From Warkentin

Tribute to Joe from Mark Warkentin
I lived with Joe in the dorms our freshmen year at USC, and the times that we spent together in the dorms are the fondest memories of my college career. It was an exhausting year because it was so overwhelmingly emotional, and Joe would rightly be described as the leading force that made the year what it was.
During that year, the men’s freshmen swim class did almost everything together. We rose in the morning together, endured the training together, ate every meal together, and spent the majority of our free time as one large moving entity. And if 20 hours a day wasn’t enough, freshmen curriculum often found us in the same classes. That year I remember Joe being involved in nearly every aspect of every day of my life.
Looking back, to me the most striking thing about Joe’s character was his desire to live in the moment. We all have goals and dreams, but most of the time they are associated with an accomplishment that can be claimed or described. In college we sought to graduate and in swimming we sought to win races. Both were goals that were endured, and hopefully achieved, but seldom were they enjoyed or appreciated until after the fact. I look back on my college memories with fondness, but I was completely unaware of my joy at the time. What I realize now is that Joe wanted to live his college experience with the goal of living every moment, knowing that the journey – not the destination - was the enjoyment. He wanted to graduate, and he wanted to swim fast, but his true goal was to experience the process.
I write all of that to preface the following point: that Joe was the leader of the freshmen class. For myself, and I am sure at least a few others of the group, our first year at USC is what we remember when we think of college life, and Joe will forever be the catalyst of our memories. Joe realized the uniqueness of the moment we were in and he wanted to make sure it was experienced. Joe led every major decision that we made, from the mundane (what time we would all meet at EVK for dinner) to the dramatic (our response to initiation turmoil). He was involved in every major discussion and argument and he was usually the last one in our dorm quad to go to bed. Joe devoted his all of his time and passion to the other guys in the group that year, and I cannot thank him enough for making those sacrifices.
A few quick memories that come to mind: Bond, my goodness, Bond. All night long it seemed, until our eyes were fuzzy. EVK, every meal. Every-single-freaking-meal. The entire group together, breaking bread, on a daily basis. Arguing, complaining, bickering, laughing, sharing, supporting – those meals quickly became family like, and I cannot visualize any of them without Joe. Sunday morning waffles. Sitting there at EVK, for hours, enjoying the stories that we each had from the night before. Joe often had the most interesting story, but if he did not, he was eager to experience the glory of someone else’s moment. BEAN. Joe even brought passion to the stupidest thing ever. I actually spent time arguing with Joe about BEAN. Joe hiding my tooth. I was so angry I could cry, and I did, but I couldn’t help but laugh as well. Preparing to go to parties, standing in front of the mirror, admiring our 70’s outfits. Recruit trips, and seeing Joe sleeping on the couch in the common room, giving up his bed to the recruit. The Parties. Everyone knew that Joe was a little Ilika in the making, and that someday that torch would be passed to the next party planner. The torch was indeed passed, and for the next few years Joe was the host of the biggest and best semi-organized events at USC. The first night of initiation, and the fact that Joe was actually enjoying the terrible experience.
There’s more, there’s so much more. In the time that I spent with Joe I can say that I lived dramatically. It was great and terrible at the same time, but it was memorable regardless. I give Joe the credit for making those memories possible for me.

Mark Warkentin