The Fifty-Seventh Annual Commencement University Ofdallas
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The Fifty-Seventh Annual Commencement University ofDallas Nine O'clock in the Morning May 15,2016 For the Degree Doctor ofHumane Letters Citation Honoring Mr. John L. Allen, Jr. John L. Allen, Jr. is the editor of Crux, an independent Catholic news site in partnership with the Knights of Columbus, and previously served both as a senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and later as associate editor of the Boston Globe. He's the senior Vatican analyst for CNN, the author of ten books on Catholic affairs and the Vatican, and a popular speaker both in the United States and abroad. The London Tablet has called Allen "the most authoritative writer on Vatican affairs in the English language," and renowned papal biographer George Weigel has called him "the best Anglophone Vatican reporter ever." When Allen was called upon to put the first question to Pope Benedict XVI aboard the papal plane en route to the United States in April 2008, the Vatican spokesperson said to the pope: "Holy Father, this man needs no introduction." That's not just a Vatican judgment. Veteran religion writer Kenneth Woodward of Newsweek described Allen as "the journalist other reporters - and not a few cardinals look to for the inside story on how all the pope's men direct the world's largest church." Allen's work is admired across ideological divides. The late liberal commentator Fr. Andrew Greeley called his writing "indispensable," while the late Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, a conservative, called Allen's reporting "possibly the best source of information on the Vatican published in the United States." Allen's most recent book is The Francis Miracle: Inside the Transformation ofthe Pope and the Church, published by Time. Allen divides his time between Rome and his home in Denver, Colorado. He grew up in Western Kansas, and holds a Master's degree in Religious Studies from the University of Kansas . For his outstanding contribution to reporting and reflecting on contemporary Catholic and Vatican issues and events, the University of Dallas confers upon John L. Allen, Jf. the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa. Schools came in 1963, was reaffirmed in 1973, 1984, 1994, History 2004, and 2014. Significant honors have been won by University graduates since the first class in 1960 which The charter of the University of Dallas dates from 1910 earned its first Fulbright and Woodrow Wilson awards for when the Vincentian Fathers took that name for the Holy graduate studies. Trinity College that they had founded five years earlier. This charter became dormant in 1929 and was placed in the His Excellency Thomas Tschoepe succeeded Bishop Chancery Office of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas. In 1954 Gorman and served as grand chancellor of the University the Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur obtained the charter for until his retirement as Bishop in 1990, when Bishop Charles the purpose of operating a new institution in Dallas which Grahmann, his successor, assumed this position. The would absorb their junior college in Fort Worth, Our Lady seventh Bishop of Dallas, His Excellency Kevin J. Farrell, of Victory. The Sisters, together with laymen who directed succeeded Bishop Grahmann upon his retirement in 2007, the drive for funds , Eugene Constantin Jr. and Edward R. and currently serves as Chancellor of the University . Maher Sr., induced Bishop Thomas K. Gorman to have the diocese assume sponsorship of the new institution with A gift of seven and one-half million dollars from the ownership by its Board of Trustees. Blakley-Braniff Foundation established the Braniff Graduate School in 1966 and allowed the construction of Bishop Gorman announced that the University of Dallas the Braniff Graduate Center, Tower and Mall. The would be a four-year co-educational institution welcoming Constantin Foundation similarly endowed the students of all faiths and races, with a graduate school to be undergraduate college with gifts in 1967 and 1969. In added as soon as practicable. 1970 the Board of Trustees named the undergraduate college the Constantin College of Liberal Arts. Gorman The new University of Dallas opened its doors to 96 Lecture Center and the Maher Athletic Center were students in September 1956, on a thousand-acre tract of completed in 1965 . A legacy from the estate of Mrs. John rolling hills located northwest of the city of Dallas. B. O'Hara established the Summer Science Institute in 1973. The first president, F. Kenneth Brasted, served until 1959; the second, Robert Morris, from 1960 to 1962; and the Holy Trinity Seminary was founded in 1965 and occupied third, Donald A. Cowan, from 1962-1977. In 1976 Bryan its present facilities adjacent to the main campus in 1967. F. Smith was appointed Chancellor to assist Dr. Cowan and The Graduate School of Management began in 1966 and to oversee the University until the next president, Dr. John offers the largest MBA program in the Southwest. R. Sommerfeldt was appointed in 1978. Dr. Sommerfeldt Influential graduate programs in Art and English also began returned to full-time teaching and research in 1980. During in 1966. In 1973, the Institute of Philosophic Studies, the the search for his successor, Dr. Svetozar Pejovich served doctoral program of the Braniff Graduate School and an as acting President. In J ul y 1981 Dr. Robert F. Sasseen outgrowth of the Kendall Politics and Literature Program, became the fifth president of the University . In December was initiated. The Institute for Religious and Pastoral of 1995 Dr. Sasseen returned to teaching. Monsignor Studies began in 1987. In 2007 IRPS was renamed the Milam J. Joseph was named the sixth president of the School of Ministry. The College of Business, University in October of 1996 and served until December incorporating GSM and undergraduate business, opened in of 2003. Robert Galecke, senior vice-president for Finance 2003 . In 2013 the College of Business earned and Administration, served as interim president until July , accreditation from the highly selective American 2004, when Dr. Francis Lazarus took office as the seventh Association of Colleges and Schools of Business. In 201 4 president of the University. On March 1,2010 Thomas W. the University honored alumni Satish and Yasmin Gupta Keefe became the eighth president of the University. for their gift of twelve million dollars, the largest single gift in its history; the Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Members of the Cistercian Order and the Sisters of Saint Business now proudly bears their names. Mary of Namur, together with three Franciscan fathers and a number of laymen, composed the original faculty of the In 1975 the University Center was doubled in size and University . The Franciscan fathers departed after three named for J. M. Haggar, Sr., and an addition was made to years. Dominican priests joined the faculty in 1958 and the Haggerty Art Center. The University Apartments, a established the Albert the Great Priory. The School Sisters facility for upper division students, opened in 1980. 1985 of Notre Dame came in 1962. The Cistercians now have a saw the completion of the Patrick E. Haggerty Science permanent abbey church and college preparatory school for Center and the Chapel of the Incarnation. A chapter of Phi boys adjacent to the main campus. Beta Kappa, the prestigious honor society, was granted in 1988. In 1992 Anselm Hall, the first dormitory, was In time, the faculty has become largely lay of many faiths , renovated and the Fr. Thomas Cain Courtyard adjoining it and it counts distinguished scholars among its members. was dedicated. Accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and On June 11, 1994, the University dedicated permanent green field on either side of the central device. The shield facilities for its Rome Program, begun in 1970. The 12 on the left contains a star, a traditional emblem of Mary, as acre Constantin Campus, Due Santi, near Albano, Italy, is well as the chosen emblem of Texas, the Lone Star State. 15 kilometers from the heart of Rome. Recent years have The shield on the right presents the torch of liberty and seen the Haggerty Art Village, the Dominican Priory, and learning. The branches of the live oak and olive trees, the Women's Softball Complex completed, and other taken from the Seal of Texas, make further reference to the athletic facilities upgraded. A new student residence, State. West Hall, was dedicated on January 19,2010. SB Hall was dedicated on January 15, 2016 to house the Satish & The Trinity River, on which the University is located, is Yasmin Gupta College of Business. represented by the heraldic device of the wavy lines centered beneath the emblem of the Blessed Trinity. The University celebrated its 50th Anniversary with an 18 month series of events that began at the May 2005 The Official Seal, in all of its symbolic color, hangs in the Commencement and concluded with a major celebration, J. M. Haggar, Sr., University Center foyer. The exquisite The 50th Gala, September 22, 2006. mosaic, completed by art alumnus Xavier Zamarripa, was commissioned by the Class of 2002. Today the University enrolls over 2350 students from all over the United States and the world, divided roughly into 1350 full-time undergraduates; 750 largely part-time Academic Regalia Graduate College of Business students; and over 300 students in the Braniff Liberal Arts and School of Ministry Academic costume of today has a history of nearly eight programs. centuries. In medieval Europe men and women wore robes or gowns. They survive today in the gowns of religious orders and the judiciary, and in academic costume. The University Seal Students and teachers in medieval universities such as The seal of the University of Dallas is emblematic of the Paris, Bologna, Oxford, and Cambridge organized ideals to which the University is dedicated.