The Alumni Connection - July 2021
Laura Bellegie Sharp Class of 76
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With Vanguard’s 50th anniversary just two short years away, we are delving into the school’s rich and colorful history.
Austin attorney Laura Bellegie Sharp,’76, started Vanguard as a freshman in the school’s inaugural year, 1973. Her father, Dr. N.J. Bellegie, was one of the founders, who along with Western Institute of Science and Technology president Dr. Louis Bright, sought to create a rigorous and innovative high school experience with modern instructional techniques and high standards.
With more than 30 years of experience as a trial attorney, Sharp who practices law in Austin has a reputation for providing compassionate representation for her clients.
Article written by - Gretchen Eichenberg
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George Eichenberg ('18) was accepted into the highly competitive Investment Fund Management program in the Tulaske College of Business at the University of Missouri. The Mizzou Investment Fund is a roughly $1.6 million portion of the university’s endowment portfolio managed by a select group of undergraduate and MBA students who learn research and valuation methods used by professional equity analysts and apply them while managing the IFM portfolio.
George is a senior finance major and is part of the Cornell Leadership Program in the business school. He's on track to graduate with honors in Spring 2022. He is interning in the treasury department at the corporate headquarters of Independent Financial in McKinney.
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Eric Wessinger ('94), president/CEO of Richards Supply was featured in an article in the July/August 2021 issue of Industrial Supply Magazine. Eric took over the business that his father built, becoming its president in 2013 and CEO in 2019.
pubs.royle.com
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Congratulations Catherine Holley ('17)! Catherine graduated with high honors (3.9) from UT with BA in Plan II and a BA in Health & Society with a minor in McCombs Business foundations.
Catherine is working at Berkeley 2 Academy tutoring students and guiding them along the college admissions process and will pursue a Master of Public Affairs at LBJ school.
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Kaylee Cooper ('21), earned Eagle Scout rank in April and was confirmed during an Eagle Court of Honor on June 6, 2021, for Scouts BSA (Boy Scouts of America) Troop 308G. She is one of the first female Eagle Scouts of McLennan County and is among the inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts in the nation. Kaylee accomplished all of the requirements for Eagle Scout rank in 2 years when BSA included females into Scouting in 2019.
Kaylee plans to study Visualization in the Department of Architecture at Texas A&M University in the Fall.
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Kaylee Cooper ('21) and Kyle Cooper ('15), an Eagle Scout with Troop 308, participated in the ceremony confirming Kaylee. Dr. Linda Livingstone, Mrs. Ellie Morrison, and Congressman Pete Sessions made special presentations.
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John Kyle Cooper ('15) graduated this spring with a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Rochester in New York. During his Master’s program, he conducted a research study that resulted in a thesis on the "Effects of Audio-Visual Congruence on the Auditory Brainstem Response to Speech.” This work will be published with his primary professor, Dr. Ross Maddox.
Kyle has been awarded the prestigious Belgian American Educational Foundation (B.A.E.F.) fellowship to pursue a PhD in Neuroscience at the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) in Belgium. He will continue to investigate the neuroscience of hearing and learn how to improve current hearing aid technologies.
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Britain Brunner ('05) was promoted to Chief at Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Britain will be managing PHMSA's Hazardous Materials Safety R&D program. The R&D program directs basic and applied research for the purpose of minimizing risks associated with the transportation of hazardous materials. PHMSA's R&D investments in hazardous materials helps to shape the future of the organization with an effective, efficient, and aggressive focus on initiatives that produce the most successful safety solutions.
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Commander Jody Smotherman ('94) retired from the United States Navy after 23 years. Jody went to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and studied Aerospace Engineering. After graduation, he completed flight school in Enid, OK, and Pensacola, FL, and was selected as a Helicopter Pilot. He has been stationed in Guam (twice); San Diego (twice); Annapolis, MD; Norfolk, VA; and Carlisle, PA.
Jody and his wife, Courtney, live in Annapolis, MD. He looks forward to continuing his flying career in the airlines.
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Annie (Mathis) Elequin ('14) recently accepted a position for her dream job working on developing a decentralized, encrypted messaging app. It's called Beeper. "I'm optimistic that the technology it uses will be the foundation for many apps in the future. Also, it bridges your other messaging apps together, which is pretty cool :) This photo is a bouquet my mom gave me for my first day of work!"
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Christina Kersten ('17) graduated cum laude from the University of Rochester with a B.S. in mechanical engineering. Christina will be pursuing an M.S. in aerospace engineering at Georgia Tech in Fall 2021 |
Lilia Adra ('14) graduated with a Ph.D. in Pharmacy from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.
Lilia was fortunate to match with her top choice PGY1 program with Albertsons Companies in Denver, Colorado. The program is a community-based residency where residents develop as community practitioners after a full year of training, while bridging clinical pharmacy and community practice. Lilia is looking to continue as a patient care pharmacist on the corporate level with the hopes of teaching in addition.
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Kathryn Smith ('18) was awarded a 2021 Waco Rotary Club Scholarship. Kathryn was on the Dean's list at Southwestern University in Georgetown in the Spring and Fall Semesters in 2020. She is majoring in Kinesiology with a minor in Psychology and is due to graduate early in December 2021. Upon graduation, she plans to continue her education in Physical Therapy. Kathryn was an athletic training intern and senior class president at Vanguard. She currently serves in the Counseling & Health Center and is a student worker supporting the football team at Southwestern. |
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Vanguard Alumni Giving Back |
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Thank you, Anne (Willingham) Merchant ('97), Alumnus and Biology Teacher!
Anne Merchant stepped in to teach Biology at Vanguard this spring and did an amazing job. With a BA from the University of Texas and a Masters from Baylor University, Anne current teaches in the Biology department at McLennan County Community College. She is the mother of alumni Rachel ('19) and James ('21).
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The Board of Directors
of the Vanguard Foundation held their quarterly meeting in June.
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The Vanguard Network - Connecting Vanguard with the World |
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Hudson J. Bradley ('17) presented to Vanguard's College Prep class and discussed what it's like being in college.
Hudsons graduated this May from TCU with a degree in Finance from the John V. Roach Honors College - Neeley Fellows Class. He'll be working as a technology consultant in Dallas at Capco.
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The Vanguard Network provides opportunities to:
• Speak to a class.
• Take part in the Vanguard Speaker Series,
presenting to the larger Vanguard community.
• Career Shadowing or Internships for students and recent graduates.
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Network with Classmates in the
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Congratulations Vanguard Robotics! |
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Vanguard Robotics finished the season as the #1 Team in the State of Texas!
Berserk Robotics (#13053) competed in the FTC Texas Cup at the Alamodome in San Antonio this week. The top 80 teams out of the 600 teams in Texas, both public and private schools, competed for two days. Berserk finished the competition on the Championship Alliance, earning them their second State Championship of the year.
But they weren't done yet. Berserk was honored with the 1st Place Inspire Award, the top award a team can receive. The Inspire Award winner embodies the 'challenge' of the FTC Program, is an inspiration to other teams, acts with Gracious Professionalism, promotes their program to the community and showed success in performing the task of designing and building a robot.
Congrats to Berserk Robotics on an amazing Season!
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Thank you to our sponsors, L3Harris, for their mentorship and financial support of the Vanguard Robotics Program. |
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The May 2021 Vanguard Review! |
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Class of 1991 30-year reunion
What a fun 30 Year Reunion Weekend in June!
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Softball Game, July 2021
Curtis Cook (2nd from left), Will Schroeder (middle), Robbie Dobie (2nd from right) recruited Zach Seifert, Vanguard's Associate Head of School, Chemistry Teacher, and FIRST Tech Robotics Coach for their softball team this summer. They'll continue to play throughout the summer.
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This is your reunion year if you are in the following classes:
10 year - Class of 2011
20 year - Class of 2001
25 year - Class of 1996
30 year - Class of 1991
40 year - Class of 1981
Contact Greta Knoll with questions and to plan your reunion.
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Class of 2011
10-year reunion
Fall 2021!
Contact
Lexi Strickland
254-644-8009
for details.
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Make sure we have your updated
email and mailing address.
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SMALL SCHOOL - BIG EDUCATION
FOLLOW VANGUARD ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM
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2517 Mt Carmel
Waco, Texas 76710
Phone: 254-772-8111
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