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College Magazine | Fall/Winter 2017 Contents ST. NORBERT COLLEGE MAGAZINE Vol. 49, No. 3, Fall/Winter 2017 Cover Story Page 7 An unprecedented gift to SNC’s endowment honors the legacy of Donald J. Schneider ’57 in serving the community and advancing Catholic education. Page 24 Acceptance to a highly competitive program at Bryn Mawr College brought with it the chance to introduce St. Norbert College women to an institute that helps women faculty members and administrators prepare for leadership roles. Page 16 Fiat Lux! Page 31 A charge to amplify the stories of others, heard long ago in a Boyle Hall classroom, The first order of business forBart Wolf started the eighth president on his journey ’94 upon earning his business degree was home to St. Norbert. In this issue, we buying a race car. It made perfect sense for celebrate the inauguration of President someone with racing roots as deep as his. Brian J. Bruess ’90. Now his new condominium project caters to car enthusiasts and racers who “have a On our cover: Bruess received the car habit they’re trying to house.” presidential seal into his own hands when he was formally installed as president Oct. 11, 2017. Photo by Corey Wilson for St. Norbert College. Departments 6 Guest Editorial 7 News of St. Norbert 27 Alumni of St. Norbert 34 Connection Reflecting the mission of the college, St. Norbert College Magazine links the institution’s past and present by chronicling its academic, cultural, spiritual and co-curricular life. Online A sampling of related content available at snc.edu/magazine. In funds: Nick Surprise ’20 (page 8) looked far beyond financial aid to pay for college and will graduate with strikingly little student debt. He shares his scholar- ship search tactics. In bronze: The new sculpture depicting the conversion of St. Norbert (page 11) was cast at a foundry in Utah and Page 20 assembled on site. Food for Thought In the beginning: The new president took the first words of Genesis – fiat lux, Student researchers are playing key roles in Let there be light! – as the theme for his one grad’s creative effort to provide urban installation. His inaugural speech (page residents with improved access to healthy 16) sets the tone for the start of a new food. presidency. Inauguration: Highlights (page 18) from a week to remember as the campus celebrated Heritage Week and Homecoming along with the installation of its eighth president. In its first century: Our call for Boyle Hall memories yielded far more comments than we could possibly include in our feature (page 22). Luckily, we have space online for many more – yours, too! In recognition: Learn more about our Page 22 2017 Alumni Award Winners (page 33) and their tireless work for the common One for the Ages good. Every living alum has taken at least one class In their element: The faculty triennial in Boyle Hall. As the venerable building turns (page 34) shows off the various mediums 100, we take a look back at some of its stories. in which our own art professors do their best work. Keep an eye open throughout this edition for more links to content on the web. Follow us snc.edu/magazine on your favorite social media channel, too. Just search for St. Norbert College. Be bold, be brave, be you! Every summer, the GLAD and BOLD leadership camps for girls and boys draw hundreds of children to campus. At BOLD camp, boys, the organizers promise, will discover untapped courage, strength, deter- mination and will. They’ll also learn how to best their leaders at all kinds of fun and games! This image is available for download at snc.edu/magazine. 4 St. Norbert College Magazine | Fall/Winter 2017 snc.edu/magazine 5 In My Words / The Rev. Jay Fostner ’84 An abbot, a crypt, and a third space One of my favorite things to do is give tours of the United States.” “You?” someone almost always asks St. Norbert Abbey. The abbey, which lies about three with a smirk. “No,” I answer. “There is no doubt that miles from the college, was dedicated in 1959 after the I’ll be planted in the front-yard cemetery with the rest Norbertines outgrew their original home on campus. of my Norbertine brothers.” If you haven’t been there, it’s beautiful – quiet, warm, After the guests leave, I sometimes go back to spiritual and inviting. You are most welcome! the crypt and privately ask myself the same question: The abbey is critically important to almost every- Who will be the next great figure in our little order? thing that happens on campus. For that reason, every And then I ask another question: Who is already new student, every new parent, every new faculty and among us doing great things? staff member starts their time at St. Norbert College President Tom Kunkel often told the story of how, The Rev. Jay Fostner ’84 is vice president with a tour of the abbey. We hope it helps everyone shortly after becoming St. Norbert College’s seventh for mission and student associated with the college understand the connection president, he went to the crypt to keep company with affairs. An assistant between the abbey community and the college Abbot Pennings. Reflecting on the life of this young professor of psychology, community, and how the abbey both supports and Dutch priest – a man who came to the United States he joined the counseling gives direction to the college. in the late 1800s, started a school and grew the order staff at St. Norbert College During the tour, after looking at the massive and with practically no resources at hand, and who laid in 1997. He was appointed vice president for mission beautiful church and talking a bit about the liturgical a foundation that is extremely strong and will only and heritage in 2004, prayer life of the Norbertines, I tell visitors it’s time get stronger – this is certainly a great way to gather moving into his current role to walk down some stairs and tour the crypt. Nearly inspiration. It worked for Tom: He had an extremely in 2012. The division of every time, someone in the group says, “The what?” successful nine-year run in the president’s role. mission and student affairs We descend the stairs to a sacred place. In the Now it’s the turn of President Brian Bruess to take is committed to creating crypt, well-designed display cases hold the vestments the helm at St. Norbert College. Brian and I have been and inspiring a vibrant campus community noted that were used during the time of Abbot Bernard friends for many years. We’ve served on association for its rich incorporation Pennings (early- to mid-1900s) and of Abbot boards together and we’ve spent a good amount of of the Catholic, Norbertine Sylvester Killeen (mid-1900s, when the abbey was time sharing dreams and career goals. There is no and liberal arts traditions; first dedicated). There is a case displaying vestments doubt that the community at the college and beyond its radical hospitality; and still in use today. Also to be found in the crypt are will quickly learn how blessed we are to have Brian its culture of responsibility and care for one another. memorial stones set in the floor, marking the sites of as our eighth president. But there is also no doubt Fostner majored in three tombs. The center tomb is the final resting place that Brian, in his turn, will stand by the vision of our psychology at St. Norbert of Pennings – the founder of the Norbertine order founder, Abbot Pennings, and will look to his legacy and went on to earn both in the United States and the founder of St. Norbert for guidance and support. his M.A. and Ph.D. from College. The tomb to his right holds the remains of But maybe what’s most important is that Brian, like the California School of Killeen, second abbot. Killeen advanced the order’s all of us who are deeply associated with the abbey and Professional Psychology. He entered the Norbertine mission extensively. Among his achievements were the college (and that includes those of you reading this order in 1982 and was the advancement of St. Norbert College to a new note), will strive to live and minister as someone who ordained to the priesthood level of academic excellence. The third grave is not might be worthy of that third space. Like St. Norbert in 1988. yet occupied, but is reserved for the next larger-than- himself, like Abbots Pennings and Killeen, like the 30- life member of the community – maybe even for plus Norbertines worldwide who have already been someone who will one day be deemed a saint. named blessed or saint, like so many others who hold It is that empty space that often draws the eyes a special place in our hearts, we are all called by God of our visitors. A question is sometimes asked, “Who to live a life of love and compassion. I have no doubt will go there?” My answer is always the same, “Likely that, as Brian leads the way, the entire St. Norbert the next Norbertine who does great things to advance community will join him in his journey with grace the mission of the Norbertine order in De Pere and and certitude, borne on the shoulders of our founder. 6 St. Norbert College Magazine | Fall/Winter 2017 News OF ST. NORBERT COLLEGE Future focus HEARTFELT An endowment allows an institution “Don would be so to exercise good pleased.