Lindenwood Magazine - Spring / Summer 2020

SPRING/SUMMER 2020 | 1 ADVANCEMENT & COMMUNICATIONS .............................. Orrie Covert Vice President, Advancement and Communications Craig Carmichael Director of Marketing Alexandra Bardon Web Content Administrator Jeff Brown Director of Development Amber Bush Graphic Designer John Creer Consultant Josh Elliott Coordinator of Advancement Budget and Research Brad Hansen Art Director Rachael Heuermann Director of Alumni Relations Kassandra Linzmeier Associate Development Officer Scott Myers Director of Development Emily Sebourn Manager of Special Events Brian Vorce Web Content Specialist Jason Waack Webmaster Cassandra Western Database and Stewardship Coordinator OTHER CONTRIBUTORS .............................. Don Adams, Jr. Chris Duggan Jaygan Eastman Maureen Herrmann Charlie Mager Matt Mathews Mike Morgan Lennon Mueller Kate O’Neal Phil Vida Lindenwood Magazine is published twice a year by the Office of Advancement & Communications at Lindenwood University. An archive of Lindenwood Magazine is mailed free of charge to Lindenwood alumni. Story ideas are welcome and should be sent to Lindenwood University, Advancement and Communications, 209 S. Kingshighway, St. Charles, MO 63301, or alumni@lindenwood.edu . CHANGE OF ADDRESS notifications should be sent to the Office of Advancement and Communications at the mailing address above or cwestern@lindenwood.edu . Real Experience. Real Success. Enhancing lives through quality education and professional preparatory experiences. A SEASON OF FIRSTS AT LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY Hello, alumni and friends of Lindenwood University, thank you for reading our latest edition of the alumni magazine! I hope you and your families are doing well living through the challenges posed by a pandemic. Lindenwood, like most institutions, is closed to the public, but the university is more than a beautiful campus – it’s a community of wonderful people who are all doing their parts to keep others safe from the coronavirus. For example, in April, Lindenwood’s School of Health Sciences donated personal protective equipment to workers with SSM Health who are on the front lines combating the virus. Lindenwood has persisted through 193 years of history, and I know it will thrive for centuries to come. Lindenwood will push through this pandemic stronger and wiser. In fact, we are already finding ways to stay connected with you and our alumni until we can meet again in person. You can find out more about our alumni meetings on page 8. In May, I joined some of Lindenwood’s top leaders for several virtual town halls, which had incredible participation from our community. It was a joy to answer your questions and keep you apprised of our ever-evolving situation. Before we heeded the call to stay at home, Lindenwood introduced many exciting initiatives, such as the Lindenwood Advantage program. This program gives graduates earning under $45,000 a year the chance to qualify for reimbursement of their student loan payments. For more information about Lindenwood Advantage, check out page 9 of this very magazine. We also announced a partnership with ITEN, a technology company that can provide new entrepreneurial and technological opportunities for our students, and we established the Lions’ Relief Fund, which will provide crucial funds to our students in this time of need. Thank you to our alumni, who remain invested in Lindenwood’s success, and particularly to those who have donated to the Lions’ Relief Fund in the past few weeks. Thanks to everyone for just hanging in there—I know it’s no small thing some days. Thank you for your patience as we chart a course forward, and for your time today. I look forward to seeing you back on campus soon.  John R. Porter, Ed.D. Lindenwood University LTHOUGH THE RECOLLECTION IS FAINT, THE MEMORY OF A STARTLING TIME FOR A 4-YEAR-OLD IS NOT YET LOST IN THE PAST. Pierre Desir grew up in Haiti, kicking a soccer ball around since the age of 2. His parents, Wilfred and Marie, had increasing concern about the stability of a crumbling economy. With the unceasing government corruption and endless violence, the Desir family found comfort in a missionary group from the United States that would lead to a new life in St. Louis, Mo. As the family moved through customs, the different language and culture caused communication hurdles. “My parents spoke very little English, so I just remember various people trying to figure out what was going on,” said Desir. “It was very hectic.” Desir, his parents, and his older sister Myriam moved to St. Louis, Mo., to start a new life, free from the decaying atmosphere in their homeland of Haiti. The transition to a new environment was different, but the love of sports allowed Desir to find a good group of friends. At the age of 11, Desir moved with his family to St. Charles, Mo., where he would be introduced to the game of football. “When I was in fifth grade, all of my friends tried to get me to play football, but I wanted to keep playing soccer, because I was good.” However, the continued pestering from his friends made the Haitian- born soccer player think about trying something different. When it came time to start high school, Desir did not yet know that his choice of playing football would have a drastic impact on his life. “I had to make a decision, so I thought, ‘Let me try this football thing; maybe I’ll be good at it.’” The conditioning and coordination needed in soccer transferred over just fine to the gridiron, but the first-year player had much to learn about the game. “I used to play Madden with my friends all the time,” Desir said with a laugh. “I would just spread them out, run a Hail Mary, and run with (Michael) Vick. However, I never really understood the concepts like first downs, offsides, and penalties. Starting out, I was just trying to avoid contact. One of the hardest things for me was hitting someone and being hit.” Desir began to see the benefits of playing football after his junior season, earning multiple accolades for his play on the field. “I started to get contacted by different colleges, but I didn’t know anything about it. My sister was the first person in our family to go to college, so I just knew that this could help pay for my college education. Even though my parents didn’t have much money, they always gave back to people.” The kindness he witnessed made the soon-to-be college football player want to return the favor to his parents. Desir began his collegiate career at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., in 2008. “In my first season I was nominated for MIAA freshman of the year,” said Desir. “I was talking to some (NFL) teams after my first year, and they just told me, ‘Keep doing what you are doing, you have a real chance at playing in the NFL,’ and that stuck with me.” A Pierre Desir For Cornerback, It’s All About Giving Back by Blake Bunton Lindenwood University REAL SUCCESS