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ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS

Angie McCormick, '97 Angie grew up on her family’s farm in Solon, IA. She enjoyed the country way of life, and played sports year-round in addition to the daily farm chores she shared with her two older sisters and younger brother. After high school, Angie attended Kirkwood from 1995-1997 where she excelled in the classroom because, she admits, she worked hard at it. “You have to make the most out of every opportunity you’re given. I learned this at Kirkwood—because in college you can choose to go the easy route or you can challenge yourself. I chose to do the latter.” Angie moved away from Iowa to continue her education and play basketball in Florida, but quickly found herself homesick for the Midwest. When she returned to her home state, she enrolled in the University of Iowa’s graduate Physical Therapy program, earned her Master’s degree, and established a career in the field. She built a life in Iowa with her husband Tim and the couple has three children: Emma, Sydney and Luke. "No matter what atmosphere you are put in, you can make the most of it,” says Angie. “I am content. I might want to better my profession through continuing education, but my family is the most important accomplishment I’ve achieved. I am a physical therapist, a mom and a wife. Mom and Wife are the most significant roles I play in this life."

Cliff, '93 and Trudie, '95 Cliff began his career in the late 70s as a journeyman machinist in the oil industry. However, lost contracts led to layoffs and, in 1988, Cliff and his wife Trudie moved to Iowa. They put Trudie through college for a degree in elementary education and Cliff returned to school to pursue a new career in computer programming. With hard work, Cliff maintained a 3.8 GPA on the Dean’s list for his entire Kirkwood career. He took an internship at MCI during his summer and fall terms of 1993, graduated from the Mainframe Computer Programming and AS400 Programming programs that year and continued to work for MCI for five years. Cliff is now the senior UNIX administrator for Hewlett Packard at Rockwell Collins, mentoring his less experienced team members on the technologies for which his Kirkwood education helped make him an expert. He asserts that it’s important for Kirkwood to keep looking for new and existing technologies that eastern Iowa needs. “It does not matter if it is nursing, programming, machining, welding or wind technology. It is important that we have a place for people to go to get a great education that leads to thriving careers in our community.” Once Cliff finished his degree, he asked Trudie to return to Kirkwood and take one semester of Computer Programming with him. She did and, with many liberal arts classes already on her transcripts, soon completed another Associate of Sciences degree with a triple emphasis on Mainframe Programming, AS400 Programming and Networking. She is currently the college’s Senior Programmer/Reporting Services Team Lead and oversees state and federal reporting for the college.

David Garcia, '81 At eighteen years of age, David Garcia left his home in Colorado, joined the U.S. Navy in San Diego, California, and began the first of his four years of active duty.  Three years in, he married his wife, Collette, and soon after the couple had twin sons. After finishing active duty, Garcia moved his family to Cedar Rapids, IA and he came to Kirkwood to pursue an Associate of Arts degree with the goal of completing the University of Iowa’s Psychology program. While studying full-time at Kirkwood, he also played basketball for the Eagles and held several part-time jobs in order to provide for his young family. After receiving his AA in 1981, he did attend the University of Iowa as a full-time student while he continued to work; however, Garcia soon put his education on hold to focus on his sons’ academic possibilities.  He returned almost a decade later to complete his bachelor’s degree. David attended commencement, sharing the stage with his son, Mike, as they both marked a family milestone as the first two Garcia men to receive college degrees. He then pursued his Masters in Counseling Psychology from Regis University and completed the degree in 2005. David’s achievements reflect his determination: “I firmly believe that anything worth doing is worth doing well—so I set the bar high in both personal and professional performance in all I undertake. I truly believe that the journey ends only if and when you allow it.” Considering all of his accomplishments, David celebrates his family and friends as his greatest successes.

Chris Wheeler, '87 Chris Wheeler is a leader in both his career and his community. The 1987 Kirkwood graduate is president of Point Builders and volunteers for several organizations including his church’s parish council, school boards of directors and his local day care board of directors. Kirkwood Community College played an integral role in nurturing his natural leadership skills. “Kirkwood lets you explore and develop your own skills, knowing it relates to what you want to do at the end of the day.”  When Wheeler attended Kirkwood, CAD (computer-aided design) was a newer program, and he enjoyed using and adapting his skills in a team environment.  Graduating with an associate’s degree in Architectural Drafting, Wheeler spent three defining years at Louis Rich as a CAD draftsman. That experience led him to Design Build Associates in Davenport. After 12 years, Wheeler was the company’s vice president.  Point Builders soon recruited him to be their general manager for their Davenport branch, and he rapidly moved up to the vice president position.  In 2010, Wheeler took over as president of the company.  His most memorable moment was getting his first job. “Accelerating through what I wanted at Kirkwood and getting in the market with the skills I’d built—putting the college experience to the test—that was my most pivotal point for me in my career.” Wheeler holds that, “In anything you pursue, knowing what you want to get has to be what you put into it. Maintain focus. Explore opportunities around you. Get involved. That’s the recipe for success.”

Danita Bradshaw-Ward, '96 Currently a biology professor at Eastfield Community College in Mesquite, Texas, Danita Bradshaw-Ward holds multiple science-based degrees. She also coaches her oldest daughter’s track team and competes with her husband of ten years, Koreley Ward, in bodybuilding competitions. The Wards have two daughters: Kadia and Kyleigh. Despite attending multiple schools during her academic career, Bradshaw-Ward maintains that Kirkwood tops the list. “Education-wise, it set a foundation for me. All the instructors were very knowledgeable and engaging.  I had the opportunity to be a student ambassador as well as a basketball player.  Coach Kim Muhl provided a great experience for me,” she said, noting the current NJCAA Hall of Fame coach. “I cannot speak more highly of Doug Bannon (Dean of Admissions and Student Life) or Coach Muhl. They made being on a team feel like a family atmosphere. It meant a lot to me, having that family on campus. Coach Muhl instilled family values in his players, but also instilled a work ethic and sense of responsibility.” The family feel and accessibility meant so much to her that she now teaches at a community college—and doesn’t plan on ever leaving. “I like to teach,” she asserted. “At the university level, especially in biology, emphasis is not put on teaching…I want to teach. I’m happy where I am, teaching at a small college where I can have personal relationships with my students and engage them individually.”

Elizabeth Humphreys, '92 Alicia Keys, Donna Karan, Usher, Kid Rock. When they’re in town, they talk to Elizabeth Humphreys. The ’92 Kirkwood grad and Cedar Rapids Washington alum, is at the forefront of music and fashion in Dallas, Texas. SWAGG Urban Luxe Magazine is her brainchild, which was realized in print for the first time in 2008 with hopes of eventually taking it nation-wide. Humphreys credits Kirkwood with giving her a start in the media industry. She took communication courses that she says helped her come out of her shell. After transferring to the University of Iowa to complete her degree, Humphreys found herself at the Dallas Observer, and later working for Modern Luxury Magazine. She knew she wanted more. She wanted to be at the center of pop culture. SWAGG covers everything from red carpet events, to runways, to charity events raising $100,000’s, all the while showing people in Dallas the newest urban fashion trends and which local designers may become the next big thing. Keep your eyes open. If all goes as planned, SWAGG will one day be on newsstands near you.

Brian Gardner, '91 Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner credits the deputy who lived across the street from him during his youth for helping to shape his future. “He asked if I wanted to ride with him on shift and of course I did,” Gardner said. “That’s all it took.” That deputy helped Gardner get his first job as a dispatcher. In 1982, Gardner completed the mandatory Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, which provided a good overview of police work, but not great depth, he said. “That’s where Kirkwood really helped. It gave me more depth, detail and background.”  Based on his experience he would recommend Kirkwood to anyone. “It’s accessible, affordable and you get a quality education that’s transferrable if you want to go on to a four-year school. I wanted to continue on and get my BA.” He graduated in 1991 with an Associate of Science Degree in law enforcement from Kirkwood. From there he completed his BA in criminal justice administration at Mount Mercy College in 1995. In 2004, he received his Masters of Public Administration Degree in Criminal Justice from City University in Bellevue, Washington. Gardner steadily worked his way up through the ranks and became sheriff in 2009. He currently serves on the executive board of the Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association and is chairperson of the Linn County Emergency Management Commission. Sheriff Gardner is also a member of numerous professional organizations and serves on several local boards and committees, including Kirkwood’s Criminal Justice Advisory Committee. This committee helps shape the law enforcement curriculum that impacts today’s young officers.

Renee Luers-Gillispie, '81 From playing in the national tournament at Kirkwood to coaching an NCAA Divison I team to its own national tournament, Renee Luers-Gillispie, Kirkwood ’81, has had quite a career in softball. Luers-Gillispie is currently the head women’s softball coach at the University of Central Florida, where she’s coached the Golden Knights to two conference championships and three NCAA Division I Regional Tournaments. In her days as an Eagle, Luers-Gillispie was ranked as the ninth-best pitcher in the National Junior College Athletic Association. She transferred and starred at West Texas State (now West Texas A&M), setting nine career records and was later inducted into that school’s athletics hall of fame. Her coaching career has taken her from Joliet Junior College in Illinois, to Bradley University in Illinois, to Texas Tech and finally UCF, where she started the softball program in 2002. In the team’s first year of play, they finished 46-19 with a 21-game winning streak. Luers-Gillispie said she relies on junior college players coming to UCF. “Even today we recruit tons of junior college players.  They’re able to get their start and it helps our program out tremendously,” Luers-Gillispie said, “As a student athlete Kirkwood gave me many benefits and those benefits are the major reason I recruit so many players from the junior college level.”

Larry Erickson, '72 There are times in life when instructors make an unforgettable impact. Larry Erickson, Kirkwood ’72, remembers two finance professors from just one year at Kirkwood Community College: Dale Simon and Chuck Cunningham. Despite the fact that he didn’t initially want to go into accounting at Rockwell Collins, he credits the two professors for steering him down that path. “They shaped my future and where I wanted to go and what I ultimately wanted to do,” he recalls. And he’s done it with rigor, producing impressive results. After receiving his BS in Accounting from Mount Mercy, Erickson started as a procedure writer and was eventually named the chief financial officer of Rockwell Collins. For over 20 years, Erickson served as vice president and controller in both the government and commercial divisions of Rockwell before retiring. In his long career Erickson was a witness to not only the growth of Rockwell, but also of Kirkwood. “I’m surprised at what I’ve seen in the last few years. It was a small campus when I started school there—only two buildings. I believe that the campus growth reflects the success and strength of the educational opportunities available at Kirkwood. I think it’s now at the optimal size to serve the community and surrounding area, providing those educational opportunities and activities. Thank you, Kirkwood, for providing my direction in life.”

Tim Hoover, '88 Today, Tim Hoover is group product manager for Knee & Hip Products at Arthrex, a worldwide industry leader in arthroscopy. However, 20 years ago, Tim’s life was taking a completely different direction. Back in 1982, Tim earned a degree in Criminal Justice/Sociology from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. While attempting to gain a position in the Juvenile Corrections field in Minnesota, he was temporarily a night orderly at St. Paul’s Midway Hospital, putting him in direct contact with orthopedic physician’s assistants (OPAs) from surrounding clinics. A few years later, Tim decided to take the leap to a new career.  Under the recommendation of those same OPAs, he attended Kirkwood’s Orthopedic Physicians Assisting program and graduated in 1988. After more than a decade of clinical experience, he accepted a position with Arthrex, Inc. of Naples, FL. “To look back on my Kirkwood days, and to even suggest that I could go from student to head of the second largest revenue generating division of a worldwide industry-leading medical company, would have at the time seemed laughable,” Tim said. “But Kirkwood is all about opportunities and potential; and given the right set of educational tools and support, Kirkwood graduates can literally do anything.”

Traci Weber, '89 Information will go here. Traci Weber is a bubbly, outgoing entrepreneurial who truly loves her job. She is the sole owner of the First Avenue Wine House and manages all day-to-day operations. After spending eight years as the Director of Education with Planned Parenthood, she decided to take a risk and try something new. Traci opened the First Avenue Wine House in 2003. The Wine House is a one-stop shop for anyone in the market for wines from around the world, cheeses and other specialty foods, or a vast array of wine-related gift items. Traci also offers wine-tasting classes and special events throughout the year. Her shop has grown steadily since 2003 and now wine and related gift items fill every nook and cranny of the three-story building. As a 1989 graduate of Jefferson High School, Traci headed to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where she was a member of the swim team. After two years, she decided to move back home. “I was lost and felt like I had hit rock-bottom. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Kirkwood saved me.” Traci enrolled at Kirkwood Community College and immediately knew she had done the right thing. She loved the small classes, the attention she received from her instructors, and for the first time found success in the classroom. She received her AA in 1992 and enrolled at University of Northern Iowa where she completed her degree in secondary education. As an adult, Traci has realizes even more how important Kirkwood was in her life. “If I could do it again, I would have started at Kirkwood!” She is a strong advocate for the college and believes that more students should take advantage of what Kirkwood can offer. Traci has a special relationship with the instructors in the culinary program and provides input for the Wines and Spirits course taught as part of the Hospitality program. Kirkwood is proud of Traci’s achievements. Congratulations Traci!

Kim Peterson, '90 Petersen is the ultimate multi-tasker. As sole owner of Architectural Building and Design, Inc., Kim is the builder, designer and general contractor for each of her custom built homes. She typically works with 25 different companies throughout construction and has completed more than 80 homes since establishing her business in 2000. Kim insists on using higher-end quality in smaller square footage homes. Her homes include the quality and details characteristically found in $1 million homes. As a 1990 graduate of Kirkwood’s Architectural Technology program, Kim sought Kirkwood’s support in helping her land her first job, designing foundations. Her next stop was designing and then building her own home, proving to herself and others in the male-dominated business that she could be successful. She then worked as a project manager and designer for several years before starting her own business. She received career opportunity updates from Kirkwood throughout the years following graduation. Kim understands the importance of mentoring female students interested in the field. She has had the opportunity to come back to Kirkwood to speak with and encourage women to get involved in the building industry. “I think it is so important.” Kirkwood is proud of Kim’s success in the business. Congratulations!

Michael J Gould June 30, 2006 | Michael and Jan Gould's $1Million Gift to "Encourage and Inspire" Future Students Mike Gould has come a long way from washing cars in Iowa City. The eastern Iowa native held that job for five years at the University of Iowa, cleaning hospital ambulances and other vehicles until late in the night. That was before Gould began a journey of learning and service that led across the U.S. and through several careers. Now the successful Florida-based medical business owner is giving back to "the college that was there when I needed a direction." Kirkwood Community College celebrated a milestone June 30 Gould and his wife, Jan announced a donation of $1 million to the college. Kirkwood officials commemorated the gift by dedicating one of Kirkwood's newest student facilities as the Michael J. Gould Recreation Center. The Goulds' seven-figure gift will establish an educational endowment in perpetuity, designated to meet the areas of greatest need for Kirkwood now and in the future. Kirkwood President, Mick Starcevich saluted the Goulds for their "groundbreaking generosity" to the college. "We are utterly humbled and deeply grateful to Mike and Jan for their tremendous support to Kirkwood and the belief in our students reflected in this gift. The more we know them, the better we see how much they care for our students and how they want to provide encouragement and resources for generations to come. They have achieved great success in their lives but have not forgotten their humble beginnings. Mike and Jan are models for us all on how good people can give back. This donation will simply mean more opportunities for more students, now and forever," Starcevich said. Mike Gould was born in Cedar Rapids and spent his teenage years in Iowa City. Following graduation from high school in 1967 he worked several jobs in Johnson County, including construction and a couple of retail jobs. In 1968 he began a five-year stint at the University of Iowa’s motor pool. "My job was to wash and prep the ambulances in the hospital fleet. These were the vehicles that brought patients from all over the state to Iowa City," he recalls. "I did that from the afternoon until about 10 at night and then I would walk home. I made $6 thousand a year." Gould recalls "graduating" from that job to police chief duties in West Branch, Iowa in 1973. Soon after taking that job he also enrolled in Kirkwood's Criminal Justice degree program. That allowed him to advance in law enforcement in the area, including several years with the Linn County Sheriff's Department. It was an accident on the job in 1986 that brought Gould to another life decision.  "I was involved in a wreck while on duty and a doctor told me that I could still work after recovering, but it would be really difficult. He suggested I look at another field for my own good. So I went back to Kirkwood," Gould said. His studies began again, this time in the college's Health Science division. Gould earned an associate's degree and worked as an orthopedic physician's assistant and a healthcare salesman for about 15 years, first in Arizona, then in the Chicago metro area. It was during his stint in Chicago that he met his future wife, Jan, while facilitating a meeting with a group of nurses. "I was leading a discussion with a large group of nurses and there was this particularly pesky nurse who kept asking me tough questions about what I was trying to accomplish with this group. That was Jan," he laughed. Their relationship grew over time. Marriage, a blended family, and move to the Gulf Coast of Florida followed. Soon after, a company layoff then spurred the most successful part of their shared professional lives. "It was 1998 and unpredictability strikes again," Mike Gould recalls. "The company that Jan and I worked for downsized 150 workers. Two of them were Jan and me. She came home that night and I already had gotten my papers announcing it. Jan looked at me and presented me with the idea of starting a company. She suggested we could even use our former employer as a client. We didn't take long to decide to do it--and we've never looked back." The company they formed, Gould & Lamb LLC provides medical and financial information to companies involved in worker’s compensation settlement cases. Legislation passed in 2001 provided further impetus to the company. As Mike Gould recalls, "When they passed that legislation our company was one of maybe three in the country poised to quickly provide these services to the medical industry. It has been a great business." Gould and Lamb, LLC, which has won several business awards, has been a family affair since the beginning and now employs several of the couple's children in various aspects of the daily business as well as 250 other people, in 22 states, across the nation. When asked about the inspiration to share such a significant gift with Kirkwood Community College, both agree they want to "encourage and inspire" current and future students to be determined and positive about their education and careers. "I want those students to know that sometimes bad things happen in life. They are inevitable. But you just have to keep going," Jan Gould said. "Sometimes you have to get pushed to the edge of a cliff before you decide to jump off and go to the next level. We want them to know that the jumping off can be their opportunity." For Mike Gould, a fitting expression of his personal philosophy is nearly a century old. To commemorate the Gould family's gift to Kirkwood, he chose words from a 1910 speech by former President, Theodore Roosevelt. The quote will be inscribed on a plaque installed in the new Michael J. Gould Recreation Center and read by students and visitors for many years to come. In part the inscription reads: The credit belongs to those who are living in the arena, whose faces are marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strive valiantly; who err and fall short again and again; who know great enthusiasms and great devotions, and spend themselves in a worthy cause….so that their places shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. "That describes our lives, as far as Jan and I know," Michael Gould muses. "The biggest failure is in just watching and not participating. We want Kirkwood students to always know that they should believe, try, and never give up."