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Members' Stories

Members are invited to submit their stories. See the guidelines for submissions and then use the web form to give us a summary of your story. We will respond with instructions on how to submit it and any observations related to content. 

Ben Karney

Conference videos...a learning resource

Contributed by: 
Clara Gerhardt

Months after the 2011 annual conference, the major presenters are still engaging audiences

Ivan Milo Bates

Do Grandfathers Matter? Mine Did

Contributed by: 
James S. Bates

Honoring my mentors

Contributed by: 
Katherine Hickey

A student thanks her mentors at the University of Central Missouri

Jerry Bigner

A Tribute to Jerry J. Bigner (1944 - 2011)

By Professor Clara Gerhardt, Samford University

In the year of the new millennium, Jerry's professional path crossed mine. Eleven years later, almost to the day, we mourn his passing.  I salute him for having been an important mentor in my career, a man who was extremely generous with his professional knowledge and expertise, a man who touched the lives of thousands of students over several decades as a professor at Colorado State University.

Sayali Amarapurkar

Unique intergenerational interactions: long distance relationships of adult children and aging parents

Contributed by: 
Sayali Amarapurkar, Ph.D.

As part of a series on intergenerational relationships, member Sayali Amarapurkar reflects on the importance of new technologies in keeping family members connected...all over the world.

Carolyn Wright

My Mother

Contributed by: 
Carolyn Wright, Ph.D.

Carolyn Wright reflects on her mother and their relationship in an essay done in a unique prose-like style.

Mollie Stevens Smart

Family History

Contributed by: 
Charles Cheesebrough

For Laura Smart and her mother, Mollie, NCFR is a family affair.

Dr. Leah Schaefer

When October Goes: My Day with Leah Schaefer

by Nancy Gonzalez, CFLE

NCFR staff member writes about her journey to visit Leah Schaefer, a 50 year member of NCFR.

Katherine Allen

Highway 81 Revisited

by Ben Beitin, Ph.D.

Professor Ben Beitin honors his mentor, Katherine Allen.

Brian Ogolsky and mentor, Rod Cate

Mentoring outside the classroom: my tribute to Rod Cate

By Brian Ogolsky, Ph.D.

NCFR member Brian Ogolsky wrote this tribute to his mentor, Rod Cate.  Rod was subsequently nominated for the Felix Berardo Mentoring Award and won.

Dr. Pauline Boss

How a Theory is Born: A Conversation with Pauline Boss

by Nancy Gonzalez, CFLE

NCFR staff member Nancy Gonzalez interviews NCFR Burgess Award winner, Pauline Boss, about her groundbreaking theory, Ambiguous Loss.

Phyllis Moen

Phyllis Moen: a tribute

By Noelle Chesley, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, chesley@uwm.edu

"There is no question that Phyllis Moen is an important scholar. However I hope, through this article, that more people have an understanding of her great achievements as a mentor and a person, as well."    ~Noelle Chesley 

Amato Gonzalez

Growing our Grasshoppers

by Nancy Gonzalez, CFLE

NCFR staff editor of NCFR Report wrote this humorous tribute to her mentor, Paul Amato, for the March 2010 issue of the magazine with the theme "Our Mentoring Stories."

Nilufer Medora and mentee, Haydee Flores-Castillo

Partners for success--honoring Nilufer Medora

By Haydee Flores-Castillo, MSW

"Dr. Medora continues to be my mentor in my professional life and she also is a very dear personal friend."  ~Haydee Flores-Castillo

Lauren Rinelli and Susan Brown

The quiet supporter-- Susan L. Brown

by Lauren Rinelli, Ph,D.

A tribute to a quiet but supportive mentor.

Bill Forisha

An open letter to Bill Forisha

by Kimberly McBride

Kimberly McBride wrote her mentoring tribute in the form of an open letter to her mentor, Dr. Bill Forisha.

Stephen Marks, Ph.D.

Professor as Student: What my Undergraduate Students have Taught me about Social Class

By Stephen R. Marks, Professor of Sociology, University of Maine

In recent years I've asked students in my undergraduate Microsociology course to come to terms with their social-class origins in a term paper.

Jim, Dan and Tom Matta

Mentoring Moments

by Thomas Matta, with the collective reminiscences of brothers James and Dana

The significance of "mentoring moments" is not lost on teachers, coaches, parents, neighbors or anyone who is in a relationship with another. The key is for the potential mentors to be attuned to the moments and mentees--and for the mentees to search the mentors for the pearls of instruction, wisdom or skill. These moments are embedded in everyone's everyday life if we choose to seize them.

Kristie Chandler

Potter, prophet and profession

By Kristie Chandler, Ph.D. (pictured)

NCFR member Kristie Chandler (pictured) describes the extraordinary lengths to which her mentor Cheri Smith Fitzhugh helped keep Kristie motivated while writing a disseration.

Joe Wilmoth and Tyler

Our NCFR Family

The "Our NCFR Family" project...be a part of it

You'll be in good company: Stephen Gavazzi, Bonnie Barber, Lis Maurer, Maureen Kelly, Lyndal Khaw Nichols, and Joe Wilmoth