Alumni Class Notes

1940s

• 

  Robert Duncan

  Robert Duncan, '48 of Columbus, received the Columbus Legends award from the Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Complex during the "Columbus Legends: Celebrating Our Own" ceremony Oct. 20 at the Pythian Theater. The retired U.S. District Court judge and EHE Hall of Fame member was honored for his commitment to social justice, human rights and cultural democracy. Read more here.

1960s

• Donna Gail McKeehen Sosa, '67 of Sugar Land, Texas, has retired as science coordinator at Petrosky Elementary School in Houston.

1980s

• Todd Alles, '77, '89 MA of Powell, Ohio, has retired as Ohio State's associate director of football operations. Prior to this position, he served as the strength and conditioning coach and academic advisor for the Buckeyes from 2005-2007. He was a graduate assistant coach in 1976 and 1977.
• Tim Hinton, '87 MA of Granger, Ind., is the tight end coach for the Buckeyes football team. A graduate assistant under Earle Bruce, his most recent post was at Notre Dame. His hiring completes the staff under new head coach Urban Meyer, '88 MA.
• 

  Urban Meyer

  Urban Meyer, '88 MA of Columbus, is head coach of the Buckeyes football team. Prior to this position he was an ESPN sports analyst. He was the head football coach for the University of Florida from 2005-2011, leading the Gators to two conference titles and two national championships. (more)
• 

  Chris and Stefanie Spielman

  Chris Spielman, '89 of Columbus, was recognized in the Ohio State Alumni Magazine November- December 2011 for his determination in the fight against cancer since his wife Stefanie was diagnosed with breast cancer. Funds created by the couple have raised more $9 million for breast cancer research, assistance to patients, an academic chair in cancer imaging and a breast cancer tissue archive. In October 2011, Ohio State's JamesCare Comprehensive Breast Center was renamed in memory of Stefanie, who died in 2009. Chris and Stefanie, posthumously, received the university's Distinguished Service Award in June 2010. (more)
• Etta Angel Saltos, '85 PhD of Gaithersburg, Md., is retiring from the US Department of Agriculture as the national program leader for the division of nutrition. Prior to this position, she worked at USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, where she developed publications related to the dietary guidelines and served on the team that produced the food guide pyramid for young children.

1990s

• Mark Koch, '90 of Puyallup, Wash., is director of human resources for the Tahoma School District.
• 

  Vicki Pitstick

  Vicki Kay Pitstick, '96 MA of Delaware, Ohio, discussed Girls Circle in the Ohio State Alumni Magazine November-December 2011. Girls Circle is a service-learning initiative of Ohio State's Honor and Scholars Program that she introduced in 2008. She is the manager of Ohio State's Honors and Scholars program. Read more here.
• 

  Randall Sampson

  Randall Sampson, '97, '98 MA of Powell, Ohio, was involved in the first White House "TweetUp" event for the Republic of Korea welcome ceremony in October. The event demonstrated the White House's commitment to innovative learning. He is an EdWorks technical assistance coach and former EHE Alumni Society Board chair. Read more here.

2000s

• 

  Charles Alexander

  Charles Alexander, '02 of Bethlehem, Pa., is assistant defensive backs football coach at Lehigh University. Previously, he was at Gettysburg College for three years. Read more here.
• Collin Epstein, '06 of Akron, Ohio, is assistant manager of the distribution center at Progressive Field, where the Cleveland Indians play.
• 

  Tiffany Favers

  Tiffany Favers, '07, '09 MA of Cleveland, is the coordinator of first-year residence education at Case Western Reserve University.
• Kristen Shane, '06 of Astoria, N.Y., is a columnist for The New Social Worker Magazine. She is also a recipient of the magazine's 2011 Blogger award. She earned her license to practice social work in New York.
• Anita Silva, '07 of Columbus, is the corporate field recruiter for the Bravo Brio Restaurant Group.
• Mike Vrabel, '04 of Delaware, Ohio, is the defensive assistant for the Buckeyes football team. He was a three-time Super Bowl winner as defensive end for the New England Patriots. He was also the Buckeyes linebacker coach in 2011.

2010s

• Amy Curtiss-Kast, '11 MA of Hilliard, was featured in the Ohio State Alumni Magazine November-December 2011. She is among the first alumni of the Project ASPIRE program, which aims to place graduates in schools that have trouble hiring and retaining good teachers. She is a Spanish teacher at Brookhaven High School in Columbus.

In Memoriam

1940s

• 

  Jack McLain

  Jack McLain, '42 of Marysville, Ohio, died December 2011 at the age of 91. He was the oldest NFL retired official. He also officiated in the Arena and United football leagues. He was a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Athletic Hall of Fame. He was active in the Ohio Football Officials Association and the Ohio Association of Basketball Officials. More information is available here.
• 

  Dorothy Shafer Rygg

  JackDorothy Shafer Rygg, '42 of Torrance, Calif., died October 2011 at the age of 91. She renewed her love of painting after retiring as a fifth grade teacher in 1980. She had her first art show at the age of 88, where she showed 25 of her paintings and set a record for the most paintings ever sold at the Norris Center for the Performing Arts in Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. More information is available here.
• 

  Martha Vorgang Tomesek

  Martha Vorgang Tomesek, '47 of Westerville, died January 2012 at the age of 87. She was a member of Indianola Church of Christ, Clintonville Women's Club and Corinthian Chapter No. 393 O.E.S. More information is available here.

1960s

• 

  Alfred Eggleston

  Alfred Eggleston, '55, '65 MA of Sidney, Ohio, died December 2010 at the age of 83. He was the principal at Indian Lake, Emerson and Ansonia elementary schools. He also ventured overseas to teach in Samoa and China. He was a member of the United Methodist Church, Shelby County Historical Society and Logan County Genealogy Society. More information can be found here.
• Howard Green Sr., '66 MA of Columbus, died December 2011 at the age of 73. He retired as assistant principal from Columbus City Schools. He was a minister of the East Mound Street Church of Christ. More information is available here.
• Howard Merriman, '64, '66 MA, '68 PhD of Columbus, died December 2011 at the age of 78. He was a teacher and educational administrator for the Columbus Board of Education. He was also a teacher and superintendent for Lakeville Schools in Otisville, Mich. He served in the U.S. Navy Supply Corps. More information is available here.
• Robert Nolan, '62 of Pickerington, Ohio, died January 2012 at the age of 78. He was a veteran of the United States Army. He taught at Columbus South High School where he was an assistant basketball coach. He also taught at Columbus Independence High School where he was the first girls' basketball coach and served as athletic director. More information is available here.

1970s

• David Goss, '60, '75 MA of Columbus, died December 2011 at the age of 74. He taught industrial arts at Upper Arlington High School and Jones Middle School for 28 years. He was a member of Sigma Chi and Epsilon Pi Tau fraternities and Classic Car Club of America. More information is available here.
• George Kosbab, '60, '63 MA, '77 PhD of Grove City, Ohio, died January 2012 at the age of 74. He retired from the Ohio Department of Education as assistant director of vocational education. He was president of the Grove City High School Athletic Boosters and a life member of the Ohio Education Association, American Vocational Association and Iota Lambda Sigma fraternity. He was a member of Grace of God Lutheran Church. More information is available here.

1980s

• 

  Karl Rinehardt

  Karl Rinehardt, '83 MA, '87 PhD of Redlands, Calif., died August 2011 at the age of 62. The associate professor of exercise science at Southern Connecticut State University was a member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and served as the Connecticut representative to the executive committee of the New England chapter of ACSM. His research focused on the effects of training elite athletes. More information is available here.

Send us your news!

Awards, recognitions, retirements, new jobs, new spouses -- we love to hear it all. Send your updates to Nancy Swearengin, External Relations Associate, at nswearengin@ehe.osu.edu or (614) 292-2743. Please make sure to list your degrees and class years.