Nine classmates celebrated the 50 year anniversary of the Itasca Class of 1958. Saraphine (Lisa) Borelli, David Bunker, John Erickson, Gerald Hofer, Larry Longmore, Jerry Snyder, Arthur Stevens, Maurice Talonen and Thomas Weyrick participated in the event.

The afternoon celebration included lunch, a campus tour and attendance at ICC’s Commencement where the Golden Grads were introduced and recognized as alumni from the Class of 1958.

Two deserving alumni share the honor of being named the 2008 Alumnus of the Year, Cricket Guyer, Class of 1979 & 1990 and Trika (Guyer) Smith, Class of 1976. The announcement was made at ICC Commencement on May 15.

Sisters Cricket and Trika grew up in Taconite, both graduating from Greenway High School,Cricket in 1978 and Trika in 1974.

Cricket graduated from Itasca in 1979 after completing the secretarial program. She completed her Associate of Arts degree in 1990 and has been employed at Itasca for 27 ½ years.

Cricket volunteers frequently on behalf of the college and the Alumni Association. She was on the planning committee for the 2007 All-Class Reunion, assists with the Golden Grads celebration, represented the college at the California alumni mini-reunion in 2006 and constantly promotes the college and Alumni Association.

On campus she serves as Advisor for the Jen Guyer Leadership Program and is on the Global Education Committee. Cricket has traveled extensively through Europe, and recently to China. She was co-lead on the ICC trip to Greece in 2006 and will serve in that capacity again 2009 on the trip to Egypt.

She has served on the boards of the Reif Center, the United Way and the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. She currently is participating in the Blandin Leadership Program. She is secretary of the Coleraine Centennial Committee and a member of the Greenway Referendum Committee.

Trika graduated from Itasca in 1976 with an Associate of Arts degree. Continuing her education at Bemidji State University she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics in 1978.

Trika began her teaching career at Itasca in the fall of 1981, teaching math and computer classes. Besides teaching she has been actively involved in various college committees throughout her career currently serving as Vice-President of the ICC Faculty Association.

She was a charter member of the ICC Alumni Association Board of Directors in 1982 and continues to volunteer frequently on behalf of the college and the Alumni Association. Trika served on the planning committee for the 2007 All-Class Reunion, assists with the Golden Grad program by preparing a presentation and quiz and constantly promotes the college and Alumni Association. She also represented the college at the California alumni mini-reunion in 2006.

Trika is currently on the Coleraine Centennial Celebration Committee and the First United Church Worship Committee. She was very involved with all of her children’s activities when they were of school age.

With their dedication and continuous enthusiastic support of Itasca, its students and alumni we find it very fitting to name Cricket Guyer and Trika Smith warrant the title of 2008 Alumni of the Year.

1st Picture: Elizabeth Miskovich, Executive Director, Grand Itasca Foundation presents Carey Reiten with the Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital/Grand Itasca Foundation - Debbie Shrout Memorial Scholarship

2nd Picture: Brenda Morris, recipient of the Helen M. Stuber Memorial Scholarship, and Dr. Barbara McDonald, Dean of Academic Affairs

3rd Picture: Beth Anderson presents Susan Durocher with the Mae Anderson Scholarship

The Itasca Nursing program honored its students at the annual Practical Nursing Pinning Ceremony on Monday, May 5, 2008 in the Theater at Davies Hall, Itasca Community College. The program featured student speakers, scholarship presentations, perfect attendance awards, pinning of students by family and friends, naming of students of the year, the nightingale pledge and a video program tribute.

17 student awards, totaling nearly $8,000, were presented from the following scholarship funds:

 • Mae Anderson Nursing Scholarship
 • Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 13
 • Mary Lou Learmont Gerontology/Geriatric Scholarship
 • Wayne Jacobson Geriatric Nursing Education Award
 • Dr. Maurice McKenna Memorial Scholarship
 • Grand Itasca Foundation - Dr. and Mrs. Robert Kelly Scholarship
 • Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital/Grand Itasca Foundation - Debbie Shrout
    Memorial Scholarship
 • Helen M. Stuber Memorial Scholarship
 • Women of the Moose Scholarship
 • Violett Nursing Scholarship
 • Cecilia Wilcox Scholarship

Itasca's annual Awards and Scholarship Program was held on the Itasca campus on Thursday, April 24, 2008. 80 student recipients, 30 presenters and hundreds of family and friends filled Davies Theater to celebrate academic achievement by current and incoming Itasca students.

Master of ceremonies Dr. Michael Johnson, ICC Provost, noted 163 scholarships were awarded to 104 students, totaling over $207,000 in funds.

2008 marked the first award year for the following scholarship funds:

 • High Achieving Engineering Student Scholarship (Blandin Foundation grant funded)
 • Engineering Alumni Scholarship
 • Del and Lila Matteson, L & M Supply Entrepreneur Scholarship Award
 • Kenneth and Mary (Makedonsky) Erickson Scholarship
 • Emil and Josephine Shipka Scholarship
 • M.G. Shaw Scholarship
 • Ann Turek Scholarship
 • Betty Shannon Scholarship
 • Robert A. Stuber Scholarship
 • Ethan Robert Johnson Memorial Scholarship

Honored students and their families were treated to an ice cream social in the school cafeteria following the program which was organized by the Itasca Community College Foundation staff.