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College of Health & Human Services Spotlights
Photo of Hannibal Vaivao with Congressman Faleomavaega. Hannibal Vaivao
From the shores of California to Capitol Hill—via Cape Girardeau; that’s the path senior Hannibal Vaivao has traveled. Vaivao came to Southeast as a transfer student, but he quickly made it his home.

Photo of Lanie Haertling. Lanie Haertling
Lanie Haertling, of Nashville, Ill., dedicates each day to better herself as a Christian and influence others to do the same. As a member of Campus Outreach and Campus Crusade, two Christian organizations at Southeast Missouri State University, Lanie does not have to look far for support and encouragement in her faith.

Photo of Wade McElfresh Student Capitalizes on Leadership Opportunities at Southeast
Wade McElfresh, of Pleasant Plains, Ill., believes that a person’s college experience can only be as good as he or she wants it to be, and in that case, Wade is having the time of his life.

Photo of Paul Veneziano Southeast Student Completes Psychology Internship
Southeast student Paul Veneziano of Cape Girardeau recently completed an internship at the Woodward Resource Center, in Woodward, Iowa. Paul, a senior psychology major, served as a psychologist’s assistant.

Photo of Dana McDonald Alum Establishes Career with Under Armour
According to Dana McDonald, the secret to success in the business world and life in general is “working hard, keeping perspective, managing priorities and understanding who your ‘customer’ is."

Photo of Brandi Kilby, Erin Bauer, and Megan LaTempt Southeast Cheerleader Alumnae Go Pro
Three Southeast Missouri State University alumnae have achieved what many young girls dream of becoming. Erin Bauer, Brandi Kilby and Megan LaTempt each cheer at the professional level.

Photo of Rachel Waddle. Southeast Student Interns at NASA’s Athletic Training Department
Rachael Waddle of Mount Carmel, Ill., a senior at Southeast Missouri State University recently interned over the summer at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Photo of Leo Vorwerk Alum Coaches His Way to Tennis Prominence
When it comes to the sport of tennis, Southeast Missouri State University alumnus Leo Vorwerk knows what he’s talking about.

Photo of Rachael Waddle at Kennedy Space Center Southeast Student Interns at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral
Rachael Waddle of Mount Carmel, Ill. interns at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Photo of Linda Wells. Southeast Alumna Enjoys Athletics All Over the World
When it comes to the sport of softball, it seems that Linda Wells has, at some point, seen and done it all. Literally.

Photo of Teresa Koebbe Teresa Koebbe
Teresa Koebbe, a senior at Southeast Missouri State University, is interning this summer with the Secret Service at the federal courthouse in St. Louis.

Photo of Vivian Robinson in China Vivian Robinson
As far as Vivian Robinson is concerned, you can never quite do enough to help a child in need. She has built a life around helping children, and she doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.

Tom Belote Tom Belote
Tom Belote knows there is much more to life than money. The advice he offers to future college students is quite refreshing to hear in a world dominated by the dollar.

Photo of Gina Bufe Gina Bufe
Gina Bufe '87, who majored in nursing, is the director of nursing education, quality and research at New York - Presbyterian (NYP) Hospital in New York City.

Photo of Spencer Mares. Nursing Major Hopes To Make A Lasting Impact
Southeast junior Spencer Mares of St. Peters, Mo. was diagnosed with leukemia on June 17, 1991, at the very young age of three. He says that his experiences from his childhood have made nursing school slightly easier.

Photo of Lindsey Hueter (right) during her trip with CSIS to Europe last year. Nursing Student with Big Heart and Big Plans
Those in the health care industry must be compassionate and love what they do. Lindsey Hueter, a senior at Southeast, learned this through her clinical work.

Photo of Dr. Mark Langenfeld with some students who participated in the 2008 iWalk event. Dr. Mark Langenfeld
Most who know Dr. Mark Langenfeld, professor of health, human performance, and recreation and biology, know him as “that guy who rides his bike to campus everyday, rain or shine.”
Mark hopped into a different set of wheels this summer though, as he and his 16- year-old daughter, Julie, embarked on a journey that would take them across all 48 continental United State in 27 days in a 1968 Mercedes-Benz 250 SE. Of course, Mark did take his bicycle along as well.

Photo of Matt Knickman Southeast Alumnus Continues to "Go Greek"
For most students, graduation marks the beginning of period in which they begin to phase out of their college organizations and activities, whether it is student government, athletics, student organizations, or professional, service and Greek fraternities and sororities. This is certainly not the case, however, for Sikeston, Mo. native, Matt Knickman.

Ryan Shipp leads his cheerleading squad at a Southeast Redhawks basketball game. Southeast Cheerleader Alumnus Envisions a Bright Future
Ryan Shipp, a May 2008 graduate, has an eventful past and has an even more eventful future ahead of him. Shipp, from Sikeston, Mo., majored in criminal justice and minored in psychology. He says he has a love for Southeast and that classroom professors are very professional and are willing to help you anytime you need it. And, he says, they are very flexible.

Photo of Heather West Southeast Graduate Joins U.S. Marshals
When Southeast student Heather West of Jackson, Mo., graduated in May of 2007, she realized her new life had just begun. West, who was a criminal justice major, attended and graduated from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in October of 2007 and is now a Deputy U.S. Marshal in St. Louis.

Photo of General James Conray. A Confirmed Leader
Lt. General James T. Conway, a 1969 Southeast graduate, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2006, to become the 34th commandant of the United States Marine Corps. Conway was nominated for the post by President George W. Bush, received promotion to the rank of general and he received his fourth star.

Photo of Dr. Janet Weber Dr. Janet Weber
Many of us would be happy if we wrote something that just one person found beneficial. Dr. Janet Weber, professor of nursing, co-authored a textbook that has been used worldwide!

Photo of Tiffanne Ryan Sports Management Student Interns with US Olympic Committee
If you work hard, you might work with inspiring individuals. But if you work hard enough, you will be an inspiring individual. For Tiffanne Ryan of Oklahoma City, Okla., her discipline and fervor for life have resulted in an internship with the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Paralympic division.

Photo of Joshua Bohnert Southeast AFROTC Student Chosen for Cyber-Security Training
Southeast senior Joshua Bohnert, a computer science major and Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) cadet, has been chosen to attend the Advanced Course in Engineering on Cyber Security (ACE-CS), a prestigious training program at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome Labs, N.Y., this summer.

Photo of Adam Hanna Student Goverment President Loves a Full Plate
University life can be hectic enough with class schedules, organization meetings and homework, but take on the responsibility of Student Government president and you’ve got yourself quite a busy day. And that’s just the way Southeast Missouri State University’s Student Government President Adam Hanna likes it.

Photo of Amanda Sinclair Amanda Sinclair
If you’re being charged by a bucking bronco, sometimes it’s a matter of diving in the right direction. For Amanda Sinclair, assistant professor of Health, Human Performance and Recreation and a certified athletic trainer at Southeast Missouri State University, being on guard is a big part of her volunteer work at the rodeo.

Photo of Julie Suedmeyer Julie Suedmeyer
For many high school students, choosing a college can be a difficult decision. But for Southeast alumni Julie Suedmeyer, the decision to attend Southeast was an obvious one. As a Cape Girardeau native, Julie was very familiar with the area, and also with the university. It didn’t take long for Julie to realize Southeast was where she wanted to spend her college years.

Photo of Sally Smith P.E. Major is Student Teaching in Ireland
Sports are a major part of Sally Smith’s life. As a senior physical education major at Southeast, Sally will be traveling to Belfast, Northern Ireland, this fall to do part of her student teaching. She hopes this will help her to fulfill her dream of contract teaching around the world. Sally explains contract teaching as “teaching in different countries for one to two years at a time.”

Photo of Nick Akers Alaskan Internship Nets Hands-on Experience
Nick Akers, a Southeast Missouri State University senior, wants to clear up a few misconceptions about Anchorage, Alaska.

Photo of Paul Leoni Paul Leoni
Just two days after returning home from advanced individual training for the Army National Guard, Southeast alumnus Paul Leoni got a call asking him to help the 1140th Engineering Battalion with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in New Orleans. Since then, he has had many experiences he won’t soon forget.

Photo of Jeannine Cinco Jeannine Cinco
Southeast Missouri State University alumna Jeannine Cinco began life after college half-way across the world. Jeannine, a native of St. Charles, Mo., graduated in December 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in German and recreation. After graduation, she became the athletic director for the U.S. Naval Base in Juffair, Bahrain.

Photo of Nathan Mendenhal Nathan Mendenhal
Nathan Mendenhall of Fort Smith, Ark., who is pursuing a master of science degree in criminal justice, will begin the internship Jan. 9 with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda’s Witnesses and Victims Support Section. He will join about 50 other interns from around the world.

Photo of Amanda Starman Amanda Starman
Staying fit and active are two words Southeast alumna Amanda Starman uses in her daily vocabulary. After graduating in May 2004 with a major in recreation and a minor in health promotion, Amanda moved to St. Louis to be the fitness specialist for the Lodge Des Peres.

Photo of Takuro Yamada Japanese Student Overcomes Language Barriers
When high school seniors imagine going off to college, many think about moving to another city or even another state. But for Southeast student, Takuro Yamada, his vision was to travel across continents. Takuro is originally from Saitama, Japan, and will graduate in December with a degree in health management and athletic training.

Photo of Brent Lewis Brent Lewis
Baseball fans anxiously file into Philip B. Elfstrom Stadium to cheer on the Kane County Cougars to another victory. Fans line up at the concession stands amidst the smell of freshly cooked hot dogs and nachos. Cheers come from the stadium as the Cougars take the field for their warm up. For Southeast alumnus Brent Lewis, these are the sights and sounds of a typical work day.

Photo of Dr. Georganne Syler Dr. Georganne Syler
In her observations of various people she’s encountered, both in her classes and in other countries, Dr. Georganne Syler is acutely aware of a shared behavioral characteristic. “Everybody eats,” Syler said. “It’s the common denominator.”

Photo of Katie and Matt Buhr St. Louis Siblings Pursue Nursing Career Path
You could say that siblings Matt and Katie Buhr have nursing “in their blood.” The St. Louis natives, both of whom are currently in the nursing program at Southeast Missouri State University, were exposed to the profession early on, growing up in a home where both parents were nurses.

Photo of Grant Sneed Student Shuttle Driver Races on the Side
Creeping along the express paths at 20 miles an hour, Southeast shuttle bus riders might be surprised to learn their driver is Grant Sneed — hard core, pedal to the metal, steel-nerved street racer. During the school year, Sneed spends his time driving a shuttle or doing class work for his criminal justice degree. His summer pastimes are tweaking his cars and cramming dust down the throats of other drivers at the Gateway International Raceway in St. Louis.

Photo of Heather Meyer Heather Meyer
Southeast alumnus Heather Meyer began her studies with no particular career in mind. After changing her major several times, she developed a strong interest in communication disorders. Heather now enjoys a successful career as an audiologist. She works at a hospital on the east coast…of New Zealand.

Photo of Andi Malick Wide World of Sports Added to Malick's Résumé
Not every student can add an internship with Disney’s Wide World of Sports to their resume. In fact, Southeast senior Andi Malick was one of only seven students from around the country chosen for a three-month summer internship program with the sports complex in Orlando.

Photo of Dr. Edward Leoni (left) with Tom Farden Dr. Edward Leoni
Wearing one of his more than 150 Hawaiian shirts and propping his feet on his desk, Dr. Edward Leoni is, as his colleagues in the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation claim, an original, irreproducible piece of work.

Photo of Dr. Sakina Drummond Dr. Sakina Drummond
Growing up in India and having visited six continents, Dr. Sakina Drummond’s travel aspirations are different from most. Instead of visiting foreign countries, she now intends to see “all of the U.S.A.,” saying that there are too many places here to see. So far, Dr. Drummond has visited the eastern and midwestern states and looks forward to traveling west.

Photo of Mary Alice Ryan (right) Mary Alice Ryan
Nationally known for her expertise and innovation in senior housing and services, Southeast alumna Mary Alice Ryan serves as the President/CEO of St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors. Her days are spent strategically positioning the company’s entities for the future, fund raising, coordinating public relations and building a successful team of people who love what they do.




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