ALUMNI AWARDS

Dave Shore BA ’88

Dave Shore graduated from Anderson University in 1988, and from the very beginning, Anderson played a huge role in setting the foundation for his career. The skills, experiences, and relationships he developed on campus gave him the confidence and direction to step into the world of sports and media, a journey that would eventually take him across the country and into leadership roles in sports broadcasting, sports management, and the nonprofit world.

Right after graduation, Dave began working on-air in television news at WFIE-TV in Evansville. That opportunity opened the door for him to explore his passion for storytelling, communication, and connecting with audiences. Over the years, Dave built a reputation in the sports media industry as someone who not only understood the games and the athletes, but also how to craft compelling stories that reached fans on a deeper level.

His career highlights include being on-air and senior leadership for ESPN in two of the five largest media markets in the country, Los Angeles and Dallas. In these positions, Dave was able to travel, and work on air with the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers, as well as serve as the final TV play by play voice for the late college basketball coach Bobby Knight. 

In addition to his work in media and management, Dave has also been deeply involved in the nonprofit sector. From 2019 to earlier this year he served as COO, then CEO/President for ALS United North Carolina.

Today, Dave continues to use his skills in coaching, consulting, and advising, drawing on decades of experience in broadcasting, media, and executive leadership. He works with young talent, organizations, and executives through consulting, workshops and seminars to sharpen their skills, build their confidence, and maximize their impact. He continues to work various games for ESPN, which now brings his total time, both freelance and full-time, to over 27 years with the sports network. 

Through every chapter of his career, Dave has never forgotten his roots at Anderson University. He notes that his most significant of all events was meeting his wife Reenie while attending AU and they recently celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary.  The foundation built here—inside and outside the classroom—has guided him through each opportunity and challenge.

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Travis Frank BA ’17

Travis Frank graduated from Anderson University in 2017. Travis is a proud Raven after spending four years on the AU football team and serving as a co-president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), assisting in many Special Olympic events, being a part of the Big Brother program, being nominated for homecoming court, and winning Mr. AU ’17.

Travis made countless connections while at Anderson University and still has many friends he stays in contact with today. While at Anderson, Travis was unsure of where his life would take him, staying strong in his walk with Christ and many prayers, Travis found a calling of service. While attending Anderson University, Travis began working with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office in Anderson, and after graduating, he took a leap and began a career in law enforcement within his ‘home state’ of Kentucky.

Travis has been serving with the Franklin Police Department since September of 2018 and has had a good career thus far. Travis has served as a Public Information Officer, Bike Patrol Officer, Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Community Engagement and Recruiting Officer, along with being a Detective for his agency. As Detective Travis Served as a State and a Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Task Force Officer, assisting in investigating child endangerment, assaults, and human trafficking. Recently, Travis also earned his Masters Degree on Organizational Leadership from Indiana Tech.

Within his service Travis has been awarded a Community Action Award, Officer of the Year, Chiefs Commendation, and Service Purple Heart. Travis is currently assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division in a new role, as a Caine Handler. Travis and his partner, RICO, are excited to make a difference in their community and assist in providing safety.

Travis is joined by his mother, Tersea: father, Robert: and girlfriend, Kayla. Travis would like to thank these people for everything they have done for him, weathering the bad times, and helping him celebrate the good times.

Others Travis would like to thank include Coach Leroy Marsh (Munster High School Football), Coach Bobby Ladner (Anderson University Football), Garret, Brady, Gavin, Parker, and Chuck (Anderson University Alumni), and Seth Stewart (Franklin Police Department). There are many more to name and a thousand stories to tell, and he is thankful for them all.

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Connie R. Hippensteel BA ’67

After graduating from Anderson College in 1967 Connie taught high school science and health classes in Utah, California and Ontario Canada. She returned to Anderson in 1983 to pursue a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology at Ball State University and upon graduating took a job with the National Institute of Fitness and Sport in Indianapolis where she helped administer fitness evaluations for corporations and for professional athletic teams including the Indianapolis Pacers. In 1987 she married AU alum Barry Hippensteel and joined him in San Diego where she took a job as director of a 25 company corporate fitness and wellness center.

In 2001 she learned that Anderson University was building the Kardatzke Wellness Center and needed to hire a fitness director. Connie had the necessary credentials and she had an intimate understanding of the traditions and the ethos of AU, having literally been raised on campus as the daughter of President Robert Reardon. She accepted their offer to come to AU as the first fitness director and she and Barry moved to Anderson in 2002.

Her “dream job” included teaching in the kinesiology department, leading fitness classes for students and developing wellness programs for students, faculty and staff. Over the years she offered many activities to encourage healthy lifestyle choices for the AU community. There were holiday challenges, most improved contests, Hartung Hustles and Decker Dashes. Connie worked with Denise Kriebel and Dr. Marie Morris to develop a program that enabled faculty and staff members to earn money in their health saving account by regularly exercising. She offered “lunch and Learns” on fitness and wellness issues and trained her Exercise Science majors to be personal trainers for faculty and staff. Connie also taught “mind body fitness” classes to help faculty, staff and students to reduce stress and improve strength and flexibility.

In retirement Connie enjoys staying involved with AU activities. Beginning in 2016 she worked with Chris Williams, Elyse Cromer, Trent and Becca Palmer, Jason Varner and others to research and build a Centennial Prayer Labyrinth which was dedicated at Homecoming in 2018.  In 2021 AU Associate Director of Annual Giving, Elyse Cromer approached a small group of women who have a heart for AU about forming an AU Women’s Philanthropy Council. Connie, along with Sandy Baker and Dr. Darlene Miller, now co-chair the WPC which has about 65 members. Over the last four years they have been able to fund $170,000 worth of campus projects and student experiences. At Park Place Church of God, Connie loves singing in the sanctuary choir, playing in the Handbell choir and leading a 20 member community women’s singing circle . She also works at the Park Place Church Community Center Food Pantry.

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G. Lee Griffith, Ph.D.

Lee Griffith, was invited to Anderson University in 1977  by then Dean Robert Nicholson and hired by President Robert Reardon after completing an internship at the Milwaukee VA hospital and his Ph. D. in Counseling Psychology.  Three years later, he became a licensed Indiana Psychologist.

During the 49 years he has spent at Anderson University, he has attempted to fulfill his calling by focusing on teaching and discipling students in a Christian understanding of Psychology.

He has encouraged students to think of abnormal behavior not just from a traditional diagnostic manual approach, but to understand how and why we regard some behavior as deviant and how these changes over time.

He has attempted to make introductory statistics understandable and approachable—not always with success.

He has encouraged prospective counselors to view their clients as fully responsible persons and not mere passive diagnostic labels.

He has taught the class Biblical Applications for Human Experiencing, now Christian Living in a Post-Christian World, in an attempt to help students find reasons to believe in the truth of the Christian faith.

He is grateful for the patience and tolerance of the deans and administrators with whom he has worked and for whom, in his youthful (and older) enthusiasm, he has caused no end of difficulties.

He has had the great blessing to work with talented colleagues, including: Drs. John Roys. Bill Farmen,  Curtis Leech, Linda Swindell, Wayne Priest, Laura Stull, Shelda Borders, and Janell Blunt. Working alone, one achieves very little. It is only when one is surrounded by other talented persons that one can begin to maximize one’s potential. I am deeply grateful for the support and encouragement these people have provided.

Ultimately, whatever success he has achieved, in spite of many failures, was a gracious gift of His Lord Jesus Christ.

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Michael Thigpen ’07 & ’17

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