What do you do with a degree from UMM?

Name: Timothy Diem ‘92

Hometown: Delano, MN          

Major: Music Education/ Performance

I am currently working as Director of the University of Minnesota Marching Band/Assistant Director of Bands.  I live in Delano with my wife, Toni, and our two sons Billy and Paul. 

I decided to come to UMM after I had a great campus visit. To be honest, UMM was not on my radar screen at the time. I had gone to visit UND and NDSU and decided that I would stop by UMM on my way back home.  I went to a basketball game, met some of the players in the jazz band, experienced Don’s Café, and then had the pleasure of meeting Jim Carlson and Clyde Johnson. By the time I left that weekend I was hooked. It was only later when researching the school did I find out what a great place it was to be hooked by!

Throughout my time at UMM I learned not only the craft of music from the fabulous professors, but also a great deal more that has been beneficial to me. UMM’s liberal arts focus gave me a strong educational foundation that has been useful in my career. Because Morris is a smaller school it gave me many opportunities to get involved. KUMM (the student run radio station) was something I would not have thought of doing, but was convinced to try. Any nerves of speaking in public were overcome through that experience. In the jazz ensembles, I was elected president of the organization for three years. With Jim Carlson’s help, I learned how to run the business side of a band program which has been essential to my career with the University of Minnesota Marching Band.

I do not believe that any institution in the country could have better prepared me for my life beyond college than UMM did. It was the right size campus, with the right atmosphere, great students, and a group of professors that love teaching.

Name: Rose Coleman    ‘05    

Hometown: Minneapolis, MN

Major: Elementary Education with Middle School Math Licensure

The teaching market in Minnesota is really tight right now.  I was nervous about finding a teaching job right after I graduated in May.  The Career Center at UMM did an amazing job to help my classmates and I prepare for the daunting task of finding a job after college.  With their help I learned interviewing techniques, put together an awesome resume and credential file, attended job fairs and checked their website for daily postings of new job openings. 

While I was student teaching in New Zealand, I saw a post about Winona State University’s Graduate Induction Program in the Rochester, MN Public Schools.  The program helps inexperienced teachers begin their first year of teaching by giving them support and a Master of Science in Education.  Although this is a very competitive program, I applied, was selected to be interviewed, and chosen to be one of sixteen residents.  I have my own classroom teaching second grade this year. 

I know that Morris’ strong reputation was a significant factor in my selection into this program.  One of my graduate school professors told me that UMM was one of the finest institutions in the nation.  I feel very well prepared by the education program at UMM, and know that they shaped me and encouraged me to pursue my career in education.

While I was at UMM I was able to embark on many overseas experiences.  I took a May term trip to Iceland, England, Wales, and Scotland.  I spent a semester at sea traveling to ten different countries including Bahamas, Cuba, Brazil, South Africa, Tanzania, India, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and Japan.  My senior year I spent my final semester student teaching in New Zealand.  UMM provided me with these international opportunities that have forever imprinted my life.

Name:  Stacy Hartman ‘00

Hometown:  New Prague, MN

Major:  Chemistry Major, Biology Minor

I was looking for an academically challenging institution where students interacted with professors, not graduate assistants.  

I wanted smaller class sizes without a private school price tag. 

UMM fit the bill on all counts; it was a perfect fit for me

Currently I am working as a Development Technologist in Mayo Clinic's Biochemical Genetics Lab.  It is my job to determine how to best isolate and quantitate compounds that may predict cardiovascular risk.  I conduct experiments, develop standard operating procedures, train other lab technologists, and publish my work. 

UMM taught me how to think through problems, both in and out of the lab.  I left college with a solid foundation in Math, Biology, and Chemistry, which has served my career well.  Equally important, is the way that UMM shaped my character by challenging my intellect, questioning my assumptions, and opening my mind to alternate ways of thinking.

I look back with only fond memories of UMM, despite the number of hours that I spent studying on the fourth floor of the library!

Name: Brian Lukkasson '03      

Hometown: Maple Grove, MN

Major: Music

I am the director of bands at Spring Lake Park High School in Minnesota.  I direct three concert bands, two jazz ensembles, a jazz improvisation workshop, and two summer marching bands.

I chose UMM because of its reputation as a top liberal arts college and because of the jazz program.  The campus size allowed for everyone to have an equal chance in many activities and groups.  I was also drawn to the “small college charm” that UMM maintains. 

I particularly liked the community that UMM created on campus.  At Morris, you were never a number in a massive class, but an individual who’s ideas and questions were valued and listened to as much as the next person’s. 

I came to UMM with only an idea of what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, but I left Morris with a clear picture and the tools necessary to accomplish my goals.  There were two groups on campus that gave me the experiences and skills I needed to make my present day successes happen – UMM’s campus radio station KUMM and the jazz department led by James “Doc” Carlson.

I was a dj on KUMM for four years and a program director for one year during my time at Morris.  KUMM allowed me to gain experience in a public speaking environment, hone my leadership and organizational skills, and to learn about the music and radio industry.  The jazz and music department gave me amazing opportunities and experiences that have directly shaped who I am today.  I was able to play with world-renowned jazz musicians and with my talented peers in smaller combos.  Not only did I perform in Morris and throughout the state with these groups, but I also performed in New Orleans, Louisiana,and Tatui, Brazil.  The music professors facilitated my musical growth by setting high standards and then helping me attain them through resources and instruction.  These experiences solidified my life goal not only as a musician, but as an educator as well. 

Name:  Gary Hedin ‘00

Hometown:  Silver Bay, MN

Major:  Biology/Pre-Dentistry

The main reasons I chose to attend UMM were its outstanding academic reputation and its reasonable tuition.  Some very good colleges offer similar experiences, but they all cost thousands more.  The availability of scholarships was also an important factor in my decision.  I was impressed by the people I met during my campus tour and the comfortable atmosphere that seemed to be prevalent at Morris.  Actually visiting the campus was what finalized my decision to attend UMM.  During my tour I went through Spooner Hall and really thought it looked like a cool place to live.  As luck would have it, that is the dorm I ended up in.  The relationships I formed and sense of community in Spooner during my two years there was priceless! 

I really felt well-prepared for dental school because of the classes I took at Morris.  The science classes were challenging and the small class sizes allowed the instructor to work one-on-one or with small groups of people.  There are great faculty in the sciences at UMM and I still enjoy stopping in their offices when I happen to be back in Morris. 

I was lucky enough to make some very good friends while at Morris.  Many of us still keep in touch and manage to get together a few times a year to catch up and reminisce about our college years.  It was easy to find interesting groups of people to spend time with at Morris.  Even though Morris is out on the prairie, we were always able to find something fun to do; versatility and creativity were two skills that UMM helped me to develop.  The challenging and engaging professors at UMM did a great job preparing me for “the next step”, which in my case was the U of M School of Dentistry.  The faculty were always there with an open door to their office whether you had a problem or just wanted to talk about the weather or campus politics.  I learned to think critically about issues and problems from different perspectives while at Morris, and that has definitely made me a more thoughtful, well-rounded person.  Student government at UMM was a valuable experience for me as well.  I had the opportunity to deal with a wide variety of people on campus from my fellow students to professors and the Chancellor to work towards common goals.  I have used the skills I learned at UMM to take on leadership roles in dental school and with the Minnesota Dental Association.  Last, but certainly not least, I gained my best friend and companion for life from UMM.  My wife Kari and I were both biology majors and met during our second year of college.

Name: Ami Chouravong ‘04

Hometown: San Antonio, TX   

Major: Speech Communication and Spanish

I am currently studying Broadcast Communication at the University of the Philippines on the Katherine Sullivan Scholarship and interning at a local broadcasting station, Christian Broadcasting Network Asia. 

After living in Metro Manila for almost a year, I really appreciate the rural living on the Morris campus: gazing at shooting stars, waving at horses, spotting people in Cyrus, jogging in the freshly-fallen snow, lying in flowerbeds . . . only in Morris.  Since UMM is a small school, I was able to easily join many organizations and involve myself in many activities that developed my talents and leadership skills.

I decided to go to UMM because I liked the hometown, neighborly, friendly environment and I wanted a quality public education with the smaller, more intimate classes. 

Other Alumni include:

• John Driscoll, '71; Owner and Director of Babcock Galleries, New York City; Instructor of American Art, New York University
• Rachel Brand, '95; Asst. White House Legal Counsel for President George W. Bush
• Cy Thao, '95; Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives
• Bruce Johnson, '71; President and CEO, Porch Light Entertainment
• Kevin Timmons, '92; IT Architect and Team Leader, IBM Global Services
• Robert Kill, '69; President and CEO, Ciprico, Inc.
• Margaret Quackenbush, '74; President and Executive Director, Hochstein Music School, Rochester, New York
• Curt Larson, '68; Chemist and Senior Research Specialist, 3M