Lindenwood Magazine - Fall 2022

12 13 FALL 2022 EDITION FALL 2022 EDITION THE LINDENWOOD THE LINDENWOOD UNDERSTORY The CAMPUS LIFE LETTER FROM LINDENWOOD STUDENT GOVERNMENT PRESIDENT CAMPUS LIFE FACULTY PROFILE Dear Lindenwood Community, A legend says that many years ago in a small village in Honduras, a new leader was born. Coming from a big family and being the second oldest of the brothers, he grew up in the fields without running water or electricity. As a little kid, he would oversee his younger brothers when his dad was not around. At that point he discovered that he liked being a leader and an example for others. He decided that he wanted to study hard and become someone significant in life, and to be able to help his family overcome poverty. The dream finally came true, and he was selected to attend a bilingual school called InterAmerican School in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. He worked hard in the classroom and was the best student. He was the first president of his high school and the first family member to go to college. He went on to pursue his dreams and beat obstacles along the way. Now, he is the Lindenwood Student Government President. He wants to leave a legacy for his family and to be remembered as an inspiration to others. This leader is me. I think about the legacy I want to leave behind. Always fight for your dreams, and value every single opportunity because success is not achieved from giving up. Sincerely, YOVANI LÓPEZ Yovani López is a senior from Comayagua, Honduras. He is majoring in business administration with an emphasis in international business and pursuing minors in political science and management. He was elected Lindenwood Student Government President and works as a resident assistant. Faculty MIRA EZVAN I hope they appreciate the value of education, and be tenacious, resilient, and adaptive to change. In 1984, Mira Ezvan joined the faculty at Lindenwood College. Throughout the last 38 years, Ezvan’s impact on students and colleagues has enriched lives and imparted a legacy of excellence. As one of the most senior members on campus, Ezvan has served as University Marshal at commencement carrying in the mace as an official part of the ceremony. Ezvan is currently a Professor of Information Systems in the Robert W. Plaster College of Business and Entrepreneurship. How did your path lead to Lindenwood? After completing a master’s in information systems at Technical University of Wroclaw (Politechnika Wroclawska) in Poland in 1978, I was offered a graduate assistantship through an academic exchange program with Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Upon completion of my PhD, I joined the faculty of Lindenwood College in 1984, where I designed and taught courses in management information systems for the Department of Business. What keeps you at Lindenwood? The most rewarding part of being at Lindenwood for the past 38 years has been to witness the University’ growth in terms of enrollment as well as academic reputation. The opportunity to interact with generations of students and to work with supportive colleagues and deans has been so professionally fulfilling and personally enjoyable. I never expected to be at Lindenwood for so many years, to serve as Faculty Marshal at graduation ceremonies, and to become one of the more senior faculty members on campus. In 2019, at the gala celebrating the 100th anniversary of Lindenwood’s Plaster College of Business and Entrepreneurship, I had a chance to talk to some of my former students who have gone on to become very successful in their careers, and who remembered me fondly as their Management Science professor. Knowing that I have made a positive difference in their lives, and knowing that I helped prepare them for their careers and lives has been a tremendously rewarding. I guess you could say teaching at Lindenwood has become a large part of my extended family and even my identity. What advice do you hope your graduates remember when they leave Lindenwood? I hope they appreciate the value of education, and be tenacious, resilient, and adaptive to change. Courses that were challenging, that took them out of their comfort zone, hopefully prepared them for an ever- changing world and an uncertain future. Life-long learning is not just a slogan; it is a reality we all need to embrace. What is something unique you’d like to share? Even though I teach quantitative courses and come from an engineering background, I am a strong proponent of liberal arts education. Knowing history, literature, fine arts and foreign languages is to me an integral part of college experience. I speak French, German, and of course, my Polish is impeccable. It is gratifying to travel, to learn about other cultures and know how to converse with others, whether I am in Krakow, Dresden or Paris. I enjoy reading (currently my personal favorites are Olga Tokarczuk and Alice Munro) and I am very fond of long walks and foreign movies.