A Monmouth College treasure

College life in the Midwest is an important part of everyday life. But sporting success, commencement ceremonies, and rivalries do not represent the real glue that binds a college. Many work behind the scenes, in silence, but their influence is profound. They make things happen. Without them, colleges would be the poorer.

Monmouth College’s Ms. Kathy Haas is one such person. Recently retiring after 34 years with the Athletic Department, she took time-out to reflect on her thoughts and experiences.

When employment opportunity knocked in 1985, Ms. Haas didn’t know what she was getting herself into. Her Reflections are a walk down memory lane. From those earliest beginnings in a basement with a typewriter and a ditto machine that used carbon paper, “…that was it,” to the impressive Huff Center, Ms. Haas has seen more than most. Five school presidents, many coaches and many more students; she has silently lived many “pretty unique” experiences on the support staff at Monmouth College.

She describes as “a process,” the development of Monmouth College during these 34 years. Ms. Haas has seen the College move from eight sports teams to over a doubling of this number, complete with a move from the basement she occupied for nearly 20 years, into the Huff Center in 2003.

While many athletes and coaches have been influential to her, meaningful moments perhaps are those when she receives a message from someone distant. These are special moments or recognition, because college relationships remain important to her.

Monmouth and Knox have a rich rivalry. While Ms. Haas describes it as strong, she feels it is not as strong as it used to be, recalling those times with standing room only at the basketball games. “We always have good crowds for the Knox/Monmouth [football] games,” and with this memory, she reflects on characters within Monmouth College who go back further than she, such as Ralph Whiteman (class of 1959), who still attends each sporting event with his red and white sweater.

Although retiring, she considers she has three years left. Until the freshman she saw finish, she remains part of them and their legacy.

On coaches, Ms. Haas shares special and remarkable memories. From Coach Glasgow who “hired me,” through to the present athletic director, Coach Haynes; to Coach Sanders, Coach Ron Nelson, and finally Coach Betourne. Their name alone stir emotions through the times they shared together.

Her message to students who attend Monmouth College is: “Enjoy your time, because of the value of these years to your life and your friendships. Also, respect your coaches because, believe it or not, they do know what they are doing.”

She hopes the college continues to have the problem of not having enough room, because that will mean that it is growing.

Reflecting on the Midwest, Ms. Kathy said that there’s “something about the mid-west; it’s not simple; it’s not complicated; it’s just natural!” She claims Monmouth College has been a good fit and is a good family. She proudly reflects on her daughter, who is a Monmouth alumnus and who husband is also an Monmouth alumnus.

Her silence becomes louder when on friendship she says “it’s not who you go to high school with because there you don’t have a choice of picking them [your friends], but coming here it’s who you fit with and who you go with!” Further, she says: “your friends now are the one’s you’ll have forever, because you’ve chosen them, you will try and see them, and hopefully you’ll be around some of them.” It’s not only people like Ms. Haas who bring the college together, the students also form life-long bonds to each other.

Ms. Kathy Haas is a Monmouth College treasure. Her loyalty, dedication and commitment make her worthy of special recognition. She didn’t have a profile, but she was always there; she had the trust of all. She is the glue to Monmouth College Athletic department.

Campbell Quirk - Contributing Writer