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Fall/Winter 2017 TABLE of CONTENTS volume 92, number 3 | fall/winter 2017 The Saint Mary’s College Courier Shari Rodriguez Courier Staff About Saint Mary’s College is published three times a year Vice President for Donna Fischman Kathe Brunton Saint Mary’s is a four-year, by Saint Mary’s College, College Relations Editor Megan Eifler Catholic, residential, Notre Dame, IN 46556-5001. [email protected] [email protected] Meg Louis ’10 women’s college in the Julie Weilbaker ’18 liberal arts tradition. Nonprofit postage paid Haleigh Ehmsen ’16 Contributors Media Relations Associate at the Post Office Alumnae Relations Staff Founded in 1844 by the at Notre Dame, IN 46556 and Kara M. O’Leary ’89 Art Wager Class News Sisters of the Holy Cross, at additional mailing offices. Executive Director of Alumnae Creative Director Send alumnae class news to: Saint Mary’s College seeks, POSTMASTER: and College Relations Mary Meehan Firtl Alumnae News Editor according to its mission Send address changes to [email protected] Art Director 110 Le Mans Hall statement, to educate Alumnae Relations, Shay Jolly ’05 Saint Mary’s College students, develop their talents, Saint Mary’s College, Curt Sochocki Associate Director of Senior Graphic Designer Notre Dame, IN 46556-5001 or and prepare them to make a 110 Le Mans Hall, Alumnae Relations email [email protected] difference in the world. Notre Dame, IN 46556-5001 Sarah Miesle ’07 [email protected] Sports Information Director Located in Notre Dame, Copyright 2017 Letters Indiana, the College offers Matt Cashore Saint Mary’s College, Send letters to the editor to: Zara Osterman five bachelor’s degrees in Notre Dame, IN 46556. more than 30 major areas of Peter Ringenberg Courier Editor Reproduction in study along with two graduate Julie Weilbaker ’18 Saint Mary’s College whole Photographers degrees: a Master of Science 303 Haggar College Center or part is and a Doctorate. prohibited Andrea Eberbach Notre Dame, IN 46556 without Illustrator (574) 284-4595 or “Like” Saint Mary’s College on written permission. email [email protected] Facebook and follow us on The opinions expressed are Twitter @saintmarys and those of the authors or their @saintmarysnews. subjects and are not necessarily shared by the College or the editor. FEATURES 4 Water: Supporting the Web of Life 7 Reaching Out, Understanding Injustice 8 #Perfect in an Imperfect World 11 Fighting Cancer at Saint Mary’s 14 Intentionality: A Social Worker’s Perspective on Holistic Healthcare DEPARTMENTS 2 Upon Reflection 22 For the Record 16 Belles Athletics 24 Club News 18 Making a Difference 26 Class News 20 Published and Presented 43 Avenue News 22 In Memoriam 44 Excelsior 45 Closing Belle On the cover: Student research examines how the protein Sestrin 2 might play a role in ovarian cancer. Courier | 1 Upon Reflection At Saint Mary’s, we place special importance on a mind, body, spirit approach to education. Beyond the knowledge gained in the classroom, Belles find opportunities on campus and beyond for social, physical, and spiritual growth, which are equally important to realizing their full potential. We have seen countless examples of how an emphasis on educating the whole person benefits not only individuals but communities and entire societies through our students, faculty, and alumnae who approach their work with the greater good in mind. This issue of Courier introduces us to students and professors who collaborate on ovarian cancer research, an alumna who serves homeless veterans in Chicago, and a dental anesthesiologist who provides mobile services to people in need. These women represent the best of Saint Mary’s, using their talent and intellect in ways that make the world a better place. The common denominator among them is the pursuit of health and wellness. That means more than providing medical expertise, it requires responsible stewardship of resources to ensure that everyone has access to clean air and drinking water, food, and shelter — the basic needs that allow the physical, mental and spiritual health of individuals and communities to flourish. Even the technology that helps us stay connected to friends and loved ones, the human network that sustains us, can have an unintended pernicious impact. When we compare ourselves to the image others present on social media, for example, we can fall victim to “the Happiness Effect” discussed in this issue, leading to anxiety and depression, an increasing concern among college students who have come of age in this media environment. Part of the commitment Saint Mary’s makes to students is to support them in the same holistic way we seek to educate them. The new Kristine Anderson Trustey ’86 Wellness Program, to be established in the renovated Angela Athletic & Wellness Complex, will help us continue to fulfill that commitment. Holistic health and wellness fits with the College’s long and strong tradition in nursing and speech language pathology, advancing the nurturing environment we offer on campus. Kris made a significant gift to support student wellness and to bring innovative solutions to the challenges women face when it comes to health and well-being. We feel immense gratitude to Kris, as well as pride in calling her a fellow Belle, because she exemplifies how a holistic education serves the world. Her dedication assures that future generations of Saint Mary’s students will be prepared to do the same. Janice A. Cervelli, FASLA, FCELA President 2 | Fall/Winter 2017 Courier | 3 Water: Supporting the Web of Life We are all part of a web — the web of life. Each of us is a strand in it. And what one does to the web, one does to oneself. This vision is attributed to Chief Seattle, leader in the 19th The Land of 6,000 Rivers century of the Suquamish Tribe in the Pacific Northwest. Chief Seattle understood at a deep level the interconnectedness that On the largest continent on the earth containing the highest exists among all people. It is a vision that Saint Mary’s both landforms on the globe lies the Himalayan mountains, also understands and supports. known as the Water Tower of Asia. Translated as “abode of snow,” the glacial runoff of the Himalayas is the source of the One basic element that connects every person is the need for great rivers of Asia and provides the water supply for over 40 clean water. It is vital for all known forms of life and yet in too percent of the planet. These rivers flow into some of the most many corners of the world, it is a threatened resource. populated nations on the continent, including the Land of That’s why, Laura Elder, assistant professor in the department 6,000 Rivers, Nepal. of global studies, led an interdisciplinary group of Saint Mary’s Nestled between China to the north and India to the south, and students to Nepal in the summer of 2017. Together they along the southern edge of the Himalayas, Nepal is one of the studied the social and anthropological reasons behind Nepal’s poorest countries in the world. The country’s heavily populated water contamination. Kathmandu Valley contributes much of the water to this region. While 80 percent of the population has access to drinking water, it is not safe due to pollution from industry, agriculture, and crumbling sewage systems. Children are especially vulnerable — tens of thousands die every year from the host of diseases that are brought about by contaminated water. “Our goal was to dig into the social determinants of contamination and disease, to understand exactly how economic, religious, and cultural factors contribute to this widespread problem,” said Elder. “We also looked at what we call structural violence, the sociological theory that structures are set in place to keep people in situations that chain them in poverty. The lack of clean water is a part of that.” In Nepal, water is used not just for drinking, cooking, and bathing, but for religious purposes, too. Many people journey to the rivers to immerse themselves in a cleansing ritual. This practice can be as dangerous as drinking the water because it exposes a person to waterborne pathogens that can cause gastrointestinal illnesses. In turn, such illnesses contribute to impoverishment and social inequality, particularly for women. < Natalie Spica ’18 stands atop a bridge near one of the interview sites. 4 | Fall/Winter 2017 Water: Supporting the Web of Life By Kathe Brunton Courier | 5 Research that makes a difference Elder’s group — Emily Castro ’17, biology and global studies; The main focus for Elder’s students involved collecting water Tori Chandler ’19, global studies and English writing; Adrian samples and testing water pumps. They also developed a Milos ’19, biology; and Julie Weilbaker ’18, Spanish — worked questionnaire and, with KIAS students translating, walked the closely with students and professors at the Kathmandu Institute neighborhoods to interview local residents on their water-access of Applied Sciences (KIAS) to conduct the field research. At histories and their understanding of the factors related to water the same time, Biology Professor Reena Lamichhane-Khadka, contamination. a native of Nepal, and Chemistry Professor Toni Barstis were Among other findings, they discovered that most people were leading separate groups of students in conducting microbiology aware the river water was unsafe to drink and needed to be and chemistry research related to water contamination and boiled first. However, the water was being boiled for only five counterfeit pharmaceuticals. minutes, when it needed nearly 30 minutes to truly purify. Upon arriving in Nepal, members of the three teams met with Analysis of the cultural data is ongoing, and the researchers plan government and water quality officials to discuss their research to share their findings with partner institutions, such as the and gain approval for the projects.