North Central Now Spring 2011 | North Central College

The Legacy of Dr. Albert Goldspohn

As the flourishing young campus of North-Western College needed more space, President H. J. Kiekhoefer (1889-1910) pushed for the building of a new science hall. In his 1899-1900 report to the Board of Trustees, Kiekhoefer recognized the need for a “special building for the study of science.”

His appeals were first answered by the area church conferences, but by May 1903, only $1,438 had been raised. The science hall finally became a reality when Dr. Albert Goldspohn,

Enduring Gifts from Henry and Annie Merner Pfeiffer

In the spring of 1924, President Edward E. Rall visited Henry and Annie Merner Pfeiffer in New York to ask for a gift in support of a “new chapel.” Henry had strong connections to North Central, having studied for two years (1875-1877) on campus before returning to his hometown of Cedar Falls, IA, to become a retail druggist. Later, he and his brother Gustavus entered pharmaceutical manufacturing and then the cosmetics field. They established their headquarters in New York City.

Highlights from a lively calendar of events

Rebecca Skloot

Author Rebecca Skloot spoke at North Central as part of an Anderson’s Book Shop event about her book, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” Lacks’ cells were used after her 1951 death for scientific research into in vitro fertilization, cloning and gene mapping. The book required 10 years of investigation and was one of the New York Times 100 Notable Books for 2010.

Peter Wexler’s “Theatrical Models”

Brooke Simon 1994

Brooke Simon joined Rezin Orthopedics and Sports Medicine as a certified nurse practitioner for orthopedic surgeon Dr. Eric Ortinau. She assists in surgery and provides services, including diagnosis and treatment of patients. As a registered nurse in Loyola University Medical Center’s operating room, she worked as a research study nurse on National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute breast cancer research. Simon also worked as a family nurse practitioner for Take Care Health Systems, a division of Walgreens Pharmacy.

New surface, new look for stadium turf

This summer, the College will install a new state-of-the-art FieldTurf playing surface at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium for football, soccer and lacrosse. North Central was among the first College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin institutions to install an artificial playing surface in 2001. Synthetic fields typically have a 10-year life span. Once the new artificial turf is installed, the eight-lane Buikema Track will be resurfaced. The entire project will be completed in time for fall sports to begin practice in August.

Mary Perhay 1996

Mary Perhay of Financial Network was named to the list of FIVE STAR Wealth Managers for 2010 in the November 2010 issue of Chicago magazine. She is among the less than 2 percent of wealth managers in the Chicagoland area selected for the honor and has more than 13 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Jim Harper 1957

Jim Harper spoke about growing up in Culver, IN, at the Culver-Union Township Public Library in honor of Black History Month. Culver was once home to a thriving African-American community, which included members of the first integrated high school basketball team in Indiana (in 1922) and an African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1950, Harper left Culver to attend North Central College where, he said, “My first year at college I was the only person of color in Naperville and at the school, but it didn’t seem to make a big difference.

Michael Reedy 1996

Michael Reedy showed a collection of his artwork, titled “Recent Works,” at The Kishwaukee College Art Gallery in Malta, IL. Recognized with numerous awards, his work has been widely exhibited across the country in a variety of local, regional and international exhibitions and can be viewed in many notable private and institutional collections.

LeRoy Roesti 1965

LeRoy Roesti shared his memories after learning about the passing of music professor Paul Warren Allen: “Who can forget where you were when Kennedy was shot on Nov. 22, 1963? We [North Central students] were in a bus outside a high school waiting to give a concert. Some of our girls cried. Dr. Allen calmly said we’d give the concert and dedicate it to Kennedy and we did. ... Professor Allen encouraged me most as a composer by conducting three of my choral pieces ...

Michelle Phillip Junkin 1997

Michelle Phillip Junkin is a co-op member of the “In Your Eye Gallery” in the Paseo Arts District and is a member of the Oklahoma Artist Guild and the Paseo Arts Association. She works in a variety of media, including acrylic, mixed media, clay monoprinting and ceramics, and her artwork has been accepted into juried national shows and displayed locally and in regional competitions.