Reflections Magazine Issue #87 - Fall 2018 | Page 25

Alumni Feature
Chas Frey
Graduation year (from SHU): 2014.
Current title/position: Doctor of Physical Therapy,
Athletico Physical Therapy.
What Chas is doing: He currently works as a
full-time staff Physical Therapist for Athletico
Physical Therapy. Athletico was founded in Chicago
in 1991 as an outpatient orthopedic clinic and has
grew to more than 400 facilities. He works with all
age groups with a variety of orthopedic diagnoses
who are trying to get back to their daily activities,
work responsibilities or sporting events.
My favorite moment/story while a student
at Siena Heights was: I was a Resident Assistant
(RA) for three years. I had the honor of working
with a lot of great people and definitely can say
that holding this type of position helped me grow
both professionally and as an individual.
My favorite person at Siena Heights was:
The entire Siena Heights University community has
been a blessing in my life. For those who know me,
taught me, mentored me or coached me: Thank you.
Ultimate goal in life: To continue to advance
my skills and knowledge to help my patients in
surrounding communities and the world.
My best piece of advice for SHU students is:
Do not settle for being average but strive for excel-
lence. Take advantage of opportunities, never stop
learning and respect those around you.
Christian Helser II
Graduation year (from SHU): 2010.
Current title/position: Instructor; Artist-in-Resi-
dence, Shangyuan Art Museum, Beijing, China.
What Christian is doing: He is currently an artist
and instructor who formerly worked for Kendall
College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids Michi-
gan as a continuing education instructor. After
teaching and working in the Grand Rapids area,
he is now pursuing his creative practice in earnest.
From April-July 2018, he was an artist-in-residence
at the Shangyuan Art Museum in Beijing, China,
as well as an artist-in-residence at the Golden
Apple residence in Harrington, Maine. He is cur-
rently working out of his studio near Maybee,
Mich., while exhibiting his work in the northeast-
ern U.S. and China.
My favorite moment/story while a student
at Siena Heights was: My past instructors who
worked closely with me. I changed my concen-
tration from ceramics to painting with the help of
Tim VanBeke and Christine Reising, which lead
me onto my path of painting. I am forever a stu-
dent of art, but it is thanks to them not backing
down and encouraging me to press forward during
a VERY trying time in my education that I became
the artist I am today. I owe the art faculty of SHU
a great thank you.
My favorite person at Siena Heights was:
There are too many peers to list, but I would have
to say Tim VanBeke, Dr. Peter Barr and Christine
Reising. They had no interest in my excuses; they
only had an interest in what I could become.
Ultimate goal in life: Travel the world, have a
dear friend in every country, and live my life with
sincerity.
My best piece of advice for SHU students is:
I recommend that a SHU student avoid getting
caught up in the nostalgia and daydreaming of
possibilities of fame or fortunes. A SHU student
should focus on the actual work they sincerely
care about. It's easy to get sucked into a terminal
reality where you're working a 60-hour work
week, and side hustles to survive. What makes
it all horrible is knowing that you're working your
life away on something that is not your passion.
So my advice to any SHU student or alum bluntly is
'Stop working to make other peoples dreams come
true' when you could be working to make yours
a reality. Prioritize truly what makes you happy.
Forge real tight-knit relationships and do not for-
sake them just because you would rather be
selfish. If you compromise just once on any of
this, then you're on a slippery slope in this day
in age to a very miserable and lonely existence.
Stay true to yourself SHU and your convictions.
When you're young, you never chase your dreams
because they'll lead you to great fortune or fame.
Fortune and fame are concepts when you're
grinding out a paycheck take a back seat to the
day to day operations of being an adult. Yet if
you merely keep embracing the passion that you
identify with and make it your life, you'll have
very few regrets. Live with the conviction of self-
determination. Don't forsake your dreams to
make someone else's come true.
Barbara Schmidtman, Ph.D.
Graduation year (from SHU): 2011, 2013 MA,
Benton Harbor.
radiation oncology, ambulatory infusion, and a
variety of other small teams at Lakeland Health
in Oncology Services. After graduating from
SHU with a BAS degree in 2011 and then a MA
degree in Organizational Leadership, she earned
a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Northcentral
University in August 2017. Her dissertation,
titled “Employee’s Experiences and Interpreta-
tions of Physician Leadership Style in an Acute
Care Setting: A Phenomenological Study,” looked
at how demonstrated physician leadership style
and how either good or bad behaviors affect
individuals/teams either positively or negatively.
She said because she is incredibly passionate
about demonstrated physician leadership styles
(good or bad), she opened her own coaching/
consulting business late in 2017. She said she
hopes to develop physicians to be positive
contributors within teams despite all of the
stressors they currently face in the current health
care environment. Most recently, she was selected
as one of Michiana’s Forty Under 40, Class of
2018, by the South Bend (Ind.) Regional Cham-
ber of Commerce. She also was a 2018 nominee
for Young Business Leader of the Year, with the
Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce.
My favorite moment/story while a student
at Siena Heights was: I would say graduating
as a two-time alumni would be my favorite mo-
ment. It really was an amazing four years obtain-
ing my BAS and MA. Also, another favorite was
writing my thesis. Preparing a thesis at Siena
helped prepare me for my doctoral studies at
Northcentral University!
My favorite person at Siena Heights was:
I can't pick just one. ... Over the course of the
four years I attended, I developed so many friend-
ships with professors and classmates that will
last a lifetime!
Ultimate goal in life: Really, my ultimate goal
is to live each day to the fullest, be myself and
embrace opportunity. I have found that setting
these expectations for myself, daily, help me to
achieve my goals, daily.
My best piece of advice for SHU students
is: Never give up, always try harder, embrace
challenges and learn/grow from adversity. Never
say you do not have time for your own growth
and development; when something really matters
to us, we should learn to make the time. u
Current title/position: Oncology Services
Manager, Lakeland Health.
What Barbara is doing: She started off her
career in health care in a clinical role nearly 17
years ago and have held a variety of professional
roles prior to gaining the privilege of leading the
Reflections Fall ’18 | 25