Alumni & Friends

Alumni Focus

Dr. Karl Braithwaite Appointed Dean of Muskie School
Dr. Karl Braithwaite has been appointed professor of public policy and management, and dean of the Muskie School of Public Service, which is part of the University of Southern Maine, and named for the former senator and secretary of state Edmund Muskie.

Braithwaite worked with Muskie from 1973-1980 as a staff member for the senator on the Environmental Subcommittee.

A native of Cedar City, he attended SUSC from 1960-62, giving the valedictory address in 1962. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Utah in 1964 with a degree in political science. He received his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and then taught political science at Duke University from 1967-1970.

For the past 21 years he has worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico as chief of staff and then director of government relations. In 1997 he received the New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award.

Overcoming Adversity
Growing up in St. George, Tyler Wilkinson was all-state in football twice, a state wrestling champion and second-team all-state in baseball. So when Dixie State College offered him an athletic scholarship, he didn't hesitate to take the next step in his athletic career. However, it was not meant to be. Two weeks after the offer from Dixie, Tyler fell asleep at the wheel of his truck. The tragic accident left him with a broken neck and paralyzed from the chest down. Dixie honored the scholarship, but Tyler's life took a new course, down the academic field rather than the athletic field.

Though Tyler says he's no "accomplished scholar," he was able to earn several scholarships through SUU. "Many of the classes I had were taught through the extension program on Dixie College's campus," he explains. "Travel and physical function were extremely difficult following my injury. The teachers and advisers I worked with at SUU made a difficult transition in my life much less stressful. They worked with me so I could keep travel to a minimum. My education at SUU was invaluable to my career." He graduated in 1997 in Business Administration, and one year was named "Most Outstanding Business Student."

In 1994, Tyler married his high school sweetheart, Jennifer Orton. They have two boys-Sanders, age 3, and Payton, eight months.

That same year, a movie about his life, Tyler: A Real Hero, was produced and distributed internationally. As a result, Tyler has been called upon hundreds of times to speak about overcoming and adapting to adversity and change.

Alum Gone Recruiter
Vince Rosdahl was initially introduced to SUSC while attending a high school basketball camp at University of Utah, at which Coach Thomas McCracken, then head coach of SUSC men's basketball team, led Vince's camp team. Later, Vince came to SUSC to play basketball for Coach Bob Schermerhorn.

Vince majored in accounting, graduating magna cum laude in 1987, followed by a summa cum laude master of accountancy in 1988. Vince was named Outstanding Accounting Student in 1988.

Vince is now a tax partner with Andersen LLP in San Jose, Calif., for which he regularly recruits SUU alumni. Current alumni at Andersen include Sam Seaman '99, Geoff Adams '00, Julia Taylor '01, Kinta Smith '01 and Wendy Woolsey '01. Vince serves on the Advisory Board of SUU's Business School.

Vince and his wife Diana ('86-'87, General Education) have nine children. Vince, admittedly, hopes that many of his children will become Thunderbirds after high school.