Features Overview
The Sphinx Club has always chosen its own members and, on rare occasion, chooses outstanding Wabash community members for induction as Honorary members.
1923
George Valentine Kendall, Dean of the College from 1923 - 1939, was elected as the first Honorary member of the Sphinx Club of Wabash College not long after the club’s founding in December 1921. Kendall was born in Kirkwood, Missouri on February 14, 1891. His Valentine’s Day birth was the source of his unusual middle name. An alumnus of Brown and Columbia as well as a veteran of World War I and World War II, Kendall joined the Wabash faculty in 1920 to teach English and was named Dean three years later. He left Wabash to serve on the staff of General MacArthur during World War II, finishing with the rank of Lt. Colonel, before returning to Wabash to serve as Dean of the Faculty. He retired from the college in 1957.
Today
The Sphinx Club has continued the good tradition of electing Honorary members with exceptional service to the Wabash community through the present day. Listed below are the names of approximately 70 Honorary members that records show have been elected since Dean Kendall in 1923. Due to record loss during the World War II years, we only know the names of Honorary members and their years of election since the club resumed the practice in 1968.
Honorary Members of the Sphinx Club of Wabash College
1920’s
George Kendall (1923) - Dean of the College
1960’s
David Britt (1968) - Professor
John Erickson (1968) - Professor
Phil Daly (1969) - Coach
John Lawrie (1969) - Professor
Wayne Robinette (1969) - Athletic Trainer
1970’s
William Bonifield (1970) - Professor
Phil Mikesell (1970) - Professor
Karl-Heinz Planitz (1970) - Professor
Thad Seymour (1970) - President of Wabash College
Chick Clements (1973) - Equipment Manager
Willis Johnson (1973) - Professor
Jack Kudlaty (1973) - Professor
Norm Moore (1973) - Dean of Students
Eliot Williams (1973) - Professor
Dave Lantz (1974) - Coach
Vic Powell (1974) - Professor and Acting President of Wabash College
Bob Smiley (1974) - Professor
Ralph Moon (1976) - Professor
Greg Huebner (1977) - Professor
Connie Riggs (1978) - Assistant to President Thad Seymour
1980’s
Tobey Herzog (1980) - Professor
Lee Sido (1980) - Professor
Charles Wright (1980) - Professor
Les Hearson (1981) - Professor
Thomas Tiemann (1981) - Professor
John Dzurovcik (1982) - Father of Paul Dzurovcik ‘85
Paul McKinney (1982) - Professor and Dean of the College
Richard Theroux (1982) - Professor
John Zimmerman (1982) - Professor
Robert Jovanovich (1983) - Father of Ray Jovanovich ‘84
Lewis Salter (1983) - President of Wabash College
Diana Springer (1983) - Secretary of the Dean’s Office
Cal Black (1984) - Director of Admissions
Bob Whitesell (1986) - Professor
1990’s
Gary Ross (1993) - Friend of the College
Andy Ford (1994) - President of Wabash College
Rob Johnson (1994) - Coach
David Blix (1997) - Professor
Jimmy Haffner (1999) - Friend of the College
Hall Peebles (1999) - Professor
Bill Placher (1999) - Professor
Thomas Bambrey (1999) - Dean of Students
2000’s
David Kubiak (2001) - Professor
Mac Petty (2001) - Coach
Sherry Ross (2003) - Senior Administrative Assistant to the Dean of Students
Rick Warner (2005) - Professor
Jim Amidon (2006) - Chief of Staff of Wabash College
Brent Harris (2006) - Sports Information Director
Mark Flexter (2007) - Friend of the College
Dan Rogers (2007) - Professor
Beth Swift (2007) - College Archivist
Hugh Vandivier (2007) - Associate Director of Annual Giving
Pat White (2007) - President of Wabash College
Jonathan Baer (2008) - Professor
Bill Cook (2009) - Professor
Tom Runge (2009) - Director of Alumni and Parent Relations
Richard Woods (2009) - Director of Safety and Security
2010’s
Susan Albrecht (2010) - Fellowship Advisor
David Hadley (2010) - Professor
Joe Emmick (2011) - Dean for Advancement
Jeremy Hartnett (2012) - Professor
Clyde Morgan (2012) - Coach
Lon Porter (2012) - Professor
Lexi Hoerl (2013) - Professor
Jason Hutchinson (2014) - Coach
Kim Johnson (2015) - Director of Communications and Marketing
Mark Elizondo (2016) - Athletic Trainer
Laura Wysocki (2016) - Professor
Trace Bulger (2017) - Student Athlete and Leader
David Denham (2017) - Coach
Michele Pittard (2018) - Professor
Rob Shook (2018) - President of the National Association of Wabash Men
Rem Johnston (2019) - Wabash Class of 1955 known as “The Big Cookie”
2020’s
Steven Jones (2020) - Dean for Professional Development
Tyler Scheidt (2021) - Wabash Class of 2023, Posthumously
Jeff Drury (2021) - Professor
Sara Drury (2021) - Professor
Jill Rogers (2021) - Health Advisor and Program Coordinator
Kyle Brumett (2022) - Coach
Peter Mikek (2022) - Professor
Marc Welch (2022) - Associate Dean of Students