Alumna recognized for volunteer work

From the Fremont Tribune:

Cindy Bojanski, trust administrator, Fremont National Bank, was named 2008 Volunteer of the Year by Nebraska Main Street.

Bojanski has been volunteering with MainStreet of Fremont for over seven years. She served five years on the MainStreet of Fremont Promotions Committee and has served on the Organization Committee for two years.

Over the years Bojanski has been a MainStreet of Fremont volunteer, she has helped volunteer at many events such as the Christmas walk, Easter egg hunt, pumpkin decorating, caramel apple fundraiser and much more…

With 10 years experience in the financial industry, Bojanski holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Midland Lutheran College.

Stewardship: A Core Value well-demonstrated by Cindy Bojanski.

Alumnus continues to serve Midland

Midland Lutheran College is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Lynn Lamprecht as Senior Director of Institutional Advancement effective Jan. 5.

Lynn Lamprecht, senior director of Institutional Advancement

A 1977 Midland graduate, Lamprecht is no stranger to the College community. In 1999 he was recognized with Midland’s Master Teacher Award and in 2003 the Lamprecht family was honored as the Family of the Year.

“In many ways, I have never left Midland,” Lamprecht said. “My extended family has graduated more than 60 members from this fine college. Since I graduated from Midland in 1977, my wife, Cindi, our son Adam, his wife Jill, our daughter Sarah and her fiancé Ryan Hart have all graduated from Midland.”

“I am excited about having the opportunity to directly work for Midland and to find opportunities to promote the fine education offered by the college to alumni, friends of the college and to the community,” Lamprecht said.

Lamprecht has served on numerous community boards and organizations, including the Fremont YMCA, Sinai Lutheran Church, and the 3Rivers Health Department. Most recently, Lamprecht capped a 32-year career in health care at the Fremont Area Medical Center, where he most recently served as the Director of Outreach Services.

“We were fortunate that someone of Lynn’s caliber and character was available,” President Stephen E. Fritz said. “His past service to the College has been greatly appreciated, and we look forward to the achievements of the Office of Institutional Advance under his leadership,” he said.

Lamprecht will oversee the day-to-day operations of the College’s Institutional Advancement office, which handles donor relations, fundraising, and charitable contributions. “As our capital campaign progresses, Lynn will provide the guidance and direction necessary for The Campaign to be a success,” Fritz said.

“I believe that Midland Lutheran College is one of the major foundations of our community,” Lamprecht said. “I will do my best to help educate the people and businesses of Fremont to better understand why their support of the college is vital to our community. Their support will solidify the presence of Midland Lutheran College in Fremont for years to come.”

With his acceptance of the new position, Lamprecht resigned his position on the College’s Board of Trustees.

Check out FilmCrave

If you’re like me, you love movies. It made a great excuse for a film minor in college.

Nick Barry and the team over at FilmCrave love movies, too. So much, in fact, they have created one of the Web’s premier(e) film sites (see what I did there?).

FilmCrave.com is your home for movie trailers, film information, reviews, and discussion boards.

Be warned, once you get started you can burn up a whole afternoon at this site.

Did I mention that Nick’s a Midland alumnus?

Don’t be burned by a bad movie with a nice trailer. Check out the reviews and discussion at FilmCrave before spending your hard-earned student loan check at the theater.

First-year class (50 years after the first)

I had the pleasure of attending the 50-year class breakfast this morning. These members of the class of 1958 came from all corners of the U.S. and their love for Midland Lutheran was apparent.

The 50-year class of 2008

I also saw what has to be one of the wisest investments I’ve ever seen.

John Carson showed us his Lifetime Pass to Midland athletics…

Let’s see, average of 12 football games a year, 80 or so men’s and women’s basketball, then figure volleyball, baseball, softball….

That card was definitely worth whatever he paid for it.

A sound investment if ever there was one

Erickson places 23rd at Olympics

Midland Alumnus Bret Erickson finished 23rd in International Trap Shooting during Olympic competition in Beijing, China, over the weekend.

The gold medal went to Czech Republic, which is a perennial power in the shooting sports

Again, congratulations go out to Erickson for his accomplishment. Anytime you can say you are in the top two dozen of anything in the world, it is something of which to be proud.

Midland’s Olympian Prepares for Competition

From the fine folks at USA Shooting:

In shotgun, trap shooter Bret Erickson (Bennington, Neb.), 47, will be representing the U.S. on his fourth Olympic team. Erickson will be looking to claim his first Olympic medal in Beijing. He beat the odds when he competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, despite a heart attack that nearly claimed his life right before the 2004 Games. Five weeks before the Olympics were set to begin in Athens, Erickson’s heart stopped during a run with his teammates. His teammates were able to get his heart going again and the doctors installed a pacemaker. Four weeks later, he shot in the Olympic Games in Athens. Erickson, who is retired from the USAMU, has had an extremely successful 2008, capturing a bronze medal at the 2008 “Good Luck Beijing” ISSF World Cup, which served as the test event for the Olympic Games in April, and a silver at the World Cup Suhl in June.

In a late schedule change, Erickson starts competition on Saturday . Thoughts and prayers go with you, good Warrior.

Warrior Wingshooter Beijing Bound

Bret Erickson (Class of ’82) will be making his fourth Olympic appearance this weekend.

As a trapshooter, Erickson is one of the older athletes at 47. Make no mistake, though, International Trap requires lightning fast reflexes, razor-sharp eyesight, and extreme mental focus.

This is not the trap shooting you see at the local gun club. International Trap flings small clay discs at sharp angles across and away from the shooter. Depending on the angle, the trap fly past at speeds up to 70 mph.

For more on the more difficult Olympic version of the game, check out this comparison.

Missing is not an option.

The gold medal in 2004 went to a shooter who broke 149 of 150 clays. It is not uncommon to need a shoot-off to break perfect score ties at the end of three rounds.

Erickson won the national qualifier tournament back in March with a score of 499 broken targets out of 500. That’s two days of high-pressure, high-speed trap shooting… with a single miss.

For a nice read on the Olympic athlete’s journey back to the Games, check out this profile in the Omaha World-Herald.

After these Olympics, Erickson has said he will retire and concentrate on teaching. Check out his shooting school Web site here.

EDITED TO ADD: You can watch Erickson shoot by logging onto NBC’s Olympic Web site on Friday, Aug. 8 and Saturday, Aug. 9. (subject to change).

(Photo courtesy BretErickson.com)

Houston School Bears Name of Midland Alum

David K. Holmquist Elementary School in Houston, Texas, will mark its first birthday on August 27.

Why is this of note to the Midland community?

Well, the College strives to inspire people to learn and lead in the world with purpose. And a shining example of this mission is the late David Holmquist, Class of 1973, as evidenced by these words from the school’s Web site. Holmquist died in 2006 after a traumatic accident.

David K. Holmquist was lovingly known as Papa Bear by most of his students, many parents, and a great number of his staff members. The name fit Dave because he was such a big, warm personality and an outstanding advocate of togetherness and family. His wife and family were his first loves, but Papa Bear always had plenty to share with all. Dave made it a priority to get to know his staff and students, encouraging them not only in their school activities but in their personal lives as well. He offered educational, inspirational, and emotional support to everyone.

Dave had been a member of the Alief family for 29 years. He began his career here in 1977 as a football coach and business education teacher at Elsik High School. He was promoted to assistant principal in 1981 and moved over to Hastings High School the following year. He later became an associate principal in 1989 and was named the coordinating principal at Hastings in 1997. His passion for coaching and teaching made his move into administration quite a professional change; but his wife, Rhonda, observed, “Being a principal and being a coach went hand in hand for him.” His coaching experience motivated him to help others do their best and strive to reach their goals. He was a strong leader for his students as well as his staff members.

The teachers at Hastings knew Dave supported their efforts and he never forgot what it was like to be in a classroom. He promoted educational excellence and believed a connection should be made between students and teachers. Dave believed everyone deserved respect and kindness and that is a big part of the legacy he left in Alief ISD.

As Kaye Arnold, former Hastings North House Principal, said, “A person, while still alive, can suggest a legacy, but it is the people who are left behind who actually determine that person’s legacy. We can continue to value people, especially our children, and we can continue to get the job done as well as we possibly can. We have to focus on a great future regardless of anything, and doing those things we will have honored Dave’s legacy.”

UNO honors Midland alumni, trustee

The University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Arts and Sciences has bestowed its Alumni Excellence in Teaching Award upon Dr. Steven Bullock, an assistant professor of political science.

Oh, he’s also an Alumni of Midland Lutheran College who serves on our Board of Trustees.

And most importantly… He’s written a book on baseball. How cool is that?

Mark Your Calendars!

We got a couple of notes from the Alumni office today that we thought we’d pass along…

Mark your calendar for Alumni Days, April 24-26, 2009
Highlights include:
· Theatre Production
· Art Exhibit by Tracy Shell, Assistant Professor of Art at MLC, and husband, Jesse Ross
· Immanuel-Midland Nursing Luncheon including nursing fashion show
· Journalism reunion and inaugural inductions to Journalism Hall of Fame
· Alumni Awards Banquet
· Philanthropy Banquet
· Band Concert
· Arboretum Walk

Lutherfest!!
Datesaver for Lutherfest (reunion for those who attended Luther College & Academy in Wahoo)
June 26-28, 2009. Visit the Luther College link on the Midland website: www.mlc.edu, click on alumni, click on Luther College

And if you haven’t yet, check out the Alumni Online Community!!!