Alumni Updates
1998 Alums
Tim Engrav, 1998
Connection to Campus Recreation:
Graduate Assistant - Facility Management / Outdoor Adventures
Favorite Campus Rec Memory:
1997 Fall Break Smokey Mountains Backpacking Trip - Our Thanksgiving meal ended up all in one cooking pot (turkey, gravy, dressing, and even the cranberries) and the group loved it! (ok, I confess that the group was hungry)
What's New with You:
I'm working for the US Forest Service as a Recreation and Wilderness Manager on the Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota.
Tom Thompson, 1998
Connection to Campus Recreation:
Employee - Ice Arena / IMPE / CRCE
Favorite Campus Rec Memory:
Working hockey games and happy hours ;)
What's New with You:
Living and working back in Chicago in the logistics / supply chain management industry. Just got back from trekking in Nepal. Headed to India right before Homecoming for work. So glad it's football season again!!
1995 Alums
Joanna (Schmid) Williamson, 1995 (and 1997)
Connection to Campus Recreation:
Former Student Group Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer and Graduate Assistant for Fitness (1992-December 1996)
Favorite Campus Rec Memory:
Quad Day Fitness Demo every year (and heat exhaustion once :)), Coordinating the Fresh Start Sponsors with Doug Boyer the summer before Grad School (for Fall 1995), teaching step classes in the early 90's that would "sell out" (we would have 65 people + some on the floor!) at CIRCE when it was just a gym (Phase I)!! Getting to know the ropes of management as a GA. The skills I learned with in various student jobs and as a graduate assistant prepared me very well to become a fitness director. My training was state of the art. I see people now from college who tell me that my fitness classes that they took while they were at Illinois started their fitness habit that still continues today! (occasionally I run into people from those "sell out" classes while in Chicago!)
What's New with You:
I am now with University of Texas at Austin in RecSports (Personal Training & Asst. Coordinator, teaching spinning, yoga and--of course group classes like step, sculpt and Kickboxing). I have been married for 12 years (he is now a UT Professor) and we have fraternal twin boys who will enter kindergarten in the fall. I love triathlons (did my first 70.3 1/2 Ironman last year), running 1/2 marathons, and playing with the kiddos + two dogs.
1994 Alums
Chanda Dowell, 1994 (and 1996)
Connection to Campus Recreation:
Undergrad Employee, Graduate Assistant, Intramural Champion and Participant
Favorite Campus Rec Memory:
Courtney's deer story is a favorite, getting everyone to sing the Illinois Loyalty song on the radio, driving that prisoner-looking pick up truck to the Complex, Schick SuperHoops, not checking the saunas (seriously, did anyone?), and of course Frisbee Golf.
What's New with You:
I've been married to Mike Keup since 2001. He wants to be a stay-at-home parent, but we don't have any kids and our two black labs really don't require all-day home care so he has to keep working. I work as the Vice President of the Black Hawk College East Campus and am supposed to be writing my dissertation. Instead, I learned to play golf and try to get out to play whenever possible. We got a new TV to watch our Illini and it's big enough that I don't have to read the sports scores to Mike anymore!
1993 Alums
Laura (Baylor) Ellison, 1993
Connection to Campus Recreation:
Worked at IMPE and CRC, IM participant and club sport participant.
Favorite Campus Rec Memory:
Watching CRCE be built and open with greater cardio and strength equipment (instead of dark rooms in the basement of IMPE).
What's New with You:
Still working in the worksite health promotion field since graduation. Married to another UIUC alum and have 2 children.
Mary "Courtney" (Carpenter) Sneddon, 1993
Connection to Campus Recreation:
Employee, both undergrad and grad. asst., IM Champ, Sport Club - Soccer
Favorite Campus Rec Memory:
A deer broke through the front window of IMPE, ran around the lobby, down the hall toward Gym 1, and out the back window!
What's New with You:
I'm married and a stay-at-home mom of 2 girls. We live in the Pittsburgh suburbs (Go Steelers), and I watch every Illini game that I can.
1992 Alums
Holly (Schmidt) Hampton, 1992
Connection to Campus Recreation:
Employee
Favorite Campus Rec Memory:
I was working the turnstiles at IMPE as a freshman in 1988-89. Two men came in without their ID. Taking my job seriously, I would not allow them to enter. The men were upset with me and said, "Don't you know who we are?" I said that I didn't, and later found out that I had turned away Kendall Gill and Irvin Small. These two men helped take the Illini basketball team to the Finals of the NCAA tourney in 1989. They got second place. I was forever teased by my IMPE co-workers that if I would have let them in to practice, they would have WON the NCAA tourney. Gill went on to play professional basketball, and when I'd see him play on TV, it always made me smile to think about my funny experience at IMPE.
What's New with You:
Taught middle school for 10, but then decided to stay home full-time and focus on raising my family the best I could. I miss my profession, but don't think I'll have any regrets.
Mike Mansfield, 1992
Connection to Campus Recreation:
Graduate Assistant/Indentured Servant
Favorite Campus Rec Memory:
Frisbee Golf – for those who may remember it
What's New with You:
Working for Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity as Regional Director, consulting and developing programs for SAE fraternity chapters in 10 states. And, recreating as much as possible.
David Pocs, 1992
Connection to Campus Recreation:
Employee - Lifeguard
Favorite Campus Rec Memory:
12 toes
What's New with You:
Kid #3 is on its way!
1990 Alums
Stan Macasieb, 1990
Connection to Campus Recreation:
IM official (football supervisor, soccer)
Favorite Campus Rec Memory:
Going to work as a football supervisor Thurday nights at FAF; riding my bike from ISR to IMPE, then driving the pickup to FAF down St. Mary's Road. Championship night was the best time of all, when every game on the schedule had a title on the line!
What's New with You:
Living in Worcester, MA. Married since 1997, two children.