quality Association and about his involvement with immigration and children and family services. Then Mike offers some advice to students.
Theresa Spear shares her experience as a licensed funeral director. We talk about Theresa’s community involvement and work with non-profits. She tells us about her time at QU and some of the art projects she worked on as a student and art projects she works on now. Then she shares some advice for students and alumni.
Mark Mantovani shares his experiences in a broad range of professions including his work in business and digital marketing fields, and as a practicing attorney and a college professor. We’ll also talk with Mark about his civic activities and philanthropy in the St. Louis area as well as with QU.
Chad Thomas discusses his role with Chicago public schools and how he progressed to administrative roles in education in Chicago communities that deal with consistent gun violence. Chad also shares how his time at QU equipped him to take on these challenges and shares some of his favorite QU memories.
Diane Ary shares what her role at ADM entails and how her time at QU helped prepare her for career challenges and accomplishments. Diane also discusses her involvement with community organizations, and she reflects on her days at QU and offers advice for current students.
JP Limbaugh discusses his current role with Silver Eagle Beverages in San Antonio and walks us through the journey he took to get to this position. JP also shares some fond memories of his days at QU as a student athlete and how his time at QU prepared him for his career path.
Tanner Stuckman shares his experiences as an international professional basketball player and tells us about his time at QU as a student athlete. Tanner also highlights the foundation that QU provided for him and how he has applied that foundation to his life and his basketball career.
Jim Mooney tells us about the challenges and successes of the national and international businesses he has managed and what projects he’s working on now. Jim shares why he’s committed to supporting QU and offers some advice to alumni and students.
Fr. John discusses ways we can embrace Franciscan values throughout the holiday season, and he shares some special childhood Christmas memories.
Robert Kennedy shares his career path and areas of interest related to history, art and the combinations of those fields, and his work with Harper’s Weekly.
Mike Elbe tells us about his career path, his areas of service, and what he’s looking forward to doing after retiring as the president of John Wood Community College. Mike also has some interesting stories about his coaching experiences and connections with coaches close to QU.
Jamal Thompson shares his coaching experience after graduation and gives highlights of his current position as head coach at his high school alma mater in Chicago.
Meet Kim Kull -- the highest ranking female fire official in Evanston, IL, and get her input on what it’s like to be responsible for emergency management logistics.
QU coordinator of annual giving, Michelle Kirkham, explains the history and approach of Giving Tuesday and highlights QU's plans for Giving Tuesday.
Evan tells us about his experiences playing on international professional basketball teams. Plus he shares his career plans now that he’s back in the states.
Kevin tells us about his years of service in the Navy and some prominent positions he’s held and noteworthy leaders he’s interacted with. Kevin also talks about his advisory roles with some feature-length films.
Coach Kemner talks about her time with the US women’s Olympic volleyball team and her approach as the coach of the QU men’s volleyball team.
Anita Krieger and Linda Moore talk about their time at QU as student athletes and how their experiences relate to the implementation of Title IX.
Brady Collings graduated from QU in 1995 and is the general manager for Spyder Active Sports, the world's largest ski specialty brand and the sponsor of the US Ski Team since 1989. They are now a multi-season brand and distributed in over 60 countries. Besides Spyder, Brady has also worked for Nike and Global Brands Group. In this episode, we will talk with Brady about his journey to QU and his career in the sports industry.
Nate McGhee, a current student here at QU. Nate is from St. Louis and is a member of the Hawks football team. In this episode, we will talk with Nate about the book he has written and what dreams he has after graduation.
Cris Cray ’86 has spent her career in Springfield, Illinois serving as the director of legislation at the Illinois State Board of Elections, as director of legislation for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, executive director of the Illinois Manufactured Housing Association, and assistant to the policy director for the House of Representative. In this episode, we will talk with Cris about her time at QU, her work in the capitol, and what she has learned along the way.
Darren Lillard was recently on campus working with high school students at QU's Music Department's Saxophone Day. Darren took some time to chat with us about his current fellowship at the University of Nebraska Lincoln and why it is important to him to come back to his alma mater and give back.
Jarja has spent her career working for some of the best Fortune 500 companies and is currently the vice president of field human resources for Kohl’s Corporation. As the Head of HR for field operations, Jarja supports over 80,000 associates across 1,166 stores. In this episode, Jarja will share about her time at QU and her journey to become a successful human resource executive.
Andrea Farr and her husband currently own and operate a consulting service business, Farr Solutions, LLC. In this episode, we will talk with Andrea about her career in the environmental health and safety field and how she is learning to live in the moment.
In this episode, we talk with Dan Overmyer about his time as a student at QU and his work at Cboe Global Market.
Justin Coffey is a professor of history at QU and the newly appointed Fr. Aaron Pembleton Endowed Chair. In this episode, Justin will share with us what is happening in and out of the classroom and his research.
In this episode, Justin will share with us how an internship in college led to the career he has today with the Special Olympics. We will also learn about several of the community projects he has spearheaded and why he is passionate about giving back to his community.
In this episode, Courtney will share memories of her time at QU and talk about her newly published books. Courtney works full-time for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska in their government, marketing, and sales department and spends her free time writing. You can purchase her books on Amazon.
In this episode, Joe will share with us what is happening in and out of the classroom and his latest research.
In this episode, we catch up with QU alumna Jane Loos, who has spent the last 20 years in pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Loos is currently the director of education for DePuy Synthes. Before coming to DePuy, Loos worked for 12 years at Johnson and Johnson in training and sales.
In this episode, we talk with Fr. Michael Berndt about his time at QU, and how he pivoted from the finance world to join the priesthood.
Before winter break we sat down with Carla Passini, head softball coach, to talk with her about her road to QU, what it is like to coach at her Alma Mater, and the upcoming softball season. Click here for the 2022 softball schedule.
The Office of Alumni Relations is excited to announce the third season of Quincy University's alumni podcast From the Hawks Nest. Join us for an all-new season showcasing stories from alumni and Franciscan Friars as well as all the new and exciting things happening on campus.
In this episode, Christine will share with us her road to QU and what is happening in the Quincy University Music Department. Included in this episode are four selections performed by the QU Hawk Express Jazz Band for your enjoyment, Hey Pachuco by Shane Porter, Groanin' by Lachland Davidson, This Christmas by Donny Hathaway/Arr. John Berry, and Santa Rocks the House by Paul Clark. Christine is the dean of the School of Fine Arts and Communication and an associate professor of music at QU. She is the director of the Hawk Express Jazz Band, woodwind instructor, and teaches a variety of music courses. The Hawk Express Jazz Band performs an exciting array of jazz music ranging from big-band standards to new compositions. The ensemble performs concerts each academic year and additionally tours to area high schools. Jazz Band is offered as a university course for credit and auditions take place at the beginning of the fall semester.
In this episode, we will talk with Wendell Mauter, emeritus professor of history, about why it is important for us to look back and examine the events in history.
In this episode, we will talk with Pasha Yates about why she started the #Giving Tuesday campaign at QU in 2015 and the impact she has seen it make on the QU campus.
In this episode, we talk with Fr. John Doctor, OFM, vice president of mission and ministry, and Jessica Howell, director of campus ministry about gratitude and how we can live that out in our life. The episode closes with alumni, faculty, and staff sharing what they are grateful for this Thanksgiving season.
In this episode of the podcast, Patrick shares his story and identifies the common threads between his career and his passion for tennis. Patrick worked as an associate marketing manager for Wilson Sporting Goods- Tennis Division. Since the recording of this podcast, Patrick accepted a Project Manager position with the TennisONE App.
In this episode of the podcast, Zach details the adventures he’s had since graduation and shares the joy he’s found through entrepreneurship. Zach is a sales trainer with Boone's HVAC in Dallas, works for Dallas Stars Foundation, and is the founder of Zach Klein Consulting. Since graduating from QU, Zach has worked in Southern California, Israel, Illinois, and Texas, as well as taking a year-long backpacking trip visiting the Middle East, Europe, and South America.
In this episode, we talk with Kaleena Gentry about her time at QU and what she has been up to since graduation. Kaleena has worked in accounting and treasury for ADM and DOT foods and is currently the business manager at Schmiedeskamp, Robertson, Neu, & Mitchell Law Firm, in Quincy.
In this episode, Fr. John Ostdiek shares a few of the many adventures he has experienced throughout his life. Over the course of his long career, he has served as a chaplain at the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C., was a professor of biology for 20 years at Quincy University, served as chair of the Public Works Commission for the city of Quincy, has written over 500 articles and conducted research on the ecology of the Mississippi River and the Alaskan Blackfish. In addition to all his work, Fr. John was a senior Olympics bowler until his early 90’s. He earned 36 medals over the years.
In this episode, we talk with Karen Rabe about how the Graduate and Professional Studies Programs at QU are helping students take their next step to success. Karen has been a part of the QU community for nearly six years, working in the Registrar’s office and the School of Education. She is the current graduate and professional studies coordinator at QU.
In this episode, we visit with alumna and beloved professor Dr. Barb, who shares some of her favorite memories at QU and discusses the Title III grant progress. Dr. Barb graduated from Quincy College in 1971 and earned her doctorate in British and American Literature from Stanford University. She has served as a member of the faculty and administration of QU since 1975.
This episode of From the Hawks Nest was recorded during the 2021 Homecoming Alumni Happy Hour in the Hawks Nest. Listen as alumni share fond memories of QU and what they have been doing since they graduated.
In this episode, Phil shares how he has built a portfolio of experiences and the leadership philosophy he has adopted along the way. Phil served as the university president from August of 2017 through June of 2019 and recently served as the interim athletic director through the spring season. Besides being a university president, Phil has worked in many roles including, 15 years as a coach, 26 years as a financial advisor. He has served on numerous community boards and was recently named the Joe Bonansinga Community Service Award winner.
In this episode, we visit with alumnus T.C. Pierceall and learn about life since graduation. T.C. currently works as an editorial clerk for the Quincy Herald-Whig.
In this episode, we catch up with alumnus Don Hargis, who is starting a new journey overseas. Don earned his bachelor’s degree in history and his teaching certificate from QU before completing a Spanish endorsement from Illinois State University. He has worked as a high school and middle school teacher and coach and spent almost a decade in the telecommunications field.
On this episode of the podcast, Dr. Todd Pettit shares with us his journey back to Quincy and his dream job as director of music for Quincy Public Schools
In this episode, we catch up with alumnus Murphy Grant, who has spent the last 20 years as a Division I athletic trainer. Grant is currently the senior associate athletic director for sports and performance and healthcare administrator at Wake Forest University. Before coming to Wake Forest, he worked at the University of Kansas and Oklahoma State University. In addition to his collegiate work, Murphy has worked with professional sports teams, the Navy SEALS, the Biggest Loser television show, and several Orthopedic and Physical Therapy clinics around the country. With his vast knowledge in sports medicine, sports performance, and aquatic therapy, he has been a lecturer at several medical, performance, and aquatic-based seminars.
The Office of Alumni Relations is excited to announce the second season of Quincy University's alumni podcast From the Hawks Nest. Join us for an all-new season showcasing stories from alumni and Franciscan Friars as well as all the new and exciting things happening on campus.
In this episode we talk with Mother and Daughter Teresa Kettlekamp and Katie Brown about their experience at QU as well as take a blast to the past and detail Teresa's time spent in Rome!
In this episode we talk with Alumni John Potts about his many adventures in life as well as take in a few life lessons.
In this episode, we talk with the vice president of mission and ministry Fr. John Doctor about what his journey to QU was like. This episode also highlights Earth Day and how QU is contributing to making the world a better place.
In this episode, we talk with Donna Holtmeyer, M.S. Ed., director of student success, as she details all the many things she appreciates about her time spent at QU. This episode also highlights the J. Kenneth Nesbit Student Success Center and the many different resources it offers to students.
In this episode we talk with alumni Savannah Coelho about her journey to QU and what it was like having a parent as a professor!
Highlights in this episode also include the Academic symposium.
In this week's episode, we talk with QU alum Dane Mechali ’20 as he talks about his journey to QU and also gives us insight into the thrill of being an entrepreneur!
In this episode, we talk with Michelle Combs, Ph.D., associate professor of biology, about her journey to QU, as well as discuss the undergraduate student research program that our school has to offer!
Join us with the director of experiential learning Kristen Liesen ’05 as she talks about her wonderful experience at QU. This episode also highlights the QUEST center, a distinguished extension of our school's willingness to help students in any way possible!
In this episode we talk with the infamous Linda Moore about how her journey through QU led to a career on ESPN. This episode also highlights one of the scholarships that QU has to offer that was orchestrated by Linda.
On today's bonus episode, alumni from across the country reminisce about their most cherished memories during their time on campus.
In this week's episode we talk with Dr. Boccardi about her time here at QU. This episode also highlights QU's service learning program.
In this weeks episode we talk with two alumni's who take us on a trip through memory lane and how they came to fall in love <3
In this episode, we will talk to Ethan Arns ’15 and hear about his time at QU as a student-athlete and what it is like coaching at his Alma Mater.
In this week's episode, we talk with alumni Frank Cann’92 about his experience as a videographer and editor and what it was like starting his own company.
For our bonus episode we talk with professor Kettisha Hodges about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and what it means to her.
Join us as we sit down with communications professor Nora Baldner and discuss her journey to QU. This episode also highlights the communications program that QU has to offer as well as other helpful information.
The Office of Alumni Relations is excited to announce the new Quincy University's alumni podcast From the Hawks Nest. Join us as we launch our first season showcasing alumni and student stories, Franciscan perspective, and all the new and exciting things happening on campus.